Ordering Food on My Own for the First Time

lái来Zhōngguó中国sān三gè个yuè月yǐhòu以后，wǒ我juédìng决定zìjǐ自己qù去cāntīng餐厅chī吃yī一cì次fàn饭。

After three months in China, I decide to have a meal at a restaurant on my own.

yǐqián以前dōu都shì是péngyou朋友bāng帮wǒ我diǎn点cài菜，zhè这cì次wǒ我xiǎng想liànxí练习shuō说Zhōngwén中文。

My friends have always helped me order before, but this time I want to practice speaking Chinese.

wǒ我xuǎn选le了yī一jiā家bùtài不太dà大de的cāntīng餐厅，yīnwei因为càidān菜单shàng上yǒu有zhàopiàn照片。

I choose a fairly small restaurant because its menu has pictures.

zuòxià坐下yǐhòu以后，fúwù服务yuán员bǎ把càidān菜单dìgěi递给wǒ我。

After I sit down, the server hands me a menu.

wǒ我kàn看le了jǐ几fēnzhōng分钟，diǎn点le了yī一fèn份jī鸡ròu肉、yī一fèn份qīng青cài菜hé和yī一wǎn碗mǐfàn米饭。

After looking for a few minutes, I order a chicken dish, a vegetable dish, and a bowl of rice.

wǒ我bùtài不太néng能chī吃là辣，jiù就qǐng请fúwù服务yuán员gàosu告诉chúfáng厨房shǎo少fàng放yī一diǎn点làjiāo辣椒。

I cannot handle very spicy food, so I ask the server to tell the kitchen to use less chili.

tā他hái还wèn问wǒ我yàobù要不yào要yǐnliào饮料，wǒ我shuō说yī一bēi杯wēn温shuǐ水jiù就kěyǐ可以。

He also asks whether I would like a drink, and I say a glass of warm water is fine.

děng等cài菜de的shíhou时候，wǒ我gěi给péngyou朋友fā发le了xiāoxi消息，gàosu告诉tā她wǒ我yǐjīng已经diǎn点hǎo好le了。

While waiting for the food, I message a friend to tell her I have finished ordering.

jī鸡ròu肉sòng送lái来yǐhòu以后，wǒ我fāxiàn发现wèidao味道hěn很hǎo好，érqiě而且bùtài不太là辣。

When the chicken arrives, I find that it tastes great and is not too spicy.

bùguò不过，liǎng两fèn份cài菜duì对wǒ我lái来shuō说yǒu有diǎn点duō多，wǒ我méiyou没有quánbù全部chī吃wán完。

However, the two dishes are a little too much for me, and I do not finish everything.

wǒ我wèn问fúwù服务yuán员néngbùnéng能不能bǎ把shèngxia剩下de的cài菜dài带zǒu走，tā他gěi给le了wǒ我yī一gè个hézi盒子。

I ask the server whether I can take the leftovers with me, and he gives me a container.

fù付qián钱yǐqián以前，wǒ我kàn看le了yī一xià下zhàngdān账单，quèrèn确认jiàgé价格méiyou没有wèntí问题。

Before paying, I look at the bill to make sure the prices are correct.

zhè这dùn顿fàn饭ràng让wǒ我míngbai明白，bùyòng不用měi每jù句huà话dōu都shuō说de得wánměi完美，yě也néng能bǎ把zìjǐ自己de的yìsi意思shuō说qīngchu清楚。

This meal helps me realize that I can make myself understood without saying every sentence perfectly.