Ordering a latte with oat milk | Learn French in English

French lesson set in a contemporary Paris everyday setting: At a cafe counter, a customer orders a latte with oat milk and asks for lighter foam while the barista checks the label..

EN → FR / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Ordering a latte with oat milk to practice French conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Est-ce que je pourrais avoir un latte au lait d’avoine, si vous en avez ?

ess-kuh zhuh poo-RAY ah-VWAR uh(n) LAH-tay oh lay dah-VWAN, see voo zahn ah-VAY? Could I have a latte with oat milk if you have it?
B

Oui, nous en avons. Voulez-vous la quantité habituelle de mousse ?

wee, noo zahn ah-VON. voo-LAY voo lah kah(n)-tee-TAY ah-bee-TWELL duh MOOSS? We do. Would you like the usual amount of foam?
A

Un peu moins de mousse serait préférable. J’évite le lait ordinaire aujourd’hui.

uh(n) puh MWAHN duh MOOSS suh-RAY pray-fay-RAHBL. zhay-VEET luh lay or-dee-NAIR oh-zhoor-DWEE. Less foam would be better. I'm avoiding regular milk today.
B

Je vais le préparer avec moins de mousse.

zhuh vay luh pray-pah-RAY ah-VEK mwahn duh MOOSS. I'll make it with less foam.
A

C’est tout ce qu’il me faut.

say too suh keel muh FOH. That's all I need.
B

Je vais le préparer maintenant et vérifier l’étiquette avant de vous le donner.

zhuh vay luh pray-pah-RAY mahn-tuh-NAHN ay vay-ree-fee-AY lay-tee-KET ah-VAHN duh voo luh doh-NAY. I'll prepare it now and check the label before I hand it over.

Word by Word

Est-ce «Est-ce» introduces a yes-or-no question in «Est-ce que je pourrais avoir...». It is used at the beginning of a polite request such as ordering something at a café.
que In «Est-ce que je pourrais avoir...», «que» links the question-opening expression to the clause that follows. The reusable pattern is «Est-ce que» followed by a question.
je «je» and «Je» mean “I” and identify the speaker as the subject. They appear before «pourrais» and «vais», as in polite requests and statements about planned actions.
pourrais «pourrais» expresses “could” in the polite request «je pourrais avoir». It softens the request, and «pouvoir» followed by an infinitive is a common way to ask whether something is possible.
avoir «avoir» means “to have” in the request «je pourrais avoir un latte». After «pourrais», it stays in the infinitive; this pattern is useful when politely asking for an item.
un In «un latte», «un» introduces one latte as the requested item. In «Un peu moins de mousse», «Un» forms the quantity expression «un peu», meaning a small amount.
latte «latte» names the coffee drink being ordered in «un latte au lait d’avoine». It can be used after «un» when ordering this drink.
au In «au lait d’avoine», «au» connects the latte to the type of milk used; it is the contracted form of «à le». The whole phrase «latte au lait d’avoine» specifies a latte made with oat milk.
lait «lait» means “milk” in «lait d’avoine» and «lait ordinaire». It is used with a following description to identify the type of milk.
d’avoine «d’avoine» specifies that the milk is made from oats in «lait d’avoine». The reusable pattern is «lait d’avoine» when ordering or describing oat milk.
si «si» means “if” in «si vous en avez», introducing the condition that the café has the requested oat milk. A common pattern is «si» followed by a clause describing a condition.
vous «vous» means “you” in the polite exchange with the café worker, as in «si vous en avez» and «avant de vous le donner». It can identify the person addressed or the recipient of an action.
en In «si vous en avez», «en» refers to some of the requested oat milk, so the noun does not need to be repeated. The pattern «en avoir» is useful when talking about whether something is available.
avez «avez» means “have” in «vous en avez» and states whether the café has the requested milk available. It is the form of «avoir» used with «vous».
Oui «Oui» means “yes” and confirms that the café has the requested milk in «Oui, nous en avons». It is a direct way to answer a yes-or-no question.
nous «nous» means “we” in «nous en avons», referring here to the café staff or business. It appears before «avons» as the subject of the availability statement.
avons «avons» means “have” in «nous en avons» and confirms that the café has oat milk. It is the form of «avoir» used with «nous».
Voulez-vous «Voulez-vous» means “would you like” in the polite question «Voulez-vous la quantité habituelle de mousse ?». The inversion pattern «Voulez-vous + item?» is useful when offering a choice.
la «la» is the definite article before «quantité» in «la quantité habituelle». It introduces a specific amount being discussed.
quantité «quantité» means “amount” in «la quantité habituelle de mousse». The pattern «quantité de» identifies what is being measured.
habituelle «habituelle» means “usual” or “standard” and describes «quantité» in «la quantité habituelle». It is useful when asking whether someone wants the normal amount.
de In «quantité de mousse» and «moins de mousse», «de» links an amount expression to what is being measured. The reusable patterns are «quantité de + noun» and «moins de + noun».
mousse «mousse» means “foam” in the latte order. It is used after an amount expression, as in «moins de mousse» when requesting a smaller amount.
peu «peu» contributes the meaning of a small amount in «un peu moins de mousse». The expression «un peu de» is commonly used to refer to a small amount of something.
moins «moins» means “less” in «moins de mousse» and «un peu moins de mousse». The pattern «moins de + noun» expresses a reduced amount.
serait «serait» means “would be” in «serait préférable», presenting the preferred amount as a polite suggestion rather than a forceful command. The pattern «serait préférable» can express that one option would be better.
préférable «préférable» means “preferable” or “better” in «Un peu moins de mousse serait préférable». It describes the requested option and helps express a polite preference.
J’évite «J’évite» means “I avoid” or “I am avoiding” in «J’évite le lait ordinaire aujourd’hui». The apostrophe joins «je» to «évite» before a vowel, and «éviter» can be followed by the thing being avoided.
le In «le lait ordinaire», «le» is the article meaning “the”. In «le préparer», it is an object pronoun referring to the latte, so its function depends on the surrounding words.
ordinaire «ordinaire» means “regular” in «le lait ordinaire», identifying the milk the customer is avoiding. The phrase «lait ordinaire» can distinguish regular milk from the oat milk requested here.
aujourd’hui «aujourd’hui» means “today” and specifies when the speaker is avoiding regular milk in «J’évite le lait ordinaire aujourd’hui». It is a time expression that can be placed with a statement about the current day.
vais «vais» contributes “am going to” in «Je vais le préparer», expressing a planned or imminent action. The pattern «aller» followed by an infinitive is used to talk about what someone is going to do.
préparer «préparer» means “prepare” in «le préparer», referring to making the ordered latte. It is an infinitive after «vais», and the pattern «préparer + object» identifies what will be prepared.
avec «avec» means “with” in «avec moins de mousse» and introduces the requested preparation detail. The pattern «avec + noun phrase» can specify an ingredient or feature included in something.
C’est «C’est» means “that is” or “it is” in «C’est tout ce qu’il me faut». It opens a statement identifying the complete amount or item that is needed.
tout «tout» means “all” or “everything” in «C’est tout ce qu’il me faut», referring to the full request. This expression is useful for saying that no additional item is needed.
ce In «ce qu’il me faut», «ce» points to what is needed and can be understood as “what” in the complete expression. The pattern «ce que» introduces the thing described by the following clause.
qu’il In «ce qu’il me faut», «qu’il» links «ce» to the clause that explains what is needed. Here «il» is impersonal with «faut», so it does not mean “he”.
me «me» means “to me” in «il me faut», showing for whom something is needed. The pattern «il me faut» expresses a personal need or requirement.
faut «faut» means “is needed” in «ce qu’il me faut», where «il me faut» means “I need”. It comes from «falloir» and is used impersonally in this expression.
maintenant «maintenant» means “now” in «Je vais le préparer maintenant». It places the preparation in the present moment and is useful when announcing an action that will begin immediately.
et «et» means “and” and connects the two actions «préparer» and «vérifier» in the final sentence. It is used to join related actions or pieces of information.
vérifier «vérifier» means “check” or “verify” in «vérifier l’étiquette», referring to checking the label. The pattern «vérifier + direct object» identifies what is being checked.
l’étiquette «l’étiquette» means “the label” in «vérifier l’étiquette». The article «l’» is used before the vowel at the beginning of «étiquette», and the phrase refers to the product label being checked.
avant «avant» means “before” in «avant de vous le donner», placing the label check earlier than handing over the latte. The pattern «avant de + infinitive» introduces an action that happens later.
donner «donner» means “give” or “hand over” in «vous le donner», referring to handing the prepared latte to the customer. In this pattern, the thing given and the recipient are represented before the infinitive.

Grammar Points

pourrais + infinitif

Pourrais-je avoir un latte ?

poo-RAY zhuh ah-VWAR uh(n) LAH-tay?

Could I have a latte?

The conditional form pourrais makes a request polite. It is followed by the infinitive avoir.

avant de + infinitif

Je vérifie l’étiquette avant de donner.

zhuh vay-ree-FEE-ay lay-tee-KET ah-VAHN duh doh-NAY

I check the label before handing it over.

Use avant de before an infinitive to express that one action happens earlier than another.

French Vocabulary

avoir verb
ah-VWAR to have
en avez phrase
ahn-ah-VAY have it
habituelle adj
ah-bee-TWELL usual
J’évite verb
zhay-VEET I avoid
lait d’avoine phrase
lay dah-VWAN oat milk
lait ordinaire phrase
lay or-dee-NAIR regular milk
latte noun
LAH-tay latte
moins adv
MWAHN less
mousse noun
MOOSS foam
pourrais verb
poo-RAY could
préférable adj
pray-fay-RAHBL preferable; better
quantité noun
kah(n)-tee-TAY amount

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

That's all I need.

Show AnswerC’est tout ce qu’il me faut.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

could

Show Answerpourrais

less

Show Answermoins

latte

Show Answerlatte

usual

Show Answerhabituelle