German · Everyday Verbs
"to order (food)" in German: bestellen
bestellen
To order food in German is bestellen. Say Ich bestelle die Suppe or Was bestellst du?. Noun die Bestellung is related but not the verb.
Restaurant
Ich bestelle das Schnitzel mit Salat.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce bestellen
Say it
beh-SHTELL-en
/bəˈʃtɛlən/
beh-SHTELL-en. Soft e; stress STELL.
"to order (food)" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| bestellen | to order Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| ich bestelle / du bestellst | I order / you order Present. | Present. |
| Haben Sie schon bestellt? | have you ordered yet? Waiter question. | Waiter question. |
| die Bestellung | the order Noun — not the verb headword. | Noun — not the verb headword. |
How to use bestellen in real life
- 1Restaurant
Ich bestelle das Schnitzel mit Salat.
I'll order the schnitzel with salad.
Food order.
- 2Sharing
Bestellst du Wein für uns beide?
Are you ordering wine for both of us?
Together.
- 3Delivery app
Wir bestellen Pizza um acht.
We're ordering pizza at eight.
Home.
Mistakes English speakers make with bestellen
Incorrect: ich ordere Pizza
Correct: ich bestelle Pizza
Use bestellen, not English order.
Incorrect: ich mache eine Bestellung Pizza (only)
Correct: ich bestelle Pizza
Verb bestellen is clearer than noun-only phrasing.
Good to know
In German restaurants, eye contact plus Bereit? often precedes Ich bestelle…. Calling the waiter with Entschuldigung is normal; snapping fingers is not.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing mains
ChatPal
Fisch oder Pasta?
Fish or pasta?
You
Ich bestelle Pasta.
I'll order pasta.
ChatPal
Dann bestelle ich Fisch.
Then I'll order fish.
You
Und als Vorsuppe bestellen wir eine für zwei?
And as a starter shall we order one for two?
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to order (food)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to order (food)" in German
How do you conjugate bestellen?
Ich bestelle, du bestellst, er bestellt.
Does die Bestellung count?
No — that's the noun; use the verb forms.
Order drinks?
Same verb: Ich bestelle ein Bier.
Online shop?
Bestellen also works for packages.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
