French for Beginners: Asking for More Food and Another Serving
Learn to ask for more food or another serving in French using encore, un autre and s'il vous plaît, with polite café and home-dinner examples.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you have already asked for something once, asking again in French often uses different words from your first request. This lesson focuses on repetition: how to ask for more of the same item, or another individual item, without sounding rude or confusing. You will learn short, natural phrases for cafés, restaurants and meals at someone's home, plus the polite words that make a second request sound normal in French.
By the end, you can…
- ask for more of the same food or drink using encore.
- ask for another individual item using un autre or une autre.
- use s'il vous plaît and merci correctly in a second request.
- understand and answer a simple question about wanting more.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Encore du pain, s'il vous plaît.
More bread, please.
ahn-KOR duh pan, seel voo PLAY
Use encore + du/ de la + item for more of an uncountable food or drink. Polite and common in homes and restaurants.
Encore de l'eau, s'il vous plaît.
More water, please.
ahn-KOR duh loh, seel voo PLAY
De l' is used before a vowel sound. This is the standard way to ask for more water in a café or at a table.
Je peux avoir un autre café ?
Can I have another coffee?
zhuh puh ah-VWAHR uhn OH-truh ka-FAY
Un autre means one more individual item. Use this when you want a second cup, not just more liquid in the same cup.
Je peux avoir une autre part ?
Can I have another slice or serving?
zhuh puh ah-VWAHR ewn OH-truh par
Une autre agrees with part, a feminine noun. Useful for cake, pizza or tart when you want one more piece.
Vous en voulez encore ?
Do you want some more?
voo zahn voo-lay ahn-KOR
A common question from a host or server. Answer Oui, s'il vous plaît or Non merci, depending on what you want.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
For more of the same uncountable item, use encore + du, de la, de l' or des + noun: Encore du riz, s'il vous plaît. For one more individual item, use un autre or une autre + singular noun: Je peux avoir une autre bière ? The choice depends on whether you are thinking of more quantity or one additional unit.
When to use it
Use encore when the server can add more to the same plate, glass or basket, for example Encore de la salade, s'il vous plaît. Use un autre or une autre when you need a fresh individual item, for example Je peux avoir un autre verre ? In a formal restaurant, Je peux avoir... ? is safe and polite. In a relaxed home meal, Encore un peu, s'il vous plaît also works.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Encore du pain, s'il vous plaît.
More bread, please.ahn-KOR duh pan, seel voo PLAYOui, bien sûr. Voilà.
Yes, of course. Here you are.wee, byan sewr. vwah-LAHMerci. Je peux avoir une autre part de tarte ?
Thank you. Can I have another slice of tart?mer-SEE. zhuh puh ah-VWAHR ewn OH-truh par duh tartBien sûr. Vous en voulez encore ?
Of course. Do you want some more?byan sewr. voo zahn voo-lay ahn-KORA little context goes a long way
In France, a second request is usually softened with s'il vous plaît, and in a restaurant you normally address the server with vous. In Québec, service can feel more informal, but s'il vous plaît remains standard. At a private meal, hosts may offer more before you ask; accepting with Oui, avec plaisir or Oui, s'il vous plaît is warm and natural.
One thing to watch for
Saying Encore un pain when you mean more bread in general.
Try this instead: Un pain means one whole loaf, so it sounds like a whole extra loaf. For more bread as a quantity, say Encore du pain, s'il vous plaît. Use un autre pain only if you really want one more whole loaf.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You want more water in a café. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Encore de l'eau, s'il vous plaît.
Encore de l' is correct before a vowel sound, and s'il vous plaît keeps the request polite. Encore un peu d'eau is also acceptable if you want just a little more.
2You want one more coffee, in a new cup. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Je peux avoir un autre café ?
Un autre café means one additional coffee as an individual item. Je peux avoir encore un café ? is possible but less natural for a separate cup.
3Your host asks Vous en voulez encore ? and you do not want more. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Non merci, c'est très bon.
Non merci refuses politely, and c'est très bon compliments the food. Non merci, ça va is also fine in a relaxed setting.
Use encore + du, de la, de l' or des for more of the same food or drink, and un autre or une autre for one more individual item. Add s'il vous plaît every time.
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