French for ordering problems: saying 'I ordered this without cheese' and asking for a fix
Learn elementary French to explain that a dish was prepared incorrectly, using 'J'ai commandé ce plat sans fromage', and to ask politely for it to be corrected.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When a dish arrives wrong, the problem is usually preparation, not a missing item. In French, the key structure is the passé composé with avoir: J'ai commandé ce plat sans fromage ('I ordered this dish without cheese'). You then name the error and ask for a fix with a polite request such as Est-ce que vous pouvez le refaire, s'il vous plaît ? This lesson gives you the exact phrases, the grammar pattern and the register you need in a restaurant in France or another Francophone area.
By the end, you can…
- say that I ordered a dish without a specific ingredient.
- point out that the dish was prepared incorrectly.
- ask politely for the dish to be remade or replaced.
- understand a server's clarifying question and respond.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
J'ai commandé ce plat sans fromage.
I ordered this dish without cheese.
zhay koh-mahn-DAY suh plah sahn fruh-MAHZH
Use this to state the original order. 'J'ai commandé' is the passé composé of commander; 'sans fromage' means 'without cheese'.
Il y a du fromage dans ce plat.
There is cheese in this dish.
eel ee ah dew fruh-MAHZH dahn suh plah
Use this to describe what is actually in the dish. 'Il y a' means 'there is/there are'; 'du fromage' is the partitive, used for an unspecified amount.
Je n'ai pas commandé ça.
I didn't order that.
zhuh nay pah koh-mahn-DAY sah
Use this if the wrong dish has arrived. The negative wraps around the verb: ne... pas. In speech, 'ne' is often dropped: J'ai pas commandé ça.
Est-ce que vous pouvez le refaire, s'il vous plaît ?
Can you remake it, please?
ess-kuh voo poo-vay luh ruh-FAIR seel voo PLAY
A polite request. 'Le' refers to the masculine dish (le plat); use 'la' for a feminine noun such as la salade.
Je suis désolé(e), mais ce n'est pas ce que j'ai commandé.
I'm sorry, but this isn't what I ordered.
zhuh swee day-zoh-LAY may suh nay pah suh kuh zhay koh-mahn-DAY
A softer, more diplomatic way to raise the problem. Add -e to désolé if the speaker is female.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To explain an incorrect preparation, use the passé composé: J'ai commandé + [dish] + sans + [ingredient]. Examples: J'ai commandé une pizza sans fromage. J'ai commandé une salade sans tomates. To describe what is actually in the dish, use Il y a + du/de la/de l' + ingredient: Il y a du fromage. Il y a de la crème. To ask for a fix, use Est-ce que vous pouvez + infinitive: Est-ce que vous pouvez le refaire ? Est-ce que vous pouvez m'apporter un autre plat ?
When to use it
Use these phrases when the dish is present but wrong, not when something is missing. If a side dish never arrived, say Il manque la salade ('The salad is missing'). If the dish was made with an ingredient you asked to omit, say J'ai commandé ce plat sans fromage, then Il y a du fromage. Keep your tone calm and polite: Est-ce que vous pouvez le refaire, s'il vous plaît ? In France, service staff generally expect a direct but courteous explanation; raising your voice or saying C'est inadmissible is considered rude in an ordinary restaurant.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Bonjour, excusez-moi. J'ai commandé ce plat sans fromage.
Hello, excuse me. I ordered this dish without cheese.bohn-ZHOOR eks-kew-zay-MWAH. zhay koh-mahn-DAY suh plah sahn fruh-MAHZHAh, je suis désolé. Il y a du fromage ?
Ah, I'm sorry. Is there cheese in it?ah, zhuh swee day-zoh-LAY. eel ee ah dew fruh-MAHZHOui, il y a du fromage. Est-ce que vous pouvez le refaire, s'il vous plaît ?
Yes, there is cheese. Can you remake it, please?wee, eel ee ah dew fruh-MAHZH. ess-kuh voo poo-vay luh ruh-FAIR seel voo PLAYBien sûr. Je le fais refaire tout de suite.
Of course. I'll have it remade right away.byan sewr. zhuh luh fay ruh-FAIR too duh SWEETA little context goes a long way
In France, Belgium and Switzerland, restaurant staff usually respond well to a calm, factual statement: J'ai commandé ce plat sans fromage. In Québec, you may hear the same structure, but service interactions can be more informal; Bonjour, j'ai un problème avec mon plat is also common. In all regions, s'il vous plaît and excusez-moi soften the request. Avoid tutoiement with staff you do not know; use vous.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Je n'ai pas commandé le fromage' to mean 'I ordered it without cheese'.
Try this instead: That sentence means 'I did not order the cheese', which suggests a missing item. To describe preparation, say J'ai commandé ce plat sans fromage. If the dish has cheese, add Il y a du fromage dans ce plat.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I ordered this dish without cheese' in French?
Show a sample answer
J'ai commandé ce plat sans fromage.
This uses the passé composé j'ai commandé plus sans fromage. You could also say J'ai commandé ce plat sans fromage, s'il vous plaît for a softer tone.
2The dish has cream, but you asked for no cream. What two sentences can you use?
Show a sample answer
J'ai commandé ce plat sans crème. Il y a de la crème.
The first states the original order; the second describes the actual dish. Il y a de la crème uses the partitive de la with the feminine noun crème.
3How do you politely ask for the dish to be remade?
Show a sample answer
Est-ce que vous pouvez le refaire, s'il vous plaît ?
This is a polite request with vous. If the dish is feminine, use la: Est-ce que vous pouvez la refaire ? You can also say Pourriez-vous le refaire, s'il vous plaît ? for a more formal register.
State the original order with J'ai commandé... sans..., describe the error with Il y a..., and ask for a fix with Est-ce que vous pouvez le refaire, s'il vous plaît ? Keep it calm and polite.
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