Hi Guys,

I've noticed that whilst ordering two of anything (coffees for example), often the waitress/er asks "zweimal Kaffee?" Is this usual? I thought zweimal meant "twice"?

Cheers

comes from zwei mal

two times.

Yup, it's normal. Confused me at first too though.

I assume it's "zweimal" because she has to write it down "zweimal." In many restaurants it will appear on your bill "zweimal" too (i.e. not "2x Kaffee = 9.00" but "Kaffee 4.50, Kaffee 4.50")

Thanks Guys.

Lesson 1: keine Mehrzahl...

I think waiters have developped their own language, not only here but almost anywhere.
I just can't think of an example but it makes mostly sense only to them.

I just don't get this - if you're ordering something 'zweimal', you are ordering something twice aren't you? What's the difference in ordering coffee twice (so one coffee for each person) and ordering two coffees (so, again, one coffee for each person)?

I orginally learnt German a long long time ago , so perhaps that's why I'm just not seeing something...

No difference at all - you can order "zwei Kaffee" and be understood perfectly, and you're right, it is exactly the same order. But the waiter will probably repeat it back to you as "zweimal Kaffee" all the same.

We're not the only ones confused by this, by the looks of it:
http://www.gutefrage.net/frage/wird-...ee-geschrieben

I ran into a Swiss guy in the US last year, who was trying to order "twice coffee" at a Peet's. I was so excited to be able to to translate for the barista

When the waitress says zweimal?

You should answer, "Nein nur zwei Kaffee bitte, nicht vier"

I've also heard "Einmal Kaffee" (well not actually Kaffee, and it will have been "Eimol", but the principle is the same).

P.S. English is even more confusing.

I can walk into my local chippy and say "Twice please" and be understood.

Even better; "Twice wi' bits 'n' peas 'n' two teacakes".

I'm getting worried here. I'm basically 100% Brit. But been abroad for a while now. And "einmal" something does not shock me! Reminds me of a student job a long time ago when I'd hear something like "So einmal Pommes Rot, und einmal Pommes Weiss".

(So 1x chips with ketchup, and 1x chips with mayonnaise).

BTW, thanks, I've noted that it's more "Eimol" than "Einmal" here

Strange, I have an 'O' level in English but I can't understand you.

A friend of mine is from Manchester and teaches English to German adults in Munich. He went to Newcastle UK, and asked people "Where is the castle please?" no success. So he went into the library and asked there. Again he was met with blank faces (Remember he teaches English to foreigners) "You know, Newcastle - Castle ---?" Then they understood "Oh yer wantt the kessel, it' oup t'a hill!" He came out a different man, unable to make himself understood 246 kilometers from his birth place!

It makes me laughing each time I get corrected by swiss people while trying to ask multiple things of something. Simply, it's a swiss way to express the simple concept of asking for multiple stuffs...they might also correct you if you try to ask them the "normal" way... you say zwei Fahrkarten bitte nach Hellstadt? and they reply with "zweimal"? first times I was replying back with zwei ... finally understood their way-

Ahaahh that's too funny! ahahah luckily he didn't want to order n (>2) coffes! -

Well, I did it time ago! bit of culture misunderstanding -

Call me strange, but isn't it logical??
Zweimal Kaffee??
Where's the problem??

And why are we discussing this in a thread......???

I understand it simply as clarification (ok, sometimes correction)... better to ask again than trying to serve three coffees in the end. Zwei and drei does sound a bit similar and can be confused if you have other background noise. If in doubt, adopt military speak and order "zwo kafi"

Our just-turned 3 year old counts, but anything more than one, is 'two'...for a little while I thought it was because he has confused the concept of 'too' and 'two'....now I am starting to think it's the swiss influence.

How many fingers ?
Let's count them,,, one...two...three...four...five.
How many ?
Two!


Edited to add: he also has the most fantastic pronunciation of 'Acht a Tus' - instead of "Octopus"

Yeah - fish n chips twice, please.
Straightforward enough, innit?!!