Mission · Eat and pay like a local

Welcome to the Dominican comedor

This module takes you from the comedor to the colmado. Let's go.

YoPratiqo · TravelModule 3 · A1 travelPractice audio

Eat, order, and pay like a local

Discover the dishes, drinks, and phrases that turn a meal into a real Dominican experience.

¿Qué me recomienda?Quiero probar algo típico.¿Me trae la cuenta?Más despacio, por favor.

Culture passport visual

RD A1

1Dominican breakfast

2Order a typical dish

3Drinks and coffee

4Pay simply

After the module, bring these phrases to your Pratiqo teacher to practice out loud.

Practice audio

Practice audio uses your browser voice. Voice quality may vary by device.

Culture passport · 6 stops

6 stops before you order like a confident traveler

Six stops to understand the Dominican table.

Culture passport

6 stops before you order like a confident traveler

1
Dominican breakfast
Mangú, salami, cheese, and eggs: you enter the day through the plate.
2
Order a typical dish
You ask for a recommendation and understand what comes with the dish.
3
Drinks and coffee
Chinola, morir sonando, coffee, and cacao: culture notes plus useful ordering words.
4
Pay simply
The bill, card, cash, receipt: calm phrases for the end of a meal.
5
Music and atmosphere
Merengue, bachata, and the colmado: language in everyday life.
6
Dominican culture challenge
You fill your culture passport with 8 useful, respectful decisions.

Food identity cards

Dishes that carry the culture

Each card: name, cultural cue, phrase you can use.

Food identity cards

Dishes that carry the culture

Each card gives you the name, the cultural cue, and a phrase you can actually say.

menu cardsabor RD

Mangú con los tres golpes

Mashed green plantains, often served with salami, fried cheese, and eggs.

Cultural note

A classic Dominican breakfast: simple, filling, and deeply local.

Phrase to order it

¿Tiene mangú?

menu cardsabor RD

La Bandera Dominicana

The most symbolic lunch plate: rice, beans, meat, and salad.

Cultural note

It is called the flag because these elements return again and again in everyday cooking.

Phrase to order it

Quiero una bandera, por favor.

menu cardsabor RD

Sancocho

A rich family stew, often shared at gatherings and special occasions.

Cultural note

It is a patience dish: people take time, share, and talk.

Phrase to order it

¿Tiene sancocho hoy?

menu cardsabor RD

Mofongo

Mashed plantain, often with garlic and a filling; it appears across Caribbean cuisines.

Cultural note

Perfect for learning how to ask what a dish contains.

Phrase to order it

¿Qué trae el mofongo?

menu cardsabor RD

Tostones

Green plantain slices fried twice, crispy and easy to share.

Cultural note

A useful side dish for talking about texture: crujiente.

Phrase to order it

Quiero tostones, por favor.

menu cardsabor RD

Pescado frito

Fried fish, often tied to beaches, coastal towns, and simple meals.

Cultural note

Always ask what comes with it: rice, tostones, salad, or something else.

Phrase to order it

¿Qué viene con el pescado frito?

menu cardsabor RD

Habichuelas con dulce

A sweet Dominican dessert made with beans, spices, and milk.

Cultural note

A good reminder: food can surprise you when you meet it in another culture.

Phrase to order it

¿Tiene habichuelas con dulce?

menu cardsabor RD

Morir soñando

A sweet, creamy drink made with orange and milk.

Cultural note

Its name is memorable: to die dreaming, in a light and delicious sense.

Phrase to order it

Quiero un morir soñando.

menu cardsabor RD

Jugos naturales / batidas

Natural juices and fruit shakes such as chinola, mango, or piña.

Cultural note

Chinola is a very useful local word for passion fruit.

Phrase to order it

Quiero un jugo de chinola.

menu cardsabor RD

Café dominicano

Strong, social coffee, often offered with warmth and conversation.

Cultural note

Learn to specify: con azúcar, sin azúcar, con leche.

Phrase to order it

Un café, por favor.

menu cardsabor RD

Cacao / chocolate

An important agricultural product connected to landscapes, local work, and desserts.

Cultural note

Cacao opens a door into the local economy, not only flavor.

Phrase to order it

¿Tiene chocolate caliente?

Dominican culture

What makes the DR feel alive

Music, places, crafts — the cues that reassure you.

Dominican culture

What makes the Dominican Republic feel alive

Music

Merengue

A major Dominican rhythm: dance, celebration, and national pride.

Me gusta el merengue.

Music

Bachata

A Dominican musical expression known worldwide for its emotion.

¿Es bachata o merengue?

Daily life

Colmado

A neighborhood shop: people buy, talk, and hear local speech.

¿Dónde hay un colmado cerca?

Transport

Guagua

In several Caribbean countries, this word can mean a bus or minibus.

¿Dónde pasa la guagua?

Place

Zona Colonial

Santo Domingo's historic district, important for understanding the Americas.

Quiero visitar la Zona Colonial.

Nature

Los Haitises

A national park with mangroves, caves, and spectacular landscapes.

Quiero conocer Los Haitises.

Place

Samaná

A coastal region known for landscapes, culture, and nature outings.

Voy a Samaná.

Mountain

Pico Duarte / Jarabacoa

The mountain side of the country: rivers, cool air, and adventure.

Me gusta la montaña.

Nature

Bahía de las Águilas

A protected beach and natural landscape to approach with respect.

Es un lugar hermoso.

Local product

Larimar

A blue stone associated with the Dominican Republic.

¿Es larimar?

Local product

Ámbar dominicano

Local amber, often seen in crafts and museums.

Quiero ver el ámbar dominicano.

Agricultural culture

Cacao

An agricultural product tied to chocolate, rural life, and local know-how.

Me interesa el cacao.

Agricultural culture

Café

A drink, a local product, and a social moment.

Un café dominicano, por favor.

Craft

Muñecas sin rostro

Faceless craft dolls, a symbol of mixed and collective identity.

Quiero una muñeca sin rostro.

Cultural memory

Arte taíno

Motifs and references inspired by Taíno presence on the island.

¿Esto es arte taíno?

Phrase bank

35 phrases for menu, drinks, and payment

A bank to reuse everywhere: menu, drinks, payment, recovery.

Phrase bank

35 phrases for menus, drinks, payment, and repair

Ask for advice

¿Qué me recomienda?

What do you recommend?

Order with curiosity

Quiero probar algo típico.

I want to try something typical.

Breakfast

¿Tiene mangú?

Do you have mangú?

Understand the dish

¿Qué viene con la bandera?

What comes with la bandera?

Daily dish

¿Tiene sancocho hoy?

Do you have sancocho today?

Before ordering

¿Qué trae este plato?

What does this dish include?

Check spiciness

¿Es picante?

Is it spicy?

Food preference

Sin picante, por favor.

No spice, please.

Food preference

Un poco picante está bien.

A little spicy is fine.

Drink

¿Tiene jugo natural?

Do you have natural juice?

Choose a juice

¿Qué sabores tiene?

What flavors do you have?

Useful local word

Quiero un jugo de chinola.

I want passion fruit juice.

Typical drink

Quiero un morir soñando.

I want a morir soñando.

Coffee

Un café, por favor.

A coffee, please.

Coffee or drink

¿Tiene leche?

Do you have milk?

Preference

Sin azúcar, por favor.

No sugar, please.

Cold drink

Con hielo, por favor.

With ice, please.

Eat in

Para comer aquí.

For eating here.

To go

Para llevar, por favor.

To go, please.

Paying

¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?

Can you bring me the bill, please?

Price

¿Cuánto cuesta?

How much does it cost?

Pay by card

¿Acepta tarjeta?

Do you accept card?

Pay cash

¿Puedo pagar en efectivo?

Can I pay in cash?

Clarify the bill

¿Está incluido el servicio?

Is service included?

Receipt

¿Me puede dar un recibo?

Can you give me a receipt?

Compliment

Está muy bueno.

It is very good.

Politeness

Gracias, muy amable.

Thank you, very kind.

When it is fast

¿Me puede repetir, por favor?

Can you repeat, please?

Ask them to slow down

Más despacio, por favor.

More slowly, please.

Repair the conversation

No entendí la última parte.

I did not understand the last part.

Learn on the spot

¿Cómo se dice eso?

How do you say that?

Food safety

Soy alérgico/alérgica a...

I am allergic to...

Food preference

No como carne.

I do not eat meat.

Option

¿Tiene una opción vegetariana?

Do you have a vegetarian option?

Daily life

¿Dónde hay un colmado cerca?

Where is there a colmado nearby?

Guided dialogues

Three real-world scenes: comedor, kiosk, payment

Three complete scenes: hear, read, pronounce.

Guided dialogues

Three real-world scenes: comedor, kiosk, payment

Dialogue - Local comedor

You walk into a small local restaurant and want a typical dish.

The scene

Viajero

Hola, buenos días. ¿Qué me recomienda?

Hello, good morning. What do you recommend?

Empleado

Hoy tenemos la bandera, pollo guisado y sancocho.

Today we have la bandera, stewed chicken, and sancocho.

Viajero

Quiero probar algo típico. ¿Qué viene con la bandera?

I want to try something typical. What comes with la bandera?

Empleado

Arroz, habichuelas, carne y ensalada.

Rice, beans, meat, and salad.

Viajero

Perfecto. Una bandera, por favor.

Perfect. One bandera, please.

Empleado

¿Para comer aquí o para llevar?

For here or to go?

Viajero

Para comer aquí.

For here.

Empleado

Muy bien.

Very good.

Ask for advice

¿Qué me recomienda? is polite, natural, and opens the door to a real conversation.

Understand the dish

¿Qué viene con...? helps you know whether the dish includes rice, beans, salad, or sides.

Dialogue - Beach kiosk

You want a natural juice and need to choose a flavor.

The scene

Viajero

Hola. ¿Tiene jugo natural?

Hello. Do you have natural juice?

Vendedor

Sí. Tenemos chinola, mango y piña.

Yes. We have passion fruit, mango, and pineapple.

Viajero

Quiero un jugo de chinola, por favor.

I want a passion fruit juice, please.

Vendedor

¿Con hielo?

With ice?

Viajero

Sí, con hielo.

Yes, with ice.

Vendedor

Perfecto.

Perfect.

Viajero

Gracias, muy amable.

Thank you, very kind.

Choose a flavor

¿Qué sabores tiene? and Quiero un jugo de... form a complete mini-strategy.

Dialogue - Paying calmly

The meal is over. You ask for the bill, pay by card, and ask for a receipt.

The scene

Viajero

¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?

Can you bring me the bill, please?

Empleado

Claro. Son quinientos pesos.

Of course. It is five hundred pesos.

Viajero

¿Acepta tarjeta?

Do you accept card?

Empleado

Sí, aceptamos tarjeta.

Yes, we accept card.

Viajero

Perfecto. ¿Me puede dar un recibo?

Perfect. Can you give me a receipt?

Empleado

Sí, claro.

Yes, of course.

Viajero

Gracias.

Thank you.

Finish clearly

La cuenta, tarjeta, and recibo cover most end-of-meal moments without stress.

Ears & micro-grammar

When Dominican Spanish sounds fast

Five listening habits and nine tiny patterns to recycle.

Dominican ears

When Dominican Spanish sounds fast

Dominican Spanish can be fast

You are not the problem: natural speed can be very lively.

Más despacio, por favor.

Words may be shortened

In casual conversation, some syllables may disappear.

¿Me puede repetir, por favor?

The final s can disappear

You may hear a shorter phrase than the one you learned on paper.

No entendí la última parte.

Asking for repetition is normal

Polite travelers ask for repetition. It is a strategy, not a failure.

¿Me puede repetir, por favor?

Use más despacio without embarrassment

This phrase keeps the conversation open and respectful.

Más despacio, por favor.

Micro-grammar

9 tiny patterns that unlock the meal

Quiero + noun

I want + noun

Quiero un jugo de chinola.

I want passion fruit juice.

Quiero probar algo típico.

I want to try something typical.

Your turn: Say what you want to order.

¿Tiene...?

Do you have...?

¿Tiene mangú?

Do you have mangú?

¿Tiene jugo natural?

Do you have natural juice?

Your turn: Ask if a dish is available.

¿Qué viene con...?

What comes with...?

¿Qué viene con la bandera?

What comes with la bandera?

¿Qué viene con el pescado frito?

What comes with the fried fish?

Your turn: Ask about side dishes.

¿Cuánto cuesta...?

How much does... cost?

¿Cuánto cuesta?

How much does it cost?

¿Cuánto cuesta el jugo?

How much is the juice?

Your turn: Ask the price before paying.

¿Acepta...?

Do you accept...?

¿Acepta tarjeta?

Do you accept card?

¿Acepta efectivo?

Do you accept cash?

Your turn: Ask about the payment method.

Para comer aquí / para llevar

For here / to go

Para comer aquí.

For here.

Para llevar, por favor.

To go, please.

Your turn: Choose for here or to go.

Sin / con

Without / with

Sin azúcar, por favor.

No sugar, please.

Con hielo, por favor.

With ice, please.

Your turn: State a simple preference.

¿Me trae...?

Can you bring me...?

¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?

Can you bring me the bill?

¿Me trae agua, por favor?

Can you bring me water?

Your turn: Ask for something politely.

¿Me puede...?

Can you... for me?

¿Me puede dar un recibo?

Can you give me a receipt?

¿Me puede repetir, por favor?

Can you repeat, please?

Your turn: Turn a request into a polite phrase.

Practice · Flashcards

Memorize and review

Food, drinks, payment, places and music — your toolbox.

Flashcards

32 quick cards for food, drinks, payment, places, and music

Demo · SM-2 review in the full program

Card 1 / 32

Card · food

Flip

el mangú

Tap the card to reveal the translation.

How did it go?

No pressure — flip the card first if you need to see the answer.

Practice · Quiz

Test your reflexes

Twelve questions — no score. For you.

Practice quiz

12 questions to check your travel reflexes

1. Choose the right phrase
What do you say to ask for a recommendation?
¿Qué me recomienda?
¿Dónde está la salida?
Tengo una reservación.
See answer
¿Qué me recomienda?
What do you recommend?
This is the polite, natural way to open the menu conversation.
2. Payment
How do you ask if they accept card?
¿Acepta tarjeta?
¿Tiene leche?
Para comer aquí.
See answer
¿Acepta tarjeta?
Do you accept card?
Tarjeta is the practical word for paying by card.
3. Situation
How do you ask for the bill?
¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?
Quiero un jugo de chinola.
Está muy bueno.
See answer
¿Me trae la cuenta, por favor?
Can you bring me the bill?
La cuenta is the bill.
4. Meaning
Which phrase means “to go”?
Para llevar, por favor.
Con hielo, por favor.
Sin azúcar, por favor.
See answer
Para llevar, por favor.
To go.
Para llevar is the simple to-go phrase.
5. Food culture
Which dish is the classic rice/beans/meat plate?
La Bandera Dominicana
Morir soñando
Larimar
See answer
La Bandera Dominicana
The symbolic lunch plate.
La bandera brings together rice, beans, meat, and often salad.
6. Caribbean Spanish
What can guagua mean in Caribbean Spanish?
un bus ou minibus
un reçu
un café
See answer
un bus ou minibus
Public transport.
In several Caribbean countries, guagua can mean a bus.
7. Listening repair
How do you ask them to speak more slowly?
Más despacio, por favor.
Está muy bueno.
¿Tiene sancocho hoy?
See answer
Más despacio, por favor.
More slowly, please.
It is polite, clear, and very useful when speech is fast.
8. Drink
Which phrase orders passion fruit juice?
Quiero un jugo de chinola.
¿Acepta tarjeta?
No como carne.
See answer
Quiero un jugo de chinola.
I want passion fruit juice.
Chinola is a very useful Dominican word for passion fruit.
9. Safety
Which phrase starts an allergy warning?
Soy alérgico/alérgica a...
Me gusta el merengue.
Quiero visitar la Zona Colonial.
See answer
Soy alérgico/alérgica a...
I am allergic to...
The phrase is intentionally incomplete: add the food.
10. Payment
Which phrase asks if you can pay cash?
¿Puedo pagar en efectivo?
¿Qué sabores tiene?
¿Es picante?
See answer
¿Puedo pagar en efectivo?
Can I pay in cash?
Efectivo = cash.
11. Culture
Which rhythms are strongly associated with the Dominican Republic?
merengue y bachata
tango y flamenco
ópera y vals
See answer
merengue y bachata
merengue and bachata
Merengue and bachata are major Dominican cultural expressions.
12. Preference
How do you ask for a vegetarian option?
¿Tiene una opción vegetariana?
¿Está incluido el servicio?
¿Dónde pasa la guagua?
See answer
¿Tiene una opción vegetariana?
Do you have a vegetarian option?
Opción vegetariana is transparent and polite.

Challenge · Dominican culture

Play the culture challenge

Eight stops of the culture challenge. Reading out loud helps.

Score 0/8Stop 1/8

Dominican culture challenge

Complete 8 stops to prove you can eat, pay, and explore respectfully.

You want to order mangú for breakfast.

Printable sheets

Print the practice sheets

Print it, drop it in your bag, take it with you.

Printable practice sheets

Open the printable practice document

These sheets are designed for print: short phrases, roleplay, and checklists.

Practice sheets — Dominican table

Menu, food vocabulary, ordering, payment, and local culture in one printable document.

Open printable document

Mission complete

You're ready to taste the DR

Save your progress and open the next module.

Next module

Keep going with "Getting around and exploring": transport, directions, and your first past-tense phrases.

After the module, bring these phrases to your Pratiqo teacher to practice out loud.

Open Module 4 Find a teacher Back to module 2

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