Ordering Local Food at a Hawker Centre with Confidence.

Hawker centres are the heart of daily life in Singapore, but the first time you hear kopi o siew dai, cai png and tapao, it can feel like a different language. In this lesson, you follow a lunchtime scene at a busy hawker centre and learn exactly what to say from the moment you look for a seat to the moment you pay. You decode common menu words, drink codes and stall signs, and understand questions like Eat here or takeaway and Can spicy or not. You practise ordering simple dishes, customising sweetness and spice, handling chope culture and sharing tables politely. You also learn how to show respect to hawker uncles and aunties using friendly but simple English. By the end, you can walk into a hawker centre, order food and drinks using local terms and manage basic follow-up questions without panic.

1. Arriving at the hawker centre at lunchtime.

Let’s imagine it is your first proper workday lunch in Singapore. Your colleague Mei brings you to a busy hawker centre near the office. The moment you walk in, you hear plates, metal spoons, people calling orders, and lots of English mixed with local terms. It can feel quite overwhelming, right? In this first part of the lesson, I want you to relax and just notice what is happening, step by step. You do not need to remember everything yet. You will focus on a few very common words and questions that you will hear again and again. While you listen and read, pay attention to how short and simple the sentences actually are. The English is not difficult, but the speed and the local words can be confusing. You will meet our main character, Alex, a newcomer like you, and hear Alex order food for the first time. After that, I will ask you to tell me, in your own words, what Alex ordered and what the hawker uncle asked. This will help you start feeling at home in this noisy but very Singapore place.

Step into the hawker centre with Alex.

You are with Alex, a new colleague who just moved to Singapore last week. It is 12.30pm and the hawker centre is full. People are walking around with trays, scanning the stalls and deciding what to eat.

You hear short, direct lines like:

• "Chicken rice, eat here."
• "One kopi o siew dai."
• "Auntie, I tapao, can?"

At first, it sounds like another language. But actually, each line is just one clear message:

• What food or drink
• Eat here or takeaway (tapao)
• Any small customisation (less sweet, less spicy, etc.)

Key people and words.

In hawker centres, it is very common to call stallholders "uncle" or "auntie". It is a friendly, respectful way to address an older man or woman, not your real relative.

Some very common items you will see and hear:

• chicken rice – rice with roast or steamed chicken, a Singapore classic.
• cai png – mixed rice; you choose a few dishes and they scoop onto rice.
• kopi – local coffee.
• kopi o – black coffee, no milk.
• kopi o siew dai – black coffee, less sugar.

A short model scene.

Read this short scene between Alex and a hawker uncle. You will hear it again as audio in the activity below.

> Alex: Hi uncle, I want to order chicken rice, eat here.

>

> Uncle: Ok, chicken rice, eat here. You want soup?

>

> Alex: Yes, please.

>

> Uncle: Drink? Kopi, teh, or cold drink?

>

> Alex: One kopi o siew dai.

>

> Uncle: Ok, eight dollar altogether.

>

> Alex: Can pay by card?

>

> Uncle: Can.

Notice how the uncle speaks fast but simple. The English grammar is not perfect, but the meaning is very clear.

In the next part, you will listen to this scene and then tell me, in your own words, what Alex ordered and what questions the uncle asked.

Practice & Feedback

Listen carefully to the short conversation between Alex and the hawker uncle. You have already seen the script on the screen, but now focus on the sound: the speed, the rhythm and the key words like chicken rice and kopi o siew dai.

After listening, write 3–4 full sentences in your own words:

1. Say what food and drink Alex ordered.
2. Say whether Alex is eating there or taking away.
3. Mention at least one question the uncle asked Alex.
4. If you are not sure about any small detail, just guess politely and tell me what you think.

Do not worry about being perfect. Just try to be clear and complete, like you are telling a friend what you heard. Use past tense if you can, for example, Alex ordered… The uncle asked…

2. Decoding drink and food names on stall signs.

Now that you have heard one real interaction, let us slow down and look at the signs and menus you will actually see at a hawker centre. One big challenge for newcomers is the drink stall. You see a long list of items like kopi o, kopi c, teh peng, Milo dinosaur, and you think, how to choose? In this block, we will decode the main patterns for coffee and tea orders, so that they start to look logical instead of random. Once you understand the building blocks, you can mix and match like a local. We will also look at a few typical dish names, so you can recognise them when you are walking around with an empty stomach. On the screen, you will see a table that breaks down the common words and what they mean. After that, you will read some sample stall signs and practise turning them into full, polite orders in English. This way, when you face a real drinks stall, you already have the sentences ready in your head.

Coffee and tea codes: not so scary.

At the drinks stall, you will see a lot of short codes for coffee and tea. The good news: they follow clear patterns.

Here are some very common words:

• kopi – coffee with condensed milk, quite sweet.
• kopi o – black coffee, no milk, usually with sugar.
• kopi c – coffee with evaporated milk, less sweet than kopi.
• teh – tea with condensed milk.
• teh o – tea without milk.

Add-ons for sweetness, strength and ice:

• siew dai – less sugar.
• gah dai – more sugar.
• gau – stronger.
• peng – with ice.

So, for example:

• kopi o siew dai = black coffee, less sugar.
• teh c peng = iced tea with evaporated milk.
• kopi gau = strong coffee with condensed milk.

Common hawker dishes.

Some stall names are also dish names. Here are a few you will often see:

• chicken rice – rice with chicken, usually with chilli and soup.
• cai png – mixed rice; you point to dishes and they scoop.
• nasi lemak – rice cooked in coconut milk with egg, ikan bilis and sambal.
• laksa – spicy coconut noodle soup.
• fried kway teow – stir-fried flat rice noodles.

You do not need to pronounce everything perfectly. Clear and confident is more important than perfect.

Turning a sign into a sentence.

Imagine you see on the drinks stall sign: "KOPI O SIEW DAI $1.50".

A simple, natural order is:

> "Hi auntie, one kopi o siew dai, take away, please."

If you want to drink there, you can say:

> "One teh c peng, drink here."

In the next activity, you will read some sample stall signs and practise writing full order sentences for two drinks and one dish you would actually like to try.

Practice & Feedback

Read the short menu signs in the box carefully. They are similar to what you will see at a real hawker drinks stall and food stall. Then, choose two drinks and one dish that you would like to order.

Write three full sentences:

1. For each drink, write one clear order sentence. Include how many, the full drink code, and whether you want to drink here or take away.
2. For the dish, write one sentence saying what you want to eat and if it is eat here or takeaway.

Use the patterns from the screen, for example:

• "Hi uncle, one kopi o siew dai, drink here, please."
• "I’d like to order nasi lemak, take away."

Try to sound friendly but efficient, like a real lunchtime order. Aim for at least 3 complete sentences, and feel free to personalise your choices.

Sample stall signs.

Drinks stall

• KOPI $1.40
• KOPI O $1.30
• KOPI O SIEW DAI $1.30
• TEH C PENG $1.80
• MILO DINOSAUR $2.50
• LIME JUICE (ICED) $1.80

Food stall

• CHICKEN RICE $4.50
• NASI LEMAK SET $5.00
• FRIED KWAY TEOW $5.00
• CAI PNG (2 VEG + 1 MEAT) FROM $4.00

3. Building clear sentences to order your meal.

You can now recognise some common dish names and drink codes. The next step is to build a **strong, simple sentence** to make your order. Many new arrivals say things like "chicken rice" only, and then feel quite shy. But with just a few extra words, you can sound much more confident and respectful. In this block, we will break down a typical order into three parts: a short greeting, your main request, and any extra information such as eat here, takeaway or less spicy. I will show you some short model dialogues so you can see how the pieces fit together in real life. Notice that hawker uncles and aunties may not use full grammar, but **you can** still use your clear international English and sound perfectly natural. After reading the examples, you will write your own mini-script for ordering a meal you would really like to eat.

The 3-part structure of a strong order.

A clear, friendly order usually has three parts:

Greeting / address

• "Hi uncle", "Hi auntie", or simply "Hi".

Main request

• What dish or drink you want.
• How many.
• Eat here or takeaway.

Extra details

• Spice level, sweetness, no beef, no pork, etc.
• Payment method if needed.

Example 1:

> You: Hi uncle, one chicken rice, eat here.

> Uncle: Ok, chicken rice, eat here.

> You: Can make it less spicy?

Example 2:

> You: Hi auntie, one nasi lemak set, takeaway, please.

> Auntie: Ok, take away.

> You: I cannot take beef, can change to chicken?

Adding drinks smoothly.

Often the stallholder will ask if you want a drink, or you will order at a separate drinks stall.

Example:

> You: Hi uncle, one kopi o siew dai, drink here.

> Uncle: Ok. Anything else?

> You: That’s all, thank you.

Notice how the English is:

• Short and clear.
• Mostly present tense.
• Using can for requests: "Can make it less spicy?", "Can change to chicken?"

Template you can follow.

You can use this simple pattern and fill in the blanks:

> Hi [uncle / auntie], one [dish / drink], [eat here / takeaway], please. Can [extra request]?

For example:

> "Hi uncle, one fried kway teow, eat here, please. Can make it less spicy?"

In the activity below, you will write a short dialogue where you order one dish and one drink using this structure. Keep it realistic and think about what you actually like to eat and drink.

Practice & Feedback

Imagine you are standing in front of your favourite stall at the hawker centre. You are going to order one dish and one drink.

Write a short 4–6 line script like a real conversation. You can put labels like You: and Uncle/Auntie: to show who is speaking.

Make sure your script includes:

• A friendly greeting and, if you like, "uncle" or "auntie".
• A clear sentence for your dish: how many, what dish, eat here or takeaway.
• At least one extra detail (for example: less spicy, no beef, no pork, less sugar).
• A second short exchange where you order a drink or respond to a question.

You can follow the template from the screen: "Hi uncle, one…, eat here, please. Can…?" but feel free to adapt it. Aim for natural, short sentences that you can really say in a hawker centre.

Use this simple pattern as a reminder:

> Hi [uncle / auntie], one [dish], [eat here / takeaway], please. Can [extra request]?

>

> Hi [uncle / auntie], one [drink code], [drink here / takeaway], please.

Example:

> You: Hi auntie, one nasi lemak set, eat here, please. Can make it less spicy?

> Auntie: Ok, can. You want drink?

> You: One teh c peng, drink here. Thank you.

> Auntie: Ok, sit down, I bring to you.

4. Finding and choping a seat politely.

Ordering is only half the story. At a busy hawker centre, you also need to solve the seat problem. Very often there are not enough empty tables, so Singaporeans use a special system called "chope". People leave a packet of tissue, an umbrella or even their staff pass on the table to show that the seat is taken. As a newcomer, this can be confusing. In this block, we will focus on how to ask about seats politely, how to share a table, and how to explain that you are choping a place for a friend. You will see some short model conversations that you might have with strangers sitting at a table. Then, you will move into a more modern, realistic channel: a WhatsApp-style chat with your colleague who is meeting you at the hawker centre. This is a chance to practise seat vocabulary and ordering phrases in a relaxed, chatty format.

What is chope?.

Chope is a local term that means reserve a seat or table, usually in a casual place like a hawker centre or food court. People often chope a table before they order food.

Common ways to chope:

• Put a small packet of tissue on the table.
• Leave your water bottle or umbrella.
• One person sits while the others go and queue.

Asking about seats politely.

Sometimes it is not clear if a table is free. You can use these short questions:

• "This seat taken?"
• "This table got people or not?" (more Singlish)
• "Is anyone sitting here?" (more international)

If you want to sit with someone:

> You: Hi, can share table?

> Other person: Can, can.

If you are choping for a friend:

> You: Sorry, this seat already taken. My friend coming.

Talking to a colleague on chat.

Many people coordinate lunch by WhatsApp or Teams before they reach the hawker centre. Here is a short sample chat between you and your colleague Mei.

> You: I’m at the hawker centre liao. Very crowded.

>

> Mei: Ok, I’m walking over. Can help me chope one seat?

>

> You: Can. I’m near the chicken rice stall. I put tissue on the table.

>

> Mei: Shiok. I want to try the cai png later.

Notice how the language is shorter and more casual than spoken English, but still clear.

In the next activity, you will continue a similar chat with a colleague, using phrases like "Can share table?", "I chope for you" and simple order lines.

Practice & Feedback

Imagine you are messaging a colleague on WhatsApp during lunch. You arrived at the hawker centre first. Your colleague is on the way.

Below, you will see the start of a chat. Continue the chat with 4–6 more messages from you and your colleague, like a real conversation.

Include some of these ideas:

• Say where you are sitting and if you managed to chope a seat.
• Mention if you are sharing a table with other people.
• Talk about what you plan to order (for example, chicken rice, cai png, kopi o siew dai).
• Use short, natural messages, not long paragraphs.

You can write in simple, clear English, and you may also use a little light Singlish if you feel comfortable: "Can lah", "so crowded", "I chope first". Focus on sounding friendly and practical, like a real lunch chat.

Here is the beginning of your chat with your colleague, Arjun:

> You: I’m at the Tanjong Pagar hawker centre now. Super packed.

> Arjun: Wah, so fast. Got seat or not?

> You: One corner table near the drinks stall. I put tissue to chope.

> Arjun: Ok can, I’m 5 mins away.

Continue the chat from here.

5. Handling follow-up questions and paying.

By now, you can find a seat, you know your dish, and you can make a basic order. The next skill is to handle the **extra questions** that hawker uncles and aunties often ask you, and then pay smoothly. These follow-up questions can come very fast, and that is when many newcomers freeze. In this block, we will look at common questions like "Eat here or takeaway?", "Can spicy or not?", "Want add egg?", and "PayNow can?". You will see how each question has a very short answer pattern. Once you know the patterns, you can answer without stress, even if you only catch one or two words. On the screen, I will show you a small table of typical questions, meanings and good answers. Then you will listen to a full conversation, slightly longer than before, and write the questions you heard and the answers you would give personally. This will help you get ready for real-life speed.

Typical follow-up questions.

After your main order, you will often hear some extra questions. Here are some very common ones and simple answers.

Notice how short the answers are. In Singapore, short does not mean rude, especially in a busy hawker centre.

A full interaction example.

Read this sample dialogue slowly. Then, in the activity, you will listen to a similar one.

> You: Hi uncle, one cai png, eat here. Three veg, one meat.

> Uncle: Ok, three veg, one meat. Can spicy or not?

> You: A bit only, please.

> Uncle: Want soup?

> You: Yes, please.

> Uncle: Drink?

> You: One lime juice, drink here.

> Uncle: Altogether seven eighty.

> You: I pay by PayNow, can?

> Uncle: Can.

If you do not fully catch the question, you can also use a gentle clarification line:

• "Sorry uncle, can say again?"
• "Sorry, what you mean?"

In the next activity, you will listen to a conversation and then write:

1. The questions you heard from the hawker.
2. How you would answer each question, based on your own preferences.

Practice & Feedback

Listen to the new hawker centre conversation. This time, your job is to catch the follow-up questions from the hawker, not the main order.

After listening, do two things in your answer:

1. List the questions you heard from the hawker uncle or auntie. Try to write them as close as possible to what you heard. If you are not sure, just write what you think.
2. For each question, write the answer you would give in real life. For example, if the hawker asks, "Can spicy or not?", you might answer, "Cannot, less spicy please."

Write your answers in clear, simple English. Use separate lines or numbers, like:

Question: …

My answer: …

Try to include at least 2–4 question-and-answer pairs based on what you hear.

6. Putting it all together in a full hawker scene.

You have reached the final part of this lesson, so now it is time to put everything together. Think about what you have practised so far: recognising common dish and drink names, building a clear order sentence, choping a seat, answering follow-up questions, and paying. In real life, all these skills happen in just a few minutes. In this block, I want you to imagine one complete lunch at a hawker centre, from the moment you arrive until you sit down with your food and drink. On the screen, I will show you a simple checklist of the steps, plus an example of how another newcomer handles the whole situation. Then, you will write your own version. You can choose whether to write it as a dialogue script, like a little play, or as a short story in the first person. The important thing is to cover the key moments and use some of the local phrases that now feel more familiar to you. Treat this as a safe place to rehearse for your real lunch breaks in Singapore.

The full hawker centre journey.

When you go for lunch at a hawker centre, you usually:

1. Arrive and look around for a seat.
2. Chope a table or ask to share one.
3. Walk around to decide what food and drink you want.
4. Make a clear order for your dish.
5. Handle any follow-up questions.
6. Order your drink, if it is at a different stall.
7. Pay and say thank you.
8. Bring everything back and enjoy your meal.

Example of a full scene.

Here is how another newcomer, Maria, describes her first successful hawker lunch:

> I reached the Amoy Street hawker centre at 12.15pm. It was already very crowded. I walked one round and found a small table near the drink stall. One uncle was sitting there, so I asked, "Hi, can share table?" He smiled and said, "Can." I left my tissue packet to chope the seat.

>

> Then I went to the chicken rice stall. I said, "Hi uncle, one chicken rice, eat here, please. Can make it less salty?" The uncle nodded. He asked, "Can spicy or not?" I answered, "A bit only." After that, I ordered a drink: "Hi auntie, one kopi o siew dai, drink here." She said, "Altogether five eighty." I paid by PayNow and said, "Thank you, auntie." Finally, I brought everything back to my table and enjoyed my first proper hawker lunch.

Notice how Maria:

• Uses "uncle" and "auntie" politely.
• Chooses clear, short sentences.
• Handles a follow-up question about spice.
• Mentions how she pays.

Your turn.

Now it is your turn to create your own complete hawker centre scene. In the activity, you will write your version of this story, using dishes and drinks you actually like.

Practice & Feedback

Write your own complete hawker centre story. Imagine a real place near your office or home, or just use any hawker centre in Singapore.

You can choose one of two styles:

1. Dialogue script: like a short play, with lines for you, the hawker uncle/auntie, and maybe another customer.
2. Short story: in the first person, like Maria’s example.

Whichever style you choose, make sure you include:

• How you find and chope or share a seat.
• What dish and drink you order, with at least one local name (for example, chicken rice, cai png, kopi o, teh c peng).
• At least one follow-up question from the hawker and your answer (for example, about spice or takeaway).
• How you pay and say thank you.

Aim for around 150–200 words, or about 10–14 short lines if you write a dialogue. Try to reuse some phrases from this lesson, like "Can spicy or not?", "I pay cash", or "This seat taken?". Focus on clarity and local-feeling language rather than perfect grammar.

Use this simple checklist to plan your writing:

• [ ] I mention arriving at the hawker centre.
• [ ] I ask about a seat, chope a table, or share a table.
• [ ] I clearly order at least one dish.
• [ ] I clearly order at least one drink.
• [ ] There is at least one follow-up question from the hawker and my answer.
• [ ] I say how I pay.
• [ ] I show polite thanks at the end.

You do not need to tick the boxes, but try to cover all of these points in your story or script.