Words (Core Vocabulary)
- espresso / americano / latte / cappuccino / flat white / mocha / macchiato
- drip coffee / brewed coffee / pour-over / cold brew
- decaf / half-caf
- sizes: small / medium / large (names vary by café)
- dairy / non-dairy: whole / skim / oat / almond / soy
- sweetness: no-sweet / half-sweet / extra-sweet / syrup shot
- foam / microfoam / extra hot / no foam
- iced / blended / with ice / light ice
- room for cream (leave space at the top)
- to stay / for here / to go
Phrases (Customize confidently)
- Could I get a medium oat-milk latte, half-sweet, to go?
- Americano, please, with room and extra hot.
- Double espresso for here, no sugar.
- Iced vanilla latte, light ice, no whip.
- Do you have decaf? Can you make it half-caf?
Contextual Examples (Natural, everyday)
- Morning order: Hi—medium latte with oat milk, half-sweet, to go.
- Adjustment: Could you make that extra hot and no foam, please?
- Local lingo: Tim Hortons style—“double-double” = two cream, two sugar.
Collocations & Phrases (bold the key words)
Building the drink
- choose a size
- pick a milk
- add a syrup shot
- ask for half-sweet
- leave room for cream
Temperature & texture
- make it extra hot
- hold the foam
- steam milk to microfoam
Iced & to-go
- order it iced
- ask for light ice
- bring a reusable cup
Canadian Cultural Context (How to sound natural & polite)
- “Double-double” is a well-known phrase (two cream, two sugar).
- Many cafés give a discount for reusable cups; ask politely.
- Baristas appreciate clear orders in the size → drink → milk → customizations sequence.
Extra Mini-Patterns (plug-and-play)
- Classic: “Small drip coffee, with room.”
- Custom: “Large decaf americano, extra hot, no room.”
- Iced: “Iced latte, oat milk, half-sweet, light ice.”