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German Phrase

Entschuldigung, wie lange noch bis unser Essen kommt?

/ɛntˈʃʊldiɡʊŋ viː ˈlaŋə nɔx bɪs ˈʔʊnzɐ ˈʔɛsn̩ ˈkɔmt/
Meaning"Excuse me, how much longer until our food arrives?"
💡

Meaning

You politely ask the waiter how much longer you have to wait for your meal. The sentence combines a courteous opener (Entschuldigung) with a time‑related question (wie lange noch) and a subordinate clause introduced by bis. It conveys both patience and a gentle sense of urgency.

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When to use

Use this phrase in a restaurant or café when you have been waiting for a while and want to know the estimated arrival time of your order. It works well after the food has been ordered but not yet served, and it keeps the tone friendly and respectful.

✦Grammar Breakdown

Entschuldigung,wielangenochbisunserEssenkommt?

1

Entschuldigung

A polite way to get someone's attention, similar to 'excuse me' in English.

2

wie lange

A question phrase meaning 'how long'. It is used to ask about duration.

3

noch

Adds the sense of 'still' or 'more', emphasizing that you are waiting.

4

bis

A subordinating conjunction meaning 'until', introducing a time clause.

5

unser Essen

Possessive pronoun + noun; 'our food' or 'our meal'.

6

kommt

Third‑person singular present of kommen – 'comes'. In this context it means 'arrives'.

🗨In Conversation

A

Entschuldigung, wie lange noch bis unser Essen kommt?

Excuse me, how much longer until our food arrives?

Ich schaue kurz nach… Sie sollten in etwa fünf Minuten Ihr Essen bekommen.

Let me check… You should have your food in about five minutes.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Entschuldigung, wie lange bis unser Essen kommt?

    Missing "noch" makes the question sound abrupt; "wie lange noch bis" adds the nuance of waiting.

  • Entschuldigung, wie lange noch bis unser Essen kommen?

    Using the infinitive "kommen" (kommen) instead of the conjugated form "kommt" is grammatically incorrect.

  • Wie lange noch bis unser Essen kommt?

    Dropping the polite opener can sound demanding; always start with "Entschuldigung" or "Entschuldigen Sie bitte".

↔Alternatives

  • Entschuldigung, wann kommt unser Essen?

    Excuse me, when does our food arrive?

  • Entschuldigung, wie lange dauert es noch, bis unser Essen kommt?

    Excuse me, how long will it still take until our food arrives?

  • Entschuldigung, können Sie mir sagen, wann unser Essen kommt?

    Excuse me, can you tell me when our food will come?

de

Cultural Tip

In German restaurants it is considered polite to address staff with "Entschuldigung" or "Entschuldigen Sie bitte" before a request. Raising your voice or demanding immediate service is seen as rude. Also, keep in mind that German wait times are often a bit longer than in some other countries, so a patient tone is appreciated.