Learn German: Ich möchte bitte die Suppe und das Bier bestellen. - I would like to order the soup and the beer, please.

When you use a modal verb like möchte (would like), it pushes the main action verb, in this case bestellen (to order), to the very end of the sentence in its original, unchanged form (the infinitive).

How does möchte work here, and why does it mean 'would like'?

möchte is a polite way to express a wish. It is actually a special form of the verb mögen (to like), but it functions as its own modal verb meaning 'would like'. This makes it perfect for polite requests in restaurants or cafes.

Where should I put bitte in a sentence like this?

In German, bitte (please) is quite flexible, but placing it right after the first verb (möchte) is very common and natural. It establishes a polite tone early in your request.

Why don't die Suppe and das Bier change their words for 'the' if they are being ordered?

They are the direct objects of the sentence, which means they are in the accusative case! However, the words for 'the' only change for masculine nouns. For feminine (die Suppe) and neuter (das Bier) nouns, the accusative form looks exactly the same as the basic dictionary form.