Learn German: Danke schön! Ich nehme den Kaffee. - Thank you very much! I will take the coffee.

In German, the present tense is very often used to talk about the future, especially for immediate decisions like ordering food or drinks. You do not need to add an extra word for 'will' like you do in English.

Why is it den Kaffee and not der Kaffee?

Kaffee is a masculine noun (der Kaffee). Because the coffee is the direct object in this sentence (the thing being taken), the masculine word for 'the' changes from der to den. In German grammar, this is called the accusative case.

What does schön mean in this phrase? Doesn't it usually mean 'beautiful'?

Yes, schön normally means 'beautiful' or 'nice'. In expressions like Danke schön or Bitte schön, it simply adds politeness and emphasis, turning a standard 'thanks' into 'thank you very much'.

Is nehmen (to take) a regular verb?

Not quite! While ich nehme follows the normal rules, the spelling changes for the 'you' and 'he/she/it' forms. It becomes du nimmst and er/sie/es nimmt. It is a very common verb, so watch out for those changes when you see it in other sentences!