Have you ever helped set a table and found yourself wondering where to place the forks?
你是否曾经在帮忙布置餐桌的时候，发现自己不知道叉子应该摆在哪儿？
Or sat down to eat a restaurant and wondered which utensils to use?
或者在餐馆坐下用餐的时候，却不知道如何使用这些餐具？
Well, here's some simple, traditional etiquette tips on how to set a table.
那么，现在就要讲一些关于布置餐桌的简单、传统的礼仪技巧。
What would happen if you set a table like this?
如果你像这样布置餐桌会怎么样呢？
It doesn't look good, and you have to clean up the mess before you can even start. Let's try another way.
这种方式看上去不好看，而且在你开始吃之前，不得不自己将餐具摆整齐。让我们试试另一种方式。
To start, use a placemat or tablecloth, but not both, so the dishes aren't directly on the table.
首先，垫上一个餐垫或一块桌布，但不要两个都用，这样盘子就不会直接放在餐桌上了。
This is more about looks than etiquette, but it's rare to see nothing under a plate unless you're eating at a picnic table.
虽然这样做主要是为了摆放好看而非礼仪，但很少会见到盘子底下什么都没有，除非你在野餐桌上吃。
Set out any flowers, candlesticks, or other decorations you like.
摆上些花，蜡烛台或其它你喜欢的装饰。
Candles are usually only lit at night.
蜡烛通常只是在夜晚才点燃。
Start with utensils for the main course,
从主餐用具开始，
putting your dinner fork on the left and your dinner knife on the right-hand side since these are the hands we use them with.
餐叉放在左边，餐刀放在右边，因为这些都是我们用手来使用。
Here's a helpful tip: You always eat outside-in, so to set for salad,
一个有用的技巧：你总是由外向里使用餐具，所以为了吃沙拉，
we'll put the salad fork to the outside of the dinner fork and the salad knife to the outside of the dinner knife.
我们把沙拉叉摆在餐叉的外面，沙拉刀摆在餐刀的外面。
We'll have salad first, then our main course.
我们先吃沙拉，然后吃主菜。
Notice, too, that the knife blades are both pointed toward the plate.
摆放时也要注意刀刃都应朝向餐盘。
This is an old tradition from a time when dinner knives were quite sharp,
这是古老的传统，从人们开始使用锋利的餐刀的时期流传下来的，
and it was a sign of politeness and nonaggression to keep them pointed away from other diners.
使这些餐具不对着其他用餐者，也是一个有礼貌和互不侵犯的标志。
We might have some soup, and since soup usually comes first,
我们或许会喝汤，因为汤通常先上，
the soup spoon goes outside the knives since we use our right hand to hold it.
汤匙摆在刀的外面，因为我们用右手拿汤匙。

Here's another tip: Only set the table with what you'll need.
还有一个技巧：只用你需要的餐具布置餐桌。
If you're not eating soup, don't set a soup spoon.
如果你不喝汤，就不要摆汤匙。
Now, for dessert, we'll have ice cream so we'll place the dessert up top since we don't need it for a little while.
现在，到甜点了，我们要吃冰激凌，所以我们把甜点摆在上方，因为我们不会马上吃它。
Notice that the bowl of the spool is pointing to the left.
注意勺碗应该朝向左边。
This way, when it's time to eat, you just slide it down and it's in the right spot.
这样，当吃的时候，你只用把它滑到下方，它就被放在右边了。
If you were having cake, you'd set a fork and flip it 180 degrees so it would be right side-up on the left instead.
如果你要吃蛋糕，就放一把叉子在上方并把水平翻转180度，所以叉子是朝向右边，使用时滑到左下方。
Next we'll anchor our setting with the plate.
接下来我们就来摆餐盘。
You can also serve from the kitchen then bring them to the table.
你也可以先在厨房摆好，再端到餐桌上。
The bread plate goes up and to the left of the setting,
面包盘摆在左上方，
and the butter knife goes on the plate at an angle, again, with the blade pointing in.
切黄油的刀以一个角度摆在盘上，还是刀刃朝里。
There's only one spot left, and that's for the drinks.
只剩下最后一个需要注意的地方了，饮料摆放在哪儿。
Set the wine glass to the upper right, and then place the water glass to the left of it at an angle.
把葡萄酒酒杯摆在右上方，然后盛水的玻璃杯以一定的角度放在它的左边。
If you're like me and can never remember which goes where, think water, wine, w-a, w-i; a, i;
如果你像我一样总记不住哪个摆在哪里，想想水、葡萄酒，w-a，w-i；a，i;
they go left to right in alphabetical order.
它们从左到右按字母顺序摆放。
Another tip: To remember left and right with the bread and the drinks, think B-M-W like the car.
还有一个窍门：用面包和饮料来记左边和右边，首字母的顺序就和汽车B-M-W一样。
B, your bread plate, is on the left; M, your meal, is in the middle, and W, your water, is on the right.
B，面包盘，在左边；M，饭，在中间，W，水，在右边。
Lastly, the napkin traditionally goes to the left of the forks, though it's okay to put it underneath them, too.
最后，按照传统，餐巾放在叉子的左侧，尽管也可以把餐巾放在叉子的下面。
For a fancier meal like this one that takes up a lot of space, we'll put it in the middle. Now we're ready to eat.
对于像这样比较丰盛的一餐占用了大量的空间，我们会把餐巾放在中间。现在我们准备好要吃了。
Hopefully these tips will be helpful the next time you're asked to help set the table or sit down at a fancy meal. Enjoy!
下一次要你帮忙摆餐桌，或坐下享受一顿美味佳肴，希望这些窍门会派上用场。享用吧！