free of charge/for free/on the house

[tzfujimino]

I'm sorry for asking so many questions.

Is the following translation O.K?
(Tedmc kindly suggested that I use "free of charge" or "on the house" instead of "for free".)


This is a loyalty/rewards card.
Please bring the card with you the next time you visit us, and we will be happy to offer you one item from the food menu for free. (You can choose any item you would like from the menu.)

 

[tedmc]

My idea was that "for free" sounds rather informal.

 

[teechar]

I'm sorry for asking so many questions.

No need to be sorry at all.

Is the following translation O.K?
(Tedmc kindly suggested that I use "free of charge" or "on the house" instead of "for free".)

For me, "for free" or "free of charge" work in that sentence.

This is a loyalty/rewards card.
Please bring the card with you the next timeyou visit us, and we will be happy to offer you any one item that you like from the food menu for free. [STRIKE](You can choose any item you would like from the menu.)[/STRIKE]

Note that you could simply say "next time" instead of "the next time you visit us."

 

[Matthew Wai]

For me, "for free" or "free of charge" work in that sentence.

How about 'gratis'? Is it common?

I'm sorry for asking so many questions.

Your answers to the learners are many more than your questions to the teachers.

 

[Rover_KE]

I'd shorten the whole thing to

Please bring this loyalty card with you next time, and we will be happy to offer you any one item free from the food menu.

I'm one of those who detest 'for free', considering the 'for' to be redundant. I have to endure it, though, as so many people seem to like it.

Matthew, gratis is widely understood, but I wouldn't use it here.

 

[tzfujimino]

Thank you, Rover.

1. After your meal, you can have a bowl of miso soup for free.
2. Please ask your server for a free miso soup.

These two sentences above are also my translations. Would you delete the "for" in #1?

 

[Matthew Wai]

'... you can have a free bowl of miso soup.'

 

[Eckaslike]

Thank you, Rover.

1. After your meal, you can have a [STRIKE]bowl of miso soup for[/STRIKE] free bowl of miso soup.
2. Please ask your server [STRIKE]for a free miso soup[/STRIKE].

These two sentences above are also my translations. Would you delete the "for" in #1?

Yes. Like Tedmc and Rover, I would not use "for free". Sentences often look and sound better without it, even if you have to reorganise the whole thing. I have altered your sentences to make them read more naturally.

 

[Rover_KE]

1. After your meal, you can have a bowl of miso soup for free.
2. Please ask your server for a free miso soup.

These two sentences above are also my translations. Would you delete the "for" in #1?

Yes.

 

[MikeNewYork]

I have no problem with "for free".

 

[Rover_KE]

I have no problem with 'a free [bowl of] miso soup'.

 

[Matthew Wai]

There should not be an article before miso soup.

'Soup' can be both uncountable and countable according to http://www.ldoceonline.com/dictionary/soup_1

I'm one of those who detest 'for free'

I have no problem with "for free".

Yet another difference between AmE and BrE.

 

[Barb_D]

Please ask your server for [STRIKE]a[/STRIKE] free miso soup.

There should not be an article before miso soup.

Yes there should.

 

[Rover_KE]

There should not be an article before miso soup.

Ted, this is another of your incorrect statements made as if it were an incontravertible fact. You need to add in my opinion to posts like this.

 

[tzfujimino]

Still, I'd like to say thank you to tedmc for his contributions.
Thank you, ted, from the bottom of my heart.
:-D