Course
Unit 9 · Elementary
Food and ordering
Eat well anywhere in Nepal: order a meal, say you're vegetarian, ask for water, and call for the bill.
In this unit you'll learn to
- Order food with [item] dinuhos
- Say you are vegetarian
- Choose between options with ki
- Ask for the bill
Listen along
Food and drink — dal bhat to chiya (lesson 9)
Public-domain audio — FSI Nepali Basic Course (via Live Lingua).
At a local eatery
Waiter
के खानुहुन्छ?
Ke khaanuhunchha?
What will you eat?
Tourist
एक थाली दाल भात दिनुहोस्।
Ek thaali daal bhaat dinuhos.
One plate of daal bhaat, please.
Waiter
मासु कि सागपात?
Maasu ki saagpaat?
Meat or vegetables?
Tourist
म शाकाहारी हुँ। अनि एक गिलास पानी।
Ma shaakaahaari hun. Ani ek gilaas paani.
I'm vegetarian. And one glass of water.
Tourist
बिल दिनुहोस्।
Bil dinuhos.
The bill, please.
Vocabulary
- खाना khaanaa
- food / meal
- दाल भात daal bhaat
- lentils and rice (the staple)
- पानी paani
- water
- मासु maasu
- meat
- सागपात saagpaat
- greens / vegetables
- शाकाहारी shaakaahaari
- vegetarian
- मीठो mitho
- tasty
- पिरो piro
- spicy (hot)
- खानु khaanu
- to eat
- बिल bil
- bill
Grammar
"Please give me…"
The workhorse request is X dinuhos ("please give X"): Chiyaa dinuhos (tea, please), Paani dinuhos (water, please). Add a number and a counter: ek thaali (one plate), ek gilaas (one glass).
Ordering vs wanting
You can simply name the dish + dinuhos, or say what you'll eat: Ma daal bhaat khaanchhu ("I'll eat daal bhaat"). For "I need / want X", use X chaahincha: Paani chaahincha ("I'd like water").
ki = "or"
Offer or ask about a choice with ki: Maasu ki saagpaat? ("meat or vegetables?"), Chiyaa ki kaaphi? ("tea or coffee?").
Practice
1. Order "one plate of daal bhaat, please".
Show answer
एक थाली दाल भात दिनुहोस्। (Ek thaali daal bhaat dinuhos.)
2. Say "I'm vegetarian."
Show answer
म शाकाहारी हुँ। (Ma shaakaahaari hun.)
3. Ask for the bill.
Show answer
बिल दिनुहोस्। (Bil dinuhos.)
4. Say "water, please."
Show answer
पानी दिनुहोस्। (Paani dinuhos.)