Course
Unit 19 · Intermediate
Staying with a family
Be a good guest — the warm rituals of a Nepali home: accepting food and tea, complimenting the cook, and thanking your hosts the Nepali way.
In this unit you'll learn to
- Answer the greeting "have you eaten?"
- Accept and refuse food and tea politely
- Compliment a meal
- Offer to help and thank your hosts
Listen along
Hospitality and homestay (lessons 19-20)
Public-domain audio — FSI Nepali Basic Course (via Live Lingua).
At a homestay
Host
खाना खानुभयो?
Khaanaa khaanubhayo?
Have you eaten?
Guest
खाएँ, धेरै मीठो थियो!
Khaae, dherai mitho thiyo!
I have — it was delicious!
Host
अलिकति अरू?
Alikati aru?
A little more?
Guest
पुग्यो, धन्यवाद।
Pugyo, dhanyabaad.
That's enough, thank you.
Host
चिया खानुहुन्छ?
Chiyaa khaanuhunchha?
Will you have tea?
Guest
हुन्छ, मीठो हुन्छ।
Hunchha, mitho hunchha.
Yes, that'd be lovely.
Vocabulary
- घर ghar
- house / home
- पाहुना paahunaa
- guest
- खाना khaanaa
- food / meal
- चिया chiyaa
- tea
- मीठो mitho
- tasty / delicious
- थियो thiyo
- was
- पुग्यो pugyo
- that's enough / it sufficed
- अलिकति alikati
- a little
- पेट भरियो pet bhariyo
- I'm full
- सहयोग sahayog
- help
Grammar
"Have you eaten?" is a greeting
Khaanaa khaanubhayo? ("have you eaten?") is asked as warmly as "how are you" — a sign of care, not just curiosity. Answer Khaae ("I have") or Khaae, mitho thiyo ("I have, it was tasty"). Note thiyo — the past of chha, "was".
Refusing more food politely
Nepali hosts pile on food, and a flat "no" can feel cold. Stop the refills with a smile and Pugyo ("that's enough") or Pet bhariyo ("I'm full"), softened with dhanyabaad.
Complimenting and thanking
Praise the food: Mitho chha ("it's delicious") or Mitho thiyo ("it was delicious"). Offer to help with Sahayog garu? ("shall I help?"). For deep thanks, dherai dhanyabaad — though among family, Nepalis often show thanks by helping rather than saying it.
Practice
1. Answer "I have — it was delicious!"
Show answer
खाएँ, धेरै मीठो थियो! (Khaae, dherai mitho thiyo!)
2. Refuse more food politely.
Show answer
पुग्यो, धन्यवाद। (Pugyo, dhanyabaad.)
3. Say "I'm full."
Show answer
पेट भरियो। (Pet bhariyo.)
4. Offer "Shall I help?"
Show answer
सहयोग गरूँ? (Sahayog garu?)