Language/Hindi/Vocabulary/Ordering-at-a-Restaurant

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Hindi → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Ordering at a Restaurant

In this lesson, we will dive into the essential vocabulary and phrases needed when ordering food at a restaurant in Hindi. This topic is crucial for anyone who wishes to experience Indian culture fully, as dining out is a significant aspect of social life in India. Knowing how to order food, ask for recommendations, and communicate dietary restrictions will not only enhance your dining experience but also help you connect with locals.

This lesson is structured as follows:

• Common Vocabulary for Ordering Food

• Phrases for Asking for Recommendations

• Communicating Dietary Restrictions

• Practice Exercises

By the end of this lesson, you'll be equipped with the language skills to confidently place an order at a restaurant in Hindi!

Common Vocabulary for Ordering Food

In order to effectively communicate at a restaurant, you need to familiarize yourself with some key vocabulary. Below, you'll find a list of common food items and phrases used when ordering.

Hindi	Pronunciation	English
खाना	khānā	Food
मेनू	menu	Menu
पानी	pānī	Water
चाय	chāy	Tea
कॉफी	kāfī	Coffee
रोटी	roṭī	Bread (flatbread)
सब्ज़ी	sabzī	Vegetable
दाल	dāl	Lentils
चावल	chāval	Rice
मीट	mīṭ	Meat
मछली	machhalī	Fish
मिठाई	miṭhāī	Sweets/Desserts
सलाद	salād	Salad
स्पेशल	spēśal	Special
आलू	ālū	Potato
चिकन	cikan	Chicken
पनीर	panīr	Cottage Cheese
भात	bhāt	Cooked Rice
तंदूरी	tandūrī	Tandoori
मसाला	masālā	Spices
चटनी	caṭnī	Chutney

Now, let’s look at some common phrases you can use when ordering food.

Hindi	Pronunciation	English
क्या आप मेनू दिखा सकते हैं?	kyā āp menu dikhā sakte hain?	Can you show me the menu?
मुझे यह चाहिए	mujhe yah chāhiye	I would like this
क्या इसमें मांस है?	kyā isme māns hai?	Does this contain meat?
मैं शाकाहारी हूँ	main śākāhārī hūn	I am vegetarian
क्या आप सिफारिश कर सकते हैं?	kyā āp sifāriś kar sakte hain?	Can you recommend something?
एक पानी लीजिये	ek pānī lījīye	Please bring a water
क्या यह स्पेशल है?	kyā yah spēśal hai?	Is this special?
बिल कृपया	bil kr̥payā	The bill, please
मुझे थोड़ी चाय चाहिए	mujhe thodī chāy chāhiye	I would like some tea
यह बहुत अच्छा है	yah bahut acchā hai	This is very good

Phrases for Asking for Recommendations

Asking for recommendations can enhance your dining experience. Here are some useful phrases:

Hindi	Pronunciation	English
आप क्या सिफारिश करते हैं?	āp kyā sifāriś karte hain?	What do you recommend?
यहाँ का सबसे अच्छा खाना क्या है?	yahān kā sabse acchā khānā kyā hai?	What is the best food here?
क्या यह लोकप्रिय है?	kyā yah lokpriy hai?	Is this popular?
मुझे कुछ विशेष चाहिए	mujhe kuch viśeṣ chāhiye	I would like something special
क्या आप इसे पसंद करते हैं?	kyā āp ise pasand karte hain?	Do you like this?
क्या आपके पास कोई विशेष डिश है?	kyā āp ke pās koī viśeṣ ḍiś hai?	Do you have any special dishes?
क्या यह ताजगी से बना है?	kyā yah tājgī se banā hai?	Is this made fresh?
मैं नई चीज़ें आजमाना चाहता हूँ	main nāī chīzē āzamānā chāhtā hūn	I want to try new things
क्या आप इसे गर्म कर सकते हैं?	kyā āp ise garm kar sakte hain?	Can you heat this up?
क्या आप मुझे कुछ मीठा सुझा सकते हैं?	kyā āp mujhe kuch mīṭhā sujhā sakte hain?	Can you suggest me something sweet?

Communicating Dietary Restrictions

It is important to communicate any dietary restrictions you may have. Here are some phrases that will help you do that:

Hindi	Pronunciation	English
मैं शाकाहारी हूँ	main śākāhārī hūn	I am vegetarian
क्या यह शाकाहारी है?	kyā yah śākāhārī hai?	Is this vegetarian?
मैं मांस नहीं खाता/खाती	main māns nahī̃ khātā/khātī	I do not eat meat (male/female)
मैं दूध नहीं पीता/पीती	main dūdh nahī̃ pītā/pītī	I do not drink milk (male/female)
क्या इसमें नट्स हैं?	kyā isme naṭs hain?	Does this contain nuts?
मैं ग्लूटन से परहेज़ करता/करती हूँ	main glūṭan se parheź kartā/kartī hūn	I avoid gluten (male/female)
मुझे तेज़ मसाले पसंद नहीं हैं	mujhe tez masāle pasand nahī̃ hain	I do not like spicy food
क्या आप बिना चीनी के बना सकते हैं?	kyā āp binā cīnī ke banā sakte hain?	Can you make it without sugar?
क्या यह डेयरी-मुक्त है?	kyā yah ḍeiyarī-mukt hai?	Is this dairy-free?
मैं किसी भी प्रकार का मांस नहीं खाता/खाती	main kisī bhī prakār kā māns nahī̃ khātā/khātī	I do not eat any kind of meat (male/female)

Practice Exercises

Now that you have learned some vocabulary and phrases, it's time to practice! Below are 10 exercises to help you apply what you've learned.

Exercise 1: Vocabulary Matching

Match the Hindi words with their English meanings.

Hindi	English
रोटी
दाल
मीट
चाय
सब्ज़ी

• Answers:

1. Bread (flatbread)

2. Lentils

3. Meat

4. Tea

5. Vegetable

Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences with the appropriate Hindi words from the vocabulary list.

1. मुझे _____ चाहिए। (water)

2. क्या आप _____ दिखा सकते हैं? (menu)

3. मैं _____ नहीं खाता। (meat)

• Answers:

1. पानी

2. मेनू

3. मांस

Exercise 3: Role Play

Pair up with a partner and practice ordering food. One person should be the waiter, and the other should be the customer. Use at least five phrases from the lesson.

Exercise 4: Translate the Sentences

Translate the following sentences into Hindi:

1. Can you recommend something special?

2. I do not eat fish.

3. What is the best food here?

• Answers:

1. क्या आप कुछ विशेष सिफारिश कर सकते हैं?

2. मैं मछली नहीं खाता/खाती।

3. यहाँ का सबसे अच्छा खाना क्या है?

Exercise 5: Create Your Own Menu

Design a simple menu in Hindi using the vocabulary you learned. Include at least five dishes and drinks.

Exercise 6: Conversation Practice

In groups, have a conversation about your favorite foods using the phrases from the lesson.

Exercise 7: Dietary Restrictions Discussion

Discuss with a partner what dietary restrictions you have and how you would communicate them in Hindi.

Exercise 8: Listening Exercise

Listen to a recording of a restaurant conversation in Hindi and try to identify the phrases you learned.

Exercise 9: Write a Dialog

Write a short dialog between a customer and a waiter using at least 7 sentences.

Exercise 10: Quiz Yourself

Create a quiz with 10 questions based on the vocabulary and phrases from this lesson to test your knowledge.

By completing these exercises, you'll be well on your way to mastering how to order food at a restaurant in Hindi!

Table of Contents - Hindi Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Pronouns and Verbs

• Personal Pronouns
• Basic Verbs

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-20
• Telling Time

  ---

Questions and Negations

• Question Words
• Negation

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationships

  ---

Indian Names and Titles

• Common Indian Names
• Addressing People

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Ordering at a Restaurant

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Adverbs of Manner

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Asking for Directions

  ---

Indian Festivals and Holidays

• Major Festivals
• Public Holidays

Sources

• Restaurant in Hindi - Rocket Languages
• Restaurants - Ordering Food in Hindi - HindiPod101
• Survival Hindi: How to Communicate Without Fuss or Fear - Instantly ...

Other Lessons

• At the Market
• Opposites
• Animals
• Arabic Loan Words in Hindi
• Parts of the Body
• Portuguese Loan Words in Hindi
• Fruits
• Countries (deshon देशों)
• Herbs and Spices
• Education

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