Food & Drinks

1. ମେନୁ ଦେଖାନ୍ତୁ

   Me-nu de-khaan-tu

   Please show me the menu

   Usage

   First phrase to use when entering a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Dekhantu" is the honorific imperative of "dekhaiba" (to show; causative of "dekhiba", to see). The "-ntu" suffix creates polite imperatives in Odia.

2. ବିଲ ଆଣନ୍ତୁ

   Bil aa-nan-tu

   Please bring the bill

   Usage

   Requesting the bill after a meal

   Grammar Note

   "Aantu" is the honorific imperative of "aaniba" (to bring). The "-ntu" ending expresses politeness in Odia.

3. ଏହା କ'ଣ?

   E-haa kana?

   What is this?

   Usage

   Asking about a dish or ingredient

   Grammar Note

   Odia "kana" (what) corresponds to Hindi "kyaa". "Ehaa" (this) is a proximal demonstrative pronoun.

4. ମୋତେ ନିରାମିଷ ଖାଦ୍ୟ ଦରକାର

   Mo-te ni-raa-mish khaa-dya dar-kaar

   I need vegetarian food

   Usage

   Ordering vegetarian food at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Niraamisha" derives from Sanskrit "niramisha" (without flesh). Odisha's temple food ("mahaprasad") from Jagannath temple is strictly vegetarian.

5. ଏହା ବହୁତ ସ୍ୱାଦିଷ୍ଟ

   E-haa ba-hut svaa-disht

   This is very delicious

   Usage

   Praising the food

   Grammar Note

   "Svaadishta" derives from Sanskrit. Odia cuisine is famous for "daalma" (lentil and vegetable dish) and "chittau" (rice pancake).

6. ପାଣି ଆଣନ୍ତୁ

   Paa-ni aa-nan-tu

   Please bring water

   Usage

   Requesting water at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Paani" is the same across Hindi, Gujarati, and Marathi. This is shared Indo-Aryan vocabulary.

7. ଝାଲ କମ କରନ୍ତୁ

   Jhaal kam ka-ran-tu

   Please make it less spicy

   Usage

   Requesting less spice in the food

   Grammar Note

   "Jhaal" means spicy/pungent in Odia. It is spelt ଝାଲ with ଲ; the near-identical ଝାଳ with ଳ means "sweat", so keep the two apart. Odia cuisine is generally milder than some Indian cuisines, but spice levels vary by region and dish.

8. ଆଉ ଥରେ ଦିଅନ୍ତୁ

   Aa-u tha-re di-an-tu

   Please give me one more time

   Usage

   Asking for a refill or another serving

   Grammar Note

   "Diantu" is the honorific imperative of "deba" (to give). "Aau thare" (one more time) is a common Odia expression.

9. ମୋର ଆଲର୍ଜି ଅଛି

   Mor alarji achhi

   I have an allergy

   Usage

   Communicating food allergies

   Grammar Note

   "Alarji" is an English loanword. "Mor alarji achhi" uses a possessive construction ("my allergy exists") to express having an allergy.

10. ଖାଦ୍ୟ ବହୁତ ଭଲ ଥିଲା

    Khaa-dya ba-hut bha-la thi-laa

    The food was very good

    Usage

    Complimenting the food after a meal

    Grammar Note

    "Thila" is the past tense of the Odia copula. "Khaadya" derives from Sanskrit "khaadya" (that which is eaten/edible).

11. ଝାଲ

    jhāla

    Spicy hot

    Usage

    Chilli heat, not saltiness; the ଳ-spelling ଝାଳ means "sweat", so keep them distinct

12. ମିଠା

    miṭhā

    Sweet

    Usage

    Sweet in taste; ମିଠା also names a sweet, so gesture to make the taste sense clear

13. କଞ୍ଚା

    kañchā

    Raw / uncooked

    Usage

    Uncooked; with fruit it can also mean unripe

14. ଭାତ

    bhāta

    Cooked rice

    Usage

    Cooked rice; uncooked rice is ଚାଉଳ. The staple food of Odisha

15. ପାଉଁରୁଟି

    pāũruṭi

    Bread

    Usage

    Western loaf bread; the flatbread chapati is ରୁଟି, a different thing

16. ନୁଡୁଲସ

    nuḍulasa

    Noodles

    Usage

    Street stalls in Odisha usually call it ଚାଉମିନ (chowmein)

17. ସୁପ

    supa

    Soup

    Usage

    A loanword for Western-style soup; curry gravy is ଝୋଳ, a different thing

18. ଫଳ

    phaḷa

    Fruit

    Usage

    Fruit in general; individual fruit names are in the Fruits category

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