Basic Nouns

1. ପାଣି

   paani

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for drinking water, understood in any eatery or shop

2. ଖାଦ୍ୟ

   khaadya

   Food

   Usage

   The general word for food — a way into asking where you can eat

3. ଟଙ୍କା

   tankaa

   Money

   Usage

   The base word for anything about paying or changing currency

4. ଶୌଚାଳୟ

   shauchaalaya

   Toilet

   Usage

   Essential when asking directions. The word alone usually does the job

5. ଟିସୁ

   tisu

   Tissue

   Usage

   Needed at toilets and street stalls that provide no paper

6. ଔଷଧ

   aushadha

   Medicine

   Usage

   Use it at a pharmacy while miming your symptom

7. ଜିନିଷପତ୍ର

   jinishapatra

   Luggage

   Usage

   For checking, carrying or collecting bags — common at airports and hotels

8. ଚାବି

   chaabi

   Key

   Usage

   For room keys and locker keys

9. ଟିକଟ

   tikata

   Ticket

   Usage

   Transport or entry tickets. Combine it with a number at the counter

10. ପାସପୋର୍ଟ

    paasaporta

    Passport

    Usage

    Requested at check-in and currency exchange, and the word you need if it goes missing

11. ଫୋନ

    phon

    Phone

    Usage

    Usually covers both the device and the act of calling

12. ଚାର୍ଜର

    chaarjara

    Charger

    Usage

    For borrowing or buying one — often needed at a hotel front desk

13. ଷ୍ଟେସନ

    steshana

    Station

    Usage

    A landmark word when asking for directions

14. ଡାକ୍ତରଖାନା

    daaktarakhaanaa

    Hospital

    Usage

    For when you fall ill — works as a destination in a taxi

15. ପୋଲିସ

    polisa

    Police

    Usage

    For theft or accidents. Even the bare word conveys urgency

16. ଦୋକାନ

    dokaana

    Shop

    Usage

    The base word when asking where to buy something

17. ରୁମ୍

    rum

    Room

    Usage

    For accommodation — checking vacancies or explaining a room number

18. ରାସ୍ତା

    raastaa

    Road

    Usage

    For asking the way, ideally while pointing at a map

19. ପରିବାର

    paribaara

    Family

    Usage

    A guaranteed small-talk topic. Add a number and the conversation keeps going

20. ନାମ

    naama

    Name

    Usage

    For confirming a booking or introducing yourself

21. ମୁଣ୍ଡ

    muṇḍa

    Head

    Usage

    A body-part word for pointing at where it hurts

22. ଆଖି

    ākhi

    Eye

    Usage

    A body-part word for pointing at where it hurts

23. ଦାନ୍ତ

    dānta

    Tooth

    Usage

    For reporting toothache; a dentist is ଡେଣ୍ଟିଷ୍ଟ

24. ଗଳା

    gaḷā

    Throat

    Usage

    For a sore throat; the outside of the neck is ବେକ

25. ପେଟ

    peṭa

    Stomach

    Usage

    For stomach trouble — the body part travellers point at most

26. ପିଠି

    piṭhi

    Back

    Usage

    For back pain; the lower back/waist is ଅଣ୍ଟା

27. ଅଣ୍ଟା

    aṇṭā

    Lower back / waist

    Usage

    For lower-back pain; the whole back is ପିଠି

28. ଗୋଡ଼

    goṛa

    Leg / foot

    Usage

    Covers both the leg and the foot; point at your own body to narrow it down

29. ହାତ

    hāta

    Hand

    Usage

    The hand itself; the whole arm is ବାହୁ

30. ଛାତି

    chhāti

    Chest

    Usage

    The chest and rib area — for reporting chest pain

31. ହୋଟେଲ

    hoṭela

    Hotel

    Usage

    In Odisha ହୋଟେଲ often means an eatery; add ଲଜ୍ (lodge) when you mean lodging

32. ବିମାନ ବନ୍ଦର

    bimāna bandara

    Airport

    Usage

    Point at this as a taxi destination; English "airport" is also widely understood

33. ବସ୍ ଷ୍ଟପ୍

    basa sṭapa

    Bus stop

    Usage

    For asking where the bus stop is; a long-distance bus station is ବସ୍ ଷ୍ଟାଣ୍ଡ

34. ଦୂତାବାସ

    dūtābāsa

    Embassy

    Usage

    A destination word for passport loss and similar trouble; embassies are in Delhi

35. ଏଟିଏମ୍

    eṭiema

    ATM

    Usage

    For asking where you can withdraw cash

36. ମୁଦ୍ରା ବିନିମୟ କେନ୍ଦ୍ର

    mudrā binimaya kendra

    Currency exchange

    Usage

    The counter for changing foreign currency; signs usually read "Money Exchange"

37. ଦମକଳ

    damakaḷa

    Fire engine

    Usage

    The first sense is "water pump" and the second "fire engine"; in current use it means the fire service, and a fire station is "damakaḷa kendra"

38. ବାଣିଜ୍ୟ ଦୂତାବାସ

    bāṇijya dūtābāsa

    Consulate

    Usage

    "Dūtābāsa" alone is the same word as "embassy", so "bāṇijya" (commercial) is prefixed

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