Chapter 15 – Food, Taste, and Preferences
Unit 1 — Key Vocabulary
In this unit, you will learn common Nepali words for food, drinks, taste, and preferences. You will practise saying what you like, what you do not like, what food is available, and how to make a simple food or drink request.
Study the words below first. Read each Nepali word or phrase, look at the transliteration, and practise saying it aloud. Use the English meaning to check your understanding.
Food and Drinks
| Nepali | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| अण्डा | aṇḍā | egg |
| केक | kek | cake |
| कफी | kaphī | coffee |
| कालो कफी | kālo kaphī | black coffee |
| चिया | ciyā | tea |
| दूध चिया | dūdh ciyā | milk tea |
| दूध कफी | dūdh kaphī | coffee with milk |
| दालभात | dālbhāt | daal-bhaat |
| पाउरोटी | pāuroṭī | bread |
| पानी | pānī | water |
| फलफूल | phalphūl | fruit |
| मोमो | momo | momo |
| समोसा | samosā | samosa |
Taste and Preference Words
These words help you describe taste and express likes, dislikes, needs, and availability.
| Nepali | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| गुलियो | guliyo | sweet (taste) |
| पिरो | piro | spicy |
| मीठो | mīṭho | tasty / sweet |
| स्वादिलो | swādilo | delicious / flavorful |
| मन पर्छ | man parcha | like / likes |
| मन पर्दैन | man pardaina | do not like / does not like |
| मन पर्यो | man paryo | liked |
| चाहिन्छ | cāhincha | need / want |
| पाइन्छ | pāincha | is available |
| पाइँदैन | pāĩdaina | is not available |
Time, Quantity, and Connector Words
These words help you make longer sentences about food, time, quantity, and reasons.
| Nepali | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| अहिले | ahile | now |
| अलि | ali | a little |
| अरू | arū | other / more |
| केही | kehi | something / anything |
| किनभने | kinabhane | because |
| कति | kati | how many / how much |
| कति बजे | kati baje | what time |
| दुई | duī | two |
| धन्यवाद | dhanyawād | thank you |
| बिहान | bihāna | morning |
| धेरै | dherai | very / many / much |
| एक कप | ek kap | one cup |
Useful Phrases
Use these phrases to talk about food preferences, order drinks, and ask whether something is available.
| Nepali | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|
| तपाईंलाई कफी मन पर्छ? | tapāī̃lāī kaphī man parcha? | Do you like coffee? |
| मलाई चिया मन पर्दैन। | malāī ciyā man pardaina. | I don’t like tea. |
| किनभने मलाई बिहान दालभात मन पर्दैन। | kinabhane malāī bihāna dālbhāt man pardaina. | Because I don’t like daal-bhaat in the morning. |
| यहाँ मोमो पाइन्छ कि पाइँदैन? | yahā̃ momo pāincha ki pāĩdaina? | Is momo available here or not? |
| यहाँ मोमो पाइँदैन। | yahā̃ momo pāĩdaina. | Momo isn’t available here. |
| मलाई एक कप दूध चिया दिनुस्। | malāī ek kap dūdh ciyā dinus. | Please give me one cup of milk tea. |
| तपाईंलाई गुलियो मन पर्छ कि मन पर्दैन? | tapāī̃lāī guliyo man parcha ki man pardaina? | Do you like it sweet or not? |
| मलाई धेरै गुलियो मन पर्दैन। | malāī dherai guliyo man pardaina. | I don’t like it very sweet. |
| अरू केही चाहिन्छ? | arū kehi cāhincha? | Anything else? |
| चिया कस्तो छ? | ciyā kasto cha? | How is the tea? |
| चिया धेरै मीठो छ। | ciyā dherai mīṭho cha. | The tea is very tasty. |
| मलाई मन पर्यो। | malāī man paryo. | I liked it. |
Practice
Practise asking and answering questions about food and drinks.
Example:
तपाईंलाई कफी मन पर्छ?
tapāī̃lāī kaphī man parcha?
Do you like coffee?
मलाई चिया मन पर्दैन।
malāī ciyā man pardaina.
I don’t like tea.
यहाँ मोमो पाइन्छ कि पाइँदैन?
yahā̃ momo pāincha ki pāĩdaina?
Is momo available here or not?
मलाई एक कप दूध चिया दिनुस्।
malāī ek kap dūdh ciyā dinus.
Please give me one cup of milk tea.
