Food & Drinks

1. এটা কী?

   E-ta ki?

   What is this?

   Usage

   Useful when pointing at street food or menu items to ask what they are

   Grammar Note

   "Eta" is the proximal demonstrative pronoun. "Ota" is used for distant objects.

2. একটা বিরিয়ানি দিন

   Ek-ta bi-ri-ya-ni din

   Please give me one biryani

   Usage

   Ordering the famous Dhaka-style biryani. Bangladeshi biryani has a unique spice blend

   Grammar Note

   "Din" is the polite imperative "give." Number + "ta/ti" expresses quantity.

3. ঝাল কম দিন

   Jhal kom din

   Please make it less spicy

   Usage

   Bangladeshi food can be very spicy. Use this when you prefer less heat

   Grammar Note

   To request more spice, say "jhal beshi din" (give more spice).

4. পানি দিন

   Pa-ni din

   Please give me water

   Usage

   Basic phrase for requesting water during meals. Bottled water is "boteler pani"

   Grammar Note

   "Pani" is used in Bangladesh; "jol" is more common in West Bengal, India.

5. বিল দিন

   Bil din

   Please bring the bill

   Usage

   Requesting the check after a meal. "Check" in English may also be understood

   Grammar Note

   The English word "bill" has been borrowed directly into Bengali.

6. খুব সুস্বাদু

   Khub shush-wa-du

   Very delicious

   Usage

   Express appreciation for the food. A phrase that chefs and hosts love to hear

   Grammar Note

   "Su-" is a Sanskrit prefix meaning "good." "Swadu" means "having taste/flavor."

7. আমি নিরামিষ খাই

   A-mi ni-ra-mish khai

   I am vegetarian

   Usage

   Communicating dietary restrictions. Vegetarian options exist, particularly in Hindu contexts

   Grammar Note

   "Khawa" is the infinitive "to eat." "Khai" is the first-person present form.

8. মেনু দেখাবেন?

   Me-nu de-kha-ben?

   Could you show me the menu?

   Usage

   Requesting a menu at a restaurant. Street stalls often do not have written menus

   Grammar Note

   "Dekaben" is the honorific future of "dekhano" (to show). The "-ben" suffix marks politeness.

9. আরেকটু ভাত দিন

   A-re-ktu bhat din

   Please give me a bit more rice

   Usage

   White rice is a staple in Bangladesh. Asking for more rice is perfectly normal

   Grammar Note

   "Arektu" is a contraction of "ar" (more) + "ektu" (a little).

10. এটা কত টাকা?

    E-ta ko-to ta-ka?

    How much is this (in taka)?

    Usage

    Asking the price at street stalls or markets. Bangladesh's currency is the taka (৳)

    Grammar Note

    "Taka" is the official currency. "Koto" is the interrogative for quantity/amount.

11. আমি মাংস খাই না

    A-mi mang-sho khai na

    I do not eat meat

    Usage

    Communicating dietary restrictions

    Grammar Note

    Bengali negation is formed by adding "na" after the verb. "Khai na" = "do not eat."

12. ভাত

    Bhat

    Cooked rice

    Usage

    Cooked rice specifically; uncooked rice is a different word, চাল

13. পাউরুটি

    Pauruti

    Bread (loaf)

    Usage

    Western loaf bread; রুটি means flatbread (chapati), which is a different thing

14. নুডলস

    Nudols

    Noodles

    Usage

    Instant and Chinese-style noodles; সেমাই is a sweet vermicelli dessert, not this

15. ঝাল

    Jhal

    Spicy hot

    Usage

    Chili heat only; say ঝাল কম for less and ঝাল বেশি for more

16. মিষ্টি

    Misti

    Sweet

    Usage

    Sweet as a taste; as a noun it also means sweets or dessert, and of a person it means cute - point at the food while using it

17. কাঁচা

    Kacha

    Raw (uncooked)

    Usage

    Uncooked; of fruit it means unripe and it can also mean unprocessed - point at the dish while using it

18. স্যুপ

    Syup

    Soup

    Usage

    Used when ordering soup; the gravy of a Bengali curry is called ঝোল instead

19. মাখন

    Makhon

    Butter

    Usage

    Butter for bread; ঘি (ghee) is clarified butter and a different thing

20. চিজ

    Chij

    Cheese

    Usage

    The loanword for Western cheese; পনির is Indian-style fresh cheese (paneer), not this

21. টফু

    Tofu

    Tofu

    Usage

    Not part of traditional Bengali cooking - found in Chinese restaurants and larger supermarkets in Dhaka and Kolkata

22. ধনেপাতা

    Dhonepata

    Coriander leaf

    Usage

    Point at this to have it left out; the seed spice is ধনে, a different thing

23. দই

    Doi

    Yoghurt

    Usage

    টক দই is plain and মিষ্টি দই is the sweet baked kind, a Bengali speciality

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