Order anything by pointing in Burmese
I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu. Play the ten Burmese words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Burmese phrases in this lesson
- ...áááŻááťááşááŤáááşlo-CHIN-ba-deh
- I would like...
- ááŽááŹdi-HA
- This one
- áááşááąáŹááşáá˛beh-LAUK-leh
- How much is it?
- áááŻááşááśáážááşá¸áááşpaik-san SHIN-meh
- The bill, please
- áááşáá˛áˇKAT-neh
- By card
- áá˝áąááŹá¸áá˛áˇngway-THA-neh
- In cash
- ááąYAY
- Water
- ááąáŹáşááŽkaw-PHI
- Coffee
- áááşáááşáááşlah-pet-YAY
- Tea
- ááŽááŹbi-YA
- Beer
- ...áááŤáá˛áˇma-PA-neh
- Without...
Literally "I want ...". At a counter, "...ááąá¸ááŤ" (pay-BA), please give me, is just as common.
Point and say it.
Prices are in kyat. In markets the first price leaves room to bargain.
Literally "I'll settle the money". In tea shops, staff count your empty plates.
Cards work in big hotels and some city restaurants. Mobile wallets are more common.
Cash is the norm almost everywhere. Bring crisp notes.
Drink bottled or purified water. Tea shops put free green tea on every table.
Tea shop coffee usually means a sweet instant mix. Milk tea, áááşáááşáááş (laq-phet-YAY), is the real national drink.
The sweet, strong milk tea served in every teashop.
Local lagers are sold in beer stations, open-fronted bars with draft beer.
Literally "don't include ...": "áááźáŹá¸ áááŤáá˛áˇ" (tha-JA ma-PA-neh), no sugar.