Order anything by pointing in Manipuri
I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu. Play the ten Manipuri 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 Manipuri phrases in this lesson
- ꯑꯩ ... ꯄꯥꯝꯖꯩEI ... PAM-jei
- I would like...
- ꯃꯁꯤma-SI
- This one
- ꯃꯃꯜ ꯀꯌꯥꯅꯣ?ma-MAL ka-YA-no
- How much is it?
- ꯕꯤꯜ ꯄꯤꯕꯤꯌꯨBIL pi-BI-yu
- The bill, please
- ꯀꯥꯔꯗꯅKAR-da-na
- By card
- ꯁꯦꯜꯅSEL-na
- In cash
- ꯏꯁꯤꯡi-SING
- Water
- ꯀꯣꯐꯤKO-phi
- Coffee
- ꯆꯥchaa
- Tea
- ꯕꯤꯌꯔBI-yar
- Beer
- ...ꯌꯥꯎꯗꯅYAO-da-na
- Without...
Literally "I want ...": ꯑꯩ ꯆꯥ ꯄꯥꯝꯖꯩ (EI CHA PAM-jei), I would like tea.
Point and say it.
ꯃꯃꯜ (ma-MAL) is price and ꯀꯌꯥ (ka-YA) is how much. The ending ꯅꯣ (no) marks it as a question. Ask before you commit; at market stalls that is completely normal.
The English word bill is standard here. In small eateries the bill never arrives on its own, so you have to ask for it or walk to the counter.
The ending ꯅ (na) means "by means of". In practice, UPI apps have overtaken cards even at small stalls in Imphal; holding up your phone and saying "UPI" is often the fastest way to pay.
Cash still rules in the hill districts and at village markets, where mobile coverage can be patchy. Carry small notes; change for a large bill is a genuine problem at a vegetable stall.
Also the word inside Loktak, the great lake south of Imphal with its floating islands of vegetation. Bottled water is the safer choice for visitors in most of the state.
Tea, ꯆꯥ (CHA), is the everyday drink.
Manipur restricts alcohol sales; local rice beer is brewed in the hills.
Literally "without including ...".