Cafe and restaurant in Punjabi
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen. Play the ten Punjabi words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Punjabi phrases in this lesson
- ਦੋ ਬੰਦਿਆਂ ਲਈ ਮੇਜ਼DO ban-di-AAN la-EE MAIZ
- A table for two
- ਮੀਨੂ ਦਿਖਾਓ, ਜੀMEE-noo di-KHAA-o jee
- The menu, please
- ਕੀ ਚੰਗਾ ਹੈ?kee CHAN-gaa hai
- What do you recommend?
- ਮੈਂ ... ਨਹੀਂ ਖਾਂਦਾmain ... na-HEEN KHAAN-daa
- I don't eat...
- ਮੈਨੂੰ ... ਤੋਂ ਐਲਰਜੀ ਹੈMAI-noo ... ton AI-lar-jee hai
- I'm allergic to...
- ਮਾਸMAAS
- Meat
- ਮੁਰਗਾMUR-gaa
- Chicken
- ਮੱਛੀMACH-chhee
- Fish
- ਬਹੁਤ ਸੁਆਦ ਹੈba-HUT su-AAD hai
- It's delicious
- ਚੀਅਰਜ਼!CHEERZ
- Cheers
Do bandiaan (two people) layi (for) maiz (table). Restaurants in Punjab range from gleaming dhabas to smart city cafes. At a dhaba, seating is informal; just sit and someone will come.
At a dhaba (roadside eatery), the menu is often a chalk board or just the cook's choices for the day. Asking confidently signals you are a curious traveler, not a lost tourist.
Literally "what is good?".
A woman says ਖਾਂਦੀ (KHAAN-dee). At a gurdwara, the free community kitchen, langar, is always vegetarian.
Butter chicken was born in Punjabi kitchens.
Bahut suaad (very tasty). Saying this while eating will make the cook beam. Follow it with a thumbs up or a hand gesture to the heart and you will be remembered as a wonderful guest.
English "Cheers" is widely used and understood in Punjab when glasses are raised. Punjabi culture has no traditional drinking toast of its own. Note: Many Sikhs do not drink alcohol due to religious principles; the equivalent "health wish" in social contexts might simply be English "Cheers" or raising a glass with warmth.