Café & Drinks

1. एक कप चिया दिनुहोस्

   Ek kap chi-yaa di-nu-hos

   Please give me a cup of tea

   Usage

   Nepali chiya is sweet milky tea. Essential at teahouses (chaahaane) along every trekking route

   Grammar Note

   "Dinuhos" is the polite imperative. Nepal offers many chiya varieties: "masala chiya" (spiced), "aduwa chiya" (ginger), etc.

2. चिसो पानी दिनुहोस्

   Chi-so paa-ni di-nu-hos

   Please give me cold water

   Usage

   Used to request safe drinking water. Always use purified or sealed bottled water in Nepal

   Grammar Note

   "Chiso" = cold. On trekking routes, asking for "umaleko pani" (boiled water) is important for hygiene.

3. कस्तो रक्सी पाइन्छ?

   Kas-to rak-si paa-in-chha?

   What kind of raksi (local spirit) is there?

   Usage

   Used to ask about raksi — Nepal's traditional distilled spirit, often homemade in mountain communities

   Grammar Note

   "Kasto" = what kind of. "Paainchha" (from "paunu", to get) means "is available". Raksi is distilled from potatoes or grains — a staple of mountain hospitality.

4. छ्याङ पाइन्छ?

   Chhyaang paa-in-chha?

   Do you have chhaang (fermented beer)?

   Usage

   Used to order chhang — a traditional fermented beer made from barley or millet, popular in Himalayan communities

   Grammar Note

   "Paainchha" (from "paunu", to get) means "is available". A standard way to ask a shop whether something is sold, same pattern as "बियर पाइन्छ?".

5. लस्सी छ?

   Las-si chha?

   Do you have lassi?

   Usage

   Used to order lassi, a yogurt-based drink popular in Kathmandu cafes and Nepali restaurants

   Grammar Note

   Rising intonation on "chha" makes it a question. Specify: "mitho lassi" (sweet) or "namkeen lassi" (salty).

6. तातो चिया चाहियो

   Taa-to chi-yaa chaa-hi-yo

   I would like hot tea

   Usage

   Used to request hot tea, especially important for warming up on cold Himalayan trekking days

   Grammar Note

   "Chaahiyo" is the past form of "chaahinu" (to need/want), but it is naturally used to express present desire — a characteristic Nepali usage.

7. चियामा दुध हाल्नुहोस्

   Chi-yaa-maa dudh haal-nu-hos

   Please add milk to the tea

   Usage

   Used when you prefer milky tea. Nepali chiya is often already made with milk, but this confirms it

   Grammar Note

   "Haalnu" = to add/put in. The locative suffix "-ma" indicates location ("in/at the tea").

8. खानेपानी उमालेको छ?

   Khaa-ne-paa-ni u-maa-le-ko chha?

   Is the drinking water boiled?

   Usage

   Water safety is critical in Nepal's highlands. Always check at mountain teahouses during treks

   Grammar Note

   "Umaaleko" is the past participle of "umaalnu" (to boil). "Khaanepani" = "khaane" (to consume) + "paani" (water) = drinking water.

9. फलफूलको रस दिनुहोस्

   Phal-phul-ko ras di-nu-hos

   Please give me fruit juice

   Usage

   Used to order fresh fruit juice. Kathmandu has many juice cafes especially around tourist areas

   Grammar Note

   "Phalphuul" is a collective noun for fruits. "Ras" (from Sanskrit) means juice or essence.

10. बियर पाइन्छ?

    Bi-yar paa-in-chha?

    Is beer available?

    Usage

    Used to order beer. Nepal has local brands such as Everest Beer and Gorkha Beer

    Grammar Note

    "Paainchha" is the passive potential of "paunu" (to get/obtain). It is widely used in shops to ask "is X available?"

11. बोतलको पानी

    Botalko pani

    Bottled water

    Usage

    Sealed bottled drinking water. Tap water is not drunk in Nepal, so pointing at this is the safest way to ask

12. बरफ नहाल्नुहोस्

    Baraf nahaalnuhos

    No ice, please

    Usage

    Ice is often made from tap water, so show this to have it left out and avoid a stomach upset

13. तातो पानी

    Tato pani

    Hot water

    Usage

    Hot water itself. Teahouses sell it by the flask, for powdered drinks or a hot-water bottle

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