Food & Drinks

1. పెసరట్టు ఉందా?

   Pesaraṭṭu undā?

   Do you have pesarattu (green gram dosa)?

   Usage

   Ordering Andhra's famous green gram crepe breakfast

   Grammar Note

   "Undā" is "undi" (there is) with the interrogative "-ā": "is there / do you have?", asking whether a dish is available.

2. ఇది చాలా రుచిగా ఉంది

   Idi cālā rucigā undi

   This is very delicious

   Usage

   Complimenting the food

   Grammar Note

   "Ruchi" (taste) + "-ga" (adverb suffix) = "ruchiga" (tastily). The "-ga" suffix adverbializes adjectives in Telugu.

3. కొంచెం కారం తక్కువ చేయండి

   Koñcem kāram takkuva ceyaṇḍi

   Please make it a little less spicy

   Usage

   Requesting less spice in the food

   Grammar Note

   "Ceyandi" is the polite imperative. The "-ndi" suffix creates honorific imperatives in Telugu. Andhra food is famously very spicy.

4. మరొక ప్లేటు వేస్తారా?

   Maroka plēṭu vestārā?

   Can I have another plate?

   Usage

   Politely asking for a refill or another serving

   Grammar Note

   "Maroka" is contracted from "maro" (another) + "oka" (one). Loanword "plate" becomes "pleetu" following Telugu syllable-final vowel rule.

5. బిల్లు తెండి

   Billu teṇḍi

   Please bring the bill

   Usage

   Asking for the check after a meal

   Grammar Note

   "Tendi" is the polite imperative of "teevuta" (to bring). The "-ndi" suffix is the standard polite imperative marker in Telugu.

6. హైదరాబాదీ బిర్యానీ ఇవ్వండి

   Haidarābādī biryānī ivvaṇḍi

   Please give me Hyderabadi biryani

   Usage

   Ordering the famous Hyderabadi dum biryani

   Grammar Note

   Hyderabadi dum biryani is cooked in a sealed pot (dum method). Two styles: "kacchi" (raw meat) and "pakki" (cooked meat).

7. నీళ్ళు ఇవ్వగలరా?

   Nīḷḷu ivvagalarā?

   Could you please give me some water?

   Usage

   Politely requesting water during a meal

   Grammar Note

   "Neellu" is colloquial plural of "neeru" (water). Telugu typically uses plural for water. "Ivvagalara" is a polite ability interrogative.

8. శాకాహారం ఉందా?

   Śākāhāram undā?

   Is there vegetarian food?

   Usage

   Asking about vegetarian options at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   "Shaakaaharam" (veg) vs "maamsaaharam" (non-veg/meat). Indian restaurants prominently display veg/non-veg categories. Green/red dot system.

9. అది చాలా కారంగా ఉంది

   Adi cālā kāramgā undi

   That is very spicy

   Usage

   Describing that a dish is very spicy

   Grammar Note

   Andhra cuisine is famous for being India's spiciest. Guntur mirchi (Guntur chilli) is a globally renowned variety of intensely hot chilli pepper.

10. గోంగూర పచ్చడి ఉందా?

    Gōṃgūra paccaḍi undā?

    Is there gongura chutney?

    Usage

    Asking for Andhra's beloved sour leaf chutney

    Grammar Note

    "Gongura" is iconic to Andhra cuisine. Called "Andhra's queen vegetable". Gongura pachadi (chutney) is essential to Andhra meals.

11. అన్నం

    annaṃ

    Cooked rice

    Usage

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

12. బ్రెడ్

    breḍ

    Bread (loaf)

    Usage

    Western loaf bread; roṭṭe means a flatbread such as chapati, which is a different thing

13. నూడుల్స్

    nūḍuls

    Noodles

    Usage

    Chinese-style noodles; understood at the Indo-Chinese stalls that are everywhere

14. కారం

    kāraṃ

    Spicy (chilli heat)

    Usage

    Chilli heat; the same word also means chilli powder, so use it where the topic is clearly how hot the food is

15. తీపి

    tīpi

    Sweet

    Usage

    Sweetness; also used when asking for something less sweet

16. ఉడకలేదు

    uḍakalēdu

    Not cooked through

    Usage

    Point at the dish to say it is undercooked; pacci also means "unripe/green", so this verb form is less ambiguous

17. ఉప్పు

    uppu

    Salt

    Usage

    Point at it to ask for salt at the table, or when explaining a low-salt diet

18. పంచదార

    pañcadāra

    Sugar

    Usage

    For asking for sugar or for no sugar; in Telangana cakkera is also used

19. మిరియాలు

    miriyālu

    Black pepper

    Usage

    Black pepper; do not confuse it with mirapakāya, which is chilli

20. నూనె

    nūne

    Cooking oil

    Usage

    Cooking oil; used when asking for less oil or checking for peanut oil because of an allergy

21. వెనిగర్

    venigar

    Vinegar

    Usage

    Vinegar; Telugu cooking gets its sourness from tamarind, so vinegar mainly turns up on Indo-Chinese tables

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