…दीजिए (…deejiye) is the polite "please give me": एक चाय दीजिए, one tea please. For the bill, बिल दीजिए. To ask the price, कितने का है? (kitne ka hai?). And the sentence worth learning before any other if you have a dietary restriction: मुझे … नहीं चाहिए (mujhe … nahin chahiye) — I don't want …
Ordering
एक चाय दीजिए — one tea, please
दो रोटी और दाल दीजिए — two rotis and dal, please
मेन्यू दिखाइए (menu dikhaiye) — show me the menu
बिल दीजिए (bill deejiye) — the bill, please
पानी (paani) — water. बोतल बंद पानी — bottled water.
दीजिए is the polite imperative and it works with any noun. It is the single highest-value word on this page.
Saying how spicy
तीखा (teekha) — spicy hot
कम तीखा (kam teekha) — less spicy
तीखा नहीं (teekha nahin) — not spicy
Say it when you order, not after. And know that "not spicy" is a relative measurement.
Dietary needs — say these clearly
मैं शाकाहारी हूँ (main shaakaahaari hoon) — I am vegetarian
मुझे प्याज़ लहसुन नहीं चाहिए — no onion or garlic
मुझे … से एलर्जी है (mujhe … se allergy hai) — I am allergic to …
शाकाहारी is widely understood and respected. If it is an allergy rather than a preference, use the allergy sentence — it is taken more seriously.
Prices
कितने का है? — how much is it? Answers come in numbers, so the numbers page is the natural next one.
Afterwards
बहुत स्वादिष्ट था (bahut swaadisht tha) — it was delicious. Say it to the person who cooked it and watch what happens.
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