At a Restaurant (Ordering Food)

Get a table, read the menu, order a meal, ask for water, say ‘less spicy’, and call for the bill.

▶ Slowed for learners · voiced by Meera · subscribe as a podcast.

Transcript

Hotelil poyaal bhakshanam order cheyyaan padhikkaam, tto. Akathu kayari parayaam, ‘randu perkku sthalam undo?’ Menu vaangi chodikkaam, ‘enthokke undu? Special enthaa?’ Order cheyyaam, ‘oru oonu, oru chicken curry, pinne randu chappaathi thaa.’ Vellam venel parayaam, ‘kurachu vellam thaa.’ Erivu ishtamallenkil, ‘erivu kurachu mathi tto.’ Kazhichu kazhinjaal parayaam, ‘nalla taste aayirunnu! Bill thaa.’ Ithrayum arinjaa ethu hotelilum sukhamaayi kazhikkaam!

Let’s learn to order food at a restaurant. Going in, say ‘is there a table for two?’ Take the menu and ask ‘what do you have? What’s the special?’ Order: ‘one meals, one chicken curry, and two chapatis.’ Want water? ‘a little water, please.’ If you don’t like it spicy, ‘less spicy, please.’ After eating, say ‘it was really tasty! The bill, please.’ Know this much and you can eat comfortably at any restaurant!

How to use this episode

Play it once just listening. Play it again and say each line aloud with the audio (shadowing). Then hide the transcript and see how much you catch. Ten minutes a day and casual Malayalam starts to feel natural.