Food & Ordering
खाना और ऑर्डर करना
The accusative case shows up for real when ordering food — "I'd like..." always takes an object, and German marks that on the article.
Grammar Comparison
व्याकरण तुलना
"Ich möchte..." + accusative object
Ich möchte einen Kaffee, bitte. (I'd like a coffee, please.)
मुझे एक कॉफ़ी चाहिए, कृपया।
möchte ("would like") is a modal verb, so whatever you order is its direct object and takes the accusative case — notice ein → einen for masculine nouns (einen Kaffee, not ein Kaffee). Feminine and neuter nouns look the same as in the nominative, so on a menu you really only need to watch out for the masculine items.
Stock polite phrases at a restaurant
Die Rechnung, bitte. / Zahlen, bitte.
बिल दीजिए, कृपया। / भुगतान करना है, कृपया।
Both phrases are used verbatim by German speakers to ask for the bill — no need to build a full sentence. In Hindi too, saying something as short and direct as "बिल दीजिए" is perfectly normal and polite, not rude.
Vocabulary
शब्दावली
| German | Pronunciation | Hindi | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| die Speisekarte | dee SHPY-zeh-kar-teh | मेनूmenū | the menu |
| der Kaffee | dair KAH-fay | कॉफ़ीkŏfī | the coffee |
| das Wasser | dahs VAH-ser | पानीpānī | the water |
| das Brot | dahs broht | रोटी / ब्रेडroṭī / breḍ | the bread |
| die Suppe | dee ZOOP-eh | सूपsūp | the soup |
| das Fleisch | dahs flysh | मांसmāñs | the meat |
| das Gemüse | dahs geh-MEW-zeh | सब्ज़ीsabzī | the vegetables |
| Ich möchte..., bitte. | ikh MERKH-teh ... BIT-teh | मुझे... चाहिए, कृपया।mujhe... cāhie, kṛpayā | I would like..., please. |
| Die Rechnung, bitte. | dee REKH-noong BIT-teh | बिल दीजिए, कृपया।bil dījie, kṛpayā | The check, please. |
| Guten Appetit! | GOO-ten ah-peh-TEET | खाने का आनंद लीजिए!khāne kā ānand lījie | Enjoy your meal! |
| lecker | LEK-er | स्वादिष्टsvādiṣṭ | tasty / delicious |