Hindi · Food & Drink
"Food" in Hindi: खाना
खानाkhaana
खाना (khaana) means food, and it is masculine. The same word is the verb to eat, so khaana khaana means to have a meal. Ask khaana khaaya? to check if someone has eaten, a common caring question.
Inviting a guest to eat
आइए, खाना गरम है।aaiye, khaana garam hai.
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How to pronounce खाना
Say it
KHAA-naa
/kʰɑːnɑː/
Khaana is KHAA-naa with two long a's. Aspirate the ख with a puff of air. Without that puff it drifts toward kaana, a different word.
"Food" in Hindi: quick reference
| Hindi | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| खानाkhaana | food; meal; to eat The everyday word for food and for eating. | The everyday word for food and for eating. |
| भोजनbhojan | meal / food (formal) More formal or written; you see it on signs and menus. | More formal or written; you see it on signs and menus. |
| नाश्ताnaashta | breakfast; snack Morning meal and light snacks. | Morning meal and light snacks. |
| पानी-पानीpaani-paani | drinks and light refreshment Hosts may offer paani and snacks before a full meal. | Hosts may offer paani and snacks before a full meal. |
| डिशdish | dish English dish is common when talking about a specific plate. | English dish is common when talking about a specific plate. |
How to use खाना in real life
- 1Inviting a guest to eat
आइए, खाना गरम है।
aaiye, khaana garam hai.
Come, the food is hot.
Hosts often call you to the table with aaiye and a note that the food is ready.
- 2At a restaurant
यहाँ शाकाहारी खाना मिलता है?
yahaan shaakaahaari khaana milta hai?
Do you get vegetarian food here?
Shaakaahaari (vegetarian) and maansaahaari (non-vegetarian) are key menu words.
- 3Checking on a friend
खाना खा लिया क्या?
khaana khaa liya kya?
Have you eaten already?
This caring check is as common as asking how someone is.
Mistakes English speakers make with खाना
Incorrect: Khaana achhi hai.
Correct: Khaana achha hai.
Khaana is masculine, so use achha, not the feminine achhi.
Incorrect: Mujhe food chaahiye only, never learning khaana
Correct: Mujhe khaana chaahiye.
English food is understood in cities, but khaana is the word you need everywhere.
Good to know
Offering food is central to hospitality. Guests are pressed to eat more; a polite stop is bas, pet bhar gaya. Many households keep separate vegetarian kitchens or rules, so asking about shaakaahaari preferences is thoughtful, not awkward.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Arriving at a friend's home for lunch
ChatPal
नमस्ते! खाना तैयार है, हाथ धो लीजिए।
namaste! khaana taiyaar hai, haath dho leejiye.
Hello! Food is ready, please wash your hands.
You
वाह, कितना अच्छा खाना लगता है!
vaah, kitna achha khaana lagta hai!
Wow, the food looks so good!
ChatPal
दाल, सब्ज़ी और रोटी है। बैठिए।
daal, sabzi aur roti hai. baithiye.
There's dal, vegetables, and roti. Please sit.
You
शुक्रिया। आपका खाना हमेशा स्वादिष्ट होता है।
shukriya. aapka khaana hamesha svaadisht hota hai.
Thanks. Your food is always delicious.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Food" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Food" in Hindi
Is khaana a noun or a verb?
Both. As a noun it means food or a meal. As a verb it means to eat. Context makes it clear.
How do I say I'm hungry?
Say mujhe bhookh lagi hai. To say you want food: mujhe khaana chaahiye.
What is bhojan?
A more formal word for a meal. On everyday tables, people say khaana.
How do I ask if food is spicy?
Ask khaana teekha hai? Teekha means spicy-hot.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
