Food & Drinks

1. Хоол идмээр байна

   Khool idmeer baina

   I would like to eat

   Usage

   When you want to order food at a restaurant or canteen

   Grammar Note

   Mongolian desire is expressed as "verb stem + -maar/-meer + baina." Literally "I am in a state of wanting to eat food."

2. Хорхог

   Khorkhog

   Khorkhog (stone-cooked meat)

   Usage

   Traditional Mongolian dish: meat and hot stones cooked together in a sealed pot, used for celebrations

   Grammar Note

   Meat is central to Mongolian cuisine. "Хорхог" is meat cooked together with hot stones in a sealed pot. Mutton is "хонины мах" and goat is "ямааны мах."

3. Бууз өгнө үү

   Buuz ögnö üü

   Please give me buuz (steamed dumplings)

   Usage

   Ordering buuz, Mongolia's iconic steamed meat dumplings

   Grammar Note

   "Өгнө үү?" is a polite request meaning "please give me." The standard restaurant phrase in Mongolian.

4. Цай уумаар байна

   Tsai uumaar baina

   I would like to drink tea

   Usage

   Tea is essential in Mongolian ger hospitality; salty butter milk tea (сүүтэй цай) is the classic welcome drink

   Grammar Note

   "Цай" (tea) is vital in Mongolian culture. Visiting a herder's ger always means milky salty tea (сүүтэй цай). Desire: "-maar/-meer baina."

5. Тавгийн хоол юу байна вэ?

   Tavgiin khool yuu baina ve?

   What is today's set meal?

   Usage

   Asking about the menu or daily special at a restaurant

   Grammar Note

   Adding "вэ" at the end forms a question. "Юу" (what) is used as an interrogative pronoun.

6. Маш амттай байна

   Mash amttai baina

   It is very delicious

   Usage

   Complimenting the host or cook after tasting the food

   Grammar Note

   "Амттай" = "амт" (taste) + "-тай" (having). Mongolian often uses "-тай байна" to describe properties and states.

7. Хоолны үнэ хэд вэ?

   Khoolny üne khed ve?

   How much does the meal cost?

   Usage

   Checking the price of a meal at a restaurant or eatery

   Grammar Note

   "Хэд вэ?" is the basic expression for asking price. Mongolia's currency is the tugrik (төгрөг).

8. Цагаан идээ байна уу?

   Tsagaan idee baina uu?

   Do you have tsagaan idee (dairy products / white food)?

   Usage

   Asking for tsagaan idee, the collective term for Mongolian dairy products (airag, tarag, aaruul, etc.)

   Grammar Note

   Mongolian food is divided into "цагаан идээ" (white food = dairy) and "улаан идээ" (red food = meat). Dairy is central to summer nomadic diet.

9. Айраг уумаар байна

   Airag uumaar baina

   I would like to drink airag (fermented mare's milk)

   Usage

   Traditional Mongolian fermented mare's milk, low alcohol. Served in herder's gers during summer

   Grammar Note

   "Айраг" is Mongolia's national drink. Served at the summer Naadam festival. A mildly sour fermented milk drink prized for health benefits.

10. Ус өгнө үү

    Us ögnö üü

    Could I have some water?

    Usage

    Asking for water at a restaurant or eatery

    Grammar Note

    "Өгнө үү" is a polite request meaning "please give." "Ус" (water) is an essential vocabulary word in Mongolian.

11. Хуушуур өгнө үү

    Khuushuur ögnö üü

    Please give me khuushuur (fried dumplings)

    Usage

    Ordering khuushuur, Mongolian fried meat pastries popular at the Naadam festival and street stalls

    Grammar Note

    Khuushuur are fried versions of buuz dumplings. Essential at Naadam festival stalls. "Өгнө үү" is the standard restaurant ordering phrase.

12. Тооцоо хийгээрэй

    Tootsoo khiigeerei

    Please bring the bill

    Usage

    Asking for the check at a restaurant

    Grammar Note

    "Хийгээрэй" is the polite imperative of "хийх" (to do). Polite imperatives in Mongolian use suffixes "-aarai/-eerey/-ooroi."

13. Чанасан будаа

    Chanasan budaa

    Cooked rice

    Usage

    Point to order or check cooked rice; "budaa" alone can also mean uncooked grain

14. Талх

    Talkh

    Bread

    Usage

    Point to order bread at a shop or canteen

15. Гоймон

    Goimon

    Noodles

    Usage

    Point to order noodles; this is the word used for dishes like tsuivan

16. Халуун ногоотой

    Khaluun nogootoi

    Spicy (chili hot)

    Usage

    Ask about or order chili heat; "khaluun" alone means hot in temperature, so "nogootoi" pins it to spice

17. Чихэрлэг

    Chikherleg

    Sweet

    Usage

    Point to ask whether something is sweet

18. Түүхий

    Tüükhii

    Raw / uncooked

    Usage

    Point to check whether food is cooked through — a food-safety card

19. Шөл

    Shöl

    Soup

    Usage

    Point to order soup — a staple of Mongolian meals

20. Жимс

    Jims

    Fruit

    Usage

    The general word to point at when ordering or buying fruit

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