मेनू देखना

You treat देखना like any other verb. If you are doing it right now, say मैं मेनू देख रहा हूँ. If you want to tell a friend to check it, say मेनू देखो. It is very flexible. You can use it in the past, present, or future. It is a 'doing' phrase. You are actively engaging with the list of food. Just remember that मेनू is treated as a masculine noun in Hindi grammar.

Use this when you are at a restaurant with friends. Use it when you are ordering food online on apps like Zomato or Swiggy. It is perfect for those awkward moments when the waiter is hovering. You can say, "I am still looking at the menu." It is also great for planning a party. You might tell a colleague, "Let's look at the menu first." It is a safe, neutral phrase for any dining situation.

Do not use this for reading a book or a newspaper. For those, use the word पढ़ना. While you are technically reading the menu, देखना is the standard way to say you are browsing it. Also, do not use it if you are looking at a list of people or a schedule. It is strictly for food and drink lists. Using it for a movie list might sound a bit odd to locals.

In India, menus can be incredibly long. They often cover North Indian, South Indian, and 'Indian Chinese' all at once. मेनू देखना can take a long time because of this variety! Many local dhabas might not even have a physical menu. In those cases, the 'menu' is just the waiter telling you what is fresh. But in cities, the QR code menu has become the new norm. Even then, you are still 'seeing' the menu on your screen.

You will often hear people say मेनू चेक करना (to check the menu) in urban areas. If you want to ask for the menu, you say मेनू मँगवाना. If you are looking at it very carefully, you might say मेनू पढ़ना. But मेनू देखना remains the most natural and common way to describe the act. It is the 'bread and butter' of restaurant Hindi.