पानी पीना

You will mostly use this by conjugating the verb पीना. If you are a man saying 'I drink water,' you say मैं पानी पीता हूँ. If you are a woman, it is मैं पानी पीती हूँ. To ask for water, you might say मुझे पानी पीना है (I need to drink water). It is incredibly versatile. You can add adverbs like धीरे (slowly) or ज़्यादा (more) to change the vibe.

Use it whenever thirst strikes! It is perfect for a restaurant when the waiter arrives. It works when you are at a friend's house and need a glass. You can even use it in a professional meeting if you need a quick break. If you just finished a spicy curry, shouting पानी पीना है! is a perfectly valid survival tactic.

Don't use पीना for things you eat, like soup (usually पीना is okay for soup, but खाना is sometimes used for thick stews). Also, while पीना is used for alcohol, avoid saying पानी पीना if you actually mean you want a beer. That might lead to a very disappointing drink! Also, in very poetic or religious contexts, you might hear the word जल (Jal) instead of पानी.

In India, water is more than just a drink. It is a symbol of hospitality. The moment you enter someone's home, they will offer you water. It is considered rude not to offer it. Historically, providing water to travelers was seen as a high moral act. You will see 'Pyaos' (free water stations) on dusty streets during the hot summers.

You might hear पानी पिलाना, which means 'to give/serve water to someone else.' Another common one is पानी देना (to give water). If someone is very thirsty, they might say their गला सूख रहा है (throat is drying up), followed immediately by our phrase पानी पीना है.