தோசை
tōcai/t̪oːtʃɐɪ̯/
The English phrase "dosa" translates to the Tamil word தோசை (tōcai).
தோசை refers to a type of pancake. You may also encounter the term dosai maavu, which specifically refers to the batter used for making dosas.
Meaning: type of pancake (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is romanized as tōcai. Its IPA transcription is /t̪oːtʃɐɪ̯/.
Did you know?
- The name தோசை is deeply connected to the chemical process of fermentation, potentially deriving from the root தோய் which means 'to ferment' or 'to soak'.
- In Tamil culture, தோசை is frequently served as a breakfast food, but it is also a common dinner choice, unlike the morning-centric tradition of pancakes in English-speaking countries.
- While தோசை is often translated as 'pancake', it is fundamentally different because it uses a fermented batter of rice and lentils rather than flour and eggs.
Examples in context
- எனக்கு தோசை பிடிக்கும்.enakku thōsai piṭikkum.I like dosa.
Example conversation
At a breakfast restaurant.
- கவிதா Kavithaசந்தோஷ், உங்களுக்கு என்ன வேண்டும்?santhōsh, uṅkaḷukku enna vēṇṭum?Santhosh, what do you want?
- சந்தோஷ் Santhoshஎனக்கு ஒரு மெல்லிய தோசை வேண்டும்.enakku oru mellia thōsai vēṇṭum.I want one thin dosa.
- கவிதா Kavithaசரி, நான் ஒரு தோசை ஆர்டர் செய்கிறேன்.sari, nāṉ oru thōsai ārṭar seykiṟēṉ.Okay, I will order a dosa.
- சந்தோஷ் Santhoshநன்றி, கவிதா.nanri, kavitā.Thank you, Kavitha.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dosa” translations and entries தோசை, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries தோசை, CC BY-SA 4.0.
