Greetings and politeness in Assamese
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Assamese words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 11 Assamese phrases in this lesson
- নমস্কাৰno-mos-KAR
- Hello
- শুভ ৰাতিপুৱাXU-bho ra-ti-PU-wa
- Good morning
- শুভ সন্ধিয়াXU-bho xon-DHI-a
- Good evening
- বিদায়bi-DAI
- Goodbye
- পিছত লগ পামpi-SOT log PAM
- See you
- অনুগ্ৰহ কৰিo-nu-GRO-ho KO-ri
- Please
- ধন্যবাদdhon-no-BAD
- Thank you
- কোনো কথা নাইKO-no ko-THA nai
- You're welcome
- মই দুখিতMOI du-KHI-to
- Sorry
- মাফ কৰিবmaf KO-ri-bo
- Excuse me
- লগ পাই ভাল লাগিলLOG pai BHAL LA-gil
- Nice to meet you
The standard greeting for anyone you do not know, and for formal situations. Derived from Sanskrit, it is understood and respected across generations. Safe in shops, offices, and with elders.
Your first meeting with the Assamese x: শুভ is "xubho", the sound scraped at the back of the throat like Scottish "loch". ৰাতিপুৱা is the early morning, dawn until about nine. After that, নমস্কাৰ or শুভ দিন (XU-bho DIN, good day) fits better.
The formal evening greeting. In everyday life নমস্কাৰ (no-mos-KAR) covers the evening too.
The standard parting word, and a fairly final one. In casual everyday use, people simply say "আহিম" (AA-him), meaning "I will come", which functions like "see you later" and is much warmer.
Literally "we'll meet later", the friendly way to part. বিদায় (bi-DAI) is formal and sounds final.
The formal written please, the one on signs and in announcements. Spoken Assamese almost never uses it. Everyday politeness lives in the verb ending -ok (দিয়ক, ৰওক, কৰক), in the softener অলপ (O-lop, just a little), and in the gentle question particle নে. Learn to recognize this phrase; the lessons that follow will show you what people actually say.
The standard thank you for everyday situations. In very casual settings with friends, people often just say "থেংকচ" (THANKS), the Assamese phonetic spelling of the English word, which is completely normal.
Literally "there is nothing to it". This is the natural, warm response to thanks in Assamese. It conveys the same relaxed generosity as "don't mention it".
The real apology, for a mistake or bad news. For a small bump, মাফ কৰিব (maf KO-ri-bo) is enough.
Used to get someone's attention or to squeeze past. Literally "please forgive".
Literally "meeting you felt good". Said with a smile and a নমস্কাৰ (no-mos-KAR).