Meeting people in Assamese
How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes. 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 10 Assamese phrases in this lesson
- আপুনি কেনে আছে?a-PU-ni KE-ne a-SE
- How are you?
- মই ভাল আছোMOI BHAL a-SO
- I'm fine, thanks
- আপুনিহে?a-PU-ni-HE
- And you?
- আপোনাৰ নাম কি?a-PU-nar NAM KI
- What's your name?
- মোৰ নাম ...MOR NAM
- My name is...
- আপুনি ক'ৰ পৰা আহিছে?a-PU-ni KOR po-RA A-hi-se
- Where are you from?
- মই ...ৰ পৰা আহিছোMOI ...-r po-RA A-hi-so
- I'm from...
- মোৰ ভাল লাগিছেMOR BHAL LA-gi-se
- I like it
- বৰ ধুনীয়াBOR dhu-NI-ya
- It's beautiful
- স্বাগতমXWA-go-tom
- Welcome
The respectful form using আপুনি, the polite second person. Use this with elders, shopkeepers you do not know well, and anyone in a formal situation. In Assamese culture, using the polite form with older people matters.
The standard reply, and a good test of both sound rules at once: "bhal aso", not "bhalo achho". People often add "আপুনিহে?" (and you?) immediately after.
The warm return question. The হে particle adds a tone of genuine interest. Always ask it back; stopping after your own answer reads as abrupt.
Polite form.
মোৰ নাম আনা (MOR NAM A-na), my name is Anna.
Literally "where have you come from?".
মই কানাডাৰ পৰা আহিছো (MOI KA-na-dar po-RA A-hi-so), I'm from Canada.
Literally "it is feeling good to me".
For tea gardens, the Brahmaputra and Kaziranga at dawn.
Formal, on signs and banners. A host at the door says আহক (A-hok), come in.