Greetings and politeness in Bengali
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Bengali 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 Bengali phrases in this lesson
- নমস্কারno-mosh-KAR
- Hello
- শুভ সকালSHU-bho SHO-kal
- Good morning
- শুভ সন্ধ্যাSHU-bho SHON-dha
- Good evening
- বিদায়bi-DAY
- Goodbye
- পরে দেখা হবেPO-re DE-kha ho-be
- See you
- দয়া করেDO-ya KO-re
- Please
- ধন্যবাদdhon-no-BAD
- Thank you
- কোনো ব্যাপার নাKO-no BAE-par NA
- You're welcome
- দুঃখিতDUKH-khi-to
- Sorry
- মাফ করবেনmaf KOR-ben
- Excuse me
- আপনার সাথে পরিচিত হয়ে ভালো লাগলোAAP-nar SHA-the PO-ri-chi-to HO-ye BHA-lo LAG-lo
- Nice to meet you
The standard formal greeting, used across Bangladesh and West Bengal. Derived from Sanskrit, it works for any person and any time of day. A warm alternative in Bangladesh is "আস-সালামু আলাইকুম" (as-sa-LA-mu a-LAI-kum), used among Muslims and always welcomed.
শুভ means auspicious or good, সকাল means morning. Warm and commonly used, though many people simply say নমস্কার or হ্যালো at any hour. Saying this at a shop or guesthouse earns an appreciative smile.
The formal evening greeting. In everyday life নমস্কার (no-mosh-KAR) or, among Muslims, আসসালামু আলাইকুম (as-sa-LA-mu a-LAI-kum) covers the evening too.
A somewhat formal farewell. In daily life, "আসি" (AA-shi), I am going, or "আবার দেখা হবে" (aa-BAR DEY-kha HO-be), we will meet again, are the warm, casual partings. "খোদা হাফেজ" (KHO-da HA-fez) is the common Islamic farewell in Bangladesh.
Literally "we'll meet later". বিদায় (bi-DAY) is formal and sounds like a long farewell.
Literally "by kindness", and the version phrasebooks teach. Spoken Bengali rarely uses it: politeness lives in the verb ending instead, the -un that turns দেওয়া (to give) into দিন (kindly give). That ending IS the please, and it powers the whole ordering lesson. অনুগ্রহ করে (o-nu-GRO-ho KO-re) is the formal written form you will see on signs.
The everyday thank you. Note that Bengalis, like many South Asians, thank less frequently among close friends and family, where constant thanks can feel oddly formal. With strangers and service workers it is always appropriate.
Literally "no matter", the everyday reply to thanks. Formal Bengali uses স্বাগতম (SHA-go-tom), which is closer to welcome.
The real apology. For a small bump, সরি (SO-ri) borrowed from English is what most people say.
Used to get attention or to squeeze through a crowd. "একটু শুনবেন?" (EK-tu SHUN-ben), will you listen a moment, is a soft way to stop someone.
Literally "it felt good to get to know you". A long phrase, said with a smile.