Meeting people in Bengali
How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes. 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 10 Bengali phrases in this lesson
- আপনি কেমন আছেন?AAP-ni KEY-mon aa-CHEN
- How are you?
- আমি ভালো আছিAA-mi BHA-lo AA-chi
- I'm fine, thanks
- আপনি?AAP-ni
- And you?
- আপনার নাম কী?AAP-nar NAM KI
- What's your name?
- আমার নাম ...AA-mar NAM
- My name is...
- আপনি কোথা থেকে এসেছেন?AAP-ni KO-tha THE-ke E-she-chen
- Where are you from?
- আমি ... থেকে এসেছিAA-mi ... THE-ke E-she-chi
- I'm from...
- আমার ভালো লেগেছেAA-mar BHA-lo LE-ge-che
- I like it
- খুব সুন্দরKHUB SHUN-dor
- It's beautiful
- স্বাগতমSHA-go-tom
- Welcome
The respectful form using আপনি, the formal second person. Use this with elders, shopkeepers you do not know, and anyone in a formal situation. Politeness register is very important in Bengali culture.
The standard reply. Always add "আপনি?" (AAP-ni?, and you?) immediately after; stopping after your own answer reads as abrupt and unfriendly.
The simplest return question. "আপনি কেমন আছেন?" is the full form. Bengalis expect the question returned; it signals genuine warmth rather than polite formality.
Polite form.
আমার নাম আনা (AA-mar NAM A-na), my name is Anna.
Literally "where have you come from?".
আমি কানাডা থেকে এসেছি (AA-mi KA-na-da THE-ke E-she-chi), I'm from Canada.
Literally "it felt good to me".
For rivers, tea gardens and old Dhaka alike.
Formal, on signs and banners. A host at the door says আসুন (A-shun), please come.