Shops and hotels in Bengali
Open, closed, a bag, the wifi password: the checkout and the front desk. 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
- ...আছে?aa-CHEH
- Do you have...?
- ...কোথায়?KO-thay
- Where is...?
- খোলাKHO-la
- Open
- বন্ধBON-dho
- Closed
- একটা ব্যাগ লাগবে?EK-ta baeg LAG-be
- A bag?
- বেশি দামBE-shi DAM
- Too expensive
- আমার বুকিং আছেAA-mar BU-king AA-che
- I have a reservation
- নাস্তা কি অন্তর্ভুক্ত?NAS-ta ki on-tor-BHUK-to
- Is breakfast included?
- ওয়াইফাই পাসওয়ার্ড কী?WAI-fai PAS-ward KI
- What's the wifi password?
- আমি কি ... পারি?AA-mi ki ... PA-ri
- Can I...?
Put the item first, then আছে: চাল আছে? Do you have rice? Works in any shop or market. A rising intonation makes it a question without any extra word.
Put the place or item first. টয়লেট কোথায়? (where is the toilet?). Works for aisles, streets, and anything else you are searching for.
Also the word for a general strike, when shops and transport stop.
The shopkeeper asking if you need a bag. Answer হ্যাঁ (HAEN) for yes or "লাগবে না" (LAG-be naa, not needed) for no. Plastic bags are common but single-use bags are officially restricted.
Literally "the price is too much". Bargaining is normal in markets and with rickshaw drivers.
Hotels use the English word booking.
নাস্তা (NAS-ta) is breakfast in Bangladesh; in Kolkata it is জলখাবার (JOL-kha-bar).
The English words with Bengali grammar.
আমি কি এখানে বসতে পারি? (AA-mi ki e-KHA-ne BOS-te PA-ri), can I sit here?