Yes, no and the essentials in Gujarati
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Gujarati 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 Gujarati phrases in this lesson
- હાHAA
- Yes
- નાNAA
- No
- ઠીક છેTHEEK chhe
- Okay
- મને સમજાતું નથીma-NE sam-JAA-tum na-THEE
- I don't understand
- તમે અંગ્રેજી બોલો છો?ta-ME ang-REJ-ee BO-lo chho
- Do you speak English?
- ફરીથી કહેશો?fa-REE-thee ka-HE-sho
- Can you repeat that?
- ધીમે બોલોDHEE-me BO-lo
- Slowly, please
- આ શું છે?aa SHUM chhe
- What is this?
- મને ...ની જરૂર છેma-NE ...-nee ja-ROOR chhe
- I need...
- મને મદદ કરશો?ma-NE ma-DAD kar-SHO
- Can you help me?
Simple and clear. A slight head wobble often accompanies "haa" in Gujarat, as in much of India.
Direct but not rude. Tone matters; a soft "naa" is a gentle decline, a sharp one is firm.
Literally "it is fine." Used constantly to acknowledge, agree, or wrap up a conversation.
Say this when speech is too fast or accented. Most Gujaratis will happily slow down or switch to Hindi or English.
Gujarati business communities have high English literacy, especially in cities and in the diaspora. This question is rarely met with a blank stare.
Polite form.
Literally "speak slowly".
Point at any farsan, the savory snacks, and ask.
Literally "I have need of ...".
Polite form.