Greetings and politeness in Mongolian
Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on. Play the ten Mongolian 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 Mongolian phrases in this lesson
- Сайн ууSAIN uu
- Hello
- Өглөөний мэндUG-luu-nii MEND
- Good morning
- Оройн мэндo-ROIN MEND
- Good evening
- Баяртайba-yar-TAI
- Goodbye
- Дараа уулзъяda-RAA ool-ZYA
- See you
- ГуйяGOO-yah
- Please
- Баярлалааba-yar-LAA-laa
- Thank you
- Зүгээр ээZU-geer EE
- You're welcome
- Уучлаарайoo-chlaa-RAI
- Sorry
- Өршөөгөөрэйur-shuu-GUU-rei
- Excuse me
- Танилцсандаа баяртай байнаta-nilts-san-DAA ba-yar-TAI BAI-na
- Nice to meet you
The universal greeting. Literally "are you well". Everyone says it regardless of time of day, and you can answer with the same phrase.
Literally "morning greeting". Used from dawn until early afternoon, less common than just saying sain uu.
Literally "evening greetings".
The formal goodbye. Casual version is "баяр" alone or "сайн сайн" (good good). The -тай ending means "be with", so baartai means "be with joy".
Literally "let's meet later". Баяртай (ba-YAR-tai) is the standard goodbye.
The request particle. Often attached as a suffix to requests: "цай гуйя" (tea please). Standalone it is less common but understood.
The core word for thanks. Endings like -laa are polite past tense markers that function as politeness particles in gratitude.
Literally "no worries". The ээ ending is a soft politeness marker. Also use "сайн сайн" (sure, sure) informally.
The everyday apology.
Literally "pardon me", to get past or interrupt.
Literally "I am glad to have met".