Greetings

1. নমস্কাৰ

   Nomoxkar

   Hello

   Usage

   The standard greeting for both meeting and parting, said with palms together; fine for elders and strangers alike

   Grammar Note

   A Sanskrit-origin word used at any hour; Xobdo glosses it as hello/hi. The final ৰ is the Assamese-only letter, so the spelling looks different from Bengali

2. আপুনি কেনে আছে?

   Apuni kene ase?

   How are you?

   Usage

   A polite way to ask how someone is, suited to strangers and elders

   Grammar Note

   আপুনি is the respectful 'you' and takes the third-person verb আছে. With friends the pronoun and verb change (তুমি … আছা)

3. মই ভালে আছোঁ, ধন্যবাদ

   Moi bhale asõ, dhonyobad

   I'm fine, thank you

   Usage

   The standard reply to 'How are you?'

   Grammar Note

   মই is 'I'; note that আমি means 'we' in Assamese. The first-person verb ending is -ওঁ, with a nasalised vowel in আছোঁ

4. আপোনাৰ নাম কি?

   Aponar nam ki?

   What is your name?

   Usage

   A polite way to ask someone's name when you first meet

   Grammar Note

   The possessive of আপুনি is আপোনাৰ, with the vowel changing. The question word কি stays at the end, and the copula is dropped

5. মোৰ নাম [নাম]

   Mor nam [nam]

   My name is [name]

   Usage

   The basic self-introduction; replace [নাম] with your own name

   Grammar Note

   মোৰ is 'my' (the Bengali counterpart is a different form). Assamese needs no verb for 'is' in an identity sentence: 'my name + name' is a full sentence

6. ধন্যবাদ

   Dhonyobad

   Thank you

   Usage

   The basic thanks, fine in shops, with guides and with elders

   Grammar Note

   A single Sanskrit-origin word. The conjunct ন্য is read 'nyo', so it sounds like dhonyobad

7. ক্ষমা কৰিব

   Khoma korib

   Excuse me

   Usage

   A polite phrase for getting attention, apologising lightly or passing in front of someone

   Grammar Note

   Literally 'please forgive'. A polite request uses the future-form ending -িব. The conjunct ক্ষ sounds like /kʰ/, not 'ksh'

8. আপুনি ক'ত থাকে?

   Apuni kot thake?

   Where do you live?

   Usage

   A polite follow-up after greetings, asking where someone lives or stays

   Grammar Note

   ক'ত with the apostrophe means 'where'; the unmarked কত is a different word and also resembles Bengali কত 'how much'. The verb থকা means 'live, stay'

9. আকৌ লগ পাম

   Akou log pam

   See you again

   Usage

   A parting phrase meaning 'we will meet again'

   Grammar Note

   লগ পোৱা is the compound verb 'to meet'. পাম is the first-person future of পোৱা, giving the sense 'we shall meet'

10. শুভ ৰাতিপুৱা

    Xubh ratipuwa

    Good morning

    Usage

    A morning greeting; in daily life a plain নমস্কাৰ is often enough

    Grammar Note

    Built from শুভ 'auspicious' plus a time-of-day word. It suits writing and broadcasts; in speech নমস্কাৰ is more usual

11. আপুনি অসমৰ মানুহ নেকি?

    Apuni oxomor manuh neki?

    Are you from Assam?

    Usage

    A conversation opener asking where someone is from, handy for small talk with locals

    Grammar Note

    নেকি turns the sentence into a yes/no question. অসমৰ মানুহ is 'person of Assam', with the genitive -ৰ modifying the noun

12. শৌচাগাৰ ক'ত আছে?

    Xousagar kot ase?

    Where is the toilet?

    Usage

    An essential phrase for stations, shops and restaurants

    Grammar Note

    শৌচাগাৰ is a polite, neutral word, so no crude verbs are needed. The question word stays in place before the verb: toilet, where, is

13. মই অসমীয়া ক'ব নোৱাৰোঁ

    Moi oxomiya kob nowarõ

    I can't speak Assamese

    Usage

    Honestly tells people you cannot speak Assamese, a good prompt for them to slow down

    Grammar Note

    অসমীয়া means both 'Assamese' (adjective) and the language. নোৱাৰোঁ is the negative of পাৰোঁ 'can', formed with the prefix ন-

14. মই আকৌ আহিম

    Moi akou ahim

    I'll come again

    Usage

    A friendly remark telling a host or shopkeeper you plan to return

    Grammar Note

    আহিম is the first-person future of অহা 'to come'. The first-person future ending is -ম, as in যাম 'will go' and কৰিম 'will do'

15. মোৰ বৰ ভাল লাগিল

    Mor bor bhal lagil

    I had a great time

    Usage

    A warm remark about a trip or about the hospitality you received

    Grammar Note

    ভাল লগা is the idiom 'to like, to find good'; the person who feels it appears as মোৰ 'to me', not as the subject. লাগিল is the past form

16. ধন্যবাদ, আকৌ লগ পাম

    Dhonyobad, akou log pam

    Thanks, see you again

    Usage

    A common parting line that combines thanks and farewell

    Grammar Note

    Two expressions joined by a comma. লগ পাম sounds like a promise to meet, which suits a farewell after receiving help

17. শুভ ৰাত্ৰি

    Xubh ratri

    Good night

    Usage

    Said at bedtime or when parting for the night

    Grammar Note

    ৰাত্ৰি is the Sanskrit-style word for night, more formal than the everyday ৰাতি. The conjunct ত্ৰ follows ৰ

18. মই ওলাইছোঁ

    Moi olaisõ

    I'm heading out

    Usage

    Tells a host or companion that you are leaving the place for a while

    Grammar Note

    ওলোৱা is 'to go out'. The ending -ইছোঁ is first-person present/perfect, the same pattern as কৰিছোঁ 'am doing'

19. মই উভতি আহিছোঁ

    Moi ubhoti ahisõ

    I'm back

    Usage

    Said when you return from an outing

    Grammar Note

    উভতি অহা is the compound 'to come back'; উভতি is the linking form before the verb আহিছোঁ. It pairs with the 'heading out' phrase

20. মই এতিয়া যাওঁ

    Moi etiya jaõ

    I'll be going now

    Usage

    A gentle way to take your leave first

    Grammar Note

    যাওঁ is the first-person present; at parting it means 'I am off'. With an elder, adding নমস্কাৰ afterwards keeps it polite

21. একো অসুবিধা নাই

    Eko oxubidha nai

    No problem

    Usage

    A reply to thanks or an apology, meaning 'it is nothing'

    Grammar Note

    Literally 'there is no trouble at all'. নাই states absence and is kept apart from the negation নহয়. It works like Bengali 'no worries'

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