Question Words

1. কি?

   Ki?

   What?

   Usage

   The basic "what?", easy to use while pointing at something

   Grammar Note

   Question words are not fronted; they stay where the answer would go. কি means "what" here, as in Bengali কী

2. ক'ত?

   Kot?

   Where?

   Usage

   Asks about a place; put it after the noun, as in "station where?"

   Grammar Note

   Key trap: ক'ত with the apostrophe means "where", unlike Bengali কত ("how much"). The apostrophe marks a dropped vowel

3. কেতিয়া?

   Ketiya?

   When?

   Usage

   Asks about a time, such as when a bus leaves

   Grammar Note

   The Assamese counterpart of Bengali কখন. To ask the clock time itself, use কেইটা বাজিছে

4. কোন?

   Kon?

   Who?

   Usage

   Asks who someone is

   Grammar Note

   কোন covers both "who" and "which"; for people it often becomes কোনজন. "Whose" is কাৰ

5. কিয়?

   Kiy?

   Why?

   Usage

   Asks for a reason; alone it means "why is that?"

   Grammar Note

   The counterpart of Bengali কেন. Inside a sentence it goes before the verb

6. কেনেকৈ?

   Kenekoi?

   How?

   Usage

   Asks the way something is done, such as how to get somewhere

   Grammar Note

   Different from কেনে, which asks about state, as in আপুনি কেনে আছে?

7. কেইটা?

   Keita?

   How many?

   Usage

   Asks how many things; for people use কেইজন

   Grammar Note

   কেই (how many) + the classifier -টা for things; people take কেইজন. Attaching the classifier is typical of Assamese

8. ইয়াৰ দাম কিমান?

   Iyar dam kiman?

   How much is it?

   Usage

   The basic shopping question; point at the item while you say it

   Grammar Note

   কিমান is "how much"; do not use Bengali কত. ইয়াৰ is the genitive of ইয়া (this)

9. কোনটো?

   Konoto?

   Which one?

   Usage

   Used when choosing among several items

   Grammar Note

   কোন (which) + টো; the classifier changes with the noun: কোনজন for a person, কোনখন for a flat thing

10. এইটো কি?

    Eito ki?

    What is this?

    Usage

    Asks the name of an unfamiliar object or dish

    Grammar Note

    Careful: এটা means "one", not "this", so use এইটো. The copula is simply dropped

11. শৌচাগাৰ ক'ত আছে?

    Xousagar kot ase?

    Where is the toilet?

    Usage

    One of the most-used travel questions; শৌচাগাৰ is the polite everyday word

    Grammar Note

    A Sanskrit-style compound of শৌচ (cleansing) + আগাৰ (house). শৌচালয় and টয়লেট are also understood

12. এতিয়া কেইটা বাজিছে?

    Etiya keita bajise?

    What time is it?

    Usage

    The standard way to ask the time

    Grammar Note

    Literally "how many have struck now", using the verb বাজা (to sound) for the clock. The answer is a number + টা, e.g. পাঁচটা বাজিছে

13. আপোনাৰ ওচৰত আছেনে?

    Aponar osorot asene?

    Do you have it?

    Usage

    Asks a shop whether they have something; name the item first

    Grammar Note

    Possession is "near you there is" (আপোনাৰ ওচৰত আছে); -নে makes the question. আপোনাৰ is the genitive of আপুনি

14. আপুনি কৰিব পাৰিবনে?

    Apuni korib paribone?

    Can you do it?

    Usage

    A polite way to ask whether someone can do something for you

    Grammar Note

    কৰিব পাৰিব ("will be able to do") uses the future form, which makes the request polite; -নে closes the question

15. টকা লাগেনে?

    Toka lagene?

    Is there a charge?

    Usage

    Asks whether entry or use costs money

    Grammar Note

    লাগে means "is needed", so টকা লাগে is "it costs money". Assamese টকা (rupee) is spelled differently from Bengali টাকা

16. বিনামূলীয়া নেকি?

    Binamuliya neki?

    Is it free?

    Usage

    Checks whether entry, water or a service is free

    Grammar Note

    After a noun or adjective the question marker নেকি is added as a separate word; it works like -নে on a verb

17. এইটো ঠিক আছেনে?

    Eito thik asene?

    Is this OK?

    Usage

    Seeks approval or confirmation, for example before taking a photo

    Grammar Note

    ঠিক আছে ("it's fine") with the question suffix -নে; rising intonation alone also works

18. নহ'বনে?

    Nohobone?

    Is it not allowed?

    Usage

    Used to double-check after being told no

    Grammar Note

    নহ'ব is the negative of হ'ব ("it will do"), i.e. "it won't do"; -নে makes it a question. The apostrophe marks a dropped vowel

19. আপুনি ভালে আছেনে?

    Apuni bhale asene?

    Are you OK?

    Usage

    Used to check on someone who looks unwell or has fallen

    Grammar Note

    A yes/no version of the greeting আপুনি কেনে আছে?; the answer is হয় or নহয়

20. সঁচাকৈ?

    Xõsakoi?

    Really?

    Usage

    A reaction of surprise or a request for confirmation

    Grammar Note

    সঁচা (true) plus the adverb-forming -কৈ; with rising intonation it means "really?"

21. আপুনি নিশ্চিত নেকি?

    Apuni nixsit neki?

    Are you sure?

    Usage

    Confirms directions, prices or other facts

    Grammar Note

    নিশ্চিত is an adjective, so the question marker নেকি is added separately. The spelling matches Bengali

22. আপুনি ক'ৰ পৰা আহিছে?

    Apuni kor pora ahise?

    Where are you from?

    Usage

    A standard opener; answer with a country plus ৰ পৰা, e.g. মই জাপানৰ পৰা আহিছোঁ

    Grammar Note

    ক'ৰ পৰা is "from where"; পৰা is a postposition written as a separate word after the genitive (ৰ)

23. আপোনাৰ নাম কি?

    Aponar nam ki?

    What's your name?

    Usage

    The polite way to ask a name; the reply is মোৰ নাম …

    Grammar Note

    আপোনাৰ is the genitive of আপুনি and no copula is used. To a close friend it would be তোমাৰ নাম কি?

24. আপোনাৰ বয়স কিমান?

    Aponar boyox kiman?

    How old are you?

    Usage

    Asks age; it can feel intrusive with elders or women, so use it once you know the person

    Grammar Note

    কিমান asks for a quantity or degree, including age; Bengali কত is not used

25. আমি একেলগে এখন ফটো তুলিব পাৰোঁনে?

    Ami ekeloge ekhon photo tulib parõne?

    Can we take a photo together?

    Usage

    Used when asking locals for a photo together; always wait for their consent

    Grammar Note

    আমি means "we" in Assamese. এখন is "one" with the classifier for flat things; ফটো তোলা means to take a photo

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