Signs

1. প্ৰৱেশ

   Prowex

   Entrance

   Usage

   Shown at the entrances of stations, offices and malls, usually beside English ENTRANCE

   Grammar Note

   প্ৰৱেশ is entering. It stands alone on an entrance sign, and ৱ is a letter special to Assamese

2. প্ৰস্থান

   Proxthan

   Exit

   Usage

   Shown at exits of stations, airports and venues, usually beside English EXIT

   Grammar Note

   প্ৰস্থান means exit or departure in the dictionary, and on a sign it marks the way out

3. জৰুৰীকালীন প্ৰস্থান

   Jorurikalin proxthan

   Emergency Exit

   Usage

   A green sign with a pictogram, usually with English EMERGENCY EXIT beside it. This pairing of words has few attested examples

   Grammar Note

   জৰুৰীকালীন means of an emergency and describes প্ৰস্থান, exit. The two words are written with a space on a sign

4. খোলা

   Khola

   Open (door sign)

   Usage

   The flip sign on a shop door; the Assamese is খোলা, and English OPEN may sit beside it

   Grammar Note

   খোলা means open. The same spelling also has the sense of a shell

5. বন্ধ

   Bondho

   Closed (door sign)

   Usage

   The flip sign on a shop door; the Assamese is বন্ধ, also as বন্ধ আছে, and English CLOSED may sit beside it

   Grammar Note

   বন্ধ means shut or stopped. It is also the word used for a strike shutdown

6. খোলা আছে

   Khola ase

   Open for business

   Usage

   Written on a shop board to say it is currently open; more explanatory than the flip sign

   Grammar Note

   খোলা আছে is is open. Adding আছে says it is in that state now

7. সাময়িকভাৱে বন্ধ

   Xamoyikobhawe bondho

   Temporarily closed

   Usage

   Used on handwritten notices for a temporary closure; check for a reopening date

   Grammar Note

   সাময়িকভাৱে is temporarily. The ending ভাৱে makes an adverb from সাময়িক, temporary

8. পুৰুষ

   Purux

   Men

   Usage

   Marks the men's toilet; the English half usually reads GENTS or MEN

   Grammar Note

   পুৰুষ is man. The dictionary also lists generation, but on a toilet sign it means male

9. মহিলা

   Mohila

   Women

   Usage

   Marks the women's toilet; the English half usually reads LADIES or WOMEN

   Grammar Note

   মহিলা is the polite word for woman. Signs use only this word and avoid other terms

10. প্ৰৱেশ নিষিদ্ধ

    Prowex nixiddho

    No Entry

    Usage

    Posted on doors of areas restricted to authorized people, usually with English NO ENTRY

    Grammar Note

    নিষিদ্ধ means forbidden, so প্ৰৱেশ নিষিদ্ধ is entry is forbidden

11. ধূমপান নিষিদ্ধ

    Dhumopan nixiddho

    No Smoking

    Usage

    Posted in stations, offices and restaurants; India bans smoking in enclosed public places, so the sign is common

    Grammar Note

    ধূমপান is smoking, with নিষিদ্ধ, forbidden, after it. This exact phrasing has few attested examples

12. ধূমপানৰ ঠাই

    Dhumopanor thai

    Smoking Area

    Usage

    Marks a designated smoking area at airports and hotels; many such signs are in English only

    Grammar Note

    ধূমপানৰ ঠাই is the place of smoking, joined by ৰ. No fixed sign wording was verified. This phrase is composed from verified words with regular grammar, not checked as a fixed expression

13. চিৰি

    Siri

    Stairs

    Usage

    A direction sign for stairs in stations and buildings, usually with English STAIRS

    Grammar Note

    চিৰি is staircase. The word খটখটি also exists, but signs show চিৰি. The letter ৰ is special to Assamese

14. ঠেলক

    Thelok

    Push

    Usage

    Door push and pull stickers are mostly English only. This is a regular imperative made from the stem; no printed example was verified

    Grammar Note

    ঠেলক is the polite imperative of ঠেলা, to push, made by adding ক to the stem. This phrase is composed from verified words with regular grammar, not checked as a fixed expression

15. টানক

    Tanok

    Pull

    Usage

    Door push and pull stickers are mostly English only. This is a regular imperative made from the stem; no printed example was verified

    Grammar Note

    টানক is the polite imperative of টানা, to pull, made by adding ক to the stem. This phrase is composed from verified words with regular grammar, not checked as a fixed expression

16. নিৰ্মাণাধীন

    Nirmanadhin

    Under Construction

    Usage

    Posted at construction sites and blocked passages, often beside English UNDER CONSTRUCTION or WORK IN PROGRESS

    Grammar Note

    নিৰ্মাণাধীন is one word meaning in the course of construction, built from নিৰ্মাণ, construction, and অধীন, under

17. বিকল

    Bikol

    Out of Order

    Usage

    Posted on lifts, ATMs and toilet stalls; English OUT OF ORDER is the usual wording, sometimes handwritten

    Grammar Note

    বিকল means not working, and the dictionary gives impaired in function

Browse all TravelPhrases languages