Basic Verbs

1. যোৱা

   Jowa

   To go

   Usage

   The dictionary form; in a sentence the ending changes with the subject

   Grammar Note

   The stem becomes যা in use: মই যাওঁ (I go), আপুনি যায় (you go). The dictionary ending -ৱা is the verbal-noun suffix

2. অহা

   Oha

   To come

   Usage

   The dictionary form; the stem changes in forms such as আহক (please come)

   Grammar Note

   The dictionary form is অহা, while conjugated forms start with আ, as in আহিছে

3. খোৱা

   Khowa

   To eat

   Usage

   The verb for eating; ভাত খোৱা means to have a meal

   Grammar Note

   The stem is খা, as in মই খাওঁ (I eat). In speech খোৱা is often used for drinking too

4. পান কৰা

   Pan kora

   To drink

   Usage

   The verb for drinking; in speech people often say চাহ খাওঁ with খোৱা

   Grammar Note

   A noun পান (drinking) + কৰা (to do) forms the verb; this noun + কৰা pattern is very productive in Assamese

5. কিনা

   Kina

   To buy

   Usage

   The shopping verb; the stem is কিন, as in মই কিনিম (I will buy)

   Grammar Note

   The dictionary form is কিনা and the stem is কিন; মই এইটো কিনিম means "I will buy this"

6. চোৱা

   Sowa

   To see

   Usage

   The verb for looking or sightseeing; the stem is চা, as in চাওঁ (I look)

   Grammar Note

   চোৱা is deliberate looking; accidentally seeing uses another verb, দেখা

7. অপেক্ষা কৰা

   Opekha kora

   To wait

   Usage

   The verb for waiting; the request is অপেক্ষা কৰক (please wait)

   Grammar Note

   A noun অপেক্ষা + কৰা. For a short wait ৰোৱা (stay) is also used

8. মই যাব বিচাৰোঁ

   Moi jab bisarõ

   I want to go

   Usage

   Add a destination before it, as in মই গুৱাহাটীলৈ যাব বিচাৰোঁ

   Grammar Note

   "Want to" is the verb stem + -ব + বিচাৰোঁ. The verb বিচাৰা means both "look for" and "want"

9. মই খাব বিচাৰোঁ

   Moi khab bisarõ

   I want to eat

   Usage

   Said when hungry; follow it with a dish name

   Grammar Note

   খাব is the stem খা + -ব. The first-person -ওঁ ending changes to -ে for a polite or third-person subject

10. মোক এইটো লাগে

    Mok eito lage

    I want it

    Usage

    Point at an item and say it; the most common form when shopping

    Grammar Note

    মোক … লাগে means "to me … is needed" and expresses need or want; the person takes মোক, not মই

11. মোক নালাগে

    Mok nalage

    I don't need it

    Usage

    A short way to turn down a sales pitch; say it with a head shake

    Grammar Note

    নালাগে is লাগে with the negative prefix না-; the negation goes in front of the verb, not after it

12. মই এইটো বিচাৰি আছোঁ

    Moi eito bisari asõ

    I'm looking for it

    Usage

    Tells a shop assistant or passer-by what you are searching for

    Grammar Note

    The progressive is a gerund (বিচাৰি) + আছোঁ. আছোঁ is the first-person form and becomes আছে for a polite subject

13. মোৰ ওচৰত আছে

    Mor osorot ase

    I have it

    Usage

    Says you have something; মোৰ ওচৰত টিকট আছে means "I have a ticket"

    Grammar Note

    Possession is "near me there is". আছে agrees with the thing, so it takes no person ending

14. মোৰ ওচৰত নাই

    Mor osorot nai

    I don't have it

    Usage

    Says you do not have something; নাই means "there is not"

    Grammar Note

    Negative existence is নাই, the opposite of আছে. It differs from নহয়, "is not"

15. মই টকা উলিয়াম

    Moi toka uliyam

    I'll withdraw money

    Usage

    Said at an ATM or bank when you want to take out cash

    Grammar Note

    The future of উলিওৱা (take out); the first-person ending is -ম, while a polite or third-person subject takes -ব

16. মই বুকিং কৰিম

    Moi buking korim

    I'll make a reservation

    Usage

    Used to book lodging or a table; add the date and time

    Grammar Note

    কৰিম is the first-person future of কৰা (-ম). The noun + কৰা pattern turns English loans into verbs

17. অনুগ্ৰহ কৰি মোক এইটোত সহায় কৰক

    Onugroh kori mok eitot xohay korok

    Please help me with it

    Usage

    Asks for help with a specific thing such as luggage or paperwork

    Grammar Note

    এইটোত is the locative of এইটো, "in / about this". The imperative -ক makes it a polite request

18. অনুগ্ৰহ কৰি মোক কওক

    Onugroh kori mok kook

    Please tell me

    Usage

    Add it after a question when asking someone to tell you a route or time

    Grammar Note

    কওক is the polite request form of কোৱা (to say), with a different ending from কওঁ (I say) or কয় (says)

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