• Useful Phrases

    Greetings


    Jajalappa
    hello
    Hello.


    Wa-né
    leave-LD?
    nhi
    okay
    Goodbye (lit. I am leaving, okay).


    Cha-ngu
    2.sg-GEN
    na
    name?
    chu
    what
    kha?
    ?
    What’s your name?


    Ji-gu
    1.sg-GEN
    na
    name
    Luniva
    Luniva
    khaw
    is
    My name is Luniva.


    Mha
    body
    fu
    well
    la?
    is?
    How are you?


    Ji
    1.sg
    mha
    body
    fu,
    well,
    cha
    2.sg
    le?
    ?
    I’m fine. And you?


    Ji
    1.sg
    ma-fu
    NEG-well
    I am unwell.


    Chu
    what
    du?
    have?
    What’s up?


    Bhintuna
    good.luck
    Good luck/Congratulations


    Subhaa
    thank.you
    Thank you.


    Din
    day
    bâlayema
    be.nice 
    Have a nice day.

    Questions


    Chu
    what
    ya-na-chwo-nû?
    do-PROG?-PRS-1/2?
    What are you doing?


    Ji/Jî
    1.sg(.ERG)
    bwo-na-chwo-nû
    study-PROG?-PRS-1/2
    I am studying.


    Ne
    eat
    dhuna
    ?
    la?
    Q
    Have you eaten?


    Ji/Jî
    1.sg(.ERG)
    ne
    eat
    dhuna,
    ?
    (cha
    (2.sg
    le?)
    Q)
    I have eaten, (and you?)


    Ji/Jî
    1.sg(.ERG)
    ma-naini
    NEG-?
    I have not eaten.

    Néptyata
    hungry
    (la)?
    (Q)
    Are you hungry?

    Ji-ta
    1.sg-?
    néptyata.
    hungry
    I am hungry.


    Cha-ngu
    1.sg-GEN
    chê
    house?
    gana
    where?
    (le)?
    (Q)
    Where are you from? (lit. Where is your house?)


    Ji-gu
    1.sg-GEN
    chê
    house
    Kathmandhu
    Kathmandhu
    kha
    ?
    I’m from Kathmandhu (lit. My house is in Kathmandhu.)

    Cha
    2.sg
    gana
    ?
    wayew
    ?
    (le)?
    Q
    Where did you come from?


    Thwo
    DEIC
    guli?
    ?
    How much is this?

    Thwo
    DEIC
    chu?
    what
    What is this?


    Bâlâ
    good
    Good/Beautiful


    Bamala
    bad
    Bad

    Bâlâ
    good
    ki
    or
    bamala
    bad
    (le)?
    (Q)
    Is it good or bad?

    Yaw
    like
    la?
    Q
    Do you like it?


    (Ji-ta)
    1.sg-?
    yaw
    like
    /
    /
    yaw
    like
    I like it.


    Ji-ta
    1.sg-?
    ma-yaw
    NEG-like
    /
    /
    Ji-ta
    1.sg-?
    meh(informal)
    ?
    I don’t like it.

    Nhyaa
    want
    la?
    Q
    Do you want to?

    (Ji)
    (1.sg)
    nhya
    want
    I want to.

    (Ji)
    (1.sg)
    mhaa
    NEG.want
    I don’t want to.


    Khaw
    yes
    Yes


    Makhu
    no
    No

    Khaw
    Yes
    ki
    or
    makhu?
    no
    /
    /
    khaw-la
    yes-Q
    maku-la?
    no-Q
    Yes or no?

    Khayfu
    maybe
    /
    /
    zuifu
    maybe
    Maybe


    Jî
    1.sg.ERG
    ma-thula
    NEG-understand
    I don’t understand.


    Jî
    1.sg.ERG
    thula
    understand
    I understand.

    Châ
    2.sg.ERG
    shu
    know
    (la)?
    (Q)
    Do you know?


    Jî
    1.sg.ERG
    ma-shu
    NEG-know
    I don’t know.


    Jî
    1.sg.ERG
    shu
    know
    I know.

    Chu
    what
    deka-chwo-nû
    make-PRS-1/2
    (le)?
    (Q)
    What are you making?

    Directions


    Swayambhunath
    Swayambhunath
    Stupa
    Stupa
    Ge-yana
    how
    woniu
    to-get
    How do I get to Swenbanath Stuppa?


    Nhya-né
    forward-LD
    Forward (Front?)


    Liu-né
    back-LD
    Backward/Behind


    Pi-né
    outside-LD
    Outside


    Du-né
    inside-LD
    Inside


    Guli
    how
    tapaa?
    far
    How far is …?


    Lika
    near
    la
    Q
    ki
    or
    tapaa?
    far
    Is it near or far?

    Abbreviations

     1  first person (I, me)
     2  second person (you)
     1/2  first or second person (I, you)
    DEIC deictic (this, that, etc.)
    ERG ergative (subject of a transitive verb)
     GEN  genitive (possessive)
     LD locative
     NEG negation
    PRF perfective (completed)
    PROG progressive (ongoing)
    PRS present tense
     Q question marker
    sg singular

     

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