Modern Meitei/Common phrases

  1. Hello (formal) : ꯈꯨꯔꯨꯝꯖꯔꯤ ꯫ (Khoo-room-ja-ree); Hello (informal) : ꯑꯣꯢ (ꯑꯣꯏ) (OI) (better use this only among mutual friends)
  2. How are you? : ꯀꯝꯗꯧꯕꯤꯔꯤ? (Kam-dou-bee-ree?)
  3. Fine, thank you. : ꯐꯔꯦ, ꯊꯥꯒꯠꯆꯔꯤ ꯫ (Pha-re, Thaa-gat-cha-ree)
  4. What is your name? : ꯅꯪꯒꯤ ꯃꯤꯡ ꯀꯔꯤ ꯀꯧꯏ? (Nang-gee Ming Ka-ree Kou-ee?)
  5. My name is ______ . : ꯑꯩꯒꯤ ꯃꯤꯡ ______ ꯀꯧꯏ ꯫ (Ei-gee Ming _____ Kou-ee.)
  6. Nice to meet you. : ꯅꯪꯒ ꯎꯟꯅꯕ ꯅꯨꯡꯉꯥꯢꯔꯦ ꯫ (Nang-ga Oo-na-ba Noong-Ngai-Re)
  7. Please. : ꯆꯥꯟꯕꯤꯗꯨꯅ ꯫ (Chaan-bee-doo-na) (It is an adverb, but used independently alone.)
  8. Thank you. : ꯊꯥꯒꯠꯆꯔꯤ ꯫ (Thaa-gat-cha-ree)
  9. You're welcome. (Welcoming someone) : ꯇꯔꯥꯝꯅ ꯑꯣꯛꯆꯔꯤ ꯫ (Ta-raam-na Ok-cha-ree) or ꯂꯦꯡꯁꯤꯟꯕꯤꯔꯛꯁꯤ ꯫ (Leng-Sheen-Bee-Rak-Shee)
  10. You're welcome. (As a reply to "Thanks") : ꯌꯥꯝ ꯅꯨꯡꯉꯥꯢꯔꯦ ꯫ (Yaam Noong-Ngai-Re) (literally, "It's pleasure", it's not exact translation of "You are welcome", but its usage is exactly equivalent.)
  11. Yes. : ꯍꯣꯢ (ꯍꯣꯏ) ꯫ (HOI) or ꯃꯥꯟꯅꯦ ꯫ (Maan-Ney)
  12. No. : ꯅꯠꯇꯦ ꯫ (Nat-te)
  13. Excuse me. (getting attention) : ꯀꯔꯤꯒꯨꯝꯕ ꯑꯃꯇ ꯫ (Ka-ree-goom-ba A-ma-ta); Excuse me. (begging pardon) : ꯉꯥꯛꯄꯤꯒꯅꯤ ꯫ (Ngaak-Pee-Ga-Nee)
  14. I'm sorry. : ꯑꯩ ꯁꯣꯢꯈꯔꯦ ꯫ (Ei Soi-Khre) or ꯑꯩ ꯂꯥꯟꯖꯔꯦ ꯫ (Ei Laan-ja-re)
  15. Goodbye : ꯀꯥꯢꯅꯔꯁꯤ ꯫ (Kai-Na-Ra-See); Goodbye (informal) : ꯆꯠꯂꯦ ꯫ (Chat-Leh) (use this only to mutual friends)
  16. I can't speak name of language [well]. : ꯑꯩ English [ꯐꯖꯅ] ꯉꯥꯡꯕ ꯉꯝꯗꯦ ꯫ (Ei English [Pha-ja-na] Ngaang-ba Ngam-de)
  17. Do you speak English? : ꯅꯪ [ꯏꯪꯂꯤꯁ] ꯉꯥꯡꯕꯔꯥ? (Nang [English] Ngaang-ba-raa?)
  18. Is there someone here who speaks English? : ꯃꯁꯤꯗ [ꯏꯪꯂꯤꯁ] ꯉꯥꯡꯕ ꯃꯤ ꯂꯩꯕꯔꯥ? (Ma-see-da [English] Ngaang-ba Mee Lei-ba-raa?)
  19. Help! (Directly asking for help) : ꯃꯇꯦꯡ ꯄꯥꯡꯕꯤꯌꯨ! (Ma-teng Paang-bee-yoo!) or (Immediately asking to save me/us/you/him/her/them) ꯀꯟꯕꯤꯌꯨ! (Kan-bee-yoo!)
  20. Look out! : ꯌꯦꯡꯉꯣ! (Yeng-Ngo!)