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[edit] Pronunciation guide

The phoneme inventory of Bengali consists of 29 consonants and 14 vowels, including the seven nasalized vowels. Vowel sounds can either be independent or hooked on to the consonant in the form of diacritics.

[edit] Vowels

The independent vowel is on the left, the diacritic (which is hooked on to the consonant) is on the right.

আ া 

Like "a" in "cat" (a).

এ ে 

Like "e" in "bed" (e).

আ া 

Like "a" in "rather" (ā).

ঐ ৈ 

Like "i" in "nile" (æ).

এই 

Like "ay" in "may" (ay).

এ ে 

Like "e" in "red" (e).

ঈ ী 

Like "ee" in "reed" (í).

ই ি 

Like "i" in "rid" (i).

ও ো 

Like "o" in "hot" (o).

ও ো 

Like "oa" in "boat" (ó).

ঘ় 

Like "oy" in "boy" (oy).

উ ু 

Like "u" in "put" (u).

ই ি 

Like "ui" in "quick" (wi).

[edit] Consonants

ব 

Like "b" in "boy" (b).

চ 

Like "ch" in "cheat" (ç).

দ 

Like "d" in "doubt" (d).

ফ 

Like "f" in "frog" (f).

গ 

Like "g" in "go" (g).

হ 

Like "h" in "hit" (h).

জ 

Like "j" in "juggle" (j).

ক 

Like "k" in "skin" (k).

ল 

Like "l" in "loud" (l).

ম 

Like "m" in "man" (m).

ণ 

Like "n" in "no" (n).

ঙ 

Like "ng" in "king" (ng).

প 

Like "p" in "spit" (p).

র 

Like "r" in "run", but slightly trilled (r).

স 

Like "s" in "so" (s).

ত 

Like "t" in "talk" (t).

য 

Like "y" in "yes" (y).

[edit] Aspirated consonants

Aspirated consonants are pronounced with a puff of air.

ভ 

Like "b" in "blight" (b').

ছ 

Like "ch" in "cheese" (ç').

ধ 

Like "d" in "din" (d').

ঘ 

Like "g" in "language" (g').

ঝ 

Like "j" in "jam" (j').

খ 

Like "k" in "kick" (k').

ফ 

Like "p" in "pit" (p').

ঠ 

Like "t" in "tin" (t').

[edit] Retroflex consonants

Retroflex consonants are pronounced with the tip of the tongue flapping against the roof of the mouth.

ড 

Like "d" in "doubt" but retroflex (đ).

ড় 

Like "r" in "run" but slightly trilled retroflex (ŗ).

ত 

Like "t" in "talk" but retroflex (ţ).

[edit] Aspirated retroflex consonants

Aspirated retroflex consonants are pronounced with the tip of the tongue flapping against the roof of the mouth and a puff of air.

ঢ 

Like "d" in "din" but retroflex (đ').

থ 

Like "t" in "tin" but retroflex (ţ').

[edit] Phrase list

[edit] Basics

Hello. (Hindu)

Nômoshkar.

Hello. (Muslim)

Assalamualaikum (or) Slamlikum

How are you? 

(Apni) kêmon achhen? (formal)
(Tumi) kêmon achho?

(I'm) fine. 

(Ami) bhalo (achhi).

What is your name? 

Apnar nam ki? (formal)
Tomar nam ki?

My name is ______ . 

Amar nam ______ .

Nice to meet you. 

Apnar shathe porichôe hoe amar khub-i bhalo laglo. (formal)
Tomar shathe porichôe hoe amar khub-i bhalo laglo.

Please. 

Dôeakore. (formal)
Ektu.

Thank you. 

Dhonnobad. (formal)

You're welcome. 

Kichhu mone korben na. (formal)
Kichhu mone koro na.

Yes. 

Ji. (formal)
Hê.

No. 

Jina. (formal)
Na.

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

Ei-je!

Dada (when addressing a man) Didi (when addressing a lady)

Excuse me. (to pass by someone) 

Dekhi?

I'm sorry. 

Ami khub-i dukkhito.

Forgive me. 

Maf korun.
Maf kôro.

Goodbye 

Khodahafez. (Muslim)

I can't speak name of language [that well]. 

(Ami) ____ [ôto bhalo] bolte pari na.

Do you speak English? 

Apni-ki Ingreji bolte paren?
Tumi-ki Ingreji bolte paro?

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

Ekhane keu achhe, je Ingreji bolte paren?

Help! 

Bachao!

Look out! 

Shabdhan!

Good morning. 

Suprobhat. (highly formal)

Good evening. 

Subho shôndha. (highly formal)

Good night. 

Subho ratri. (highly formal)

I don't understand. 

(Ami) bujhi na.

Where is the toilet? 

Tôeletta kothae?

[edit] Problems

shomosha

[edit] Numbers

0 Shunno
1 Êk
2 Dui
3 Tin
4 Char
5 Pãch
6 Chhôe
7 Shat
8 At
9 Nôe
10 Dôsh
11 Êgaro
12 Baro
13 Têro
14 Chouddo
15 Pônero
16 Sholo
17 Shôtero
18 Atharo
19 Unnish

20 Bish / Kuri
30 Trish
40 Chollish
50 Pônchash
60 Shat
70 Shottur
80 Ashi
90 Nobboi

100 Êk sho
1,000 Êk hajar
10,000 Dôsh hajar
100,000 Êk lakh
1,000,000 Dôsh lakh
10,000,000 Êk kuti

[edit] Time

[edit] Clock time

[edit] Duration

[edit] Days

Monday

Shombar

Tuesday

Monggolbar

Wednesday

Budhbar

Thursday

Brihoshpotibar

Friday

Shukrobar

Saturday

Shonibar

Sunday

Robibar

[edit] Months

[edit] Writing time and date

[edit] Colors

black

kalo

white

shada

red

lal

pink

golapi

orange

kômla

yellow

holud

green

shobuj

blue

nil

purple

beguni

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Bus and train

[edit] Directions

here

eikhane

there

oikhane

(on/to the) right

dan (dike)

(on/to the) left

bã (dike)

(on/to the) north

uttor (dike)

(on/to the) south

dokkhin (dike)

(on/to the) east

purbo (dike)

(on/to the) west

poshchim (dike)

straight

shoja

in front

shamne

behind

pichhe / pichhon dike

Go (___).

(___) jan. (formal)
(___) jao.

Turn around (___).

(___) Ghurun. (formal)
(___) Ghoro.

Keep going (___).

(___) Jete thakun. (formal)
(___) Jete thako.

Stop (___).

(___) Thamun. (formal)
(___) Thamo.

[edit] Taxi

[edit] Lodging

[edit] Money

Poysha

[edit] Eating

Khabar

[edit] Bars

[edit] Shopping

Bajar

[edit] Driving

[edit] Authority

[edit] Learning more

• Bengali language page on Wikimedia