Unit 1 · Greetings & courtesy · Lesson 1 of 24
Hello and goodbye
ନମସ୍କାର
You’ll be able to: Greet someone politely, welcome a guest and say goodbye.
You are visiting a neighbour's home in Bhubaneswar in the evening. You greet them at the door, sit for a while, and then take your leave.
About 5–10 minutes · progress saved in this browser · Beta
Words and phrases in this lesson
| Odia | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ନମସ୍କାର | namaskara | hello; goodbye (polite, any time of day)Odias commonly say ନମସ୍କାର with joined palms. It works for both hello and goodbye. |
| ଆସନ୍ତୁ | asantu | come in; welcomeformalHosts often say it twice: ଆସନ୍ତୁ, ଆସନ୍ତୁ! To a friend or child: ଆସ (asa). |
| ବସନ୍ତୁ | basantu | please sit downformalFamiliar form: ବସ (basa). |
| ଆସୁଛି | asuchhi | bye, I'll be offSaid when leaving, implying you will come back. ଯାଉଛି (I am going) can sound final, so many people avoid it. Colloquially: ଆସୁଚି. |
| ପୁଣି ଦେଖା ହେବ | puni dekha heba | see you again |
| ପୁଣି ଆସିବେ | puni asibe | do come againformalWhat a host says to a departing guest. To a friend: ପୁଣି ଆସିବ (puni asiba). |
| ଶୁଭ ରାତ୍ରି | subha ratri | good night |
Examples
ନମସ୍କାର, ଆସନ୍ତୁ।
namaskara, asantu.
Hello, come in.
ଆସନ୍ତୁ, ବସନ୍ତୁ।
asantu, basantu.
Welcome, have a seat.
ନମସ୍କାର, ମୁଁ ଆସୁଛି।
namaskara, mun asuchhi.
Goodbye, I'll be off.
ଆସୁଛି, ପୁଣି ଦେଖା ହେବ।
asuchhi, puni dekha heba.
Bye, see you again.
ଶୁଭ ରାତ୍ରି, ପୁଣି ଆସିବେ।
subha ratri, puni asibe.
Good night, do come again.
Dialogue: Visiting a neighbour
Arun
ନମସ୍କାର! ଆସନ୍ତୁ, ଆସନ୍ତୁ।
namaskara! asantu, asantu.
Hello! Come in, come in.
Sita
ନମସ୍କାର।
namaskara.
Hello.
Arun
ବସନ୍ତୁ।
basantu.
Please, have a seat.
Sita
ଏବେ ମୁଁ ଆସୁଛି।
ebe mun asuchhi.
I'll be off now.
Arun
ପୁଣି ଆସିବେ। ଶୁଭ ରାତ୍ରି।
puni asibe. subha ratri.
Do come again. Good night.
Sita
ପୁଣି ଦେଖା ହେବ। ନମସ୍କାର।
puni dekha heba. namaskara.
See you again. Goodbye.
Tip
Polite requests end in -ନ୍ତୁ
Add -ନ୍ତୁ (-ntu) to a verb to make a polite request to someone you call ଆପଣ: ଆସନ୍ତୁ (please come), ବସନ୍ତୁ (please sit). With friends and children, use the bare verb: ଆସ (asa), ବସ (basa).