Lesson 2: Introduction

The second lesson in conversational Dzongkha ,the national language of Bhutan is about introduction. As a tourist or a language learner one would be keen to know the name of the person, whom one is talking to and then would also be keen to introduce oneself. The phrase to ask "What is your name?" is "Choey gi Ming ga chi mo ? " Dzongkha has a separate vocabulary of honorific words, that is words to be used for elders or to denote respect and the royalty. So the phrase to ask "What is your name?" "Choey gi Ming ga chi mo?" is for peers and younger ones, the same question of "What is your name?" for an elderly person would be "Na gi Chen ga chi mo?" The word "Choey" meaning you is replaced with "Na" which is the honorific word for "You". Similarly "Ming" which is the word for "Name" is replaced with "Chen" which is its honorific word. Self introduction like "My name is Shankar" or "I am Shankar" is translated into Dzongkha as "Ngayi Ming Shankar een." The Dzongkha word for "I" that is "Nga" has a distinct nasal sound and is clearly different from "Na" which is the honorific word for "You". In conversation while meeting one could say "Hello, My name is Shankar, What is your name?" which translated would be "Kuzoo zangpo La , Ngayi ming shankar een , choey gi ming ga chi mo? " After receiving the response, for the question it would be polite to say "Kaadinchey La" which means "Thank You". . So Kaadinchey La folks till we meet next time happy learning and Tashi Delek.