Modern Meitei/Greetings

Here, you will learn to greet people and ask how they are. You do not need any prior knowledge of Meitei.

Among Meitei speakers, the most popularly used greeting is "Khurumjari" (ꯈꯨꯔꯨꯝꯖꯔꯤ, /khoo-room-ja-ree/)(derived from Ancient Meitei term "Khulumchali"). It is used among respectable and honourable people. Khurumjari literally means "bowing or homage". In the Puyas (traditional Meitei religions texts), Khurumjari mostly occurs as a salutation to the deities. But the use and meaning have evolved. Today, among Meitei speakers, Khurumjari is a simple greeting to say "hello". Khurumjari is almost equivalent to Indo-Aryan terms like Namaste, Namaskar and Namaskaram.

Some important greetings are:

1. How are you? : ꯑꯗꯣꯝ ꯀꯝꯗꯧꯔꯤ? (A-dom Kam-dou-ree) or ꯑꯗꯣꯝ ꯀꯝꯗꯧꯔꯤꯒꯦ? (A-dom Kam-dou-ree-gey)
2. What are you doing? : ꯑꯗꯣꯝ ꯀꯔꯤ ꯇꯧꯔꯤꯕꯒꯦ? (A-dom Ka-ree Tou-ree-ba-gey)
3. It's nice to meet you! : ꯑꯗꯣꯝꯒ ꯎꯅꯕꯗ ꯅꯨꯡꯉꯥꯢꯕ ꯐꯥꯎꯏ ꯫ (A-dom-ga Oo-na-ba-da Noong-ngai-ba Phaau-ee) or ꯑꯗꯣꯝꯒ ꯎꯅꯕ ꯅꯨꯡꯉꯥꯏ ꯫ (A-dom-ga Oo-na-ba Noong-ngai)
4. How is it going?: ꯃꯇꯧ ꯀꯔꯝꯅ ꯆꯠꯊꯔꯤꯕꯅꯣ? (Ma-tou Ka-ram-na Chat-tha-ree-ba-no)

Other important greetings are:

1. Good day. : ꯑꯐꯕ ꯅꯨꯃꯤꯠ ꯑꯣꯢꯕꯤꯌꯨ ꯫ (A-pha-ba Noo-meet Oi-bee-yoo)(literally, "Have a Good Day")
2. Good morning. : ꯑꯐꯕ ꯑꯌꯨꯛ ꯑꯣꯢꯕꯤꯌꯨ ꯫ (A-pha-ba A-yook Oi-bee-yoo)(literally, "Have a Good Morning")
3. Good afternoon. : ꯑꯐꯕ ꯅꯨꯡꯊꯤꯜ ꯑꯣꯢꯕꯤꯌꯨ ꯫ (A-pha-ba Noong-theel Oi-bee-yoo)(literally, "Have a Good Afternoon")
4. Good evening. : ꯑꯐꯕ ꯅꯨꯃꯤꯗꯥꯡꯋꯥꯢꯔꯝ ꯑꯣꯢꯕꯤꯌꯨ ꯫ (A-pha-ba Noo-mee-daang-wai-ram Oi-bee-yoo)(literally, "Have a Good Evening")
5. Good night. : ꯑꯐꯕ ꯑꯍꯤꯡ ꯑꯣꯢꯕꯤꯌꯨ ꯫ (A-pha-ba A-hing Oi-bee-yoo)(literally, "Have a Good Night")
6. Good night (to sleep) : ꯐꯖꯅ ꯇꯨꯝꯃꯁꯦ ꯫ (Pha-ja-na Toom-ma-sey)(literally, Let's sleep well) or ꯃꯪ ꯐꯔꯁꯦ ꯫ (Mang Pha-ra-sey)(literally, Let's have good dreams)

• Note: The English greeting terms like "Good morning", "Good evening", etc. can be literally translated into Meitei language. However, such greetings aren't frequently used in actual conversation among Meitei speakers.