For autodidact students of Assamese, "and" is one of the easiest words to begin using, because আৰু (aru) works very much as English "and" does. It stands between the two things it joins:
- ভাত আৰু মাছ (bhat aru mas): rice and fish - মই আৰু তুমি (moi aru tumi): I and you, "you and I" - ৰঙা আৰু বগা (ronga aru boga): red and white
It joins nouns, pronouns, adjectives and whole sentences. In a list, the items are separated by commas and আৰু comes before the last, as in English: এখন স্কুল, এখন দোকান আৰু এখন নামঘৰ, "a school, a shop and a prayer house".
There are three things that English speakers do not expect.
First, Assamese often does not need "and" where English does. When one person does several things one after another, Assamese prefers to put the earlier verbs in the converb form in -ই or -ি, which you met in Lessons 1 and 2 (খেলি, বহি): মই উঠি চাহ খাওঁ (moi uthi sah khaü̃), "I get up and drink tea", literally "I, having got up, drink tea". And very common pairs are simply joined with a hyphen: ডেকা-গাভৰু (deka-gabhoru), "young men and young women"; মাছ-ভাত (mas-bhat), "fish and rice".
Second, Assamese has a small ending, -ও (-ü), which means "also, too, even", and which can do part of the work of "and": মইও (moiü), "I too, me too". You have already met it in এতিয়াও (etiyaü), "still" (Lesson 2), and in দুয়ো (duyü), "both".
Third, আৰু also means "more". আৰু অলপ (aru olop) is "a little more"; আৰু এবাৰ (aru ebar), "once more"; আৰু কি? (aru ki?), "what else?". This is not a separate word that happens to look the same: it is the older meaning of আৰু, which comes, through Prakrit avara, from Sanskrit apara, "other". "And" is "and another thing". Its cousins in the neighbouring languages, Bengali আর (ar) and Hindi और (aur), have both meanings too.
The formal word তথা (totha), "and, as well as", is found in official and learned writing. It is not used in conversation and will not be taught in this lesson.
Script note: আৰু is two letters. আ (a) is the full vowel letter you met at the start of আছে in Lesson 2. ৰ (r) is the Assamese letter r, with a diagonal stroke through its lower part. It is not the Bengali letter র, which has a dot below; the two are different characters, and a word typed with র is misspelt in Assamese. The vowel sign ু (u) is written below its consonant, and in many typefaces it joins ৰ in a special curled shape, ৰু. The vowel is short u, never the long ূ.
Key Takeaways: - আৰু (aru) joins words and sentences, like English "and" - In a list: commas, then আৰু before the last item - For actions one after another, Assamese prefers the converb in -ই to আৰু - Close pairs are often joined with a hyphen and no আৰু: ডেকা-গাভৰু, মাছ-ভাত - -ও (-ü) means "also, too": মইও, "me too" - আৰু also means "more": আৰু অলপ, "a little more"; আৰু এবাৰ, "once more"
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3.1a ভাত rice আৰু and মাছ fish
3.1b bhat (BHAT) rice aru (A-ru) and mas (MAS) fish
3.2a মই I আৰু and তুমি you
3.2b moi (MOI) I aru (A-ru) and tumi (TU-mi) you-FAM
3.3a দেউতা father আৰু and মা mother ঘৰত at-home আছে are
3.3b deuta (DEU-ta) father aru (A-ru) and ma (MA) mother ghorot (GHO-rot) house-LOC ase (A-se) be-PRES.3
3.4a ৰঙা red আৰু and বগা white ফুল flowers
3.4b ronga (RONG-a) red aru (A-ru) and boga (BO-ga) white phul (PHUL) flower
3.5a আৰু more অলপ a-little দিয়ক please-give
3.5b aru (A-ru) more olop (O-lop) a-little diyok (DI-yok) give-IMP.HON
3.6a মোৰ my এজন one-CL ভাই younger-brother আৰু and এজনী one-CL ভনী younger-sister আছে is
3.6b mür (MUUR) I-GEN ezon (E-zon) one-CL.MASC bhai (BHAI) younger-brother aru (A-ru) and ezoni (E-zo-ni) one-CL.FEM bhoni (BHO-ni) younger-sister ase (A-se) be-PRES.3
3.7a তুমি you আৰু and মই I কাইলৈ tomorrow বজাৰলৈ to-market যাম will-go
3.7b tumi (TU-mi) you-FAM aru (A-ru) and moi (MOI) I kailoi (KAI-loi) tomorrow bozarloi (BO-zar-loi) market-DAT zam (ZAM) go-FUT.1
3.8a কিতাপখন the-book ডাঙৰ big আৰু and গধুৰ heavy
3.8b kitapkhon (KI-tap-khon) book-CL.FLAT dangor (DANG-or) big aru (A-ru) and godhur (GO-dhur) heavy
3.9a ছোৱালীজনীয়ে the-girl গান song গায় sings আৰু and নাচে dances
3.9b süwalizoniye (SUU-wa-li-zo-ni-ye) girl-CL.FEM-ERG gan (GAN) song gay (GAY) sing-PRES.3 aru (A-ru) and nase (NA-se) dance-PRES.3
3.10a আজি today বৰষুণ rain আহিল came আৰু and আমি we ঘৰতে right-at-home থাকিলোঁ stayed
3.10b azi (A-zi) today borxun (BOR-xun) rain ahil (A-hil) come-PAST.3 aru (A-ru) and ami (A-mi) we ghorote (GHO-ro-te) house-LOC-EMPH thakilü̃ (THA-ki-luun) stay-PAST.1
3.11a অসমৰ of-Assam চাহ tea আৰু and মুগা muga-silk গোটেই whole পৃথিৱীতে in-the-world বিখ্যাত famous
3.11b oxomor (O-xo-mor) Assam-GEN sah (SAH) tea aru (A-ru) and muga (MU-ga) muga-silk gütei (GUU-tei) whole prithiwite (PRI-thi-wi-te) world-LOC-EMPH bikhyat (BIKH-yat) famous
3.12a মই I ৰাতিপুৱা in-the-morning উঠি having-got-up চাহ tea খাওঁ drink আৰু and তাৰ of-that পিছত after স্কুললৈ to-school যাওঁ go
3.12b moi (MOI) I ratipuwa (RA-ti-pu-wa) morning uthi (U-thi) rise-CONV sah (SAH) tea khaü̃ (KHA-un) eat-PRES.1 aru (A-ru) and tar (TAR) that-GEN pisot (PI-sot) after-LOC skulloi (SKUL-loi) school-DAT zaü̃ (ZA-un) go-PRES.1
3.13a আৰু more এবাৰ once কওক please-say মই I বুজি understanding নাপালোঁ did-not-get
3.13b aru (A-ru) more ebar (E-bar) one-time kowok (KO-wok) say-IMP.HON moi (MOI) I buzi (BU-zi) understand-CONV napalü̃ (NA-pa-luun) NEG-get-PAST.1
3.14a আমাৰ our গাঁৱত in-village এখন one-CL স্কুল school এখন one-CL দোকান shop আৰু and এখন one-CL নামঘৰ prayer-house আছে is
3.14b amar (A-mar) we-GEN gãwot (GAAN-wot) village-LOC ekhon (E-khon) one-CL.FLAT skul (SKUL) school ekhon (E-khon) one-CL.FLAT dükan (DUU-kan) shop aru (A-ru) and ekhon (E-khon) one-CL.FLAT namghor (NAM-ghor) prayer-house ase (A-se) be-PRES.3
3.15a বিহুত at-Bihu ঢোল drum আৰু and পেঁপা horn-pipe বাজে sound আৰু and ডেকা-গাভৰুৱে young-men-and-women বিহু Bihu নাচে dance
3.15b bihut (BI-hut) Bihu-LOC dhül (DHUUL) drum aru (A-ru) and pẽpa (PEN-pa) horn-pipe baze (BA-ze) sound-PRES.3 aru (A-ru) and deka-gabhoruwe (DE-ka-GA-bho-ru-we) youth-maiden-ERG bihu (BI-hu) Bihu nase (NA-se) dance-PRES.3
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3.1 ভাত আৰু মাছ। (bhat aru mas) "Rice and fish." 3.2 মই আৰু তুমি। (moi aru tumi) "You and I." 3.3 দেউতা আৰু মা ঘৰত আছে। (deuta aru ma ghorot ase) "Father and Mother are at home." 3.4 ৰঙা আৰু বগা ফুল। (ronga aru boga phul) "Red and white flowers." 3.5 আৰু অলপ দিয়ক। (aru olop diyok) "Please give me a little more." 3.6 মোৰ এজন ভাই আৰু এজনী ভনী আছে। (mür ezon bhai aru ezoni bhoni ase) "I have a younger brother and a younger sister." 3.7 তুমি আৰু মই কাইলৈ বজাৰলৈ যাম। (tumi aru moi kailoi bozarloi zam) "You and I will go to the market tomorrow." 3.8 কিতাপখন ডাঙৰ আৰু গধুৰ। (kitapkhon dangor aru godhur) "The book is big and heavy." 3.9 ছোৱালীজনীয়ে গান গায় আৰু নাচে। (süwalizoniye gan gay aru nase) "The girl sings and dances." 3.10 আজি বৰষুণ আহিল আৰু আমি ঘৰতে থাকিলোঁ। (azi borxun ahil aru ami ghorote thakilü̃) "Today it rained, and we stayed at home." 3.11 অসমৰ চাহ আৰু মুগা গোটেই পৃথিৱীতে বিখ্যাত। (oxomor sah aru muga gütei prithiwite bikhyat) "Assam's tea and muga silk are famous all over the world." 3.12 মই ৰাতিপুৱা উঠি চাহ খাওঁ আৰু তাৰ পিছত স্কুললৈ যাওঁ। (moi ratipuwa uthi sah khaü̃ aru tar pisot skulloi zaü̃) "In the morning I get up and drink tea, and after that I go to school." 3.13 আৰু এবাৰ কওক, মই বুজি নাপালোঁ। (aru ebar kowok, moi buzi napalü̃) "Please say it once more; I didn't understand." 3.14 আমাৰ গাঁৱত এখন স্কুল, এখন দোকান আৰু এখন নামঘৰ আছে। (amar gãwot ekhon skul, ekhon dükan aru ekhon namghor ase) "In our village there is a school, a shop and a prayer house." 3.15 বিহুত ঢোল আৰু পেঁপা বাজে, আৰু ডেকা-গাভৰুৱে বিহু নাচে। (bihut dhül aru pẽpa baze, aru deka-gabhoruwe bihu nase) "At Bihu the drum and the horn-pipe play, and the young men and women dance the Bihu."
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3.1 ভাত আৰু মাছ। 3.2 মই আৰু তুমি। 3.3 দেউতা আৰু মা ঘৰত আছে। 3.4 ৰঙা আৰু বগা ফুল। 3.5 আৰু অলপ দিয়ক। 3.6 মোৰ এজন ভাই আৰু এজনী ভনী আছে। 3.7 তুমি আৰু মই কাইলৈ বজাৰলৈ যাম। 3.8 কিতাপখন ডাঙৰ আৰু গধুৰ। 3.9 ছোৱালীজনীয়ে গান গায় আৰু নাচে। 3.10 আজি বৰষুণ আহিল আৰু আমি ঘৰতে থাকিলোঁ। 3.11 অসমৰ চাহ আৰু মুগা গোটেই পৃথিৱীতে বিখ্যাত। 3.12 মই ৰাতিপুৱা উঠি চাহ খাওঁ আৰু তাৰ পিছত স্কুললৈ যাওঁ। 3.13 আৰু এবাৰ কওক, মই বুজি নাপালোঁ। 3.14 আমাৰ গাঁৱত এখন স্কুল, এখন দোকান আৰু এখন নামঘৰ আছে। 3.15 বিহুত ঢোল আৰু পেঁপা বাজে, আৰু ডেকা-গাভৰুৱে বিহু নাচে।
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These are the grammar rules for expressing "and" in Assamese.
আৰু between words. আৰু stands between the two things it joins and never changes its form: - nouns: ভাত আৰু মাছ (3.1); দেউতা আৰু মা (3.3) - pronouns: মই আৰু তুমি (3.2) - adjectives: ৰঙা আৰু বগা ফুল (3.4); কিতাপখন ডাঙৰ আৰু গধুৰ (3.8) - whole phrases, each with its own classifier: এজন ভাই আৰু এজনী ভনী (3.6). Each noun keeps the classifier that suits it: -জন for the brother, -জনী for the sister.
Lists. Separate the items with commas and put আৰু before the last: এখন স্কুল, এখন দোকান আৰু এখন নামঘৰ (3.14).
আৰু between sentences. আৰু joins two complete sentences, each with its own subject and verb: আজি বৰষুণ আহিল আৰু আমি ঘৰতে থাকিলোঁ (3.10). A sentence may begin with আৰু, as in English: আৰু তাৰ পিছত ..., "And after that ...".
The verb after "X and I". When মই (I) is one of the subjects joined by আৰু, the verb takes the ending of "we": তুমি আৰু মই ... যাম, "you and I will go" (3.7), as আমি যাম, "we will go".
Converb instead of আৰু. When the same person does one thing and then another, Assamese usually puts the first verb in the converb form in -ই or -ি and uses no আৰু: - মই ৰাতিপুৱা উঠি চাহ খাওঁ (3.12): "I get up and drink tea", literally "having got up, I drink tea" - From উঠ- (rise) the converb is উঠি; from খা- (eat) it is খাই; from যা- (go) it is গৈ. - Note that খা- is used for drinking as well as eating: চাহ খাওঁ, "I drink tea" (3.12). আৰু is used when the actions are separate, or when a new subject comes in (3.10), or to begin a new step: ... চাহ খাওঁ আৰু তাৰ পিছত স্কুললৈ যাওঁ (3.12).
Pairs without আৰু. Two nouns that belong together are often written as one word with a hyphen, with no আৰু between them. Grammarians call this a দ্বন্দ্ব সমাস (dondo xomax), a "pair compound": - ডেকা-গাভৰু (deka-gabhoru), young men and young women (3.15) - মাছ-ভাত (mas-bhat), fish and rice, "a meal" - গাখীৰ-গুৰ (gakhir-gur), milk and molasses, and কল-কুঁহিয়াৰ (kol-kũhiyar), bananas and sugarcane: both in the tale in Section F. A case ending goes on the end of the pair: ডেকা-গাভৰুৱে (3.15).
-ও: "also, too". The ending -ও (-ü) attaches to a word and means "also, too, even". After a vowel it is written as the full letter ও; after a consonant, as the vowel sign ো: - মই → মইও (moiü), "I too"; তুমি → তুমিও (tumiü), "you too" - ভাত → ভাতো (bhatü), "rice too" Two words each with -ও mean "both ... and ...": ভাতো আছে, মাছো আছে, "there is rice, and there is fish too". You have already met -ও in এতিয়াও (etiyaü), "still" (literally "now too"), দুয়ো (duyü), "both", and কোনো (küno), "anyone" (Lesson 2).
আৰু meaning "more". Before a word of quantity or number, আৰু means "more, another": - আৰু অলপ (aru olop), a little more (3.5) - আৰু এবাৰ (aru ebar), once more (3.13) - আৰু এদিন (aru edin), another day (3.30) - আৰু কি? (aru ki?), what else? (3.19) With নাই, it means "no more, none left": জলকীয়া আৰু নাই, "there are no chillies left" (3.21). In everyday speech আৰু can also mean "again", but the ordinary word for "again" is আকৌ (akou).
Common Mistakes: - Joining every action with আৰু. "I got up and drank tea" is better মই উঠি চাহ খালোঁ than মই উঠিলোঁ আৰু চাহ খালোঁ. - Typing the Bengali letter র for ৰ. আৰু must be spelt with ৰ; \*আরু is not Assamese. - Writing the long vowel sign ূ. The word is আৰু, not \*আৰূ. - Using -ও for "and" between two different words. মইও means "I too"; "I and you" is মই আৰু তুমি. - Taking আৰু অলপ as "and a little". Before a quantity আৰু means "more": আৰু অলপ দিয়ক is "give a little more". - Forgetting the "we" ending after "X and I": তুমি আৰু মই যাম, not \*তুমি আৰু মই যাব.
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আৰু is one of the commonest words in Assamese, and it appears in the titles of many of the tales that Assamese children grow up with. In Lakshminath Bezbaroa's collection Burhi Aair Xadhu ("Grandmother's Tales", 1912) there are বান্দৰ আৰু শিয়াল (The Monkey and the Jackal), বাঘ আৰু কেঁকোৰা (The Tiger and the Crab), and ঢোঁৰাকাউৰী আৰু টিপচী চৰাই (The Drongo and the Tailorbird). These tales pair two animals, one strong and one clever, as European fables do; Section F gives the opening of the first of them.
The meaning "more" is heard at every meal and in every shop. A host offers আৰু অলপ খাওক (aru olop khaok), "have a little more", and a shopkeeper asks আৰু কি লাগে? (aru ki lage?), "what else do you need?" The Genre Section below is set in a market.
The pair compounds of Section D are part of everyday speech, and many of them name the things that matter most: মাছ-ভাত, fish and rice, the everyday meal of the Brahmaputra valley; ডেকা-গাভৰু, the young men and women who dance at Bihu, the spring festival, to the ঢোল (dhül), a two-headed drum, and the পেঁপা (pẽpa), a pipe made of buffalo horn (3.15). Muga silk (3.11), golden in colour, comes from a silkworm found almost nowhere outside Assam.
In some spoken varieties আৰু is heard as আৰ (ar) or আৰো (arü). The written language always has আৰু.
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লক্ষ্মীনাথ বেজবৰুৱা (Lakshminath Bezbaroa, 1864–1938), "বান্দৰ আৰু শিয়াল" — "The Monkey and the Jackal," a folk tale retold in বুঢ়ী আইৰ সাধু (Burhi Aair Xadhu, "Grandmother's Tales"), first published in 1912
The opening of the tale, and a sentence from the jackal's plan a few lines later:
এটা শিয়াল আৰু এটা বান্দৰ আছিল। সিহঁতে দুয়ো সখি পতাই হেঁপাহ পলুৱাই খাই ফুৰিবলৈ আলচ কৰিলে। ... মই মাতিম হোৱা আৰু তুমি মাতিবা খোৱা।
F-A: Interlinear
F.1a এটা one-CL শিয়াল jackal আৰু and এটা one-CL বান্দৰ monkey আছিল was
F.1b eta (E-ta) one-CL xiyal (XI-yal) jackal aru (A-ru) and eta (E-ta) one-CL bandor (BAN-dor) monkey asil (A-sil) be-PAST.3
F.2a সিহঁতে they দুয়ো both সখি friends পতাই having-made হেঁপাহ longing পলুৱাই satisfying খাই eating ফুৰিবলৈ to-go-about আলচ discussion কৰিলে made
F.2b xihõte (XI-hon-te) they-ERG duyü (DU-yuu) two-also xokhi (XO-khi) friend potai (PO-tai) make-CONV hẽpah (HEN-pah) longing poluwai (PO-lu-wai) sate-CONV khai (KHAI) eat-CONV phuriboloi (PHU-ri-bo-loi) roam-INF-DAT alos (A-los) discussion korile (KO-ri-le) do-PAST.3
F.3a মই I মাতিম will-call হোৱা hua আৰু and তুমি you মাতিবা will-call খোৱা khua
F.3b moi (MOI) I matim (MA-tim) call-FUT.1 hüwa (HUU-wa) hua aru (A-ru) and tumi (TU-mi) you-FAM matiba (MA-ti-ba) call-FUT.2FAM khüwa (KHUU-wa) khua
F-B: Original and Translation
এটা শিয়াল আৰু এটা বান্দৰ আছিল। সিহঁতে দুয়ো সখি পতাই হেঁপাহ পলুৱাই খাই ফুৰিবলৈ আলচ কৰিলে। ... মই মাতিম হোৱা আৰু তুমি মাতিবা খোৱা।
"There were a jackal and a monkey. The two of them made friends and planned to go about eating to their hearts' content. ... 'I will cry Hua! and you will cry Khua!'" (Translation: Latinum Institute.)
F-C: Original
এটা শিয়াল আৰু এটা বান্দৰ আছিল। সিহঁতে দুয়ো সখি পতাই হেঁপাহ পলুৱাই খাই ফুৰিবলৈ আলচ কৰিলে। ... মই মাতিম হোৱা আৰু তুমি মাতিবা খোৱা।
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
The first sentence is the Assamese "once upon a time", and it uses all three of the words this course has taught so far: the classifier -টা before each noun for "a" (Lesson 1), আছিল for "there was" (Lesson 2), and আৰু to join the two animals. Each animal has its own এটা: এটা শিয়াল আৰু এটা বান্দৰ, "a jackal and a monkey", exactly as in এজন ভাই আৰু এজনী ভনী (3.6). The verb is singular in English terms, আছিল, because Assamese verbs do not mark number.
The second sentence has no আৰু at all, though its English translation needs one. It is a chain of converbs: পতাই (having made [friends]), পলুৱাই (satisfying), খাই (eating), and only one finished verb at the end, কৰিলে (they made). This is the pattern of Section D: where English says "they made friends and planned", Assamese says "having made friends, they planned". The phrase হেঁপাহ পলুৱাই, "satisfying one's longing", is the same expression you met at the end of the state song in Lesson 2, হেঁপাহ মোৰ পলোৱা নাই, "my longing has not been satisfied": there it is a poet's longing for his land, here two animals' appetite for other people's food. দুয়ো is "both", দুই (two) with the -ও of this lesson.
The third sentence is the jackal's plan for robbing the porters carrying milk, molasses, bananas and sugarcane to a wedding. Here আৰু joins two complete sentences with different subjects, মই মাতিম ... and তুমি মাতিবা ..., as in 3.10. The two futures have the endings of their persons: মাতিম, "I will call", and মাতিবা, "you (familiar) will call", from মাত- (mat-), "call out". হোৱা and খোৱা are nonsense cries meant to frighten the porters into dropping their loads and running; খোৱা is also the Assamese word for "eating", which is exactly what the two friends have in mind. The two friends address each other as তুমি, the familiar "you" of Lesson 2.
The text is quoted from Bezbaroa's 1912 edition as transcribed on Assamese Wikisource. Its spelling is in places older than today's: the tale has কলে for the modern ক'লে, "said".
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
Malati goes shopping for vegetables and fruit. Listen for আৰু joining the things she buys, and for আৰু meaning "more" in the shopkeeper's questions. She calls him দাদা (dada), "elder brother", and he calls her বাইদেউ (baideu), "elder sister": in Assam both are polite forms of address to strangers.
3.16a Malati: নমস্কাৰ hello দাদা elder-brother মোক to-me আলু potatoes আৰু and পিঁয়াজ onions লাগে are-needed
3.16b Malati: nomoskar (NO-mos-kar) greeting dada (DA-da) elder-brother mük (MUUK) I-ACC alu (A-lu) potato aru (A-ru) and pĩyaz (PIN-yaz) onion lage (LA-ge) be-needed-PRES.3
3.17a Shopkeeper: নমস্কাৰ hello বাইদেউ elder-sister আলু potatoes আৰু and পিঁয়াজ onions দুয়োটা both আছে are-there
3.17b Shopkeeper: nomoskar (NO-mos-kar) greeting baideu (BAI-deu) elder-sister alu (A-lu) potato aru (A-ru) and pĩyaz (PIN-yaz) onion duyüta (DU-yuu-ta) both-CL ase (A-se) be-PRES.3
3.18a Malati: এক one কেজি kilo আলু potatoes আৰু and আধা half কেজি kilo পিঁয়াজ onions দিয়ক please-give
3.18b Malati: ek (EK) one keji (KE-ji) kilo alu (A-lu) potato aru (A-ru) and adha (A-dha) half keji (KE-ji) kilo pĩyaz (PIN-yaz) onion diyok (DI-yok) give-IMP.HON
3.19a Shopkeeper: এইয়া here লওক please-take আৰু more কি what লাগে is-needed
3.19b Shopkeeper: eiya (EI-ya) here-it-is lowok (LO-wok) take-IMP.HON aru (A-ru) more ki (KI) what lage (LA-ge) be-needed-PRES.3
3.20a Malati: বিলাহী tomatoes আৰু and কেঁচা green জলকীয়া chillies আছে are নে is-it
3.20b Malati: bilahi (BI-la-hi) tomato aru (A-ru) and kẽsa (KEN-sa) raw zolokiya (ZO-lo-ki-ya) chilli ase (A-se) be-PRES.3 ne (NE) Q
3.21a Shopkeeper: বিলাহী tomatoes আছে are কিন্তু but জলকীয়া chillies আৰু more নাই are-not
3.21b Shopkeeper: bilahi (BI-la-hi) tomato ase (A-se) be-PRES.3 kintu (KIN-tu) but zolokiya (ZO-lo-ki-ya) chilli aru (A-ru) more nai (NAI) NEG.be
3.22a Malati: তেন্তে then মোক to-me দুই two কেজি kilos বিলাহী tomatoes আৰু and অলপ a-little ধনীয়া coriander দিয়ক please-give
3.22b Malati: tente (TEN-te) then mük (MUUK) I-ACC dui (DUI) two keji (KE-ji) kilo bilahi (BI-la-hi) tomato aru (A-ru) and olop (O-lop) a-little dhoniya (DHO-ni-ya) coriander diyok (DI-yok) give-IMP.HON
3.23a Shopkeeper: বিলাহী tomatoes আজি today বৰ very ভাল good আৰু and সস্তা cheap
3.23b Shopkeeper: bilahi (BI-la-hi) tomato azi (A-zi) today bor (BOR) very bhal (BHAL) good aru (A-ru) and xosta (XOS-ta) cheap
3.24a Malati: মোক to-me বাৰটা twelve-CL কল bananas আৰু and চাৰিটা four-CL কমলা oranges লাগে are-needed
3.24b Malati: mük (MUUK) I-ACC barta (BAR-ta) twelve-CL kol (KOL) banana aru (A-ru) and sarita (SA-ri-ta) four-CL komola (KO-mo-la) orange lage (LA-ge) be-needed-PRES.3
3.25a Shopkeeper: কল bananas আৰু and কমলা oranges এই this মোনাটোত in-the-bag দিলোঁ I-have-put
3.25b Shopkeeper: kol (KOL) banana aru (A-ru) and komola (KO-mo-la) orange ei (EI) this münatüt (MUU-na-tuut) bag-CL-LOC dilü̃ (DI-luun) give-PAST.1
3.26a Malati: ধন্যবাদ thank-you আৰু and সকলোখিনিৰ of-all-of-it দাম price কিমান how-much হ'ল became
3.26b Malati: dhonyobad (DHON-yo-bad) thanks aru (A-ru) and xokolükhinir (XO-ko-luu-khi-nir) all-CL.QUANT-GEN dam (DAM) price kiman (KI-man) how-much hol (HOL) become-PAST.3
3.27a Shopkeeper: আলু potatoes আৰু and পিঁয়াজ onions পঞ্চাশ fifty টকা rupees বাকীবোৰ the-rest এশ hundred টকা rupees
3.27b Shopkeeper: alu (A-lu) potato aru (A-ru) and pĩyaz (PIN-yaz) onion ponsax (PON-sax) fifty toka (TO-ka) rupee bakibür (BA-ki-buur) rest-PL ex (EX) hundred toka (TO-ka) rupee
3.28a Shopkeeper: মুঠতে in-all এশ hundred পঞ্চাশ fifty টকা rupees হ'ল it-came-to আৰু and ধনীয়াখিনি the-coriander মই I এনেয়ে for-nothing দিলোঁ gave
3.28b Shopkeeper: muthote (MU-tho-te) total-LOC-EMPH ex (EX) hundred ponsax (PON-sax) fifty toka (TO-ka) rupee hol (HOL) become-PAST.3 aru (A-ru) and dhoniyakhini (DHO-ni-ya-khi-ni) coriander-CL.QUANT moi (MOI) I eneye (E-ne-ye) just-so dilü̃ (DI-luun) give-PAST.1
3.29a Malati: আপুনি you বৰ very ভাল good মানুহ person আৰু and আপোনাৰ your বিলাহীও tomatoes-too ভাল good
3.29b Malati: apuni (A-pu-ni) you-HON bor (BOR) very bhal (BHAL) good manuh (MA-nuh) person aru (A-ru) and apünar (A-puu-nar) you-HON-GEN bilahiü (BI-la-hi-u) tomato-also bhal (BHAL) good
3.30a Shopkeeper: ধন্যবাদ thank-you বাইদেউ elder-sister আৰু another এদিন one-day আহিব you-will-come
3.30b Shopkeeper: dhonyobad (DHON-yo-bad) thanks baideu (BAI-deu) elder-sister aru (A-ru) more edin (E-din) one-day ahibo (A-hi-bo) come-FUT.2HON
3.16 মালতী: নমস্কাৰ দাদা, মোক আলু আৰু পিঁয়াজ লাগে। (nomoskar dada, mük alu aru pĩyaz lage.) "Hello. I need potatoes and onions." 3.17 দোকানী: নমস্কাৰ বাইদেউ, আলু আৰু পিঁয়াজ দুয়োটা আছে। (nomoskar baideu, alu aru pĩyaz duyüta ase.) "Hello. I have both potatoes and onions." 3.18 মালতী: এক কেজি আলু আৰু আধা কেজি পিঁয়াজ দিয়ক। (ek keji alu aru adha keji pĩyaz diyok.) "A kilo of potatoes and half a kilo of onions, please." 3.19 দোকানী: এইয়া লওক। আৰু কি লাগে? (eiya lowok. aru ki lage?) "Here you are. What else do you need?" 3.20 মালতী: বিলাহী আৰু কেঁচা জলকীয়া আছে নে? (bilahi aru kẽsa zolokiya ase ne?) "Do you have tomatoes and green chillies?" 3.21 দোকানী: বিলাহী আছে, কিন্তু জলকীয়া আৰু নাই। (bilahi ase, kintu zolokiya aru nai.) "I have tomatoes, but there are no chillies left." 3.22 মালতী: তেন্তে মোক দুই কেজি বিলাহী আৰু অলপ ধনীয়া দিয়ক। (tente mük dui keji bilahi aru olop dhoniya diyok.) "Then give me two kilos of tomatoes and a little coriander, please." 3.23 দোকানী: বিলাহী আজি বৰ ভাল আৰু সস্তা। (bilahi azi bor bhal aru xosta.) "The tomatoes are very good and cheap today." 3.24 মালতী: মোক বাৰটা কল আৰু চাৰিটা কমলা লাগে। (mük barta kol aru sarita komola lage.) "I need twelve bananas and four oranges." 3.25 দোকানী: কল আৰু কমলা এই মোনাটোত দিলোঁ। (kol aru komola ei münatüt dilü̃.) "I've put the bananas and oranges in this bag." 3.26 মালতী: ধন্যবাদ। আৰু সকলোখিনিৰ দাম কিমান হ'ল? (dhonyobad. aru xokolükhinir dam kiman hol?) "Thank you. And how much is that altogether?" 3.27 দোকানী: আলু আৰু পিঁয়াজ পঞ্চাশ টকা, বাকীবোৰ এশ টকা। (alu aru pĩyaz ponsax toka, bakibür ex toka.) "The potatoes and onions are fifty rupees, the rest a hundred." 3.28 দোকানী: মুঠতে এশ পঞ্চাশ টকা হ'ল, আৰু ধনীয়াখিনি মই এনেয়ে দিলোঁ। (muthote ex ponsax toka hol, aru dhoniyakhini moi eneye dilü̃.) "That comes to a hundred and fifty rupees in all, and the coriander is free." 3.29 মালতী: আপুনি বৰ ভাল মানুহ, আৰু আপোনাৰ বিলাহীও ভাল। (apuni bor bhal manuh, aru apünar bilahiü bhal.) "You're a very kind man, and your tomatoes are good too." 3.30 দোকানী: ধন্যবাদ বাইদেউ, আৰু এদিন আহিব। (dhonyobad baideu, aru edin ahibo.) "Thank you. Come again another day."
3.16 মালতী: নমস্কাৰ দাদা, মোক আলু আৰু পিঁয়াজ লাগে। 3.17 দোকানী: নমস্কাৰ বাইদেউ, আলু আৰু পিঁয়াজ দুয়োটা আছে। 3.18 মালতী: এক কেজি আলু আৰু আধা কেজি পিঁয়াজ দিয়ক। 3.19 দোকানী: এইয়া লওক। আৰু কি লাগে? 3.20 মালতী: বিলাহী আৰু কেঁচা জলকীয়া আছে নে? 3.21 দোকানী: বিলাহী আছে, কিন্তু জলকীয়া আৰু নাই। 3.22 মালতী: তেন্তে মোক দুই কেজি বিলাহী আৰু অলপ ধনীয়া দিয়ক। 3.23 দোকানী: বিলাহী আজি বৰ ভাল আৰু সস্তা। 3.24 মালতী: মোক বাৰটা কল আৰু চাৰিটা কমলা লাগে। 3.25 দোকানী: কল আৰু কমলা এই মোনাটোত দিলোঁ। 3.26 মালতী: ধন্যবাদ। আৰু সকলোখিনিৰ দাম কিমান হ'ল? 3.27 দোকানী: আলু আৰু পিঁয়াজ পঞ্চাশ টকা, বাকীবোৰ এশ টকা। 3.28 দোকানী: মুঠতে এশ পঞ্চাশ টকা হ'ল, আৰু ধনীয়াখিনি মই এনেয়ে দিলোঁ। 3.29 মালতী: আপুনি বৰ ভাল মানুহ, আৰু আপোনাৰ বিলাহীও ভাল। 3.30 দোকানী: ধন্যবাদ বাইদেউ, আৰু এদিন আহিব।
আৰু in a shopping list. Most of Malati's lines join two things with আৰু: আলু আৰু পিঁয়াজ (3.16), বিলাহী আৰু ... ধনীয়া (3.22), কল আৰু কমলা (3.24). Each item can carry its own quantity: এক কেজি আলু আৰু আধা কেজি পিঁয়াজ (3.18), বাৰটা কল আৰু চাৰিটা কমলা (3.24). Counted things take a classifier after the number, -টা (বাৰটা, চাৰিটা), as এটা did in Lesson 1; weights in কেজি need none.
আৰু meaning "more". The shopkeeper's আৰু কি লাগে? (3.19) is "what more is needed?", that is, "anything else?". জলকীয়া আৰু নাই (3.21) is "chillies more are not": they have run out. আৰু এদিন আহিব (3.30) is "come another day", the usual way of saying goodbye to a customer.
আৰু at the start. In 3.26 Malati begins a new question with আৰু, "and how much ...?", as an English speaker would.
লাগে: "is needed". Assamese says "potatoes are needed to me": মোক আলু লাগে (3.16). The person who needs is in the form মোক (to me), and the thing needed is the subject of লাগে. The pattern is like মোৰ ... আছে for "have" in Lesson 2.
Polite requests. দিয়ক (please give), লওক (please take) and আহিব (you will come, used as a polite "do come") are the respectful আপুনি forms. Malati and the shopkeeper are strangers, so both speak respectfully, and the shopkeeper calls her বাইদেউ, "elder sister", whatever her age.
-ও and -খিনি. বিলাহীও (3.29) is বিলাহী with the -ও of this lesson: "your tomatoes too". সকলোখিনি (3.26) and ধনীয়াখিনি (3.28) carry -খিনি (-khini), a classifier for an amount of something that is not counted: "all of it", "the coriander (that bit of it)".
নে: the question. বিলাহী আৰু কেঁচা জলকীয়া আছে নে? (3.20) is the yes-or-no question with নে of Lesson 2, here written as a separate word.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
The romanisation follows the system of Lessons 1 and 2: ü for the short /ʊ/ of English "book", o for /ɔ/, x for the /x/ of Scottish "loch", s for চ and ছ, z for জ and য, a tilde for a nasal vowel. In the respellings, UU is the short vowel of "book", and the stressed first syllable is in capitals.
আৰু (aru) — IPA: /ɑɹu/ — the open /ɑ/ of "father", then an r close to the English r of "run", then a short /u/. অলপ (olop) — IPA: /ɔlɔp/ — both vowels are the /ɔ/ of British "hot". এবাৰ (ebar) — IPA: /ɛbɑɹ/ — the first vowel is open, as in "set". মইও (moiü) — IPA: /mɔiʊ/ — three vowels, said smoothly together. শিয়াল (xiyal) — IPA: /xijɑl/ — শ is /x/, as in "loch". In everyday speech in much of Assam this sound is softened towards /h/: hiyal. সখি (xokhi) — IPA: /xɔkʰi/ — খ is k with a strong puff of breath. মাতিম (matim) — IPA: /mɑtim/. খোৱা (khüwa) — IPA: /kʰʊwɑ/ — ৱ is the w of "wet". ঢোল (dhül) — IPA: /dʱʊl/ — ঢ is d with breath after it. পেঁপা (pẽpa) — IPA: /pɛ̃pɑ/ — a nasal /ɛ/, from ঁ over পে. জলকীয়া (zolokiya) — IPA: /zɔlɔkijɑ/ — জ is /z/, as in "zoo". সস্তা (xosta) — IPA: /xɔstɑ/ — স is /x/ before a vowel, but /s/ in the cluster স্ত. পঞ্চাশ (ponsax) — IPA: /pɔnsɑx/.
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Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)