For autodidact students of Assamese, "to" is not a word but an ending. Assamese puts the ending লৈ (-loi) on the end of the noun that English puts after "to":
- ঘৰলৈ (ghorloi): to the house, home - স্কুললৈ (skulloi): to school - ইয়ালৈ (iyaloi): to here, here - ক'লৈ (koloi): to where, where to - খাবলৈ (khaboloi): to eat, in order to eat
This is the dative ending of Lesson 1, where স্কুললৈ, "to school", first appeared. You have used it ever since: in বজাৰলৈ, "to the market" (Lesson 2), in কাইলৈ, "tomorrow" (Lesson 3), in আপোনালৈ, "to you" (Lesson 4), and in খাবলৈ, "to eat", at the end of Lesson 5. The ending is joined to the word with no vowel sign. Unlike the genitive ৰ, it is pronounced the same after a vowel and after a consonant: -loi.
There are four things that English speakers do not expect.
First, one ending does two jobs that English does with one word. "To" of a place, ঘৰলৈ যাওঁ, "I go home", and "to" before a verb, চাহ খাবলৈ আহিলোঁ, "I came to have tea", are both -লৈ. The second is made by putting -লৈ on the infinitive, the verb stem with -ব (-bo): খা, "eat", → খাব → খাবলৈ.
Second, motion towards a person goes through a noun of place. To go to a doctor you go "to the nearness of the doctor": ডাক্তৰৰ ওচৰলৈ (daktoror üsorloi), as Lesson 4 taught with আপোনাৰ ওচৰলৈ. A person who is given something or told something takes -ক instead: মোক দিয়ক, "give it to me"; আইতাক ক'ম, "I will tell Grandmother".
Third, -লৈ goes far beyond place. It marks the time or occasion something is for or runs up to: কাইলৈ, "tomorrow"; বিহুলৈ, "for Bihu"; আজিলৈকে, "up to today". It marks the person something is brought or sent for: তোমালৈ চিঠি, "a letter for you". And it marks what you look at or wait for: আকাশলৈ চাই আছে, "is looking at the sky"; আমালৈ বাট চাই আছে, "is waiting for us".
Fourth, there is a second, quite different word লৈ. Standing alone, and not joined to a noun, লৈ is "taking", from লোৱা, "to take": কিতাপখন লৈ স্কুললৈ গ'ল, "took the book and went to school". The two meet in one sentence, and you tell them apart by spelling: the ending is joined to the noun before it, and the verb is a word of its own.
Script note: লৈ is ল (l) with the vowel sign ৈ (oi). On the page the sign ৈ stands to the left of the consonant, though it is typed after it. Do not confuse লৈ (-loi), "to", with লে (-le), the ending of past verbs: দিলে (dile) is "gave", but ঘৰলৈ is "to home". The same pair of letters spells ক'লে (kole), "said", and ক'লৈ (koloi), "to where".
Key Takeaways: - "To" is the ending -লৈ on the noun: ঘৰলৈ, স্কুললৈ, বজাৰলৈ; at is -ত, to is -লৈ: ঘৰত, ঘৰলৈ - The infinitive plus -লৈ is "to" before a verb: খাবলৈ, চাবলৈ, ধৰিবলৈ - To a person, use ওচৰলৈ; -ক is for the one who is given or told - Time, occasion and for: কাইলৈ, বিহুলৈ, তোমালৈ; "up to" is -লৈকে: আজিলৈকে - Look at and wait for: আকাশলৈ চোৱা, আমালৈ বাট চোৱা - Another word লৈ, standing alone, is "taking": কিতাপখন লৈ
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6.1a মই I ঘৰলৈ to-home যাওঁ go
6.1b moi (MOI) I ghorloi (GHOR-loi) home-DAT zaü̃ (ZA-un) go-PRES.1
6.2a ইয়ালৈ to-here আহক please-come
6.2b iyaloi (I-ya-loi) here-DAT ahok (A-hok) come-IMP.HON
6.3a তুমি you ক'লৈ to-where গৈ going আছা are
6.3b tumi (TU-mi) you-FAM koloi (KO-loi) where-DAT goi (GOI) go-CONV asa (A-sa) be-PRES.2
6.4a ল'ৰাটো the-boy বজাৰলৈ to-market গ'ল went
6.4b loratü (LO-ra-tuu) boy-CL bozarloi (BO-zar-loi) market-DAT gol (GOL) go-PAST.3
6.5a আমি we কাইলৈ tomorrow গুৱাহাটীলৈ to-Guwahati যাম will-go
6.5b ami (A-mi) we kailoi (KAI-loi) tomorrow guwahatiloi (GU-wa-ha-ti-loi) Guwahati-DAT zam (ZAM) go-FUT.1
6.6a মই I আজি today ডাক্তৰৰ of-doctor ওচৰলৈ to-near যাম will-go
6.6b moi (MOI) I azi (A-zi) today daktoror (DAK-to-ror) doctor-GEN üsorloi (UU-sor-loi) nearness-DAT zam (ZAM) go-FUT.1
6.7a মই I চাহ tea খাবলৈ to-eat ঘৰলৈ to-home আহিলোঁ came
6.7b moi (MOI) I sah (SAH) tea khaboloi (KHA-bo-loi) eat-INF-DAT ghorloi (GHOR-loi) home-DAT ahilü̃ (A-hi-luun) come-PAST.1
6.8a মাই mother মোক to-me ভাত rice খাবলৈ to-eat ক'লে said
6.8b mai (MAI) mother-ERG mük (MUUK) I-ACC bhat (BHAT) rice khaboloi (KHA-bo-loi) eat-INF-DAT kole (KO-le) say-PAST.3
6.9a আজি today ৰাতিপুৱা in-the-morning বৰষুণ rain দিবলৈ to-give ধৰিলে began
6.9b azi (A-zi) today ratipuwa (RA-ti-pu-wa) morning borxun (BOR-xun) rain diboloi (DI-bo-loi) give-INF-DAT dhorile (DHO-ri-le) begin-PAST.3
6.10a বাৰান্দাত on-the-veranda বহি sitting তেওঁ she আকাশলৈ to-the-sky চাই looking আছে is
6.10b barandat (BA-ran-dat) veranda-LOC bohi (BO-hi) sit-CONV teü̃ (TE-un) she-HON akaxloi (A-kax-loi) sky-DAT sai (SAI) look-CONV ase (A-se) be-PRES.3
6.11a গুৱাহাটীৰ of-Guwahati পৰা from তোমালৈ to-you এখন one-CL চিঠি letter আহিছে has-come
6.11b guwahatir (GU-wa-ha-tir) Guwahati-GEN pora (PO-ra) from tümaloi (TUU-ma-loi) you-FAM-DAT ekhon (E-khon) one-CL.FLAT sithi (SI-thi) letter ahise (A-hi-se) come-PERF.3
6.12a মই I আজিলৈকে up-to-today নলবাৰীলৈ to-Nalbari যোৱা gone নাই is-not
6.12b moi (MOI) I aziloike (A-zi-loi-ke) today-up-to nolbariloi (NOL-ba-ri-loi) Nalbari-DAT züwa (ZUU-wa) go-PTCP nai (NAI) NEG.be
6.13a ছোৱালীজনী the-girl নতুন new কিতাপখন the-book লৈ taking স্কুললৈ to-school গ'ল went
6.13b süwalizoni (SUU-wa-li-zo-ni) girl-CL.FEM notun (NO-tun) new kitapkhon (KI-tap-khon) book-CL.FLAT loi (LOI) take-CONV skulloi (SKUL-loi) school-DAT gol (GOL) go-PAST.3
6.14a বিহুৰ of-Bihu সময়ত at-time আমি we গাঁৱৰ of-village ঘৰলৈ to-home আইতাক grandmother চাবলৈ to-see যাওঁ go
6.14b bihur (BI-hur) Bihu-GEN xomoyot (XO-mo-yot) time-LOC ami (A-mi) we gãwor (GAAN-wor) village-GEN ghorloi (GHOR-loi) home-DAT aitak (AI-tak) grandmother-ACC saboloi (SA-bo-loi) see-INF-DAT zaü̃ (ZA-un) go-PRES.1
6.15a মই I তোমালৈ for-you আইতাৰ of-grandmother ঘৰৰ of-house পৰা from পিঠা pitha আনিম will-bring
6.15b moi (MOI) I tümaloi (TUU-ma-loi) you-FAM-DAT aitar (AI-tar) grandmother-GEN ghoror (GHO-ror) house-GEN pora (PO-ra) from pitha (PI-tha) rice-cake anim (A-nim) bring-FUT.1
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6.1 মই ঘৰলৈ যাওঁ। (moi ghorloi zaü̃) "I am going home." 6.2 ইয়ালৈ আহক। (iyaloi ahok) "Please come here." 6.3 তুমি ক'লৈ গৈ আছা? (tumi koloi goi asa?) "Where are you going?" 6.4 ল'ৰাটো বজাৰলৈ গ'ল। (loratü bozarloi gol) "The boy went to the market." 6.5 আমি কাইলৈ গুৱাহাটীলৈ যাম। (ami kailoi guwahatiloi zam) "Tomorrow we will go to Guwahati." 6.6 মই আজি ডাক্তৰৰ ওচৰলৈ যাম। (moi azi daktoror üsorloi zam) "I will go to the doctor today." 6.7 মই চাহ খাবলৈ ঘৰলৈ আহিলোঁ। (moi sah khaboloi ghorloi ahilü̃) "I came home to have tea." 6.8 মাই মোক ভাত খাবলৈ ক'লে। (mai mük bhat khaboloi kole) "Mother told me to eat my rice." 6.9 আজি ৰাতিপুৱা বৰষুণ দিবলৈ ধৰিলে। (azi ratipuwa borxun diboloi dhorile) "This morning it began to rain." 6.10 বাৰান্দাত বহি তেওঁ আকাশলৈ চাই আছে। (barandat bohi teü̃ akaxloi sai ase) "Sitting on the veranda, she is looking up at the sky." 6.11 গুৱাহাটীৰ পৰা তোমালৈ এখন চিঠি আহিছে। (guwahatir pora tümaloi ekhon sithi ahise) "A letter has come for you from Guwahati." 6.12 মই আজিলৈকে নলবাৰীলৈ যোৱা নাই। (moi aziloike nolbariloi züwa nai) "I have not been to Nalbari up to today." 6.13 ছোৱালীজনী নতুন কিতাপখন লৈ স্কুললৈ গ'ল। (süwalizoni notun kitapkhon loi skulloi gol) "The girl took the new book and went to school." 6.14 বিহুৰ সময়ত আমি গাঁৱৰ ঘৰলৈ আইতাক চাবলৈ যাওঁ। (bihur xomoyot ami gãwor ghorloi aitak saboloi zaü̃) "At Bihu we go to the village home to see Grandmother." 6.15 মই তোমালৈ আইতাৰ ঘৰৰ পৰা পিঠা আনিম। (moi tümaloi aitar ghoror pora pitha anim) "I will bring you pitha from Grandmother's house."
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6.1 মই ঘৰলৈ যাওঁ। 6.2 ইয়ালৈ আহক। 6.3 তুমি ক'লৈ গৈ আছা? 6.4 ল'ৰাটো বজাৰলৈ গ'ল। 6.5 আমি কাইলৈ গুৱাহাটীলৈ যাম। 6.6 মই আজি ডাক্তৰৰ ওচৰলৈ যাম। 6.7 মই চাহ খাবলৈ ঘৰলৈ আহিলোঁ। 6.8 মাই মোক ভাত খাবলৈ ক'লে। 6.9 আজি ৰাতিপুৱা বৰষুণ দিবলৈ ধৰিলে। 6.10 বাৰান্দাত বহি তেওঁ আকাশলৈ চাই আছে। 6.11 গুৱাহাটীৰ পৰা তোমালৈ এখন চিঠি আহিছে। 6.12 মই আজিলৈকে নলবাৰীলৈ যোৱা নাই। 6.13 ছোৱালীজনী নতুন কিতাপখন লৈ স্কুললৈ গ'ল। 6.14 বিহুৰ সময়ত আমি গাঁৱৰ ঘৰলৈ আইতাক চাবলৈ যাওঁ। 6.15 মই তোমালৈ আইতাৰ ঘৰৰ পৰা পিঠা আনিম।
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These are the grammar rules for expressing "to" in Assamese.
The ending -লৈ. "To", the goal of a movement, is the ending -লৈ, joined to the noun with no change to the noun: ঘৰ → ঘৰলৈ (6.1), বজাৰ → বজাৰলৈ (6.4), গুৱাহাটী → গুৱাহাটীলৈ (6.5), নলবাৰী → নলবাৰীলৈ (6.12). It is pronounced -loi after a vowel and after a consonant alike. When the noun has its classifier ("the", Lesson 1) or a plural ending, -লৈ goes on the very end: ঘৰটোলৈ (ghortüloi), "to the house"; ঘৰবোৰলৈ (ghorbürloi), "to the houses".
At and to. Rest takes the locative -ত, motion takes -লৈ: - ঘৰত আছোঁ (ghorot asü̃), "I am at home"; ঘৰলৈ যাওঁ (ghorloi zaü̃), "I am going home" (6.1) - ক'ত (kot), "where"; ক'লৈ (koloi), "to where" (6.3) - ইয়াত (iyat), "here"; ইয়ালৈ (iyaloi), "to here" (6.2)
The pronouns. The pronouns take -লৈ on the stem they have before the genitive ৰ (Lesson 5): - মোলৈ (müloi), to me, for me - তোমালৈ (tümaloi), to you, for you, familiar (6.11, 6.15) - আপোনালৈ (apünaloi), to you, for you, respectful (Lesson 4, 4.16) - তেওঁলৈ (teü̃loi), to him, to her, respectful - আমালৈ (amaloi), to us, for us (6.21, 6.30)
Going to a person. A person is not a place, so the usual way to go to someone is through ওচৰলৈ, "to the nearness of": ডাক্তৰৰ ওচৰলৈ (6.6), তেওঁৰ ওচৰলৈ, "to her" (6.29), আপোনাৰ ওচৰলৈ (Lesson 4, 4.29).
-লৈ and -ক. The person who is given something or told something takes -ক: মোক দিয়ক, "give it to me"; মাই মোক ভাত খাবলৈ ক'লে, "Mother told me to eat" (6.8); মই আইতাক ক'ম, "I will tell Grandmother" (6.29). The person something is brought, taken, sent or waited for takes -লৈ: তোমালৈ পিঠা আনিম (6.15), আইতালৈ এখন গামোচা লৈ যোৱা (6.25), আমালৈ বাট চাই থাকিব (6.30).
"To" before a verb: the infinitive and -লৈ. The infinitive is the verb stem with -ব (-bo), or -িব (-ibo) after a consonant: - খা (kha), eat → খাব (khabo) → খাবলৈ (khaboloi), to eat (6.7) - চা (sa), see → চাব → চাবলৈ (saboloi), to see (6.14) - দি (di), give → দিব → দিবলৈ (diboloi) (6.9) - ধৰ (dhor), catch → ধৰিব (dhoribo) → ধৰিবলৈ (dhoriboloi) (6.20)
With -লৈ the infinitive means "in order to": চাহ খাবলৈ ঘৰলৈ আহিলোঁ (6.7), আইতাক চাবলৈ যাওঁ (6.14), বাছখন ধৰিবলৈ ওলাব লাগিব (6.20). It is also what follows certain verbs: ক'লে, "told" (6.8); ধৰিলে, "began" (6.9: বৰষুণ দিবলৈ ধৰিলে, "it began to rain"); দিলে, "let, gave to" and নেপায়, "does not get to" (Section F).
The infinitive without -লৈ. After "can", "want" and "must", Assamese has the bare infinitive, with no -লৈ: যাব পাৰোঁ, "I can go" (Lesson 5, 5.29); কিনিব বিচাৰোঁ, "I want to buy" (6.24); উঠিব লাগিব, "we must get up", ওলাব লাগিব, "we must set out" (6.20).
Time and occasion. -লৈ names the time or occasion a thing is for: কাইলৈ, "tomorrow" (6.5); বিহুলৈ, "for Bihu" (6.16, 6.23, 6.25). With -কে it means "up to": আজিলৈকে (6.12), এতিয়ালৈকে (etiyaloike), "up to now". কাইলৈ is one word that you learn whole; it has this ending in its spelling.
Looking and waiting. The thing looked at, or waited for, takes -লৈ: আকাশলৈ চাই আছে, "is looking at the sky" (6.10); আমালৈ বাট চাই থাকিব, "will wait for us" (6.30). বাট চোৱা is "to wait", literally "to look at the way".
The other লৈ, "taking". লৈ standing alone is the conjunctive of লোৱা, "to take", and it is written as a word of its own: ছুটী লৈ, "taking leave" (6.18); কিতাপখন লৈ, "taking the book" (6.13); গামোচা এখন লৈ যোৱা, "take a gamosa along" (6.25). With a verb of motion it means "to carry along": লৈ যোৱা, "to take away"; লৈ আহা, "to bring".
Where English has "to" and Assamese has no -লৈ. - To a person who is given or told: -ক (above) - "Next to", "beside": a word of place, কাষত (Lesson 5) - "Can, want, must to": the bare infinitive (above)
Common Mistakes: - Using -ত for a movement. "I am going home" is ঘৰলৈ যাওঁ; ঘৰত যাওঁ is wrong, and would say "at home I go". - Writing the ending as a separate word. ঘৰ লৈ যাওঁ would be "I take the house and go". - Using -লৈ in "give to" and "tell to". "Give it to me" is মোক দিয়ক, not মোলৈ দিয়ক. - Leaving -লৈ out of the purpose: মই চাহ খাব আহিলোঁ is wrong; say চাহ খাবলৈ. - Putting -লৈ in after "can" and "want": যাব পাৰোঁ is right, যাবলৈ পাৰোঁ is not. - Writing লে (-le) for লৈ (-loi), or the reverse.
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"Where are you going?", ক'লৈ গৈ আছা?, is often a greeting in Assam as elsewhere in India, said to a neighbour or a passer-by on the road, and the answer is usually short and cheerful: বজাৰলৈ, "to the market". The question is meant to be friendly, not nosy.
The great going is the going home at Bihu. Bohag Bihu, in mid-April, is the Assamese new year, and Assamese who work away from their villages try to go "home" for it: গাঁৱলৈ, ঘৰলৈ. At the other end there is the waiting, as in the dialogue below, আমালৈ বাট চাই থাকিব, "will be waiting for us".
Bihu is a time for gifts. The gift is the গামোচা (gamüsa), the white cotton cloth with a red woven border that is the emblem of Assam. Giving a gamosa is a way of showing respect, and it is given to elders at Bihu, which is why Malati tells Rajib to take one to her grandmother. The pitha of the Genre Section are made for Bihu: তিলৰ পিঠা, the sesame pitha, and ঘিলা পিঠা, a rice cake fried in oil, are among the best known.
Waiting is said by looking at the road: বাট চোৱা, "to look at the way". The thing waited for takes -লৈ, so আপোনালৈ বাট চাই আছোঁ is "I am waiting for you", said to someone you must address with respect.
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লক্ষ্মীনাথ বেজবৰুৱা (Lakshminath Bezbaroa, 1864–1938), "মেকুৰীৰ জীয়েকৰ সাধু" — "The Tale of the Cat's Daughter," from বুঢ়ী আইৰ সাধু (Burhi Aair Xadhu, "Grandmother's Tales"), first published in 1912
The tale of Lesson 5 goes on. The cat has told the mistress how she longs to eat fish. Then, in the next lines of the tale:
ইফালে গিৰিহঁতনীয়ে মাছ ৰান্ধি-বাঢ়ি খাই মেকুৰীজনীক খালি কাঁইটবোৰ খাবলৈ দিলে। সেইদৰে মেকুৰীজনীয়ে দিনৌ মাছ আনি খাবলৈ নেপায়। ইয়াতে তাইৰ মনত বৰ বেজাৰ লাগি গিৰিহঁতনীক শাও দিলে, "মোৰ পেটত যি আছে তাইৰ পেটলৈ যাওক আৰু তাইৰ পেটত যি আছে মোৰ পেটলৈ আহক।"
F-A: Interlinear
F.1a ইফালে meanwhile গিৰিহঁতনীয়ে the-mistress মাছ fish ৰান্ধি-বাঢ়ি cooking-serving খাই eating মেকুৰীজনীক to-the-cat খালি only কাঁইটবোৰ the-bones খাবলৈ to-eat দিলে gave
F.1b iphale (I-pha-le) this-side-LOC girihõtniye (GI-ri-hon-ni-ye) mistress-ERG mas (MAS) fish randhi-barhi (RAN-dhi-BAR-hi) cook-CONV-serve-CONV khai (KHAI) eat-CONV mekurizonik (ME-ku-ri-zo-nik) cat-CL.FEM-ACC khali (KHA-li) only kãitbür (KAAN-it-buur) bone-PL khaboloi (KHA-bo-loi) eat-INF-DAT dile (DI-le) give-PAST.3
F.2a সেইদৰে thus মেকুৰীজনীয়ে the-cat দিনৌ daily মাছ fish আনি bringing খাবলৈ to-eat নেপায় does-not-get
F.2b xeidore (XEI-do-re) thus mekurizoniye (ME-ku-ri-zo-ni-ye) cat-CL.FEM-ERG dinou (DI-nou) day-also mas (MAS) fish ani (A-ni) bring-CONV khaboloi (KHA-bo-loi) eat-INF-DAT nepay (NE-pay) NEG-get-PRES.3
F.3a ইয়াতে at-this তাইৰ her মনত in-mind বৰ much বেজাৰ sorrow লাগি feeling গিৰিহঁতনীক to-the-mistress শাও curse দিলে gave মোৰ my পেটত in-belly যি what আছে is তাইৰ her পেটলৈ to-belly যাওক let-go আৰু and তাইৰ her পেটত in-belly যি what আছে is মোৰ my পেটলৈ to-belly আহক let-come
F.3b iyate (I-ya-te) here-LOC-EMPH tair (TAIR) she-GEN monot (MO-not) mind-LOC bor (BOR) very bezar (BE-zar) sorrow lagi (LA-gi) strike-CONV girihõtnik (GI-ri-hon-nik) mistress-ACC xau (XAU) curse dile (DI-le) give-PAST.3 mür (MUUR) I-GEN petot (PE-tot) belly-LOC zi (ZI) what ase (A-se) be-PRES.3 tair (TAIR) she-GEN petoloi (PE-to-loi) belly-DAT zaük (ZA-uuk) go-IMP.3 aru (A-ru) and tair (TAIR) she-GEN petot (PE-tot) belly-LOC zi (ZI) what ase (A-se) be-PRES.3 mür (MUUR) I-GEN petoloi (PE-to-loi) belly-DAT ahok (A-hok) come-IMP.3
F-B: Original and Translation
ইফালে গিৰিহঁতনীয়ে মাছ ৰান্ধি-বাঢ়ি খাই মেকুৰীজনীক খালি কাঁইটবোৰ খাবলৈ দিলে। সেইদৰে মেকুৰীজনীয়ে দিনৌ মাছ আনি খাবলৈ নেপায়। ইয়াতে তাইৰ মনত বৰ বেজাৰ লাগি গিৰিহঁতনীক শাও দিলে, "মোৰ পেটত যি আছে তাইৰ পেটলৈ যাওক আৰু তাইৰ পেটত যি আছে মোৰ পেটলৈ আহক।"
"Meanwhile the mistress cooked and served the fish, ate it, and gave the cat only the bones to eat. So the cat, day after day, brought fish and did not get to eat any. At this she felt great sorrow in her heart, and she cursed the mistress: 'What is in my belly, let it go to her belly, and what is in her belly, let it come to my belly.'" (Translation: Latinum Institute.)
F-C: Original
ইফালে গিৰিহঁতনীয়ে মাছ ৰান্ধি-বাঢ়ি খাই মেকুৰীজনীক খালি কাঁইটবোৰ খাবলৈ দিলে। সেইদৰে মেকুৰীজনীয়ে দিনৌ মাছ আনি খাবলৈ নেপায়। ইয়াতে তাইৰ মনত বৰ বেজাৰ লাগি গিৰিহঁতনীক শাও দিলে, "মোৰ পেটত যি আছে তাইৰ পেটলৈ যাওক আৰু তাইৰ পেটত যি আছে মোৰ পেটলৈ আহক।"
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
Three sentences, and -লৈ four times, in both of its great uses. The first two sentences are the infinitive with -লৈ, খাবলৈ, three times over: গিৰিহঁতনীয়ে ... মেকুৰীজনীক ... খাবলৈ দিলে is "gave the cat to eat", where English says "let the cat eat" or "gave the cat ... to eat". The word-for-word reading of the second, খাবলৈ নেপায়, is "to eat she does not get", the plain way to say "she does not get to eat". The cat in the first sentence is মেকুৰীজনীক, with -ক, because she is the one who is given.
The curse is -লৈ of a place: পেটলৈ যাওক, "let it go to her belly", and পেটলৈ আহক, "let it come to my belly". The two verbs are in the third person imperative, -ক, as in আহক of 6.2, which is the same ending used for polite requests. It is a well-balanced curse: the same words are said twice, with the belly of the cat and the belly of the mistress changing places, and the verb changing from "go" to "come" with the speaker's point of view. The cat says "come" to her own belly and "go" to the mistress's.
ইফালে is "on this side", and so "meanwhile". সেইদৰে is "in that way", and ইয়াতে, "at this", "thereupon". দিনৌ is দিন, "day", with -ও, "also", so "day after day". শাও দিলে is "gave a curse", the usual way to say "cursed". বেজাৰ লাগি is "sorrow attaching", "feeling sorrow", a form like the মোৰ ভোক লাগিছে of Lesson 5, but here with the person in the locative, তাইৰ মনত, "in her mind". ৰান্ধি-বাঢ়ি is the pair "having cooked, having served", the Assamese for "cooked and served".
The curse is carried out, and what follows gives the tale its turn; we leave it for the reader. The text is quoted as it stands on Assamese Wikisource.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
Malati and Rajib, the colleagues of Lesson 5, have discovered that both their families come from Nalbari. Bihu is near, and they plan the journey. They use the familiar তুমি with each other.
6.16a ৰাজীৱ Rajib মালতী Malati বিহুলৈ for-Bihu তুমি you নলবাৰীলৈ to-Nalbari কেতিয়া when যাবা will-go
6.16b rajiw (RA-jiw) Rajib maloti (MA-lo-ti) Malati bihuloi (BI-hu-loi) Bihu-DAT tumi (TU-mi) you-FAM nolbariloi (NOL-ba-ri-loi) Nalbari-DAT ketiya (KE-ti-ya) when zaba (ZA-ba) go-FUT.2
6.17a মালতী Malati মই I বহাগ Bohag বিহুৰ of-Bihu দুদিন two-days আগতে before নলবাৰীলৈ to-Nalbari যাম will-go
6.17b maloti (MA-lo-ti) Malati moi (MOI) I bohag (BO-hag) Bohag bihur (BI-hur) Bihu-GEN dudin (DU-din) two-day agote (A-go-te) before-LOC-EMPH nolbariloi (NOL-ba-ri-loi) Nalbari-DAT zam (ZAM) go-FUT.1
6.18a ৰাজীৱ Rajib মইও I-also ছুটী leave লৈ taking তোমাৰ your লগত with যাম will-go
6.18b rajiw (RA-jiw) Rajib moiü (MOI-uu) I-also suti (SU-ti) leave loi (LOI) take-CONV tümar (TUU-mar) you-FAM-GEN logot (LO-got) company-LOC zam (ZAM) go-FUT.1
6.19a মালতী Malati নলবাৰীলৈ to-Nalbari যোৱা going বাছ bus ৰাতিপুৱা in-the-morning ছয় six বজাত at-o'clock আছে is
6.19b maloti (MA-lo-ti) Malati nolbariloi (NOL-ba-ri-loi) Nalbari-DAT züwa (ZUU-wa) go-PTCP bas (BAS) bus ratipuwa (RA-ti-pu-wa) morning soy (SOY) six bozat (BO-zat) o'clock-LOC ase (A-se) be-PRES.3
6.20a ৰাজীৱ Rajib তেন্তে then আমি we ৰাতিপুৱাতে early-in-the-morning উঠি getting-up বাছখন the-bus ধৰিবলৈ to-catch ওলাব to-set-out লাগিব will-be-needed
6.20b rajiw (RA-jiw) Rajib tente (TEN-te) then ami (A-mi) we ratipuwate (RA-ti-pu-wa-te) morning-LOC-EMPH uthi (U-thi) rise-CONV baskhon (BAS-khon) bus-CL.FLAT dhoriboloi (DHO-ri-bo-loi) catch-INF-DAT olabo (O-la-bo) set.out-INF lagibo (LA-gi-bo) be.needed-FUT.3
6.21a মালতী Malati ঠিক right আছে is আইতাই grandmother আমালৈ for-us বহুত many পিঠা pitha বনাব will-make
6.21b maloti (MA-lo-ti) Malati thik (THIK) right ase (A-se) be-PRES.3 aitai (AI-tai) grandmother-ERG amaloi (A-ma-loi) we-DAT bohut (BO-hut) many pitha (PI-tha) rice-cake banabo (BA-na-bo) make-FUT.3
6.22a ৰাজীৱ Rajib ঘিলা Ghila পিঠা pitha খাবলৈ to-eat মই I বহু many দিন days ধৰি for বাট way চাই looking আছোঁ am
6.22b rajiw (RA-jiw) Rajib ghila (GHI-la) Ghila pitha (PI-tha) rice-cake khaboloi (KHA-bo-loi) eat-INF-DAT moi (MOI) I bohu (BO-hu) many din (DIN) day dhori (DHO-ri) hold-CONV bat (BAT) way sai (SAI) look-CONV asü̃ (A-suun) be-PRES.1
6.23a মালতী Malati তিলৰ of-sesame পিঠাও pitha-also হ'ব will-be আইতাই grandmother প্ৰতি every বছৰ year বিহুলৈ for-Bihu তিলৰ of-sesame পিঠা pitha বনায় makes
6.23b maloti (MA-lo-ti) Malati tilor (TI-lor) sesame-GEN pithaü (PI-tha-uu) rice-cake-also hobo (HO-bo) be-FUT.3 aitai (AI-tai) grandmother-ERG proti (PRO-ti) every bosor (BO-sor) year bihuloi (BI-hu-loi) Bihu-DAT tilor (TI-lor) sesame-GEN pitha (PI-tha) rice-cake banai (BA-nai) make-PRES.3
6.24a ৰাজীৱ Rajib তোমাৰ your আইতাৰ of-grandmother ঘৰলৈ to-house যোৱাৰ of-going আগতে before মই I এখন one-CL উপহাৰ gift কিনিব to-buy বিচাৰোঁ seek
6.24b rajiw (RA-jiw) Rajib tümar (TUU-mar) you-FAM-GEN aitar (AI-tar) grandmother-GEN ghorloi (GHOR-loi) house-DAT züwar (ZUU-war) go-VN-GEN agote (A-go-te) before-LOC-EMPH moi (MOI) I ekhon (E-khon) one-CL.FLAT upohar (U-po-har) gift kinibo (KI-ni-bo) buy-INF bisarü̃ (BI-sa-ruun) seek-PRES.1
6.25a মালতী Malati বিহুলৈ for-Bihu আইতালৈ for-grandmother এখন one-CL গামোচা gamosa লৈ taking যোৱা go
6.25b maloti (MA-lo-ti) Malati bihuloi (BI-hu-loi) Bihu-DAT aitaloi (AI-ta-loi) grandmother-DAT ekhon (E-khon) one-CL.FLAT gamüsa (GA-muu-sa) gamosa loi (LOI) take-CONV züwa (ZUU-wa) go-IMP.2FAM
6.26a ৰাজীৱ Rajib ঠিক right আছে is আজি today গধূলি in-the-evening বজাৰলৈ to-market গৈ going মই I এখন one-CL ভাল good গামোচা gamosa কিনিম will-buy
6.26b rajiw (RA-jiw) Rajib thik (THIK) right ase (A-se) be-PRES.3 azi (A-zi) today godhuli (GO-dhu-li) evening bozarloi (BO-zar-loi) market-DAT goi (GOI) go-CONV moi (MOI) I ekhon (E-khon) one-CL.FLAT bhal (BHAL) good gamüsa (GA-muu-sa) gamosa kinim (KI-nim) buy-FUT.1
6.27a মালতী Malati তেন্তে then আমি we দুয়ো both একেলগে together বজাৰলৈ to-market যাম will-go
6.27b maloti (MA-lo-ti) Malati tente (TEN-te) then ami (A-mi) we duyü (DU-yuu) two-also ekeloge (E-ke-lo-ge) together bozarloi (BO-zar-loi) market-DAT zam (ZAM) go-FUT.1
6.28a ৰাজীৱ Rajib ভাল good তাৰ of-that পিছত after আমি we নলবাৰীলৈ to-Nalbari বাছৰ of-bus টিকট ticket দুখন two-CL কিনিম will-buy
6.28b rajiw (RA-jiw) Rajib bhal (BHAL) good tar (TAR) that-GEN pisot (PI-sot) after-LOC ami (A-mi) we nolbariloi (NOL-ba-ri-loi) Nalbari-DAT basor (BA-sor) bus-GEN tikot (TI-kot) ticket dukhon (DU-khon) two-CL.FLAT kinim (KI-nim) buy-FUT.1
6.29a মালতী Malati মই I আইতাক to-grandmother ক'ম will-say আমি we দুয়ো both তেওঁৰ her ওচৰলৈ to-near আহিম will-come
6.29b maloti (MA-lo-ti) Malati moi (MOI) I aitak (AI-tak) grandmother-ACC kom (KOM) say-FUT.1 ami (A-mi) we duyü (DU-yuu) two-also teü̃r (TE-unr) she-HON-GEN üsorloi (UU-sor-loi) nearness-DAT ahim (A-him) come-FUT.1
6.30a ৰাজীৱ Rajib তেন্তে then আইতা grandmother আমালৈ for-us বাট way চাই looking থাকিব will-stay
6.30b rajiw (RA-jiw) Rajib tente (TEN-te) then aita (AI-ta) grandmother amaloi (A-ma-loi) we-DAT bat (BAT) way sai (SAI) look-CONV thakibo (THA-ki-bo) stay-FUT.3
6.16 ৰাজীৱ: মালতী, বিহুলৈ তুমি নলবাৰীলৈ কেতিয়া যাবা? (rajiw: maloti, bihuloi tumi nolbariloi ketiya zaba?) "Rajib: Malati, when will you go to Nalbari for Bihu?" 6.17 মালতী: মই বহাগ বিহুৰ দুদিন আগতে নলবাৰীলৈ যাম। (maloti: moi bohag bihur dudin agote nolbariloi zam.) "Malati: I will go to Nalbari two days before Bohag Bihu." 6.18 ৰাজীৱ: মইও ছুটী লৈ তোমাৰ লগত যাম। (rajiw: moiü suti loi tümar logot zam.) "Rajib: I will take leave too and go with you." 6.19 মালতী: নলবাৰীলৈ যোৱা বাছ ৰাতিপুৱা ছয় বজাত আছে। (maloti: nolbariloi züwa bas ratipuwa soy bozat ase.) "Malati: There is a bus to Nalbari at six in the morning." 6.20 ৰাজীৱ: তেন্তে আমি ৰাতিপুৱাতে উঠি বাছখন ধৰিবলৈ ওলাব লাগিব। (rajiw: tente ami ratipuwate uthi baskhon dhoriboloi olabo lagibo.) "Rajib: Then we shall have to get up early and set out to catch the bus." 6.21 মালতী: ঠিক আছে। আইতাই আমালৈ বহুত পিঠা বনাব। (maloti: thik ase. aitai amaloi bohut pitha banabo.) "Malati: All right. Grandmother will make plenty of pitha for us." 6.22 ৰাজীৱ: ঘিলা পিঠা খাবলৈ মই বহু দিন ধৰি বাট চাই আছোঁ। (rajiw: ghila pitha khaboloi moi bohu din dhori bat sai asü̃.) "Rajib: I have been waiting for days to eat ghila pitha." 6.23 মালতী: তিলৰ পিঠাও হ'ব; আইতাই প্ৰতি বছৰ বিহুলৈ তিলৰ পিঠা বনায়। (maloti: tilor pithaü hobo; aitai proti bosor bihuloi tilor pitha banai.) "Malati: There will be sesame pitha too; every year for Bihu Grandmother makes sesame pitha." 6.24 ৰাজীৱ: তোমাৰ আইতাৰ ঘৰলৈ যোৱাৰ আগতে মই এখন উপহাৰ কিনিব বিচাৰোঁ। (rajiw: tümar aitar ghorloi züwar agote moi ekhon upohar kinibo bisarü̃.) "Rajib: Before going to your grandmother's house I want to buy a gift." 6.25 মালতী: বিহুলৈ আইতালৈ এখন গামোচা লৈ যোৱা। (maloti: bihuloi aitaloi ekhon gamüsa loi züwa.) "Malati: For Bihu, take Grandmother a gamosa." 6.26 ৰাজীৱ: ঠিক আছে। আজি গধূলি বজাৰলৈ গৈ মই এখন ভাল গামোচা কিনিম। (rajiw: thik ase. azi godhuli bozarloi goi moi ekhon bhal gamüsa kinim.) "Rajib: All right. This evening I will go to the market and buy a good gamosa." 6.27 মালতী: তেন্তে আমি দুয়ো একেলগে বজাৰলৈ যাম। (maloti: tente ami duyü ekeloge bozarloi zam.) "Malati: Then we will both go to the market together." 6.28 ৰাজীৱ: ভাল। তাৰ পিছত আমি নলবাৰীলৈ বাছৰ টিকট দুখন কিনিম। (rajiw: bhal. tar pisot ami nolbariloi basor tikot dukhon kinim.) "Rajib: Good. After that we will buy the two bus tickets to Nalbari." 6.29 মালতী: মই আইতাক ক'ম, আমি দুয়ো তেওঁৰ ওচৰলৈ আহিম। (maloti: moi aitak kom, ami duyü teü̃r üsorloi ahim.) "Malati: I will tell Grandmother that we two will come to her." 6.30 ৰাজীৱ: তেন্তে আইতা আমালৈ বাট চাই থাকিব! (rajiw: tente aita amaloi bat sai thakibo!) "Rajib: Then Grandmother will be waiting for us!"
6.16 ৰাজীৱ: মালতী, বিহুলৈ তুমি নলবাৰীলৈ কেতিয়া যাবা? 6.17 মালতী: মই বহাগ বিহুৰ দুদিন আগতে নলবাৰীলৈ যাম। 6.18 ৰাজীৱ: মইও ছুটী লৈ তোমাৰ লগত যাম। 6.19 মালতী: নলবাৰীলৈ যোৱা বাছ ৰাতিপুৱা ছয় বজাত আছে। 6.20 ৰাজীৱ: তেন্তে আমি ৰাতিপুৱাতে উঠি বাছখন ধৰিবলৈ ওলাব লাগিব। 6.21 মালতী: ঠিক আছে। আইতাই আমালৈ বহুত পিঠা বনাব। 6.22 ৰাজীৱ: ঘিলা পিঠা খাবলৈ মই বহু দিন ধৰি বাট চাই আছোঁ। 6.23 মালতী: তিলৰ পিঠাও হ'ব; আইতাই প্ৰতি বছৰ বিহুলৈ তিলৰ পিঠা বনায়। 6.24 ৰাজীৱ: তোমাৰ আইতাৰ ঘৰলৈ যোৱাৰ আগতে মই এখন উপহাৰ কিনিব বিচাৰোঁ। 6.25 মালতী: বিহুলৈ আইতালৈ এখন গামোচা লৈ যোৱা। 6.26 ৰাজীৱ: ঠিক আছে। আজি গধূলি বজাৰলৈ গৈ মই এখন ভাল গামোচা কিনিম। 6.27 মালতী: তেন্তে আমি দুয়ো একেলগে বজাৰলৈ যাম। 6.28 ৰাজীৱ: ভাল। তাৰ পিছত আমি নলবাৰীলৈ বাছৰ টিকট দুখন কিনিম। 6.29 মালতী: মই আইতাক ক'ম, আমি দুয়ো তেওঁৰ ওচৰলৈ আহিম। 6.30 ৰাজীৱ: তেন্তে আইতা আমালৈ বাট চাই থাকিব!
Going and coming. In 6.29 Malati says আহিম, "will come", of going to Nalbari. যা- is "go" away from where the speaker is, and আহ- is "come" towards the place of the speaker or of the person spoken to. Malati is speaking about her grandmother, and from her grandmother's house the journey is a coming. Rajib, who is speaking of the journey from Guwahati, says যাম (6.17, 6.18).
"Going" as a participle. নলবাৰীলৈ যোৱা বাছ (6.19) is "the Nalbari-going bus", "the bus that goes to Nalbari": যোৱা, "going", stands before its noun and takes its own -লৈ phrase with it. The same যোৱা, with নাই, is "has not gone" (6.12). With the genitive ৰ it is a noun, "going", as খাবৰ, "of eating", was in Lesson 5: আইতাৰ ঘৰলৈ যোৱাৰ আগতে, "before the going to Grandmother's house" (6.24).
Bihu with -লৈ. বিহুলৈ is "for Bihu", for the time and what happens in it (6.16, 6.23, 6.25). Do not confuse it with বিহুৰ সময়ত, "at the time of Bihu" (Lesson 5, 5.29; 6.14 here), which says when something is done, not what it is for.
The two লৈ's together. In 6.18, ছুটী লৈ is "taking leave", a word of its own, and in 6.25, গামোচা লৈ যোৱা is "go taking a gamosa", "take along a gamosa". The same sentence 6.25 has two true endings, বিহুলৈ and আইতালৈ. In 6.13 of Section A a sentence has both, কিতাপখন লৈ স্কুললৈ গ'ল. Say them aloud: the sound is the same, and the meaning is told by the word before.
The bare infinitive. ওলাব লাগিব, "we must set out" (6.20), and কিনিব বিচাৰোঁ, "I want to buy" (6.24), have no -লৈ. But in 6.20 the phrase before it, বাছখন ধৰিবলৈ, "to catch the bus", is the purpose of setting out and takes -লৈ.
Waiting. বাট চাই আছোঁ (6.22) is "I am waiting", literally "looking at the way", and বাট চাই থাকিব (6.30) is "will keep waiting". What you wait for goes before it in -লৈ: খাবলৈ, "to eat" (6.22), আমালৈ, "for us" (6.30).
Time. ছয় বজাত (6.19) is "at six o'clock": বজা is the o'clock, with the locative -ত.
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The romanisation follows the system of the earlier lessons: 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.
লৈ (-loi) — IPA: /lɔi/ — ৈ is a diphthong: the /ɔ/ of "hot" gliding into "ee", as in "boy" said with a shorter first vowel. ঘৰলৈ (ghorloi) — IPA: /ɡʱɔɹlɔi/ — ঘ is g with a puff of breath. ক'লৈ (koloi) — IPA: /kɔlɔi/ — the apostrophe marks the vowel, as in Lesson 1. ইয়ালৈ (iyaloi) — IPA: /ijɑlɔi/. আকাশলৈ (akaxloi) — IPA: /ɑkɑxlɔi/ — শ is /x/. আজিলৈকে (aziloike) — IPA: /ɑzilɔike/. খাবলৈ (khaboloi) — IPA: /kʰɑbɔlɔi/ — খ is k with a puff of breath. ধৰিবলৈ (dhoriboloi) — IPA: /dʱɔɹibɔlɔi/ — ধ is d with a puff of breath. তোমালৈ (tümaloi) — IPA: /tʊmɑlɔi/. ওচৰলৈ (üsorloi) — IPA: /ʊsɔɹlɔi/ — চ is /s/. বাছ (bas) — IPA: /bɑs/ — ছ is /s/. গামোচা (gamüsa) — IPA: /ɡɑmʊsɑ/. ঘিলা (ghila) — IPA: /ɡʱilɑ/. বহাগ (bohag) — IPA: /bɔɦɑɡ/ — হ is a breathy /ɦ/. বিহু (bihu) — IPA: /biɦu/.
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