Language/Odia/Vocabulary/Greetings
Introduction
Welcome to the “Basic Greetings and Phrases” lesson of the “Complete 0 to A1 Odia Course”. In this lesson, we will be learning about common Odia greetings and how to use them in conversations.
Greetings are an essential part of communication, and learning how to greet people properly is important when learning any language. Whether you’re travelling to Odisha or simply want to connect with Odia-speaking people, knowing how to say hello and other basic phrases will make a big difference in starting a conversation and building relationships.
We hope this lesson will help you feel confident in greeting people in Odia and using these phrases in everyday situations. Let's begin!
Common Odia Greetings
Here are some common Odia greetings you can use when meeting somebody.
| Odia | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ନମସ୍କାର | namaskara | Hello |
| ହାଇ | hai | Hi |
| ସୁପ୍ରଭାତ | suprabhata | Good morning |
| ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟା | sandhya | Good evening |
| ସୁସନ୍ଦ୍ଧ୍ୟା | susandhya | Good night |
| ଖୁସିରାମ୍ | khusirama | Take care |
Note that “hai” is a loanword from English and is commonly used in informal settings.
When saying “Good morning”, “Good evening” or “Good night”, you can add “ନୀଳ ସୁର୍ୟ” (neela surya) to the end to make it more polite. This means “blue sun” and is a sign of respect.
It’s important to remember that greetings and their appropriate times can vary based on the situation and who you are speaking to. For example, in formal settings, it is common to use “ଶୁଭ ସକାଳ” (shubha sakala) instead of “Good morning”.
Basic Phrases
Here are some basic phrases in Odia that you can use in everyday conversations.
| Odia | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| କେମିତି ଅଛେ? | kemiti achhe? | How are you? |
| ମୁଁ ଭାଲି ଅଛୁ | muni bhali achhu | I’m fine |
| ଆପଣଙ୍କୁ କଣ ଭାଲ ଲାଗୁଛି? | apananka kana bhala laguchi? | How do you like it? |
| ମୋର ନାମ … ଅଛି | mora nam … achhi | My name is … |
| ଆପଣଙ୍କ ନାମ କେଉଁଥିବା? | apananka nam kemiti bhaba? | What’s your name? |
| ଆମେ ଓଡ଼ିଆରେ କଲମ ଲେଖିପାରୁନାହିଁ | ame Odia re kalam lekhiparunahin | I can’t write Odia |
Use “ଆପଣଙ୍କ” (apananka) when speaking to somebody formally. If you are speaking to somebody informally, you can use “ତୁମେଁଙ୍କ” (tuminka) instead.
Cultural Information and Interesting Facts
Informal Odia Greetings
When speaking informally to someone you know, you can use the following greetings:
- କେମିତି? (kemiti?) – “How’s it going?”
- କେମନେ ଆଛନ୍ତି? (kemane achhanti?) – “How are you doing?”
- ସବୁ ଠିକ ଅଛି? (sabu thika achhi?) – “Is everything okay?”
- କିସ୍ସ ଢେଲ? (kissa dhela?) – “What’s up?”
These informal greetings are commonly used among friends and family.
Greetings During Festivals
Odia people celebrate various festivals throughout the year, and greetings during these festivals often include wishing for good health, happiness, and prosperity.
During Durga Puja, which is one of the biggest festivals in Odisha, people greet each other by saying “ଦୁର୍ଗା ପ୍ରସାଦ ଠିକ ଆସୁନ୍” (Durga prasada thika asun), which means “May you receive the blessings of Durga”.
During Rath Yatra, people greet each other by saying “ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ ନିଜ ପ୍ରସାଦ ଠିକ ଆସୁନ୍” (Jagannatha nija prasada thika asun), which means “May you receive the blessings of Lord Jagannatha”.
These festival greetings are an important part of the cultural identity of Odia people.
Conclusion
By now, you should have a good understanding of some common Odia greetings and phrases. Remember to use the appropriate greeting depending on the situation and who you are speaking to. The more you use them, the more natural they will become!
Don’t be afraid to practice these phrases with native speakers, and keep learning new words and phrases to enhance your vocabulary.