.

TravelTips24 :

Dzongkha phrasebook


Dzongkha is the national language of Bhutan.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Basics

Hello. 
Kuzu zangpo ( )
Hello. (informal
. ( Kuzu )
How are you? 
 ? ('Choe Ga Dhay Bay yoe?' ?)
Fine, thank you. 
. ('Lek shom Bay yoe' )
What is your name? 
 ? ('Choe Gi Ming Ga Chi Mo?' ?)
My name is ______ . 
______ . (Nge Gi Ming _____ .)
Nice to meet you. 
. (Choe Chegk Dhi Sem Gai )
Please. 
. (Deh bay zeth ma da );this is wrong!!!
Thank you. 
ka drin che ( )
You're welcome. 
. (de bey ma sung )//only applies when someone says thank you.it actually means"do not mention" or like someone says "no mention, please"
Yes. 
. (In )
No. 
. (Men )
Excuse me. (getting attention
. ( gom ma thay)
Excuse me. (begging pardon
. ( gom may thay)
I'm sorry. 
. (gom ma thay )
Goodbye 
. (Log Dhi Jay gey )
Goodbye (informal
. (log di jay gey )
I can't speak name of language [well]. 
[Nga ...... lek shim bay mey shey ]. ( [ ])
Do you speak English? 
 ? ('Choe Gi In Ked Shey Ga?' ?)
Is there someone here who speaks English? 
Na Lu In Ked Shey mi yoe Ya? ( ?)
Help! 
 ! (Charo Bey nang !)
Look out! 
 ! (wai !)
Good morning. 
. (kuzu zangpo )
Good evening. 
. (kuzu zangpo )
Good night. 
. ( chiru delek)
Good night (to sleep
. (lek shom ay zim )
I don't understand. 
. (may shey )
Where is the toilet? 
 ? ( chabsang ga tey yeth ga)

Problems

Numbers

1 ; chi 2 ; nyi 3 ; sum 4 ; zhi 5 ;nga 6 ;dru 7 ;duen 8 ; gay 9 ; gu 10 ; chu tham 11 ; chu chi 12 ; chu nyi

Time

Clock time

chu cheg=time o'clock: bazaar 8 o clock: bazaar gyed

Duration

duration : dhuetsey

Days

Monday- Migma Tuesday- Lhap Wednesday- Phub Thursday-Pasa Friday- Pem Saturday- Nim Sunday- Daw

Months

Writing time and date

Colors

Green- Changkha Red- Marp White- Karp Blue- Hoem Black- Naap Yellow- Serp Orange- Leewang

Transportation

Bus and train

Directions

Taxi

Identified by the yellow top(hood) and BT registration affixed before the number.

Taxi : la khor Fare : la how much : ga day chi mo

Lodging

Money

How much is this/it ? Ngultrum ga they chi mo

Eating

Meal : Toh /shay go

eating : shay go za ni

delicious : zhim bay

bitter  ; khag ta

sweet  : ngam

sour  ; chup

Water  ; chu

Tea  : ja

Curry  : tsoem

Soup  :thup

Chilly  : ema

Cheese  :datsi

cook  : toh bey ni

eat  : zhey

Dzongkha phrasebook nightlife, bars, clubs & pubs

Alcoholic Beverage : Changg

Bar  : Changkhang

Tip  : soera

Whats the bill  : Ga de chi mo

I am drunk  : changg dang so ye

Water  : chu

Local Drink  : Ara

It is strong(spirit) : ah ni gag tra du

It is mild  : lha si si du

Shopping

shop : tsongkhang

how much : ga de chi mo?

discount please : gong phab nang

Driving

Car : Numkhor

Drive : Numkhor tang ni

Licence : Lak Kher

Police  : thrim sung

Road  : Lam

High speed : joba joba shuk bay tang

Low speed  : drogay bay tang

please take caution(driving) : reb drim di tang

Lets go  : jogay

stop  ; numkor kag nang

Risky  : ngyen khag

Authority


This page was last edited at 06:52, on 25 October 2008 by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by Stacy Hall, Bhutan Scenic Tours and Jani Patokallio, Wikitravel user(s) Morph and WindHorse and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.

Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license