This first lesson teaches many important aspect of Bengali like prepositions, vocabulary list about directions and finally common phrases about how to introduce yourself. I will try to give examples using both vocabulary and grammar. That way it will be easy for you to see the words when they are separate and when they are in a sentence. Going through the whole page should take about 30 min. Make sure to read the pronunciation and hear the audio as well. If you have any question about this course, please email me directly at Bengali Classes.
Prepositions
Prepositions are used in almost every sentence. They can be a great tool to link words with each other. For example by simply knowing how to use "to", "with", "from", "after" you can expand your conversation scope. In short, a preposition describes a relationship between words in a sentence, for example: I agree with you.
Below is a list of 27 prepositions that you might come across or use very often. The table contains 3 columns (English, Bengali, and Audio). Make sure you repeat each word after hearing it by either clicking on the audio button or by reading the pronunciation. That should help with memorization as well as improving your pronunciation.
Prepositions List in Bengali
Prepositions
Bengali
Audio
In front of
সামনে sāmanē
Behind
পিছনে pichanē
Before
আগে āgē
After
পরে parē
Inside
ভিতরে bhitarē
With
সঙ্গে saṅgē
Without
ব্যতীত/ছাড়া byatīta/chāṛā
Outside
বাইরে bā'irē
On top of
উপরে uparē
Under
নিচে nicē
About (in regards to)
সম্বন্ধে/সম্পর্কে/বিষয়ে sambandhē/samparkē/biṣaẏē
Against
বিপক্ষে/পক্ষে bipakṣē/pakṣē
And
এবং ēbaṁ
As (similar to)
রূপে/হিসাবে rūpē/hisābē
Between
মাঝখানে mājhakhānē
But
কিন্তু kintu
For
জন্য jan'ya
From
হইতে/থেকে ha'itē/thēkē
In
মধ্যে/ভিতরে madhyē/bhitarē
Instead of
স্থলে/বদলে/পরিবর্তে sthalē/badalē/paribartē
Near
কাছে kāchē
Of
এর ēra
Or
অথবা athabā
Since
থেকে thēkē
So
তাই tā'i
To
বখশিশ bakhaśiśa
Until
পর্যন্ত paryanta
Now we will try to implement some of the prepositions above into full Bengali sentences. That way you will be able to use the word not only by itself but embedded in a structure.
Bengali Prepositions in a Sentence
English
Bengali
Audio
Can I practice Italian with you?
আমি কি আপনার সঙ্গে ইতালীয় ভাষা অনুশীলন করতে পারি? āmi ki āpanāra saṅgē itālīẏa bhāṣā anuśīlana karatē pāri?
I speak French but with an accent
আমি ফরাসী বলি কিন্তু টানের সঙ্গে Āmi pharāsī bali kintu ṭānēra saṅgē
I was born in Miami
আমার জন্ম মিয়ামিতে হয়েছিল āmāra janma miẏāmitē haẏēchila
I'm from Japan
আই জাপানে থাকি ā'i jāpānē thāki
The letter is inside the book
চিঠিটা বইয়ের মধ্যে আছে ciṭhiṭā ba'iẏēra madhyē āchē
The pen is under the desk
পেনটা ডেস্কের নীচে আছে pēnaṭā ḍēskēra nīcē āchē
Directions
Can I help you?
আমি কি আপনাকে সাহায্য করতে পারি? āmi ki āpanākē sāhāyya karatē pāri?
Questions?
If you have any questions, please contact me using the Bengali contact form on the header above.
Vocabulary List about Directions
Below is a list of 28 words and sentences related to directions that you might need when lost or asking for help. If you can memorize them by heart, you will be able to travel from point A to point B by following directions.
Giving Directions in Bengali
Directions
Bengali
Audio
Can you help me?
আপনি কি আমাকে সাহায্য করবেন? Āpani ki āmākē sāhāyya karabēna?
Can you show me?
আপনি কি আমাকে দেখাতে পারেন? Āpani ki āmākē dēkhātē pārēna?
Come with me!
আমার সঙ্গে আসুন! Āmāra saṅgē āsuna!
Downtown (city center)
শহরের মাঝখানে Śaharēra mājhakhānē
Excuse me! (to ask someone)
একটু শুনবেন! ēkaṭu śunabēna!
Go straight
সোজা যান Sōjā yāna
How can I get to the museum?
আমি কি ভাবে জাদুঘরে/মিউসিয়ামে যেতে পার? āmi ki bhābē jādugharē/mi'usiẏāmē yētē pāra?
How long does it take to get there?
ওখানে যেতে কত সময় লাগবে? Ōkhānē yētē kata samaẏa lāgabē?
I'm lost
আমি হারিয়ে গেছি Āmi hāriẏē gēchi
I'm not from here
আমি এখানে থাকি না āmi ēkhānē thāki nā
It's far from here
এটা এখান থেকে দূরে ēṭā ēkhāna thēkē dūrē
It's near here
এটা এখান থেকে কাছে ēṭā ēkhāna thēkē kāchē
One moment please!
অনুগ্রহ করে একটু সময় দিন ! anugraha karē ēkaṭu samaẏa dina!
Turn left
বাঁ দিকে ঘুরুন Bām̐ dikē ghuruna
Turn right
ডান দিকে ঘুরুন ḍāna dikē ghuruna
Far
দূরে dūrē
Here
এখানে ēkhānē
Left
বাঁ দিক bām̐ dika
Right
ডান দিক ḍāna dika
Near
নিকটে nikaṭē
Straight
সোজা sōjā
There
সেখানে sēkhānē
To drive
প্রতি,-তে prati,-tē
To turn
ঘোরা ghōrā
To walk
হাঁটা hām̐ṭā
Traffic light
ট্রাফিক বাতি ṭrāphika bāti
Transportation
যাতায়াত yātāẏāta
Daily Conversation in Bengali
Finally, a couple sentences to help you know how to introduce yourself in Bengali. For a complete list of commonly used sentences, please visit our Bengali Phrases page. Enjoy!
Common Expressions in Bengali
English
Bengali
Audio
Do you speak English?
আপনি কি ইংরাজি বলতে পারেন? āpani ki inrāji balatē pārēna?
Language Quote: The language of a society changes slowly but steadily with the result that an educated person will not be able to read or understand words in his language written 500 years ago. Do you feel like you can't talk to your parents? Maybe it's because you belong to the Niger-Congo family. More than 1,400 languages are spoken by different members of this family from Africa..
Congratulations! You finished your 4th lesson in Bengali about prepositions, and directions. Are you ready for the next lesson? We recommend Bengali Lesson 5. You can also simply click on one of the links below or go back to our Learn Bengali homepage.