Questions

Bengali Lesson 9 (Questions and Misunderstanding)

Duration: 30 mins

Lessons Bengali Lessons
Linguistic Bengali Vocabulary
Culture Bengali Phrases
Structure Bengali Grammar

This 9th lesson teaches an important aspect in Bengali which is the interrogative form also called questions. In addition, there is a list of vocabulary terms about misunderstanding and finally some commonly used phrases. 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.

Questions

Being able to ask questions is what makes us curious beings, which in turns broadens our knowledge. It is no different when it comes to learning Bengali. You will always be asking questions, and the following are some tools to help you in that quest.

The following are the 5 Ws + "how" commonly used adverbs to express the interrogative form. Most likely, whenever a question needs to be asked, one of them should be used. 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.

Interrogative Form in Bengali

Questions Bengali Audio
How?কেমন করে?
kēmana karē?
What?কি?
Ki?
When?কখন?
Kakhana?
Where?কোথায়?
Kōthāẏa?
Who?কে?
Kē?
Why?কেন?
Kēna?

Now we will try to implement the adverbs 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 Questions in a Sentence

Can I come?আমি কি আস্তে পারি?
Āmi ki āstē pāri?
Can I help you?আমি কি আপনাকে সাহায্য করতে পারি?
Āmi ki āpanākē sāhāyya karatē pāri?
Can you help me?আপনি কি আমাকে সাহায্য করবেন?
Āpani ki āmākē sāhāyya karabēna?
Do you know her?আপনি কি উনাকে (ঐ মহিলাকে) জানেন?
Āpani ki unākē (ai mahilākē) jānēna?
Do you speak English?আপনি কি ইংরাজি বলতে পারেন?
Āpani ki inrāji balatē pārēna?
How difficult is it?কাজ টা কি কঠিন?
Kāja ṭā ki kaṭhina?
How far is this?জায়গাটা কত দূরে ?
Jāẏagāṭā kata dūrē?
How much is this?এটার দাম কত?
Ēṭāra dāma kata?
How would you like to pay?আপ্নি কি ভাবে দাম/পেমেন্ট করতে চান?
Āpni ki bhābē dāma/pēmēnṭa karatē cāna?
What is this called?এটাকে কি বলে?
Ēṭākē ki balē?
What is your name?আপনার নাম কি?
Āpanāra nāma ki?
What time is it?এখন কটা বাজে?
Ēkhana kaṭā bājē?
When can we meet?আমরা কখন দেখা করতে পারি?
Āmarā kakhana dēkhā karatē pāri?
Where do you live?আপনি কোথায় থাকেন?
Āpani kōthāẏa thākēna?
Who is knocking at the door?দরজায় কে কড়া নাড়ছে?
Darajāẏa kē kaṛā nāṛachē?
Why is it expensive?এটার দাম এত বেশী কেন?
Ēṭāra dāma ēta bēśī kēna?

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact me using the Bengali contact form on the header above.

Vocabulary List about Misunderstanding

There are times when you will not understand what a person said in Bengali, or simply that you want them to repeat a word. The following are 24 expressions used to clear misunderstandings. Very essential to any conversation!

Misunderstanding in Bengali

Misunderstanding Bengali Audio
Can you repeat?আরেকবার বলবেন?
Ārēkabāra balabēna?
Can you speak slowly?আপনি কি একটু ধীরে বলবেন?
Āpani ki ēkaṭu dhīrē balabēna?
Did you understand what I said?আমি যেটা বললাম সেটা কি আপনি বুঝতে পেরেছেন?
Āmi yēṭā balalāma sēṭā ki āpani bujhatē pērēchēna?
Don't worry!চিন্তা করবেন না!
Cintā karabēna nā!
Excuse me? (i.e. I beg your pardon?)আরেকবার বলবেন?
Ārēkabāra balabēna?
How do you say "OK" in French?আপনি ফরাসীতে 'ঠিক আছে' কিভাবে বলবেন?
Āpani pharāsītē'ṭhika āchē' kibhābē balabēna?
I don't know!আমি জানি না!
Āmi jāni nā!
I don't understand!আমি বুঝতে পারলাম না!
Āmi bujhatē pāralāma nā!
I need to practice my Frenchআমার ফরাসী অনুশীলন করা দরকার
Āmāra pharāsī anuśīlana karā darakāra
Is that right?এটা কি ঠিক?
ēṭā ki ṭhika?
Is that wrong?এটা কি ভুল?
Ēṭā ki bhula?
Mistakeভুল
Bhula
My French is badআমি ভালো ফরাসী বলতে পারি না
āmi bhālō pharāsī balatē pāri nā
No problem!কোনও ব্যাপার না!
kōna'ō byāpāra nā!
Quicklyতাড়াতাড়ি
Tāṛātāṛi
Slowlyধীরে
dhīrē
Sorry (to apologize)দুঃখিত
duḥkhita
To speakবলা
balā
What does that word mean in English?ঐ শব্দটার ইংরাজিতে অর্থ কি?
ai śabdaṭāra inrājitē artha ki?
What is this?এটা কি?
Ēṭā ki?
What should I say?আমার কি বলা উচিৎ?
Āmāra ki balā uciṯ?
What?কি?
Ki?
What's that called in French?ওটাকে ফরাসীতে কি বলে?
Ōṭākē pharāsītē ki balē?
Write it down please!অনুগ্রহ করে এটা লিখে নিন!
Anugraha karē ēṭā likhē nina!

Daily Conversation in Bengali

Finally, a list of some common phrases that you might come across from time to time. For a complete list of commonly used sentences, please visit our Bengali Phrases page. Enjoy!

Common Expressions in Bengali

English Bengali Audio
Thisএটা
Ēṭā
Thatওটা
ōṭā
Hereএখানে
ēkhānē
Thereওখানে
ōkhānē
In The Morningসকালে
sakālē
In the eveningসন্ধ্যে বেলায়
sandhyē bēlāẏa
At Nightরাতে
rātē
Really!সত্যি!
satyi!
Look!দেখুন!
Dēkhuna!
Hurry up!জলদি!
Jaladi!

Fun Facts

Language Quote: The oldest written language was believed to be written in about 4500 BC.

Congratulations! You finished your 9th lesson in Bengali about questions, and misunderstanding. Are you ready for the next lesson? We recommend Bengali Lesson 10. You can also simply click on one of the links below or go back to our Learn Bengali homepage.

Lessons Bengali Lessons
Linguistic Bengali Vocabulary
Culture Bengali Phrases
Structure Bengali Grammar