Common Zomi Phrases
Everyday expressions from native Zomi speakers.
Greetings
| Zomi |
English |
Notes |
Dammaw? |
How are you? / Are you well? |
Spelled short, pronounced Daammaw? (long aa). daam = good/healthy, maw? = question |
Ka dam hi |
I'm well |
Standard reply |
Dam takin |
Slowly, cooly |
dam + takin (adverb form) |
Khuadam |
Cool, breezy weather |
khua (place) + dam (good) |
A hoih lua hi |
Very good |
Common expression of satisfaction |
Ka ut kei hi |
I don't want |
Simple negation |
Everyday Speech
| Zomi |
English |
Breakdown |
Bang hang hiam? |
Why? |
bang (what) + hang (reason) + hiam? (question) |
Bang ci hiam? |
What did you say? |
bang (what) + ci (say) + hiam? |
Koi ah na pai ding hiam? |
Where are you going? |
koi ah (where) + na pai ding (you will go) |
Tuni napi |
See you today |
Common farewell |
Nai mah |
See you later / again |
nai (near/soon) + mah (emphatic) |
A hoih hi |
It's good |
Basic affirmation |
A hoih lo hi |
It's not good |
Basic negation |
Ka thei hi |
I know |
ka (I) + thei (know) |
Ka thei lo hi |
I don't know |
ka (I) + thei (know) + lo (not) |
Numbers 1-10
| Number |
Zomi |
| 1 |
khat |
| 2 |
nih |
| 3 |
thuum |
| 4 |
lii |
| 5 |
ngaa |
| 6 |
guk |
| 7 |
sagih |
| 8 |
giat |
| 9 |
kua |
| 10 |
sawm |
Family
| Zomi |
English |
Pa |
Father |
Nu |
Mother |
Tapa |
Son |
Tanu |
Daughter |
Pa'pa |
Grandfather (father's father) |
Nu'pa |
Grandfather (mother's father) |
Pi |
Grandmother / big |
U |
Older sibling |
Nau |
Younger sibling |
Ta |
Child (son/daughter) |
Time
| Zomi |
English |
Tuni |
Today |
Zingsang |
Morning (early) |
Nitak |
Evening |
Zan |
Night |
Tuni Ziingsang |
This early morning |
Kumthak |
New Year |
Conversational Tips
- Use
le for smooth conversation (not leh which is more aggressive)
- Use
i for "we" in conversation (not ih which is authoritative)
- End sentences with
hi – it closes the statement like a period
- Add
hiam? at the end to make a question
More phrases will be added as the community contributes.