হ্যালো, কেমন আছেন?
hyalo, kemon achhen?
In Bengali, hello how are you is said as হ্যালো, কেমন আছেন? (hyalo, kemon achhen?)
The phrase is a common greeting used to start a conversation and ask about a person's well-being. You may also use the formal Namaskar to say hello.
What does it mean word for word?
The part কেমন আছেন? (kemon achhen?) means 'How are you?' It is composed of kemon (how) and achhen (are/exist).
Which one should you use?
The phrase কেমন আছেন? is the polite and formal version. For friends or younger people, you should use the informal forms কেমন আছ? or কেমন আছ?
How does it change in a sentence?
The form achhen uses the honorific verb conjugation, making it appropriate for elders, strangers or superiors.
How do you pronounce it?
hyalo, kemon achhen?
When do people say it?
When someone asks how you are, a common response is ভালো আছি। (Bhalo achhi), which means 'I am well'.
Did you know?
- While হ্যালো is common, many Bengali speakers use the phrase কি খবর? (ki khobor), which literally means 'what news?' as a casual way to ask 'how are you?'
- Using the informal version of কেমন আছেন? with a teacher or elder is not just a mistake but can be viewed as a serious social transgression.
- Asking কেমন আছেন? is often a ritualistic social opening rather than a sincere request for a person's emotional or medical status.
Examples in context
- হ্যালো, কেমন আছেন? অনেক দিন পর দেখা হলো।hyālo, kemon āchen? anēk din par dēkhā hōlō.Hello, how are you? It has been a long time.
- হ্যালো, কেমন আছেন? সবাই ভালো আছে তো?hyālo, kemon āchen? sabāi bhālō āche tō?Hello, how are you? Is everyone doing well?
Example conversation
Two colleagues meet in the office hallway.
- ইশানি Ishaniহ্যালো, কেমন আছেন?Hello, kemon achen?Hello, how are you?
- আকাশ Akashআমি ভালো আছি, ধন্যবাদ।Ami bhalo achi, dhonnobad.I am fine, thank you.
- ইশানি Ishaniআপনার দিনটি কেমন কাটছে?Apnar dinti kemon katche?How is your day going?
- আকাশ Akashখুব ভালো কাটছে।Khub bhalo katche.It is going very well.
