ନମସ୍କାର
namaskāra/n̪ɔmɔskaɾɔ/
The English phrase "hello" is translated into Odia as ନମସ୍କାର (namaskāra).
ନମସ୍କାର is a standard greeting used both when arriving to meet someone and as a salutation when leaving.
Meaning: greeting (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word ନମସ୍କାର is derived from Sanskrit, where nama means bow or salutation and skaara refers to the act of doing.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ନମସ୍କାର is the most common formal greeting in Odia and is a polite way to greet others in both formal and respectful social settings.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions of western Odisha, people use Juhar to greet others. In coastal areas of Odisha, you might hear Kemite achhen, which means "How are you?"
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is namaskāra and the IPA is /n̪ɔmɔskaɾɔ/.
When do people say it?
While ନମସ୍କାର is the standard, another formal way to greet someone is by saying Shubha Prabhaat, which means "Good Morning."
Did you know?
- In many Odia households, you might bypass a formal ନମସ୍କାର and instead greet elders by touching their feet. This gesture of 'Charana Sparsha' is often a more profound way of saying hello and showing respect than words alone.
- The Sanskrit root of ନମସ୍କାର involves the concept of 'bowing', which implies that the person speaking is metaphorically bowing to the divine element within the listener.
- When saying ନମସ୍କାର, it is customary to bring the palms together in front of the chest, a gesture known as the 'Anjali Mudra'.
Examples in context
- ନମସ୍କାର!Hello!This example shows the use of ନମସ୍କାର as a standalone greeting.Tatoeba #8159689 by anjan, translation #373330 by CK
- ନମସ୍କାର, ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କୁ।namaskāra, samastanku.Hello, everyone.
- ସେ ସକାଳେ ନମସ୍କାର କଲେ।se sakāle namaskāra kale.He said hello in the morning.
Example conversation
Sneha and Rahul meet each other on the street.
- ସ୍ନେହା Snehaନମସ୍କାର, ରାହୁଲ!namaskāra, rāhula!Hello, Rahul!
- ରାହୁଲ Rahulନମସ୍କାର, ସ୍ନେହା। କେମିତି ଅଛ?namaskāra, snēhā. kemiti achha?Hello, Sneha. How are you?
- ସ୍ନେହା Snehaମୁଁ ଭଲ ଅଛି, ଧନ୍ୟବାଦ।mu bhala achhi, dhanyabāda.I am well, thank you.
- ରାହୁଲ Rahulମୁଁ ବି ଭଲ ଅଛି।mu bi bhala achhi.I am also well.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hello” translations and entries ନମସ୍କାର, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ନମସ୍କାର, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
