হাই, কেমন আছেন?
hai, kemon achen?
হাই, কেমন আছেন? (hai, kemon achen?) is the Bengali way to say "hi, how are you?"
This phrase is a common greeting used to start a conversation and ask about someone's well-being.
What does it mean word for word?
The word কেমন (kemon) literally means "how".
Which one should you use?
While হাই, কেমন আছেন? is the polite version, the informal version is হাই, কেমন আছ?
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
হাই, কেমন আছেন? is the polite or formal version used when speaking to elders or strangers. In contrast, হাই, কেমন আছ? is the informal version used with friends or younger people. For a standard formal "Hi" or "Hello", the word নমস্কার is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form কেমন আছেন? uses the honorific verb form, whereas the form কেমন আছ? is used for peers or subordinates.
How do you pronounce it?
hai, kemon achen?
When do people say it?
When someone asks you this, a common response is ভালো আছি, which means "I am well".
Did you know?
- Bengali has three distinct levels of formality for 'you'. Beyond the polite আছেন (achen) and informal আছ (acho), there is an extremely familiar or derogatory form used only for very close friends or in anger.
- In casual settings, Bengalis often omit the 'hi' and simply ask কি খবর? (ki khobor?), which literally translates to 'what news?'
- In many parts of Bangladesh, people often bypass the 'hi' altogether and start a conversation with a religious greeting like আসসালামু আলাইকুম (Assalamu Alaikum) instead of using the English-derived হাই.
Examples in context
- নমস্কার, আপনি কেমন আছেন?Nomoskar, apni kemon achen?
- হাই, কেমন আছিস?Hi, kemon achis?
- হাই, কেমন আছেন?hai, kemon achen?Hi, how are you?
Example conversation
Two acquaintances meet unexpectedly at a bookstore.
- অনন্যা Ananyaসৌরভ! হাই, কেমন আছেন?Sourav! hai, kemon achen?Sourav! Hi, how are you?
- সৌরভ Souravআমি ভালো আছি, অনন্যা। আপনি কেমন আছেন?ami bhalo achi, Ananya. apni kemon achen?I am doing well, Ananya. How are you?
- অনন্যা Ananyaআমিও ভালো আছি। অনেক দিন পর দেখা হলো!amio bhalo achi. anek din por dekha holo!I am doing well too. It has been a long time!
- সৌরভ Souravহ্যাঁ, সত্যিই অনেক দিন হয়ে গেল।han, sotti anek din hoye gelo.Yes, it really has been a long time.
