खम्मा घणी
khamma ghani
The Marwari way to say hi is खम्मा घणी (khamma ghani).
खम्मा घणी is a friendly greeting used to show warmth and hospitality. It is a traditional way to greet others in Marwari-speaking culture.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'many apologies' or 'many respects'. The word khamma implies forgiveness or respect, while ghani means much or many.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
खम्मा घणी is a polite greeting that carries a level of traditional respect, making it more polite than a simple casual 'hi' in English. For more formal situations, you can use Namaste or use Pranam to show respect.
How do you pronounce it?
khamma ghani
When do people say it?
This greeting is deeply rooted in Rajasthani culture. When someone greets you with खम्मा घणी, the standard polite response is घणी खम्मा.
Did you know?
- In traditional Rajput culture, खम्मा घणी was originally used by subordinates or younger people when addressing royalty or elders to seek forgiveness for any unintentional offense.
- The word घणी in खम्मा घणी is a distinct Marwari trait, as the equivalent 'many' in standard Hindi would be बहुत or कई.
- Despite its meaning of 'many apologies', you would never use खम्मा घणी if you actually wanted to say 'I am sorry' for a specific error.
Examples in context
- खम्मा घणी, सा!khamma ghani, sa!Hello, sir!
- खम्मा घणी, बीना दीदी।khamma ghani, Beena didi.Hello, sister Beena.
Example conversation
Sima and Suresh meet in their village.
- सीमा Seemaखम्मा घणी, सुरेश!Khamma Ghani, Suresh!Hi, Suresh!
- सुरेश Sureshखम्मा घणी, सीमा! कैसी हो?Khamma Ghani, Sima! Kaisi ho?Hi, Sima! How are you?
- सीमा Seemaमैं ठीक हूँ, आप बताओ।Main theek hoon, aap batao.I am fine, you tell me.
- सुरेश Sureshमैं भी बिलकुल ठीक हूँ।Main bhi bilkul theek hoon.I am also absolutely fine.
