How to Say “Hi, My Name Is” in Hmong

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Nyob zoo, kuv lub npe yog
The Hmong phrase for "hi, my name is" is Nyob zoo, kuv lub npe yog.
Within the phrase, kuv means "I" and yog means "is".

Did you know?

  • The word lub in this phrase is a classifier. In Hmong, you cannot simply say 'my name' without using a classifier that originally referred to things like bowls and houses.
  • The greeting Nyob zoo literally translates to 'live well' or 'be well' rather than just 'hello'.
  • The word zoo for 'good' might be an ancient loanword from Old Chinese.

Examples in context

  • Nyob zoo, kuv lub npe yog Li.
    Hi, my name is Li.

Example conversation

Mai and Yee meet for the first time at a community event.

  1. Mai

    Nyob zoo, kuv lub npe yog Mai.
    Hi, my name is Mai.
  2. Yee

    Nyob zoo, kuv lub npe yog Yee.
    Hi, my name is Yee.
  3. Mai

    Zoo siab tau ntsib koj, Yee.
    Nice to meet you, Yee.
  4. Yee

    Zoo siab tau ntsib koj thiab, Mai.
    Nice to meet you too, Mai.

Sources

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Joanne Violet
Joanne VioletHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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