ꯀꯃꯗꯧꯕꯤꯔꯤꯕꯒꯦ?
kamdoubiribage?
The English phrase "how are you?" is translated into Manipuri as ꯀꯃꯗꯧꯕꯤꯔꯤꯕꯒꯦ? (kamdoubiribage?)
This phrase is a common greeting used to ask someone about their current well-being or health.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "Are you doing well?" or "Are you living well?"
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase ꯀꯃꯗꯧꯕꯤꯔꯤꯕꯒꯦ?, the suffix -ge at the end functions as a question particle.
How do you pronounce it?
kamdoubiribage?
Did you know?
- The Meetei Mayek script used to write ꯀꯃꯗꯧꯕꯤꯔꯤꯕꯒꯦ? was largely replaced by the Bengali script for centuries before being revived in recent decades.
- In Manipuri culture, it is common to ask if someone has eaten as a way of saying 'how are you?', which shows care for the person's physical well-being.
- Manipuri is a tonal language, meaning the pitch used when saying ꯀꯃꯗꯧꯕꯤꯔꯤꯕꯒꯦ? can subtly change the emotional nuance of the question.
Example conversation
Two friends meeting on the street.
- ꯅꯪꯒꯤꯂꯥꯅꯤ Nangilanbiꯈꯣꯏꯕꯥ, ꯀꯃꯗꯧꯕꯤꯔꯤꯕꯒꯦ?Khoiba, kamadaubiribage?Khoiba, how are you?
- ꯈꯣꯏꯕꯥ Khoibaꯑꯩ ꯐꯖꯅꯥ ꯂꯩꯔꯤ, ꯑꯅꯤ ꯀꯃꯗꯧꯕꯤꯔꯤꯕꯒꯦ?Ei phajana leiri, ani kamadaubiribage?I am doing well, and how are you?
- ꯅꯪꯒꯤꯂꯥꯅꯤ Nangilanbiꯑꯩꯁꯨ ꯐꯖꯅꯥ ꯂꯩꯔꯤ.Eisu phajana leiri.I am also doing well.
- ꯈꯣꯏꯕꯥ Khoibaꯅꯩꯅꯨꯡꯅꯥ ꯐꯖꯅꯥ ꯂꯩꯕꯤꯌꯨ.Neinungna phajana leibiyu.Keep doing well.
