अहम् कुशली अस्मि
aham kushali asmi
The English phrase "I am good" is translated into Sanskrit as अहम् कुशली अस्मि (aham kushali asmi).
This phrase is used as a response to express that you are in good health or doing well when someone asks how you are.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase breaks down into अहम् (I), कुशली (prosperous/well/healthy) and अस्मि (am).
Which one should you use?
The word कुशली is used specifically to mean being well or prosperous. It is distinct from sukhini, which means happy or swastha, which refers to being physically healthy or sound.
How does it change in a sentence?
In many contexts, the verb asmi (am) can be omitted, leaving just अहम् कुशली to mean "I am well".
How do you pronounce it?
aham kushali asmi
Did you know?
- The word कुशली can double as a compliment for someone's talent. In a different context, describing a person as कुशली suggests they are an expert or highly skillful at a craft.
- Because Sanskrit is highly inflected, if a woman were saying 'I am good', she would change the word कुशली to कुशला to match her gender.
- The word अहम् is a direct linguistic cousin to the Latin 'ego', which is why we use that term in English to refer to one's self or pride.
Examples in context
- अहम् कुशली अस्मि, भवान् कथम् अस्ति?aham kuśalī asmi, bhavān katham asti?I am good, how are you?
Example conversation
Ananya meets Aryan on the street and asks how he is.
- अनन्या Ananyaआर्यन, भवान् कथम् अस्ति?āryana, bhavān katham asti?Aryan, how are you?
- आर्यन Aryanअहम् कुशली अस्मि, अनन्या।aham kuśalī asmi, ananyā.I am good, Ananya.
- अनन्या Ananyaसुखम् अस्ति।sukham asti.That is good.
- आर्यन Aryanधन्यवादः।dhanyavādaḥ.Thank you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries अहम्, CC BY-SA 4.0.
