Greetings and Basic Politeness
Dialect Note: This is West Kalimantan/Pontianak Indonesian Hakka [WK]. Greetings are generally similar across all Hakka dialects, with minor pronunciation differences.
Essential Greetings§
| French | English | Hakka |
|---|---|---|
| Salut | Hello | Hai / Halo |
| Comment allez-vous ? | How are you? | Nyi ho mo? |
| Je vais bien | I’m well | ngai ho |
| Et vous ? | And you? | nyi na? |
| Merci | Thank you | Kam shia |
| De rien | You’re welcome | Kam shia |
Asking About Well-being§
Basic:
Q: Nyi ho mo? (How are you?)
A: Ngai ho (I'm well)Today’s well-being:
Q: Kinyit nyi ho mo? (How are you today?)
A: Kinyit ngai chi to an ho (I'm feeling very good today)The Universal Question: Have You Eaten?§
This is a common greeting in Hakka culture:
Q: Nyi sit pau mang? (Have you eaten?)
A: Sit pau (Already eaten)
OR
Ngai mang sit (I haven't eaten yet)Meeting and Getting to Know Someone§
| English | Hakka |
|---|---|
| Happy to meet you | fan hi nyi to nyi |
| What is your name? | nyi mai miang |
| My name is… | ngai miang… |
| Where do you live? | nyi abui het |
| Where were you? | oi…nyi abui loi? |
Compliments§
| English | Hakka |
|---|---|
| You are pretty | nyi an ciang |
| You are handsome | nyi an siau sen |
| Very beautiful | an-ciang |
Social Pleasantries§
| English | Hakka |
|---|---|
| Come sit for a moment | aa cho ha loi |
| How is business? | senli ho mo? |
| I’m happy for you | ngai then nyi fon hi |
| Yes, I’m very happy | He wa ngai an fon hi |
| Sorry / Excuse me | tui eng chui |
| Welcome | chiang loi |
| Would you be my friend? | Oi nyi co phen jiu |
Key Words§
- Nyi = you
- Ngai = I/me
- Ho = good/well
- An = very
- Fon hi = happy
- Sit = eat
- Pau = already
- Mang = not yet
—The Gardener