Odia phrasebook

Odia (natively ଓଡ଼ିଆ, and formerly known as Oriya) is an Indian language, belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. There are about 40 million Odia speakers, mainly in the Indian state of Odisha. The language is also one of the many official languages in India.

The area of India where Odia is spoken shown in light pink.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

A lot of words in Odia have been borrowed from English, as an effect of the long years under British rule. A lot of people, even those belonging to the most remote of places, do understand these English phrases quite well.

Basics

Common signs (Important note: Most restaurants in Odisha do not have signs such as 'Open' or 'Closed'. The ones that do have the signs in English. If you're visiting Odisha, and you walk into a restaurant, you'll be often greeted by signs in English.) OPEN  "OPEN" CLOSED  "CLOSED" ENTRANCE  (Isn't significant) EXIT  "EXIT" PUSH  "PUSH" PULL  "PULL" TOILET  "Sauchalaya" MEN  "Purusha" (Often denoted by a male stick figure) WOMEN  "Mahila" (Often denoted by a female stick figure) FORBIDDEN

Hello. 

Namaskar (Nah-MAH-skar)

Hello. (informal) 

(can be used when answering the phone) Hello/Hi

How are you? (formal) 

Kemiti achanti? (Kay-mee-tee achhanti)

How are you? (informal) 

Kemiti acha? (Kay-mee-tee achha)

Fine, thank you. 

(as an answer to 'How are you?') Mu bhala achi, dhanyabad. (Moo bhalah achhi, dhah-nyah-bahd)

What is your name? (formal)  

Apanankara nama kana? (Apanankara namah kana)

What is your name? (informal) 

Tumara nama kana? (Tumara namah kana?)

My name is ______ . 

Mora nama _____ (MOH-rah namah)

Nice to meet you. 

Tumaku bheti bhala lagila (Tu-makoo bheh-tee bhah-lah lagee-lah)

Please. 

Dayakari (Daya-karee)

Thank you. 

Dhanyabad (Dhanya-ba-dah)

Yes. 

Ha (hā̃)

No. 

Na (nā̃)

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

Khyama karantu (Khya-mah karan-tooh)

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

I'm sorry. 

Mote khyama karantu (Mot-eh khya-mah karan-tooh) (Or you can use the English phrase, 'Sorry')

Goodbye 

S

Goodbye (informal) 

. ( )

I can't speak Odia [well]. 

. (mu bhala odia kahipare nahi)

Do you speak English? 

? ( tume ingrazi kahipara?)

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

? ( ethare kehi ingrazi kahi paranti ki?)

Help! 

! ( tike sahajya karibe ki?)

Look out! 

! ( dekha!)

Good morning. 

. (suprabhata )

Good evening. 

. ( susandhya)

Good night. 

. ( subha ratri)

Good night (to sleep) 

. ( subha ratri)

I don't understand. 

. ( mun bujhi paruni)

Where is the toilet? 

? (bathroom kauthi ?)

Problems

Leave me alone. 

. (mate ekutia chadi dia .)

Don't touch me! 

! (mate chuan nahin !)

I'll call the police. 

. ( mun police dakibi.)

Police! 

! (police!)

Stop! Thief! 

! ! (rahija! chora ! !)

I need your help. 

. ( mate tuma sajajya darkar.)

It's an emergency. 

. (eita bahut zaroori.)

I'm lost. 

. ( mu haji jaichi.)

I lost my bag. 

. (mu mora bag hajei deichi .)

I lost my wallet. 

. ( mu mora purse hajei deichi.)

I'm sick. 

. (mun asustha achi .)

I've been injured. 

. ( mora khandiya hei jaichi.)

I need a doctor. 

. (dakatara ku daka .)

Can I use your phone? 

? (mun tuma phone byabahara(/use) karipare ki ?)

Numbers

1 

(aek)

2 

(dui)

3 

(tini)

4 

(chari)

5 

(panch)

6 

(chha)

7 

(sata)

8 

(atha)

9 

(naw)

10 

(das)

11 

(egaara)

12 

(baara)

13 

(tera)

14 

(chaudha)

15 

(pandara)

16 

(sohala)

17 

(satara)

18 

(athara)

19 

(uneyis)

20 

(kodie)

21 

(ekuisi)

22 

(baeesi)

23 

(teyeesi)

30 

(tirisi)

40 

(chalisi)

50 

(pachaas)

60 

(saathiye)

70 

(saturi)

80 

(assi)

90 

(nabe)

100 

(aek-saw)

200 

(dui-saw)

300 

(tini-saw)

1,000 

(hajaar)

2,000 

(dui-haazar)

1,000,000 

(dasa lakhya )

1,000,000,000 

( )

1,000,000,000,000 

( )

number _____ (train, bus, etc.) 

( )

half 

(adhaa )

less 

(kawm )

more 

(besi )

Time

now 

(ebe )

later 

(pare )

before 

(purbaru )

morning 

(sakala )

afternoon 

(madhyanha )

evening 

(sandhya )

night 

(rati )

Clock time

one o'clock AM 

( )

two o'clock AM 

( )

noon 

( )

one o'clock PM 

( )

two o'clock PM 

( )

midnight 

( )

Duration

_____ minute(s) 

( )

_____ hour(s) 

( )

_____ day(s) 

( )

_____ week(s) 

( )

_____ month(s) 

( )

_____ year(s) 

( )

Days

today 

(Aaji )

yesterday 

(Gata kali )

tomorrow 

(Asnta Kali )

this week 

(ehi saptaha )

last week 

(purba sptaha )

next week 

(pra saptaha )

Sunday 

(Rabibar )

Monday 

(Somabar )

Tuesday 

(Mangalbar )

Wednesday 

(Budhabar )

Thursday 

(Gurubar )

Friday 

(Sukrabar )

Saturday 

(Sanibar )

Months

January 

( )

February 

( )

March 

( )

April 

( )

May 

( )

June 

( )

July 

( )

August 

( )

September 

( )

October 

( )

November 

( )

December 

( )

Writing time and date

Colors

black 

(kala )

white 

(dhala )

gray 

(dhusara )

red 

(naali )

blue 

(nila )

yellow 

(haladia )

green 

(sabuja )

orange 

(kamala )

purple 

(baigani )

brown 

(badami )

Transportation

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____? 

( 'ticketra kitte paisa' )

One ticket to _____, please. 

( 'gote ticket dia _______ ku' )

Where does this train/bus go? 

(Ei train/bus kuade jae? )

Where is the train/bus to _____? 

( aie bus kautike jiba)

Does this train/bus stop in _____? 

(Ei train/bus ______ re ruhe ki? )

When does the train/bus for _____ leave? 

( _______ pain train/bus ti ketebele chade? )

When will this train/bus arrive in _____? 

( Ei train/bus ti _____ re ketebele pahanchiba? )

Directions

How do I get to _____ ? 

( )

...the train station? 

( )

...the bus station? 

( )

...the airport? 

( )

...downtown? 

( )

...the youth hostel? 

( )

...the _____ hotel? 

( )

...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? 

( )

Where are there a lot of... 

( )

...hotels? 

( )

...restaurants? 

( )

...bars? 

( )

...sites to see? 

( )

Can you show me on the map? 

( )

street 

( )

Turn left. 

( )

Turn right. 

( )

left 

( )

right 

( )

straight ahead 

( )

towards the _____ 

( )

past the _____ 

( )

before the _____ 

( )

Watch for the _____. 

( )

intersection 

( )

north 

( )

south 

( )

east 

( )

west 

( )

uphill 

( )

downhill 

( )

Taxi

Taxi! 

('taxi )

Take me to _____, please. 

(dayankari mote ______ aihe thaana(place) ke neidio )

How much does it cost to get to _____? 

(_____ aasbaar kete tanka hela)

Take me there, please. 

(dayankari mote sehi thana ke nei diya )

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available? 

( )

How much is a room for one person/two people? 

( )

Does the room come with... 

( )

...bedsheets? 

( )

...a bathroom? 

( )

...a telephone? 

( )

...a TV? 

( )

May I see the room first? 

( )

Do you have anything quieter? 

( )

...bigger? 

( )

...cleaner? 

( )

...cheaper? 

( )

OK, I'll take it. 

( )

I will stay for _____ night(s). 

( )

Can you suggest another hotel? 

( )

Do you have a safe? 

( )

...lockers? 

( )

Is breakfast/supper included? 

( )

What time is breakfast/supper? 

( )

Please clean my room. 

( )

Can you wake me at _____? 

( )

I want to check out. 

( )

Money

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? 

( )

Do you accept British pounds? 

( )

Do you accept Euros? 

( )

Do you accept credit cards? 

( )

Can you change money for me? 

( )

Where can I get money changed? 

( )

Can you change a traveler's check for me? 

( )

Where can I get a traveler's check changed? 

( )

What is the exchange rate? 

( )

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? 

( )

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please. 

( )

Can I look at the menu, please? 

( )

Can I look in the kitchen? 

( )

Is there a house specialty? 

( )

Is there a local specialty? 

( )

I'm a vegetarian. 

( )

I don't eat pork. 

( )

I don't eat beef. 

( )

I only eat kosher food. 

( )

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) 

( )

fixed-price meal 

( )

a la carte 

( )

breakfast 

( )

lunch 

( )

tea (meal) 

( )

supper 

( )

I want _____. 

( )

I want a dish containing _____. 

( )

chicken 

( )

beef 

( )

fish 

( )

ham 

( )

sausage 

( )

cheese 

( )

eggs 

( )

salad 

( )

(fresh) vegetables 

( )

(fresh) fruit 

( )

bread 

( )

toast 

( )

noodles 

( )

rice 

( )

beans 

( )

May I have a glass of _____? 

( )

May I have a cup of _____? 

( )

May I have a bottle of _____? 

( )

coffee 

( )

tea (drink) 

( )

juice 

( )

(bubbly) water 

( )

(still) water 

( )

beer 

( )

red/white wine 

( )

May I have some _____? 

( )

salt 

( )

black pepper 

( )

butter 

( )

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

( )

I'm finished. 

( )

It was delicious. 

( )

Please clear the plates. 

( )

The check, please. 

( )

Bars

Do you serve alcohol? 

( )

Is there table service? 

( )

A beer/two beers, please. 

( )

A glass of red/white wine, please. 

( )

A pint, please. 

( )

A bottle, please. 

( )

_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. 

( )

whiskey 

( )

vodka 

( )

rum 

( )

water 

( )

club soda 

( )

tonic water 

( )

orange juice 

( )

Coke (soda) 

( )

Do you have any bar snacks? 

( )

One more, please. 

( )

Another round, please. 

( )

When is closing time? 

( )

Cheers! 

( )

Shopping

Do you have this in my size? 

( )

How much is this? 

( )

That's too expensive. 

( )

Would you take _____? 

( )

expensive 

( )

cheap 

( )

I can't afford it. 

( )

I don't want it. 

( )

You're cheating me. 

( )

I'm not interested. 

(..)

OK, I'll take it. 

( )

Can I have a bag? 

( )

Do you ship (overseas)? 

( )

I need... 

( )

...toothpaste. 

( )

...a toothbrush. 

( )

...tampons. 

. ( )

...soap. 

( )

...shampoo. 

( )

...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) 

( )

...cold medicine. 

( )

...stomach medicine. 

... ( )

...a razor. 

( )

...an umbrella. 

( )

...sunblock lotion. 

( )

...a postcard. 

( )

...postage stamps. 

( )

...batteries. 

( )

...writing paper. 

( )

...a pen. 

( )

...English-language books. 

( )

...English-language magazines. 

( )

...an English-language newspaper. 

( )

...an English-English dictionary. 

( )

Driving

I want to rent a car. 

(mu eka gadi bhada re naba ku chahuchi )

Can I get insurance? 

( )

stop (on a street sign) 

( )

one way 

( )

yield 

( )

no parking 

( )

speed limit 

( )

gas (petrol) station 

( )

petrol 

( )

diesel 

( )

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong. 

(mun kichhi bhul karini' )

It was a misunderstanding. 

( )

Where are you taking me? 

(Kuade neiki jaucha mote? )

Am I under arrest? 

( )

I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. 

( )

I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. 

( )

I want to talk to a lawyer. 

( )

Can I just pay a fine now? 

( )

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