Sometimes you don't have time to learn long lists of words and phrases. All you want to know are the bare essentials for communicating to get what you need, or where you need to go.
Here are the bare minimum of Burmese words and phrases you need to know to survive.
Learn the Top 10 Phrases if you only have time for the barest minimum. If you need or want more, then take a look at the Top 20 Phrases, Top 30 Phrases and the Extra Phrases.
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Hello.
How much is it?|
Here are ten more phrases that will help you make new friends and ask for directions ...
The Top 20 ... |
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K'əmyā/shin na-meh beh-lo k'aw-dhəlēh? What is your name? Cənaw/cəmã ... lõ k'aw-ba-deh. My name is ... K'əmyā/shin ne-kāun-yẽh-lā? How are you? Ne-kāun-ba-deh. Fine. ... beh-hma-lēh? Where is ...? Ein-dha beh-hma-lēh? Where is the toilet? Tāun-ban-ba-deh. Gədãw-ba-deh. Sorry. Excuse me. Keiq-sã məshĩ-ba-bū. Pyaq-dhəna məshĩ-ba-bū. No problem. ... lo-jin-ba-deh. I want ... ... məlo-jin-ba-bū. I don't want ... |
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Here are another ten phrases to help you make a little more conversation and to get around ...
The Top 30 ... |
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K'əmyā/shin lu-myō-ba? Where are you from? Cənaw/cəmã ... lu-myō-ba. I am from ... Ngwe-dāun-hlwa pē-ba. The bill, please. Lān pyauq-thwā-bi. I'm lost. Yaq-pa! Sãun-ne-ba! Stop! Wait! Di-hma, ho-hma. Here, there. Teq-si. Ho-teh. Le-zeiq. Bu-de-youn. Taxi. Hotel. Airport. Station. ... caiq-teh. I like ... ... məcaiq-p'ū. I don't like ... tiq (tə), hniq (hnə), thōun, lē, ngā. one, two, three, four, five. c'auq, k'un-hniq (k'un-hnə), shiq, kō, (tə)s'eh. six, seven, eight, nine, ten. *Or choose your country: Aamēhlikaa - America Kaanāadaa - Canada Angkīt - England Āilāen - Ireland Nīw sīilāen - New Zealand |
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Here are some extra words and phrases you might find useful, especially if you have dietary needs or allergies ...
Useful Extras ... |
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C'ī-yā! Cheers! kāun-deh / s'ō-deh good / bad cī-deh / thē-deh big / small nī-deh / wē-deh near / far po-nēh-deh / po-myā-deh less / more lauq-teh enough Cənaw/cəmã theq-thaq-luq-bēh sā-deh. I am vegetarian. əthā məsā-bū. I don't eat meat. Ceq-thā ... ... chicken. Ngā ... ... fish. Cənaw/cəmã mye-bēh-nẽh mətẽh-bū. I am allergic to peanuts. ... ngā ... ... fish. ... pin-leh-hīn ... ... seafood. ... ceq-ū ... ... eggs. |
Tone Guide:
There are 4 tones:
a indicates low level tone
ā indicates high breathy tone
ã indicates a high creaky or tense tone
aq indicates high stop with a final glottal stop
Vowels:
ə is pronounced weakly, as a schwa (e as in brother)
eh is pronounced as ɛ (e as in pet)
aw is pronounced as ɔ (o as in pot)
ai is ai as in aisle
au is ow as in now
Consonants:
c is pronounced as ch (without a puff of air)
' adds a puff of air after the consonant, eg k' = kʰ
h before a consonant makes it voiceless and breathy, eg. hm is a voiceless m
dh is pronounced as th as in this (ð)
th is pronounced as th as in thick (θ)
- (macron) over the vowel indicates a breathy relaxed high pitch
~ (tilde) over the vowel indicates a creaky tense high pitch
q indicates a glottal stop (ʔ)
n at the end of a word indicates a uvular nasal ending (ɴ)
There are 4 tones:
a indicates low level tone
ā indicates high breathy tone
ã indicates a high creaky or tense tone
aq indicates high stop with a final glottal stop
Vowels:
ə is pronounced weakly, as a schwa (e as in brother)
eh is pronounced as ɛ (e as in pet)
aw is pronounced as ɔ (o as in pot)
ai is ai as in aisle
au is ow as in now
Consonants:
c is pronounced as ch (without a puff of air)
' adds a puff of air after the consonant, eg k' = kʰ
h before a consonant makes it voiceless and breathy, eg. hm is a voiceless m
dh is pronounced as th as in this (ð)
th is pronounced as th as in thick (θ)
- (macron) over the vowel indicates a breathy relaxed high pitch
~ (tilde) over the vowel indicates a creaky tense high pitch
q indicates a glottal stop (ʔ)
n at the end of a word indicates a uvular nasal ending (ɴ)