Organised by the situation you will be in rather than by grammatical category. Every phrase here is from NagaTranslate's community set — these are things people actually say, not textbook constructions.
Agniva Maiti Updated 9 min read
The first ten
If you learn nothing else before arriving, learn these. They cover the overwhelming majority of short interactions.
English
Nagamese
How are you? (formal)
Apni kinika ase?
I am fine.
Moi bhal ase.
Thank you.
Dhanyabad.
Yes.
Hoy.
No.
Nai.
Please …
Morom para …
I don't understand.
Moi bujhi nai.
Please speak slowly.
Morom para aaste koribi.
How much does this cost?
Itu kimaan daam ase?
I don't speak Nagamese.
Moi Nagamese kobo najane.
Introducing yourself
English
Nagamese
What is your name? (formal)
Apni laga naam ki ase?
What is your name? (informal)
Toi laga naam ki ase?
My name is Agniva.
Moi laga naam Agniva ase.
Where are you from?
Apni kot para ahise?
I am from Dimapur.
Moi Dimapur para ahishe.
I live in Dimapur.
Moi Dimapur te thake.
I was born in Kohima.
Moi laka jonom Kohima de hoishe.
I am a student.
Moi student ase.
Good morning.
Suprovat.
Good night.
Shubh ratri.
Good night, sleep well.
Bhal raati, bhal para ghumabi.
See you tomorrow.
Kali dekha hibo.
Directions and getting around
English
Nagamese
Where is the market?
Bazar kute ase?
Where is the hospital?
Hospital kute ase?
Where are you going?
Apni kot jabo?
Where did you go?
Apni kute jaishe?
We went to the market.
Amikhan bazar te jaishe.
How much time will it take?
Kiman homoi lagibo?
Please drive the car.
Gaari chalaabi.
Wait a moment.
Olop ruk.
Be careful.
Dhyan di koribi.
Where is my phone?
Moi laga phone kute ase?
Markets and money
English
Nagamese
How much does this cost?
Itu kimaan daam ase?
I want to buy this.
Moi itu kinibole mon ase.
I don't have money.
Moi laga paise nai.
How much money do you have?
Apni logote kiman toka ase?
How much is the rent?
Bhara kimaan ase?
Can you send the money online?
Apni poisa online pathai dibole paribo naki?
Is this your bag?
Itu apni laga bag ase ni?
Thank you, my grandmother wove this.
Dhanyabad, moi laga nani itu bonaise.
Food and hospitality
English
Nagamese
I am hungry.
Moi bhuk lagi ase.
I am thirsty.
Moi tio lagi ase.
The food is ready.
Khana tayar ase.
Come and eat.
Ahi khai lobi.
Please eat.
Morom para khai lubi.
This is delicious.
Itu bishi bhal lage.
I am eating.
Moi khai ase.
I ate.
Moi khaishe.
I did not eat.
Moi khai nai.
Please come in.
Aahibi.
Please sit down.
Bohibi.
Please come here.
Morom para yete ahibi.
Thank you for the food.
Khana nimite dhanyabad.
Health and trouble
English
Nagamese
I need help.
Moike help lage.
Where is the hospital?
Hospital kute ase?
I have a headache.
Moi laga matha bisi ase.
I am very tired.
Moi bishi tired ase.
Call me.
Moike call koribi.
I will call you later.
Moi pore apunike call koribo.
I forgot.
Moi pahorhi jaishe.
Please listen to me.
Morom para moi laga kotha hunibi.
Can you repeat that?
Apni itu aabar koibo paribi?
Staying somewhere
English
Nagamese
How much is the rent?
Bhara kimaan ase?
Please give me the room key.
Morom para kamra laga chabi dibi.
Please clean the room.
Morom para kamra saphaa kori dibi.
Please turn off the TV.
Morom para TV bondh koribi.
Thank you, good night.
Dhanyabad, bhal raati.
It is cold today.
Aji thanda ase.
It is raining.
Pani girti ase.
Feelings and small talk
English
Nagamese
I am happy.
Moi khushi ase.
I am sad.
Moi dukhi ase.
I love you.
Moi tomai bhal pau.
This is very good.
Itu bishi bhal ase.
I know.
Moi jane.
I don't know.
Moi najane.
How do you know?
Apni kinika jane?
I want to go but I am tired.
Moi jabole mon ase lekin mui tired ase.
If it rains, I won't go.
Pani giri thakile mui najabo.
We will chat a bit.
Amikhan olop kotha patibo.
Where to go next
Once these are comfortable, the useful next step is understanding why they are built the way they are — the Nagamese grammar guide covers the tense markers, the two negations and the postpositions that generate all of the above.
To practise producing rather than recognising, NagaChat will hold a conversation with you and correct what you write. And the searchable phrasebook covers Ao and Sümi as well.
Sources and further reading
Grammar descriptions on this page are drawn from the reference material listed below and from the community phrase set behind the translator. Listing a source does not mean every claim here has been checked against it — where they disagree, or where a speaker says otherwise, the speaker is right.
NagaTranslate community phrase set — all phrases on this page are entries from the community dataset behind the translator