Visiting a Burmese Family in Myanmar
It's party time! No, it's not. Sorry to disappoint some folks, but don't expect too much partying, alcohol drinking, and wild parties late into the night in Myanmar. Majority of Burmese families are still very conservative, and they are Buddhists as well.
Traditional MyanmarMyanmar Traditional New Year [47 seconds]. It's party time! No, it's not. Sorry to disappoint some folks, but don't expect too much partying, alcohol drinking, and wild parties late into the night in Myanmar. Majority of Burmese families are still very conservative, and they are Buddhists as well.
Posted by Naing Tinnyuntpu on Saturday, May 7, 2016
However, I must also add that the reason for lack of colorful nightlife in Myanmar is more of economic reason than religion. Except for a small percentage of wealthy privileged class and a handful of foreigners, how many of a million daily commuters in Yangon can afford to wine and dine in fancy hotels and pubs?
OK, so we are not going to a wild party. But, a decent Burmese family has invited you to an afternoon lunch at their house. Let's have some conversation in Burmese.
Welcome to our house!
kjwa1 ba2... kjwa1 ba2 — Welcome, welcome... Please come in!
This phrase needs some explaining. You cannot directly translate, "Welcome, please come in" from English to Burmese word by word. "Welcome" is sometimes translated by the formal Burmese greeting min2-ga1-la2 ba2.
In written language on signboards, the phrase kjo2-zo2 ba2 e1
is used, such as in "Welcome to Yangon". But those phrases are not used to the invited guests in spoken form of language.
The word kjwa1 is used for the arrival of distinguished guests, honorable persons and venerable monks.
Where to remove your footwear?
Just like other Oriental cultures in several countries including Oriental community in Canada, Burmese people have the custom of removing the footwear, shoes, and slippers at the doorstep. If you are not sure, ask,
pfa1-nut — Footwear
beare2 hma2 — where (where + at)
choot — remove, take off
ya1 — can be done
ma1-leare3 — ?
pfa1-nut beare2 hma2 choot ya1 ma1-leare3 — Where can I remove my shoes?
Please take a seat
htine2 ba2 ome3 — Please take a seat! (sit + polite suggestion)
You can reply by saying:
au2.. hote-keare1 — Oh, OK! (Oh + yes)
Meet the wife
da2 — this
kja1-nau1 — my (male term)
a-myo3-tha1-mi3 — lady (polite)
ba2 — polite affirmative ending words
da2 kja1-nau1 a-myo3-tha1-mi3 ba2 — This is my wife.
A Burmese woman would say "this is my hubby" like this:
da2 — this
kja1-ma1 — my (female term)
a-myo3-tha3 — man (polite)
ba2 — polite affirmative ending words
da2 kja1-ma1 a-myo3-tha3 ba2 — This is my husband.
The formal word for the wife is za1-ni3.
This word is a loaned word from Hindi language in India. For example, you can read about Mr. so and so and his za1-ni3 in the newspaper.
The informal and casual word for the wife is main3-ma1,
which means "woman".
kja1-nau1 main3-ma1
means "my wife".
Sometimes, polite word ga1-dau2
is used to address the wife of someone in high social status. For example, if the husband is a teacher, a doctor, or head of the department, people will address to him as
hsa1-ya2
and to his wife as hsa1-ya2 ga1-dau2.
OK, back to the Burmese house that we are visiting. As the wife of the host smiles and nods her head, you can say:
tway1 — to meet (verb)
ya1 da2 — as for being able to (particle)
wun3-tha2 — be glad (verb)
ba2 deare2 — polite affirmative ending words. (particle + postpositional marker)
tway1 ya1 da2 wun3-tha2 ba2 deare2 — Nice to meet you!
Meet the young daughter
da2 — this
ga1 dau1 — as for
tha1-mi3 — daughter
ba2 — polite ending word
da2 ga1 dau1 tha1-mi3 ba2 — As for this, she is the daughter.
ha2.. — wow!
hla1 — pretty
lo1 — "to"; "the reason"; "the reason to look at" in this context.
ba2 la3 — exclamation! (Oh, like that..)
That phrase is difficult to translate into English. The speaker is commenting on the way the girl dresses, or put on the tha1-nut-kha3
(traditional make-up used as a protection from the sun) that makes her pretty to look at.
Usually, the word la3 is an equivalent of a question mark. But, ba2 la3 is an exclamation. It's like the English word "what", which can be a question word, or exclamation such as "What a beautiful girl!".
ha2.. hla1 lo1 ba2 la3 — Wow, you are so pretty!
One word of caution here if you are a man. It's quite appropriate to make this comment to a small girl, or to your girlfriend, or to someone that you know well who is about to go out with you, but not to any grown up girl or woman that you just met, and definitely not to the wife of the host that you just met.
tha1-mi3 — Daughter
beare hna1-tan3 — which Form/Grade (where + at + grade)
yout byi2 — has reached (arrive or reach + has reached certain level, state or condition)
leare3 — ?
tha1-mi3 beare hna1-tan3 yout byi2 leare3 — Daughter, what Grade are you in now?
lay3 dun3 — grade 4 (4 + grade)
oun2 — pass
thwa3 byi2 — has gone through (go + has reached certain level, state or condition)
lay3 dun3 oun2 thwa3 byi2 — have passed grade 4; I just passed grade 4.
Education system in Myanmar
Perhaps, your hosts will talk something about their kids and schools. When I was growing up, the official English translation for the number of schooling years in Myanmar was known as "standard". But, it is now changed to "grade" as in American/Canadian education system.
In the old days, "pre" Standard 1 is called thu2-ngeare2 dun3.
Nowadays, on the cover of thu2-ngeare2-dun3 textbook, you can see the English word GRADE 1.
You can estimate the age of the child by the "grade" that he or she is in. 5 Years olds start school as a Grade 1. This is unlike the British education system where students go through "primary" 1,2,3,4, and then "form" 1,2,3,4,5,6.
Speaking of education system, private schools are now getting popular in Myanmar among the affluent parents to prepare their children for entrance into foreign universities. Education has become a big business with students busy taking tuition after school hours, and in many cases given by their own school teachers in government schools. In local Universities, only the brightest students are qualified for medical college. Unlike in the US, the top students do not choose law, nor do they have to go through 4 years of college first to enter law or medical schools.
Can you talk politics with your host?
Yes, you can now. Politics was a hot topic in the 2015 elections year. This country used to be the country of fear with no freedom of speech or press. All was changed about two years after President U Thein Sein took office in 2011.
In the year of 2015 General elections, I was surprised to see some news media highlighting students demonstrating the education law passed by the parliament with photos of people who are too old to be students. From my own observation and common sense tell me that normal teenagers are not too concerned with or understand such big issues. Even adults are not aware of the details of the Education law.
However, in later reports, the same news media carried the story about some students who are young girls. It is truly admirable if those young demonstrators have passion and knowledge about those issues on their own initiatives and perhaps, they are child prodigies who have solutions for the country at such young age. If not, it's just sad to see their future sacrificed as pawns in the dangerous game.
Let's get back to the Burmese family.
ha2... — Wow!
tau2 — excel in whatever that one does; bright; brilliant
lite da2 —"extreme to such a degree; so much"
ha2... tau2 lite da2 — Wow, you are so bright!
in the above context is a verb in Burmese grammar. In English, it is similar to adjectives "bright", "clever", and "brilliant", but in the above sentence, it is used as "to excel in something".
Learn the extreme word "lite da2
The word lite da2
roughly means "extreme to such a degree".
More examples of the extreme word:
pu2 lite da2 — It's so hot!
hsa2 lite da2 — I am so hungry!
koun3 lite da2 — It's so good!
is the verb "be hungry". Whenever one-syllable description of the word has something to do with subjective feeling, perception or emotion (as opposed to external condtions such as weather), general rule of thumb is that the word is a verb.
Meet the rest of the family
a-myo3
means "relative".
a-myo3 tau2 deare2
means to be related. This is a complete sentence which says the person in the conversation is a relative.
Yes, the word "tau2"
in this context is spelled and read exactly the same as tau2 in the phrase tau2 lite da2
(You are so bright!) we have seen earlier.
Burmese have quite complex ways of addressing the relatives depending on the seniority. Fortunately, it's less complicated than the Chinese who even have different words for "grandfather" and "grandmother" depending on whether he or she is from the mother's side or the father's side. I have listed most of the Burmese vocabulary to address the relatives, and to describe the family relations in this table.
So, the word tau2 could mean to excel in something, and it also means to be related to someone. Here is an another usage. In this clip, tau2 ba2 means "enough" as in "enough is enough, please stop." It's another performance by Eint Chit | ain1 chit (see lesson 2 and 4) with different look who excels (tau2) in what she does. Also, she seems to get a little tired and enough of high notes that she can hit wonderfully, so she tried a different vocal style.
So, the word "tau2" could mean to excel in something, and it also means to be related to someone. Here is an another usage. In this clip, "tau2 ba2" means "enough" as in "enough is enough, please stop." It's another performance by Eint Chit | ain1 chit with different look who excels "tau2" in what she does. Also, she seems to get a little tired and enough of high notes that she can hit wonderfully, so she tried a different vocal style. (43 seconds)
Posted by Naing Tinnyuntpu on Friday, May 20, 2016
What does "ah3 na2" mean?
If you bother to bring expensive gifts, or a token of present, or offer to help them out in some way, you may hear the very common Burmese phrase
ah3 na2 za1-ya2 ji3
(or)
ah3 na2 lite da2
What does ah3-na2 (verb)
mean? If you analyze it word by word, it doesn't make sense. ah3 means "strength" and na2 means "to be painful". Since I cannot translate it word by word, I will describe the feeling tone. You have the same feeling inside as you say the words: "You are so kind, I don't even know how to repay you back" in English.
The speaker may also use the phrase ah3 na2 lite da2
to express apology, for example, when she keeps someone waiting. It's like saying: "I am so sorry to keep you waiting."
The word sa1-ya2
in the first phrase means "matter", which is slightly different in pronunciation
than hsa1-ya2
as in "teacher" or "master" written in different Burmese alphabet. When you say hsa1-ya2 in the word "teacher" or "master", there is more hissing sound for hsa1 as you put the tip of your tongue closer to the teeth.
The word ji3 means "big". So, ah3-na2 za1-ya2 ji3
is a matter of big appreciation.
Likewise, ah3 na2 lite da2
is an another way of saying, "Thank you, thank you. I appreciate it so much."
Please accept my sincerity
Your Burmese host may be at first reluctant to accept the gift as he says
ah3-na2 za1-ya2 ji3
as if saying: "Oh, it's so expensive. You shouldn't have done that. We couldn't accept it". Burmese people really feel it inside. It's not just superficial formalities. It doesn't mean he does not like it, though. You need to do more persuasion.
yu2 ba2
— Please take it! (take + polite suggestion)
say2-da1-na2 (noun)
means "sincere good will".
When you are helping someone, or giving something to someone with sincerity, you have this say2-da1-na2 within you. This Burmese version is slightly different in meaning from the original ancient Pali word "Cetana", which means any volition good or bad that will result in Karmic consequences.
The usage of this word is also slightly different from "altruism" in English, which refers to the deeds and actions for the welfare of many, whereas say2-da1-na2 is more often used in one to one personal relations.
say2-da1-na2 — sincere good will (noun)
neare1 — with (postpositional marker to show that noun is being "used")
pay3 — give; pay (verb)
da2 ba2 — this is as such ("this" in reference to above action [particle] + polite ending word [particle])
say2-da1-na2 neare1 pay3 da2 ba2 — I am giving this to you with all my sincerity.
yu2 ba2 nau2 — Please take it! (take + polite suggestion + warm feeling tone)
Your chance to "ah3 na2"
Back in lesson 15, I have covered the list of food items in Burmese language. Now it's your turn to say ah3 na2 to the host as they prepare the food for you.
sa3 ba2 ome3 — Please eat! (eat + "do as such" suggestion)
da2 — this
ga1 dau1 — as for
xxxx — name of the food.
da2 ga1 dau1 xxxx — This is xxxx.
hteare1 ba2 ome3 — Please take some more! (put in + "do as such" suggestion)
It's so special!
There's a simple Burmese word to describe delicious food with appetizing aroma and flavor accompanied by pleasing appearance. The word sheare2
comes from the English word "special". You will often see this word displayed at roadside stalls and eating houses to attract customers.
ha2... sheare2 beare3 — Hmmm... it's so special!
As the host brings more food to the table, you can say:
ah3-na2 za1-ya2 ji3 — You are so kind and hospitable!
Yes, indeed, those are very appropriate words. Burmese people have the culture of treating the guests more than what they would normally have themselves. At this point of writing, the income disparity and the gap between the rich and the poor is even more widening. While the rich can wine and dine in style and be happy, the average government employee will have to think twice whether or not to invite the guests, as the money is tight.
But, it appears that we have now started to see light at the end of the tunnel. Within three years of new parliamentary system, we have seen marked improvements in the living conditions, boom in constructions along with new foreign investments pouring into the country, creating new jobs and opportunities. There has been pay raise to the government employees for the third time as well as a realistic pension plan for the retirees during this period, which has alleviated the situation considerably without steep inflation.
See you again next time
nout — next time; future (noun used as an adverb)
pyan2 — (particle to show repetition)
tway1 — meet (verb)
ja1 — (particle to show plurality of the verb)
thay3 — yet to be; till then (particle)
da2 bau1 — positive statement (ending particle)
nout pyan2 tway1 ja1 thay3 da2 bau1 — See you again next time!
Philosophical Concept of the future
In Burmese, the word NOUT
refers to the back — the direction behind you.
nout hma2
means "at the back". Looking back at the year 2008, this is the singer အစ္စဏီ | Issani telling, "Don't turn back and look". I can't help but look even further back to the faint distant past, the time when I was listening to this song in the original Chinese version. The mystery surrounding Time is captured by this word NOUT which also refers to the future point in time. Why is it that the back refers to the future?
Don't Look BackIn Burmese, the word နောက် | NOUT refers to the back — the direction behind you. Looking back at the year 2008, this is the singer အစ္စဏီ | Issani telling "Don't turn back and look". {42 seconds] I can't help but look even further back to the faint distant past, the time when I was listening to this song in the original Chinese version. The mystery surrounding Time is captured by this word NOUT which also refers to the future point in time. Why is it that the back refers to the future? I then recalled this interesting Buddhist illustration of our journey in life. There was a picture of a man walking backward as the passage of time took him from youth to the inevitable old age and death. He could see the path that he had walked in his life, but the future was unseen. There is no looking back to the past, but perhaps, we can take a peek at the future behind us and say, သွားပါဦးမယ် | thwa3 ba2 ome3-meare2 — Well. I've got to go... နောက် ပြန်တွေ့ ကြသေးတာပေါ့ | nout pyan2 tway1 ja1 thay3 ta2 pau1 — See you again next time!
Posted by Naing Tinnyuntpu on Wednesday, June 1, 2016
I then recalled this interesting Buddhist illustration of our journey in life. There was a picture of a man walking backward as the passage of time took him from youth to the inevitable old age and death. He could see the path that he had walked in his life, but the future was unseen. There is no looking back to the past, but perhaps, we can take a peek at the future behind us and say,
thwa3 ba2 ome3-meare2 — Well, I've got to go...
nout pyan2 tway1 ja1 thay3 da2 bau1 — See you again next time!