The first words
🎯 Greet, ask how someone is, and say you are well.
🗣️ Say these out loud
- કેમ છો? — kem chho? 🔊 kem CHHO How are you? The most Gujarati sentence there is. Said to almost anyone, at almost any time.
- મજામાં — majaama 🔊 ma-JAA-ma In enjoyment — I'm well. The standard reply, and a fair summary of the Gujarati outlook. Also: સારું છે (it's good).
- નમસ્તે / જય શ્રી કૃષ્ણ — namaste / Jay Shree Krishna 🔊 na-mas-TAY / jai shree KRISH-na Greetings જય શ્રી કૃષ્ણ is used widely as an everyday hello among Gujarati Hindus, not only in temples.
- આભાર — aabhaar 🔊 aa-BHAAR Thank you In ordinary speech, gratitude often shows as ઘણું સારું (very good) or simply in the tone.
- તમારું નામ શું છે? — tamaarun naam shun chhe? 🔊 ta-MAA-run naam shoon CHHAY What is your name? શું shun = what. Notice છે closing the sentence.
- મારું નામ મીરા છે — maarun naam Meera chhe 🔊 MAA-run naam MEE-ra chhay My name is Meera. મારું is neuter, to match નામ.
Read every line aloud twice before moving on. The mouth learns a language, not the eye.
🔍 Almost every sentence ends in છે
છે chhe is 'is / are / am' and it closes the sentence. Hindi's है does the same job, but Gujarati uses છે even more freely, and its forms change with the person.
- હું છું (hun chhun) = I am
- તું છે (tun chhe) = you are · તમે છો (tame chho) = you are (respectful)
- તે છે (te chhe) = he/she is · તેઓ છે = they are
- કેમ છો literally is 'how are (you)' — છો is the respectful 'are'.
🌍 Among the people
Gujarati hospitality is insistent. A guest who says no to food will be asked three more times — and જમીને જાઓ (eat before you go) is not a suggestion.
🔁 Practise today
- Say કેમ છો? and મજામાં aloud twenty times — this pair alone will carry you through a first meeting.
- Learn છું, છે, છો, છે for I, you, you-respectful, he/she.
- Write your name in the Gujarati script.
