Phrasebook for everyday life
36+ community-contributed phrases, words and numbers in Nagamese, Ao (Chungli) and Sema (Sümi) — contributed by speakers, ready to copy and use.
Everything here comes from the same community dataset that conditions the translator. Nothing is machine-generated, and nothing has been added that a speaker has not checked — which is why the Ao and Sümi sections are shorter than the Nagamese one. Those languages have far less written material behind them. Switch language with the pills below, or search in English or in the target language.
Greetings & Introductions
Everyday Conversation
Essential Words
How to use these phrases
A phrase list is a starting point, not a language. Three things will get you further than memorising more entries.
- Learn the formality rule before you learn more vocabulary. Nagamese distinguishes apni (formal) from toi (informal), and using the wrong one with an elder reads as disrespect rather than as a beginner's error. Use apni whenever you are unsure.
- Notice the patterns. Once you see that laga marks possession and ase does the work of "is", half of the Nagamese list stops being a list and starts being a system. The grammar guide lays it out.
- Say them out loud. Spelling in all three languages is unstandardised and Ao tone is never written, so text under-specifies the spoken language. The pronunciation guide covers what the letters actually mean.
For longer, situation-organised sets, see 80 Nagamese phrases for getting around, greetings in all three languages, and counting.
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