It’s helpful to be able to speak a little for ordering in restaurants and getting around… and the locals are patient and friendly - it’s worth giving it a go!
Seventy percent of Myanmar’s population speak Burmese as their native tongue, and just about everyone else speaks it as a second language, so it’s by far the most useful of the 130 languages spoken in the country.
HANDY WORDS AND PHRASES
Good morning / Good evening : Mingalarbar
How are you? : Min nay kow lar?
Fine, thank you, and you? : Kow par deh min yaw
I understand : Ngar nar lae par deh
I don't understand : Ngar nar ma lae bou
Sorry : Ngar taung pan par deh
Goodbye : Tat tar
Yes : Hoe tale
No : Ma hoe bou
Thank you very much : Jay zu tin bar deh
Excuse me : Jay zu pyu jouer
My name is... : Ngar nam mae ka … phit par deh
You're welcome : Ya bar deh
Have a nice day ! : Kyaung thaw naye lae phit par sae
How much is it? : Dar be lao le ?
Can you lower the price? : Zay shot pay bar lar?
I would like to buy ... this one! : Ngar … wal chin deh
I like it / I don't like it : Ngar jayi tal / Ngar ma jayi bou
Where is ...? : Bae nae yar lae…?
Bank : Ban
Hospital : Sayyon
Straight ahead : Tet tet twar
Left / Right : Bey / Nyar
One, two, three, four, five : Tit, nit, thone, lay, ngar
Six, seven, eight, nine, ten : Chauk, khone, shit, koe, tasae
One hundred : Ta yar
What time is it? : Bae na naing yi shi pi lae?
Cheers! : Chiyars
I am vegeterian : Ngar that that lo pae sar bar deh
I am allergic : Ngar mhar ded ma tae tat yaw gar shi deh
Sea food : A kye khon par tat ngar
Peanuts : Miye pae
Gluten : Ka si de
I would like... : Ngar … lo chin deh
Water : Yeé
The bill, please : Bill pay bar
Where can I find the restrooms? : Eain thar bae mhar lae ?
I'm lost : Ngar lan pyauk nay loe
Help! : Kunyi kya par ohn