ESSENTIAL MONGOLIAN PHRASES
ABOUT MONGOLIANS
Mongolians get very surprised when a foreigner starts to talk to them, or at least says some words or short phrases, in Mongolian. From the Mongolian point of view, it is very nice that the Westerners visiting Mongolia try to speak some Mongolian with locals even though it is not so easy to pronounce Mongolian words or there is no serious reason to learn it. However, there are many foreigners who speak Mongolian very fluently and amaze locals.
Here are some of the most frequently used words, phrases and simple sentences, useful for travelers. All entries begin with the English term, followed by original Mongolian and a pronunciation guide for English speakers.
English translation | Mongolia | Pronunciation |
| Hello (How are you?) | Сайн байна уу! | [Sain by noo!] |
| Fine, how are you? | Сайн, та сайн байна уу! | [Sain, ta sain by noo!] |
| Fine (well, good). | Сайн. | [Sain] |
| What’s the news? | Сонин сайхан юу байна? | [Sonin saikhan you bain?] |
| Nothing really. | Юмгүй дээ. | [Yumgui de] |
| Good morning! | Өглөөний мэнд! | [Ug-loe-nee mend!] |
| Good afternoon! | Өдрийн мэнд! | [Ud-reen mend!] |
| Good evening! | Оройн мэнд! | [O-roin mend!] |
| Goodbye! | Баяртай! | [Ba-yar-tye!] |
| Bon appetite! | Сайхан хооллоорой! | [Sai-khan kho’l-lo’-roy!] |
| Thank you! | Баярлалаа! | [Ba-yar-la-laa!] |
| It is delicious. | Сайхан амттай байна шүү! | [Sai-khan amt-tye bain shoo!] |
| Not at all(no problem). | Зүгээр. | [zugeer] |
| I don’t understand. | Би ойлгохгүй байна. | [Be oilgohgui baina] |
| Good/bad | сайн/муу | [sain/muu] |
| What is this? | Энэ юу вэ? | [ene yu ve] |
| What’s that? | Тэр юу вэ? | [ter yu ve] |
| What’s your name? | Таны нэрийг хэн гэдэг вэ? | [tany neriig hen gedeg ve?] |
| My name is … | Миний нэрийг … гэдэг. | [minii neriig …] |
| I came from … | Би … улсаас ирсэн. | [be … ulsaas irsen] |
| Japan | Япон | [Yapon] |
| America | Америк | [Amerik] |
| Germany | Герман | [German] |
| England | Англи | [Angli] |
| France | Франц | [Frants] |
| Italy | Итали | [Itali] |
| Holland | Голланд | [Golland] |
| Spain | Испани | [Spani] |
| Austria | Австри | [Avstri] |
| Switzerland | Швейцари | [Shweitsari] |
| Do you speak … ? | Та … ярьдаг уу? | [ta … yaridag uu] |
| English | англиар | [Angliar] |
| German | германаар | [Germanaar] |
| Japanese | японоор | [Yaponoor] |
| Russian | оросоор | [Orosoor] |
| Where is the restroom? | Жорлон хаана байна? | [Jorlon haana baina ?] |
| What does this mean? | Энэ юу гэсэн үг вэ? | [Ene yu gesen ug ve?] |
| Can I take your picture? | Би таны зургийг авч болох уу? | [Be tany zurgheeg avch boloh oo?] |
| When? | Хэзээ ? | [Hezee?] |
| Where? (location) | хаана ? | [khaanaa] |
| Where? (motion) | хаашаа ? | [khaashaa] |
| Yes | Тийм | [tiim] |
| No | Үгүй | [Ugui] |
| Sorry! | Уучлаарай! | [Uuch-laa-rai] |
| How much does this cost? | Энэ ямар үнэтэй вэ? | [Ene yamar unetei ve?] |
| 1 | нэг | [neg] |
| 2 | хоёр | [khoyor] |
| 3 | гурав | [gurav] |
| 4 | дөрөв | [duruv] |
| 5 | тав | [tav] |
| 6 | зургаа | [zurgaa] |
| 7 | долоо | [doloo] |
| 8 | найм | [naim] |
| 9 | ес | [yus] |
| 10 | арав | [arav] |