Samples of Conversation in Apatani

Samples of day to day conversation:

Sample 1

Tapu : Niika armyan knii hiila pe?[What is your name?]

Kano : Ngiika armyan hii Kano. Niikii no? [My name is Kano. Yours?]

Tapu : Ngo Tapu. No, VKV ho masii ha, puri du’nii? [I’m Tapu. Do you study in V.K.V?]

Kano : IIn, hiila cho. No niitan pa chin’du? [Yes, I do. How do you know?]

Tapu :Lonyi lohin kapyo pa, ngo niimi, Taka agin ho, ka’pa to. No uniform gii’to la, dane. [I saw you with Taka some days back. You were on uniform.]

Kano : Oh. Ngiinyi classmate sii nyan. No Taka mi ka’chin du, ha? [Oh. We are classmates. You know Taka?]

Tapu : Mo, ngiika atebo ako ka oho. [He is my cousin.(son of one of my paternal uncle)]

Sample 2

Tapu : Hi, ngo Tapu. [Hi, I’m Tapu.]

Kano : Hi, ngo Kano. [Hi, I’m Kano.

Tapu : Niih school hokii? [From which school?]

Kano : Government secondary school.

Tapu : Tajang, ha? [Tajang?]

Kano : Ma, Hapoli. No no? [No, Hapoli. What about you?]

Tapu : Ngo Frontier school hokii.

Kano : Seminar 10 baji hokii sii mii’kin donii. Kiije arun-are ako da du’mo sa. [Seminar starts on 10. Let’s go and sit somewhere.]

Tapu : Inka restaurant ho a’la sah hejalo tankin mabyo ha? [What about going over to that restaurant and have tea or something?]

Kano : Hii la, mii je sa. kiije.[That’s fine. Let’s go.]

Sample 3

A: Hello, no seminar pa ha, a’du nii? [Hello, you come to attend the seminar?]

B: IIn.[Yes.]

A: Ngo tere hiila a’du. Arun-are so restaurant nyima sii ha? Du’mo la sah heja lo, tan’sa kan. [Me too. Is there any restaurant around? What about going over there and have tea or something?]

B: Inka arun so, ako do. Kiije a’sa. [There is one at that corner. Let’s go.]

Sample 4

A: Hello. Gandhi market noh hope donii? [Hello. Could you tell me where the Gandhi Market is?]

B: Inka lanchan car mi, ka’pa do nyan an? [Do you see that red car?]

A: IIn. [Yes.]

B: Hii market a’gya si domo tola do. [It’s parked just in front of the entrance of the market. ]

A: Paya pacho lu’ko biilyi nii. [Thank you for telling me.]

Sample 5

A: Talya tola. Post office noh hope do’nii ka’laa masu pe ha? [Excuse me. Do you know where the post office is?]

B: Lembo ho parda a’nge- inka lembo pading siiko ho, lachi dalyi bo’nge- lembo ka labi dalyi ho sign board ka’pa todii ke. [Go straight – turn left at the crossing – you will see the signboard in the right side of the road.]

A: Aro pacho. [Thank you.]

Sample 6

A: Talya tola. Old Ziro cha’do koda niitan pape cha’kin donii? [Excuse me. Can you tell me how I can get to Old Ziro?]

B: No bus jalo tempo la’tu lakin do. Hiika atan inka arun so domo du. [You can catch bus or tempo. They stop right over here.]

A: Ngo taxi pai lakin dope ha? [Can I get taxi?]

B: IIn. Hii pa no taxi stand bo’do lyikin do. [Yes. For that, you have to go to taxi stand.]

A: Sokii la ado dope ha? [Is it too far from here?]

B: Ma. Hiimkane ado make. Inka labi dalyi lembo byanyo bosi Para lembo- hopa sida bo’nge, boter ja ho taxi stand mi ka’pa kendo ke. [No. you’ll get there in few minutes. Just over there, from the right side of this road, you’ll find a narrow road, that is Para road – go straight across and you’ll find the taxi stand.]

A: Paya aro pacho. [Thank you.]

Sample 7

A: Excuse me. Old Ziro, sokii la, ano ado dope ha? [Excuse me. Is Old Ziro too far from here?]

B: So kii la 7 KM masa do. [It’s about 7 KM.]

A: Niitan pape cha’kin donii lu’ko laakin dope ha? [Could you tell me how I can get there?]

B: No bus jalo tempo la’tu laakin do. Hiika atan inso domo du- inka dukan ka hata ho- porda tonto dako dukan hata ho. [You can catch bus or tempo. They stop there – just in front of that shop – the one with curtain drawn.

A: Paya aro pacho. [Thank you.]

Sample 8

A: Talya tola. Bus niida har’ne yu ah? [Excuse me. When does the bus leave?]

B: 10:30 ho har’ne do hendo. [I think it leaves at half past ten.]

A: Old Ziro sokii la niimkane na ado donii? [How far is Old Ziro from here?

B: 7 KM masa do. No so a’tu papo a’du nii? About 7 KM. Are you new to this place?

A: IIn. Ngo Itanagar ho du’du. Ziro cha’tu pa cha’du. [Yes. I live in Itanagar- I come here for the first time.]

B: Oh. No Tanii atu sii nyan ah? [Oh. You are an Apatani, if I am not wrong?]

A: IIn, ngo Tanii atu siicho, hojalo, Ziro ronge tere cha’ka ma. [Yes I’m an Apatani, still, I haven’t come and see Ziro, even once earlier.]

Sample 9

A: Excuse me. Bus niida har’ne yu ah? [Excuse me. When does the bus leave?]

B: 9:30 ho har’ne do hendo. [I think it leaves at 9:30.]

A: Abulya niimkane ado do? [How far is Abulya?]

B: 3 KM masa do. [It’s about 3 KM.]

A: Bus bara nehena, ladu nii? [What’s the bus fare?]

B: Bus bara barngo he ladu- Old Ziro cha’su dojalo ayin pasu, lasu dunii. [Bus fare is five rupees- it’s the same even when you go to Old Ziro]

Sample 10

Akha : Tam ba’ri totii ka. [Wake up Tam.]

Tam : Nehe baji do. [What’s the time now?]

Akha : 5:30.

Tam : Nyibya haja doke. Ngiimi imi kiine to. [It’s too early. Let me sleep.]

Akha : Tam oha ba’ri totii ka. No ngiika agin ho bus station ho abo kendo ke.[Come on Tam - wake up. You are coming with me to bus station.]

Tam : Knii, mih in’kin neku po? [Somone leaving or what?]

Akha : Hen’der siidu ha, ngo cho in’kin donii. Ngiika dukhu-pajo mi jo’lii monpii kan. [I’m leaving, fathead! You got to help me carry my luggage and all.]

Tam : No diyobar alo hosu masu ha enna in’kin nennii. Siilo Diyobar ha enna? [But you were leaving on Sunday. Is it Sunday already?]

Akha : Siilo ma niinan! Tam nyibya patii ka- ngiimi bus harnu biilyi ke. [Of course it is! Hurry up Tam – I’m getting late for bus.]

Sample 11

Nanya : Ata, guri tama po? 5:30 doku ka ah. [Ata, won’t you wake up? It’s 5:30 already.]

Yaka : Ho nii hiila? Ngiimi imi kiine to. [So what? Let me sleep.]

Nanya : No aha-ahii biidu po? [Have you forgotten?]

Yaka : Knii mi aha ahii biidu po hiila? [Forgotten what?]

Nanya : No lemba cha’te ma ha- Aku Kano ka, Ayo mi ka, lulii niimi, lu’ko du’pa? [Aren’t going to village to tell Aku Kano’s message to Ayo.]

Yaka : Oh, hiila kendo cho. No ngiika agin ho, cha’bo laakin do ha? [Oh, yes. I have to. Will you come with me?]

Nanya : Hiila san. [OK]

Sample 12

A: Inka milobo si whuna? [Who is that boy?]

B: Niih bo? [Which one?]

A: Tarsi hoka te’da tola danii bo. [The one leaning on the wall.]

B: Mo Tapu ka anu. Ngo armyan mi aha-ahii biido. [He is Tapu’s brother. I forgot his name.]

Sample 13

A: No inka car hoka, du’nii bo miyu mi, ka’laa du ha? [Do you know that man in the car?]

B: IIn. Mo Obing ka aba. [Yes. He is Obing’s father.]

A: Radhe Obing ka ha? [Radhe Obing’s?]

B: IIn. [Yes.]

A: Hopa lo. Ngo niitan payu ngiimi ka’laa donii hen’han kiile. Mo, ngiimi, ngiika lemba hokii ka to’lyi ku ho, gari pa ba’gii ku. Mo, ngii mi, noh ho da’du, knii mii du, hii la ta’ka ne. Momi, ka’pa tonii hiilyan-hiilyan hensu to, whu ya pe hiila hen’der kuma to. [That’s why. I wondered how he knew me so well. He gave me lift yesterday when I was returning from village. He asked me where I’m now, what I’m doing and all. I thought I’ve seen him somewhere but could not make out who he is.]

B: Mo, Obing hiilyan, lu’ju-lu’myo aya do, ano so’la-ngar’la duta. [He is a nice fellow – polite and humorous – just like Obing.]

A: Obing noh hona da’du kunii? Mo mika ka’pa kuma nii ano adoh duku. Kami japa ka’pa kuniin hii ngo hen do nii nyango duku do. Mo siisi knii mii’du ku? [By the way, where is Obing? I haven’t seen him for ages now. The last time we met was – I think – five years back. What is he doing now?]

B: Mo siisi Shillong ho law puri la da. [He is now in Shillong, studying law.]

Sample 14

A: Inka pulu tarii gii’nii bo nyimii mi ka’laa du ha? [Do you know that girl with white shirt?]

B: Ma, ngo ka’chin ma. Niimpa? [No, I don’t. Why?]

A: hiila sii. Ngo momi ka’pa tonii hiilyan do. [Simply. I think I saw her somewhere.]

Sample 15

A: Inka cycle har’nii bo milobo si whu na? [Who is that boy – riding a bicycle?]

B: No ka’chin mapo? Mo Tubin nyan. [Don’t you recognise him? He is Tubin.]

A: Tubin hiin? Ngo ta’je maka ah. Mopa iche heter ka’ma. Momi sensii riika pa hiila si ngo biinyan vacation ho ka’pa siito nii. [He is Tubin? I don’t believe. He doesn’t look like him. He was lean and thin when I saw him the last vacation.]

Connectors

Some words which function as connectors to join words, clauses or sentences are listed below:

1. la [and]

e.g, (a) Ram, Laxman la Bharat, miilanru so aane. [Ram, Laxman and Bharat, all of them, came here.]

(b) Pen soye la pencil soye, dukan hokii riibii. [Buy a pen and a pencil from shop.]

2. nyi [and (used for two people)]

e.g, (a) Ram, Laxman nyi ngiika ajin. [Ram and Laxman are my friends.]

(b) Akku, Yami nyi, Itanagar hokii chado. [Akku and Yami have come from Itanagar.]

(c) Akku, Yami nyi, anyuru Ziro chane. [Both Akku and Yami went to Ziro.]

3. -ke le [as]

e.g, (a) Ngo kabow biikele, Tapu aala done. Or, Ngo kabow biikele, Tapu mi, aala dopa kapato. [As I looked across, I saw Tapu coming.]

(b) Ngo, yasan takele ala tabya siito. [I hurt my hand (palm) as I splitted the firewood.]

(c) Tatung aada kiile, bomb boodane. [Just as Tatung came, the bomb explode.]

4. -lyi ho [while]

e.g, (a) Aba, apin diilyi ho lurii siiyo hiidu. [Father tells us not to talk while taking meal.]

(b) Putu chalyi ho, pulyang chape kendo. [While climbing mountain one shall move till the peak is reached. Or(literally), While climbing mountain one shall reach the peak.]

5. lala/ hela [after]

e.g, (a) Mo apin diila lala imineku. [He/She slept after eating meal.]

(b) Ngo, so, apin diite hela ato. [I came here after I had my meal.]

6. hopa [so]

e.g, Ngo, siilo, doctor mi kapa kendo hopa school aalaa kenma. [ I shall see doctor today, so, I shall not be able to come to school.]

7. hiika hopa [therefore]

e.g, Ngo, biilyo, doli achila doto hiika hopa school aama to. [Yesterday I was suffering from

sickness, therefore, I did not come to school.]

8. (-do/du/da) ranpa or doran pa[when something is still in process]

e.g, (a) Ngo aala doran pa, bus harnu biine. [Bus went off when I was still coming.]

(b) Tatung kedo ranpa, teacher paper mi robiineku. [Teacher snatched away Tatung’s paper when he was still writing.]

(c) Mo, tarii aya doran pa, ripaa biine. [He/She throw away his/her shirt when it was still in good condition.]

9. maran pa / -ma ranpa [before something is being done]

e.g, Ngo, station ho aachi maran pa, bus harri dane. [Bus started off before I reached the station.]

10. jalo [even if]

e.g, Aba gada biilyi jalo, ngo, cinema kate talyi. [Even if Father scold me, I will go to see movie.]

jalo [either]

e.g, Pen jalo pencil, ako-ako mi, labiihe. [Take either pen or pencil.]

11. -ja lopa/ jalo pa [even after]

e.g, Diiro miima siija lopa, ngiika une henpyo yama. [My wound is not healing even after applying medicine.]

12. hojalo [still]

e.g, No reng siidu do, hojalo, ngiimi bazar linkun pe. [You must be feeling tired, still, please accompany me to the market.]

13. hoja lopa [still then]

e.g, Richo ngiimi school nyima ke hiila lune, hoja lopa, ngo aka talyi. [Richo told me that the school is closed today, still then, I will go and see.]

INTERROGATIVE WORDS

Followings are the principle interrogative words in Apatani:

Apatani	English
whu	who
knii (or nii)	what
niida	when (future)
niido	when (past)
niih	which
noh	where
niitan	how (manner, feeling)
nehe	how (number)
niimkane	how (size, amount, quantity)
niimpa	why e.g, Mo niimpa a’ma ne? [Why did not he come?]
-no	what about {based on the noun or pronoun that precede e.g., No-no? [What about you?] ; Mo-no? [What about him] or Insi-no? [What about that?]}
ha	is/ do/ have/ will/ can etc., based on the noun or the pronoun or the modifier word that precede. eg, Mo ha? [Is it him?]; No mii’chi ha? [Will you do?]; No ngiimi ka’chin du ha? [Do you know (recognize) me?] etc.
-ko dano	what if e.g, Ngo a’ko dano? [What if I come?]

Derived Interrogative Words:

When the principle interrogative words are followed by some markers or words , their meanings get modified and the derived forms of interrogative words are formed, details of which are given below:

Apatani	English equivalent
whu	who eg, Insi whu a’do?[Who is coming there?]
whuyu	who (enquiry about someone) e.g, Whuyu momi mii’ne nii?[Who(is the one who) beat him?]
whumi	to who or whom e.g, Siika tarii mi whumi bi’kin do? [To who shall this shirt be given?
whupa	for who / whom eg, Siika tarii si whupa? [This shirt is for whom?]
whuka	whose (interro. pron.) e.g, Si whuka tarii? [Whose shirt is this?]
whukii	whose (interro. adj.) e.g, Siika tarii si whukii? [Whose is this (shirt)?]
whuka agin	with who e.g No whuka agin ho du’chi? [With who shall you sit / stay?]
whuko	at whose (place) e.g, No whuko ho du’te he? [At whose place did you stay?]
whupe	who’s (the particular someone)e.g, Inka hime si whupe? [Who’s that child?]
whuna	who’s that or who’s there. Insi whuna? [Who’s that?] or Insi whuna khe’do nii? [Who’s crying there?]
whutii	who among (you, they or them) e.g, Nunu whutii a’ba sii? [Who among you did come together?]
whuya pe	who (he, she, you or they) is/are e.g, No whuya pe? [Who are you?(polite way of asking someone of their identity)]
knii ( or nii)	what e.g, No knii mii’du? [What are you doing?]
knii yu	what (enquiry about something) e.g, Insi kniiyu mii’do nii? [What’s happening there?]
knii mi	(to) what e.g, No knii subject mi B.A ho la’to? [What subjects did you take for B.A?]
knii pa/ knii payu	(for) what e.g, Inka ude atan si knii mii’ko payu? [What are those houses for?]
knii ka	(of) what (kind) e.g, Hii knii ka o? [What (kind of) wine is that?]
knii kii	of what e.g, Hiika o hii knii kii? [What is that wine (made) of?]
knii na	What’s (the something that happen) e.g, Niika ala mi knii na mii’bii nenii? [What has happened to your hand?] or Knii na? [What’s the matter?]
knii pe	what’s (the something) e.g, Insi knii pe gu’do nii? [What’s crawling there?]
niih	which e.g, Niih hii niika tarii? [Which is your shirt?]
niih bo	which one e.g, Niih bo hii niika tarii? [Which one is your shirt?]
niih boyu	which one (enquiry) e.g, Niih boyu moka lu’myo niinhii? [Which one is the one reserved by him?]
niih mi	(to) which e.g, No niih mi kaji do? [(to)Which do you like?]
niih pa	(for) which e.g, Niih photo pa no frame me’du? [You are looking frame for which photo?]
niih ka	(of) which e.g, Si niih tarii ka lako? [This button is of which shirt?]
niih kii	(of) which e.g, Siika lako si niih tarii kii? [Which shirt’s button is this?]
niih ho	in/ on/ at which e.g, Niih ude ho no Tallo mi kapa to? [In which house did you saw Tallo?]
niih hokii	from which (place) e.g, Niih dukan hokii no papu rii’bii? [From which shop did you buy egg?]
niih hoka	of which (place) e.g, Siika apu si niih sanii hoka gii’nii? [This flower is of which plant?]
niih hopa	for which e.g, Siika blackboard si niih class hopa? [This blackboard is for which class?]
noh	where e.g, No noh in pa? [Where are you going?]
noh yu	where (enquiry) e.g, Mo noh yu in’ne nii? [Where did he go?]
noh ho	(to) where place) e.g, Noh ho in’pa? [Where are you going?]
noh hoka	(of) where e.g, Inka miyu si noh hoka du’nii na? [Where do that man stays?]
noh hokii	(from) where e.g, Mo noh hokii a’do? [Where is he coming from?]
noh hopa	from where (direction); for where (place) e.g No noh hopa a’du? [From where are you coming?] or Inka abya si noh hopa yu ba’lii giido nii? [That ladder is brought for where?]
noh na	where (place of happening) e.g, Noh na aki pi’do nii? [Where’s the dog barking?]
niida -kin do/ nii dakin do	when will e.g, Molu niida a’kin do? [When will they come?]
niida pa	when one is going to do or for when one is keeping something e.g, Talu homework mi niida mii’pa yu? [When is Talu going to do homework?] or Mo nii dapa yu homework mi atii biido nii? [For when is he keeping his homework?]
niido	when (past) e.g, Mo niido a’ne? [When did he come?]
nii dokii	since when e.g, Mo nii dokii Ziro ho du’du? [Since when she lives in Ziro?]
niitan	how (feeling) e.g, No siisi niitan do? [How are you (feeling) now?]
niitan pa	how (manner) e.g, No so niitan pa a? [How did you come here?]
nehe	how (numbers) e.g, Niikii pen sone he do? [How many pen do you have?]
niimkane	how (size/quantity) e.g, Siitii hii niimkane kaye ne? [How large was the elephant?]

Words for ‘here’ and ‘there’ in Apatani

here	there
[near the speaker]	[away from both the speaker and addressee]	[away from the speaker but near the addressee]	[far away from both the speaker and the addressee]
I. so / siika so	inso / inka so	ho / hiika ho	into so / into ho
II*. si / siika si	insi / inka si	hii / hiika hii	into si

Case I: so, sika so, inso, inka so, ho, hiika ho and into so / into ho tell where an action happened or about to happen e.g,

1. Command: So a’to. [Come here.]

2. Past event: Inso Ato ka ude hii done. [The house of Grand father was located there (don’t exist now)]; Hiika ho ngo ngiika cell phone mi ba’pah siito. [I lost my cell phone there (over there by your side).]

3. Future event: Into so arda ngunu bo’sa. [Let’s go there tomorrow.]

Case II: si, siika si, insi, inka si, hii, hiika hii and intosi tell where someone or something is in state of doing something (at time of speaking or writing) e.g,

1. Kano insi da. [Kano is standing there.]

2. Lopa hii hiika hii do. [The stick is lying there.]

3. Aki hii into si du. [The dog is sitting there.]

4. Yam insi a’la do. [Yam is coming there.]

5. Into si piita ako go’do. [A bird is flying there.]

*[si, siika si, insi, inka si, hii, hiika hii and intosi are also used as demonstrative pronouns depending on their usages (see Demonstrative Words)]

Note.

1. si, siika si, insi, inka si, hii, hiika hii and intosi are always used with present participle.

2. The verbs da, do and du (as in examples 1 to 3 above) are special case of present participles (do not require markers to form one as in a’la do).

3. Lopa hii literally means ‘stick in question’; thus, hii when followed a noun (when not used as hiika lopa hii) behaves as definite article ‘the’ in English (yet to be verified if it applies in all condition).

DEMONSTRATIVE WORDS

	Demonstrative words
	Case I	Case II	Case III	Case IV
Demon-strative pronoun	si (this) Si ngiika ude [This is my house.] siika si (this) Siika si ngiika ude. [This is my house.]	insi (that) Insi ngiika ude. [That is my house.] inka insi (that) Inka insi ngiika ude.[That is my house]	hii (that) Hii ngiika ude. [That is my house.] hiika hii (that) Hiika hii ngiika ude. [That is my house.]	intosi (that) Into si ngiika ude. [That is my house.] intodakii si Into dakii si ngiika ude. [That is my house.]
Demon-strative adjective	siika (this) 1. Siika ude si ngiikii. [This house is mine] 2. Siika ball mi ngiimi la’to pe. [Take this ball for me.]	inka (that) 1. Inka ude si ngiikii. [That house is mine] 2. Inka ball mi ngiimi la’to pe. [Take that ball for me.]	hiika (that) 1. Hiika ude hii ngiikii. [That house is mine] 2. Hiika ball mi ngiimi la’to pe. [Take that ball for me.]	intodaka (that) 1. Into daka ude hii ngiikii. [That house is mine] 2. Into daka ball mi ngiimi la’to pe. [Take that ball for me.]

Case I. The thing spoken about is close to both the speaker and the addressee.

{eg, Siika ude… [This house(the one near us)] }

Case II. The thing spoken about is at some distance from both the speaker and the addressee. {eg, insi… [that (the one over there at some distance from us)] }

Case III. The thing spoken about is close to the addressee but at some distance from the speaker. {eg, hii …[that (the one over there by your side)] }

Case IV. The thing spoken about is at far away from both the speaker and the addressee. {into si…[that (the one there at far horizon]}

Note: Siika si, inka si, hiika hii and into dakii si are preferred to their counterparts si, insi, hii and intosi when one tries to be more specific.

Plural forms of demonstrative (pronouns) words:

Singular	Plural
si, siika si	siika anyi si [these(for two)]/ siika atan si [these(for many)]
insi, inka insi	inka anyi si [those(for two)]/ inka atan si [those(for many)]
hii, hiika hii	hiika anyi hii [those(for two)]/ hiika atan hii [those(for many)]
into si, into dakii si	into daka anyi si [those(for two)]/ into daka atan si [those(for many)]