Hmong phrasebook
Phrasebook
Hmong (𖬌𖬣𖬵, Hmoob) language is part of the Hmong-Mien language family. It's spoken by ethnic Hmong living in Southern China, Northern Vietnam, Northern Laos, Northern Thailand, Eastern Myanmar, America, Australia, Canada, and few countries in Europe. The estimated number of speakers is around 8 million.
Writing
Hmong language has its own writing system called Pahawh Hmong (𖬖𖬰𖬝𖬵 𖬄𖬶𖬟 𖬌𖬣𖬵), but can also be written using the Hmong RPA (Romanized Popular Alphabet).
Pronunciation guide
Vowels The vowel systems of Hmong Daw and Mong Leeg are as shown in the following charts. (Phonemes particular to Hmong Daw and Mong Leeg are color-coded respectively.)
1st Row: IPA, Hmong RPA 2nd Row: Pahawh
Consonants Hmong makes a number of phonemic contrasts unfamiliar to English speakers. All non-glottal stops and affricates distinguish aspirated and unaspirated forms, and most also distinguish prenasalization independently of this. The consonant inventory of Hmong is shown in the chart below. (Consonants particular to Hmong Daw and Mong Leeg are color-coded respectively.)
1st Row: IPA, Hmong RPA 2nd Row: Pahawh
Tones Hmong is a tonal language and makes use of seven or eight (Hmong Daw and Mong Leeg).
Phrase list
Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.
Basics
Hello. (formal) 𖬖𖬲 𖬖𖬲𖬝 (Kab ntsab) Hello. (informal) 𖬒𖬰𖬮𖬵 𖬍𖬥𖬰 (Nyob zoo) How are you? (formal) 𖬒𖬲 𖬑𖬲𖬪𖬵 𖬖𖬲𖬮𖬵 𖬀𖬶𖬮𖬷 (Koj puas nyab xeeb?) How are you? (informal) 𖬒𖬲 𖬑𖬲𖬪𖬵 𖬒𖬰𖬮𖬵 𖬍𖬰𖬥𖬰𖬷 (Koj puas nyob zoo?) I'm fine/great, thank you. (formal) 𖬆𖬲 𖬖𖬲𖬮𖬵 𖬀𖬶𖬮, 𖬑𖬮𖬰 𖬅𖬲𖬝𖬰. (Kuv nyab xeeb, ua tsaug.) I'm fine/great, thank you. (informal) 𖬆𖬲 𖬒𖬰𖬮𖬵 𖬍𖬰𖬥𖬰, 𖬑𖬮𖬰 𖬅𖬲𖬝𖬰. (Kuv nyob zoo, ua tsaug.) What is your name? 𖬒𖬲 𖬆𖬰𖬞 𖬉𖬰𖬨𖬵 𖬇𖬟 𖬃𖬞 𖬗𖬲𖬯𖬷 (Koj lub npe hu li cas?) My name is ______ . 𖬆𖬲 𖬆𖬰𖬞 𖬉𖬰𖬨𖬵 𖬓𖬤 ______ . (Kuv lub npe yog ______ .) His/Her name is ______ . 𖬙𖬲𖬬 𖬆𖬰𖬞 𖬉𖬰𖬨𖬵 𖬇𖬟 𖬑𖬮𖬰 ______. (Nws lub npe hu ua ______ .) Nice to meet you. 𖬍𖬥𖬰 𖬔𖬤𖬵 𖬧𖬵 𖬂𖬲𖬝 𖬒𖬲. (Zoo siab tau ntsib koj.) I am ______ years old. 𖬆𖬲 𖬓𖬤 ______ 𖬍𖬧𖬰 / 𖬆𖬲 𖬐𖬰𖬦 ______ 𖬍𖬧𖬰. (Kuv yog ______ xyoo. / Kuv muaj ______ xyoo.) She/He is ______ years old. 𖬙𖬲𖬬 𖬓𖬤 ______ 𖬍𖬧𖬰. / 𖬙𖬲𖬬 𖬐𖬰𖬦 ______ 𖬍𖬧𖬰. (Nws yog ______ xyoo. / Nws muaj ______ xyoo.) I'm (married/single/engaged/divorced/a widow). 𖬆𖬲 (𖬂𖬲𖬤𖬵 𖬐𖬲𖬤/𖬆𖬰𖬧𖬵 𖬑𖬲𖬥/𖬑𖬲𖬥 𖬄𖬶𖬢/𖬊𖬰𖬣/𖬂𖬲𖬤𖬵 𖬄𖬶𖬜𖬰/𖬒𖬲𖬪𖬵 𖬆𖬝) 𖬎𖬰𖬞.) (Kuv (sib yuav/tub hluas/hluas nkauj/qhaib/sib nrauj/poj ntsuam) lawm.) I'm straight.(male) 𖬆𖬲 𖬔𖬰𖬮𖬵 𖬒𖬲𖬪𖬵 𖬔𖬰𖬬. (Kuv nyiam poj niam.) I'm gay.(male) 𖬆𖬲 𖬔𖬰𖬮𖬵 𖬂𖬶𖬯𖬵 𖬀𖬰𖬬. (Kuv nyiam txiv neej) I'm heterosexual. (female) 𖬆𖬲 𖬔𖬰𖬮𖬵 𖬂𖬶𖬯𖬵 𖬀𖬰𖬬. (Kuv nyiam txiv neej.) I'm lesbian. (female) 𖬆𖬲 𖬔𖬰𖬮𖬵 𖬒𖬲𖬪𖬵 𖬔𖬰𖬬. (Kuv nyiam poj niam.) I have ______ sons. 𖬆𖬲 𖬐𖬰𖬦 ______ 𖬇𖬰𖬧𖬵 𖬆𖬰𖬧𖬵. (Kuv muaj ______ tus tub.) I have ______ daughters. 𖬆𖬲 𖬐𖬰𖬦 ______ 𖬇𖬰𖬧𖬵 𖬋𖬰𖬥𖬵. (Kuv muaj ______ tus ntxhais.) This is my wife/husband. 𖬓𖬰𖬬 𖬓𖬤 𖬆𖬲 𖬇𖬰𖬧𖬵 𖬖𖬲𖬧𖬵 𖬗𖬶𖬥𖬰/𖬆𖬰𖬧𖬵 𖬍𖬶𖬡. (No yog kuv tus tab zag/tub roog.) This is mother (mom)/father (dad). 𖬓𖬰𖬬 𖬓𖬤 𖬆𖬲 𖬔𖬰𖬬/𖬂𖬶𖬯𖬵. (No yog kuv niam/txiv.) This is my boyfriend/girlfriend. 𖬓𖬰𖬬 𖬓𖬤 𖬆𖬲 𖬇𖬰𖬧𖬵 𖬑𖬲𖬥 𖬅𖬲𖬜𖬰/
Adapted from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA)