Martial Arts

1. আমি কি আজ একদিনের জন্য অনুশীলনে যোগ দিতে পারি?

   Ami ki aaj ekdiner jonno onushilone jog dite pari?

   Can I join today's practice just for one day?

   Usage

   Use this to try a club or training hall in Dhaka or Chattogram. A traditional Bengali training ground is called an "akhra"; they run on monthly membership rather than drop-ins, so check first

   Grammar Note

   Placing "ki" after the subject turns the sentence into a yes/no question. "Pari" is the first-person present of "para" (to be able)

2. আমি কি আগে অনুশীলনটা দেখতে পারি?

   Ami ki age onushilon-ta dekhte pari?

   May I watch the training first?

   Usage

   Use this when you want to size up the atmosphere and the coach before committing. Neighbourhood clubs in Bangladesh are relaxed about spectators and rarely charge. At an outdoor earthen ground, take your shoes off and watch from outside the circle

   Grammar Note

   The suffix "-ta" on a noun works like the English "the" ("onushilon-ta" = the training). The infinitive plus "para" expresses ability

3. এখানে কি গ্লাভস ভাড়া পাওয়া যায়?

   Ekhane ki glabhs bhara paoya jay?

   Can gloves be rented here?

   Usage

   Traditional boli khela (wrestling) and lathi khela (stick fighting) use no protective gear, and the sticks are provided by the organisers. Gloves only come into it at city boxing or karate clubs, where they are often charged for or not lent at all

   Grammar Note

   "Paoya jay" is an impersonal passive meaning "is available / can be obtained", used to ask about general availability without naming an agent

4. আমি একেবারে নতুন, আগে কখনও শিখিনি।

   Ami ekebare notun, age kokhono shikhini.

   I am a complete beginner; I have never trained before.

   Usage

   Say this at the start and you will be put on basic conditioning. Bangladeshi clubs do not post skill levels and rely on you saying so; stay quiet and you may end up in the experienced group

   Grammar Note

   The negative present perfect is formed with the stem plus "-ini" ("shikhechhi" = I have learned, "shikhini" = I have not). With "kokhono" it means "never"

5. দয়া করে একটু আস্তে করবেন।

   Doya kore ektu aste korben.

   Please take it a bit easy.

   Usage

   Use this to ask for lower intensity in grappling or drilling; do not hesitate even if your partner is older or more senior. To ask for the opposite, say "arektu jore" (a bit harder)

   Grammar Note

   "Korben" is the future form for the respectful "apni" and doubles as a polite request. Use this form with elders or people you have just met

6. আমার হাঁটুতে চোট আছে, তাই বেশি জোর দিতে পারব না।

   Amar hantute chot achhe, tai beshi jor dite parbo na.

   My knee is injured, so I cannot put much force on it.

   Usage

   Always say this before you start; there is no intake form and speaking up is the only way to flag an injury. Swap "hantu" (knee) for "kandh" (shoulder), "komor" (lower back) or "gorali" (ankle)

   Grammar Note

   The locative is formed with the ending "-te" ("hantu" becomes "hantute" = in the knee). Possession uses "amar + noun + achhe"

7. মাসিক ফি কত?

   Mashik phi koto?

   How much is the monthly fee?

   Usage

   Karate, taekwondo and boxing clubs in Dhaka typically charge 500-2,000 taka a month. Traditional grounds run on donations and may have no fixed rate, in which case give what feels right. For a stay of a week or more, monthly is usually cheaper

   Grammar Note

   Bengali nominal sentences need no copula, so "monthly fee how much?" is a complete question on its own

8. একদিনের জন্য কত লাগবে?

   Ekdiner jonno koto lagbe?

   How much will it cost for a single day?

   Usage

   The way to ask a one-off rate. Clubs that run taster sessions for visitors charge roughly 200-800 taka. One-to-one coaching costs extra, so follow up with "alada lagbe?" (is that charged separately?)

   Grammar Note

   "Laga" expresses cost or time being required. A noun before "jonno" (for) takes the genitive "-er" ("ekdin" becomes "ekdiner")

9. এখানে কি মেয়েদের জন্য আলাদা ক্লাস আছে?

   Ekhane ki meyeder jonno alada klas achhe?

   Is there a separate class for women here?

   Usage

   Traditional boli khela is male-only, but women train routinely at karate and taekwondo clubs in Dhaka, and women's self-defence ("atmarokkha") classes are increasingly common. Long sleeves and long trousers are the safe choice

   Grammar Note

   The plural genitive is "-der" ("meye" becomes "meyeder" = of the girls/women). Existence is expressed with "achhe"

10. অনুশীলন সকালে হয় নাকি বিকেলে?

    Onushilon shokale hoy naki bikele?

    Is the training in the morning or in the afternoon?

    Usage

    Bangladeshi clubs avoid the midday heat and usually run early morning (06:00-08:00) and late afternoon (16:00-19:00) sessions. Timetables are rarely posted, so ask in person; Friday is the weekly holiday and schedules often shift

    Grammar Note

    Alternatives in a question are linked with "naki". In statements "or" is "othoba"; questions use "naki" instead

11. এই কৌশলটা একটু ধীরে দেখাবেন?

    Ei kaushol-ta ektu dhire dekhaben?

    Could you show me this technique slowly?

    Usage

    Traditional teaching here is oral and by demonstration, with no manuals, so watching it again is the only way to learn. Lathi khela involves wide sweeping arcs whose path is harder to read than it looks, so do ask

    Grammar Note

    The "apni" future said with rising intonation becomes a polite request ("dekhaben?" = would you show me?). "Ei" is the demonstrative "this"

12. কত দিন পরে আমি লড়াইয়ে নামতে পারব?

    Koto din pore ami loraiye namte parbo?

    After how many days can I take part in bouts?

    Usage

    Live practice is gated behind the coach's approval because of the injury risk, and usually starts weeks in, once your falls and grips are sound. Visitors on a single session often never go beyond basics. Let the coach decide rather than pushing

    Grammar Note

    "Pore" (after) is a postposition following the time expression. "Nama" literally means "to come down" but idiomatically means entering a contest

13. এখানে কি গোসল করার জায়গা আছে?

    Ekhane ki gosol korar jayga achhe?

    Is there somewhere to wash here?

    Usage

    You come out of an outdoor earthen session covered in mud, so a wash afterwards is standard. Expect a well, a hand pump or a communal tap rather than a private shower. Bring your own towel and a change of clothes

    Grammar Note

    The genitive infinitive "-ar" plus a noun forms "a place/thing for doing X" ("korar jayga" = a place to do it, "khaoyar pani" = drinking water)

14. বলী খেলা কোথায় আর কবে হয়?

    Boli khela kothay ar kobe hoy?

    Where and when is boli khela held?

    Usage

    Boli khela is the traditional wrestling meet of the Chattogram region. The most famous is Jabbarer Boli Khela, running since 1909, held every year on 12 Boishakh (late April) at Laldighi Maidan in Chattogram with a huge fair around it. Watching is free

    Grammar Note

    Bengali question words stay in place rather than fronting as in English, and two of them can be linked with "ar" (and)

15. হাত উপরে রাখো, প্রতিপক্ষের চোখের দিকে তাকাও।

    Hat upore rakho, protipokkher chokher dike takao.

    Keep your hands up, look at your opponent's eyes.

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Instructions come in the familiar imperative, which is normal between teacher and student and carries no rudeness. Address the instructor as "ostad" or "sir"

    Grammar Note

    The familiar "tumi" imperative adds "-o" ("rakho", "takao"). The respectful "apni" form uses "-un" ("rakhun", "takan")

16. পুরো শক্তি দাও, ছেড়ে দিও না।

    Puro shokti dao, chhere dio na.

    Give it your full strength, do not let up.

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Boli khela is decided by pinning your opponent, so you are told over and over not to relax your grip. It also signals that you may go at full effort

    Grammar Note

    A negative command also puts "na" after the verb ("chhere dio na" = don't let up / don't let go)

17. পাঁচ মিনিট বিশ্রাম নাও, পানি খাও।

    Panch minit bishram nao, pani khao.

    Take a five-minute break and drink some water.

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Training halls have no air conditioning and the heat and humidity make water breaks essential, so bring your own bottle. Note that "water" is "pani" in Bangladesh but "jol" in West Bengal

    Grammar Note

    Bengali uses "khaoya" (to eat) for drinks as well, so "pani khao" is the natural way to say "drink water"

18. আজ এ পর্যন্তই, খুব ভালো করেছ।

    Aaj e porjontoi, khub bhalo korechho.

    That is all for today. You did very well.

    Usage

    Said by the coach to close the session. Thank them with "dhonnobad, ostad", and with an older master a "salaam" gesture is the usual sign of respect. Tipping is not expected

    Grammar Note

    "Porjonto" (up to) with the emphatic "-i" marks a definite cut-off. "Korechho" is the present perfect for "tumi"

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