বা / নে
Or
বা is “or”: আপুনি ডাক্তৰ বা শিক্ষক নেকি? “are you a doctor or a teacher?”.
How It Works
Assamese has two words for “or”.
| Word | Where it goes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| বা | between two choices, in a statement or a yes or no question | ৰাজু বা মিনু বজাৰলৈ যাব “Raju or Minu will go to the market” |
| নে | between the choices of a question that asks which one | তুমি চাহ খাবা নে কফি খাবা? “will you have tea or coffee?” |
The choices can be single words, and a short question can leave out the verb: তাই গ্ৰীক নে ৰাছিয়ান? “is she Greek or Russian?” and চাহ নে কফি? “tea or coffee?”.
The same letters নে also close a yes or no question, as in ভালে আছা নে? “are you well?”. There the question has only one part.
Examples (5)
- আপুনি ডাক্তৰ বা শিক্ষক নেকি?
Are you a doctor or a teacher?
বা joins two choices.
- ৰাজু বা মিনু বজাৰলৈ যাব।
Raju or Minu will go to the market.
বা joins two names.
- তাই গ্ৰীক নে ৰাছিয়ান?
Is she Greek or Russian?
নে joins the two choices of a question that asks which one.
- তুমি চাহ খাবা নে কফি খাবা?
Will you have tea or coffee?
নে joins the two parts of a question.
- চাহ নে কফি?
Tea or coffee?
A short question with নে.
How It Connects
Learn This First
নে in this pair asks a yes or no question like নেকি, so learners need নেকি first.
Related Patterns
- -নে for Yes or No QuestionsQuestions with -নে
The ending -নে turns a statement into a yes or no question.
Level 2 - আৰু / কিন্তুAnd and but
আৰু joins things that go together, where বা offers a choice.
Level 2 - নহয় নেChecking Whether Someone Agrees
নহয় নে asks “is it not?” and checks that someone agrees.
Level 4
Practice বা / নে in Bubblegum
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