यौ / यै
Calling Out to Someone
यौ calls a man politely and यै calls a woman politely.
How It Works
These are short calling words.
| Word | Who | Example |
|---|---|---|
| यौ | a man, politely | सुनू यौ! |
| यै | a woman, politely | सुनू यै! |
| रौ | a boy or man, close | रौ बउआ, एतय आ! |
| गै | a girl or woman, close | गै, पानि दे! |
यौ and यै also keep a conversation going. यौ भाइ, एकर दाम कतेक अछि? (Brother, how much is this?). हँ यै, अहाँ कखन अएलहुँ? (Yes, when did you come?, said between women friends).
Use the polite pair with अहाँ and the polite commands: सुनू, आउ, बैसू. Use the close pair with तोँ and the close commands: आ, दे, जो.
Do not use रौ or गै with a stranger or an elder. They sound rude.
यौ is also a friendly interjection that adds surprise: मानि गेलहुँ यौ! (I give in, wow!).
Examples (5)
- सुनू यौ!
Excuse me, sir!
यौ calls a man politely.
- सुनू यै!
Excuse me, ma'am!
यै calls a woman politely.
- यौ भाइ, एकर दाम कतेक अछि?
Brother, how much is this?
यौ with a relation word.
- रौ बउआ, एतय आ!
Hey, little one, come here!
रौ: a close call to a boy.
- गै, पानि दे!
Hey, give me water!
गै: a close call to a girl.
How It Connects
Learn This First
These calls are usually heard with a polite command, as in सुनू यौ!