Balti Language Vocabulary (Learn Balti language online)

Balti is a language that is spoken in the region of Baltistan in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Also, it is spoken in the Kargil and Ladakh regions of India too. It is a branch of the Tibetan language, but after the partition of India and Pakistan, the Balti language has differed from the main Tibetan language due to the influence of Urdu (The national language of Pakistan). 

It is spoken in the whole region of the Baltistan division, Ladakh, Kargil, and small pockets of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Karachi.

Why should you learn the Balti language? 

 Well, if you are not a native speaker of the Balti language you would be wondering how can I learn Balti or is it difficult or easy and much more questions like this would be hovering over your head. Learning Balti would be the best thing if you are a nature lover and want to visit the mighty mountainous regions of Pakistan, India, and Nepal. Knowing an indigenous language while visiting a locality is always a privilege than being there as an alien. 

In past, many mountain climbers and nature lovers visited the Baltistan region and they fell in love with the Balti language and culture. They not only learned Balti but conducted research and gave the Balti language prominence at the international level. The fact that people fall in love with the Balti language is that it is accompanied by rich Balti culture. The culture of storytelling, epic singing, dancing, and many other things not only entertain the outsiders but they fall in love and make mind to learn the Balti language. The epic singing and storytelling of King Kesar have been one of the prominent features of the Balti culture. A researcher from Japan while conducting the research regarding the epic of King Kesar loved the Balti language and now she resides in Baltistan and speaks Balti fluently.  There are many other people from all around the world who learned the Balti language and permanently live here in Baltistan or visit the area seasonally. 

Some researchers have opined that Balti is the most prominent and original form of Tibetan language which has retained the phonetics of the Tibetan language for centuries. 

Balti the honorific language 

Balti is a langue that has ultimate honorific terms and it conveys esteem or respect when you talk. In simple words, you can choose the formal word for the known friends or persons and you can choose the honorific words for people with whom you are not familiar, or he/she is elder than you.

The simple words mostly used are the use of a pronoun while talking with someone. The pronoun "You" has two forms: Khyang (informal/ familiar) and Yang (formal/ polite). Khyang is used to talking with persons you know well and there is no need for an honorific term. While Yang is used while talking with elders or unknown persons.

Similarly, when someone calls you, you can say "Ju" means "yes" in an honorific way. But if you are familiar with the person and there is no need of paying respect you can use "Han". Although it is a loan word from Urdu, the exact word of Balti for informal "Yes" has become extinct.

Numbers
English	Balti	Urdu
One	chik	ek
Two	nis	do
Three	khsum	tin
Four	bji	tchar
Five	gha	pantch
Six	truk	tche
Seven	bdun	sat
Eight	bgyat	ath
Nine	rgu	nau
Ten	fchu	das
Fifteen	choga	pandrah
Twenty	nishu	bis
Thirty	khsumtchu	tis
Forty	nishu nis	chalis
Fifty	gha tchu	petchas
Sixty	nishu sum	sath
Seventy	nishu sum na tchu	sattr
Eighty	nishu bji	assi
Ninety	nishu bji na tchu	nabbe
One hundred	bgya	ek sau
One thousand	stong chik	ek azar
Nouns/Pronouns/Relations
English	Balti	Urdu
I	na	mein
You (familiar)	khyang	tum
You (polite)	yang	aap
He, She	kho/mo	woh
We	naya	ham
You (plural)	yidang	aap log
They	khoung	wo log
My	nge	mera
Your (Polite)	yari	aapka
Your	khiri	tumhara
His, her	kho ngi	is ka, us ka
Our	ngayi	hamara
Your	yari/ khiri	ap ka
Their	khoni	in ka, un ka
King	rgyal fo	raja
Queen	rgyal mo	rani
Minister	Ihon po	wazir azam
Father	ata/ baba/ aba	waild
Mother	aayo/ zizi/ ama	walida
Elder brother	Kacho/kaka	bara bhai
Younger sister	stringmo/ nomo	choti behen
Grand father	apo / apocho (syed or raja)	dada / nana
Grand mother	api / apicho (syed or raja)	dadi/ nani
Aunt (father’s side)	ani	chachi
Uncle (father’s side)	ajang	mama
Aunt (mother’s side)	matchon / nenay	mami
Uncle (mother’s side)	agu	chacha
Objects
English	Balti	Urdu
House	nang	ghar
Fire	may	aag
Table	tchok tse	mez
Chair	kursi	kursi
Glass	korey	glass
Plate	tabaq	thali
Spoon	thur mans	cham-mach
Knife	tji	chaku, chura
Tent	kur	tambu
Luggage	khur	saman
Bag	jola	bori
Food & Beverages
English	Balti	Urdu
Food	zachuss	khana
Meat	shaa	gosht, mass
Vegetable	tsunma	sabzi
Fish	nyaa	mach-li
Butter	maar	mak-khan
Bread	khorba	roti
Sugar	khara	chini
Cereal	nasse	anaj
Barley	chi rok	jow
Rice	bruss	chaval
Yogurt, curd	loqfi oma	dahi
Fruit	meva	phal
Apricot	chuli	khubani ka phal
Apple	kushoo	seb
Water	chuu	pani
Tea	cha	chai
Milk	oma	dudh
Flora
English	Balti	Urdu
Grass	tsua	ghas
Flower	mendok	phool
Tree	staqji	darakht
Wood	shing	lakri
Eucleptus	byarfa	safeda
Fauna
English	Balti	Urdu
Horse	Sta	Ghora
Donkey	bong bu	gadha
Dog	khi	kuta
Sheep	lug	bher
Goat	rabaq	bakri
Cow	balang/ Baang	gai
Hen	bya mo	murgi
Cock	bya fo	murga
Bird	bya fro	chiriya
Crow	byaroq	kow-wah
Natural Elements
English	Balti	Urdu
Wind	khlung	hava
Rain	charfa	barish
Snow	khaa	barf
Sky	khnum	asman
Sun	ni ma	suraj
Moon	lzod	chand
Star	skarma	tara
Pass (Mountain)	La	dar-rah
River	tsang po	nadi
Mountain	Ri	pahar
Plain	spang	maidan
Valley	lung ma	nala
Road	lam	rasta
Field	jing	khet
Sand	Byana/ Byama	ret
Soil	sa	mitti
Gold	khser	sona
Silver	smul	chandi
Coral	churu	munga
Pearl	mutik	moti
Stone	rdoa	pat-thar
Turquoise	yu	phiroza
Days/Month/Year/Time
English	Balti	Urdu
Monday	chamdral	somvar
Tuesday	angaru	mangalvar
Wednesday	bodu	budhvar
Thursday	brespod	jumarat
Friday	shuguru	jumma
Saturday	shingsher	hafta
Sunday	adeed	itvar
Today	diring	aaj
Tomorrow	haskye	kal
Yesterday	gunday	kal
Morning	gyoqpa	savera
Evening	pitok	sham
Week	donchak	hafta
Month	lza	mahina
This year	dilo	ye saal
Last year	na ning	pitchla saal
Next year	oongmi lo	agla saal
Seasons
English	Balti	Urdu
Spring	khpid	bahar
Summer	ghbyar	garmi
Autumn	ston	khizaan
Winter	rgun	sardi
Warm	chad	garam
Cold	jkahmo	thanda
Colours
English	Balti	Urdu
White	karfo	safed
Black	naqpo	kala
Yellow	serpho	pila
Red	marpho	lal
Blue	nagon po	nila
Green	snunpo	hara
Shape/Size/Amount
English	Balti	Urdu
Heavy	hlcho	bhari
Light	yang mo	halka
Round	kir kir	gol
Flat	lep lep	chora
Large	chogo	bara
Small	chunsay	chota
Close	nemor	nazdik
Far	thaqring	dur
Few	khekchi	kam
Many, much	mangmo	bahut
Quickly	shokhmo		jaldi
Slowly	kulay	dhirey
Phrases/ Sentences
English	Balti		Urdu
Yes	yot		han
No	met		nahi
Hello	Chena?		kaisay ho?
How are you?	yang chena yo?		apko kaise hai?
I am fine	na lyakhmo yod		mein thik hun
Come in	shokh (polite) / oong (familiar)		a-e-ye/ ajao
Sit down	seikha shokh (polite)/  seikha dok (familiar)		bai-thi-ye/ betho
Where do you come from?	yang gar na oneng yod pin?		Ap kahan se a rahe hai?
Where are you going?	yang gar gowen yod pin?		Ap kidar ja rahe ho/hai?
Where do you live?	yang gar dogpin?		aap kahan rehte hai?
I live in Skardu	na Skardu dokpi in		main Skardu me rehta hu
What is the price of this mobile?	di mobilepovi rin po cham in?		is moblie ka dam kya hai?
Sixty thousand rupees	smul stong nishu sum		saath hazar rupiye
Do you have any sugar?	Yari chan la kharra yoda?		apke pas chini hai?
How far is it?	yang chamche thaqrin yod?		kitni dur aur hai?
Three days more	yang jak khsum		teen din aur
Are there jeeps available?	Jeep thobi ina?		kya Jeep milengay?
Yes, jeeps are available	ju,  jeep thobi in		hanji, jeep milenge
Happy Birthday	skiye jaq boarak		Janam din mubarak
You are beautiful	Khyng gasha yod		Tum khosorat hay/ ho
Thank you	Bakhshish/ Charimo		Shukriya

Balti Language Phrases and sentences 

After seeing the interest of the people in the Balti language we have started the Balti language course online and we have published our first course. If you found the Balti language interesting and want to learn more then you can find the first course regarding the balti langue here at this link. 

If you want to learn the Balti language in detail you can contact us, we will send you the whole course. You can mention your email address in the comment as well to get the course.