To each country, its own language.
A tourist speaks English, while a traveller tries to discover as much as possible about his destination. If you also consider that in Myanmar only people working in touristic places speak English (and usually not fluently), it would be helpful to learn the basic words to communicate with the local population.
Don’t be sad, though, if the locals won’t understand you immediately – Burmese is quite a difficult language. Moreover, there are more than 130 ethnic groups each with its own language, so communication is not always easy. But you should try anyway – in the worst case scenario, your efforts will be rewarded by a loud laugh.
Here follows a short list of basic words. Of course, this is not the official translation (it doesn’t exist), but the written version of how they are pronounced.
BASIC WORDS
Good morning / Good evening – Mingalarbar
How are you? – Nay Kaung Lar?
Very well, thank you. And you? – Kow par deh min yaw?
Goodbye – Tar tar
Welcome – Gyo so bar deh
Thanks (a lot) – Jay zu tin bar deh
Excuse me / please – Jay zu pyu jouer
My name is… – Ngar nam mae ka … phit par deh
Yes / No – Ho’Keh / Ma hou’ phu
You’re welcome – Ya bar deh
NUMBERS
One – Tit
Two – Nit
Three – Thone
Four – Lay
Five – Ngar
Six – Chauk
Seven – Khone
Eight – Shit
Nine – Koe
Ten – Tasae
Twenty – Nit sae
Thirty – Thone sae
Forty – Lay sae
Fifty – Ngar Sae
Sixty – Chauk sae
Seventy – Khone hnit sae
Eighty – Shit sae
Ninety – Koe sae
One hundred – Ta yar