This is a Swadesh list of words in Bhojpuri, compared with definitions in English.
American linguist Morris Swadesh believed that languages changed at measurable rates and that these could be determined even for languages without written precursors. Using vocabulary lists, he sought to understand not only change over time but also the relationships of extant languages. To be able to compare languages from different cultures, he based his lists on meanings he presumed would be available in as many cultures as possible. He then used the fraction of agreeing cognates between any two related languages to compute their divergence time by some (still debated) algorithms. Starting in 1950 with 165 meanings, his list grew to 215 in 1952, which was so expansive that many languages lacked native vocabulary for some terms. Subsequently, it was reduced to 207, and reduced much further to 100 meanings in 1955. A reformulated list was published posthumously in 1971.
| № | English | Bhojpuri भोजपुरी (bhōjᵊpurī) edit (207) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I (1sg) | हम (ham) |
| 2 | you (2sg) | ते (tē), तु (tu) |
| 3 | he, she, it (3sg) | उह (uh) |
| 4 | we (1pl) | हमनी (hamᵊnī) |
| 5 | you (2pl) | तुहनी (tuhᵊnī) |
| 6 | they (3pl) | उहनी (uhᵊnī) |
| 7 | this | इह (ih) |
| 8 | that | उह (uh) |
| 9 | here | इहाँ (ihā̃) |
| 10 | there | उहाँ (uhā̃) |
| 11 | who | कवन (kavan), के (kē) |
| 12 | what | का (kā) |
| 13 | where | कहाँ (kahā̃) |
| 14 | when | कब (kab) |
| 15 | how | कइसे (kaisē) |
| 16 | not | ना (nā) |
| 17 | all | कुल (kul), सभ (sabh) |
| 18 | many | ज़ादे, ढेरे (ḍhērē) |
| 19 | some | थोड़ी (thōṛī), कुछु (kuchu) |
| 20 | few | कम (kam), तनि (tani) |
| 21 | other | दुसर (dusar), बाजो (bājō) |
| 22 | one | एक (ēk) |
| 23 | two | दु (du) |
| 24 | three | तीन (tīn) |
| 25 | four | चार (cār) |
| 26 | five | पाँच (pā̃c) |
| 27 | big | बड़ (baṛ) |
| 28 | long | लाम (lām) |
| 29 | wide | चौड़ा (cauṛā) |
| 30 | thick | गाढ़ा (gāṛhā) |
| 31 | heavy | भारी (bhārī) |
| 32 | small | छोट (chōṭ), नन्ही (nanhī) |
| 33 | short | छोटहन (chōṭᵊhan) |
| 34 | narrow | पातर (pātar) |
| 35 | thin | पातर (pātar) |
| 36 | woman | मेहरारू (mēhᵊrārū), औरत (aurat) |
| 37 | man (adult male) | मरद (marad), अदीमी (adīmī) |
| 38 | man (human being) | इंसान (insān) |
| 39 | child | बच्चा (baccā) |
| 40 | wife | मेहरारू (mēhᵊrārū), लुगाई (lugāī) |
| 41 | husband | मरद (marad), भरतार (bharᵊtār) |
| 42 | mother | मतारी (matārī), माई (māī) |
| 43 | father | पितर (pitar), बाबूजी (bābūjī) |
| 44 | animal | जनावर (janāvar) |
| 45 | fish | मछरी (machᵊrī) |
| 46 | bird | चिड़ईं (ciṛaīn) |
| 47 | dog | कुकुर (kukur) |
| 48 | louse | लीख (līkh) |
| 49 | snake | सरफ (saraph), साँप (sā̃p) |
| 50 | worm | कीड़ा (kīṛā), फतिंगा (phatiṅgā) |
| 51 | tree | फेड़ (phēṛ), दरख (darakh) |
| 52 | forest | जंगल (jaṅgal) |
| 53 | stick | डण्डा (ḍaṇḍā), लट्ठ (laṭṭh) |
| 54 | fruit | फल (phal) |
| 55 | seed | बीया (bīyā) |
| 56 | leaf | पात (pāt), पतई (pataī) |
| 57 | root | जड़ (jaṛ) |
| 58 | bark (of a tree) | छाल (chāl), खाल (khāl) |
| 59 | flower | फूल (phūl) |
| 60 | grass | घास (ghās) |
| 61 | rope | रस्सी (rassī) |
| 62 | skin | चमड़ी (camᵊṛī) |
| 63 | meat | शिकार (śikār), गोश (gōś) |
| 64 | blood | ख़ून |
| 65 | bone | हड्डी (haḍḍī) |
| 66 | fat (noun) | चरबी (carᵊbī) |
| 67 | egg | अंडा (aṇḍā) |
| 68 | horn | सींग (sīṅg) |
| 69 | tail | पोँछ (pō̃ch) |
| 70 | feather | पाँख (pā̃kh) |
| 71 | hair | बार (bār), केस (kēs) |
| 72 | head | कपार (kapār), सिस (sis) |
| 73 | ear | कान (kān) |
| 74 | eye | आँख (ā̃kh) |
| 75 | nose | नाक (nāk) |
| 76 | mouth | मुँह (mũh) |
| 77 | tooth | दाँत (dā̃t) |
| 78 | tongue (organ) | जीभ (jībh) |
| 79 | fingernail | नाख़ुन, नख (nakh) |
| 80 | foot | गोड़ (gōṛ), पैर (pair) |
| 81 | leg | टांग (ṭāṅg) |
| 82 | knee | ठेहुना (ṭhēhunā) |
| 83 | hand | हाथ (hāth) |
| 84 | wing | पाँख (pā̃kh) |
| 85 | belly | पेट (pēṭ) |
| 86 | guts | अंतड़ी (antᵊṛī) |
| 87 | neck | गरदन (garᵊdan) |
| 88 | back | पीठ (pīṭh) |
| 89 | breast | छाती (chātī), सीना (sīnā) |
| 90 | heart | हीव (hīv), हिरदय (hirᵊday), दिल (dil) |
| 91 | liver | जिगर (jigar), करेजा (karējā) (also 'heart') |
| 92 | to drink | पीए (pīē) |
| 93 | to eat | खाए (khāē) |
| 94 | to bite | काटे (kāṭē) |
| 95 | to suck | चूसे (cūsē) |
| 96 | to spit | थूके (thūkē) |
| 97 | to vomit | क़ई करे |
| 98 | to blow | फूँके (phū̃kē) |
| 99 | to breathe | साँस लेवे (sā̃s lēvē) |
| 100 | to laugh | हँसे (hãsē) |
| 101 | to see | देखे (dēkhē) |
| 102 | to hear | सुने (sunē) |
| 103 | to know | जाने (jānē) |
| 104 | to think | सोचे (sōcē) |
| 105 | to smell | सूंघे (sūṅghē) |
| 106 | to fear | डरे (ḍarē) |
| 107 | to sleep | सुते (sutē) |
| 108 | to live | जीए (jīē) |
| 109 | to die | मरे (marē) |
| 110 | to kill | मारे (mārē) |
| 111 | to fight | लड़े (laṛē) |
| 112 | to hunt | शिकार करे (śikār karē) |
| 113 | to hit | मारे (mārē) |
| 114 | to cut | काटे (kāṭē) |
| 115 | to split | बंटे (baṇṭē) |
| 116 | to stab | खोभे (khōbhē) |
| 117 | to scratch | खरोंचे (kharōñcē) |
| 118 | to dig | खोदे (khōdē) |
| 119 | to swim | तैरे (tairē) |
| 120 | to fly | उड़े (uṛē) |
| 121 | to walk | चले (calē), चलावे (calāvē) |
| 122 | to come | आवे (āvē) |
| 123 | to lie (as in a bed) | लेटे (lēṭē) |
| 124 | to sit | बैठे (baiṭhē) |
| 125 | to stand | ठाड़ होवे (ṭhāṛ hōvē) |
| 126 | to turn (intransitive) | मुड़े (muṛē) |
| 127 | to fall | गिरे (girē) |
| 128 | to give | देवे (dēvē) |
| 129 | to hold | पकड़े (pakᵊṛē) |
| 130 | to squeeze | नचोड़े (nacōṛē) |
| 131 | to rub | मले (malē) |
| 132 | to wash | धोवे (dhōvē) |
| 133 | to wipe | पोंछे (pōñchē) |
| 134 | to pull | खींचे (khīñcē) |
| 135 | to push | धक्केले (dhakkēlē) |
| 136 | to throw | फेंके (phēṅkē), बिगे (bigē) |
| 137 | to tie | बान्हे (bānhē) |
| 138 | to sew | सीवे (sīvē) |
| 139 | to count | गिने (ginē) |
| 140 | to say | कहे (kahē) |
| 141 | to sing | गावे (gāvē) |
| 142 | to play | खेले (khēlē) |
| 143 | to float | तैरे (tairē), तैरावे (tairāvē) |
| 144 | to flow | बहे (bahē) |
| 145 | to freeze | जमे (jamē) |
| 146 | to swell | सूजे (sūjē) |
| 147 | sun | सूरज (sūraj) |
| 148 | moon | चान् (cān) |
| 149 | star | तारा (tārā) |
| 150 | water | पानी (pānī) |
| 151 | rain | बरखा (barᵊkhā) |
| 152 | river | नदी (nadī) |
| 153 | lake | ताल (tāl) |
| 154 | sea | समुन्दर (samundar) |
| 155 | salt | निमक (nimak), नून (nūn) |
| 156 | stone | पत्थल (patthal) |
| 157 | sand | बालू (bālū) |
| 158 | dust | गरदा (garᵊdā) |
| 159 | earth | ज़मीन, धरती (dharᵊtī) |
| 160 | cloud | बदरी (badᵊrī) |
| 161 | fog | धुंध (dhundh), कुहा (kuhā) |
| 162 | sky | असमान (asᵊmān) |
| 163 | wind | हवा (havā) |
| 164 | snow | बरफ़ |
| 165 | ice | बरफ़ |
| 166 | smoke | धुआँ (dhuā̃) |
| 167 | fire | आग (āg) |
| 168 | ash | राख (rākh) |
| 169 | to burn | जरे (jarē) |
| 170 | road | सड़क (saṛak), रह्ता (rahtā), रस्ता (rastā) |
| 171 | mountain | पहाड़ (pahāṛ) |
| 172 | red | लाल (lāl) |
| 173 | green | हरीयर (harīyar) |
| 174 | yellow | पीयर (pīyar) |
| 175 | white | उज्जर (ujjar) |
| 176 | black | करिया (kariyā) |
| 177 | night | रात (rāt) |
| 178 | day | दिन (din) |
| 179 | year | साल (sāl) |
| 180 | warm | गरम (garam) |
| 181 | cold | ठंडा (ṭhaṇḍā) |
| 182 | full | पूरा (pūrā) |
| 183 | new | नाया (nāyā) |
| 184 | old | पुरान (purān) |
| 185 | good | बढ़ियाँ (baṛhiyā̃) |
| 186 | bad | ख़राब |
| 187 | rotten | सड़ल (saṛal) |
| 188 | dirty | गन्दा (gandā) |
| 189 | straight | सीधा (sīdhā) |
| 190 | round | गोल (gōl) |
| 191 | sharp (as a knife) | तेज़ |
| 192 | dull (as a knife) | भोथर (bhōthar) |
| 193 | smooth | चिकन (cikan) |
| 194 | wet | भींजल (bhīñjal) |
| 195 | dry | सूखल (sūkhal) |
| 196 | correct | सही (sahī) |
| 197 | near | नियरे (niyarē) |
| 198 | far | दूर (dūr) |
| 199 | right | दायाँ (dāyā̃) |
| 200 | left | बायाँ (bāyā̃) |
| 201 | at | पर (par) |
| 202 | in | में (mē̃) |
| 203 | with | के साथे (kē sāthē) |
| 204 | and | अउर (aur) |
| 205 | if | अगर (agar) |
| 206 | because | काहेकि (kāhēki) |
| 207 | name | नाव (nāv) |