r/LearnKonkani

Hi all,

I work in the public health field and I’m currently helping develop a poster aimed at improving sexual health access amongst the global majority communities in our local area.

I’m struggling to get an accurate translation for one specific phrase on the Konkani poster. The wording we need translated is essentially:

“Testing for sexually transmitted infections”

However, whenever we use translation applications, the translation keeps coming back closer to “sexually transmitted tests”, rather than referring to the process of being tested for infections/STIs themselves.

I was wondering whether there is a more natural or medically accurate way to phrase this in Konkani, or whether there is a specific wording commonly used by Konkani speakers for STI testing/sexual health screening.

Apologies if this falls a bit outside the usual posts here, but any help would genuinely be appreciated as it would help improve accessibility and reduce health inequalities for Konkani speakers within the community we serve.

Thank you in advance.

Hello! 👋🏻
I’m Italian and I majored in Translation Studies. One of my main languages is Portuguese, so I’ve always known about Goa and its history, however more recently I’ve been wanting to learn Konkani to get to know more about Goa. What would your suggestions be? Textbooks? Talking to people? I’ve tried that on apps like Tandem but there are virtually no Konkani speakers on there (native speakers at least). Also, I’m aware there are many dialects and I think I want to learn the one spoken in Goa, if that makes sense. Are the dialects really that different from each other? I’m new to this, sorry for any confusion!
Please, leave your suggestions 🙏🏻 I’m grateful for any feedback.

Kazar jata! Few things bring a Konkani family together quite like a wedding. The food, the music, the rituals, the relatives you only see at weddings and the language that ties it all together. Here's your complete Konkani wedding vocabulary.

General Wedding Terms

English	Mangalorean Konkani	Devanagari
Marriage	Kazar	काज़ार
Bride	Vokol bai	वोकोल
Groom	Voret Rai	वोरेट
Wedding ceremony	Kazarachi vidhi	काज़ार विधी
Engagement	Muddi	सकाय / नोइवादो
Wedding invitation	Kazar apovanem	काज़ार आपोवणें
Wedding hall	Kazar ghor	काज़ार घर
Wedding feast	Kazar jevan	काज़ार जेवण
Wedding gift	Kazar bhett	काज़ार भेट
Anniversary	Lagna jivitvarsacho	लगना जीविटवरसाचो दिस
Dowry	Doth	दोथ
Bride's family	Novrechi kutom	नोवरेची कुटम
Groom's family	Navryache kutom	नवरेचो कुटम

Catholic Konkani Wedding Rituals

Ritual	Romi Konkani	Meaning
Wedding Mass	Kazarachi Missa	Church ceremony
Exchange of vows	Vachan diunche	Promises made before God
Exchange of rings	Muddi ghalche	Rings placed on fingers
Signing the register	Register soi korche	Legal signing
Wedding reception	Kazar fest	Celebration after church
First dance	Jodyanche nach	Bride and groom's first dance
Throwing bouquet	Phullancheo gucch uddovche	Bride throws bouquet
Blessing of couple	Jodyek aashirvad	Elders bless the couple

Hindu Konkani Wedding Rituals

Ritual	Mangalorean Konkani	Meaning
Engagement	Sakai	Formal engagement ceremony
Haldi ceremony	Halad	Turmeric applied to bride and groom
Mehendi	Mehendi	Henna ceremony
Saptapadi	Saat paavlam	Seven steps around sacred fire
Sacred fire	Pavitro agni	Central element of Hindu wedding
Tying the knot	Gaant ghalche	Symbolic tying together
Mangalsutra	Mangalsutra	Sacred necklace tied by groom
Sindoor	Sindoor	Vermillion applied by groom
Aashirvad	Aashirvad	Blessing from elders
Vidaai	Nirop	Bride's farewell from family home

Wedding Celebrations & Music

English	Mangalorean Konkani	Devanagari
Music	Sangeet	संगीत
Dance	Nach	नाच
Drum	Dhol	ढोल
Band	Band	बँड
Song	Geet	गीत
Baila music	Baila	बायला
Folk dance	Lok nach	लोक नाच
Let's dance	Nachuyat	नाचुयात
The music is great	Sangeet mast assa	संगीत मस्त आसा

Wedding Food (Kazar Jevan)

English	Mangalorean Konkani	Devanagari
Wedding feast	Kazar jevan	कजार जेवण
Rice	Sheit	शीट
Fish curry	Nuste kodi	नुस्तें कोडी
Chicken curry	Kori kodi	कोरी कोडी
Sweet	Mittai / Doce	मिठाय / दोस
Wedding cake	Kazar bol	कजार बोल
Sweet rice	God bhaat	गोड भात
Payasam	Payasam	पायसम
Kokum drink	Sol kadhi	सोल कढी
Coconut sweet	Naarlyacho god	नारळ्याचो गोड

Compliments & Wishes

English	Mangalorean Konkani	Devanagari
Best wishes	Borem magta	शीट मागता
May you be happy always	Tum sadanch khushi asaat	तुम सदांच खुशी आसात
God bless you both	Devaan tumkam dogan aashirvad dium	देवान तुमकां दोगांय आशीर्वाद दीव
You look beautiful	Tum sobit distai	तुम सोभित दिसताय
The wedding is lovely	Kazar mast sundor assa	कजार मस्त सुंदर आसा
When is the wedding?	Kazar kedala assa?	कजार केदाला आसा?
Where is the wedding?	Kazar khay assa?	कजार खय आसा?
I am so happy for you	Tujhe khatir hanv mast khushi assa	तुझे खातीर हांव मस्त खुशी आसा
They make a great couple	Te mast bori jodi aasat	ते मस्त बरी जोडी आसात

What Relatives Say At Every Konkani Wedding

What They Say	Translation	What They Really Mean
Tum kedhna kortai?	When are you doing yours?	Directed at every single person present
Jevan borem assa?	Is the food good?	The only real metric of a successful wedding
Koslench ugdas naa	I don't remember anything	Said after the third helping of fish curry
Dev borem korum tumkam	God bless you both	Said at every departure, every photo, every moment
Mast sobit jode	What a beautiful couple	Said regardless of what the couple looks like
Kitlo lok ailo?	How many people came?	The competitive aunty headcount
Tuka kedhnaa bhaair dittele? OR Tuvem shodlai gi kuni?	When will they find someone for you?	Run. Just run.

Kazar jata! What's the one thing that's always said at every Konkani wedding in your family? Drop it below, the more specific the better 👇

Kaam korunk zai ne saaaiba!!!! Whether you're on a call with family back home, working in a Konkani-speaking office, or just want to complain about your boss in a language nobody else understands..... here's your professional vocabulary.

The Office (Kaacheri)

English	Mangalorean Konkani	Devanagari
Work	Kaam	काम
Job	Dhandho	धंदो
Salary	Pagar	पगार
Boss	Saheb / Boss	साहेब / बॉस
Document	Kagad	कागद
Signature	Soi	सोय
Leave / Day off	Sutti	सुट्टी

At a Meeting (Meetingant)

English	Mangalorean Konkani	Devanagari
The meeting starts now	Meeting atta suruu zata	मीटिंग आतां सुरू जाता
Please be on time	Daaya karun vel paaLon ye	दया करून वेळ पाळून ये
Any questions?	Khanyacheya sawaalaan asath gi?	खंयचेय सवालां आसात गी?
I agree	Hanv maanta	हांव मान्ता
I disagree	Hanv maanaina	हांव मान्ैना
Let me explain	Hanv samjaaytha	हांव समजायता
Can you repeat that?	Ani ek paati sang	आनी एक पाती सांग
I don't understand	Makka samjona	माका समजोना
That is a good idea	Tem borem vichar assa	तें बरें विचार आसा
Let's decide together	Amhi ekthaim nirnoy ghevuya	आमी एकठाय निर्णय घेवुया
The meeting is over	Meeting zaali	मीटिंग झाली

Talking About Work

English	Mangalorean Konkani	Devanagari
I am busy	Hanv busy assa	हांव बिझी आसा
I have a lot of work	Makka musst kaam assa	माका मुस्ट काम आसा
The work is done	Kaam jalam	काम जालां
The work is pending	Kaam baaki assa	काम बाकी आसा
I am working from home	Hanv ghoraan kaam korta	हांव घरां काम करता
I have a meeting	Makka meeting assa	माका मीटिंग आसा
I need help	Makka modot zai	माका मोदत जाय
Can you help me?	Tum makka modot kortai?	तुम माका मोदत करताय?
The deadline is tomorrow	Deadline faalyaa assa	डेडलाइन फाल्यां आसा
I finished early	Hanvem vegi karn dile	हावेन वेगि करन दिले
I need a day off	Makka ek dis sutti zai	माका एक दीस सुट्टी जाय

Working From Home (Ghoraan Kaam)

English	Mangalorean Konkani	Devanagari
I am on a call	Hanv call-ar assa	हांव कॉलार आसा
Please keep quiet	Daaya karun avaz kaadunk naka	दया करून आवाज काडुंक नका
My internet is slow	Mhojhem internet slow assa	माझें इंटरनेट slow आसा
The connection is bad	Connection borem naa	कनेक्शन बरें ना
I can't hear you	Makka tujho avaz yena	माका तुझो आवाज येना
Can you see my screen?	Mhojhem screen distaa?	माझें स्क्रीन दिसता?
I will send you the file	Hanv tuka file dhaaditam	हांव तुका फाईल धाडितां
Check your email	Tujhem email pole	तुझें ईमेल पोल

Complaining About Work (The Real Vocabulary)

English	Mangalorean Konkani	Devanagari
Too much work	Musst kaam assa	मुस्ट काम आसा
My boss is difficult	Mhojho sir kathin assa	माझो sir कठीण आसा
I am exhausted	Hanv mast sustu jalo/jali	हांव मस्त सुस्तु जालो/जाली
I need a holiday	Makka sutti zai	माका सुट्टी जाय
This job is stressful	Hem kaam khateen assa	हें काम कठीण आसा
I hate Mondays	Makka Somaara aavadanaa	माका सोमारा आवडना
When is payday?	Pagar kedhna yeta?	पगार केधना येता?
I need a raise	Makka pagar vaaddonk zai	माका पगार वाडोंक जाय

Kiti kaam assa aaj? What does your Monday morning look like in Konkani? Drop it below 👇