If you are travelling to Mongolia, then you must know the basics of the language otherwise, you will find it difficult to get around because most people do not speak English, especially out in the countryside.
For a detailed resource, try this website: http://learnmongolianlanguage.com/
Greetings
Greetings are pretty simple. There aren’t many variations, and most people use the Sain baina uu version which is pretty easy to remember.
Sain baina uu – It means hi in a more formal way
Yu baina – It is similar to saying what is up? Or how is it going?
Sain uu – This is the shorest and most simplest version. It just means hi
Introductions
Namaig Zaya gedeg – My name is Zaya. Use this if you need to introduce yourself to other people.
Chamaig hen gedeg ve? – If you want to ask someone else’s name, you just ask this.
Asking for help
Uuchlaarai – People don’t really use this much, but it is a way to be polite and ask for a request.
Nadad tuslaach? – This means can you please help me with something.
How do Mongolians communicate?
If you don’t know the person well, or if it someone visibly older than you then, you have to refer to someone as “ta”. It is similar to other languages where it is a formal version of you.
For someone who is a peer or on the same age group, you can refer to them as “chi”.
When Mongolians speak with each other, usually they talk in an informal way. You have to understand that most Mongolians are pretty blunt and there is not much of a political correctness to how people speak.
It does not necessarily mean that people are rude and disrespectful, but the culture of nomadic peoples are more blunt and direct with their words. Usually people are not afraid to say remarks that might be considered as insensitive.
Is Mongolian Language Similar to Other Languages?
A lot of people assume that Mongolian has to be somewhat related or similar to either Russian or Chinese, but it in fact is neither. The origins are very different and don’t necessarily have any resemblance to both languages.
It is a unique language of its own with its own grammar and distinctness. However, you will find a lot of loan words and borrowed words in Russian mostly technology related words are directly taken from the Russians and Western people.
Age Of People When Communcating
When you are talking to someone older, usually there is a sense of age hierarchy. However, if you are a foreigner, most people will understand what you are trying to mean without being offended. Older people are usually treated with respect and in a different tone and manner compared with someone who is younger or of the same age.