Culture & Etiquette

1. اجرڪ

   ajiraka

   Ajrak (traditional Sindhi block-printed cloth)

   Usage

   Sindh's signature printed cloth, worn over the shoulders and given as a gift of honour.

   Grammar Note

   The SLA Stack entry says "a kind of fancy colored sheet or shawl worn over head or shoulder"; feminine noun.

2. رلي

   ralī

   Ralli (patchwork quilt)

   Usage

   Bedcover made of patched cloth; a popular Sindhi souvenir.

   Grammar Note

   The SLA Stack entry says "a quilt or coverlet stuffed with old clothes"; feminine noun.

3. سنڌي ٽوپي

   sindhī ṭopī

   Sindhi cap (embroidered cap)

   Usage

   Traditional cap with a cut-out brim and embroidery, worn with ajrak.

   Grammar Note

   «سنڌي ٽوپي» has an sd.wikipedia article; the SLA Stack entry for ٽوپي says "a cap, hat".

4. الغوزو

   alghozo

   Alghozo (Sindhi double flute)

   Usage

   A Sindhi flute with two pipes blown at once, used in folk and Sufi music.

   Grammar Note

   ⚠ Not an SLA headword; spelling confirmed from eight uses on sd.wikipedia. Vowels inferred.

5. اوطاق

   otāqa

   Otaq (men's guest room)

   Usage

   The room or hall where a household or village receives guests and meets; whether women may enter varies, so wait to be shown.

   Grammar Note

   The SLA Stack entry says "the men's apartments in a house or a separate habitation for men alone"; feminine noun.

6. ڀرت

   bharata

   Embroidery

   Usage

   The embroidery on Sindhi clothing and cloth; ڀرت وارو ڪپڙو means "embroidered cloth".

   Grammar Note

   The SLA official-terms dictionary lists ڀرت as "embroidery". ⚠ It is also the king's name Bharat; vowels inferred.

7. شاهه جو رسالو

   shāhu jo risālo

   Shah Jo Risalo (poetry of Bhittai)

   Usage

   The poetry of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, the great Sindhi poet.

   Grammar Note

   Has an sd.wikipedia article (about 40 uses in text). رسالو is masculine; vowels inferred.

8. سنڌي ثقافت

   sindhī saqāfata

   Sindhi culture

   Usage

   A phrase covering Sindh's traditions, dress, music and hospitality.

   Grammar Note

   The SLA literary-terms dictionary has a headword for سنڌي ثقافت. ثقافت is feminine.

9. مهمان نوازي

   mahamāna navāzī

   Hospitality

   Usage

   Hospitality is highly valued in Sindh; when offered tea or food, accepting at least a little is polite.

   Grammar Note

   The SLA Jamai Lughat entry defines it as caring for travellers and guests; feminine noun.

10. سنڌي ٻولي

    sindhī bbolī

    Sindhi language

    Usage

    The name of the language, handy when you say you want to learn a word of it.

    Grammar Note

    ٻ (U+067B) is the implosive bb; ٻولي is feminine.

11. هن اجرڪ جي قيمت ڪيتري آهي؟

    Hina ajiraka jī qīmata ketirī āhe?

    How much is this ajrak?

    Usage

    Asks the price when buying a souvenir.

    Grammar Note

    قيمت is feminine, so جي and ڪيتري are used; هن is the oblique of هي. This is a composed sentence: it is built from checked words and regular Sindhi grammar, not copied from a phrasebook, so a native speaker may phrase it slightly differently.

12. اجرڪ ڪٿان ملي ٿي؟

    Ajiraka kithān milī thī?

    Where can I get an ajrak?

    Usage

    Asks where to find ajrak for sale.

    Grammar Note

    ملي ٿي means "is available"; ٿي agrees with the feminine اجرڪ. This is a composed sentence: it is built from checked words and regular Sindhi grammar, not copied from a phrasebook, so a native speaker may phrase it slightly differently.

13. سنڌي ثقافت ڏاڍي سهڻي آهي

    Sindhī saqāfata ddāḍhī sunhaṇī āhe

    Sindhi culture is very beautiful.

    Usage

    Shares appreciation with a local person.

    Grammar Note

    ثقافت is feminine, so ڏاڍي سهڻي take feminine forms. This is a composed sentence: it is built from checked words and regular Sindhi grammar, not copied from a phrasebook, so a native speaker may phrase it slightly differently.

14. توهان جي مهمان نوازي جي مهرباني

    Tavahān jī mahamāna navāzī jī mihirbānī

    Thank you for your hospitality.

    Usage

    A thank-you after being invited into a home.

    Grammar Note

    Both مهمان نوازي and مهرباني are feminine, so the genitive is جي. This is a composed sentence: it is built from checked words and regular Sindhi grammar, not copied from a phrasebook, so a native speaker may phrase it slightly differently.

15. هن جو مطلب ڇا آهي؟

    Hina jo matalaba chhā āhe?

    What does this mean?

    Usage

    Asks the meaning of a custom or word.

    Grammar Note

    مطلب is masculine, hence جو. This is a composed sentence: it is built from checked words and regular Sindhi grammar, not copied from a phrasebook, so a native speaker may phrase it slightly differently.

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