Greetings
Kuzuzangpo la
koo-zoo-ZANG-po la — the 'la' is not optional
Hello, respectfully. The 'la' is an honorific particle that softens almost any sentence.
Tashi delek
TA-shi DE-lek
Blessings and good fortune — used as a toast, a congratulation and a farewell.
Social
La
Attached to the end of almost everything
An honorific marker carrying no meaning of its own. Dropping it sounds abrupt; adding it is the single fastest way to sound polite in Dzongkha.
Kadrin chhe la
ka-drin-CHAY la
Thank you. Used less freely than English 'thanks' — it carries real weight.
Doma
DOH-ma
Betel nut with lime wrapped in a leaf, chewed constantly and offered socially. Declining politely is fine.
Daily life
Gho / Kira
GO (men's robe) / KEE-ra (women's wrapped dress)
Bhutan's national dress. Required in government offices, schools, dzongs and formal occasions — not a costume.
Driglam Namzha
DRIG-lam NAM-zha
The formal code of etiquette and dress governing conduct in official and religious settings.
Dzong
ZONG
A fortress-monastery housing both the district administration and a monastic body — the civic centre of every Bhutanese town.
Ngultrum
NGUL-trum, written Nu.
The currency, pegged one-to-one with the Indian rupee, which also circulates.
Food
Ema datshi
EH-ma DAT-shi
Chillies cooked in cheese — the national dish. Chillies here are a vegetable, not a seasoning.
Work
Gross National Happiness
Abbreviated GNH; taken seriously in policy, not marketing
Bhutan's development framework, which formally weighs wellbeing and environment alongside economic output.
Emergency
113 / 112 / 110
Police / ambulance / fire
Bhutan's emergency numbers. 112 reaches the Health Help Centre, which also gives medical advice.
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