Martial Arts

1. હું એક દિવસ માટે ક્લાસમાં જોડાઈ શકું?

   Hum ek divas mate klasma jodai shakum?

   Can I join the class for just one day?

   Usage

   The basic way to ask about a drop-in session. Martial arts gyms and karate dojos in Ahmedabad and Surat commonly take travellers for a single trial class

   Grammar Note

   "Verb stem + shakum" expresses first-person ability. "Shakvu" does not inflect for gender, so men and women use the same form

2. હું પહેલાં પ્રેક્ટિસ જોઈ શકું?

   Hum pahela practis joi shakum?

   May I watch the practice first?

   Usage

   Use this to check the atmosphere and the coach before paying. Indian dojos are relaxed about spectators and will usually let you watch for free. Never step onto the mat with your shoes on

   Grammar Note

   Gym and sports vocabulary is heavily borrowed from English — "practis", "klas", "glavz" are all used as is. The native Gujarati word for practice is "abhyas"

3. અહીં કરાટે કે જુડોના ક્લાસ છે?

   Ahim karate ke judona klas chhe?

   Do you have karate or judo classes here?

   Usage

   Organised traditional martial arts schools are scarce in Gujarat; what you can actually train in is mostly modern — karate, taekwondo, boxing and mixed martial arts, often housed inside a city fitness gym

   Grammar Note

   "Ke" links alternatives ("or"). The suffix "-na" marks type or belonging, so "judona klas" is "judo classes"

4. હું સાવ નવો/નવી છું.

   Hum sav navo/navi chhum.

   I am a complete beginner.

   Usage

   Say this up front and the coach will keep you on basics. Indian dojos post no skill levels and rely on you speaking up; stay quiet and you may be paired with experienced students

   Grammar Note

   Gujarati adjectives agree with the subject's gender: masculine ends in -o, feminine in -i, and neuter in -um

5. કૃપા કરીને ધીમેથી શરૂ કરો.

   Krupa karine dhimethi sharu karo.

   Please start slowly and go easy.

   Usage

   The shortest way to ask for lower intensity in sparring or pad work. Most dojos expect you to have basic defence before free sparring, so do not assume you will join it on day one

   Grammar Note

   The ending "-o" is the polite imperative used with strangers and elders. "Dhimethi" is the adverb formed from the adjective "dhimum" (slow) with the suffix "-thi"

6. મારા ઘૂંટણમાં દુખાવો છે.

   Mara ghuntanma dukhavo chhe.

   My knee is hurting.

   Usage

   Say this before training starts — there is no intake form, so speaking up is the only way to flag an injury. Swap "ghuntan" (knee) for "khabho" (shoulder), "kamar" (lower back) or "ghunti" (ankle)

   Grammar Note

   The locative "-ma" attaches directly to the noun. Pain is expressed as existing "in" the body part, using the noun "dukhavo" rather than a verb

7. મહિનાની ફી કેટલી છે?

   Mahinani phi ketli chhe?

   How much is the monthly fee?

   Usage

   If you are staying a week or more a monthly rate is usually cheaper. Martial arts classes in urban Gujarat run roughly 1,000-3,000 rupees a month, and gym-attached ones may add a joining fee

   Grammar Note

   The genitive suffix "-no / -ni / -num" agrees with the following noun. "Phi" is feminine, giving "mahinani" and the feminine question word "ketli"

8. એક ક્લાસના કેટલા રૂપિયા?

   Ek klasna ketla rupiya?

   How much is one class?

   Usage

   As a traveller this is the practical question to lead with. Expect around 200-500 rupees a session, and ask about a multi-class pass for a better rate. Besides cash, UPI payment is accepted almost everywhere

   Grammar Note

   "Rupiya" is plural, so the question word takes the plural form "ketla". Dropping the verb "chhe" and saying just "ketla rupiya?" is the natural colloquial way to ask a price

9. મહિલાઓ માટે અલગ ક્લાસ છે?

   Mahilao mate alag klas chhe?

   Is there a separate class for women?

   Usage

   Women-only classes aimed at self-defence are increasingly common in urban Gujarat, and many dojos have female instructors. If a mixed class is not for you, ask this in advance

   Grammar Note

   The postposition "mate" is written separately from the preceding noun. "Alag" is an invariable adjective and does not change for gender

10. ક્લાસનો સમય શું છે?

    Klasno samay shum chhe?

    What time is the class?

    Usage

    Gujarati dojos usually run early morning (around 06:00-08:00) and evening (around 18:00-21:00) sessions to avoid the heat. The evening class, filled with students after school, is the busiest. They often close on festival days, so check on the day

    Grammar Note

    "Samay" is masculine, so the genitive takes the masculine "-no". "Shum" is a yes/no question particle at the start of a sentence but the pronoun "what" mid-sentence

11. ગ્લવ્ઝ ભાડે મળે છે?

    Glavz bhade male chhe?

    Are gloves available to rent?

    Usage

    Dojos will often lend beginners a pair of gloves, but hand wraps and uniforms are almost always sold rather than rented for hygiene reasons. A karate gi ("karate dress") can be bought at any nearby sports shop

    Grammar Note

    "Malvu" means "to become available" and takes the object, not the borrower, as its subject. "Bhade malvu" is the set phrase for "to be available for rent"

12. મને આ દાવ શીખવશો?

    Mane a dav shikhavsho?

    Could you teach me this move?

    Usage

    "Dav" originally means a wrestling hold in kushti but is understood as "technique" in martial arts generally. Coaches are addressed as "sir" or "guruji", and you thank them with "aabhaar" afterwards

    Grammar Note

    Inserting the causative -v- into "shikhvu" (to learn) gives "shikhavvu" (to teach). Using the second-person plural future "shikhavsho" as a request sounds politely deferential

13. અહીં નહાવાની સગવડ છે?

    Ahim nahavani sagvad chhe?

    Is there somewhere to wash up here?

    Usage

    City gyms in Gujarat increasingly have showers, though a bucket-and-mug wash is still common. Towels are your own responsibility, and you will sweat heavily, so plan on bringing a change of clothes and water

    Grammar Note

    An infinitive plus "-ni" forms a modifier meaning "for doing X": "nahavani sagvad" is "a facility for bathing". The frame works for asking about any amenity

14. કુસ્તીની સ્પર્ધા ક્યાં જોવા મળે?

    Kustini spardha kyam jova male?

    Where can I see a wrestling competition?

    Usage

    Gujarat has kushti akharas, and bouts are usually staged alongside village fairs and local festivals. At large fairs such as Tarnetar you may also see folk displays with the "lathi", the traditional long stick

    Grammar Note

    "Jova malvu" literally means "to get to see" and works as an impersonal possibility construction — "one can catch sight of" — without naming the agent

15. હાથ ઉપર રાખો, સામેવાળાની આંખમાં જુઓ.

    Hath upar rakho, samevalani ankhma juo.

    Keep your hands up, look into your opponent's eyes.

    Usage

    Said by the coach. One of the most frequent cues during sparring and pad work. You are taught to watch the eyes and shoulders rather than the fists — drop your gaze and you misread the next strike

    Grammar Note

    Adding the agentive suffix "-vala" to "same" (opposite) gives "the one opposite", i.e. the opponent. "-vala" is a highly productive suffix forming "the person who does or has X"

16. પૂરી તાકાતથી મારો, ખચકાશો નહીં.

    Puri takatthi maro, khachkasho nahim.

    Strike with full power, do not hold back.

    Usage

    Said by the coach. The standard call when the person holding the pads wants your full commitment. A hesitant, half-power strike is more likely to hurt your own wrist, so you are pushed to commit

    Grammar Note

    The instrumental suffix "-thi" means "with / by means of", giving "takatthi" (with strength). A prohibition is formed by placing "nahim" after the verb

17. પાંચ મિનિટ આરામ કરો અને પાણી પીઓ.

    Panch minit aaram karo ane pani pio.

    Take a five-minute break and drink some water.

    Usage

    Said by the coach. Gujarat summers pass 40 degrees and many dojos have no air conditioning, so frequent water breaks are built in. Bring your own bottle; some dojos have a water purifier on site

    Grammar Note

    Gujarati forms many verbs by pairing a noun with "karvu" (to do): "aaram karvu" (to rest), "madad karvu" (to help), "sharu karvu" (to begin)

18. આજે આટલું જ. બહુ સરસ!

    Aaje aatlum ja. Bahu saras!

    That is enough for today. Very good!

    Usage

    The coach's closing line. Reply with "aabhaar sir", and at some dojos the class lines up for a final bow. Tipping is not expected, though some people offer something after a private lesson

    Grammar Note

    The particle "ja" restricts the preceding word to mean "only that much". "Saras" means "excellent" or "well done" and is a very common word of praise in everyday speech

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