Lesson 128: Writing a CV and a formal letter

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1Limba’s diary

Limba applies to volunteer

Gerel wants a short CV and a formal letter. I can write a postcard in Mongolian, but a formal letter is another world.

Nomin sat down with me after dinner. "A formal letter is like a deel for a ceremony," she said. "Everything has its place." It opens with Хүндэт and the name, Та takes a capital letter, every request ends in –на уу, and at the bottom you write Хүндэтгэсэн before your name.

Fifteen lines took me two hours. Nomin found only one mistake.

2Dialogue

LimbaНомин, албан захидлыг яаж эхэлдэг вэ?Nomin, how does a formal letter begin?
Номин"Хүндэт" гэдэг үгээр эхэлнэ. Жишээ нь: "Хүндэт Гэрэл танаа,"With the word "Хүндэт". For example: "Хүндэт Гэрэл танаа," ("Dear Gerel,").
Limba"Танаа" гэдэг нь юу вэ?What is "танаа"?
НоминЗахидлын эхэнд "та" биш, "танаа" гэж бичдэг. Энэ их хүндэтгэлтэй үг.At the start of a letter you write "танаа", not "та". It's a very respectful word.
Limba"Та" гэдэг үгийг том үсгээр бичих үү?Do I write the word "та" with a capital letter?
НоминТийм. Албан захидалд "Та", "Таны", "Танай" гэж том үсгээр бичдэг. Энэ бол хүндэтгэл.Yes. In a formal letter you write "Та", "Таны" and "Танай" with a capital. It's a mark of respect.
LimbaХүсэлтээ яаж бичих вэ?How do I write my request?
Номин"–на уу", "–нэ үү" гэж бич. Жишээ нь: "Миний өргөдлийг хүлээн авна уу."Use "–на уу", "–нэ үү". For example: "Please accept my application."
LimbaХамгийн сүүлд нь юу гэж бичих вэ?And what do I write at the very end?
Номин"Хүндэтгэсэн" гэж бичээд доор нь нэрээ бичнэ.You write "Хүндэтгэсэн" ("Respectfully") and your name under it.
LimbaБи бичиж дууслаа. Уншаад засаж өгөөч.I've finished. Please read it and correct it for me.
НоминСайн бичсэн байна! Ганц алдаа байна: "танай" гэж жижиг үсгээр бичсэн байна.You've written it well! There's just one mistake: you wrote "танай" with a small letter.
LimbaӨө, тийм байна. Одоо засъя.Oh, so I did. I'll correct it now.
НоминОдоо илгээж болно. Амжилт хүсье!Now you can send it. Good luck!

3Words in this lesson

Mongolian	English
албан захидал	formal letter
хүндэт	respected; Dear (at the start of a letter)
танаа	to you (respectful form in letter openings)
хүндэтгэл	respect
хүндэтгэсэн	respectfully (at the end of a letter)
хүсэлт	request
хүсэлтэй	wishing, keen (to)
хүлээн авах	to accept, to receive
эх хэл	mother tongue
том үсэг	capital letter
алдаа	mistake
жишээ нь	for example
хамгийн сүүлд	at the very end
Амжилт хүсье!	Good luck! (literally "I wish you success")

4Grammar and explanations

A formal letter, line by line

Here is the letter Limba sent. Read it slowly: every line follows a pattern you can reuse.

Хүндэт Гэрэл танаа,Dear Gerel, (literally "Respected Gerel, to you,")

Намайг Лимба гэдэг. Би Канад улсаас ирсэн.My name is Limba. I come from Canada.

Би Танай төвд сайн дурын ажилтнаар ажиллах хүсэлтэй байна.I would like to work at your centre as a volunteer.

Миний эх хэл англи хэл. Би монгол хэл бас сурч байна.My mother tongue is English. I am also learning Mongolian.

Би урьд нь Канадад хүүхдүүдэд англи хэл зааж байсан.I have taught English to children in Canada.

Товч намтраа хавсаргаж байна.I attach my short CV.

Миний өргөдлийг хүлээн авч үзнэ үү.Please consider my application.

Таны хариуг хүлээж байна.I look forward to your reply.

Хүндэтгэсэн, ЛимбаRespectfully, Limba

The rules of the formal register

Open with Хүндэт, the name and танаа: Хүндэт Гэрэл танаа,. For someone very important, write Эрхэм хүндэт ("most respected").
Write Та, Таны and Танай with a capital letter, even in the middle of a sentence. In a letter this is a mark of respect.
Ask with the polite –на уу / –но уу / –нэ үү / –нө үү of lesson 66: хүлээн авна уу (please accept), хариу өгнө үү (please reply). Never use the bare stem: it is an order.
Say what you wish with –х хүсэлтэй байна, the formal cousin of –маар байна.
Close with Хүндэтгэсэн, and your name.

хүсэлтэй: "having the wish"

Хүсэл is a wish; with –тэй it becomes хүсэлтэй, "having the wish, keen". Put the verb in –х in front of it.

Би Танай төвд ажиллах хүсэлтэй байна.I your centre-DAT work-PART wish-COM be-PRES-FUT"I would like to work at your centre."

The CV: товч намтар

A Mongolian CV is a list of headings, each followed by a short line with no verb: Хэлний мэдлэг: англи хэл (эх хэл), монгол хэл (дунд).

Heading	English
Нэр	Name
Иргэншил	Citizenship
Боловсрол	Education
Ажлын туршлага	Work experience
Хэлний мэдлэг	Languages
Утас, цахим шуудан	Phone, e-mail

Go deeper in the grammar guide: Politeness and address in Mongolian · Mongolian imperatives

5Good to know

Letters and messages between friends are much freer: Сайн уу, Номин! at the top and Баяртай! at the bottom. But anything you send to an office, a school or an employer follows the formal pattern of this lesson. A good closing wish for anyone at work is Ажлын амжилт хүсье! "I wish you success in your work!"

6Exercises

Choose the right answer, then press Check my answers. Score 70% or more and the lesson is ticked on your course map.

A formal letter to Gerel begins…
In a formal letter, та is written…
Which request suits a formal letter?
Хүндэтгэсэн, at the end of a letter means…
"I would like to work at your centre." (formal)
What is товч намтар?
Миний өргөдлийг хүлээн авч үзнэ үү. means…
In the dialogue, what mistake did Limba make?
Which CV heading means "work experience"?
Миний эх хэл англи хэл. means…

Well done! Lesson 128 is ticked on your course map.

Write it yourself

Write your answer on paper or in your head first, then reveal the model answer.

Begin a formal letter to Oyuunaa.
Show answer
Хүндэт Оюунаа танаа,
Write formally: "I would like to study at your school."
Show answer
Би Танай сургуульд сурах хүсэлтэй байна.
Write the polite request: "Please reply."
Show answer
Хариу өгнө үү.
Write: "I attach my short CV."
Show answer
Товч намтраа хавсаргаж байна.
Close a formal letter signed by Limba.
Show answer
Хүндэтгэсэн, Лимба

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