Vocabulary for Lesson 4 (Oct. 22, 2013)
Somali
Subax(a)
English Meaning
Morning
Notes
(Arabic)
Subax wanaagsan.
Good morning.
(used in towns – literal translation
of “Good morning”)
Bari (v)
Break of day
(also can mean “to beg”, “entreat”
or “petition / pray”)
Ku bari (v)
To pass the night
Ma bariday?
Did you pass the night?
Maxaad ku bariday?
How did you pass the
night?
Galab(ta)
Afternoon
Galab wanaagsan.
Good afternoon.
(used in towns – literal translation
of “Good afternoon”)
har(ka)
Shade, shadow
(of a cloud or a tree)
Hargal (v)
To “Get into the shade; sit in
the shade”
(this is very important and
common to do in mid-day in the
hot climate of most Somali areas)
Maad hargeshay?
Did you take shelter in midday? Did you get into shade?
Maxaad ku
hargeshay?
How did you pass the midday?
(more traditional afternoon
greeting – implies “how did you
pass the heat of mid-day” cf.
second form; the reply is “Nabad”
Habeen(ka)
Night; night-time
Also “Hameen” or “Habeyn”
Habeen wanaagsan.
Good night.
Soo bari.
Pass the night.
Bariyasan.
Pass the night well.
(used in towns – literal translation
of “Good night”)
(more traditional evening leave
taking – implies “pass the night
well” cf. second form; reply same
(more traditional morning
greeting – implies “how did you
pass the night” cf. second form;
the reply is “Nabad” (in peace)
For “Verbal Commands” Worksheet 4 vocabulary see Lesson 2 vocabulary page 3
For “More Instructions” Worksheet 7 vocabulary see Lesson 3 vocabulary esp. p.2
Aniga/Anigu
Adiga/Adigu
Isaga/Isagu
Iyeda/Iyedu
I
You
He
She
(emphatic pronoun)
(emphatic pronoun)
(emphatic pronoun)
(emphatic pronoun)
Cali
Ali
(common Somali man’s name;
Mohammed’s nephew; 3rd Caliph)
Xaawo / Xaawa
Hawa (Eve)
(common Somali woman’s name;
equivalent of “Eve” in English)
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Vocabulary for Lesson 4 (Oct. 22, 2013)
Somali
Cumar
English Meaning
Omar
Notes
Farxiya
Farhia / Farhiya
Cabdi
Abdi
Nuur
Noor / Nur
Ibraahim
Ibrahim / Abraham
(common Somali man’s name means “light”; feminine forms
“Nuura” or “Nuuriya”)
(common Somali man’s name)
Luula or Luul
Lula / Lul / Lool (= Pearl)
(common Somali woman’s name)
Nin(ka)
Man (the man)
Naag(ta)
Woman (the woman)
Xaas(ka)
Wife; wife & children;
family unit headed by wife
(the wife)
Wiil(ka)
Boy; son (the boy)
Gabar(ta)
Girl; daughter (the girl)
(southern form)
Gabadh(a)
Girl; daughter (the girl)
(northern form; can also be used
playfully for “my wife”)
Ilmo(ha)
Child; children; baby
(offspring in general; used for
“child” more in north)
Cunug(ga/ta)
Infant; child;
Takhtar(ka) /
male Doctor (the doctor)
(common Somali man’s name; 4th
Caliph in Islam)
(common Somali woman’s name;
one of several variants such as
“Ifraax” or “Farax” for women and
“Faarax” or “Afrax” for men which
mean “Joy” or “Gladness”)
(common Somali man’s name means servant; slave or worshipper;
often used in connection with one of
the 99 names of God such as Cabdiraxmaan; Cabdi-kariim, etc.)
dhakhtar(ka)
Takhtarad(da)
female Doctor (the)
Macallin(ka)
male Teacher (the)
Macallimad(da)
female Teacher (the)
Aaway?
Where is it?
Meeyey / Meeday?
Where is it (male/female)?
(this is a difficult word to translate; it
can mean simply “wife” but it also
can mean collectively “the wife plus
her children and the livestock (sheep
& goats) which she personally owns
to maintain her family unit)
Transliteration of the English
words
(Question word used for both
male and female)
Prepared by Doug Person (10-21-13)
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