Somali Language
Basic Grammar
Field Guide
Welcome to the:
An Oral Tradition in a Modern
Setting
Bartamaha Somali Media. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.bartamaha.com/?p=33037
A Somali Proverb
Nin aan waxa jooga garani
He (who) does not understand what is going
on
waxa soo socda ma garto
will not understand what is going to happen
Objectives
● Look up Somali words in a Somali-English
dictionary.
● Translate Somali words into English using a
Somali-English dictionary.
● Identify the parts of speech for specific words in a
Somali sentence.
● Rearrange words that have been translated into
English to form a proper sentence.
Dictionary Usage
recusant
the
placate
bombast
tomorrow
portend
Dictionary Usage
recusant
the
placate
bombast noun
tomorrow
portend
Dictionary Usage
recusant
the
placate verb
bombast noun
tomorrow
portend verb
Dictionary Usagerecusant
adjective
the
placate verb
bombast noun
tomorrow
portend verb
Dictionary Usagerecusant
adjective
the
placate verb
bombast noun
tomorrow adverb
portend verb
Dictionary Usagerecusant
adjective
the
article
placate verb
bombast noun
tomorrow adverb
portend verb
Sample Text
Ku saabsan VOA
Idaacadda Voice of America (VOA) waxay markii ugu
horreysay hawada soo gashay sanadkii 1942-dii, waana
idaacad caalami ah, oo aalado kala duwan u isticmaasha
tabinta wararka. VOA waxaa maal-galisa dowladda
Mareykanka, iyadoo usoo mareysa Golaha Warbaahinta.
VOA-du waxay toddobaad walba baahisaa ku dhawaad
15,000 oo saacadood oo isugu jira warar, warbixinno,
barnaamijyo aqooneed iyo kuwa dhaqamaeed. Dad lagu
qiyaasay 125 milyan oo qof oo dacallada caalamka ku
kala nool ayaa qubanahaas la socda.
Voice of America. (2011). Ku Saabsan VOA. Retrieved from http://www.voanews.com/somali/about-us/
Vowels
●a
●e
●i
●o
●u
Sample Text
Ku saabsan VOA
Idaacadda Voice of America (VOA) waxay markii ugu
horreysay hawada soo gashay sanadkii 1942-dii, waana
idaacad caalami ah, oo aalado kala duwan u isticmaasha
tabinta wararka. VOA waxaa maal-galisa dowladda
Mareykanka, iyadoo usoo mareysa Golaha Warbaahinta.
VOA-du waxay toddobaad walba baahisaa ku dhawaad
15,000 oo saacadood oo isugu jira warar, warbixinno,
barnaamijyo aqooneed iyo kuwa dhaqamaeed. Dad lagu
qiyaasay 125 milyan oo qof oo dacallada caalamka ku
kala nool ayaa qubanahaas la socda.
Voice of America. (2011). Ku Saabsan VOA. Retrieved from http://www.voanews.com/somali/about-us/
Consonants
●b
●c
●d
●f
●g
●h
●j
●k
●l
●m
●n
●q
●r
●s
●t
●w
●x
●y
Consonants cont.
●b
●c
●d
●f
●g
●h
●j
●k
●l
Not Used
●p
●v
●z
●m
●n
●q
●r
●s
●t
●w
●x
●y
Sample Text
Ku saabsan VOA
Idaacadda Voice of America (VOA) waxay markii ugu
horreysay hawada soo gashay sanadkii 1942-dii, waana
idaacad caalami ah, oo aalado kala duwan u isticmaasha
tabinta wararka. VOA waxaa maal-galisa dowladda
Mareykanka, iyadoo usoo mareysa Golaha Warbaahinta.
VOA-du waxay toddobaad walba baahisaa ku dhawaad
15,000 oo saacadood oo isugu jira warar, warbixinno,
barnaamijyo aqooneed iyo kuwa dhaqamaeed. Dad lagu
qiyaasay 125 milyan oo qof oo dacallada caalamka ku
kala nool ayaa qubanahaas la socda.
Voice of America. (2011). Ku Saabsan VOA. Retrieved from http://www.voanews.com/somali/about-us/
Vowels part II
Short
● a
● e
● i
● o
● u
Long
● aa
● ee
● ii
● oo
● uu
Sample Text
Ku saabsan VOA
Idaacadda Voice of America (VOA) waxay markii ugu
horreysay hawada soo gashay sanadkii 1942-dii, waana
idaacad caalami ah, oo aalado kala duwan u isticmaasha
tabinta wararka. VOA waxaa maal-galisa dowladda
Mareykanka, iyadoo usoo mareysa Golaha Warbaahinta.
VOA-du waxay toddobaad walba baahisaa ku dhawaad
15,000 oo saacadood oo isugu jira warar, warbixinno,
barnaamijyo aqooneed iyo kuwa dhaqamaeed. Dad lagu
qiyaasay 125 milyan oo qof oo dacallada caalamka ku
kala nool ayaa qubanahaas la socda.
Voice of America. (2011). Ku Saabsan VOA. Retrieved from http://www.voanews.com/somali/about-us/
Consonants part II
●b
●c
●d
●f
●g
●h
●j
●k
●l
●dh
●kh
●sh
●'
●m
●n
●q
●r
●s
●t
●w
●x
●y
Official:
', B, T, J, X, KH, D, R, S, SH, DH, C, G,
F, Q, K, L, M, N, W, H, Y, A, E, I, O, U
Often used:
', A, AA, B, C, D, DH, E, EE, F, G, H, I, II, J, K, KH,
L, M, N, O, OO, Q, R, S, SH, T, U, UU, W, X, Y
Somali Alphabet
Dictionary Look-up
Look up the following words:
●warar
●gal
●dowlad
●oo
●ka
●cad
Dictionary Look-up
Look up the following words:
●warar — news, information (noun)
●gal
●dowlad
●oo
●ka
●cad
Dictionary Look-up
Look up the following words:
●warar — news, information (noun)
●gal — enter, go in, commit (verb)
●dowlad
●oo
●ka
●cad
Dictionary Look-up
Look up the following words:
●warar — news, information (noun)
●gal — enter, go in, commit (verb)
●dowlad — country, government (noun)
●oo
●ka
●cad
Dictionary Look-up
Look up the following words:
●warar — news, information (noun)
●gal — enter, go in, commit (verb)
●dowlad — country, government (noun)
●oo — which, who, while (conjunction)
●ka
●cad
Dictionary Look-up
Look up the following words:
●warar — news, information (noun)
●gal — enter, go in, commit (verb)
●dowlad — country, government (noun)
●oo — which, who, while (conjunction)
●ka — at, from, about (preposition)
●cad
Dictionary Look-up
Look up the following words:
●warar — news, information (noun)
●gal — enter, go in, commit (verb)
●dowlad — country, government (noun)
●oo — which, who, while (conjunction)
●ka — at, from, about (preposition)
●cad — white, clear (adjective)
Dictionary Look-up part II
With a partner, look up the following words:
●maqal
●sheeg
●waa
●ceeb
Proverb I
Maqal sheeg waa ceeb sheeg
Rumor – tell – is – shame – tell
Proverb I
Maqal sheeg waa ceeb sheeg
Hearing – tell – is – shame – tell
Telling rumors is shameful
Dictionary Look-up part III
On your own, look up the following words:
●aqoon
●la'aan
●waa
●iftiin
Proverb II
Aqoon la'aan waa iftiin la'aan
Wisdom—lack—is—light—lack
Proverb II
Aqoon la'aan waa iftiin la'aan
Wisdom—lack—is—light—lack
There is no darkness but ignorance.
-William Shakespere
Skill Review
1. Maalin wanaagsan.
2. Nabad waa nolol.
3. Hadda, aqoon ayaad haysaa.
4. Af soomaali ayaad tarjumi kartaa.
5. Mahadsanid inaad fasal-kaan timid.
6. Nabaday.
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Objectives
● Look up Somali words in a Somali-English
dictionary.
● Translate Somali words into English using a
Somali-English dictionary.
● Identify the parts of speech for specific words in a
Somali sentence.
● Rearrange words that have been translated into
English to form a proper sentence.
Mahadsanid — Thank you
Our next session will be at the same time
and location.
Nabaday — Go in peace!
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