Salaan! Hello!

Soo dhawoow! Welcome!

Subax wanaagsan! Good morning!

Galab wanaagsan! Good afternoon!

Habeen wanaagsan! Good evening!

Habeen wanaagsan! Good night!

Nabadgelyo! Goodbye!

Is arag dambe! See you later!

2. Politeness

Somali English

Mahadsanid. Thank you.

Aad baad u mahadsan tahay. Thank you very much.

Fadlan. Please.

Waad mahadsan tahay. You're welcome.

Iga raalli noqo. Excuse me / I'm sorry.

Dhib ma leh. No problem.

Waa hagaag. That's okay.

3. Introducing Yourself

Somali English

Magacaa? What is your name?

Magacaygu waa Axmed. My name is Ahmed.

Waan ku faraxsanahay inaan kula kulmo. Nice to meet you.

Xaggee ka timid? Where are you from?

Waxaan ka imid Soomaaliya. I am from Somalia.

Immisa jir baad tahay? How old are you?

Waxaan ahay shan iyo toban jir. I am fifteen years old.

4. Questions

Somali English

Waa maxay tan? What is this?

Waa kuma? Who is it?

Xaggee joogtaa? Where are you?

Xaggee u socotaa? Where are you going?

Goorma? When?

Maxaa? Why? / What?

Sidee? How?

Immisa? How much? / How many?

Kee? Which one?

5. Yes / No / Agreement

Somali English

Haa. Yes.

Maya. No.

Waxaa laga yaabaa. Maybe.

Dabcan. Of course.

Sax. Correct / Exactly.

Waad saxan tahay. You're right.

Waan ku raacsanahay. I agree.

Kuma raacsani. I disagree.

6. Everyday Conversation

Somali English

Sidee tahay? How are you?

Waan fiicanahay. I'm fine.

Maxaad samaynaysaa? What are you doing?

Waxba gaar ah ma jiraan. Nothing special.

Maxaa cusub? What's new?

Taasi waa xiiso. That's interesting.

Runtii? Really?

Waan arki doonaa. We'll see.

Goor dambe ayaan is arki doonaa. See you later.

7. Feelings

Somali English

Waan faraxsanahay. I am happy.

Waan murugaysanahay. I am sad.

Waan daalay. I am tired.

Waan xanaaqsanahay. I am angry.

Waan walwalsanahay. I am worried.

Waan mashquulsanahay. I am busy.

Waan baqayaa. I am afraid.

Waxaan ku jiraa niyad wanaagsan. I am in a good mood.

8. Likes & Dislikes

Somali English

Waan jeclahay. I like/love it.

Ma jecli. I don't like it.

Muusigga waan jeclahay. I like music.

Taasi ma jecli. I don't like that.

Aad baan u jeclahay. I like/love it very much.

Ciyaaraha waan jeclahay. I like sports.

Taasi aad bay ii cajab gelisaa. I really like that.

9. Family & People

Somali English

Kani waa walaalkay. This is my brother.

Tani waa walaashay. This is my sister.

Tani waa hooyaday. This is my mother.

Kani waa aabbahay. This is my father.

Waxaan leeyahay qoys weyn. I have a big family.

Isagu waa saaxiibkay. He is my friend.

Iyadu waa saaxiibadday. She is my friend.

10. School

Somali English

Dugsiga ayaan aadaa. I go to school.

Dugsiga ayaan joogaa. I am at school.

Shaqo-guri ayaan hayaa. I have homework.

Tani waa buuggayga. This is my book.

Fasalkaygu xaggee buu yahay? Where is my classroom?

Ma fahmin. I don't understand.

Waan fahmay. I understand.

Ma ku celin kartaa? Can you repeat?

11. Food & Drink

Somali English

Waan gaajaysanahay. I am hungry.

Waan harraadsanahay. I am thirsty.

Biyo ayaan rabaa. I want water.

Qaxwo ayaan rabaa. I want coffee.

Tani waa macaan. This is delicious.

Aad bay u fiican tahay. It's very good.

Wax kale ma rabo. I don't want anything else.

Liiska cuntada ma heli karaa? Can I have the menu?

12. Shopping

Somali English

Immisa ayay ku kacaysaa? How much does it cost?

Waa qaali. It's expensive.

Aad bay qaali u tahay. It's too expensive.

Midab kale ma ku haysaan? Do you have it in another color?

Cabbir ka weyn ma haysaan? Do you have a larger size?

Kaliya waan eegayaa. I'm just looking.

Kan ayaan qaadanayaa. I'll take this one.

Kaarka ma ku bixin karaa? Can I pay by card?

13. Directions & Travel

Somali English

Saldhiggu xaggee buu yahay? Where is the station?

Garoonka diyaaradaha xaggee buu yahay? Where is the airport?

Toos u soco. Go straight.

Bidix u leexo. Turn left.

Midig u leexo. Turn right.

Ma fog yahay? Is it far?

Ma dhow yahay? Is it nearby?

Waan lumay. I'm lost.

14. Time

Somali English

Saacaddu waa imisa? What time is it?

Maanta. Today.

Berri. Tomorrow.

Shalay. Yesterday.

Hadda. Now.

Goor dambe. Later.

Subaxdii. In the morning.

Fiidkii. In the evening.

Wax yar ka dib. In a little while.

15. Weather

Somali English

Cimiladu sidee tahay? How is the weather?

Qorrax baa jirta. It's sunny.

Roob baa da'aya. It's raining.

Baraf baa da'aya. It's snowing.

Daruuro ayaa jira. It's cloudy.

Waa qabow. It's cold.

Waa diiran yahay. It's warm.

Waa kulul yahay. It's hot.

Dabayl baa jirta. It's windy.

16. Phone & Internet

Somali English

Lambarka taleefankaagu waa maxay? What is your phone number?

Fariin ii soo dir. Send me a message.

I soo wac. Call me.

Internet ma haysto. I don't have internet.

Signal ma hayo. I don't have a signal.

Telefoonkaygu wuu sii dhammaanayaa. My phone is running out of battery.

Furaha Wi-Fi-ga waa maxay? What is the Wi-Fi password?

Internetka ayaan ku kulmi doonaa. See you online.

17. Problems & Emergencies

Somali English

I caawiya! Help me!

Caawimaad ayaan u baahanahay. I need help.

Booliiska waca! Call the police!

Ambalaas waca! Call an ambulance!

Dhibaato ayaa jirta. There is a problem.

Maxaa dhacay? What happened?

Ma luntay? Are you lost?

Ha baqin. Don't be afraid.

18. Common Expressions

Somali English

Runtii? Really?

Ma dhab baa? Seriously? / Is it true?

Dhib ma leh. No problem.

Waxba ma aha. It's nothing. / No worries.

Waa wax fiican! That's great!

Waa cajiib! That's amazing!

Hagaag. Okay. / All right.

Dabcan. Of course.

Sidaas oo kale. Exactly / Just like that.

19. Useful Sentence Patterns

Somali English

Waxaan rabaa inaan barto Af-Soomaaliga. I want to learn Somali.

Waxaan rabaa inaan guriga aado. I want to go home.

Waa inaan tagaa. I have to go.

Ma fadhiisan karaa? Can I sit down?

Su'aal ma ku weydiin karaa? Can I ask a question?

Ma aqaan. I don't know.

Ma aqaan waxa aan sameeyo. I don't know what to do.

Waxaan u malaynayaa sidaas. I think so.

Uma malaynayo sidaas. I don't think so.

Waan isku dayayaa. I'm trying.

20. Short Natural Dialogue

Somali English

Salaan! Sidee tahay? Hello! How are you?

Waan fiicanahay, mahadsanid. Adiguna? I'm fine, thank you. And you?

Aniguna waan fiicanahay. Maxaad samaynaysaa? I'm fine too. What are you doing?

Af-Soomaali ayaan baranayaa. I'm learning Somali.

Runtii? Taasi waa wax fiican! Really? That's great!

Haa, Af-Soomaaligu waa xiiso. Yes, Somali is interesting.

Nasiib wacan! Good luck!

Mahadsanid! Thank you!