The purpose of this list is to give a rough idea of the Somali language. The words listed below are not the most common words, but a broad sampling of words. See the Word Lists page for more details.
English | Somali (Af-Soomaali) |
I | aniga |
you (singular) | adiga |
he | asaga |
we | anaga |
you (plural) | idinka |
they | ayaga |
this | -kan |
that | -kaas |
here | inta |
there | xaggaas |
who | yaa kee |
what | maxaa |
where | xaggee |
when | markee |
how | see |
not | ma- |
all | dan |
many | badan |
some | xoogaa |
few | wax yer |
other | kale |
one | kow hal |
two | labo |
three | sadex |
four | afar |
five | shan |
big | weyn |
long | dheer |
wide | balaar |
heavy | culeys |
small | yar |
short | gaaban |
narrow | ciriiri |
thin | caato |
woman | naag |
man (adult male) | nin |
man (human being) | beni adam |
child | cunug |
wife | naag |
husband | nin |
mother | hooyo |
father | aabo |
animal | xoolo |
fish | malay |
bird | shimbir |
dog | ay |
louse | cinjir |
snake | mas |
tree | geed |
forest | duur |
stick | ul |
fruit | miro furuut |
seed | miro |
leaf | caleen |
bark (of a tree) | qolfo |
flower | ubax |
grass | caws |
rope | xarig |
skin | jir |
meat | hilib |
blood | diig |
bone | laf |
fat (noun) | baruur |
egg | ukun |
horn | gees |
tail | seyn |
feather | baal |
hair | timo |
head | madax |
ear | deg |
eye | il |
nose | san |
mouth | af |
tooth | ilig |
tongue (organ) | carab |
fingernail | ciddi |
foot | cag |
leg | lug |
knee | jilib |
hand | gacan |
wing | baal |
belly | calool |
neck | duun |
back | dabar |
breast | xabad |
heart | wadno galb |
liver | beer |
to drink | cab |
to eat | cun |
to bite | qaniin |
to suck | nuug |
to spit | tuf |
to vomit | matag |
to blow | afuuf |
to breathe | neefsan |
to laugh | qosol |
to see | arkid |
to hear | maqlid |
to know | ogaan |
to think | fakarid |
to smell | urin |
to fear | baqid or baqdin |
to sleep | hurdo |
to live | noolaan |
to die | diman |
to kill | dilid |
to fight | dagaal |
to hit | ku dufan |
to cut | jari |
to split | qaybin |
to stab | toogan |
to scratch | xagan |
to dig | qodid |
to swim | dabaalan |
to fly | duulid |
to walk | socod |
to come | imaan |
to lie (as in a bed) | jiifsan |
to sit | fariisan |
to stand | staagin |
to turn (intransitive) | leexan |
to fall | daci |
to give | siin |
to hold | hay |
to rub | marin |
to wash | dhiqid |
to wipe | tirtirid |
to pull | jiidid |
to push | riixi |
to throw | tuuris |
to tie | xirid |
to sew | tolid |
to count | tirin |
to say | sheegid |
to sing | heesid |
to play | ciyaarid |
to flow | soocan |
to swell | barar |
sun | qorrax cadceedeed |
moon | dayax |
star | xiddig |
water | biyo |
rain | roob |
river | webi |
sea | bad |
salt | cusbo |
stone | dagax |
dust | bus |
earth | caro |
cloud | daruur cadhar |
sky | cir samo |
wind | dabayl |
snow | baraf |
ice | baraf |
smoke | qiiq |
fire | dab |
ash | danbas |
to burn | gubid |
road | jid |
mountain | buur |
red | gaduud casaan |
green | cagaar |
yellow | huruud jaale |
white | cadaan |
black | madow |
night | habeen |
day | maalin |
year | sanad |
warm | dugsi |
cold | qabow |
full | buux |
new | cusayb |
old | duug |
good | fiican |
bad | xun |
rotten | balal |
dirty | wasakh |
straight | toos |
wet | qoyaan |
dry | qalaayl |
correct | sax |
near | dhow |
far | fog |
right | midig |