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Most Common Somali Words
Soomaali
Essential Somali vocabulary with pronunciation guides. Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
Nouns
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| guri | house | GU-ri |
| biyo | water | BI-yo |
| rooti | bread | ROO-ti |
| waqti | time | WAQ-ti |
| qof | person | qof |
| maalin | day | MA-lin |
| jid | road / way | jid |
| shaqo | work | SHA-qo |
| lacag | money | LA-cag |
| magaalo | city | ma-GA-lo |
| dugsiga | school | dug-SI-ga |
| buug | book | buug |
| magac | name | MA-gac |
| cunug | child | CU-nug |
| saaxiib | friend | sa-KHIIB |
| cunto | food | CUN-to |
| luqad | language | lu-QAD |
| dhul | earth / land | dhul |
| gacanta | hand | ga-CAN-ta |
| eey | dog | eey |
Verbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ahaan | to be | a-HAAN |
| tag | to go | tag |
| imaad | to come | i-MAAD |
| hadal | to speak | HA-dal |
| cun | to eat | cun |
| cab | to drink | cab |
| arag | to see | A-rag |
| garanayso | to know | ga-ra-NAY-so |
| rabid | to want | RA-bid |
| sii | to give | sii |
| qaad | to take | qaad |
| samee | to do | sa-MEE |
| fekir | to think | FE-kir |
| noolaan | to live | noo-LAAN |
| akhri | to read | AKH-ri |
| qor | to write | qor |
| shaqeey | to work | sha-QEEY |
| caawin | to help | CA-win |
| hel | to find | hel |
| hayso | to hold / keep | HAY-so |
Adjectives
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| wanaagsan | good | wa-NAAG-san |
| xun | bad | khun |
| weyn | big | weyn |
| yar | small | yar |
| cusub | new | CU-sub |
| gaboobay | old | ga-BOO-bay |
| qurxoon | beautiful | qur-KHOON |
| degdeg | fast | DEG-deg |
| gaabis | slow | GA-bis |
| dheer | long / tall | dheer |
| gaaban | short | GA-ban |
| kulul | warm / hot | KU-lul |
| qabow | cold | QA-bow |
| xoog badan | strong | khoog BA-dan |
| fudud | easy | FU-dud |
| adag | difficult | A-dag |
| muhiim | important | mu-HIIM |
| xiiso leh | interesting | KHII-so leh |
| faraxsan | happy | fa-RAKH-san |
| qaali | expensive | QAA-li |
Adverbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| hadda | now | HAD-da |
| maanta | today | ma-AN-ta |
| berri | tomorrow | BER-ri |
| shalay | yesterday | SHA-lay |
| halkan | here | HAL-kan |
| halkaas | there | hal-KAAS |
| degdeg | quickly | DEG-deg |
| gaabis | slowly | GA-bis |
| si fiican | well | si FII-can |
| aad | very | aad |
| sidoo kale | also / too | si-DOO KA-le |
| maya | no / not | MA-ya |
| haa | yes | haa |
| horeba | already | HO-re-ba |
| weli | still / yet | WE-li |
| kaliya | only / just | ka-LI-ya |
| run ahaantii | really | run a-HAAN-tii |
| aad u badan | a lot | aad u BA-dan |
| yar | a little | yar |
| isla markiiba | immediately | IS-la mar-KII-ba |