It's all relative.....Families

Family            Qoys(ka)

Mother             Hooyo(da)  
Father               Aabbe(ha)

Husband           Nin(ka)
Wife                  Naag(ta), Afo, Xaas
Son                   Wiil(ka), Inan(ka)
Daugher            Gabar(ta), Inan (ta)
Child                 Ilmo
Children            Carruur

Sister                 Walaal(/sha), Gabar(ta)
Brother              Walaal(ka), Wiil(ka)
Sibling               Walaal

Grandmother      Ayeeyo
Grandfather        Awoowe

Maternal Aunt    Eeddo
Maternal Uncle   Abti

Paternal Aunt      Habaryar
Paternal Uncle    Adeer

Person               Qof
People               Dad
Twins                Mataano


****the possessive suffixes are used to indicate someone's family member****


My husband        Ninkayga
My wife              Naagtayda
His wife              Naagtiisa
Her husband       Ninkeeda
Their father        Aabbahooda
Their mother      Hooyadooda
My son               Wiilkayga
My daughter       Gabartayda

Brother and sister can be a bit tricky.....

Brother	Somali	Sister	Somali
My brother	Walaalkayga	My sister	Walaasheyda
Your brother	Walaalkaaga	Your sister	Walaashaada
His brother	Walaalkiisa	His sister	Walaashiisa
Her brother	Walaalkeeda	Her sister	Walaasheeda
Our brother	Walaalkeenna	Our sister	Walaasheenna
You (pl) brother	Walaalkiinna	You (pl) sister	Walaashiinna
Their brother	Walaalkooda	Their sister	Walaashooda

Miyaad guursatay?
Are you married?

Waxaan ahay doob.
I am single. (male)

Waxaan ahay gashaanti.
I am single.  (female)

Immisa hablood baad walaalo tihiin?
How many sisters do you have?

Immisa wiil baad walaalo tihiin?
How many brothers do you have?

Immisa carruur ah baad leedahay?
How many children do you have?

Carruur ma lihi.
I don't have any children.

Inan/Gabar baan leeyahay.
I have a daughter.

Inan/wiil baan leeyahay.
I have a son.

IMOW: To Come

Root Verb: Imow
Infinitive: Iman
Imperative: Imow/Imaada
Negative: Imannin/Imannina

PAST SIMPLE

PRONOUN	PAST SIMPLE	ENGLISH
WAAN	IMID	I CAME
WAAD	TIMID	YOU CAME
WUU	YIMID	HE CAME
WAY	TIMID	SHE CAME
WAANNU	NIMID	WE CAME
WEYDIN/WAAD	TIMAADDEEN	YOU ALL CAME
WEY	YIMAADDEEN	THEY CAME

PAST PROGRESSIVE [infinitive+past progressive suffix]

PRONOUN	PAST PROGRESSIVE	ENGLISH
WAAN	IMANAYAY	I WAS COMING
WAAD	IMANAYSAY	YOU WERE COMING
WUU	IMANAYAY	HE WAS COMING
WAY	IMANAYSAY	SHE WAS COMING
WAANNU	IMANAYNAY	WE WERE COMING
WEYDIN/WAAD	IMANAYSEEN	YOU ALL WERE COMING
WEY	IMANAYEEN	THEY WERE COMING

PRESENT HABITUAL

PRONOUN	PRESENT HABITUAL	ENGLISH
WAAN	IMAADDAA	I COME
WAAD	TIMAADDAA	YOU COME
WUU	YIMAADDAA	HE COMES
WAY	TIMAADDAA	SHE COMES
WAANNU	NIMAADNAA	WE COME
WEYDIN/WAAD	TIMAADDAAN	YOU ALL COME
WEY	YIMAADDAAN	THEY COME

PRESENT PROGRESSIVE  [infinitive+present progressive suffix]

PRONOUN	PRESENT PROGRESSIVE	ENGLISH
WAAN	IMANAYAA	I AM COMING
WAAD	IMANAYSAA	YOU ARE COMING
WUU	IMANAYAA	HE IS COMING
WAY	IMANAYSAA	SHE IS COMING
WAANNU	IMANAYNAA	WE ARE COMING
WEYDIN/WAAD	IMANAYSAAN	YOU ALL ARE COMING
WEY	IMANAYAAN	THEY ARE COMING

FUTURE [infinitive + conjugated form of  present habitual DOON]

PRONOUN	FUTURE	ENGLISH
WAAN	IMAN DOONAA	I WILL COME
WAAD	IMAN DOONTAA	YOU WILL COME
WUU	IMAN DOONAA	HE WILL COME
WAY	IMAN DOONTAA	SHE WILL COME
WAANNU	IMAN DOONNAA	WE WILL COME
WEYDIN/WAAD	IMAN DOONTAAN	YOU ALL WILL COME
WEY	IMAN DOONAAN	THEY WILL COME

CONDITIONAL [infinitive + conjugated form of past simple LAHOW]

PRONOUN	CONDITIONAL	ENGLISH
WAAN	IMAN LAHAA	I WOULD HAVE COME
WAAD	IMAN LAHAYD	YOU WOULD HAVE COME
WUU	IMAN LAHAA	HE WOULD HAVE COME
WAY	IMAN LAHAYD	SHE WOULD HAVE COME
WAANNU	IMAN LAHAYN	WE WOULD HAVE COME
WEYDIN/WAAD	IMAN LAHAYDEEN	YOU ALL WOULD HAVE COME
WEY	IMAN LAHAAYEEN	THEY WOULD HAVE COME

OPTATIVE 

PRONOUN	OPTATIVE	ENGLISH
AN	IMAADDO	MAY I COME!
AD	TIMAADDO	MAY YOU COME!
HA	YIMAADDO	MAY HE COME!
HA	TIMAADDO	MAY SHE COME!
ANNU	NIMAADNO	MAY WE COME!
AYDIN/AD	TIMAADDEEN	MAY YOU ALL COME!
HA	YIMAADDEEN	MAY THEY COME!

NEGATIVE PAST SIMPLE

NEG PRONOUN	NEGATIVE PAST SIMPLE	ENGLISH
MAAN	IMAANIN	I DID NOT COME
MAAD	IMAANIN	YOU DID NOT COME
MUU	IMAANIN	HE DID NOT COME
MEY	IMAANIN	SHE DID NOT COME
MAANNU	IMAANIN	WE DID NOT COME
MEYDIN	IMAANIN	YOU ALL DID NOT COME
MEY	IMAANIN	THEY DID NOT COME

NEGATIVE PRESENT HABITUAL

NEG PRONOUN	NEGATIVE PRESENT HABITUAL	ENGLISH
MAAN	IMAADDO	I DO NOT COME
MAAD	TIMAADDO	YOU DO NOT COME
MUU	YIMAADDO	HE DOES NOT COME
MEY	TIMAADDO	SHE DOES NOT COME
MAANNU	NIMAADNO	WE DO NOT COME
MEYDIN	TIMAADDAAN	YOU ALL DO NOT COME
MEY	YIMAADDAAN	THEY DO NOT COME

NEGATIVE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

NEG PRONOUN	NEG. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE	ENGLISH
MAAN	IMANAYO	I AM NOT COMING
MAAD	IMANAYSO	YOU ARE NOT COMING
MUU	IMANAYO	HE IS NOT COMING
MEY	IMANAYSO	SHE IS NOT COMING
MAANNU	IMANAYNO	WE ARE NOT COMING
MEYDIN	IMANAYSAAN	YOU ALL ARE NOT COMING
MEY	IMANAYAAN	THEY ARE NOT COMING

NEGATIVE FUTURE TENSE

NEG PRONOUN	NEG FUTURE	ENGLISH
MAAN	IMAN DOONO	I WILL NOT COME
MAAD	IMAN DOONTO	YOU WILL NOT COME
MUU	IMAN DOONO	HE WILL NOT COME
MEY	IMAN DOONTO	SHE WILL NOT COME
MAANNU	IMAN DOONNO	WE WILL NOT COME
MEYDIN	IMAN DOONTAAN	YOU ALL WILL NOT COME
MEY	IMAN DOONAAN	THEY WILL NOT COME

Beerta xayawaanka waan tagay. I went to the zoo

Forgive me, this is my first real paragraph and I  sound like I'm in kindergarten again.

Shalayto beerta xayawaanka waan tagay.  Tareen waan ku tagay.  Cimiladu wey wanaagsanayd.  Cadceed baa jirtay oo cirku daruuro ma lahayn.  Sideed libaax baan arkay.  Libaaxyo hilib cunayaa baan arkay iyo laba maroodi waaweyn.  Rah badan baan arkay.  Rahu waa midab badan yahay.  Masas badan baan arkay, laakiin masaska maan jecli.  Beerta xayawaanka geel ama geriyal ma lahayn.  Beerta xayawaanka waan booqay ka dibna, waan qadeeyay.

Yesterday I went to the zoo.  I went by train.  The weather was good.  It was sunny and the sky had no clouds.  I saw 8 lions.  I saw lions eating meat and two large elephants.  I saw many frogs.  The frogs are very colorful.  I saw many snakes, but I don't like the snakes.  The zoo did not have camels or giraffes.  After I visited the zoo, I had lunch.

English	Somali
Zoo	Beerta xayawan(ka)
Train	Tareen
Lion	Libaax
Meat	Cilib
Eating	Cunayaa (1st/3rd person pres prog)
Elephant	Maroodi
Large	Waaweyn
Frog	Rah
Many	Badan
The Frog	Rahu (subj case)
Color	Midab
Snakes	Masas (sing: mas)
I don't like	Maan jecli
Camels	Geel
Geriyal	Giraffes
Did not have	Ma lahayn
I visited	Waan booday
And after	Ka dibna
I had lunch	Waan qadeyay

How's is the weather today? Cimilada maanta waa sidee?

Today we will talk about the weather. The 4 seasons are still Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter however, the weather in Somalia during these seasons is different than what we would typically associate with these seasons.

Somali	English	Timeframe	Description
Gu'(ga)	Spring	Apr-Jun	Heavy rains and thunderstorms; very wet season
Xagaa(ga)	Summer	Jul-Aug	Mostly dry with some scattered rain showers in the south
Dayr(ta)	Autumn	Sep-Nov	Light rain season
Jiilaal(ka)	Winter	Dec-Mar	Hot and dry season

First we have to understand a few things about verbs and grammar in order to talk about the weather.
1) The gender of the weather is very important:
     Roob(ka)    Rain
     Dabeyl(ta)  Wind

2) The weather is usually described with the verb "Jir: to exist, to be in a state of".
     Past simple: jiray/jirtay
     Roob baa jiray                           It rained/It was raining
     Dabeyl baa jirtay                       It was windy
     Present Habitual: jira/jirta
     Roob baa jira                             It is raining
     Dabeyl baa jirta                         It is windy
     Future: jiri doonaa/jiri doonta
     Roob baa jiri doonaa                  It will rain
     Dabeyl baa jiri doonta                It will be windy

     **Present progressive is not typically used with the weather**

3) Using the verbs Da' and Dhac for rain and snow.
      Da' means to pour down and can be used with rain and snow.
      Dhac means to fall down and can be used with snow (but not rain).
      Both rain and snow can use the verb Jir.
      Examples:
      Baraf baa jira                 It is snowing
      Baraf baa da'aya            It is snowing [lit: snow is pouring down]
      Baraf baa dhacaya         It is snowing [lit: snow is falling down]
     Roob baa jira                 It is raining
      Roob baa da'aya            It is raining [lit: rain is pouring down]

Sample sentences:

Cimilada maanta waa sidee?	How is the weather today?
Hawada maanta waa sidee?	How is the weather today?
Cimilada maanta waa ______	Today the weather is ______
Maanta waa _________	Today it is ____________
Ceeryaamo baa jirta	It is foggy
Maanta dabeyl baa jirta	Today it is windy
Roob baa jira	It is raining
Maanta waa qabow laakiin cadceed baa jirta	Today it is cold but it is sunny.
Berri roob badan baa jiri doonaa	Tomorrow it will rain heavily [lit:badan-very]
Shalay ceeryaamo baa jirtay	Yesterday it was foggy

Weather Vocabulary

Somali	English
Hawo(da)	Weather
Cimilo(da)	Weather
Sentigreed	Centigrade
Kulayl(ka)	Hot
Diirimaad(ka)	Warm
Qabow(ga)	Cold
Barafoow(ga)	Freezing
Qorrax	Sunny
Cadceed	Sunny
Daruuro ma leh	Clear [lit: no clouds]
Daruuro badan	Cloudy
Roob(ka)	Rain
Baraf(ka)	Snow; Hail
Daruur(ta)	Cloud
Dabeyl(sha)	Wind
Dabeyl leh	Windy
Ceeryaamo(da)	Fog
Qoyaan(ka)	Humid
Gugac(a)	Thunder
Siigo(da)	duststorm
Baraf duufaan	Blizzard/Hailstorm
Hillaac(a)	Lightning
Duufaan(ta)	Storm/Rainstorm
Gugac duufaan wata	Thunderstorm (lit: Storm with thunder)
Jiilaal(ka)	Winter
Gu'(ga)	Spring
Xagaa(ga)	Summer
Dayr(ta)	Autumn
Roob baraf leh	Sleet
Dhedo(da)	Frost
Hawo(da)	Air
Abaar(ta)	Drought
Cunto la'aan	Famine

Measurements

The Somalis use the metric system.  There are spelling differences to remember.  (for example, since the letter "C" is not pronounced the same as in English, Centimeter is now Sentimitir)

Dherer(ka)	Length
Millimitir	Millimeter
Senitmitir	Centimeter
Mitir	Meter
Killomitir	Kilometer

*NOTE: the abbreviation for Sentimiter is "sm"*

Culays(ka)	Weight
Milligaram	Milligram
Sentigaram	Centigram
Garam	Gram
Killogaram	Kilogram

Mug(ga)	Volume
Milliliitar	Milliliter
Sentiliitar	Centiliter
Liitar	Liter
Kiiloliitar	Kiloliter

Heerkul(ka)	Temperature
Sentigraydh	Centigrade
Digrii	Degree

Temperature: Sentigraydh Digrii *Note: while Sentimitir is expressed "sm" instead of "cm", Sentigraydh (Centigrade) is still expressed "C"*

The Present Progressive Chart

PRONOUN	WAA FORM	1st Conj	2nd Conj Type A End "-i"	2nd Conj Type B End "-ee"	3rd Conj Type A End "-o" Vowel Change	3rd Conj Type B End "-o" Vowel Loss
		KEEN: to bring	KARI: to cook	SAMEE: to make	JOOGSO: to stop	QABO: to catch
I	WAAN	KEENAYAA	KARINAYAA	SAMEYNAYAA	JOOGSANAYAA	QABANAYAA
YOU	WAAD	KEENAYSAA	KARINAYSAA	SAMEYNAYSAA	JOOGSANAYSAA	QABANAYSAA
HE/IT(M)	WUU	KEENAYAA	KARINAYAA	SAMEYNAYAA	JOOGSANAYSAA	QABANAYAA
SHE/IT(F)	WEY	KEENAYSAA	KARINAYSAA	SAMEYNAYSAA	JOOGSANAYSAA	QABANAYSAA
WE	WAANNU	KEENAYNAA	KARINAYNAA	SAMEYNAYNAA	JOOGSANAYNAA	QABANAYNAA
YOU ALL	WEYDIN	KEENAYSAAN	KARINAYSAAN	SAMEYNAYSAAN	JOOGSANAYSAAN	QABANAYSAAN
THEY	WEY	KEENAYAAN	KARINAYAAN	SAMEYNAYAAN	JOOGSANAYAAN	QABANAYAAN

*NOTE: 3A/3B verbs follow the same pattern**

Object Pronouns

When is the object is a pronoun, you need an OBJECT PRONOUN.  (weird, huh?)  The verb will still conjugate based on the subject (aka the "do-er" of the verb).
Object Pronouns
         Me = i
       You = ku
       Him = (no obj pronoun)
        Her = (no obj pronoun)
         We = na
 You All = idin
     Them = (no obj pronoun)


John baa i baray            John taught me
John baa ku baray         John taught you
John baa na baray         John taught us
John baa idin baray       John taught you all
*John baa baray             John taught him/her/them
John baa isaga/iyada/iyaga      John taught him/her/them


[USED with verbal pronoun]
Wey i bareen                 They taught me
Wey ku bareen              They taught you
Wey na bareen              They taught us
Wey idin bareen            They taught you all
*Wey bareen                  They taught him/her/them
Wey isaga/iyada/iyaga bareen  They taught him/her/them


The basic breakdown of the sentence is:


SUBJ + (mood classifier waa/baa if you didn't use a verbal pronoun) + OBJ PRONOUN + VERB 


*The 3rd person forms (him/her/them) are not expressed and the only way to differentiate is by context.  To specifically reference someone in the 3rd person you need to use the pronoun.  

Basic Prepositions

In Somali there are 4 basic "LOCATIVE" prepositions and they are placed BEFORE the verb.
         
       U   = to, for
      KA = from, away from, out of, about, concerning
      KU = in, into, on, at, with, by means of, using (as an instrument)
      LA  = with, together with, in company with


So here is where it gets weird (yet again):
James tuur!        Throw James (literally someone goes and throws James]
James u tuur!     Throw (it) to James!
James ka tuur!   Throw (it) from James! 
James ku tuur!   Throw (it) at / toward James!
James la tuur!    Throw (it) with James! 


Bill keen!          Bring Bill! (literally someone brings Bill)
Bill u keen!       Bring (it) for Bill!
Bill ka keen!     Bring (it) from Bill!
Bill ku keen!     Bring (it) at Bill! (yea, this one sounds odd)*
Bill la keen!      Bring (it) with Bill! 


*In this case, it would be better to use "ku keen" in a different context: 
Bill tareenka ku keen      Bring Bill by (means of) the train.  


Disclaimer: the use of the above prepositions in Somali is not always the same way we would use them in English and can be quite frustrating.  

The Past Simple: 3A (JOOGSO) / 3B (QABO)

The Past Simple 3rd conjugation can be tricky. Up to this point, I have not found any specific rules for determining which verbs are 3A vs 3B. I have seen a trend with some exceptions.

3A: Verbs with vowel change when conjugated
The verb is 3A if: there are 2 consonants before the final vowel "o" (ex: baxso, cabso) [not including verbs with "yso" at the end ex: adkayso]; if there is a single consonant "k" before the final vowel "o" (ex: buko)
****Additionally, so far verbs which end in "ow" appear to also be 3A verbs.  They are different because these verbs are in a change of status (caddow=to become white)****
3B: Verbs with vowel loss when conjugated
The verb is 3B if: there is 1 consonant before the final vowel "o" (ex: cabo, dego, dhimo); if the verb ends in "yso" (ex: akdayso, dhageyso, etc.)

EXCEPTIONS (found so far): Words like "NOQO" [3B verb: to become, to return] do not have a vowel change for the 2nd person.  Basically it seems that if the 3B verb which ends in "o" also has the short vowel "o" prior to the last consonant (noqo, soco, doco)
Past Simple: waan/wuu noqdey, waad/wey noqotey, waannu noqonney, weydin noqoteen, wey noqdeen

DISCLAIMER:  Please understand this is NOT a proven fact, only a theory.

Pronoun/WAA form	3A Root Verb	3A Vowel Change	3A Suffix	3A Conjugated Verb
I / WAAN	JOOGSO	Change final "O" to "A"	-DAY	JOOGSADAY
You / WAAD	JOOGSO	Change final "O" to "A"	-TAY	JOOGSATAY
He / WUU	JOOGSO	Change final "O" to "A"	-DAY	JOOGSADAY
She / WEY	JOOGSO	Change final "O" to "A"	-TAY	JOOGSATAY
We / WAANNU	JOOGSO	Change final "O" to "A"	-NNAY	JOOGSANNAY
You All / WEYDIN	JOOGSO	Change final "O" to "A"	-TEEN	JOOGSATEEN
They / WEY	JOOGSO	Change final "O" to "A"	-DEEN	JOOGSADEEN

Pronoun/WAA form	3B Root Verb	3B Vowel Change	3B Suffix	3B Conjugated Verb
I / WAAN	QABO	Drop final vowel	-TAY	QABTAY
You / WAAD	QABO	Drop final vowel	-ATAY	QABATAY
He / WUU	QABO	Drop final vowel	-TAY	QABTAY
She / WEY	QABO	Drop final vowel	-ATAY	QABATAY
We / WAANNU	QABO	Drop final vowel	-ANNAY	QABANNAY
You All / WEYDIN	QABO	Drop final vowel	-ATEEN	QABATEEN
They / WEY	QABO	Drop final vowel	-TEEN	QABTEEN

The Past Simple: 2A&2B (Akhri/Samee)

Verbs which end in "i" or "ee" conjugate differently than the Past Simple C1 verbs. Verbs ending in "ee" you will add "y" before the past tense suffix. Additionally, for 2B verbs, the 2nd "e" is optional (Sameyey or Sameeyey)

Pronoun/WAA form	2A suffix	2A: Akhri	2B suffix	2B: Samee
I / WAAN	-yey	Akhriyey	-yey	Sameyey
You / WAAD	-sey	Akhrisey	-ysey	Sameysey
He / WUU	-yey	Akhriyey	-yey	Sameyey
She / WEY	-sey	Akhrisey	-ysey	Sameysey
We / WAANNU	-ney	Akhriney	-yney	Sameyney
You All / WEYDIN	-seen	Akhriseen	-yseen	Sameyseen
They / WEY	-yeen	Akhriyeen	-yeen	Sameyeen