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

The Past Simple (1st Conjugation)

This is for simple verbs which end in a non-guttural consonant.  We will use KEEN (to bring) as an example.

Standard Suffixes	Somali	English
-ay (I)	Waan keenay	I brought
-tay (you)	Waad keentay	You brought
-ay (he/it m.)	Wuu keenay	He brought
-tay (she/it f.)	Wey keentay	She brought
-nay (we)	Waannu keennay	We brought
-teen (you all)	Weydin keenteen	You all brought
-een (they)	Wey keeneen	They brought

To make it negative: 
Imperative+neg. past suffix
Keen+in = Keenin    Did not bring

The Past Simple 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	KEENAY	KARIYEY	SAMEYEY	JOOGSADAY	QABTAY
YOU	WAAD	KEENTAY	KARISEY	SAMEYSEY	JOOGSATAY	QABATAY
HE/IT(M)	WUU	KEENAY	KARIYEY	SAMEYEY	JOOGSADAY	QABTAY
SHE/IT(F)	WEY	KEENTAY	KARISEY	SAMEYSEY	JOOGSATAY	QABATAY
WE	WAANNU	KEENNAY	KARINNEY	SAMEYNEY	JOOGSANNAY	QABANNAY
YOU ALL	WEYDIN	KEENTEEN	KARISEEN	SAMEYSEEN	JOOGSATEEN	QABATEEN
THEY	WEY	KEENEEN	KARIYEEN	SAMEYEEN	JOOGSADEEN	QABTEEN

WAAN + AHOW: To Be (present habitual)

I	WAAN AHAY	I am
You	WAAD TAHAY	You are
He/It(M)	WUU YAHAY	He/It is
She/It(F)	WEY TAHAY	She/It is
We(excl)	WAANNU NAHAY	We are
You (Pl)	WEYDIN TIHIIN	You all are
They	WEY YIHIIN	They are

Waan fiicanahay	I am well
Waad fiican tahay	You are well
Wuu fiican yahay	He is well
Wey fiican tahay	She is well
Waannu fiican nahay	We are well
Weydin fiican tihin	You all are well
Wey fiican yihin	They are well

*Wherever you see FIICAN, it can be substituted with whichever adjective from the previous list to explain the state you are in (tired, hungry, etc.)

I am......

In English, when we answer the question: "How are you?" we simply respond "I'm well" or "I'm tired" etc.  In Somali it is a little more complicated.  (because it's always a little more complicated)  You have to actually use the verb "AHOW" which means "To Be".  AHOW is an irregular verb and will be discussed later in more detail.  For now, we are using the basic present habitual of "AHOW".


AHOW: To Be (only in present habitual)
I am...........
We have already used this:  Waan fiicanahay (lit: I well am)

Fiican	Well
Kulul	Hot
Ladan	Well
Gaajeysan	Hungry
Harraadsan	Thirsty
Faraxsan	Happy
Murugaysan	Sad
Daalan	Tired
Welwelsan	Worried
Cadheysan (careysan)	Angry

Waan (insert word from above) Ahay: I am.............

Greetings and Salutations

Subax Wanaagsan! (Good Morning)

In Somali there are many greetings and salutations and their literal meanings may seem pretty odd to an English speaker.  Below are the typical greetings and salutations, as well as a sample dialogue.

Subax Wanaagsan	Good Morning
Galab Wanaagsan	Good Afternoon
Caweys Wanaagsan	Good Evening
Habeen Wanaagsan	Good Night
Duhur Wanaagsan	Good Noon
Maalin Wanaagsan	Good Day
Nabad ku bari	Good Night [lit: break the day in peace]
Nabad ma ku bariday?	Good Morning [lit: didy ou break the day in peace?]
Iska warran?	How are you?
Waan fiicanahay	I am well
Waa la wanaagsanyahay	I am well [lit: it is well]
Ma nabad baa?	How are you [lit: is it peace?]
Waa Nabad	I am well [lit: it is peace]
Sidee tahay?	How are you?
Maxaad sheegtay?	How are you? [lit:What did you tell?]
Nabad Miyaa?	How are you? [lit: is it peace?]
Assalaamu Calaykum	Peace be with you
Calaykum Assalaam!	Peace be with you (response to Assalaamu calaykum)
Fadlan	Please
Mahadsanid	Thank you
Adgiaa mudan	You're welcome
Magacaa?	What is your name?
Adigana?	And you?
Magacaygu waa	My name is
Barasho Wanaagsan	Nice to meet you
Nabad gelyo	Goodbye

Dialogue:

Bill:    Subax Wanaagsan!

John:  Subax Wanaagsan, iska warran?

Bill:     Waan fiicanahay, adigana?

John:   Waan fiicanahay.  Fadlan magacaa?

Bill:     Magacaygu waa Bill, adigana?

John:   Magacaygu waa John. Barasho wanaagsan. 

Bill:     Barasho wanaagsan.  Mahadsanid.
John:   Adigaa mudan.  Nabad gelyo.
Bill:     Nabad gelyo.


Dialogue:
Bill:  Good Morning!
John:  Good morning, how are you?
Bill:  I am well, and you?
John:  I am well.  Your name, please?
Bill:   My name is Bill, and you?
John:  My name is John.  Nice to meet you.
Bill:  Nice to meet you.  Thank you.
John:  You are welcome.  Good bye.
Bill:   Good bye.