Somali Grammar: Personal pronoun

Magac u yaal dad(Ma nagaadayaasha)	Personal pronouns
Aniga	I
Adiga	You, singular
Isaga	He
Iyada	She
Innaga	We
Idinka	You, plural
Iyaga	They
Tusaale 1: Example 1 Arday – student
ANIGA waxaan ahay arday	I  ama a student
ADIGA waxaad tahay arday	You are student
ISAGA waxuu yahay arday	He is a student
IYADA waxay tahay ardayad	She is a student
INNAGA waxaynu nahay arday	We are students
ADINKA waxaydin tihiin arday	You are students
IYAGA waxay yihiin arday	They are students
Tusaale 2 Bare – Teacher
ANIGA waxaan ahay bare	I  ama a teacher
ADIGA waxaad tahay bare	You are teacher
ISAGA waxuu yahay bare	He is a teacher
IYADA waxay tahay bare	She is a teacher
INNAGA waxaynu nahay bareyaal	We are teachers
ADINKA waxaydin tihiin bareyaal	You are teachers
IYAGA waxay yihiin bareyaal	They are teachers

Somali Grammar: PERSONAL PRONOUNS

Magac u yaal dad( Nagaadayaasha)	Personal pronouns
Waan	I
Waad	You, singular
Wuu	He
Way	She
Waynu, waanu,waan	We
Waydin, waad	You, plural
Way	They
Tusaale Daalan –tired
Waan daalanahay	I am tired
Waad daalantahay	You are tired
Wuu daalanyahay	He is tired
Way daalantahay	She is tired
Waynu daalannahay	We are tired
Waydin daalantihiin	you are tired
Way daalanyihiin	they are tired
Tusaale 2 Baahan – hungry
Waan baahanahay	I am hungry
Waad baahantahay	You are hungry
Wuu baahanyahay	He is hungry
Way baahantahay	She is hungry
Waynu baahannahay	We are hungry
Waydin baahantihiin	You are hungry
Way baahanyihiin	They are hungry

Somali Grammar: verb to be

In Somali, the verb to be ”AH” is irregular. The following is how the present tense of ”AH” is constructed based on the subject pronoun it is being used with:

Magac u yaal dad	Present form of the verb to be
Aniga	Ahay
Adiga	Tahay
Isaga	Yahay
Iyada	Tahay
Innaga	Nahay
Idinka	Tihiin
Iyaga	Yihiin
Tusaale 1: Example 1
Waan haraadsanAHAY	I am thirsty
Waad haraadsanTAHAY	You are  thirsty
Wuu haraadsanYAHAY	He is  thirsty
Way haraadsanTAHAY	She is  thirsty
Waynu haraadsanNAHAY	We are  thirsty
Waydin haraadsanTIHIIN	You are  thirsty
Way haraadsanYIHIIN	they are  thirsty
Tusaale 2
ANIGA waxaan AHAY arday	I  ama a student
ADIGA waxaad TAHAY arday	You are student
ISAGA waxuu YAHAY arday	He is a student
IYADA waxay TAHAY ardayad	She is a student
INNAGA waxaynu NAHAY arday	We are students
ADINKA waxaydin TIHIIN arday	You are students
IYAGA waxay YIHIIN arday	They are students

Somali Grammar: Subject pronouns(Transitive)

The transitive form waxaan, waxaad, as seen below, can be created by attaching wax- to the preverbal subject roots -aan, -aad, etc.

Magac u yaal fale- Transitive	Subject pronouns(Transitive)
Waxaan	I
Waxaad	You singular
Wuxuu	He
Waxay	She
Waxaynu(waxaanu,waxaan)	We
Waxaydin(waxaad)	You plural
waxay	They
Tusaale
WAXAAN ahay arday	I am student
WAXAAD tahay arday	You are student
WUXUU yahay arday	He is student
WAXAY tahay ardayad	She is student
WAXAYNU nahay arday	We are students
WAXAYDIN tihiin arday	You are students
WAXAY yihiin arday	They are students
Tusaale
WAXAAN deganahay London	I live in London
WAXAAD degantahay Toronto	You live in Toronto
WUXUU deganyahay NewYork	He lives in Newyork
WAXAY degantahay Mogadishu	She lives in Mogadishu
WAXAANU degannahay Hargeisa	We live in Hargeisa
WAXAYDIN degantihiin Kismayo	You live in Kismayo
WAXAY deganyihiin Sydney	They live in Sydney

Somali Grammar: Demonstratives – Tilmaameyaal

Somali	English
Kan	This (Masculine)
Kaas	That (Masculine)
Tan	This (Feminine)
Taas	That (Feminine)
Kuwaan	These(Plural)
Kuwaas	Thouse(Plural)
Tusaale
KANI waa maxaay ?	What is this ?
Ans: KANI waa Eey	Ans: This is a dog
KAASI waa maxaay ?	What is that ?
Ans: KAASI waa wiil	Ans: that is a boy
TANI waa maxay ?	What is this ?
Ans: TANI waa bisad	Ans: this is a cat
TAASI waa maxaay ?	What is that ?
Ans: TAASI waa gabar	Ans: that is a girl
KUWAANI waa maxaay ?	What are these ?
Ans: kuwaani waa Eeyo	Ans: These are dogs
KUWAASI waa maxaay ?	What are those ?
Ans: KUWAASI waa bisado	Ans: those are cats

Somali Grammar