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Lesson 5 of 10
Shops and hotels in Somali
Open, closed, a bag, the wifi password: the checkout and the front desk. Play the ten Somali words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Somali phrases in this lesson
- Ma haysaa...?ma hai-SAA
- Do you have...?
- Xagee...?hah-GAY
- Where is...?
- FuranFU-ran
- Open
- XiranKHI-ran
- Closed
- Bac?bac
- A bag?
- Aad bay qaali u tahayaad bai QAA-li u ta-HAI
- Too expensive
- Waan dalbadaywaan dal-BA-dai
- I have a reservation
- Quraacdu ma ku jirtaa?qu-RAAC-du ma ku jir-TAA
- Is breakfast included?
- Waa maxay furaha wifi-ga?waa ma-KHAI FU-ra-ha WAI-fai-ga
- What's the wifi password?
- Ma ...karaa?ma ... ka-RAA
- Can I...?
Literally "do you have ...?".
Xagee (where is) plus the object. "Xagee caano?" (where is milk?) is understood. Somali shop assistants often point rather than give complex directions.
Many shops close for Friday prayers.
A plastic bag.
Literally "it is very expensive". Bargaining is normal in markets.
Literally "I booked".
Literally "is breakfast in it?".
Furaha is literally "the key".
Literally "can I ...?".