Language/Somali/Vocabulary/Express-Surprise
Hi Somali learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will learn how to express surprise in Somali. We will look at some useful words and phrases that you can use to express surprise in different situations.
Words
Here are some common Somali words used to ask questions:
| Somali | ! Pronunciation | ! English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| maxaa | mah-ah-shah | what? |
| waa maxay | wah mah-ah-shay | what is it? |
| maxaa dhacay | mah-ah-shah dah-hah-chay | what happened? |
| maxaa ku dhacay | mah-ah-shah koo dah-hah-chay | what happened to you? |
| maxaa jira | mah-ah-shah jeer-ah | what's going on? |
| maxaa yeelay | mah-ah-shah yee-lay | why? |
| maxaa iska leh | mah-ah-shah ees-kah lay | who is responsible? |
| maxaa lagu sameeyey | mah-ah-shah lah-goo sah-mee-yeh | what was done? |
| maxaa lagu sameeyay | mah-ah-shah lah-goo sah-mee-yahy | what was done to you? |
| maxaa lagu sameeyay | mah-ah-shah lah-goo sah-mee-yahy | what was done to him/her? |
Example Sentences
Here are some example sentences using these words:
| Somali | ! English Translation |
|---|---|
| Maxaa dhacay? | What happened? |
| Maxaa ku dhacay? | What happened to you? |
| Maxaa jira? | What's going on? |
| Maxaa yeelay? | Why? |
| Maxaa iska leh? | Who is responsible? |
| Maxaa lagu sameeyey? | What was done? |
| Maxaa lagu sameeyay? | What was done to you? |
| Maxaa lagu sameeyay? | What was done to him/her? |
Quiz
Test your understanding of the expressions for expressing surprise in Somali with the following quiz:
1. What do you say when you want to ask what happened? A. Maxaa dhacay? B. Maxaa ku dhacay? C. Maxaa jira?
2. What do you say when you want to ask why something happened? A. Maxaa dhacay? B. Maxaa ku dhacay? C. Maxaa yeelay?
3. What do you say when you want to ask who is responsible for something? A. Maxaa dhacay? B. Maxaa ku dhacay? C. Maxaa iska leh?
4. What do you say when you want to ask what was done? A. Maxaa lagu sameeyey? B. Maxaa lagu sameeyay? C. Maxaa yeelay?
Answers: 1. A, 2. C, 3. C, 4. A
Now you know how to express surprise in Somali! To improve your Somali Vocabulary, you can also use the Polyglot Club website. Find native speakers and ask them any questions!
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
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