Language/Sango/Vocabulary/Express-Surprise
Hi Sango learners! 😊
In this lesson, we will focus on how to express surprise in Sango language. Learning how to express surprise will not only help you understand what others are saying, but it will also help you express yourself better in conversations. So let's get started!
Basic Expressions
Here are some basic expressions you can use to express surprise in Sango:
| Sango | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ákoa! | ah-koh-ah! | Wow!/Oh my goodness! |
| gbangba! | g-bahng-bah! | Geez! |
| mebi! | meh-bee! | Really? |
| keke! | keh-keh! | No way! |
| mba té | m-bah teh | That is not possible! |
| kalé | kah-lay | Seriously? |
| só | soh | That's it? |
Here are some example dialogues using the above expressions:
- Person 1: Mbi té ná ya ti gbé. (That is not possible!)
- Person 2: Akoá! Azíti! (Wow! Really!)
- Person 1: Téti na yé nná bekwara. (They say he won the lottery.)
- Person 2: Keke! Nángé téti zo! (No way! That's not possible!)
Idiomatic Expressions
Sango has a lot of idiomatic expressions that you can use to express surprise. Here are some of them:
| Sango | Pronunciation | Literal Translation | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ké a ngaire | kay ah ng-eye-reh | It's like lightning | It happened so fast |
| Ko ndré | koh un-dray | It's unbelievable | It's unbelievable |
| Néti ko zé | neh-tee koh zay | It's like a miracle | It's a miracle |
| Nyéma kogué | nyeh-mah koh-gay | It's like a mystery | It's a mystery |
| Ya rou zou | yah row zooh | His/her tongue fell | He/she became speechless |
| Zo tere kwa ngombó | zoh teh-reh kwa n-gohm-boh | The tree has fallen | A big issue has occurred |
Here are some example dialogues using idiomatic expressions:
- Person 1: Ké a ngaire, ngbé zo kozé! (It's like lightning, he disappeared in no time!)
- Person 2: Ko ndré. Azíti ngbé bóri! (It's unbelievable. Really, he's lucky!)
- Person 1: Nyéma kogué, kèlè téko tiyé! (It's like a mystery, where did he go?)
- Person 2: Ya rou zou. Mbéí nzara nángé! (His tongue fell. I can't believe it!)
Conclusion
That's it for today's lesson! We've covered basic and idiomatic expressions you can use to express surprise in Sango. Try using them in a conversation, and don't forget to practice with native speakers. To improve your Sango 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. 😎
Sources
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