Language/Somali/Vocabulary/Telling-Time
As a Somali language teacher for 20 years, I have helped many students learn how to tell time in Somali. In this lesson, you will learn how to tell time in Somali, including hours, minutes, and how to ask and answer questions about time.
Hours
The Somali language uses a twelve-hour clock system, just like English. However, in Somali, the numbers used for hours are different from those used in English. Here are the Somali words for the hours:
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| laba daqiiqo ka hor | lah-bah dah-kee-koh kah hohr | twelve o'clock (midnight) |
| saacada ku dhow | sah-cah-dah koo dhohw | one o'clock |
| saacadaha laba | sah-cah-dah-hah lah-bah | two o'clock |
| saacadaha saddex | sah-cah-dah-hah sah-dheh | three o'clock |
| saacadaha afar | sah-cah-dah-hah ah-fahrr | four o'clock |
| saacadaha shan | sah-cah-dah-hah shahn | five o'clock |
| saacadaha lixda | sah-cah-dah-hah lih-dhah | six o'clock |
| saacadaha toddobaadka | sah-cah-dah-hah toh-doh-bah-dhkah | seven o'clock |
| saacadaha siddeed | sah-cah-dah-hah sih-dehd | eight o'clock |
| saacadaha sagaal | sah-cah-dah-hah sah-gahl | nine o'clock |
| saacadaha maghrib | sah-cah-dah-hah mah-greeb | ten o'clock |
| saacadaha midawoow | sah-cah-dah-hah mi-dah-woh-ohw | eleven o'clock |
| laba daqiiqo kale | lah-bah dah-kee-koh kah-leh | twelve o'clock (noon) |
For example:
- Waxaan daneynaa saacadaha laba. (I know how to tell time at two o'clock.)
Minutes
To express the minutes in Somali, just use the word daqiiqo (minute) followed by the number of minutes. Here are some examples:
- Waxaan qabay saacadaha saddex iyo shan daqiiqo. (I finished at five minutes to six o'clock.)
- Haddii aad kasoo aqrisatid, saacadaha laba iyo hal jeclaadayda u dhiganta. (If you read carefully, you will find three clues at two minutes past twelve o'clock.)
When telling time with minutes, it is helpful to know the words for "quarter" and "half." The word for "quarter" in Somali is caruur, and the word for "half" is falla. Here are some examples:
- Saacadaha lixda iyo saddexda caruur. (Quarter past six o'clock.)
- Saacadaha laba iyo afarta falla. (Half past two o'clock.)
Asking and Answering Questions about Time
To ask someone for the time in Somali, you can say saacadu waa maxay? or waa maxay saacadaha? which both mean "what time is it?" To answer, you can say saacadu waa labaad iyo saddex daqiiqo, for example.
Here are some common phrases and questions related to time in Somali:
- Kaddib waa saacadaha kaydka ah? (What time is the appointment?)
- Saacadu waa la joogo? (What time is it?)
- Saacadaha labaad iyo afarta falla. (It is half past two o'clock.)
- Waxaan jeclaan lahaa inaan tago saacadaha lixda. (I plan to go at six o'clock.)
- Haddii aad jeclaan lahayd inaad hadashid, ka soo dejin saacadaha kaydka ah. (If you want to talk, call me at the appointment time.)
Learning how to tell time and ask for the time is an important skill in any language. With these Somali phrases and vocabulary, you are ready to start telling time in Somali with ease!