Language/Somali/Vocabulary/Family-Members
As a Somali language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to teach you the Somali vocabulary for family members. Family is an important part of Somali culture, and it is essential to know and understand the Somali words used to refer to family members. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify and use the Somali words for different family members.
Immediate Family
Mother
The Somali word for mother is "hooyo" pronounced as (Haw-yoh).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Hooyo | (Haw-yoh) | Mother |
- Example: Hooyo waa gabar Soomaaliyeed ah - My mother is a Somali woman.
Father
The Somali word for father is "abaah" pronounced as (Ah-baa).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Abaah | (Ah-baa) | Father |
- Example: Abaahay waliga ila tahay qof aan jirin. - Your father seems like a good man.
Son
The Somali word for son is "wiil" pronounced as (wih-il).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Wiil | (Wih-il) | Son |
- Example: Waxaan arkay wiilkay hargeysa - I saw my son in Hargeysa.
Daughter
The Somali word for daughter is "gabadh" pronounced as (Gah-baadh).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Gabadh | (Gah-baadh) | Daughter |
- Example: Gabadhayga ayaa arday dugsiga sare ku noqday - My daughter became a top student.
Brother
The Somali word for brother is "walaal" pronounced as (Waa-laal).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Walaal | (Waa-laal) | Brother |
- Example: Walaalkey waxuu lahaa shaqo iskaashiga - My brother has a partnership business.
Sister
The Somali word for sister is "xannaanad" pronounced as (Han-naan-ad).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Xannaanad | (Han-naan-ad) | Sister |
- Example: Xannaanadey oo qiimo badan ayaa ka baxay qaybaha koowaad - My sister, who is very valuable, graduated top of her class.
Extended Family
Grandmother
The Somali word for grandmother is "ayeeyo" pronounced as (Ahy-yoh).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ayeeyo | (Ah-yee-yoh) | Grandmother |
- Example: Ayeeyaha waxaa uu ka jeclaaday suuqa caymiska - My grandmother enjoyed going to the weekly market.
Grandfather
The Somali word for grandfather is "aar" pronounced as (Aah-r).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Aar | (Aah-r) | Grandfather |
- Example: Aarkey waa nin carbeed ah oo ka dhalatay magaalo cad - My grandfather is a well-travelled man and was born in a big city.
Uncle
The Somali word for uncle is "aabo" pronounced as (AA-boh).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Aabo | (AA-boh) | Uncle |
- Example: Aabo qurbaaga aad ayaa wada qancin karaa - You can confide in your close uncle.
Aunt
The Somali word for aunt is "khala" pronounced as (Kha-lah).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Khala | (Kha-lah) | Aunt |
- Example: Khalaashaagu waxay ku fadhiyaan isfaransa - My aunts live in France.
Cousin
The Somali word for cousin is "reer-fuur" pronounced as (Rayr-FOOR).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Reer-fuur | (Rayr-FOOR) | Cousin |
- Example: Reer-fuurkeyga ayaa ku dhamaaday isgoysyada caalamiga ah - My cousin has visited many international universities.
Niece
The Somali word for niece is "walaalo" pronounced as (Waa-laal-oh).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Walaalo | (Waa-laal-oh) | Niece |
- Example: Walaaladaagu waxay ii keeni jirtay waxbarasho dowladeed - Your nieces have received a government scholarship.
Nephew
The Somali word for nephew is "wiilka aabooy" pronounced as (Wih-il-kah AA-boh-oy).
| Somali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Wiilka aabooy | (Wih-il-kah AA-boh-oy) | Nephew |
- Example: Wiilkay aaboortu uu asxaabtooda kula hadlay - Your nephew was talking to his friends.
Conclusion
In this lesson, you learned the Somali words for different family members, such as mother, father, brother, sister, and more. By using the examples provided, you can practice using these words in everyday conversations. Understanding the vocabulary for family members is essential and can help you better communicate with Somali speakers. Keep learning and practicing, and soon you will have a more comprehensive understanding of Somali language and culture!