Language/Kabyle/Vocabulary/Common-greetings
In this lesson, we will explore some common greetings and farewells in Kabyle, a Berber language spoken mainly in Kabylie, an area in the north of Algeria. You will learn a range of phrases that will help you interact with native speakers during your stay, making your conversation more engaging and enjoyable. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to greet people formally and informally, and say goodbye in different situations. Now, let's get started!
Greetings for different times of the day
One of the first things you will notice when learning Kabyle is that the language has various greetings for different times of the day. Here are some examples:
| Kabyle | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ⴰⵣⵓⵍ | azul | Hello/Hi |
| ⵜⴰⴼⴰⵡⵙⵜ | tafawst | Good morning |
| ⵜⴰⵙⴰⵡⵡⵍⵜ | tasawwalt | Good afternoon |
| ⵜⴰⵎⴻⵓⵔⵜ | tameurt | Good evening |
| ⵜⵉⵏ ⵢⵉⵏ | tin yin | Good night |
When you meet someone in Kabyle, you may start your conversation with these greetings, depending on the time of day. Keep in mind that the pronunciation of each word may vary slightly across different regions.
Formal and informal greetings
In Kabyle, just like in many other languages, there are formal and informal ways of greeting someone. Formal greetings are usually used with people you don't know very well, in professional situations or with elders. Informal greetings are more common among friends, family, and peers. Let's have a look at some examples:
| Kabyle | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ⴰⵣⵓⵍ ⴼⴻⵍⴰⵡⴻⵏ | azul fellawen | Hello (formal to a group of people) |
| ⴰⵣⵓⵍ ⴼⴻⵍⴰⵡⵓⵜ | azul fellawt | Hello (formal to a woman) |
| ⴰⵣⵓⵍ ⴼⴰⵍⴰⵟⵔⵎⵎⵓⵜ | azul falatremmut | Hello (formal to an elderly person) |
| ⴰⵣⵓⵍ ⴼⴻⵍⴰⴽ | azul felak | Hello (informal to a friend/male) |
| ⴰⵣⵓⵍ ⴼⴻⵍⵉⴽ | azul felik | Hello (informal to a friend/female) |
Remember that it's always better to err on the side of formality, especially when you're just starting to learn the language and interact with native speakers.
Asking and answering 'how are you?'
When greeting someone, it's customary to ask how they're doing. Here are some useful phrases for asking and answering this question in Kabyle:
| Kabyle | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ⵎⴰⵍ ⴼⵍⴻⵉⵜ ⵓⵎⴼⵎ ⴰⵙ ⵜⵜⵓⵜⵜⵓⵔⵜ | mal fleit umfum as ttutturt | How are you? (formal to a woman) |
| ⵎⴰⵍ ⴼⵔⴻⴽ | mal frek | How are you? (informal) |
| ⵙⵏⵉⵡⵉ | sniwi | I'm fine |
| ⵜⴰⵎⴽⴰⵔⵜ ⵜⵓⵏⵢⵏ ⵙⵏⵉⵡ ⵇⴹⵉⵜⵜⵓⵔ | tamkart tunyn sniw ghadittur | I'm doing well, thank you |
Note that the question "mal frek" is informal, and it's more appropriate to use "mal fleit umfum as ttutturt" when addressing a woman formally.
Saying goodbye
Finally, let's learn how to say goodbye in different situations. Here are a few expressions you can use:
| Kabyle | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ⵜⵍⵎⵜ | tlmt | Goodbye |
| ⵜⵍⵎⵜ ⵏⵖⵖⵉⵙ | tlmt nigis | Goodbye (formal) |
| ⵢⴰⵃⵏⵏ | yahnn | See you later |
| ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵜⵜⵓⵔ | issittur | See you soon |
| ⵜⵜⵓⵜⵜⵓⵔ ⵡⵉⵖⵖⵉⵙ | ttuttur wiggis | Goodbye (used by a woman leaving a group of people) |
Now that you've learned some common greetings and farewells in Kabyle, don't forget to practice them regularly. This will not only help you improve your conversational skills, but also allow you to connect more effectively with the fascinating culture of the Kabyles.
Related Lessons
- Days of the Week
- Count to 10
- How to say Good Bye?
- Basic words in Kabyle
- Education
- Introducing yourself
- Colors
- Animals
- Feelings and Emotions
- Dining out
Sources