English to Somali dictionary
eat in Somali
cunApprox. reading: kun
To take food into the body
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Translation
Somali meanings
cun
To take food into the body
Useful combinations
Common phrases with eat
eat food
cunto cun
Cunto means food, cun means eat.
eat breakfast
quraac cun
come eat
kaalay cun
A common Somali invitation to share a meal.
I am full, I cannot eat more.
Waan dhergay, kama cuni karo inta kale.
Real usage
Example sentences
I want to eat.
desireWaan rabaa inaan cuno.
She is eating rice.
present actionBariis bay cunaysaa.
We ate together.
past actionWadajir ayaan wax u cunay.
Eat this food.
commandCuntadan cun.
Do you eat meat?
questionHilib ma cuntaa?
Grammar
Grammar notes
Verb conjugation
Cun is the verb stem. It conjugates: waan cunay (I ate), waan cunaa (I eat habitually), waan cunayaa (I am eating), waan cuni doonaa (I will eat).
Object placement
In Somali, the object often comes before the verb. Cunto cun follows a food eat pattern rather than the English eat food.
Accuracy
Common mistakes
Using cun for drink
Use: cab
Cun is only for eating solid food. Use cab for drinking liquids.
Forgetting the subject marker
Avoid: Aniga cun.
Use: Aniga waan cunay.
Somali is a pro-drop language but needs tense markers — cun alone sounds like a command.
Keep learning
Related Somali words and phrases
Questions
Questions about eat in Somali
How do you say eat in Somali?
The Somali verb for eat is cun. It changes form depending on who is eating and when.
What is the difference between cun and cab?
Cun means to eat (solid food), while cab means to drink (liquids). They are never interchangeable in Somali.