Phrase Library
English to Somali phrases
Browse 300 common English to Somali phrases across 19 categories. Each phrase includes pronunciation and usage context.
business
16 phrases →English
Best regards
Somali
Mahadsanidin
/mah-had-san-ee-deen/
Email/letter closing
English
Can we reschedule?
Somali
Ma dib u qabanqaabin karnaa?
/mah deeb oo kah-ban-kah-been kar-nah/
Requesting to change meeting time
English
Deadline
Somali
Waqtiga kama danbaysta ah
/wah-tee-gah kah-mah dan-bays-tah ah/
Referring to a deadline
English
How can I help you?
Somali
Sidee ku caawin karaa?
/see-day koo ah-ween kah-rah/
Offering assistance
English
I appreciate the opportunity
Somali
Waan ka mahadsanahay fursadda
/waan kah mah-had-sah-nah-hay foor-sad-dah/
Expressing gratitude for an opportunity
English
I have a meeting
Somali
Waxaan qabaa kulan
/wah-haan kah-bah koo-lan/
Stating you have a meeting
daily
15 phrases →English
Can I sit here?
Somali
Ma fadhiisan karaa halkan?
/mah fah-dhee-san kah-rah hal-kan/
Asking to sit
English
Good luck
Somali
Nasiib wanaagsan
/nah-seeb wa-naag-san/
Wishing good luck
English
How was your day?
Somali
Sidee ayay ahayd maalintaadu?
/see-day ah-yay ah-hayd mah-leen-tah-doo/
Asking about someone's day
English
I am busy
Somali
Waan mashquulsanahay
/waan mash-kool-san-ah-hay/
Stating being busy
English
I am coming
Somali
Waan imanayaa
/waan ee-mah-nah-yah/
Indicating imminent arrival
English
I am ready
Somali
Waan diyaar ahay
/waan dee-yahr ah-hay/
Confirming readiness
directions
15 phrases →English
Across from
Somali
Ka soo horjeedka
/kah soh hor-jayd-kah/
Indicating opposite side
English
Behind
Somali
Gadaal
/gah-dahl/
Indicating behind
English
Between
Somali
Dhexdooda
/dheh-doh-dah/
Indicating between
English
Come here
Somali
Halkan kaalay
/hal-kan kah-lay/
Inviting someone to come
English
Go there
Somali
Halkaa tag
/hal-kah tag/
Directing someone to go
English
In front of
Somali
Horteeda
/hor-tay-dah/
Indicating in front
emergencies
15 phrases →English
Call the police!
Somali
Booliska soo wac!
/boh-lees-kah soh wah/
Requesting police
English
Fire!
Somali
Dab!
/dab/
Alerting about fire
English
Help!
Somali
Caawi!
/ah-wee/
Emergency call for help
English
I am in danger
Somali
Khatar baan ku jiraa
/kah-tar bahn koo jee-rah/
Stating danger
English
I cannot breathe
Somali
Ma neefsan karo
/mah nayf-san kah-roh/
Respiratory emergency
English
I lost my passport
Somali
Baasaboorkaygii baa iga lumay
/bah-sah-bor-kay-gee bah ee-gah loo-may/
Reporting lost passport
emotions
15 phrases →English
Be patient
Somali
Samir yeelo
/sah-meer yay-loh/
Advising patience
English
Cheer up
Somali
Faraxo
/fah-rah-hoh/
Encouraging to be happier
English
Don't worry
Somali
Ha walwalin
/hah wal-wal-een/
Reassuring someone
English
I am angry
Somali
Waan xanaaqsanahay
/waan hah-nah-san-ah-hay/
Expressing anger
English
I am bored
Somali
Waan caajisanahay
/waan ah-jee-sah-nah-hay/
Expressing boredom
English
I am excited
Somali
Waan faraxsanahay
/waan fah-rah-sah-nah-hay/
Expressing excitement
family
16 phrases →English
Aunt (maternal)
Somali
Habaryar
/hah-bar-yar/
Maternal aunt
English
Brother
Somali
Walaal
/wah-laal/
Term for brother
English
Daughter
Somali
Gabadh
/gah-bad/
Term for daughter
English
Father
Somali
Aabe
/ah-bay/
Term for father
English
Grandfather
Somali
Awoowe
/ah-woh-way/
Term for grandfather
English
Grandmother
Somali
Ayeeyo
/ah-yay-yoh/
Term for grandmother
food
16 phrases →English
Breakfast
Somali
Quraac
/koo-raah/
Morning meal
English
Can I have tea?
Somali
Ma heli karaa shaah?
/mah hay-lee kah-rah shah/
Requesting tea
English
Can I have the menu?
Somali
Ma arki karaa liiska?
/mah ar-kee kah-rah lees-kah/
Requesting a menu
English
Dinner
Somali
Casho
/ah-show/
Evening meal
English
Do you have vegetarian food?
Somali
Ma haysaa cunto khudradeed?
/mah hay-sah oon-toh kood-rah-dayd/
Asking about vegetarian options
English
How is the food?
Somali
Sidee ayay cuntadu tahay?
/see-day ah-yay oon-tah-doo ta-hay/
Asking about food quality
greetings
16 phrases →English
Good afternoon
Somali
Galab wanaagsan
/gah-lab wa-naag-san/
Used as an afternoon greeting
English
Good evening
Somali
Fiid wanaagsan
/feed wa-naag-san/
Used as an evening greeting
English
Good morning
Somali
Subax wanaagsan
/soo-bah wa-naag-san/
Used as a morning greeting
English
Good night
Somali
Habeen wanaagsan
/hah-bayn wa-naag-san/
Said before going to sleep
English
Goodbye
Somali
Nabad gelyo
/nah-bad gel-yoh/
Standard farewell
English
Have a nice day
Somali
Maalin wanaagsan
/mah-leen wa-naag-san/
A friendly parting wish
health
16 phrases →English
Blood pressure
Somali
Dhiig kar
/dheeg kar/
Referring to blood pressure
English
Call an ambulance
Somali
Ambalaas soo wac
/am-bah-lahs soh wah/
Emergency request for ambulance
English
Do you feel pain?
Somali
Ma xanuun baa ku haya?
/mah ha-noon bah koo hah-yah/
Asking about pain during medical checkup
English
Do you have medicine?
Somali
Ma haysaa daawo?
/mah hay-sah dah-woh/
Asking about medicine
English
Emergency
Somali
Deg deg
/deg deg/
Urgent expression for emergencies
English
How many times per day?
Somali
Immisa jeer maalintii?
/im-mee-sah jayr mah-leen-tee/
Asking about medicine frequency
love
16 phrases →English
Forever together
Somali
Weligeen wada jir
/way-lee-gayn wah-dah jeer/
Commitment phrase
English
I adore you
Somali
Waan kugu faraxsanahay
/waan koo-goo fah-rah-san-ah-hay/
Expression of adoration
English
I can't live without you
Somali
Adigaa la'aantaa ma noolaan karo
/ah-dee-gah la-aan-tah mah noh-laan kah-roh/
Deep romantic expression
English
I cherish you
Somali
Waan ku qadarin
/waan koo kah-dah-reen/
Expression of deep appreciation
English
I love you
Somali
Waan ku jeclahay
/waan koo jeh-la-hay/
Direct expression of love
English
I miss you
Somali
Waan kuu xiisay
/waan koo hee-say/
Expressing longing for someone
numbers
16 phrases →English
Eight
Somali
Sideed
/see-dayd/
Number eight
English
Fifty
Somali
Konton
/kon-ton/
Number fifty
English
First
Somali
Koowaad
/koh-wahd/
Ordinal number one
English
Five
Somali
Shan
/shan/
Number five
English
Four
Somali
Afar
/ah-far/
Number four
English
How many?
Somali
Immisa?
/im-mee-sah/
Asking about quantity
religion
16 phrases →English
And upon you be peace
Somali
Wacalaykum assalaam
/wah-ah-lay-koom as-sah-lahm/
Response to Islamic greeting
English
Blessing
Somali
Barako
/bah-rah-koh/
Term for blessing
English
Eid Mubarak
Somali
Ciid wanaagsan
/eed wa-naag-san/
Eid celebration greeting
English
Faith
Somali
Iimaan
/ee-mahn/
Term for faith
English
God bless you
Somali
Ilaah ha ku barakeeyo
/ee-lah hah koo bah-rah-kay-yoh/
Religious blessing
English
God is great
Somali
Allaahu akbar
/al-lah-hoo ak-bar/
Islamic expression
school
16 phrases →English
Can you teach me?
Somali
Ma i bari kartaa?
/mah ee bah-ree kar-tah/
Asking to be taught
English
Do you understand?
Somali
Ma fahantay?
/mah fah-han-tay/
Checking comprehension
English
Homework
Somali
Shaqo guri
/shah-koh goo-ree/
Term for homework
English
How do you say this in Somali?
Somali
Sidee tan loogu dhawaaqaa af soomaali?
/see-day tan loh-goo dha-wah-kah af soh-mah-lee/
Asking for Somali translation
English
I am learning
Somali
Waan baranayaa
/waan bah-rah-nah-yah/
Stating you are in learning process
English
I don't know
Somali
Ma ogi
/mah oh-gee/
Expressing lack of knowledge
shopping
16 phrases →English
Can I try it on?
Somali
Ma isku dayi karaa?
/mah ees-koo dah-yee kah-rah/
Asking to try clothing
English
Can you gift wrap it?
Somali
Ma u duubi kartaa sidii hadiyad?
/mah oo doo-bee kar-tah see-dee hah-dee-yad/
Asking for gift wrapping
English
Do you accept credit cards?
Somali
Ma aqbashaan kaararka amaahda?
/mah ak-bah-shan kah-rar-kah ah-mah-dah/
Asking about card payment
English
Do you have a discount?
Somali
Ma haysaa qiimo dhimis?
/mah hay-sah kee-moh dhee-mees/
Asking for discount
English
How much is this?
Somali
Immisa ayuu ku kacayaa kani?
/im-mee-sah ah-yoo koo kah-chah-yah kah-nee/
Asking the price of an item
English
I am just looking
Somali
Kaliya waan fiirinayaa
/kah-lee-yah waan fee-ree-nah-yah/
Browsing without buying
technology
16 phrases →English
Can I charge my phone here?
Somali
Ma ku dallaci karaa taleefankayga halkan?
/mah koo dal-lah-ee kah-rah tah-lay-fan-kay-gah hal-kan/
Asking to charge phone
English
Can you text me?
Somali
Farriin ma ii soo diri kartaa?
/far-reen mah ee soh dee-ree kar-tah/
Asking someone to send a text message
English
Check your email
Somali
Eeg emaylkaaga
/ayg ee-mayl-kah-gah/
Instructing email check
English
Computer
Somali
Kombiyuutarka
/kom-bee-yoo-tar-kah/
Term for computer
English
Do you have Wi-Fi?
Somali
Ma haysaa Wi-Fi?
/mah hay-sah wee-fee/
Asking about Wi-Fi availability
English
Download the app
Somali
Soo deji barnaamijka
/soh deh-jee bar-nah-meej-kah/
Directing to download
time
16 phrases →English
Afternoon
Somali
Galab
/gah-lab/
Time of day
English
At what time?
Somali
Immisa saac?
/im-mee-sah sah-ah/
Asking for a specific time
English
Evening
Somali
Fiid
/feed/
Time of day
English
Last month
Somali
Bishii hore
/bee-shee hoh-ray/
Referring to previous month
English
Later
Somali
Haddhow
/had-dhow/
Referring to a later time
English
Midnight
Somali
Saqdhexe
/sak-dheh-hay/
Referring to midnight
transport
16 phrases →English
Driver
Somali
Darawal
/dah-rah-wal/
Term for driver
English
Fuel station
Somali
Batroolka
/bat-rohl-kah/
Term for gas station
English
How do I get to...?
Somali
Sidee ku tagaa...?
/see-day koo tah-gah/
Asking for route directions
English
How long is the trip?
Somali
Intee ayuu socon doonaa safarku?
/in-tay ah-yoo soh-chon doh-nah sah-far-koo/
Asking about trip duration
English
I missed the bus
Somali
Baskii baa iga dhaafay
/bas-kee bah ee-gah dhah-fay/
Reporting missed bus
English
Is this seat taken?
Somali
Kursigan ma la fadhiyaa?
/koor-see-gan mah lah fah-dhee-yah/
Asking about seat availability
travel
16 phrases →English
Can you help me?
Somali
Ma i caawin kartaa?
/mah ee ah-ween kar-tah/
Asking for assistance
English
Do you have a map?
Somali
Ma haysaa khariidad?
/mah hay-sah hah-ree-dahd/
Asking for a map
English
Do you speak English?
Somali
Ma ku hadashaa Ingiriisi?
/mah koo hah-dah-shah in-gee-ree-see/
Asking if someone speaks English
English
Go straight ahead
Somali
Toos u soco
/tohs oo soh-cho/
Directing someone straight ahead
English
How far is it?
Somali
Intee ayay jirtaa?
/in-tay ah-yay jeer-tah/
Asking about distance
English
How much does it cost?
Somali
Immisa ayay ku kacaysaa?
/im-mee-sah ah-yay koo kah-chay-sah/
Asking about price
weather
16 phrases →English
Beautiful weather
Somali
Cimilo qurux badan
/ee-mee-loh koo-roo bah-dan/
Praising the weather
English
Cloudy
Somali
Daruur
/dah-roor/
Describing cloudy sky
English
Dress warmly
Somali
Dhar diiran xidho
/dar dee-ran hee-dhoh/
Advising warm clothing
English
Hot season
Somali
Xilliga kulaylka
/heel-lee-gah koo-layl-kah/
Referring to hot season
English
Is it going to rain?
Somali
Roob ma da'i doonaa?
/rohb mah dah-ee doh-nah/
Asking about rain forecast
English
Is it safe to travel?
Somali
Ma nabad galyi kartaa socdaalku?
/mah nah-bad gal-yee kar-tah soch-dal-koo/
Asking about travel safety in bad weather