I want to say something more about definite articles. By now, I'm sure that you have seen words like buugga and buuggii, ninka and ninkii, baabuurka and baabuurkii, etc. Why does Somali have two types of definite article. To be honest, for a long time, I didn't know and when I spoke I would get corrected often because I used the wrong one.
At last, I found an explanation that seems to make sense.
If the noun is you're using is geographically close to you, or if it exists in the present, then use 'ka' (or 'ta' for feminine nouns). For example, if you are with someone, and you want to borrow his key, you might say,
Furaha i sii - Give me the key
This is because the key is geographically close, you know where it is so you use the 'ka' form (in the example it becomes 'ha' because the base noun 'fure' ends in an 'e').
However, imagine if you lost your key. You don't know where it is geographically. It is distant from you. So, you say,
Furihii meeyey? - Where is the key?
In fact, when you ask for the location of any person or thing, because you don't know where they are, you use 'kii' or 'tii',
Ninkii meeyey? - Where is the man?
Gabartii meedey? - Where is the girl?
Bisaddii meedey? - Where is the cat?
Telefishankii meeyey? - Where is the TV?
Remember that for nouns that are to do with the past also take 'kii/tii',
Telefishankii waan iibiyey - I sold the TV.
Ninkii wuu dhintey sanadkii dambe - The man died last year.
Hilibkii waan cunay - I ate the meat (and it is gone now)
Also remember that nouns that are geographically close take 'ka/ta'
Telefishanka shid - Turn on the TV
Nalka demi - Turn off the light
Sonkorta i sii - Pass me the sugar
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