xawaash.com

There is a website called xawaash.com.
I encourage you to visit it because they show you how traditional Somali dishes are made, and most of their video explain how to make the dishes in both Somali and English. So it is a good opportunity to learn cooking vocabulary. I have been linking some of their videos to this blog. Here are some basic phrases related to cuisine,


Waxaa loo baahanyahay... - What is needed is...
Wuxuu ku filan yahay 8 ilaa 10 qofood - It is sufficient for 8 to 10 people
Ku dar biyaha/caanaha/sonkorta - Add the water/milk/sugar
Waxaad isticmaali kartaa nooca hilibka aad jeceshahay - You can use the type of meat that you prefer

Muqmad - Beef jerky

Anigu Muqmad aad baan u necebahay - I really hate Muqmad.

Laakin Soomaalidu aad bey u jecelyihiin -

 But the Somalis really like it.

Markey sameeynayaan Muqmad, waxay isticmaalaan hilib lo'aad ama hilib geel.

When they make Muqmad, they use beef or camels' meat.

Daawo sida loo sameeyo.

Watch how it is made.

Waxaan ku noolahay Ingriiska

Waxaan ku noolahay Ingriiska - I live in the U.K.
Waxaad ku nooshahay Mareykanka - You live in the U.S.
Wuxuu ku noolahay Talyaaniga - He lives in Italy
Waxay ku nooshahay Sweden - She lives in Sweden
Waxaanu ku noolnahay Faransiiska - We live in France
Waxeynu ku noolnahay Spain - We live in Spain
Waxaad ku nooshihiin Itoobiya - You live in Ethiopia
Waxay ku noolyihiin  Sacuudiga - They live in Saudi Arabia

Xaggee baad ku nooshahay? - Where do you live?

Sabtiga iyo Axadda maxaad sameeysey?

Sabtiga iyo Axadda, maxaad sameeysey?

What did you do on the weekend?

Sabti(Saturday)

Aroortii, tobankii ilaa laba iyo tobankii, waxaan sameeyey homeworkkayga. 

Marka, saddexdii ilaa lixdii shaneemo baan tegay oo filin daawaday.

Marka, toddobadii makhaayad baan tegay oo casheeyey,

Axad(Sunday)

Aroortii, kow iyo tobankii ilaa laba iyo tobankii tennis baan ciyaarey. 

Marka, labadii ilaa afartii dukaamada baan tegay oo dhar iibsadey.

Marka, sideediii waxaan sameeyey homeworkkayga.

kowda - 1 o'clock
labada - 2 o'clock
saddexda - 3 o'clock
afarta - 4 o'clock
shanta - 5 o'clock
lixda - 6 o'clock
toddobada - 7 o'clock
siddeedda - 8 o'clock
sagaasha - 9 o'clock
tobanka - 10 o'clock
kow iyo tobanka - 11 o'clock
laba iyo tobanka - 12 o'clock

Maxaa yaallaa/taallaa - What is there?

Maxaa yaallaa? - What is there?
 (You can use this at a restaurant when a waiter wants to take your order)
Waxaa yaallaa... - There is...


For masculine nouns, use 'yaallaa',

Koob ma yaallaa? - Is there a cup?
Haa wuu yaallaa - Yes, there is.
Mey, ma yaallo - No there isn't
 
Buug ma yaallaa? - Is there a book?
Haa wuu yaallaa - Yes, there is.
Mey, ma yaallo - No there isn't

Computer ma yaallaa? - Is there a computer?
Haa wuu yaallaa - Yes, there is.
Mey, ma yaallo - No there isn't

Telefoon ma yaallaa? - Is there a telephone?
Haa wuu yaallaa - Yes, there is.
Mey, ma yaallo - No there isn't

Telefishan ma yaallaa? - Is there a television?
Haa wuu yaallaa - Yes, there is.
Mey, ma yaallo - No there isn't


For feminine nouns, use 'taallaa'




Musqul ma taallaa? - Is there a toilet?
Haa wey taallaa - Yes, there is.
Mey, ma taallo - No there isn't

Cunto ma taallaa? - Is there food?
Haa wey taallaa - Yes, there is.
Mey, ma taallo - No there isn't

Sariir ma taallaa? - Is there a bed?
Haa wey taallaa - Yes, there is.
Mey, ma taallo - No there isn't


Makhaayad ma taallaa? - Is there a restaurant?
Haa wey taallaa - Yes, there is.
Mey, ma taallo - No there isn't


Shaneemo ma taallaa? - Is there a cinema?
Haa wey taallaa - Yes, there is.
Mey, ma taallo - No there isn't




Liquids like water (biyo) and milk (caano) are treated as plural nouns, use 'yaallaan'.


Biyo ma yaallaan? - Is there water? (Literally:'Are there water?')
Haa, wey yaallaan - Yes, there is 
Mey, ma yaallaan - No, there isn't 

Caano ma yaallaan? - Is there milk?
Haa, wey yaallaan - Yes, there is 
Mey, ma yaallaan - No, there isn't

Dhiig ma yaallaan? - Is there blood?
Haa, wey yaallaan - Yes, there is 
Mey, ma yaallaan - No, there isn't

Guriga Fadumo

Guriga Fadumo hortiisa
In front of Fadumo's house

'Sawir' means 'to draw'

Sawir gurigaaga - Draw your house
Sawir dugsigaaga - Draw your school
Sawir hooyadaa - Draw your mother

Verb practice - 'rab' to want

Maxaan rabaa? - What do I want?
Maxaad rabtaa? - What do you want?
Muxuu rabaa? - What does he want?
Maxay rabtaa? - What does she want?
Maxaanu rabnaa? - What do we (excl.) want?
Maxeynu rabnaa? - What do we (incl.) want?
Maxaad rabtaan - What do  you (pl.) want?
Maxay rabaan - What do they want?


Laba saxan oo bariis ah baan rabaa - I want two plates of rice
Laba saxan oo bariis ah baad rabtaa - You want two plates of rice
Laba saxan oo bariis ah buu rabaa - He wants two plates of rice
Laba saxan oo bariis ah bey rabtaa - She wants two plates of rice
Laba saxan oo bariis ah baannu rabnaa - We (excl.) want two plates of rice
Laba saxan oo bariis ah beynu rabnaa - We (incl.) want two plates of rice
Laba saxan oo bariis ah baad rabtaan - You (pl.) want two plates of rice
Laba saxan oo bariis ah bey rabaan - They want two plates of rice

Or, you can say

Waxaan rabaa laba saxan oo bariis ah
I want two plates of rice 
Waxaad rabtaa laba saxan oo bariis ah
 You want two plates of rice
Wuxuu rabaa laba saxan oo bariis ah
 He wants two plates of rice
Waxay rabtaa laba saxan oo bariis ah
 She wants two plates of rice
Waxaanu rabnaa laba saxan oo bariis ah
 We(excl.) want two plates of rice
Waxeynu rabnaa laba saxan oo bariis ah
 We(incl.) want two plates of rice
Waxaad rabtaan laba saxan oo bariis ah
 You(pl) want two plates of rice
Waxay rabaan laba saxan oo bariis ah      
 They want two plates of rice

Yaa rabaa? - Who wants it?
Anigaa/Anaa rabaa! - I want it!
Yaa rabaa? - Who wants it?
Adigaa/Adaa rabtaa! - You want it!
Yaa rabaa? - Who wants it?
Isagaa rabaa! - He wants it!
Yaa rabaa? - Who wants it?
Iyadaa rabtaa! - She wants it!
Yaa rabaa? - Who wants it?
Annagaa rabnaa! - We want it!
Yaa rabaa? - Who wants it?
Innagaa rabnaa! - We want it!
Yaa rabaa? - Who wants it?
Idinkaa rabtaan! - You want it!
Yaa rabaa? - Who wants it?
Iyagaa rabaan! - They want it!    

Anigaa = Aniga + baa
Adigaa = Adiga + baa
etc...
 

Xawaash - Somali spices

'Xawaash' means 'spices' in Somali. It's a very important part of Somali cuisine. 


Dadka Soomaaliyeed, markay wax karinayaan, marmar way isticmaalaan xawaash.
When Somalis cook something, they often use spices.


Markay shaah karinayaan, marmar xawaash bey ku daraan.
When they make tea, they often put spices in it.


Shaah noocan ah oo 'Shaah xawaash leh' baa la yiraahdaa.
This type of tea is called 'Spicy tea'.


 Daawo videoga oo fiiri sida loo sameeyo xawaash.
Watch the video and see how Somali spices are made.

nooc - kind/type

'nooc' means 'type' or 'kind'

noocan - this type 

Haddaad dhibaato noocan ah ku haysato, la xiriir dhaktarkaaga! - If you have this type of problem, contact your doctor!

noocaas - that type

Cuntada noocaas ah aad baan u necebahay - I really hate that kind of food

noocee? - Which type?


Baabuurka noocee ah baad dooneysaa? - What type of car do you want?

Xaggee baa laga keenaa? - From where are they brought?

Khudradda xaggee baa laga keenaa? - Where do the vegetables come from?
Khudradda koonfurta baa laga keenaa - The vegetables come from the south

Sonkorta noocan oo kale xaggee baa laga keenaa? - Where does this type of sugar come from?
Sonkorta Brasil baa laga keenaa  - It comes from Brazil

Buugagga xaggee baa laga keenaa? - Where are these books brought from?
Buugagga Yurub baa laga keenaa  - These books are brought from Europe

'laga' =     'la'              +        'ka'
                   PASSIVE                'FROM'

Awoowahey/Ayeeyadey

'Kuwani' means 'these' in Somali.

Awoowe - grandfather
Awoowahey - my grandfather
Awoowahaa - your grandfather
 
Ayeeyo - grandmother
Ayeeyadey - my grandmother
Ayeeyadaa - your grandmother


Kani waa Awoowahey - This is my grandfather
Tani waa Ayeeyadey - This is my grandmother


Kuwani waa Awoowahey iyo Ayeeyadey - These are my grandfather and grandmother

Guriga gudihiisa - Inside the house

Maxaad ku arki kartaa sawirka?

Guriga Faadumo

Halkani waa guriga Faadumo. Guriga Faadumo ma dariishad leeyahay? Ma albaab leeyahay? Ma beer(garden) leeyahay? Qoyska Faadumo maxay sameynayaan?

Ha iska badin! - Don't overdo it!

Miyaad garanaysaa sida loo yiraahdaa af Soomaali ' Don't ....'


Ha + cun + in      = Ha cunin - Don't eat 
Ha + cab + in      = Ha cabbin - Don't drink
Ha + bood + in    = Ha boodin - Don't jump
Ha + kari + in      = Ha karinnin - Don't cook (Group 2 verb)
Ha + guurso + in = Ha guursannin - Don't marry (Group 3 verb)
etc...


If you want to say 'Don't eat/drink/work too much', you should use the phrase 'Ha iska badin'


On its own it means 'Don't overdo it'


Cuntada ha iska badin - Don't eat too much (lit: 'Don't overdo the food')
Shaqada ha iska badin - Don't work too much (lit: 'Don't overdo the work')
Qosolka ha iska badin - Don't laugh too much

Beer iyo basal - A Traditional Somali Breakfast

Dadka Soomaaliyeed marmar waxay ku quraacdaan beer iyo basal.
Somalis sometimes eat liver and onions for breakfast.


Miyaad dooneysaan inaad barataan sidii loo sameeyo?
Do you want to know how it is made?


Halkan waad arki kartaan sidii loo sameeyo.
Here you can see how it is made.

la (passive) - Brief review

Remember that 'la' makes the sentence passive,


Waan cunay - I ate it

Waa la cunay - It was eaten


'La' combines with prepositions 'u', 'la', 'ku', 'ka'


la + u   =  'loo' for someone/something
la + ku = 'lagu' by means of something
la + la  =  'lala' with someone/something
la + ka = 'laga' from/out of something


Yaa dhisey? - Who built it?

Yaa loo dhisey? - For whom was it built?



Remember that to say 'why' in Somali is 'Maxaa...u'. This can be combined with the passive 'la', to make passive 'Why?' questions.

Maxaa la cunay? - What was eaten?
Maxaa loo cunay? - Why was it eaten?


Maxaa la keenay? - What was brought?
Maxaa loo keenay? = Why was it brought?


Maxaa la dhigey? - What was it taught?
Maxaa loo dhigey? - Why was it taught?

Bariis Udgoon

'Bariis' means 'rice'. 'Udgoon' means 'fragrant'. When something smells nice, you say 'Udgoon!'

Dadka Soomaaliyeed bariis aad bey u jeclihiin!
Somali people love rice a lot!


Aynu baranno sidee loo kariyaa!
Let's learn how it's made!

P.S.: For some strange reason Somalis love to eat their meals with bananas. I think only Somalis do this. 

Vocab

dhaq - to wash (a pot, rice, utensils, etc)
yaanyo (ta)- tomatoes
basal(ta) - onions
xawaash(ka) - spices
qorfe(ha) - cinnamon
shub - to pour

Aynu sameeyno sambuus! Let's make samosas!

Sambuus is the Somali name for samosa. Videogan wuxuu ku tusayaa sidii loo sameeyo sambuus( This video shows you how to make samosas)

P.S. I think traditionally, Somalis didn't eat beef. Usually sambuus is made with lamb, mutton.

Sabaayad sidii loo sameeyo - video

This is a video that shows you how to make sabaayad.

Sabaayad is like Indian chapati.

Sabaayad aad baan u jeclahay!

Vocab

ku dar - add
bur - flour
saliid - oil (for cooking)
sonkor - sugar
daqiiq - minute(s)
bac - bag
u qaybi - to divide
dabool - to cover (a pot or food etc)