# Dagbani phrasebook

Dagbani is the main language of the people of the Dagbon kingdom called Dagombas or Dagbamba in Ghana. The language is usually called Dagbanli by the indigenous people and it is part of the 16 Mabia or Gur languages that is spoken in Northern Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso. It is mutually intelligible with Mamprusi, and Nanunli in Ghana. The speakers of the language are more than 3.5 million of the Ghanaian population. There are four variations of some words depending upon the speakers origin: Eastern, Northern, Western and Southern Dagbon but they do not serve as barriers to communication.
It is studied from primary school to the university level in Ghana.

## Pronunciation guide
### Vowels

a, e, i, o, u, ɔ, ɛ

### Common diphthongs
## Phrase list
### Basics
#### How are you?

    Ka di be wula? ( ka wula)

#### Fine, thank you.

    M mali alaafei, m paɣiya. ( alaafei, m paɣiya)

#### What is your name?

    A yuli? ( ?)

#### My name is ______ .

    N yuli booni _____ . ( N yuli _____ .)

#### Nice to meet you.

    Di niŋ ma suhupiɛli pam ni n ni nyaa ŋɔ. (Di niŋ ma suhupiɛli pam ni n ni nyaa maa )

#### Please.

    Dimi suɣulo. ( )

#### Thank you.

    M puhiya ka paɣi. ( N paɣiya)

#### You're welcome.

    Naawuni deemi suhugu. (Abaa )

#### Yes.

    iin. (mm )

#### No.

    aayi. ( ai)

#### Excuse me. (getting attention)

    Gaafara. ( )

#### Excuse me. (begging pardon)

    Gaafara, n tum taali. ( )

#### I'm sorry.

    N tumi taali. (Gaafara)

#### Goodbye

    Naawuni ni sɔŋ. (bai bai )

#### Goodbye (informal)

    Bai bai. ( )

#### I can't speak name of language [well].

    N ku tooi yɛli Dagbanli [viɛnyɛla]. ( [ ])

#### Do you speak English?

    N ni tooi yɛli silimiinsilii? ( A toɣasiri silimiinsilii?)

#### Is there someone here who speaks English?

    So be kpe ka yari silimiinsilii? ( ?)

#### Help!

    Sɔŋmi ya ma ! ( !)

#### Look out!

    Lihi ma! ( !)

#### Good morning.

    Dasiba. ( )

#### Good evening.

    Antire. ( )

#### Good night.

    Aninwula. ( )

#### I don't understand.

    N bi gbaai. ( )

#### Where is the toilet?

    Ya polo ka baanjira be? ( ?)

### Problems
#### Leave me alone.

    Zaŋ ma bahi. ( Zɔm ka chama.)

#### Don't touch me!

    Di shihi ma! ( !)

#### I'll call the police.

    N yɛn bol'la prinsi. ( .)

#### Police!

    Polinga! ( !)

#### Stop! Thief!

    Zani ma! Tayiɣa! ( ! !)

#### I need your help.

    M bori la a sɔŋsim. ( .)

#### It's an emergency.

    Nimmohi m bala. ( .)

#### I'm lost.

    N tumla n soli. ( M barigi mi.)

#### I lost my bag.

    N labi la m baagi. ( .)

#### I lost my wallet.

    N labi la m poochibila. ( .)

#### I'm sick.

    M bɛri mi. ( .)

#### I've been injured.

    N nyɛla daŋa. ( .)

#### I need a doctor.

    N bori la dɔɣite. ( .)

#### Can I use your phone?

    n ni tooi zaŋ a phone ŋɔ n niŋ m bini ŋɔ? ( ?)

### Numbers
#### 1

    Ndam ( )

#### 2

    Ayi ( )

#### 3

    Ata ( )

#### 4

    Anahi ( )

#### 5

    Anu ( )

#### 6

    Ayobu ( )

#### 7

    Apɔin ( )

#### 8

    Anii ( )

#### 9

    Awɔi ( )

#### 10

    Pia ( )

#### 11

    piniyini ( )

#### 12

    pinaayi ( )

#### 13

    pinaata ( )

#### 14

    pinaanahi ( )

#### 15

    pinaanu ( )

#### 16

    pinaayobu ( )

#### 17

    pinaapɔin ( )

#### 18

    pishiayika ( )

#### 19

    pisiyinika ( )

#### 20

    pishi ( )

#### 21

    pishi ni yini ( )

#### 22

    pishi ni ayi ( )

#### 23

    pishi ni ata ( )

#### 30

    pihita ( )

#### 40

    pihinahi ( )

#### 50

    pihinu ( )

#### 60

    pihiyobu ( )

#### 70

    pisopɔin ( )

#### 80

    pihinii ( )

#### 90

    pihiwɔi ( )

#### 100

    kɔbiga ( )

#### 200

    kɔbishiyi ( )

#### 300

    kɔbisita ( )

#### 1,000

    tuhili ( )

#### 2,000

    tusaayi ( )

#### 1,000,000

    tuhi tuhaayi (miliyɔŋ)

#### 1,000,000,000

    tuhi tuhaata ( )

#### 1,000,000,000,000

    tuhi tuhi anahi ( )

#### half

    pirigili( )

#### less

    bɛla( )

#### more

    pam( )

### Time
#### now

    punpɔŋɔ ( )

#### later

    di yi too bɛla ( )

#### before

    pɔi( )

#### morning

    asiba ( )

#### afternoon

    wuntaŋni ( )

#### evening

    zaawuni ( )

#### night

    yuŋ ( )

#### Clock time
##### one o'clock AM

    yuŋ tisuɣu kurigi yini ( )

##### two o'clock AM

    yuŋ tisuɣu kurigi ayi ( )

##### noon

    wuntaŋ zuɣusaa ( )

##### one o'clock PM

    wuntaŋni kurigi yini ( )

##### two o'clock PM

    wuntaŋni kurigi ayi ( )

##### midnight

    yuŋ tisuɣu ( )

#### Duration
##### _____ minute(s)

    minti _____ (the number should be pronounced with its number word...for example, intead 2, you will say or write 'ayi' etc )

##### _____ hour(s)

    hawa _____ ( )

##### _____ week(s)

    bakɔi _____ ( )

##### 1 month

    goli

##### 2 month

    chiraayi

##### _____ year(s)
#### Days
##### today

    zuŋɔ (zunzuŋɔ )

##### yesterday

    Sɔhila (Sɔhala)

##### tomorrow

    biɛɣuni( )

##### this week

    bakɔi ŋɔ(dakulo ŋɔ )

##### last week

    bakɔi din gari la(dakulo din gari la )

##### next week

    bakɔi din kani na(dakulo din kani na )

##### Sunday

    Alahari( )

##### Monday

    Atani( )

##### Tuesday

    Atalaata( )

##### Wednesday

    Alaaba( )

##### Thursday

    Alaamish( )

##### Friday

    Alizumah( )

##### Saturday

    Asibiri( )

#### Writing time and date
### Colors
#### black

    sabinli ( )

#### white

    piɛlli ( )

#### grey/gray

    tampilim ( )

#### red

    ʒɛɛ ( )

#### blue

    nuɣiso ( )

#### yellow

    dozim ( )

#### green

    vagahili ( )

#### orange

    saliŋkom ( )

#### brown

    taŋkpaɣu ( )

### Transportation
#### Bus and train
##### How much is a ticket to _____?

    Ala n nyɛ tiɣiti zaŋ chaŋ _____? ( )

##### One ticket to _____, please.

    Tiɣiti zaɣa yini zaŋ chaŋ _____, dimisuɣulo. ( )

##### Where does this train/bus go?

    Ya polo ka loori ŋɔ chana? ( )

##### Where is the train/bus to _____?

    Ya polo ka loori ŋɔ chana? ( )

##### Does this train/bus stop in _____?

    loori ŋɔ ni zan' _____ ( )

##### When will this train/bus arrive in _____?
#### Directions
##### downhill
#### Taxi
##### Take me there, please.
### Lodging
#### I want to check out.
### Money
#### Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)?
### Eating
#### The check, please.
### Bars
#### Cheers!
### Shopping
#### ...an English-English dictionary.
### Driving
#### gas (petrol) station

    petiro shɛl( )

#### petrol

    petiro( )

#### diesel

    diesel( )

### Authority
#### I haven't done anything wrong.

    N bi tum taali shɛli.( )

#### It was a misunderstanding.

    Nangbankpeen n di nyɛli.( )

#### Where are you taking me?

    Ya ka a mali ma n chana?( )

#### Am I under arrest?

    A gbaai ma mi maa?( )

#### I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.

    N nyɛla Amarika/Australia/Britin/Canada bilichina. ( )

#### I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.

    M bori mi ni n di Amarika/Australia/Britin/Canada embassy kpamba alizama. ( )

#### I want to talk to a lawyer.

    M bori looya ni n di o fiila.( )

#### Can I just pay a fine now?

    Ni tooi yo n samli puŋpɔŋɔ?( )