# Zarma phrasebook

Zarma is the local language of southwestern Niger, including areas along the Niger River and in the Nigerien capital Niamey, and with 2 million speakers is the second-most spoken language in Niger after Hausa. Zarma is one of the dialects of the Songhay language and is mutually intelligible with Songhay dialects spoken in Eastern Mali.

## Alphabet

Zarma uses the following letters of the Latin (Roman) alphabet: a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, ɲ or ny, ŋ, o, p, r, s, t, u, w, y, z.

## Pronunciation guide
### Vowels

There are ten vowels: /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/ and their nasalized counterparts which are denoted by either a tilde or a following 'n' or 'ŋ'.

### Common diphthongs
## Phrase list
### Basics

Keep in mind that greetings are very important in this region, and greeting someone often involves a plethora of questions (how are you/your family/your health/your work/etc.?). For most of these you can just respond "Baani Samay", or "Taali si no."

#### Hello.

    Fo/Fofo. ( )

#### Welcome.

    Fo'ndakayan/Kubayni

#### Hello, how are you?. (morning)

    Aran kani baani?/Wor kani baani?. ( )

#### Hello, how are you? (afternoon)

    Aran foy baani?/Wor hoy Baani?? ( ?)

#### How is your family?

    Mate fu?

#### How is your health?

    Mate ga ham?

#### How is your work?

    Mate goyo?

#### How is the heat?

    Mate doon'gay?

#### Fine, thank you. (Response to all above questions)

    Sameyno/Baani Samey ( )

#### No problems. ("Response to all above questions")

    Taali si no

#### I'm thankful (to God). ("Occasional response to above questions")

    Ay g'Irkoy saabu

#### What is your name?

    Mateno ni ma/Mate ga ti ni ma/Mate ga ti ni mayo?? ( ?)

#### My name is ______ .

    Ay ma ga ti ____. ( _____ .)

#### Please.

    Alhanan. ( )

#### I want cold water/Give me cold water.

    Ay ga ba haari yeno/Ay no hari yeno (" ")

#### Thank you.

    Fofo. ( )

#### You're welcome.

    A sinda hay fo. ( )

#### Yes.

    Ah'hoh. ( )

#### No.

    Ha'a. ( )

#### Excuse me. (getting attention)

    Alhanan. ( )

#### I'm sorry.

    Alhanan. ( )

#### Goodbye

    Kala tonton. ( )

#### Goodbye (until the following day)

    kala han fo. ( )

#### Until tomorrow.

    kala souba.

#### I can't speak Zarma (lit. I do not understand Zarma).

    Ay sii ma Zarma. ( [ ])

#### Do you speak French?

    Ni ga ma faransi ciine?/Ni ga ma faransi saani? ( ?)

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

    Boro go no kan ga ma faransi saani? ( ?)

#### Help!

    Ay gaakasinay! ( !)

#### Look out!

    Haggoy fa! ( !)

#### Good morning.

    Aran kani baani?/kanibaani. ( )

#### Good afternoon.

    Aran foy baani ?/Hoybaani. ( )

#### Good evening.

    Matey aran wichira ?. ( )
' Good night. : Cino ma boori

#### Good night (lit. Sleep well.)

    Iri ma kani baani. ( )

#### I don't understand.

    ay sii ga faham. ( )

#### Where is the toilet?

    Man no koso(ndo) go/Man no salan'ga/Man no dusero go? ( ?)

#### I'm going to go out.

    ay go koy

#### I'm going to return.

    ay ga ye ga ka

#### Quitely, a little.

    Moso moso/kayna kayna/A fofo

#### Stranger. (European)

    Annasara

#### Guest.

    Yaw

#### Small.

    Kayna

#### Large/big.

    Ber/Beri/Iberi

#### OK.

    Toh.

### Problems
#### Go away!

    Wa koy!!

#### Don't touch me!

    Wa si lambay ga!
    I'll call the police! : Ay ga polisay ce!

#### Police!

    Polici!

#### Stop!

    Wa di Zay!
    Help me, please. : Wa'y faba!

#### It's an emergency!

    Cahakomey wonno!

#### I'm lost.

    Ay darey no.

#### I've lost my [purse/wallet].

    Ay [fola/zaalifonta] no darey.

#### I'm sick.

    Ay go ga ma Doori.

#### I'm hurt.

    Ay marey no.

#### I need a doctor.

    Logotoro no ay ga ba.

#### May I use your telephone?

    Ay ga hini ga goy da ni talfono?

#### Go!

    Ir ma koy!

#### Quickly!

    Waasi!

### Numbers
#### 1

    Ifo/Afo

#### 2

    Ihinka

#### 3

    Ihinza

#### 4

    Itaci

#### 5

    Igu

#### 6

    Iddu

#### 7

    Iyye

#### 8

    Ihaku/Ahaku

#### 9

    Iyagga/Egga

#### 10

    Iway

#### 11, 12, 13, etc.

    Iway cind'[1-9] (example: 11 is Iway cind'ifo)

#### 20

    Waranka

#### 21

    Waranka cind'ifo

#### 30

    waranza

#### 40

    waytaci

#### 50

    waygu

#### 60

    waydu

#### 70

    wayadu

#### 80

    wahakku

#### 90

    wayagga

#### 100

    zangu

#### 200

    Zangu hinka

#### 300

    Zangu hinza

#### 1000

    Zanbar fo

#### 2000

    Zanbar hinka

#### 1,000,000

    Milyo fo

#### Number ___ (train, bus)

    lamba ___ (Zirjo, Karo)

#### Half.

    Jare

### Time
#### Now.

    Sohon

#### Late.

    Da tonton

#### Before.

    Halaga

#### Morning. (after sunrise)

    Susubey

#### In the morning.

    Susuba ra

#### Afternoon.

    Zaari/Alula

#### Evening. (before sunset)

    Alasar

#### Evening. (after sunset)

    Almari

#### In the evening.

    Almaro ra

#### Night.

    cinci

#### Clock time

The 12-hour clock is used.

##### 1 o'clock

    Guru fo

##### 2 o'clock

    Guru hinka

##### 9 o'clock (lit. morning hour nine)

    Susubey guru yegga

##### noon

    midi (French loan word)

##### 13.00 (lit. afternoon hour one)

    Zaaro guru fo

##### 18.00 (lit. evening hour six)

    Wicirkanbu guru iddu

##### Midnight

    minuit (French loan word)

##### 7.30

    Guru egga nda jere

#### Duration
##### ___ minutes

    ___ Minti

##### ___ hours

    ___ guru

##### ___ days

    ___ zaari

##### ___ weeks

    ___ habu

##### ___ months

    ___ handu

##### ___ years

    ___ jiiri

##### weekly

    habou ga ka habu

##### monthly

    habou ga ka handu

##### yearly

    Jiiri ga ka Jiiri

#### Days
##### today

    Honzaari/Honkuna

##### yesterday

    Bi

##### tomorrow

    Suba

##### this week

    habo wo

##### last week

    habo kan bisa

##### next week

    habo kan go ka

##### Sunday

    Alhadi

##### Monday

    Atinni

##### Tuesday

    Atalata

##### Wednesday

    Alarba

##### Thursday

    Alkamisa

##### Friday

    Alzuma

##### Saturday

    Asibti

#### Months

Many do not understand the Gregorian calendar and/or may use the Islamic calendar. The Gregorian calendar is thought of as "French" and, among those who do, the names of French months (in parentheses) are more readily understood.

##### January

    X (Janvier)

##### February

    X (Fevrier)

##### March

    X (Mars)

##### April

    X (Avril)

##### May

    X (Mai)

##### June

    X (Juin)

##### July

    X (Juillet)

##### August

    X (Aout)

##### September

    X (Septembre)

##### October

    X (Octobre)

##### November

    X (Novembre)

##### December

    X (Decembre)

#### Writing time and date
### Colors
#### Black

    Biiri (black person: Borobi)

#### blanc

    Ikwaray (white person: Gakwaray)

#### grey

    X

#### red

    Cirey

#### blue

    Boogu

#### yellow

    Sey

#### green

    Yargey

#### orange

    X

#### purple

    X

#### brown

    X

### Transportation
#### Bus and Train
##### How much is a ticket to ____ ?

    X ____ ?

##### A ticket to ____, please.

    X ____ X.

##### Where does this bus go?

    Man no zirjo ga koy ?

##### How do I get to ____ ?

    Man no ____ go?

##### The bus arrives here at ____ ?

    Man no ____ ga koy ?

##### When does the bus for ___ leave?

    waatifo no zirjo/kaaro kan ga koy _____ ga tun?

##### When will the bus arrive at _____ ?

    Waatifo no zirjo/kaaro ga to _____ ?

#### Directions
##### Where is _____ ? ?

    Man no _____ go ?

##### ...la gare routière ?

    X

##### ...the airport ?

    Bene hiyey zumbuyoNo do

##### ...downtown?

    X

##### ...the neighborhood ?

    X

##### ...the youth hostel ?

    X

##### ...the hotel _____ ?

    X

##### Can you show me on the map the ?

    X

##### road

    X

##### Turn left

    X.

##### Turn right.

    X.

##### left

    KanbaNari

##### right

    Kanbouwo

##### straight ahead

    X

##### In the direction of _____

    X _____

##### After the _____

    Banba _____

##### Before the _____

    Djiné_____

##### North

    AZawaKanbé

##### South

    Dandikanbé

##### East

    Weynofounay

##### West

    WeynokaNay

##### Above

    bene

##### Below

    ganda

#### Taxi
##### Taxi!

    X !

##### Take me to ___, please.

    X _____ X

##### How much does it cost to travel to _____?

    X _____ ?

##### Take me there, please

    X

### Shopping
#### Do you have this in my size ?

    X

#### How much does this cost ?

    Marje no wone?

#### That's very expensive !

    A tada gumo!

#### Do you accept _____?

    Ni yadda _____?

#### expensive

    Cada

#### cheap

    Habo ma boori

#### I cannot pay for that.

    Ay si hini ga a bana

#### Je n'en veux pas

    Ay si bara.

#### You've mistaken me.

    X

#### I'm not interested.

    A mana ay bejandi

#### Good, I will buy that.

    A boori, ay ga sambu

#### I would like to have a bag ?

    Ay ga du saaku fo?

#### I need...

    Ay ga ba

#### ...toothpaste.

    hinge safun

#### ...a toothbrush.

    hinge borosu fo

#### ...tampons.

    tampon

#### ...soap.

    Safun

#### ...shampoo.

    Sampo

#### ...a pain reliever (aspirin, ibuprofen)

    X.

#### ...a cold medicine.

    Hungum safari.

#### ...stomach medicine.

    X

#### ...a razer.

    Laamu fo (biledu)

#### ...batteries.

    Piili

#### ...a raincoat

    Layma.

#### ...an umbrella

    Layma

#### ...sunscreen.

    X

#### ...a postcard.

    Karte postal

#### ...postage stamps.

    Tambre

#### ...letter paper.

    wasikahatuniyan takarda

#### ...a pen.

    Bikki fo

#### ...French-language books.

    Fransiciine tiraya

#### ...a French-language newspaper.

    Fransiciine labaari tira fo

#### ...a French-___ dictionary.

    Fransiciine-da-___ciine kamusu fo

### Driving
#### I would like to rent a car

    Ay ga ba ay ma lue moto fo.

#### I can be assured) ?

    X

#### stop (on a sign)

    stop

#### yield

    X

#### parking prohibited

    X

#### speed limit

    X

#### gas/petrol station

    staso

#### gasoline/petrol

    Esensi

#### diesel

    gazual

### Authority
#### I didn't do anything wrong..

    Ay mana taali kulu te

#### It's a mistake.

    Darayyan no te.

#### Where are you taking me ?

    Man no aran go ga konda ay?

#### Am I under arrest ?

    X

#### I am a (French) citizen.

    Ay wo fanransi laabize no.

#### I want to go to the (French) embassy.

    ay ga hagu ay ma salan france ambassado se

#### I would like to speak to a lawyer.

    Ay ga ba ay ma salan ay avoka se

#### Can I simply pay a fine?

    ay ga hini ga bana jukkeyan nooru hine?

## Learning more

* lessons (in English!)$^{[deadlink]}$
* lessons including audio files created for Peace Corps volunteers$^{[deadlink]}$
* Zarma-French-English dictionary