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 phrasebook|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'.

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 ____. ( _____ .)

Nice to meet you. 

. ( )

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. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

. ( )

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

Bambbata

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 and 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)

Colors

Black 

Biiri (black person: Borobi)

blanc 

Ikwaray (white person: Gakwaray)

grey 

X

rrd 

Cirey

bue 

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

...the American/British/Canadian/Australian embassy? 

 ?

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

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Zarma phrasebook

Do you have this in my size ? 

X

How much does this cost ? 

Marje no wone?

That's expensive ! 

A tada gumo!

Do you accept _____? 

Ni yadda _____?

expensive 

Cada

affordable 

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 vehicle 

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!)
• lessons including audio files created for Peace Corps volunteers
• Zarma-French-English dictionary]

{{Template:AttributionAlt|Orgin=[[: Guide linguistique zarma|The French Wikivoyage|Lang=fr|Pagename=Guide linguistique zarma}}