Basic Words

1. ⵢⴰⵀ

   Yah

   Yes

   Usage

   Affirmative answer.

   Grammar Note

   The IRCAM dictionary lists ⵉⵀ / ⵡⴰⵀ / ⵢⵢⵉⵀ rather than ⵢⴰⵀ, but all three corpora use ⵢⴰⵀ most.

2. ⵓⵀⵓ

   Uhu

   No

   Usage

   Negative answer.

   Grammar Note

   A dictionary headword (adverb), frequent in all corpora.

3. ⵡⴰⵅⵅⴰ

   Waxxa

   OK, alright

   Usage

   Agreement or acknowledgement.

   Grammar Note

   A dictionary headword of Arabic origin that is widely used in Amazigh conversation.

4. ⵙⵙⵓⵔⴼ ⵉⵢⵉ

   Ssurf iyi

   Excuse me / Sorry

   Usage

   Used to get someone's attention or to apologise lightly.

   Grammar Note

   Literally "forgive me" (imperative plus object). Attested in zgh and Tashelhit; to several people, ⵙⵙⵓⵔⴼⴰⵜ ⵉⵢⵉ (attested in Tashelhit).

5. ⵓⵔ ⵔⵎⵉⵙⵖ

   Ur rmisɣ

   I don't understand

   Usage

   When you cannot follow what is said.

   Grammar Note

   "ⵓⵔ" plus the negative perfective. Composed from corpus sentences of the pattern "ⵓⵔ ⵔⵎⵉⵙⵖ + object" with the object dropped.

6. ⵔⵎⵙⵖ

   Rmsɣ

   I understand

   Usage

   When you have understood an explanation.

   Grammar Note

   First person singular perfective (suffix -ⵖ). Attested in both zgh (21) and Tashelhit (12).

7. ⵓⵔ ⵙⵙⵉⵏⵖ

   Ur ssinɣ

   I don't know

   Usage

   When you don't know the answer.

   Grammar Note

   First person singular of the verb ⵙⵙⵏ "to know"; 79 hits in each of zgh and Tashelhit corpora.

8. ⵇⵇⵍ

   Qql

   Wait

   Usage

   Asking someone to wait (imperative to one person).

   Grammar Note

   Imperative of the dictionary verb "to look; to wait". Attested in zgh and Tashelhit.

9. ⴰⵡⵙ ⵉⵢⵉ

   Aws iyi

   Help me

   Usage

   Asking for help.

   Grammar Note

   Imperative plus object; the corpus has parallels such as ⴰⵡⵙ ⴰⵖ "help us".

10. ⵉⵏⵉ ⵜ ⴷⴰⵖ

    Ini t daɣ

    Say it again

    Usage

    When you did not catch something.

    Grammar Note

    Imperative ⵉⵏⵉ plus object ⵜ "it" plus ⴷⴰⵖ "again"; the same sentence is in the zgh corpus.

11. ⵙⴰⵡⵍ ⵙ ⵜⵜⴰⵡⵉⵍ

    Sawl s ttawil

    Please speak slowly

    Usage

    Asking someone to slow down.

    Grammar Note

    "ⵙ ⵜⵜⴰⵡⵉⵍ" means "slowly" (a dictionary adverbial). The same sentence is in zgh and Tashelhit.

12. ⵉⵙ ⴷⴰ ⵜⵙⴰⵡⴰⵍⴷ ⵜⴰⵏⴳⵍⵉⵣⵜ?

    Is da tsawald tanglizt?

    Do you speak English?

    Usage

    Asking one man whether he speaks English.

    Grammar Note

    A yes/no question opened by ⵉⵙ, verb before object. Corpus variants ending in -ⵎ exist for other addressees; the feminine singular is unverified.

13. ⵖⵉⴷ

    Ɣid

    Here

    Usage

    Pointing to the place where you are.

    Grammar Note

    An adverb, very frequent in both corpora (164 and 318).

14. ⴷⵉⵏⵏ

    Dinn

    There

    Usage

    Pointing to a place away from you.

    Grammar Note

    A dictionary adverb meaning "over there". Tashelhit may use a different form (ⵖⵉⵏⵏ).

15. ⵏⴽⴽⵉ

    Nkki

    I, me

    Usage

    The independent pronoun for "I/me".

    Grammar Note

    Verbs carry person in affixes, so this pronoun is used for emphasis.

16. ⴽⵢⵢⵉ

    Kyyi

    You (m.)

    Usage

    The independent pronoun for one man.

    Grammar Note

    The feminine is ⴽⵎⵎⵉ (derived, unverified). Tashelhit also writes ⴽⵉⵢⵢⵉ.

Browse all TravelPhrases languages