A child does not need a long lesson to practise Somali. A question at breakfast, a chat about school, or a call with a grandparent can give them a reason to listen and answer. These 30 short exchanges offer a starting point.
Read both parts aloud, then swap roles. Change the details to match your family. Somali expressions and spellings vary across communities.
At home
1. Good morning
Adult: Subax wanaagsan. Sidee u seexatay?
Good morning. How did you sleep?
Child: Si fiican ayaan u seexday.
I slept well.
2. Breakfast
Adult: Maxaad quraac u rabtaa?
What would you like for breakfast?
Child: Canjeero ayaan rabaa, fadlan.
I’d like canjeero, please.
3. Passing the water
Child: Biyaha ii dhiib, fadlan.
Please pass me the water.
Adult: Waa kuwan.
Here you go.
Child: Mahadsanid.
Thank you.
4. Getting ready
Adult: Ma diyaar baad tahay?
Are you ready?
Child: Maya Wali. Kabaha ayaan xiranayaa.
Not yet. I’m putting on my shoes.
5. Finding the shoes
Child: Xaggee kabahaygu yaallaan?
Where are my shoes?
Adult: Albaabka agtiisa ayay yaallaan.
They’re beside the door.
6. Tidying up
Adult: Aan qolka wada nadiifinno.
Let’s tidy the room together.
Child: Anigu buugaagta ayaan soo ururinayaa.
I’ll gather the books.
7. Cooking together
Adult: Maxaad rabtaa inaad iga caawiso?
What would you like to help me with?
Child: Khudaarta ayaan dhaqayaa.
I’ll wash the vegetables.
8. Reading time
Adult: Aan sheekadan wada akhrinno.
Let’s read this story together.
Child: Haa. Adigu bilow, aniguna waan sii wadayaa.
Yes. You start, and I’ll continue.
9. Talking about feelings
Adult: Maanta sidee dareemaysaa?
How are you feeling today?
Child: Waan faraxsanahay, waayo saaxiibkay ayaan la ciyaaray.
I’m happy because I played with my friend.
10. Bedtime
Adult: Habeen wanaagsan. Berri ayaan mar kale sheekaysan doonnaa.
Good night. We’ll talk again tomorrow.
Child: Habeen wanaagsan.
Good night.
School and the journey home
11. Leaving for school
Adult: Boorsadaadii ma sidataa?
Do you have your school bag?
Child: Haa, buuggaygii iyo qalinkaygii way ku jiraan.
Yes, my book and pen are inside.
12. What did you learn?
Adult: Maxaad maanta dugsiga ku baratay?
What did you learn at school today?
Child: Waxaan bartay xisaab.
I learned maths.
13. Choosing a book
Adult: Buuggee ayaad akhrinaysaa?
Which book are you reading?
Child: Buug sheeko ah ayaan akhrinayaa.
I’m reading a storybook.
14. Lending a pen
Child: Qalin dheeraad ah ma haysaa?
Do you have an extra pen?
Sibling: Haa, mid baan ku siinayaa.
Yes, I’ll give you one.
15. Homework
Adult: Shaqadii guriga ma dhamaysay?
Have you finished your homework?
Child: Weli ma dhamayn. Hadda ayaan qabanayaa.
Not yet. I’m doing it now.
16. At recess
Adult: Maxaad waqtigii nasashada samaysay?
What did you do at recess?
Child: Saaxiibbaday ayaan la ciyaaray.
I played with my friends.
17. Asking the teacher
Adult: Eraygii kugu adkaa macallinka ma weydiisay?
Did you ask the teacher about the difficult word?
Child: Haa, macnihiisa ayuu ii sharxay.
Yes, the teacher explained its meaning to me.
18. Looking up a word
Child: Eraygan maxaa loola jeedaa?
What does this word mean?
Adult: Aan qaamuuska ka eegno, dabadeedna jumlad ku isticmaalno.
Let’s look it up in the dictionary and then use it in a sentence.
19. The test
Adult: Imtixaanku goormuu dhacayaa?
When is the test?
Child: Jimcaha ayuu dhacayaa.
It’s on Friday.
20. The best part of the day
Adult: Maxaad maanta dugsiga ka heshay?
What did you enjoy at school today?
Child: Waxaan jeclaaday sheekadii aan fasalka ku akhrinnay.
I enjoyed the story we read in class.
On calls with relatives
21. Starting the call
Child: Iska warran, ayeeyo?
How are you, Grandma?
Grandmother: Nabad, ilmahaygii. Adiguna?
I’m well, my dear. And you?
22. Checking in
Grandfather: Sidee tahay maanta?
How are you today?
Child: Waan fiicanahay, mahadsanid.
I’m well, thank you.
23. Asking about the family
Child: Reerku sidee yahay?
How is the family?
Relative: Way fiican yihiin. Adinkuna sidee tihiin?
They’re well. How are you all?
24. Talking about the weather
Child: Cimiladu sidee tahay halkaas?
What’s the weather like there?
Relative: Maanta roob baa da’aya.
It’s raining here today.
25. Asking for a story
Child: Sheeko ma ii sheegi kartaa?
Can you tell me a story?
Grandmother: Haa, mid gaaban ayaan kuu sheegayaa.
Yes, I’ll tell you a short one.
26. Sharing something new
Relative: Maxaa cusub?
What’s new?
Child: Waxaan bartay eray cusub oo Soomaali ah.
I learned a new Somali word.
Relative: Eraygee?
Which word?
27. Showing a drawing
Child: Waxaan sawiray guri. Ma ku tusi karaa?
I drew a house. Can I show you?
Grandfather: Haa, i tus.
Yes, show me.
28. When the sound is unclear
Child: Codkayga ma maqlaysaa?
Can you hear my voice?
Relative: Haa, si fiican ayaan kuu maqlayaa.
Yes, I can hear you clearly.
29. Planning the next call
Child: Goormaan mar kale wada hadli doonnaa?
When will we talk again?
Grandmother: Axadda ayaan wada hadli doonnaa.
We’ll talk on Sunday.
30. Ending the call
Child: Nabad gelyo, ayeeyo.
Goodbye, Grandma.
Grandmother: Nabad gelyo, ilmahaygii.
Goodbye, my dear.
Make the conversations your own
Choose one exchange each day. After reading it, replace a word or add one more question. In the breakfast conversation, for example, change canjeero to a food your family eats. On a family call, ask what the relative did that day and listen for a new word.
The goal is a conversation the child wants to continue. A short, comfortable exchange can grow into a longer one over time.
Further learning
Explore Qaamuus’s Somali dictionary for unfamiliar words. For more examples of greetings, daily routines, and family language, see Harvard ELIAS’s Somali lessons and Morgan Nilsson’s Beginner’s Somali.
