Questions help turn vocabulary into conversation. This guide introduces useful Somali question words and shows them in short exchanges for home, school, shopping, and everyday life.
Read each question aloud, then practise answering before looking at the response. Somali wording and pronunciation can vary by region and family, so you may hear a different form.
Who and what?
1. Waa maxay kan?
What is this?
Answer: Waa koob.
It’s a cup.
2. Waa kuma?
Who is it?
Answer: Waa Cali.
It’s Cali.
3. Waa tuma?
Who is she?
Answer: Waa Sahra.
It’s Sahra.
4. Yaad aragtay?
Who did you see?
Answer: Hooyo ayaan arkay.
I saw Mother.
5. Yaa kula socda?
Who is going with you?
Answer: Walaalkay ayaa ila socda.
My brother is going with me.
6. Maxaa dhacay?
What happened?
Answer: Waxba ma dhicin.
Nothing happened.
7. Maxaa aad sawiraysaa?
What are you drawing?
Answer: Baabuur ayaan sawirayaa.
I’m drawing a car.
8. Maxay karinaysaa hooyo?
What is Mother cooking?
Answer: Hooyo cunto ayay karinaysaa.
Mother is cooking food.
9. Maxaa ku jira boorsada?
What is in the bag?
Answer: Buug iyo qalin ayaa ku jira.
There is a book and a pen in it.
10. Maxaad rabtaa?
What do you want?
Answer: Biyo ayaan rabaa.
I want water.
Where, when, and how?
11. Xaggee baad joogtaa?
Where are you?
Answer: Waxaan joogaa guriga.
I’m at home.
12. Xaggee ayaad u socotaa?
Where are you going?
Answer: Dugsiga ayaan u socdaa.
I’m going to school.
13. Halkee ayuu ku nool yahay?
Where does he live?
Answer: Magaalada Boosaaso ayuu ku nool yahay.
He lives in the city of Bosaso.
14. Xaggee baad ka timid?
Where are you from?
Answer: Waxaan ka imid Muqdisho.
I’m from Mogadishu.
15. Goorma ayaad timid?
When did you arrive?
Answer: Shalay ayaan imid.
I arrived yesterday.
16. Goorma ayuu fasaxu bilaabmaa?
When does the holiday begin?
Answer: Axadda ayuu bilaabmaa.
It begins on Sunday.
17. Goormaan mar kale wada hadli doonnaa?
When will we talk again?
Answer: Axadda ayaan wada hadli doonnaa.
We’ll talk on Sunday.
18. Sidee tahay?
How are you?
Answer: Waan fiicanahay.
I’m well.
19. Sidee baan kuu caawin karaa?
How can I help you?
Answer: Su’aashan ii sharax, fadlan.
Please explain this question to me.
20. Sidee baad dugsiga ku tagtaa?
How do you get to school?
Answer: Bas ayaan ku tagaa.
I go by bus.
Which one, how many, and how much?
21. Buuggee ayaad akhrinaysaa?
Which book are you reading?
Answer: Buug sheeko ah ayaan akhrinayaa.
I’m reading a storybook.
22. Kee ayaad rabtaa?
Which one do you want?
Answer: Kaas ayaan rabaa.
I want that one.
23. Maalintee ayaad imanaysaa?
Which day are you coming?
Answer: Jimcaha ayaan imanayaa.
I’m coming on Friday.
24. Immisa buug ayaad haysaa?
How many books do you have?
Answer: Shan buug ayaan hayaa.
I have five books.
25. Qiimuhu waa imisa?
What is the price?
Answer: Toban doollar waaye qiimaha.
The price is ten dollars.
26. Intee le’eg ayuu safarku qaadanayaa?
How long will the journey take?
Answer: Laba saacadood ayuu qaadanayaa.
It will take two hours.
27. Immisa jir baad tahay?
How old are you?
Answer: Toban jir baan ahay.
I’m ten years old.
28. Waa immisa qof qoyska?
How many people are in the family?
Answer: Waa shan qof qoyska.
There are five people in the family.
29. Maxaad maanta baratay?
What did you learn today?
Answer: Waxaan bartay xisaab.
I learned maths.
30. Yaa macallinka ah?
Who is the teacher?
Answer: Macallinku waa Axmed.
The teacher is Axmed.
Yes-or-no questions
A common way to ask a yes-or-no question is to use ma. The answer may begin with haa (yes) or maya (no).
31. Ma fahantay su’aasha?
Did you understand the question?
Answer: Haa, waan fahmay.
Yes, I understood.
32. Ma diyaar baad tahay?
Are you ready?
Answer: Haa, waan diyaar ahay.
Yes, I’m ready.
33. Ma aragtay buuggayga?
Have you seen my book?
Answer: Haa, miiska ayuu saaran yahay.
Yes, it’s on the table.
34. Ma cunto baad rabtaa?
Would you like food?
Answer: Maya, mahadsanid.
No, thank you.
35. Ma ii sheegi kartaa sheeko?
Can you tell me a story?
Answer: Haa, mid gaaban ayaan kuu sheegayaa.
Yes, I’ll tell you a short one.
36. Ma ii dhiibi kartaa biyaha?
Can you pass me the water?
Answer: Haa, waa kuwan.
Yes, here they are.
37. Ma haysaa qalin dheeraad ah?
Do you have an extra pen?
Answer: Haa, mid baan ku siinayaa.
Yes, I’ll give you one.
38. Ma jeceshahay caano?
Do you like milk?
Answer: Haa, waan jeclahay.
Yes, I like it.
39. Ma dhamaysay casharka?
Have you finished the lesson?
Answer: Weli ma dhamayn.
I haven’t finished yet.
40. Su’aal kale ma qabtaa?
Do you have another question?
Answer: Haa. Eraygan muxuu ka dhigan yahay?
Yes. What does this word mean?
A few patterns to remember
- Yaa? asks “who?”
- Maxaa? asks “what?”; its form can change with the sentence.
- Xaggee? and halkee? ask “where?”
- Goorma? asks “when?”
- Sidee? asks “how?”
- Kee? asks “which one?”
- Immisa? asks “how many?” or “how much?”
- Ma is commonly used to form yes-or-no questions.
In Somali, question words and short focus words such as baa and ayaa work together in ways that do not always match English word order. You may also hear contractions in everyday speech. Learn the examples as complete phrases, then practise changing one detail at a time.
Practise with your own answers
Choose five questions and answer them with information about yourself. Then ask a family member or friend. For example, change Dugsiga ayaan u socdaa (“I’m going to school”) to a place you are actually going.
For more Somali words, look them up in the Qaamuus dictionary. For a fuller explanation of Somali question patterns, see Morgan Nilsson’s Beginner’s Somali Workbook, especially the sections on yes-or-no and question-word questions.
