bel

(of girls) bond friend (friend across ethnic boundaries)


bóndi

bóndi kála birré
ten birr


bul

structure supporting a beehive on a tree


meté

From Proto-Aroid *mat- (“head”). Compare Aari mətá, matá, Dime máte.

ɛ́ɛ ɗúkansa metémbar kidáade

(figuratively, in the adessive) top, peak


kála

Derived from kalí (“little finger, pinky”).


dáa

Compare Wolaytta daaná (“to be”); from Proto-Omotic [Term?].

ʔɔɔnɛ́te ʔéedi dáane.

Dímekati dáade.

Kínka dáan daidí.


dáa

Waakí kínka gisháise masháise isáise kínka daíntan jammaridí.

Herding, slaughtering, and eating cattle, they started their life together.


ábi

ábi giáu?


balí

plain (an expanse of land with relatively low relief and few trees, especially a grassy expanse)


árka

hartebeest (a type of grassland antelope, Alcelaphus buselaphus, native to parts of Africa)


dáar

section of a field portioned off for cows and goats


geɓí

Perhaps compare Wolaytta keehí (“very”).


deesá

head

deesá (causative deesisá, passive deesaɗá)


qansá

Fayá hayáise qansé!

Yáa qansidu?


yiʔá

ʔínta ʔɔɔnɛ́dar dayiʔé.

Gɛshɔ̂ waakí shanshánna ɠɛ́tte laii kinyiʔénka, kodí agárra ɛ́ɛnana qánte aafó giidí.

When the husband went very far to herd and sell the cattle, from that moment she sent a message to the man.


kidí

Dommá igirá ɠɛáxa kidí háqa wa demír woyáɓ.

While it was raining a bit, he stood under a tree.

Kidí éedi wodímone.


kodí

Kodí wóɗan eelá kɔttáxa woniʔá.

3rd person feminine pronoun; she, they (feminine)


ínta

Ínta baínte shiiɗó idayiʔé.


yáa

Yáa dungurí jaagá ɗesá ɗesó?

Yáa éedi píine.


wodí

Óo wodí beré shiɗóda shiɗé.


yedí

Yedí sun har yeɗalqá?

Yedí payá hayáise kummidí yénna, durféda durfé.

indefinite personal pronoun; generic you, one


íntal

Yáa eefidiánna íntal eefáida eefé.

inclusive 1st person singular pronoun; I also


kidíl

3rd person masculine inclusive pronoun; he also, they also


oidí

From Proto-Omotic [Term?]. Compare Chara obda, Maale ʔoidó, Koorete ˈʔɔ́ʸdːɛ̀, Wolaytta ʔoiddú.

cog

Koorete ˈʔɔ́ʸdːɛ̀


aapó

From Proto-Aroid *ʔap- (“mouth”). Compare Aari aaffa, Dime ʔappo.


noqó

From Proto-Aroid *noqa. Cognate with Aari noqá, Dime naR, and Gayil loqa.


ɓulá

báashano ɓulidíne


cʼurá

to jump over an object without touching it


paxála

kidí paxála kɛ́nna paráɲin aapón wul ɗesá kiɗesé

he would know the language of the foreigners if he was clever


kóofini

róoro kála shóqobe kóofinibe kínka

one day, Tick and Squirrel were planning to race each other


ɗaxá

kɛ́da aizɛ́ɗan ɗaxáko ɗaxaɗé


ɗaxaɗá

kɛ́da aizɛ́ɗan ɗaxáko ɗaxaɗé


berá

naasâ yaanása berántemo tuɗínte?

is the boy in front of or behind the sheep?


berá

beráise, daatádar saskínna daarsaɗé

first, some branches will be put into the pot


-aɗá

ɗaxá + -aɗá → ɗaxaɗá (“to be worn”)


kodíl

3rd person feminine inclusive pronoun; she also, they also


hásal

kɛ́da hásal gulpá qolê

then also for you there won't be illness


aapó qúuro

[ʔaːpó ʔúːɾo̥]


aashá

ɛ́ɛnaɗan kodí aashidí


aajimɓá

[ʔaːdʒimɓá̤]


aajaɗá

naasâ intɛ́ aajaɗidíne


áapi kerí

[ʔáːpi kʰeɾí̤]


aaɗimɓá

Seemingly a passive derivation in -ɓá from an unattested root *aaɗ-im-.

qáski aaɗimɓáisaxa


áapi

From Proto-Aroid [Term?]. Compare Aari ʔafi, Karo ʔapi, Dime ʔaape, Gayil ʔafi.


áɗima

Probably comparable to aɗá (“to give birth”).


áapisa tʼía

[ʔáːpisa tsʼí̤á̤]


aisá

ayá (“to be broken”) + -sá (“causative”)

af

causative of ayá (“to be broken”): to break


áapisa

áapisa tʼía


áka mukánde

Bucorvus abyssinicus; Abyssinian ground hornbill (bird species)


anɗí

Euphorbia candelabrum; candelabra tree (tree species)


amín

amín aapó


amín aapó

[ʔamín̥ ʔaːpó̤]


cʼan ánna

[tʃʼán̥ ʔánnḁ]


apaɗá

passive of apá (“to unfold; stretch, spread”)


-sá

ayá (“to be broken”) + -sá → aisá (“to break”)


angála

day before yesterday
day before yesterday


attí

fermented sorghum used to prepare parsí beer


átti káira

[ʔátti kʰáíɾḁ]

lark (bird species of the genus Mirafra)


bagadé

cooked blood mixed with milk and eaten as porridge


bakkí

bifurcation, forking (of branches or roads)


báako

Jinka (the capital of South Omo Zone, Ethiopia)


báasha berá olé

[báːʃa beɾá ʔolé̤]

Literally, “time of day when the hens first cackle”.


ĩĩ̂

Coordinate term: ã́ʔãʔ (“no”)


ã́ʔãʔ

Coordinate term: ĩĩ̂ (“yes”)


bashaɗá

passive of bashá (“to exceed”): to be exceeded, won; to be tired


baskisá

causative of baská: to make someone carry


baxaɗá

passive of baxá: to be cooked; (of food) to be prepared


bíiri

three-pronged stirring stick, often used for parsí beer


bénzo

clapper (an object so suspended inside a bell that it may hit the bell and cause it to ring; a clanger or tongue)


beráise

Coordinate term: berá (“first (ordinal)”)


birré

birr (the currency of Ethiopia, divided into 100 santims)


boocʼá

dialectal form of doocʼá (“container used to collect milk”)


bɔ́lta

kind of fermented milk similar to yogurt


ɓuldúq

splash (sound of object falling into water)


bordí labál

spotted and white-patched coat pattern (of cattle)


ɓóde

yiʔá ɓóde!

(postpositive) negative imperative: do not


burqaɗá

passive of burqá: to be boiled
(by extension, intransitive) to hurt


ɓáabar ási

[ɓáːβar̥ ʔási̥]


ɓáabar aapó

[ɓáːβar̥ ʔaːpó̤]


cʼoncʼóro

[tʃʼontʃʼóɾo̥]


cóobar ási

[tʃóːβar̥ ʔási̥]


cʼaaró

Polihierus semitorquatus; pygmy falcon (bird species)


cʼanshá

causative of cʼaaná: to make somebody load


biɲaré

long twisted strip of animal skin wrapped around the waist of an initiate


cóobar aapó

[tʃóːβar̥ ʔaːpó̤]


cʼushpá

causative of cʼuubá: to make somebody wash clothes


cʼácʼi guní

/tʃʼátʃʼi ɡuní/

[tʃʼátʃi ɡuní̤]


parsí

Nominative
parsí
parsɛ̂ (masculine)
parsíno (feminine)
parsína (plural)
parsín (feminine oblique)
parsíɗan (accusative)
parsɛ́ɗan (accusative masculine)
parsínɗan (accusative feminine)
parsínaɗan (accusative plural)
parsísa (genitive)
parsɛ́sa (genitive masculine)
parsínsa (feminine genitive)
parsínasa (genitive plural)
parsína (dative)
parsɛ́na (dative masculine)
parsínna (dative feminine)
parsínana (dative plural)
parsíkal
parsɛ́kal (masculine)
parsínkal (feminine)
parsínakal (plural)
parsíka (instrumental)
parsɛ́ka (instrumental masculine)
parsínka (feminine instrumental)
parsínaka (instrumental plural)
parsíte (locative)
parsɛ́te (locative masculine)
parsínte (feminine locative)
parsír (inessive)
Addessive (inessive)
parsíbar
parsɛ́bar (masculine)
parsímbar (feminine)
Allative I (inessive)
parsídar
parsɛ́dar (masculine)
parsíndar (feminine)
parsínadar (plural)
Allative II (inessive)
parsíshet
parsɛ́shet (masculine)
parsínshet (feminine)
parsírra (ablative)
parsíbe (comitative)
parsɛ́be (comitative masculine)
parsímbe (comitative feminine)
parsínabe (comitative plural)

From Proto-Omotic. Compare Wolaytta parsúwa (“beer”).

parsíno róoro kála kohaaqína aapón galtʼá galtʼaɗá
If the parsí rests for one day, the opening is sealed.

traditional ale-gruel beer made from fermented sorghum or dough


darángoli

male Anaplectes rubriceps; red-headed weaver (bird species)


déer balá

coat pattern of red with a white patch on the head (of cattle)


déer labál

red- and white-patched coat pattern (of cattle)


díllama

bird species of the family Pycnonotidae; bulbul


demínka maataɗé

Literally, “tossing and turning while sleeping”.


déer shɔ́ta

[déːr̥ ʃɔ́tḁ]

Synonym of déer labál (“red- and white-patched coat pattern”)


doolá

milk churn (a tall, conical or cylindrical container for the transportation of milk)


dungurí

Nominative
dungurí
dungurɛ̂ (masculine)
dunguríno (feminine)
dungurína (plural)
dungurín (feminine oblique)
dunguríɗan (accusative)
dungurɛ́ɗan (accusative masculine)
dungurínɗan (accusative feminine)
dungurínaɗan (accusative plural)
dungurísa (genitive)
dungurɛ́sa (genitive masculine)
dungurínsa (feminine genitive)
dungurínasa (genitive plural)
dungurína (dative)
dungurɛ́na (dative masculine)
dungurínna (dative feminine)
dungurínana (dative plural)
dunguríkal
dungurɛ́kal (masculine)
dungurínkal (feminine)
dungurínakal (plural)
dunguríka (instrumental)
dungurɛ́ka (instrumental masculine)
dungurínka (feminine instrumental)
dungurínaka (instrumental plural)
dunguríte (locative)
dungurɛ́te (locative masculine)
dungurínte (feminine locative)
dungurír (inessive)
Addessive (inessive)
dunguríbar
dungurɛ́bar (masculine)
dungurímbar (feminine)
Allative I (inessive)
dungurídar
dungurɛ́dar (masculine)
dunguríndar (feminine)
dungurínadar (plural)
Allative II (inessive)
dunguríshet
dungurɛ́shet (masculine)
dungurínshet (feminine)
dungurírra (ablative)
dunguríbe (comitative)
dungurɛ́be (comitative masculine)
dungurímbe (comitative feminine)
dungurínabe (comitative plural)

pieces of leather used to read the future

dungurín ɠɛnsó kína yiɗáde

(literally, “somebody went to hit the sandal for him”)

somebody went to consult the fortune-teller for him

(by extension, with ɠɛnsá) fortune-teller


ɗesimá

passive of ɗesá: to be known
(by extension) to introduce oneself

passive of ɗesá: to be known
to introduce oneself


boráana

From Borana Boraanai. Formerly also known as gʌbʌrrʌ by the Hamar, but this term is no longer found.

Boorana (a member of an Oromo-speaking people of Ethiopia and Kenya)


wozaɗá

ínta kátti wozaɗidíne


leʔé

leʔé lamá yin woɗénka, isínno yin pʰeu!

After two years, all the sorghum was gone!


háali

ɔɔnɛ̂ káa háaline


ɛ́ɛmajo

[ʔɛ́ːmadʒo̥]


eepá

Compare eepí (“dead body; coffin, funeral”).


éedi naasí

Literally, “person child”, or more loosely translated as “human beings”.