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. Zarma is one of the dialects of the Songhay language and is mutually intelligible with Songhay dialects spoken in Eastern Mali.
Alphabet
[edit]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
[edit]Vowels
[edit]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'.
Consonants
[edit]Common diphthongs
[edit]Phrase list
[edit]Basics
[edit]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
[edit]- 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
[edit]- 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
[edit]- 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
[edit]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
[edit]- ___ 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
[edit]- 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
[edit]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, 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)
Writing time and date
[edit]Colors
[edit]- Black
- Biiri (black person: Borobi)
- blanc
- Ikwaray (white person: Gakwaray)
- grey
- X
- red
- Cirey
- blue
- Boogu
- yellow
- Sey
- green
- Yargey
- orange
- X
- purple
- X
- brown
- X
Transportation
[edit]Bus and Train
[edit]- 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
[edit]- 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
[edit]- Taxi!
- X !
- Take me to ___, please.
- X _____ X
- How much does it cost to travel to _____?
- X _____ ?
- Take me there, please
- X
Lodging
[edit]Money
[edit]Eating
[edit]Bars
[edit]Shopping
[edit]- Do you have this in my size ?
- X
- How much does this cost ?
- Marje no wone?
- That's very expensive !
- A tada gumo!
- Do you accept _____?
- Ni yadda _____?
- expensive
- Cada
- cheap
- 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
[edit]- I would like to rent a car
- 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
[edit]- 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
[edit]- lessons (in English!)[dead link]
- lessons including audio files created for Peace Corps volunteers[dead link]
- Zarma-French-English dictionary
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