Berber phrasebook
Berber languages or Amazigh languages (Tamaziɣt / Tamazight / ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ / ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵗⵜ / ⵝⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵗⵝ) are spoken in Northern Africa, mainly in Morocco and Algeria. These are not one language, but rather several closely related ones. Berber languages use their own alphabet called Tifinagh, but can also be written in Arabic or Latin script like the other two languages spoken in this region (Arabic and French).
Pronunciation guide
Vowels:
- ⴰ (a)
- like ⴰⵏⵣⴰⵔ (Anzar)
- ⴻ (e)
- like
- ⵉ (i)
- like ⵉⵎⴰⵣⵉⴳⵏ (Imaziɣen)
- ⵓ (u)
- like ⵍⵎⵓⴷⵏ (Lmoden)
Consonants:
- ⴱ (b)
- like
- ⴳ (g)
- like
- ⴳⵯ (gʷ)
- like
- ⴷ (d)
- like
- ⴹ (ḍ)
- like
- ⴼ (f)
- like
- ⴽ (k)
- like
- ⴽⵯ (kʷ)
- like
- ⵀ (h)
- like
- ⵃ (ḥ)
- like
- ⵄ (ɛ)
- like
- ⵅ (x)
- like
- ⵇ (q)
- like
- ⵊ (j)
- like
- ⵍ (l)
- like
- ⵎ (m)
- like
- ⵏ (n)
- like
- ⵔ (r)
- like
- ⵕ (ṛ)
- like
- ⵖ (ɣ)
- like
- ⵙ (s)
- like
- ⵚ (ṣ)
- like
- ⵛ (c)
- like
- ⵜ (t)
- like ⵜⴰⴳⴰⴷⵉⵔⵜ (Taɣadirt)
- ⵟ (ṭ)
- like
- ⵡ (w)
- like
- ⵢ (y)
- like
- ⵣ (z)
- like ⴰⵣⴰⵢⵣ (Azayz)
- ⵥ (ẓ)
- like
Phrase list
Basics:
- Good Morning
- ⵜⵉⴼⴰⵡⵉⵏ (Tifawin)
- Hello. (informal)
- ⴰⵣⵓⵍ (Azul)
- How are you?
- ⴰⵎⴽ ⵜⵍⵍⵉⴹ? (Amek telliḍ?)
- Fine, thank you.
- ⵉⴳⵔⵔⵣ, ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵎⵉⵔⵜ (Igerrez, tanemmirt)
- What is your name?
- ⵉⵙⵎ-ⵏⵏⴽ? (m), ⵉⵙⵎ-ⵏⵏⵎ? (f) (Isem-nnek? (m), Isem-nnem? (f))
- My name is ______ .
- ⵉⵙⵎ-ⵉⵏⵓ ______ . (Isem-inu ______ .)
- Nice to meet you.
- ⵜⴰⵎⵓⵙⵙⵏⵉ ⵏ ⵍⵅⵉⵔ. (Tamussni n lxir)
- Please.
- ⵜⵜⵅⵉⵍⴽ (m), ⵜⵜⵅⵉⵍⵎ (f) (Ttxil-k (m), Ttxil-m (f))
- Thank you.
- ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵎⵉⵔⵜ. (Tanemmirt)
- You're welcome.
- ⵓⵍⴰⵛ ⴰⵖⵉⵍⵉⴼ (Ulac aɣilif)
- Yes.
- ⵉⵀ (Ih/ ay)
- No.
- ⵓⵀⵓ (Uhu)
- Excuse me. (getting attention)
- ⵙⵙⵓⵔⴼ-ⵉⵢⵉ (Ssuref-iyi)
- Goodbye
- ⴰⵔ ⵜⵓⴼⴰⵜ (Ar tufat)
- Goodbye (informal)
- ⴰⵔ ⵜⵉⵎⵍⵉⵍⵉⵜ (Ar timlilit)
- I don't speak tamazight [well].
- ⵓⵔ ⵜⵜⵎⴻⵙⵍⴰⵢⴻⴳ ⴰⵔⴰ ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ (Ur ttmeslayeɣ ara tamaziɣt)
- Do you speak English?
- ⵜⴻⵜⵜⵎⴻⵙⵍⴰⵢⴻⴹ ⵜⴰⵏⴳⵍⵉⵣⵉⵜ? (tettmeslayeḍ/ datsawalt tanglizit?)
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- ⵢⵍⵍⴰ ⵡⵉⵏ ⵢⴻⵜⵜⵎⴻⵙⵍⴰⵢⴻⵏ ⵜⴰⵏⴳⵍⵉⵣⵉⵜ ⴷⴰ? (Yella win yettmeslayen tanglizit da?/ ila cha nyone daysawal tanglizit dadgh)
- Help!
- ⴰⴱⴱⵓⵀ! (Abbuh!)
- Look out!
- ⵖⵓⵔⴽ! (Ɣur-k!)
- Good morning.
- ⵜⵉⴼⴰⵡⵉⵏ (Tifawin)
- Good evening.
- ⵜⵉⵎⵏⵙⵉⵡⵉⵏ (Timensiwin)
- Good night.
ⵉⴹ ⴰⵎⴳⴳⴰⵣ (Iḍ ameggaz)
- I don't understand.
- ⵓⵔ ⴳⵣⵉⵖ (Ur gziɣ)
- Where is the toilet?
- ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵜ ⵡⴱⴷⵓⵣ? (Anda-t webduz?)
Problems:
- Leave me alone.
- ( adji iwatonw)
- Don't touch me!
- ( adorithadat)
- I'll call the police.
- (dghadghragh i lbolis)
- Police!
- ( lbolis)
- Stop! Thief!
- ( bed amkhar)
- I need your help.
- ( righch aditaawent)
- It's an emergency.
- ( )
- I'm lost.
- ( ochkigh)
- I lost my bag.
- ( yochkayi akkrabino)
- I lost my wallet.
- (...)
- I'm sick.
- ( yaghi cha)
- I've been injured.
- (')
- I need a doctor.
- ( ikhsayi outbib)
- Can I use your phone?
- ( mchak dyoussa aditchet telephonch adiss sawlegh):
Numbers:
- 0
- ⴰⵎⵢⴰ (Amya)
- 1
- ⵢⴰⵏ (Yan)
- 2
- ⵙⵉⵏ (Sin)
- 3
- ⴽⵕⴰⴹ (Kṛaḍ)
- 4
- ⴽⴽⵓⵥ (Kkuẓ)
- 5
- ⵙⵎⵎⵓⵙ (Semmus)
- 6
- ⵙⴹⵉⵚ (Sḍiṣ)
- 7
- ⵙⴰ (Sa)
- 8
- ⵜⴰⵎ (Tam)
- 9
- ⵜⵥⴰ (Tẓa)
- 10
- ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Mraw)
- 11
- ⵢⴰⵏ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Yan d mraw)
- 12
- ⵙⵉⵏ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Sin d mraw)
- 13
- ⴽⵕⴰⴹ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Kṛaḍ d mraw)
- 14
- ⴽⴽⵓⵥ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Kkuẓ d mraw)
- 15
- ⵙⵎⵎⵓⵙ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Semmus d mraw)
- 16
- ⵙⴹⵉⵚ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Sḍiṣ d mraw)
- 17
- ⵙⴰ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Sa d mraw)
- 18
- ⵜⴰⵎ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Tam d mraw)
- 19
- ⵜⵥⴰ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Tẓa d mraw)
- 20
- ⴰⴳⵏⴰⵔ (Agnar)
- 21
- ⴰⴳⵏⴰⵔ ⴷ ⵢⴰⵏ (Agnar d yan)
- 22
- ⴰⴳⵏⴰⵔ ⴷ ⵙⵉⵏ (Agnar d sin)
- 23
- ⴰⴳⵏⴰⵔ ⴷ ⴽⵕⴰⴹ (Agnar d kṛaḍ)
- 30
- ⴰⴳⵏⴰⵔ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Agnar d mraw)
- 40
- ⵙⵉⵏ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ (Sin wagrawen)
- 50
- ⵙⵉⵏ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Sin wagrawen d mraw)
- 60
- ⴽⵕⴰⴹ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ (Kṛaḍ wagrawen)
- 70
- ⴽⵕⴰⴹ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Kṛaḍ wagrawen d mraw)
- 80
- ⴽⴽⵓⵥ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ (Kkuẓ wagrawen)
- 90
- ⴽⴽⵓⵥ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Kkuẓ wagrawen d mraw)
- 100
- ⵜⵉⵎⵉⴹⵉ (Timiḍi)
- 200
- ( )
- 300
- ( )
- 1000
- ( )
- 2000
- ( )
- 1,000,000
- ( )
- 1,000,000,000
- ( )
- 1,000,000,000,000
- ( )
- half
- ( amnasf )
- less
- ( idrous/ )
- more
- ( ogar / ieda/ imkkor/ ikhatr/ youyr/yougr )
Time:
- now
- ⵖⵉⵍⴰⴷ (ɣelad / dghi)
- later
- (nokana / asra)
- before
- (.ligh)
- morning
- (ifaw)
- afternoon
- (talgat)
- evening
- (tin yits)
- night
- (giit)
Clock time:
- one o'clock AM (yan nwass)
- two o'clock AM
- (sin nwass)
- noon
- (...)
- one o'clock PM
- (yan n giit)
- two o'clock PM
- (sin n giit)
- midnight
- (amas ngiit)
midday : ("amas nwass ")
Duration:
- _____ minute(s)
- _____ minute(s) (...)
- _____ hour(s)
- _____ hour(s) (...)
- as day(s)
- _____ day(s) (...)
- week(s)
- _____ week(s) (...)
- ayour month(s)
- _____ month(s) (...)
- asgas year(s)
- _____ year(s) (...)
Days:
- Sunday
- ⴰⵙⴰⵎⴰⵙ (Asamas)
- Monday
- ⴰⵢⵏⴰⵙ (Aynas)
- Tuesday
- ⴰⵙⵉⵏⴰⵙ (Asinas)
- Wednesday
- ⴰⴽⵕⴰⵙ (Akṛas)
- Thursday
- ⴰⴽⵡⴰⵙ (Akwas)
- Friday
- ⴰⵙⵉⵎⵡⴰⵙ (Asimwas)
- Saturday
- ⴰⵙⵉⴹⵢⴰⵙ (Asiḍyas)
Months:
- January
- ⵉⵏⵏⴰⵢⵔ (Innayr), ⵢⵏⵢⵓⵔ (Yenyur)
- February
- ⴱⵕⴰⵢⵕ (Bṛayṛ), ⵙⵉⵏⵢⵓⵔ (Sinyur)
- March
- ⵎⴰⵕⵚ (Maṛṣ), ⴽⵔⴰⵢⵓⵔ (Krayur)
- April
- ⵉⴱⵔⵉⵔ (Ibrir), ⴽⵓⵥⵢⵓⵔ (Kuẓyur)
- May
- ⵎⴰⵢⵢⵓ (Mayyu), ⵙⵎⵢⵓⵔ (Semyur)
- June
- ⵢⵓⵏⵢⵓ (Yunyu), ⵙⴹⵢⵓⵔ (Seḍyur)
- July
- ⵢⵓⵍⵢⵓⵣ (Yulyuz), ⵙⴰⵢⵓⵔ (Sayur)
- August
- ⵖⵓⵛⵜ (Ɣuct), ⵜⴰⵎⵢⵓⵔ (Tamyur)
- September
- ⵛⵓⵜⴰⵏⴱⵉⵔ (Cutanbir), ⵜⵥⴰⵢⵓⵔ (Tẓayur)
- October
- ⴽⵟⵓⴱⵕ (Kṭubṛ), ⵎⵔⴰⵢⵓⵔ (Mrayur)
- November
- ⵏⵓⵡⴰⵏⴱⵉⵔ (Nuwanbir), ⵢⴰⵎⵔⴰⵢⵓⵔ (Yamrayur)
- December
- ⴷⵓⵊⵏⴰⴱⵉⵔ (Dujnabir), ⵎⴳⴳⵢⵓⵔ (Meggyur)
Writing time and date
Colors:
- black
- ⴰⴱⵔⴽⴰⵏ (Aberkan)
- white
- ⵓⵎⵍⵉⵍ (Omlil)
- gray
- (...)
- red
- ⴰⵣⴳⴰⵖ (Aẓgaɣ')
- blue
- ⴰⵥⵔⵡⴰⵍ (Aẓerwal)
- yellow
- ⴰⵡⵔⴰⵖ (Awraɣ)
- green
- ⴰⵣⴳⵣⴰⵡ (Azegzaw)
- orange
- (...)
- purple
- (...)
- brown
- (...)