The Arberesh language (Arbëresh, Arbërisht, or Arbërishte) is similar to the Albanian spoken in Albania and less similar to the Albanian of Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro. Arberesh is derived from the medieval form of Albanian with the same name from which both Arberesh and Albanian are derived. It's mainly spoken by Albanian communities in Southern Italy and Sicily, who migrated there in medieval times.

Learning some basic Arberesh expressions could always come in handy; however, knowing either Italian or Sicilian should be enough for a tourist visiting the Arberesh communities, since all Arberesh people are trilingual.

Pronunciation guide

For some Arberesh sounds, there is no easy transliteration.

Vowels

a

like 'a' in "apple"

i

like 'ee' in "cheese"

u

like 'oo' in "pool"

o

like 'o' in "door"

e

like 'e' in "bed"

ë

like 'i' in "bird" or 'u' in "pull", at the end of a word it is silent

Easy Consonants

b

like 'b' in "bed"

c

like 'ts' in "cats"

ç

like 'ch' in "church"

t

like 't' in "top"

h

like 'ch' in Scottish "loch" (or German "nach")

d

like 'd' in "mad"

dh

like 'th' in 'then'

r

like 'r' in Scottish "row"

z

like 'z' in "haze"

s

like 's' in "sing"

sh

like 'sh' in "sheep"

f

like 'f' in "fun"

k

like 'k' in "kitten"

l

like 'l' in "love"

m

like 'm' in "mother"

n

like 'n' in "nice"

j

like 'y' in "yes"

xh

like 'j' in "jam"

zh

like 's' in "pleasure"

A double 'r' 'rr' is pronounced the same as a single 'r'.

Difficult Consonants

ll

like 'r' in French "rire"

g

as 'll' in the above example

hj

like 'ch' in Scottish "loch" followed rapidly by a 'y' in "yet"

gj

like 'g' and 'y' in "dogyard"

q

like 'k' and 'y' in "dockyard"

x

like 'dz' in "adze"

When j comes at the end of a word, it is always pronounced in the same way as 'hj'. When b, d, dh, g, gj, ll, x, xh, z, and zh come at the end of a word or before another consonant, they always devoice, e.g.

b - p d - t dh - th g - k gj - q ll - h x - c xh - zh z - s zh - sh

Phrase list

Some commonly understood Arberesh phrases, use either Italian or Sicilian words; these have been shown in quotes below to avoid confusion.

Basics

Hello.

Falem

Welcome!

Mirë se na jerdhe (single); Mirë se na jerdhët (plural)

How are you?

Si rri? (informal), si ë zotrote (strote)? (formal)

(I'm) fine.

U rri mirë

Good

Mirë

Very well

Shumë mirë

And you?

E ti? (informal), e zotrote (strote)? (formal)

What is your name?

Si të thonë? (informal), Si i thonë? (formal)

My name is ______ .

Mua më thonë ______ .

Nice to meet you.

Gëzonem të të njoh (informal), Gëzonem të i njoh (formal), Pjaçir!

How old are you?

Sa vjeç ke?

Please.

Pi fauri

Thank you.

Të haristis/Ghracji

You're welcome

Mosgjë

Welcome (welcoming someone).

Eja, eja rtu (come, come here)

Really?

Më ftet?

Yes.

O£, or Arà, or ëj

No.

Jo

Maybe

Ommce, Mëndjetë

Excuse me. (getting attention)

Perdono

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

Lip ndjesë

I'm sorry.

Skuza

Goodbye

Falem

Goodbye (informal)

Çau!

I don't speak Arberesh [well].

Ngë flas [mirë] t'arbërisht

Do you speak English?

E flet ngliz?

Is there someone here who speaks English?

Isht njeri rtu çë e flet ngliz?

Help me!

Më ndih!

Okay

Mirë

Look out!

Shih!

For sure/Of course!

Çertu!

Good morning.

Mirë menatë

Good evening.

Mirë mbrëma

Good night.

Natën e mirë

I don't know.

Ngë di

Where is the toilet (bathroom)?

Te ku ë rritreu?

Where is the restroom (in a restaurant)?

Te ku janë rritrenjët?

I

U

You

Ti (informal), Zotrote (pronounced "strote") (informal)

I understand

Drëngonj (or) Kapir

I do not understand

Ngë drëngonj (or) Ngë kapir

Sweetheart

Zëmbra

You're the prettiest of them all

Je më e bukura se të gjithëve!

Where are you from?

Ka vjen?

Problems

Leave me alone

Bëjëm të rri me paqë

Stop it

Basta!

Don't speak to me!

Mos më flit!

I'll call the police.

Ka thërres te poliçia

Stop!

Sose!

Can you help me?

Mënd më ndihësh?

I got lost/I'm lost

U zborëm

I lost my bag.

Kam zbier thesin

I'm sick

Jam sëmurë

I want a doctor.

Dua një dutur

Can I use your phone?

Mënd lluzar telefoninin tot?

Numbers

1

një

2

di

3

tre

4

kartë

5

pesë

6

gjashtë

7

shtatë

8

tetë

9

nëntë

10

dhjetë

11

njëmbëdhjetë

12

dimbëdhetë

13

trimbëdhjetë

14

kartëmbëdhjetë

15

pesëmbëdhjetë

16

gjashtëmbëdhjetë

17

shtatëmbëdhjetë

18

tetëmbëdhjetë

19

nëntëmbëdhjetë

20

njëzet

For numbers between 20 and 100, Arberesh people use Sicilian numbers according to Arberesh phonology.

21

Vintunu

32

Trintadui

43

Kuarantatri

54

Çinkuantakuatru

65

Sesantaçinku

76

Setantasei

87

Otantaseti

98

Novantotu

100

Qind

number _____ (train, bus, etc.)

numbri _____ (tren, autobus)

half

gjimpsë

less

manku

more

më

Time/Qiròi

now

naní

later

mëtardu

before

përpara

morning

menatë

afternoon

ditë

evening

mbrëma

night/nights

natë/netë

Clock time/Hera

What time is it?

Çë herë bën?

one o'clock

jan l'unu

one fifteen: jan l'unu e një kuart

two o'clock AM

jan i dui dhi menatnet

two thirty

jan i dui e mencu

noon

mjesdita

one o'clock PM

një ditën

two forty five

jan i tri manku një kuart

two o'clock PM

jan i dui dhi ditën

midnight

mjesnata

Days/Ditët

today

sot

yesterday

dje

tomorrow

nestrë

this week

këtë javë

last week

java çë shkoi

next week

java çë vjen

Sunday

dieli

Monday

e hënia

Tuesday

e martë

Wednesday

e mërkurë

Thursday

e injtja

Friday

e prëmptja

Saturday

shtunë

Months/Muajtë

January

jinar

February

shkurte

March

mars

April

prill

May

maj

June

kërshor

July

korrik

August

gusht

September

setembri

October

otubri

November

novembri

December

diçembri

Colors/Kullurët

black

i zi (masculine) e zeza (feminine)

white

i barth (masculine) e bardhe (feminine)

red

i kuq (masculine) e kuqe (feminine)

blue

axurru

yellow

xhall

green

virdhi

orange

portokall

brown

kafe

Transportation (Safar)

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____?

Sa kustar një biletë pë' ...

One ticket to _____, please.

Një bilet pë' ...

Where does this bus go?

Te ku vete këtë posta? ...

Does this bus stop in San Giuseppe?

Kjo postë qëndron Murtilat?

When does the bus for leave?

Kur ka vete posta?

When will this bus arrive in Belmonte?

Kur arrëhet Mixanji?

Where are you going?

Ku ka veç?

Directions

How do I get to _____ ?

Si arrënj _____ ?

...the airport?

...l'arjuportu?

...Piana/Santa Cristina?

...Hora?/Sëndahstinë

...the hotel?

...l'alberghu?

Can you show me on the map?

Mënd e më shohësh te a mapa?

street

strata

Turn left.

jec tek e shtrëmbra

Turn right.

jec tek e drejta

straight ahead/in front

dreq

towards the _____

fina _______?

past the _____

pranë _____

before the _____

përpara _____

up

alarta

down

aposhta

Money/Ghranet

Do you accept Credit Cards?

Mirrni karta krediti?

Can I pay in cash?

Mënd paguanj me ghranet?

That's cheap!

ë frëng!

Expensive!

shtrejtë!

Eating/Të Ngrënit

A table for one person/two people, please.

Një triesë pë' një/di.

Can I look at the menu, please?

Mënd shoh menu?

Can I look in the kitchen?

Mënd shoh te kuçina?

Is there a house specialty?

Isht një speçialità të shpisë?

I'm a vegetarian.

Ngë ha mishtë

I don't eat pork.

Ngë ha mishtë derri

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter)

Mënd i ziesh me pak vaj/gjalpë

breakfast

kulacjuni

lunch

pranxu

I want _____.

Deja ______

chicken

pule

meat

mishë

fish

pishq

ham

mish derri

sausage

likënkë

cheese

udhos

eggs

vezë

salad

ncallatë

vegetables

virdhurë

fruit

frutë

bread

bukë

toast

tost

pasta

brumit

beans

fasolla

prosciuto

hjiramer

May I have a glass of _____?

Mënd më japësh një qerq ________?

coffee

kafeu

tea

te

juice

lunk

water

uja

beer

birra

red/white wine

vera kuqe/bardhe

salt

kripë

black pepper

mustur

butter

gjalpë

I'm finished.

kam sosur

Bars

Do you serve alcohol?

Jipni alkol?

Is there table service?

Isht një shërbim te triesën?

A beer/two beers, please.

Një/di birrë, pi fauri

A bottle, please.

një butijë, pi fauri

One more, please.

Një pameta

When is closing time?

Kur mblluin?

Authority

I haven't done anything.

Ngë bëra gjë

I want to talk to a lawyer.

Deja të flisja me një avukat

Asking about language

How do you say _____ ?

Si thuhet ...?

What is this/that called?

Si thërritet?