Zarma phrasebook

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

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

Vowels

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

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Basics

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

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

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

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

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

___ 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

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

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

Colors

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

Bus and Train

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

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

Taxi!: X !
Take me to ___, please.: X _____ X
How much does it cost to travel to _____?: X _____ ?
Take me there, please: X

Lodging

Money

Eating

Bars

Shopping

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

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

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

lessons (in English!)^{[dead link]}
lessons including audio files created for Peace Corps volunteers^{[dead link]}
Zarma-French-English dictionary

This article is significantly based on work which can be found at The French Wikivoyage. A list of authors can be found here.

This Zarma phrasebook is a usable article. It explains pronunciation and the bare essentials of travel communication. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.