Basic Nouns

1. Biyo

   Water

   Usage

   The basic word for water. "Biyo fadlan" asks for water.

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun; with the article it is biyaha.

2. Cunto

   Food

   Usage

   Food and meals in general. The core word for "I want food".

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun; with the article it is cuntada. The dictionary lists cunno as a variant.

3. Lacag

   Money

   Usage

   Money in general. Used when paying or changing money.

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun; with the article it is lacagta. The dictionary defines it as banknotes and coins.

4. Musqul

   Toilet

   Usage

   The toilet; a dictionary headword. Suuli means the same.

   Grammar Note

   The dictionary lists both genders. Everyday sentences use the feminine article, musqusha (Tatoeba).

5. Daawo

   Medicine

   Usage

   Medicine for illness or injury. The dictionary lists both daawo and dawo.

   Grammar Note

   The dictionary entry is feminine; with the article it is daawada.

6. Shandad

   Luggage / travel bag

   Usage

   A bag or suitcase for travel. The dictionary describes it as a bag, made of leather or similar, for taking on trips.

   Grammar Note

   A feminine noun; with the article it is shandadda.

7. Fure

   Key

   Usage

   A key to a room or car. The dictionary also lists "solution" as a second meaning.

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun. "Key" and "solution" are the same word, so context decides.

8. Tigid

   Ticket

   Usage

   A ticket for transport or entry. The dictionary headword is tigid, with tikid as a variant.

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun; with the article it is tigidka.

9. Baasaboor

   Passport

   Usage

   The travel document asked for at immigration and hotel desks. A loanword spelled without the letter p.

   Grammar Note

   A masculine noun; with the article it is baasaboorka. Somali has no letter p, so it is written with b.

10. Telefoon

    Phone

    Usage

    The telephone. The dictionary gives telefoon as a variant of taleefan.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun. A loanword written in Somali spelling.

11. Isbitaal

    Hospital

    Usage

    A hospital. The dictionary lists cisbitaal as the same word.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; with the article it is isbitaalka.

12. Booliis

    Police

    Usage

    The police. The dictionary lists boliis as the same word.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun. A loanword spelled with b, since Somali has no p.

13. Dukaan

    Shop

    Usage

    A shop that sells goods. The dictionary describes a room with shelves where food, clothes and so on are sold.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; with the article it is dukaanka.

14. Qol

    Room

    Usage

    A room in a house or hotel. The dictionary describes it as one of the divisions of a house.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; with the article it is qolka.

15. Waddo

    Road

    Usage

    A road or track that people and vehicles use. The dictionary gives jid and dhabbe as synonyms.

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; with the article it is waddada.

16. Qoys

    Family

    Usage

    A family of a couple and their children. The dictionary defines it as two people and their children.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; with the article it is qoyska.

17. Magac

    Name

    Usage

    The name of a person or place. Used in "Magacaa waa maxay?" (what is your name).

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun. Possessors are suffixes (magacaa, your name).

18. Madax

    Head

    Usage

    The head of the body. Used for example to describe a headache.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; with the article it is madaxa. The same spelling also has the sense "chief, leader".

19. Il

    Eye

    Usage

    The eye. The plural indho (both eyes) is also common.

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; the plural is indho, which is irregular.

20. Ilig

    Tooth

    Usage

    A tooth. The plural ilko (teeth) is also common.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; plural ilko.

21. Hunguri

    Throat

    Usage

    The back of the throat, where food and air pass. The dictionary describes it as the passage linking mouth, nose and stomach.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun. The word is also used for appetite and greed.

22. Calool

    Stomach / Belly

    Usage

    The belly or stomach. Used to describe a stomach ache.

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; with the article it is caloosha.

23. Dhabar

    Back

    Usage

    The back of the body. The dictionary describes the area along the spine.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; with the article it is dhabarka.

24. Lug

    Leg

    Usage

    The leg, from the hip down. The dictionary describes it as running from the top of the thigh to the foot.

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; with the article it is lugta.

25. Gacan

    Hand

    Usage

    The hand. The dictionary describes it as the body part that has the fingers.

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; with the article it is gacanta. Several other words share the spelling.

26. Xabad

    Chest

    Usage

    The chest. The dictionary gives laab, gaaddo and shaf as synonyms.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun. The dictionary gives few example sentences for this word.

27. Hoteel

    Hotel

    Usage

    A hotel. The dictionary defines it as a building that travellers rent.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; with the article it is hoteelka. A loanword written in Somali spelling.

28. Garoonka diyaaradaha

    Airport

    Usage

    The airport. Literally "the field of the planes". The dictionary has "garoonka dayuuradaha"; diyaarad and dayuurad are the same word.

    Grammar Note

    Garoon (field) takes the article -ka; diyaaradaha is the plural of diyaarad (plane) with the article -ha.

29. Safaarad

    Embassy

    Usage

    A country's embassy abroad. The dictionary defines it as the ambassador's office.

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; with the article it is safaaradda.

30. Qunsuliyad

    Consulate

    Usage

    A consulate. The dictionary defines it as the consul's office.

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; with the article it is qunsuliyadda.

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