Weather & Climate

1. Maanta kulayl baa jira

   It is hot today

   Usage

   A way to remark on the heat. Literally "today there is heat".

   Grammar Note

   The pattern "noun + baa jira" means "there is …" and is used for weather: kulayl is heat, qabow is cold.

2. Maanta roob baa da'aya

   It is going to rain today

   Usage

   Said when the sky suggests rain. The same sentence form appears in the Bible.

   Grammar Note

   Roob is "rain" and da' is "to fall (of rain)"; roob baa da'aya means "rain is falling/will fall".

3. Waxaa soo socda duufaan weyn

   A big storm is approaching

   Usage

   Announces an approaching storm. Duufaan is a storm with strong wind and heavy rain.

   Grammar Note

   Waxaa introduces the new information and the verb does not change with the subject. "Duufaan weyn" (a big storm) also occurs in the Bible.

4. Maanta cimiladu waa wanaagsan tahay

   The weather is nice today

   Usage

   Small talk about nice weather. Cimilo means weather or climate.

   Grammar Note

   Cimilo is a feminine noun, so "is" is tahay (a masculine noun takes yahay). The ending -u marks the subject.

5. Saadaasha cimilada ii sheeg

   Tell me the weather forecast

   Usage

   A request for the forecast. Saadaal means a prediction of what will happen.

   Grammar Note

   Ii means "to me" and sheeg is the imperative of "tell". "Saadaasha cimilada" forms the noun phrase "the weather forecast".

6. Dallad miyaan u baahan ahay?

   Do I need an umbrella?

   Usage

   Asks whether to take an umbrella. Dallad is "umbrella".

   Grammar Note

   Miyaan is the question particle miyaa joined with the subject aan (I). U baahan ahay means "need".

7. Jiilaalku waa goorma?

   When is the dry season?

   Usage

   Jiilaal is one of the four seasons (between dayr and gu'); the dictionary also uses it for a time without rain. Used to ask about the dry season.

   Grammar Note

   The dictionary defines jiilaal as the season between dayr and gu', and also as a time without rain. The ending -u marks the subject.

8. Gu'gu waa goorma?

   When is the rainy season?

   Usage

   Gu' is the season between jiilaal and xagaa, a season of rain. Used to ask about the rainy season.

   Grammar Note

   The dictionary describes gu' as the season of rain. The apostrophe is a glottal stop and stays when the article is added.

9. Qorraxdu aad bay u kulushahay

   The sun is really strong

   Usage

   Remarks on strong sunshine. Literally "the sun is very hot".

   Grammar Note

   Qorrax is feminine, hence bay. Kulushahay is kulul (hot) fused with tahay (is), a form that also occurs in the Bible.

10. Roob

    Rain

    Usage

    Vocabulary card, handy for pointing at the weather.

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; with the article it becomes roobka. The plural is roobab.

11. Dabayl

    Wind

    Usage

    Vocabulary card. It refers to a strong wind; the plural is dabayllo.

    Grammar Note

    A feminine noun; with the article it becomes dabaysha.

12. Qorrax baa jirta

    It is sunny

    Usage

    Says that the sun is out. Literally "there is sun".

    Grammar Note

    Qorrax is feminine, so the verb takes the feminine form jirta instead of jira.

13. Daruuro baa jira

    It is cloudy

    Usage

    Used when the sky is covered with clouds. Literally "there are clouds".

    Grammar Note

    Daruur is "cloud" and its plural is daruuro. A plural subject takes jira unchanged.

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