HomepageChapter 14 - Adjectives - Generalities

There are two types of adjectives in Somali:

  • Basic adjectives, which exist as such in the vocabulary.

  • Adjectives derived from nouns or verbs.


 Basic Adjectives 


Basic adjectives are quite few. Here are some of them:


Somali Adjective Translation
adag = difficult, strong
badan = many, numerous
bannaan = empty, free
buuran = big, fat
cad = white
cas = red
culus = heavy, difficult
cusub = new, fresh
dheer = long
dhow = close, near
dhuuban = thin
fog = far, distant
fudud = light, easy
kulul = hot
macaan = sweet, good
madow = black, dark
qabow = cold
weyn = large
xun = bad
yar = small


 Derived Adjectives 


Derived adjectives are formed from a noun or a verb by adding the suffix -an or -san

Examples:


Noun / Verb Translation Formation Derived Adjective Translation
gaab = shortness gáab + -an -> gaabán = short
xoog = strength xoog + -an -> xoogán = strong
balláadh = width balláadh + -an -> ballaadhán = wide, sturdy
fur = open fur + -an -> furán = open
xidh = close xidh + -an -> xidhán = closed
gub = burn gub + -an -> gubán = burnt
shil = fry shil + -an -> shilán = fried
farax = joy farax + -san -> faraxsán = joyful, happy
qurúx = beauty qurúx + -san -> quruxsán = beautiful
cádho = anger cádho + -san -> cadhosán = angry
harraad = hunger harraad + -san -> harraadsán = hungry
gaajo = thirst gaajay + -san -> gaajaysán = thirsty
dhereg = satiety dhereg + -san -> dheregsán = full
wali = madness wal + -an -> walán = mad




 Place of the adjective in relation to the noun: 


In Somali, the adjective always comes AFTER the noun it qualifies.

Examples:


Noun + Adjective Translation
Bisad yar = a small cat
Bisada madow = the black cat
Albaab cas = a red door
Albaabka cas = the red door
Biyo kulul = hot water
Guri cusub = a new house
Guriga cusub = the new house
Dukaanka cusub = the new shop
Shaqo fudud = an easy job
Waddo dheer = a long road
Baaradho shilan = fried potatoes, chips, French fries


 Noun qualified by 2 adjectives: 


When 2 adjectives describe the same noun, the conjunction oo or ee (= and) is placed between the 2 adjectives.

Preferably, oo is used when the noun is indefinite, and ee is used when the noun is definite.

Examples:


Noun + 2 Adjectives Translation Explanation
Bisad yar oo madow = a small black cat (indefinite noun)
Bisada yar ee madow = the small black cat (definite noun)
Shaah kulul oo macaan = hot and sweet tea (indefinite noun)
Ninka weyn ee wanaagsan = the good tall man (definite noun)


 Plural of adjectives: 


Adjectives form their plural by doubling their first syllable: quruxsan = beautiful, pretty. qur + quruxsan -> qurquruxsan = beautiful, pretty (plural).

If the adjective has only one syllable, simply repeat it: yar = small. yar + yar -> yaryar = small (plural).


Singular Translation Plural Translation
Bisad yar = a small cat Bisado yaryar = small cats
Gabadh quruxsan = a beautiful girl Gabadho qurquruxsan = beautiful girls
Nin gaaban = a small man Nimmo gaagaaban = small men
Cashar fudud = an easy lesson Casharo fudfudud = easy lessons


Exceptions :

  • The adjective dhéer (= tall, long)    becomes daadhéer in the plural.

  • The adjective wéyn (= tall, big)    becomes waawéyn in the plural.

Examples:


Singular Translation Plural Translation
Ninka weyn = the important man Nimmanka waaweyn = the important men
Waddáda dheer = the long road waddoóyinka daadheer = the long roads


 Adjective as a subject case: 


The subject mark is transferred to the adjective when it qualifies the subject noun of the sentence.

This subject mark becomes i on the adjective (instead of u on the noun), while the noun takes the absolute definite form.

Examples:


Subject Noun + Verb Translation Subject Noun + Adjective + Verb Translation
Bisadu waa tagay = the cat has left -> Bisada yari waa tagay = the small cat has left
Ninku wuu tagay = the man has left -> Ninka dheeri wuu tagay = the tall man has left
Gabadhu way toostay = the girl has risen -> Gabadha quruxsani way toostay = the pretty girl has risen
Inanku wuu toosay = the boy has risen -> Inanka yari wuu toosay = the little boy has risen
Ninku wuu tagay = the man has left -> Ninka dheeri wuu tagay = the tall man has left
Nimanku way tageen = the men have left -> Nimanka daadheeri way tageen = the tall men have left





Previous Chapter Next Chapter Table of Contents

Valid HTML 4.01 Transitional