(1). COMMON VERBS:

Chag: example, Amerika, Faranse, Accra etc.    > To go to: America, France, Accra etc.

Kana: example, shikuru, kpe, yiga etc.     > Come: example, to school, here, to the house etc.

Bori: example, bindirigu, yila, waa etc.    > Likes/ wants: Foods, songs, dance etc.

Duhi: loori, ziliji, tiroko etc.             > Drive: car, train, truck etc.

 

(2). ‘’BO?’’ (WHAT):

Bo kan’ dira?         > What am I eating?

A dirila sagam.      > You are eating TZ.

Bo ko’ bora?         > What does he/ she wants?

O borila pensile    > He/ she wants pencil.

Bo ka bi nigda?     > What are they doing?

Be duhirila loori.    > They are driving car.

Bo ka Isabella dira?    > What is Isabella eating?

Isabella dirila sakoro.     > Isabella is eating Fufu.

 

(3). ‘’DI’’ (TO EAT):

Bo kan’ dira?                  > What am I eating?

A dirila sagam.               > You are eating TZ.

Bo ka ti dira?                 >What are we eating?

Ti dirila sagam.             > We are eating TZ.

Bo ka Isabella dira?       > What is Isabella eating?

Isabella dirila sakoro.     > Isabella is eating Fufu.

(4). DAY, WEEKS, MONTH, and YEARS:

Singular:                                                              Plural:

Dabsili       > a day                                               Dabsa             > days

Bakoi/ Dakulo        > week                                   Dakuyi          > weeks

Goli/ chirili           > month                                   Gaya/ Chira       > months

Yuni                    > year                                         Yuma               > years

COUNTING NUMDERS:

Yini                  > one

Ayi                  > two

Ata                 > three

Anahi            > four

Anu               > five

Ayobu         > six

Ayopoi          > seven

Anii              > eight

Awei           > nine

Pia               > ten etc

NOTE: counting numbers are used in counting everything ranging from living to non living things. Example; counting numbers used in counting days.

Dahin’ yini                      > 1 day

Dabsa ayi                       > 2 days

Dabsa ata                        > 3 days

Dabsa anahi                    > 4 days

Dabsa anu                 > 5 days

Dabsa ayobu             > 6 days

Dabsa ayopoi          > 7 days

Dabsa anii               > 8 days

Dabsa awei             > 9 days

Biegwu pia             > 10 days

(5). EXPRESSIONS OF TOME:

Atani dali                                              > om Monday

Dakulo din kanna                            > the following coming week

Bakoi dim be puuni                     > this following week

Daantali                                > two days after tomorrow (3 days time)

Dali                                     > the day after tomorrow (tomorrow next)

Daantali la ni                          > three days ago

Sohala                                > yesterday

Zuno                                  > today

Biegni                              > tomorrow

Wuntag’ ni                       > afternoon

Zaawuni                       > evening

Zaawuni yug                 > night time

Yug                              > night

Bakoi din garila          > the past week (last week)

Bakoi din yoli garila      > the immediate pass week

Yuuni din yoli garila     >the immediate past year

Bihi ban yoli garila            > the children who just passed

 

 

(6). FUTURE TENCE:

Beigni ti san chag daa               > tomorrow we will go to market.

Biegni yi san kuli.                    > Tomorrow you will go home.

Nni boham Dagbani                   > I will learn Dagbani.

O ni boham silimiinsili              > he/ she will learn English.

Be ni chag amerika.                   > They will go to America.

Isabella san kana                      > Isabella will com tomorrow.

Ti dag yig’ labbu na.               > We will come early.

Yini kana yig yomyom.        > You will come home early (plural).

COMMANDING WORDS:

‘’Kam na’’ (come):

Kamna!                              > (come!).

Kamna bia!                         > (come child!).

Kamna kpe!                         > (come here!).

 

‘’Chela’’ (stop):

Nyema, chela!                 > Look, stop it!

Chela Farouk, cheli lala!   >Farouk, its ok, stop that!

Cheli vuri, cheli ma!        >stop the noise leave me!

Cheli yelgu/ yeltoga!       > stop talking!

‘’Chama’’ (Go):

Cham’, nyu ma adam        > go and be drinking your alcohol!

Cham’ tumm’ atuma.         > go and do your work.

 

‘’Ziinima’’ (Sit Down):

Ziinima bia                  > sit down child!

Ziinim’ ndi sagam.     > sit down and eat TZ (tuon zaafii).

Zinim’ ka chea viri!          > sit down and stop making noise.

Ziinim’ yili yila.              > sit down and sing a song.

 

‘’Bolimma’’ (Call me).

Bolimm’ john ti ma.          > call john for me.

Bolii’ o!                      > call him/her.

Bolimm’ ba!              > call them.

Bolimm’ aba!          > call your father.

 

‘’Bomm’’ (Look for).

Bomm’ bia na!             > look for the child and bring him.

Bomm’ taxi ti ma!          > look for a taxi for me.

Bomm’ adam Isabella shee!       > look for Isabella.

 

‘’Zag labi’’ (throw away).

Zagmi nimdi maa labi.           > throw the meat away.

Zagmi bi ma anti o ma.           > give the child to the mother.

Zagmi o bahi!               > leave him or her.

‘’Foma’’ (Be quiet).

Sokam foma!              > Everybody should keep quiet.

Bihi, fomiya!              > Children, be quiet.

Bihi maa foma!      > The children should be quiet.

 

‘’Lihima’’ (Look at).

Lihimi, Adam!                 > look at Adam.

Lihimi kpe!                 > look here!

Lihimi loori zeea’ la!     >look at the red car.

 

‘’Wumma’’ (Listen).

Wumma mba year!       > Listen, my father is talking to you.

Wummi venyelinga!         > listen carefully/ well.

Wummi yila maa!        > listen to the song.

 

‘’Zoma’’ (get away/ go away):

Zomi nimaani!        > get away from there.

Zomi kpe!       > go away from here.

Zomi ka che o!         > go away and leave them.

 

‘’Zanima’’ (Stop):

Zanima Isabella!              > stop Isabella.

Zanim’ nimaani!        > stop there.

Zanimi yim!         > stop at once.

Zanim’ lihi o!        > stop and look at him/ here.

ASSIGNMENT:

Ø  Zaawuni yug

Ø  Yug

Ø  Bakoi din garila

Ø  Bakoi din yoli garila

Ø  Yuuni din yoli garila

Ø  Cham’ tumm’ atuma

Ø  Wummi venyelinga!

Ø  Wummi yila maa!

Ø  Zanima Isabella!

Ø  Zanim’ nimaani!

Ø  Lihimi kpe!

Ø  Sokam foma!

Ø  Bihi, fomiya!

GOOD LUCK.

Here are my answers for the homework! And it was nice talking to all of you guys today, I’m sorry the conversation was stopped short because I would’ve loved to hear more about life in the north.
ANSWERS PROVIDERED BY ISABELLA:

Part 1:

Ø Zaawuni yug- Nighttime

Ø Yug- Night

Ø Bakoi din garila – Last week/past week

Ø Bakoi din yoli garila -Immediate last week

Ø Yuuni din yoli garila – Immediate last year

Ø Cham’ tumm’ atuma – Go and do your work.

Ø Wummi venyelinga!- Listen carefully!

Ø Wummi yila maa! – Listen to that song

Ø Zanima Isabella! – Stop Isabella!

Ø Zanim’ nimaani! – Stop there!

Ø Lihimi kpe! – Look here!

Ø Sokam foma! – Everybody should keep quiet!

Ø Bihi, fomiya! – Children be quiet!

Nice work my dear keep it up.