Somali doesn’t have one word for “cousin” — the word depends on which aunt or uncle the cousin belongs to: inaadeer, inaabti, or habarwadaag. In English, “cousin” covers every child of every aunt and uncle, on either side of the family. Somali is more specific — the word tells you exactly which relative the cousin
How to say cousin in Somali Read More »
Somali has two different words for aunt, depending on which side of the family she’s on: habaryar (mother’s sister) and eeddo (father’s sister). Just like with uncles, Somali doesn’t have one single word for “aunt” — it depends on whether she’s your mother’s sister or your father’s sister. The two words Habaryar — your mother’s
How do you say aunt in Somali? Read More »
Grandpa in Somali is ‘awoowo’ (also spelled ‘awoowe’). Unlike aunts, uncles and cousins, this word stays the same whichever side of the family he’s on. The two grandparent words – Awoowo (or awoowe) — grandfather – Ayeeyo — grandmother Both words apply equally to either side of the family — your mother’s father and your
How do you say grandfather in Somali? Read More »
Raising a bilingual child takes deliberate, daily effort — not a curriculum. Here’s a practical, realistic guide to teaching Somali at home, drawn from raising four children and years working as an EAL teacher in UK schools. Every parent raising a child outside Somalia or Somaliland asks some version of the same question: How do
How to Raise a Bilingual Somali Child Abroad: A Parent’s Practical Guide Read More »
Somali has two different words for uncle, depending on which side of the family he’s on: abti (mother’s brother) and adeer (father’s brother) Unlike English, Somali doesn’t have one single word for “uncle” — the word depends on whether he’s your mother’s brother or your father’s brother. The two words Abti —
How do you say uncle in Somali? Read More »
Somali has different words for aunts, uncles and cousins depending on whether they’re on your mother’s or father’s side — a distinction English doesn’t make at all. Here’s the full Guide. If you’ve ever tried to explain to a Somali relative which “Aunt Faduma” you mean in English, you’ve probably run into the limits of
What do you call your relations in Somali? Read More »
What Does Nephew or Niece Mean in Somali? Somali language doesn’t actually have a single dedicated word for “nephew” or “niece.” Instead, the aunt or uncle addresses them using the same term they’d use for themselves, or describes the relationship in a short phrase If you’ve searched for the Somali word for “nephew” or “niece”
What Does Nephew or Niece Mean in Somali language? Read More »
Somali uses the same Roman alphabet as English, but a handful of letters make sounds English speakers have never had to make before. Here’s what each one is, how to say it, and how to practise it with your child. One of the first things parents notice when they start teaching their child to read Somali
Somali Sounds English Doesn’t Have: A Parent’s Guide to Q,C, X, Kh and Dh Read More »
A reading-order guide through Asha’s bilingual books, from alphabet basics to first chapter stories, with tips on pairing books with everyday Somali practice. Raising a child who speaks Somali outside of Somalia or Somaliland is a quiet, daily effort. English is everywhere — at school, on the television, in the games your children play with
The Best Somali Children’s Books for Diaspora Families Read More »
Somali is a Cushitic language spoken by over 24 million people across the Horn of Africa and the Somali diaspora. With roots likely dating back to the first millennium BCE, Somali boasts a rich oral tradition of poetry, storytelling, and proverbs. For centuries, Somali was almost exclusively spoken. Oral literature served as the primary medium
The History of the Written Somali Language | From Oral to Latin Script Read More »
Somali has different words for aunts, uncles and cousins depending on whether they’re on your mother’s or father’s side — a distinction English doesn’t make at all. Here’s the full guide. If you’ve ever tried to explain to a Somali relative which “Aunt Faduma” you mean in English, you’ve probably run into the limits of
What Do You Call Your Relations in Somali? – A Family Words Guide Read More »
Brush up on the names of shapes in Somali. How many do you know?
Latest video – Shapes in Somali Read More »
If you ask Somali speakers this question you will get a variety of answers. Some will give a name adopted from another language e.g. ‘barbal’ from English. Others will give names associated with other colours e.g, guduud (red) or buluug (blue). Some might give one of two words used for purple I recently came across,
How do you say purple in Somali? Read More »
Xijaab-Cas iyo Waraabahii Xijaab Cas iyo Waraabahii (Red-Hijab and the Hyena) is a bilingual Somali-English retelling of a traditional tale, following a young girl’s journey to visit her unwell grandmother — and the hungry hyena she meets along the way. The newest title in the AAN Bilingual Books collection is Xijaab Cas iyo Waraabahii (Red-Hijab
The latest addition to AAN Books Read More »
The latest Somali language video is out on YouTube. Learn how to greet people in Somali!
Say hello in Somali and more…. Read More »
Why are borrowed words used for the months of the year and days of the week when Somalis have their own calendar which is thousands of years old? Neighbouring Ethiopia has always used its own 13 month calendar. These days Somalis either use the Gregorian calendar (based on modified English, French or Italian names), the
The ‘Real’ Somali Calendar – Kaltirsi Read More »
I think the answer to this question is no. While researching the Internet for my books the range of spellings I’ve come across of different words is incredible. Even the language on the BBC Somali news website is not consistent but depends on who is writing the article. The Somali language varies in vocabulary and
Is there a standard Somali language? Read More »
‘Colours and Shapes in Somali’ is a colourful and simple introduction to shapes and colours in the Somali language for young learners growing up outside of Somalia/Somaliland or Somali speakers who wish to learn English. Bilingual in both Somali and English it sets out the names of colours and shapes. The book contains fun activities
Naming Colours and Shapes in Somali Read More »
Dr Georgi Kapchits’ advice to young Somalis is to learn as much as they can about the rich language that is their mother tongue.
The value of the Somali language endorsed by a scholar! Read More »
Should mother tongue be the first language spoken by a child? Yes, of course I hear you say. It’s not as easy to achieve for some. Homes vary as do people within those homes. Linguistic ability and home situations differ but as afar as possible I believe this should be the case. To be bilingual
First language – mother tongue? Read More »
Dual language books and Somali language learning for children are my passion. Please check-in to find out what new titles have been added. Contact me if you have particular query or a request for a type of book you might have in mind or just to say hello.
Culture and Tradition: Why Language Carries More Than Words Somali is often called a language of poets — for centuries, culture, history and identity were passed down almost entirely through spoken word. Losing the language risks losing more than vocabulary; it risks losing the stories, proverbs and traditions carried inside it. Somali language is important
Culture and tradition Read More »
Discussions on all things bilingual and the education of future generations coming up!
Welcome to Asha’s blog! Read More »
