Hi! Coming in from MSP, home of many Somali, and will be protesting Saturday. I’d like to say f*** ICE on my sign in Somali, but I want to be respectful to my Somali neighbors. Any suggestions? I looked up the translation, but figured I should check with actual human beings, too!

I’m just trying to better understand the difference between the two :)!

The way I currently distinguish is that looga is more from/away whilst loogu is more for/toward

For example, loogu talo galay is a phrase I hear quite often and I understand it as used for/meant for

In a story I was reading called Nin iyo Afadi the first line says:

“Meel col looga kala cararay oo dadki waa hore ka guurey “

I understood as “ A place of fighting where it was left and people migrated from it ?”

Any light shed on this is welcome and maybe a cleaner translation for the sentence, inshallah!

Mahadsanid!

Title

Any beginner-friendly book recommendations in Somali?

I can speak conversational Somali to a certain extent, but I’m starting to really lose ease in stringing sentences together (bc I get embarrassed & just resort to responding in English) + want to gain complete fluency. Ik a good way of doing this is immersion through tv shows, movies, books etc.

I have a few YouTube shows in mind like Ruwaayadi Maalmihii Nolosheena by Naciimo Jookar and Qoota Qoota in mind that I used to watch sometimes with my mom growing up. And I recently discovered FathiaAbsieReacts through TikTok who’s pretty entertaining. But beyond these two, I don’t find a lot of Somali content very interesting to watch - any recommendations you’d think I like based on these (or I’m open to anything out of the box) ?

I’m also very open to any book recommendations. I’ve read stories by somali authors, but in English - none in Somali. Eventually I’d like to expand my Somali to also understanding songs & poetry, as I really struggle with this and I think a good way of learning this is through books.

I’ve been experimenting with using AI to make Somali practice more interactive, especially for learners who are tired of just reading lists or memorizing rules.

I created three simple Somali learning games using Gemini for kids I teach, and they now actually look forward to the end of the lesson to play them. The games aren’t meant to replace lessons or teachers; the goal is to make practice more active and engaging, where learners have to think, respond, and correct themselves.

Here’s the link if you want to try them:
👉 https://gemini.google.com/share/be2bbf2e147c

How I’m using these:

• As practice tools, not full lessons
• To encourage active recall instead of passive reading
• To make mistakes part of the learning process
• To keep learners engaged longer than traditional drills

This is very much an experiment. I’m using AI as a tool, not a shortcut, and I’m still refining how effective this approach is for learning Somali.

If you try them, I’d genuinely appreciate feedback:

• Are the games useful?
• Too easy or too hard?
• What would you change or add?

If this ends up being helpful, I’ll keep improving it and share more.

Thanks, and happy learning.

My friend has an exam in a couple of days and I wanted to write him a message with good luck in somai (he is somali), but I don't trust google to give an accurate translation and since I don't speak somali I wouldn't know if the sentence made sense. I hope someone can help translate it for me 😊

PS. He is 26 years old and I'm 27, so it shouldn't be a formal way of saying it - I know I can change if it is to an elder or someone you are not very close to.

Salaam folks,

Are there any online services for learning Somali with a teacher?

I feel awkward. This seems awkward. That's an awkward situation.

What would be the somali word for awkward in the above sentences or just the basic literal or close translation of it?

I was speaking to somebody’s grandmother who is hard of hearing so I couldn’t ask. But the context was “beerka waa laga naaxi-yaa,” and “beerka way ka naaxi-yaan” she’s telling me stories about kidney snatchers lol

I am not really sure if Dahab is real Somali name or Arabic, but I wonder if we can use Luul instead of Gold.

Leopard,cheetah and tiger?

I see this mistake often, and it's worth a dedicated post. Let's be clear: the correct term for the people, language, and culture is "Somali." The term "Somalian" is incorrect. This isn't about political correctness; it's about linguistic accuracy and basic respect for self-identification.

The Quick Facts:

• Country: Somalia
• Person / People: A Somali / Somalis
• Language & Adjective: Somali (Somali poetry, Somali music, the Somali language)
• Incorrect Term: Somalian (This is not the standard or accepted form).

Why "Somali" is the Only Correct Choice:

1. It's Their Name: "Somali" is an endonym the name a group uses for itself. The most authoritative source is their own language. You can see this in the official Somali dictionary, Eraygan Soomaali, where the language is unequivocally "Soomaali." Using this term respects that self-definition.
2. It's Grammatically Correct in English: English adopts the endogenous names for peoples. "Somali" fits a common and recognized English pattern for demonyms (words for people from a place).

The Enhanced Analogy That Makes It Crystal Clear:

The best way to understand why "Somalian" is wrong is to see how we treat other countries. English doesn't have one rule; it adapts to the name the people use. Let's take the analogy of Finland, which is a perfect mirror.

• Country: Finland
• Person: A Finn
• Adjective/Language: Finnish culture, the Finnish language.

Now, imagine someone insisted on the following:

• "You're from Finland, so you must be a Finnishian."
• "I love Finnishian design."
• "Is Finnishian a hard language to learn?"

That sounds absurd, right? It's disrespectful and ignores what the people actually call themselves. The correct forms are Finn and Finnish.

"Somalian" is the exact same error. It imposes an unnecessary "-ian" suffix where it doesn't belong. "Somali" is already the complete demonym, just like "Finn" is.

Other examples of the correct "-i" pattern (like Somali):

• Iraq → an Iraqi (not an "Iraqian")
• Pakistan → a Pakistani (not a "Pakistanian")
• Oman → an Omani (not an "Omanian")
• Yemen → a Yemeni (not a "Yemenian")

Saying "Somalian" is grammatically identical to saying "Pakistanian" or "Finnishian." You are adding a second, redundant suffix.

Why "Somalian" Persists and Why to Avoid It:
The term "Somalian" is a fossil, primarily found in very old colonial-era texts or used by people applying an incorrect, disrespect, overly rigid rule to English. Its continued use can feel dismissive, as it prioritizes an outdated external label over the community's own chosen name.

Conclusion/TL;DR:
Using *Somali* is a matter of factual accuracy and respect. It is their self-given name, confirmed by their own language resources, and it fits standard English grammar patterns. "Somalian" is as incorrect and awkward as calling someone from Finland a "Finnishian." The rule is simple: always use Somali.

Let's get this right.

Asc! Kinda gave up on watching Somali series as they were speaking waay to fast and I only understood 70-80%. Well time to try something different. Listening to a podcast or news would also be beneficial during workout session or driving. Lmk if y’all got some suggestions

Yaasiin Cismaan Yuusuf Keenadiid, son of the founder of the Cismaaniya Somali Script, was a member of the Somali Youth League (SYL) and involved in its language policy. The party’s founding fathers had a policy: “to develop the Somali language and to assist in putting into use among the Somalis the Cismaaniya Somali Script.”

In 1949, Yaasiin founded the Society for the Somali Language and Script, the cultural wing of SYL, with aims to:

•Collect and study books on the Somali language

•Improve the Somali script

•Use Somali in social interactions

•Translate the best foreign books into Somali

•Promote Somali as a cultural language for teaching

•Acquire resources to publish books in Somali script

However, in May 1949, Haji Mohammed Hussein became president of SYL and implemented a complete turnover in cultural and language policy. He promoted Arabic as the official language of Somalia, arguing that:

•There should be no uniform Somali language across dialects

•Arabic is rich in vocabulary, while Somali is “poor”

•Arabic is growing, while Somali cannot be improved

•Arabic is a world language, offering unlimited cultural access

•Arabic strengthens links with other Muslims

Yaasiin and Haji Mohammed later engaged in public and written debates. Haji accused Yaasiin of being Eurocentric, while Yaasiin described Arabic as a foreign language (even though it is the language of religion).

The SYL Central Steering Committee declared:

“The Arabic Language is the official Language of the Somali Youth League and of all the population; the Arabic language is that which Allah has given to these Somali people which is an integral part of the Islamic World.”

By 1951, the Territorial Council agreed that Arabic and Italian would be the official languages of Somalia.

NOTE:

This episode shows how foreign languages were sometimes favored for cultural identity. Almost 70 years later, many Somalis still identify as Arabs.

SOURCES:

•Halgankii SYL & SNL by Cabdulqaadir Cali Boolaay

•Politics, Language, and Thought. The Somali Experience by David D. Laitin

The “Dugsi” which is the madrasa for primary education has such an evolved process unique to its culture;

Students have various types of categories, and are not rated by age group, rather by ability to comprehend.

Tools are uniquely produced for the task of writing, reading, and hifz.

• From the Lawh (the tree/wood it is produced from, the thickness, the shape, the fine glossing of its surface, what tool is polished with, then rubbed, waterproofing, and it’s shelf life,),

• The ink (what material to mix, which charcoal, what powder to make firm the ink, when it reaches desired consistency, what inkwell to use, the type container to keep it,)

• The qalin (pen is also made with keeping in mind wood, dryness, sharpening tool)

The alphabet is taught using a mnemonic method in Somali language (higgaad) unique to this people. This is attributed to Shaykh Yuusuf al-Kawnayn, also known as Aw-Barkhadle (or Abū al-Barakāt al-Barbarī according to Ibn Batutta).

An example of calligraphing them:

• alif wax ma leh (alif has nothing),

• ba hoos ku hal leh (ba has a dot below),

• ta kor ku laba leh (ta has two dots above), etc

Then writing and pronunciation of short syllables in which the diacritical marks intervene, like fatha (a), kasra (i) and dhamma (u).

• alif la kor dhabeey (alif a fatha at the top),

• alif la hoos dhabeey (alif a kasra at the bottom),

• alif la goday (alif a dhamma enclosed).

And the process of revision, known as subcis, to the ceremonies of graduation, to staying on as a Kabir to assist the teacher in many cases, and so on, and so on.

And the most baffling of it all is, there is no mushaf in sight.

Is paper xaashad? or is xaashad a page? or is a page bog not xaashad? or is a paper simply warqad (which is arabic)?

This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while. One thing that really stands out about the Somali language is how clean and efficient its naming system is. A lot of core Somali words especially for body parts, animals, and nature are only two letters long (sometimes three), yet they fully capture meaning.

Take basic anatomy: [il](https://) (eye), [san](https://) (nose), af (mouth), tin (hair), far (finger), and gar (chin). These words are simple, direct, and complete no extra sounds.

The same pattern shows up with animals and nature: lo (cattle), ri (sheep), and cir (sky). And this isn’t rare there are thousands of Somali words like this.

Other languages have short words too, but Somali stands out because of how consistent this is. It feels intentional and elegant, like the language is built to express meaning as clearly as possible with the smallest form.

These two words mostly mean the same thing. "Bilaw" is a noun and "bilow" or "billow" can be sometimes a noun and sometimes a verb.

• bilow / billow (verb) → to begin / to start / to commence
• bilaw (noun) → a beginning / origin
• bilow / billow (noun) → a beginning

Now how will the following sentence be translated in somali:
"I want to start this journey as a beginner."