Language/Borana-arsi-guji-oromo/Vocabulary/Telling-Time
Introduction
In this lesson, you will learn how to tell time in Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo. Time is an important aspect of any language, and being able to tell time is an essential part of everyday life. We will start with the numbers from 1 to 20, then move on to telling time using hours, minutes, and common time expressions. By the end of this lesson, you should feel confident in telling time in Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo.
Numbers 1-20
Before we can tell time, it's important to learn the numbers from 1 to 20 in Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo. Here they are:
| Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| tokko | /tɔk'kɔ/ | one |
| lama | /'lɑmɑ/ | two |
| sadii | /sɑ'di:/ | three |
| afar | /'ɑfɑr/ | four |
| dashii | /dɑ'shi:/ | five |
| wala' | /wɑlɑʔ/ | six |
| saba | /s'ɑbɑ/ | seven |
| samii | /sɑ'mi:/ | eight |
| sagal | /s'ɑgɑl/ | nine |
| dheebii | /ðe:'bi:/ | ten |
| gumi | /gu'mi/ | eleven |
| lakkoo | /l'ɑk:'kɔ:/ | twelve |
| sitti | /sit:'ti/ | thirteen |
| isaani | /i: sɑn'i:/ | fourteen |
| kudhan | /ku'dhɑn/ | fifteen |
| saree | /sɑ're:/ | sixteen |
| bakka | /bɑk'kɑ/ | seventeen |
| tokkummaa | /tɔk'kum'mɑ:/ | eighteen |
| dubbi | /du'bbi/ | nineteen |
| ardaa | /ɑr'dɑ:/ | twenty |
Telling Time
Now that you know the numbers, let's move on to telling time in Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo. Telling time in Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo follows a similar structure to English. We will first learn how to tell the hours, followed by the minutes, and then common time expressions.
To tell the hour, you simply say the number followed by the word "sa'a" (hour). For example:
- Sadii sa'a (3 o'clock)
- Dashii sa'a (5 o'clock)
- Kudhan sa'a (15 o'clock)
To tell the minutes, you say the number of minutes followed by the word "daqqabe" (minute). For example:
- Lakkoo sa'a tokkummaa daqqabe (12:18)
- Dubbi sa'a ardaa daqqabe (19:20)
Finally, here are some common time expressions you can use in Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo:
- Bara bara (morning)
- Diraama (midday)
- Hamsadii (afternoon)
- Irra gadaa (evening)
- Wanni namni (night)
Here are some examples of combining the above expressions with the time to create full phrases:
- Bara bara sagal sa'a (9 in the morning)
- Diraama tokko sa'a sitti daqqabe (8:13 midday)
- Hamsadii lama sa'a dashii daqqabe (2:05 in the afternoon)
- Irra gadaa ardaa sa'a tokkummaa daqqabe (20:18 in the evening)
- Wanni namni saba sa'a saree daqqabe (7:16 at night)
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have now learned how to tell time in Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo. This skill is an essential part of everyday life, and being able to tell time is important for communication and scheduling. Remember to practice regularly to become more confident in using these expressions in conversation. In the next lesson, we will move on to learning about Oromo cuisine.