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Inventory on the prepositions :
Somali preverbal locative and relational particles often play a role similar to that of English "prepositions".
There are 4 locative and 4 relational preverbal particles in Somali.
Possessive phrases :
Other preposition-like functions are fulfilled by verbs or nouns.
One construction particularly worthy of note involves locative or temporal nouns with a possessive, effectively used as postpositions :
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- Prepositions do not exist as such in the Somali language.
- Nevertheless, there are two equivalents of "prepositions" as we understand them in English :
- Locative and relational preverbal particles
- Possessive phrases
Somali preverbal locative and relational particles often play a role similar to that of English "prepositions".
There are 4 locative and 4 relational preverbal particles in Somali.
Table locative and relational preverbal particles
| Locative particles | Relationship particles | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ú | to, for | sóo | in the direction of the speaker |
| kú | in, into, on, at, with, by means of | síi | away from the speaker |
| ká | from, away from, out of | wada | together, towards each other (with plural subjects/objects) |
| lá | in company with | kala | apart, away from each other, separately |
Examples :
| makhsínkíi | ayùu | ká | baxay |
| makhsín-kíi | ayàa-uu | ká | baxay |
| [room-the | FOCUS-he | from | went] |
| = He went out of the room | |||
| kú | ríd | shandádda |
| [into | put | suitcase-the] |
| = Put it into the suitcase | ||
| albabka | soo | xidh ! |
| [door-the | towards | close] |
| = Close the door ! | ||
Possessive phrases :
Other preposition-like functions are fulfilled by verbs or nouns.
One construction particularly worthy of note involves locative or temporal nouns with a possessive, effectively used as postpositions :
Table of possessive phrases or "Postpositions"
| Root noun | English | Masculine | Feminine | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ag | vicinity | agtiisa | agteeda | near |
| dabo | back | dabadiisa | dabadeeda | behind after (space or time) |
| dar | reason | dartiisa | darteeda | because of |
| debed | exterior | debeddiisa | debeddeeda | outside |
| dhex | center | dhexdiisa | dhexdeeda | in the middle of |
| dhex | center | dhexdooda | between, in the middle (always plural) | |
| dul | (top) surface | dushiisa | dusheeda | on top of |
| gees | side | geestiisa | geesteeda | beside |
| gudo | interior | gudihiisa | gudeheeda | inside within (space or time) |
| hoos | bottom | hoostiisa | hoosteeda | beneath under |
| hor | front | hortiisa | horteeda | in front of before (space or time) |
Examples :
| miiska agtiisa | = near the table | [the table his vicinity] |
| dekedda agteeda | = near the harbour | [the harbour her vicinity] |
| aqalka dabadiisa | = behind the house | [the house his behind] |
| kulaylka dartiisa | = because of the heat | [the heat his reason] |
| magalada debeddeeda | = outside the town | [the town her exterior] |
| jid dhexdiisa | = in the middle of a road | [a road his center] |
| awrta dhexdooda | = in the middle of the camels | [the camels their center] |
| miiska dushiisa | = on top of the table | [the table his surface] |
| albabka geestiisa | = beside the door | [the door his side] |
| daarta gudeheeda | = inside the building | [the building her interior] |
| markabka gudihiisa | = inside the ship | [the ship his interior] |
| sariirta hoosteeda | = under the bed | [the bed her bottom] |
| habeennimada horteeda | = before nightfall | [the night her front] |
Remark :
As strange as this construction with a postposition may look, it is similar to the usual possessive construction in Somali, and in turn surprising similar to the possessive case construction in English !| Cali walaashiis | = Ali's sister | [Ali his sister] |
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Autonomous Pronouns and Preverbal Pronouns
There are two kinds of subject pronouns :
- Autonomous pronouns, which have essentially the same properties as nouns.
- Preverbal pronouns, that function like verbal affixes, but are detached from the verb in a pre-assigned preverbal position.
Autonomous subject pronouns
They are ordinarily followed by a determiner (by default the definite suffix -ka or -ta), a conjunction, or a focus marker.
For the form with the definite article, subject marking works in the ordinary way.
| Emphatic form | Short form | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Person | Stand alone | Subject | + conjunction | + subjunctive |
| 1st pers. sing. | aniga | anigu | an(i) | an |
| 2nd pers. sing. | adiga | adigu | ad(i) | ad |
| 3rd pers. sing. masc. | isaga | isagu | is(a) | ha |
| 3rd per. sing. fem. | iyada | iyadu | iya | ha |
| 1st per. plur. excl. | annaga | annagu | anna | annu |
| 1st pers. plur. incl. | innaga | innagu | inna | aynu |
| 2nd pers. plur. | idinka | idinku | idin | ad |
| 3rd pers. plur. | iyaga | iyagu | iyagu | ha |
You can see from this table that all autonomous subject pronouns are masculine except for iyada (= she, her) which is feminine.
The only difference between the autonomous "stand alone" pronoun and the autonomous subject pronoun is the subject marker u at the end.
The forms listed in the column labelled + conjuction omit the determiner suffix and sometimes the final vowel.
In most instances they only occur with the conjunctions -na (= and, also), -se (= but), or with the focus marker baa, and only in some combinations with these.
Examples :
| Anna waan arkey | I also saw (it) | [me+also I saw] |
| Adna waad aragtey | You also saw (it) | [you+also you saw] |
| Isna wuu arkay | He also saw (it) | [him+also he saw] |
| Iyana way aragtey | She also saw (it) | [her+also she saw] |
| Annana waannu aragney | We (exl.) also saw (it) | [us+also we saw] |
| Innana weynu aragney | We (incl.) also saw (it) | [us+also we saw] |
| Idinna weydin aragteen | You (pl.) also saw (it) | [you+also you saw] |
| Iyaguna wey arkeen | They also saw (it) | [them+also they saw] |
| Anaa tegey | It is I who went | [from an(i) + baa] |
| Adaa tegey | It is you who went | [from ad(i) + baa] |
Preverbal pronouns
Preverbal pronouns can be assimilated to detached "verbal affixes".
They have predetermined positions in the verbal phrase, along with the other preverbal particles, according to their different functions : subject, object, negation, relationship, etc..
Table of Preverbal markers
| Person | Subject Pronoun | Object Pronoun (1st series) | Locative | Negation | Relational | Object Pronoun (2nd series) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st pers. sing. | waan | i | -ku (-gu) | ma | soo | kay |
| 2nd pers. sing. | waad | ku | -ku (-gu) | ma | soo | kaa |
| 3rd pers. sing. masc. | wuu | -ku (-gu) | ma | soo | ||
| 3rd pers. sing. fem. | way | -ku (-gu) | ma | soo | ||
| 1st pers plur. excl. | waannu | na | -ku (-gu) | ma | soo | kayo |
| 1st pers. plur. incl. | waynu | ina | -ku (-gu) | ma | soo | keen |
| 2nd pers. plur. | waydin | idin | -ku (-gu) | ma | soo | kiin |
| 3rd pers. plur. | way | -ku (-gu) | ma | soo |
Examples :
| Waan arkay | I saw | [I saw] |
| Waan ku arkay | I saw you | [I you saw] |
| Waan kugu arkay | I saw you in | [I you+in saw] |
| Maan arag | I didn't see | [Not+I didn't see] |
| Kumaan arag | I didn't see you | [You+not+I didn't see] |
| Kugumaan arag | I didn't see you in | [You+in+not+I didn't see] |
| Wuu i arkay | He saw me | [He me saw] |
| Wuu igu arkay | He saw me in | [He me+in saw] |
| Imuu arag | He didn't see me | [Me+not+he didn't see] |
| Igumuu arag | He didn't see me in | [Me+in+not+he didn't see] |
But it somehow subsists as a subject root, placed at the end of the Object+Locative+Negative+Subject cluster !
Preverbal subject pronouns
The preverbal subject pronoun possesses two forms, that we respectively named "transitive" and "untransitive", depending on whether the verb is followed by a complement or not.
If the verb is not followed by any complement, we use the untransitive form waan, waad, etc.. which is obtained by affixing w- to the preverbal subject root -aan, -aad, etc..
If the verb is followed by a complement, we use the transitive form waxaan, waxaad, etc.. which is obtained by affixing wax- to the preverbal subject root -aan, -aad, etc..
Table of Preverbal Subject Pronouns
| Person | root | Untransitive | Transitive | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st pers. sing. | -aan | waan | waxaan | I |
| 2nd pers. sing. | -aad | waad | waxaad | you |
| 3rd pers. sing. masc. | -uu | wuu | waxuu | he |
| 3rd pers. sing. fem. | -ay | way | waxay | she |
| 1st pers. plur. excl. | -aannu | waannu | waxaannu | we |
| 1st pers. plur. incl. | -aynu | waynu | waxaynu | we |
| 2nd pers. plur. | -aydin | waydin | waxaydin | we |
| 3rd pers. plur. | -ay | way | waxay | they |
Examples :
| Anigu waan cunayaa | I am eating | [Me I eating] |
| Anigu waxaan cunayaa furin | I am eating bread | [Me I eating bread] |
| Isagu wuu cunayaa | He is eating | [Him he eating] |
| Isagu waxuu cunayaa baasto | He is eating pasta | [Him he eating pasta] |
| Iyadu way cunaisaa | she is eating | [Her she eating] |
| Iyadu waxay cunaisaa cambe | she is eating a mango | [Her she eating mango] |
| Anigu waan karinayaa | I am cooking | [Me I cooking] |
| Anigu waxaan karinayaa laxoo | I am cooking a pancake | [Me I cooking pancake] |
| Aabahay wuu karinayaa | My father is cooking | [Father-my he cooking] |
| Aabahay waxuu karinayaa hilib | My father is cooking meat | [Father-my he cooking meat] |
| Hooyoday way karinaisaa | My mother is cooking | [Mother-my she cooking] |
| Hooyoday waxay karinaisaa kaluun | My mother is cooking fish | [Mother-my she cooking fish] |
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Inventory on the possessives :
The possessive suffix is placed after the definite marking :
Detailed review of the possessives :
In cases of inalienable possession, the possessive root is all that is needed : ninkeed (= her husband), abbahaa (= your father), etc..
However, complete possessives agree with the noun and must be followed by a form of the definite articles -ka (masc.) and -ta (fem.).
As you can see from the table, when the possessive ends in a consonant, the consonant at the initial of the article marker is dropped :
-kiis + ka makes -kiisa instead of [-kiiska].
-teed + ta makes -teeda instead of [-teedta].
When the possessive ends in a vowel, the voiced consonant at the initial of the article marker becomes unvoiced :
-kay + ka makes -kayga instead of [-kayka]
-tay + ta makes -kayda instead of [-kayta]
Examples :
Further examples and remarks :
Cases of inalienable possession may sometimes take gender agreement, especially if the person is present when being spoken of : ninkeed or ninkeeda (= her husband), abbeed or abbeeda (= her father), etc..
Another instance of inalienable possession with gender agreement : people say geeleyga (= my herds of camels) instead of #geelehayga.
Possessive Pronouns :
As in English, there are also possessive pronouns in Somali.
The possessive pronouns are stand-alone words.
They are formed on the possessive prefixes and begin with ka- in the masculine, ta- in the feminine and kuw- in the plural (for both masculine and feminine).
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- Unlike in English, the possessive in Somali is not a detached word.
- The somali possessive is always attached as a suffix to the end of a noun.
- When a possessive is used, the noun is necessarily definite.
- The possessive suffix will always be preceeded by a definite marker /-ka-/-ga-/-ha- (masc.) or /-ta-/-sha-/-da- (fem.).
- The possessive suffix must also agree in gender with the noun it is affixed to !
- In the 3rd person singular the possessive suffix agrees in gender with both the possessor and the noun of the possessed.
The possessive suffix is placed after the definite marking :
Noun (+ plural marking) + definite marking + possessive suffix.
| Shandad | suitcase | Shandado | suitcases |
| Shandadda | the suitcase | Shandadaha | the suitcases |
| Shandaddayda | my suitcase | Shandadahayga | my suitcases |
| Shandaddaada | your suitcase | Shandadahaaga | your suitcases |
Detailed review of the possessives :
Table of possessive roots :
| Person | possessive root | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 1st pers. sing. | -ay | my |
| 2nd pers. sing. | -aa | your |
| 3rd pers. sing. masc. | -iis | his |
| 3rd pers. sing. fem. | -eed | her |
| 1st pers. plur. excl. | -aya | our |
| 1st pers. plur. incl. | -een | our |
| 2nd pers. plur. | -iin | your |
| 3rd pers. plur. | -ood | their |
In cases of inalienable possession, the possessive root is all that is needed : ninkeed (= her husband), abbahaa (= your father), etc..
However, complete possessives agree with the noun and must be followed by a form of the definite articles -ka (masc.) and -ta (fem.).
Table of possessive suffixes :
| Person | root | Masculine | Feminine | English equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st pers. sing. | -ay | -k + -ay + /k/a → -kayga -g + -ay + /k/a → -gayga -h + -ay + /k/a → -hayga | -t + -ay + /t/a → -tayda -sh + -ay + /t/a → -shayda -d + -ay + /t/a → -dayda | my |
| 2nd pers. sing. | -aa | -k + -aa + /k/a → -kaaga -g + -aa + /k/a → -gaaga -h + -aa + /k/a → -haaga | -t + -aa + /t/a → -taada -sh + -aa + /t/a → -shaada -h + -aa + /t/a → -daada | your |
| 3rd pers. sing. masc. | -iis | -k + -iis + (k)a → -kiisa -g + -iis + (k)a → -giisa -h + -iis + (k)a → -hiisa | -t + -iis + (t)a → -tiisa -sh + -iis + (t)a → -shiisa -d + -iis + (t)a → -diisa | his |
| 3rd pers. sing. fem. | -eed | -k + -eed + (k)a → -keeda -g + -eed + (k)a → -geeda -h + -eed + (k)a → -heeda | -t + -eed + (t)a → -teeda -sh + -eed + (t)a → -sheeda -d + -eed + (t)a → -deeda | her |
| 1st pers. plur. excl. | -aya | -k + -aya + /k/a → -kayaga -g + -aya + /k/a → -gayaga -h + -aya + /k/a → -hayaga | -t + -aya + /t/a → -tayaga -sh + -aya + /t/a → -shayaga -d + -aya + /t/a → -dayaga | our |
| 1st pers. plur. incl. | -een | -k + -een + (k)a → -keenna -g + -een + (k)a → -geenna -h + -een + (k)a → -heenna | -t + -een + (t)a → -teenna -sh + -een + (t)a → -sheenna -d + -een + (t)a → -deenna | our |
| 2nd pers. plur. | -iin | -k + -iin + (k)a → -kiinna -g + -iin + (k)a → -giinna -h + -iin + (k)a → -hiinna | -t + -iin + (t)a → -tiinna -sh + -iin + (t)a → -shiinna -d + -iin + (t)a → -diinna | your |
| 3rd pers. plur. | -ood | -k + -ood + (k)a → -kooda -g + -ood + (k)a → -gooda -h + -ood + (k)a → -hooda | -t + -ood + (t)a → -tooda -sh + -ood + (t)a → -shooda -d + -ood + (t)a → -dooda | their |
As you can see from the table, when the possessive ends in a consonant, the consonant at the initial of the article marker is dropped :
-kiis + ka makes -kiisa instead of [-kiiska].
-teed + ta makes -teeda instead of [-teedta].
When the possessive ends in a vowel, the voiced consonant at the initial of the article marker becomes unvoiced :
-kay + ka makes -kayga instead of [-kayka]
-tay + ta makes -kayda instead of [-kayta]
Examples :
| Possessor : 1st Person Singular | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite article | Noun sing. | translation | Noun plur. | translation |
| -ka | waddankayga | = my country | dawooyinkayga | = my medicines |
| -ga | gurigayga | = my house | ||
| -ha | furahayga | = my key | guriyahayga | = my houses |
| -ta | kabtayda | = my shoe | ||
| -sha | hashayda | = my she-camel | furayashayda | = my keys |
| -da | dawoodayda | = my medicine | furashyodayda | = my mattresses |
| Possessor : 2nd Person Singular | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite article | Noun sing. | translation | Noun plur. | translation |
| -ka | waddankaaga | = your country | dawooyinkaaga | = your medicines |
| -ga | gurigaaga | = your house | ||
| -ha | furahaaga | = your key | guriyahaaga | = your houses |
| -ta | kabtaada | = your shoe | ||
| -sha | hashaada | = your she-camel | furayashaada | = your keys |
| -da | dawoodaada | = your medicine | furashyodaada | = your mattresses |
| Possessor : 3rd Person Singular Masculine | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite article | Noun sing. | translation | Noun plur. | translation |
| -ka | waddankiisa | = his country | dawooyinkiisa | = his medicines |
| -ga | gurigiisa | = his house | ||
| -ha | furahiisa | = his key | guriyahiisa | = his houses |
| -ta | kabtiisa | = his shoe | ||
| -sha | hashiisa | = his she-camel | furayashiisa | = his keys |
| -da | dawoodiisa | = his medicine | furashyodiisa | = his mattresses |
| Possessor : 3rd Person Singular Feminine | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite article | Noun sing. | translation | Noun plur. | translation |
| -ka | waddankeeda | = her country | dawooyinkeeda | = her medicines |
| -ga | gurigeeda | = her house | ||
| -ha | furaheeda | = her key | guriyaheeda | = her houses |
| -ta | kabteeda | = her shoe | ||
| -sha | hasheeda | = her she-camel | furayasheeda | = her keys |
| -da | dawoodeeda | = her medicine | furashyodeeda | = her mattresses |
| Possessor : 1st Person Plural Exclusive | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite article | Noun sing. | translation | Noun plur. | translation |
| -ka | waddankayaga | = our country | dawooyinkayaga | = our medicines |
| -ga | gurigayaga | = our house | ||
| -ha | furahayaga | = our key | guriyahayaga | = our houses |
| -ta | kabtayaga | = our shoe | ||
| -sha | hashayaga | = our she-camel | furayashayaga | = our keys |
| -da | dawoodayaga | = our medicine | furashyodayaga | = our mattresses |
| Possessor : 1st Person Plural Inclusive | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite article | Noun sing. | translation | Noun plur. | translation |
| -ka | waddankeena | = our country | dawooyinkeena | = our medicines |
| -ga | gurigeena | = our house | ||
| -ha | furaheena | = our key | guriyaheena | = our houses |
| -ta | kabteena | = our shoe | ||
| -sha | hasheena | = our she-camel | furayasheena | = our keys |
| -da | dawoodeena | = our medicine | furashyodeena | = our mattresses |
| Possessor : 2nd Person Plural | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite article | Noun sing. | translation | Noun plur. | translation |
| -ka | waddankiinna | = your country | dawooyinkiinna | = my medicines |
| -ga | gurigiinna | = your house | ||
| -ha | furahiinna | = your key | guriyahiinna | = your houses |
| -ta | kabtiinna | = your shoe | ||
| -sha | hashiinna | = your she-camel | furayashiinna | = my keys |
| -da | dawoodiinna | = your medicine | furashyodiinna | = your mattresses |
| Possessor : 3rd Person Plural | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Definite article | Noun sing. | translation | Noun plur. | translation |
| -ka | waddankooda | = their country | dawooyinkooda | = their medicines |
| -ga | gurigooda | = their house | ||
| -ha | furahooda | = their key | guriyahooda | = their houses |
| -ta | kabtooda | = their shoe | ||
| -sha | hashooda | = their she-camel | furayashooda | = their keys |
| -da | dawoodooda | = their medicine | furashyodooda | = their mattresses |
Further examples and remarks :
| Magacaa ? | [What's] your name ? | Magacaygu waa X. | My name is X. (-u is the subject marker) |
| Magaciis ? | [What's] his name ? | Magaciisu waa X. | His name is X. |
| Magaceed ? | [What's] her name ? | Magaceedu waa X. | Her name is X. |
Another instance of inalienable possession with gender agreement : people say geeleyga (= my herds of camels) instead of #geelehayga.
Possessive Pronouns :
As in English, there are also possessive pronouns in Somali.
The possessive pronouns are stand-alone words.
They are formed on the possessive prefixes and begin with ka- in the masculine, ta- in the feminine and kuw- in the plural (for both masculine and feminine).
Table of possessive pronouns :
| Person | Masculine | Feminine | Plural | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st pers. sing. | kayga | tayda | kuwayga | mine |
| 2nd pers. sing. | kaaga | taada | kuwaaga | yours |
| 3rd pers. sing. masc. | kiisa | tiisa | kuwiisa | his |
| 3rd pers. sing. fem. | keeda | teeda | kuweeda | hers |
| 1st pers. plur. excl. | kayaga | tayaga | kawayaga | ours |
| 1st pers. plur. incl. | keena | teena | kuweena | ours |
| 2nd pers. plur. | kiinna | tiinna | kuwiinna | yours |
| 3rd pers. plur. | kooda | tooda | kuwooda | theirs |
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