Chapter 16: Rural Life (Part 1)

Jiruu Baadiyaa (Kutaa 1)

Conversation Practice

Afaan Oromo	English
Roobaan torbaan dhufu fuudha.	Roobaa will marry next week.
Ani torbaan dabre fuudhe.	I married last week.
Shaggituun torbaan dhufu heerumu.	Shaggituu will get married next week.
Hawwiituun torbaan dabre heerumte.	Hawwiituu got married last week.
Isaan sangoota lama kan qotinsaa kennaa aragatani.	They received two plow oxen as a gift.
Isaan meeshaa ala waadaa kennaa argatan.	They received kitchen utensils as a gift.
Inni shamiza gaarii kennaa argate.	He received a nice shirt as a gift.
Isiin fothaa jaha kennaa argatte.	She received six fothaa as a gift.
Inni mana kan barana jaarame bite.	He bought a house that was built this year.
Isiin shuraaba kan harghan hoddhame bitte.	She bought a sweater that was woven by hand.
Bishingaan kan barana faca’aafame hedduu bareede.	The wheat that was sown this year grew very beautifully.
Ani hucchuu kan liqiin bitame hinfedhu.	I don't want clothes bought on credit.
Boru Ibsaan hojii haaraya Haramaayootti jalqaba.	Tomorrow Ibsaa will start a new job in Haramaayaa.
Boru Ibsaan hojii haaraya Kombolchatti eegala.	Tomorrow Ibsaa will start a new job in Kombolcha.
Saaboo fi Halloon seenaa Oromoo Qarsaatti baratan.	Saaboo and Halloo learned Oromo history in Qarsaa.
Isaan sadeenu seenaa Oromoo Adaamaatti baratan.	The three of them learned Oromo history in Adaamaa.
Baatii dabarte Rooboo fi Shaggituun Dhangaggootti wal fuudhan.	Last month Roobaa and Shaggituu got married in Dhangaggoo.
Manguddoon ganda Rooboo muka odaa san jalatti wal gayan.	The elders of Roobaa's village met under that sycamore tree.
Saaboo fi Halloon haraatti wal arkani.	Saaboo and Halloo saw each other at the lake.
Raazoo fi Makkoon baatii afur booda wal dubbisan.	Raazoo and Makkoo will talk to each other after four months.
Warri ganda Elemoo, saaqaa walitti babbaasani haraa jaarani.	The people of Elemoo village collected money together and built a lake.
Warri gandi Bikkoo, saaqaa walitti babbaasani mana barnootaa jaarani.	The people of Bikkoo village collected money together and built a school.
Inni meeshaa facaate walitti guuree as kaaye.	He gathered the scattered things and put them here.
Mukkeen sun walitti hidhi.	Tie those logs together.
Obboleessaa fi obboleettiin waliif naahani.	The brother and sister care for each other.
Warri ganda tokko galani, midhaani fi sooqa waltif liqeesan.	The people of one village who live together lend grain and salt to each other.
Bikkoo fi Saaboon hedduu walirroo baratan.	Bikkoo and Saaboo learned a lot from each other.
Mana barnootootti, Damee fi Hawwiituun guyyuu wal bira taa'ani.	At school, Damee and Hawwiituu sit next to each other every day.
Kitaaba afaan Oromoo wal gubbaa kaayaa.	Stack the Oromo language books on top of each other.
Joollee! Karaan Adaree-biyyoo nama wal dhabsiisa, kanaaf wal faana haa deemnu.	Children! The road to Adaree-biyyoo can make you lose each other, so let's walk together.
Makkoon kennaa hamartii dahabaa haadharraa argatte.	Makkoo received a gift of a gold ring from her mother.
Hawwiituun kennaa shamiza hariiraa habboorraa argatte.	Hawwiituu received a gift of a silk shirt from her aunt.
Chaaltuun kennaa meeshaa ala waadaa adaadaarraa argatte.	Chaaltuun received a gift of kitchen utensils from her aunt.

Grammar Focus

Passive Verbs

Passive forms of verbs are formed by suffixing -am to the verb root or stem. This shows that the action is being done to the subject.

beekuu (to know) → beekamuu (to be known)
jaaruu (to build) → jaaramuu (to be built)
barachuu (to learn) → baramuu (to be learnt)
darbuu (to throw) → darbamuu (to be thrown)

Example: Manni postaa bara dhufu ni jaarama. (The post office will be built next year.)

Reciprocal Pronoun: "wal"

The reciprocal pronoun wal indicates that an action is mutual ("each other" or "one another").

Example: Isaan wal beeku. (They know each other.)

Example: Nuti wal gargaarra. (We help each other.)