Book Unit

Unit 11: Shaggar

Learn about relative sentences, dative, instrumental, and ordinal numbers.

Unit 11: Shaggar

Unit 11 - Shaggar

Waareen Adaamaarr:aa autobusaan sa'aa sadii booda Hirna gaye. Amma Amboorraa miillaan guyyaa afur booda Adaree-biyyoo gaye. Diimaan Jimmarraa makiinaan sa'aa jaha booda Shaggar gaye.

Grammar Focus: Relative Sentences

Relative sentences are built with kan (masc.) and tan (fem.) meaning 'who' or 'which'.

Gurbaan kan ri dubbise deeme. (The boy who spoke to you went away.)

Grammar Focus: Dative

The dative is formed by suffixing -f to nouns (pronouns etc.) and verbs (only third person) and by a concomitant vowel lengthening.

Inni obboleessa-a-f kitaaba bite. (He bought a book for his brother.)

Grammar Focus: Instrumental

The instrumental is constructed by suffixing -n to the final phrase and by lengthening the vowel (if short) just like in the dative.

Isaan ija hamaa-n nu laalani. (They look at us with unsympathetic eyes.)

Grammar Focus: Ordinal Numbers

In Harar Oromo ordinal numbers have -eessoo suffixed to the stem. 'First' is represented by dur(s)aa.