Oromo (Ethiopia)→English

Translate Oromo (Ethiopia) to English the way locals mean it.

Oromo speakers often use words for strength, peace, and rejoicing as everyday encouragements, farewells, and congratulations, so a textbook reader can mistake them for literal instructions.

Going the other way? English to Oromo (Ethiopia)

474 local dialects

AIRTranslate on iPhone choosing between Oromo varieties

What locals actually say

Jabaadhu, ni milkoofta!

Hang in there, you’ll make it!

Jabaadhu is the singular imperative of jabaachuu, meaning be strong; in messages it is encouragement, not a comment on physical strength.

Baga gammaddan!

Congratulations!

Baga plus a verb is a congratulatory or well-wishing formula; gammaddan refers literally to rejoicing, but the whole phrase is what people say for good news.

Of eeggadhu!

Take care!

Of means yourself and eeggadhu means guard or look after, but the reflexive imperative is a routine caring farewell, not a warning that danger is present.

Qarshii meeqa qabda?

How much money do you have?

Qarshii is the everyday Oromo word for money, especially familiar in Ethiopia, while qabda marks the second-person singular form of have.

Gara Finfinnee karaa kamiin deemna?

Which way do we go to Addis Ababa?

Gara introduces movement toward a place, and karaa kamiin asks which route or way. Finfinnee is the Oromo name for Addis Ababa.

Buna naaf danfisi.

Brew some coffee for me.

Naaf is the Oromo benefactive construction meaning for me, and danfisi is the informal singular imperative of brew or boil.

Haati manaa kee eessa jirti?

Where is your wife?

Haati manaa is a familiar Oromo expression meaning wife, literally woman of the house, and jirti is the feminine singular form of be or stay.

Har'a hojii irra jirtaa?

Are you at work today?

Hojii irra is an Oromo locative expression meaning at work, while jirtaa makes the question address one person informally.

Notes like these come with every AIRTranslate translation, so you learn why locals phrase it that way as you go.

How Oromo (Ethiopia) differs

Oromo in Qubee (Latin) script.

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