Wa lele po?
Onda fya ondjala!
Owa dja peni?
Oshifima oshinyenye
Ovaneumbo vange
Kokamba
Owa uka peni?
Oundjolowele
Omafiku nomafimbo
Ohema iwa
mEumbo
mOshiwambo!
Appendix

Chapter 2

Onda fya ondjala!

Onda fya ondjala. Ihandi li ombelela.
Onda fya enota. Kandi udite ko...
Onda kuta. Aame ............... Oove lye?
Onda mana. Oikulya inyenye!
Onda loloka, onda hala okukofa. Tangi unene.
Omeva oku li peni? Okandjuwo oke li peni?
   
English Oshikwanyama
I’m hungry. Onda fya ondjala.
I’m thirsty. Onda fya enota.
I’m full. Onda kuta
I’m finished. Onda mana
I’m tired, Onda loloka,
I want to go to sleep. Onda hala okukofa.
Where is the water? Omeva oku li peni?
I don’t eat meat. Ihandi li ombelela.
I don’t understand... Kandi udite ko...
I’m ............... What’s your name? Aame ............... Oove lye?
The food is very good! Oikulya inyenye! / Oikulya iwa
Thank you very much. Tangi unene.
Where is the latrine? Okandjuwo oke li peni?
I need …….. Onda pumbwa ……..
I want …….. (polite) Onda hala ……..
May I have .......... (very polite) Kwafe nge / Kwafele nge .........
Give me .......... (informal) Pe nge ..........
Water Omeva (often "omeya")
Basin Oshiyaxa
To sleep Okukofa
To eat Okulya
To bathe Okulikosha
Body soap Ofewa (yokulikosha)
Candle Okalexita
Cup Okakopi
Beer Obiila
Help (noun) Ekwafo
Key Oshapi / Oshipatululo
And / With Na
Also / Still / Again Natango
Or Ile
I don't know Kandi shi shii

Exercise 1
Translate the following requests into Oshikwanyama.
Example: I want to eat meat ? Onda hala okulya ombelela
1. I need a candle.
2. I want to sleep.
3. May I have a cup?
4. I want to bathe. I need water, a basin, and body soap.
5. I am hungry, I want to eat.
6. I need a beer.

Quick Tips
• There are no articles (a, an, the) in Oshikwanyama
• There is no literal translation for “please” in Oshikwanyama. To express politeness, put kwafe nge or kwafelenge (“help me / help for me”) before what you want to say.
• Alikana, a word commonly translated as “please”, adds a sense of urgency or exasperation to a request.

OMUKWANYAMA TA TI
: ~ Kape na okadila ihaka tilyana komulungu. ~
There is no bird that never gets ripe fruit on its lips.
(Everyone is served [someday/somehow]. [Where’s mine?])