Wa lala po?
Onda sa ondjala!
Owa za peni?
Oshimbombo oshitoye
Aanegumbo yandje
Kondingosho
Owu uka peni?
Uundjolowele
Omasiku nomathimbo
Ohema ombwanawa
mEgumbo
mOshiwambo!
Chapter 2

Onda sa ondjala!

Onda sa ondjala. Ihandi li onyama.
Onda sa enota. Kandi uvite ko...
Onda kuta. Ongame ............... Ongoye lye?
Onda mana. Iikulya iitoye!
Onda vulwa, onda hala okukotha. Tangi unene.
Omeya oge li peni? Okandjugo oke li peni?
   
I’m hungry. Onda sa ondjala.
I’m thirsty. Onda sa enota.
I’m full. Onda kuta.
.I’m finished. Onda mana.
I’m tired, I want to go to sleep. Onda vulwa, onda hala okukotha.
Where is the water? Omeya oge li peni?
I don’t eat meat. Ihandi li onyama.
I don’t understand... Kandi uvite ko...
I’m ............... What’s your name? Ongame ............... Ongoye lye?
The food was very good! Iikulya iitoye!
Thank you very much. Tangi unene.
Where is the latrine? Okandjugo oke li peni?
I need …….. Onda pumbwa……..
I want …….. (polite) Onda hala ……..
May I have .......... (very polite) Kwatha ndje .........
Give me .......... (informal) Pe ndje ..........
Water Omeya
Basin Oshiyaha
To sleep Okukotha
To eat Okulya
To bathe Okwiiyoga
Body soap Othewa (yokwiiyoga)
Candle Okalehita
Cup Okakopi
Beer Ombiila
Help (noun) Ekwatho
Key Oshapi / Oshipatululo
And / With Na
Also / Still / Again Natango

Exercise 1
Translate the following requests into Oshindonga.
Example: I want to eat meat ? Onda hala okulya onyama

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 Oshindonga
There is no literal translation for “please” in Oshindonga. To express politeness, put kwatha ndje (“help me”) before what you want to say.
Alikana, a word commonly translated as “please”, adds a sense of urgency or exasperation to a request.

Aniwa:
~ Kapu na okadhila ihaka tiligana komulungu. ~
There is no bird that never gets ripe fruit on its lips.
(Everyone is served [someday/somehow]. [Where’s mine?])