Looking for practical NKo to Afar phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the NKo phrase first, then the Afar translation (Afar) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Afar.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Afar-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the NKo to Afar translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
ᎣᏍᏆ
Nagaad(nagaad)
ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ
Galatooma(galatooma)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᎡᏚᏙᏗ
Bariis(bariis)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᎠᏧᏍᏆᏗ
Galab(galab)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᎦᏚᏗ
Haal(haal)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᏥᏍᏆ
Haalka habeen(haalka habeen)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᎦᏙᏗ
Ilaa mar kale(ilaa mar kale)
ᎣᏍᏆ ᏓᏁᏙᏗ
Nagaad(nagaad)
ᎯᏍᏆ ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᎢᏳᏍᏆ?
Maa magacaa?(maa magacaa)
ᎠᏓ ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᎠᏍᏆ ᏥᏍᏆ
Magacaygu waa John(magacaygu waa John)
ᎯᏍᏆ ᎯᏍᏆ?
Iska waran?(iska waran)
ᎠᏍᏆᏙᏗ ᏓᏥᏍᏆ
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay(aad baan ku faraxsanahay)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Inni ingiriisi maahaa?(Inni ingiriisi maahaa?)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߗߊ߬ߓߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Hindi maahaa hinjiru(Hindi maahaa hinjiru)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߡߊ߬ߟߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߓߊ߬
Ani hinfahmi(Ani hinfahmi)
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߗߊ߬ߓߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Fadlan si maahaa siib(Fadlan si maahaa siib)
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Maahaa inna marra?(Maahaa inna marra?)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Maalin baadhu?(Maalin baadhu?)
ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?(Akkam an magaalatti gahu?)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Boodha kaaf(Boodha kaaf)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Boodha mirga(Boodha mirga)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Si qodhi(Si qodhi)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Maalin abaal?(Maalin abaal?)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Tiket tokkon, fadlan(Tiket tokkon, fadlan)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Maalin faga?(Maalin faga?)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬
Ani dhumtu(Ani dhumtu)
ߊ߲߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ ߞߊ߬ߕߊ߬?
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?(Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢
Eeyy(ee-yee)
𞤈𞤢𞤣
Maya(mah-yah)
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢
Gara(gah-rah)
𞤉𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢𞤲𞤢
Anigu waaq(ah-nee-goo wahk)
𞤉𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢𞤲𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Anigu ma waaq(ah-nee-goo mah wahk)
𞤈𞤢𞤣 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Tani waa'ee(tah-nee wah-ee)
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Ilaa ma waaq?(ee-lah mah wahk)
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢
Ilaa naxar?(ee-lah nah-khar)
𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Naxar aniga(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤈𞤢𞤣
Soo'aa(soo-ah)
𞤉𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Waa'ee aniga(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
𞤈𞤢𞤣 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Maya dhib(mah-yah dheeb)
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Hambalyo(ham-bahl-yo)
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Bariis gadhay(bah-rees gah-thai)
𞤈𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢 𞤕𞤢𞤣𞤢
Safar amni(sah-far am-nee)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬
Eeyyoo taayka daab?(eyyoo taayka daab)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬
Eeyyoo gaari daab?(eyyoo gaari daab)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬
Keenya kaafaa?(keenya kaafaa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߛߌ߬ߟߊ߬ߙߌ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬
Waqti maayti?(waqti maayti)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Maayta kaan?(maayta kaan)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Ittaa hara(ittaa hara)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Ittaa faar(ittaa faar)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Maafaa naafaa?(maafaa naafaa)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Hara dhaaf, fadlan(hara dhaaf, fadlan)
ߓߍ߬ߓߊ߬ ߓߌ߬ߜߌ߬ ߓߍ߬ ߞߌ߬ߟߌ߬
Waqti mee?(waqti mee)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.