Looking for practical Tamazight (Tifinagh) to Afar phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Tamazight (Tifinagh) 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: when a Afar phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Tamazight (Tifinagh) wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Tamazight (Tifinagh) 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.
ⵣⵓⵍ
Nagaad(nagaad)
ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ
Galatooma(galatooma)
ⵉⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵎⵎⵓⵙ
Bariis(bariis)
ⵉⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵉⵙ
Galab(galab)
ⵉⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵉⵙ
Haal(haal)
ⵉⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵉⵙ
Haalka habeen(haalka habeen)
ⵉⵎⵎⵓⵙ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ
Ilaa mar kale(ilaa mar kale)
ⵙⵉⵏⵉⵏ
Nagaad(nagaad)
ⵉⵙ ⵉⵏⵉⵙ ⵅⵉⵙ?
Maa magacaa?(maa magacaa)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵙ ⵊⵓⵏ
Magacaygu waa John(magacaygu waa John)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ?
Iska waran?(iska waran)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ
Aad baan ku faraxsanahay(aad baan ku faraxsanahay)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍⵉⵏ?
Inni ingiriisi maahaa?(Inni ingiriisi maahaa?)
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵃⵉⵏⴷⵉ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍⵉⵏ
Hindi maahaa hinjiru(Hindi maahaa hinjiru)
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵙⵓⵏⵏ
Ani hinfahmi(Ani hinfahmi)
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ
Fadlan si maahaa siib(Fadlan si maahaa siib)
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍⵉⵏ ⵄⵉⵏ?
Maahaa inna marra?(Maahaa inna marra?)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ?
Maalin baadhu?(Maalin baadhu?)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ ⵏⴰⵙⵉⵏ?
Akkam an magaalatti gahu?(Akkam an magaalatti gahu?)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⴰⵏ
Boodha kaaf(Boodha kaaf)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⵉⵏ
Boodha mirga(Boodha mirga)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⵙⵉⵏ
Si qodhi(Si qodhi)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⵙⵉⵏ?
Maalin abaal?(Maalin abaal?)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ
Tiket tokkon, fadlan(Tiket tokkon, fadlan)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⵙⵉⵏ?
Maalin faga?(Maalin faga?)
ⴰⵎⵓⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵏⵖⵉⵍ
Ani dhumtu(Ani dhumtu)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵏⵙⵉⵏ ⵄⵉⵏ?
Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?(Maalin SIM kaardhii gurgurta?)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
ⴰⵣⵓⵍ
Eeyy(ee-yee)
ⴰⵏⵏ
Maya(mah-yah)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍ
Gara(gah-rah)
ⴰⵣⵉⵏⵉ
Anigu waaq(ah-nee-goo wahk)
ⴰⵏⵉⵏⵉ
Anigu ma waaq(ah-nee-goo mah wahk)
ⴰⵣⵉⵏⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Tani waa'ee(tah-nee wah-ee)
ⴰⵎⵓⵔⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ?
Ilaa ma waaq?(ee-lah mah wahk)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⵍⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ?
Ilaa naxar?(ee-lah nah-khar)
ⴰⵙⵉⵏⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Naxar aniga(nah-khar ah-nee-gah)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Soo'aa(soo-ah)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰ
Waa'ee aniga(wah-ee ah-nee-gah)
ⴰⵏⵏ ⴰⵣⵉⵍ
Maya dhib(mah-yah dheeb)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Hambalyo(ham-bahl-yo)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Bariis gadhay(bah-rees gah-thai)
ⴰⵣⵉⵍⴰ ⴰⵏⵏⴰ
Safar amni(sah-far am-nee)
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
ⵜⵉⵏⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ ⵏⵉⵖⵏⵉⵏ
Eeyyoo taayka daab?(eyyoo taayka daab)
ⵜⵉⵏⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ ⵏⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ
Eeyyoo gaari daab?(eyyoo gaari daab)
ⵜⵉⵏⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ
Keenya kaafaa?(keenya kaafaa)
ⵉⵙ ⵉⵏⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ?
Waqti maayti?(waqti maayti)
ⵜⵉⵏⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵙ?
Maayta kaan?(maayta kaan)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵔ ⵉⵏⵉ
Ittaa hara(ittaa hara)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ
Ittaa faar(ittaa faar)
ⴰⵏⵉⵙⵙ ⵏⵉ ⵉⵙⵙⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ ⵉⵏⵏⵉⵏ?
Maafaa naafaa?(maafaa naafaa)
ⴰⵏⵉⵙⵙ ⵏⵉ ⵉⵏⵉ, ⵉⵎⵉⵙ
Hara dhaaf, fadlan(hara dhaaf, fadlan)
ⵉⵙ ⵏⵉⵖⵉⵏ ⵏⵉ?
Waqti mee?(waqti mee)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.