Dagbani phrasebook
旅遊會話手冊
Dagbani is the main language of the people of the Dagbon kingdom called Dagombas or Dagbamba in Ghana. The language is usually called Dagbanli by the indigenous people and it is part of the 16 Mabia or Gur languages that is spoken in Northern Ghana, Togo and Burkina Faso. It is mutually intelligible with Mamprusi, and Nanunli in Ghana. The speakers of the language are more than 3.5 million of the Ghanaian population. There are four variations of some words depending upon the speakers origin: Eastern, Northern, Western and Southern Dagbon but they do not serve as barriers to communication.
Pronunciation guide
Vowels a, e, i, o, u, ɔ, ɛ
Consonants b, h, t, n, ch, d, f, g, ny, gb, ŋm, ŋ, h, ɣ, ʒ, j, k, l, m, s, r, sh, v, y, z, p, kp.
Common diphthongs
Phrase list
Basics
Hello. N doo. (): N kpɛma. () Hello. (informal) N doo. ( ) How are you? Ka di be wula? ( ka wula) Fine, thank you. M mali alaafei, m paɣiya. ( alaafei, m paɣiya) What is your name? A yuli? (?) My name is ______ . N yuli booni _____ . ( N yuli _____ .) Nice to meet you. Di niŋ ma suhupiɛli pam ni n ni nyaa ŋɔ. (Di niŋ ma suhupiɛli pam ni n ni nyaa maa ) Please. Dimi suɣulo. ( ) Thank you. M puhiya ka paɣi. ( N paɣiya) You're welcome. Naawuni deemi suhugu. (Abaa ) Yes. iin. (mm ) No. aayi. ( ai) Excuse me. (getting attention) Gaafara. ( ) Excuse me. (begging pardon) Gaafara, n tum taali. ( ) I'm sorry. N tumi taali. (Gaafara) Goodbye Naawuni ni sɔŋ. (bai bai ) Goodbye (informal) Bai bai. ( ) I can't speak name of language [well]. N ku tooi yɛli Dagbanli [viɛnyɛla]. ( [ ]) Do you speak English? N ni tooi yɛli silimiinsilii? ( A toɣasiri silimiinsilii?) Is there someone here who speaks English? So be kpe ka yari silimiinsilii? ( ?) Help! Sɔŋmi ya ma ! ( !) Look out! Lihi ma! ( !) Good morning. Dasiba. ( ) Good evening. Antire. ( ) Good night. Aninwula. ( ) Good night (to sleep) Naawuni ni ti biɛɣu . ( ) I don't understand. N bi gbaai. ( ) Where is the toilet? Ya polo ka baanjira be? ( ?)
Problems Leave me alone. Zaŋ ma bahi. ( Zɔm ka chama.) Don't touch me! Di shihi ma! ( !) I'll call the police. N yɛn bol'la prinsi. ( .) Police! Polinga! ( !) Stop! Thief! Zani ma! Tayiɣa! ( ! !) I need your help. M bori la a sɔŋsim. ( .) It's an emergency. Nimmohi m bala. ( .) I'm lost. N tumla n soli. ( M barigi mi.) I lost my bag. N labi la m baagi. ( .) I lost my wallet. N labi la m poochibila. ( .) I'm sick. M bɛri mi. ( .) I've been injured. N nyɛla daŋa. ( .) I need a doctor. N bori la dɔɣite. ( .) Can I use your phone? n ni tooi zaŋ a phone ŋɔ n niŋ m bini ŋɔ? ( ?)
Numbers 1 Ndam ( ) 2 Ayi ( ) 3 Ata ( ) 4 Anahi ( ) 5 Anu ( ) 6 Ayobu ( ) 7 Apɔin ( ) 8 Anii ( ) 9 Awɔi ( ) 10 Pia ( ) 11 piniyini ( ) 12 pinaayi ( ) 13 pinaata ( ) 14 pinaanahi ( ) 15 pinaanu ( ) 16 pinaayobu ( ) 17 pinaapɔin ( ) 18 pishiayika ( ) 19 pisiyinika ( ) 20 pishi ( ) 21 pishi ni yini ( ) 22 pishi ni ayi ( ) 23 pishi ni ata ( ) 24 Pishi ni anahi ( ) 25 Pishi ni anu ( ) 26 Pishi ni ayob
本指南改寫自 Wikivoyage （CC BY-SA）