Word Order Ajaja Jecha Greeting Conversation: Play All Girma: Tariku, akkam bulte? Tariku: Akkam bulte?

e? Fayyaa dha? Girma: Fayyaa, galata Waaqa. Akkam jirta? Tariku: Nagaa, galata Waaqa. Eessa deemta? Girma: Amma gara mana barumsa deema. Tariku: Har'a galgala maal gotta? Girma: Edana qu'achuun qaba. Tariku: Tole. Wal agarra. Basic Sentence Structure Afaan Oromo follows Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) format. But because it is a highly inflected language (nouns change depending on their role in the sentence), word order can be flexible, though verbs always come after their subjects and objects. Typically, indirect objects follow direct objects. Oromo has both prepositions and postpositions, though postpositions are more common. Examples: I threw the ball to you I ball to you threw Ani kubbaa siif nan ha'e She came from America She America from came Isheen Ameerikaa irraa dhufte Modifiers Adjectives come after the nouns they modify. Adverbs go at the beginning of the adverbal clause. Adverbal and relative clauses tend to go at the begging of the sentence before the subject. Examples: your blue pen is in my room pen blue your room my in is biirii dooqee kee kutaa koo keessa jira I don't know where it is Where that it is I don't know Eessa akka ta'e ani hin beeku How far is the post office How post office is far? Hagam manni postaa fagaata? What are you doing tonight? Tonight what will you do? Edana maal gotta? Vocabulary Good morning [lit. How did you spend the night?] Akkam bulte? / Akkam bultani? Are you well? Thank God fine How are you? Where are you going? now Fayyaa dha? Galata Waaqa nagaa Akkam jirta? / Akkam jirtu? Eessa deemta? amma

to do, make What are you doing? work to work What are you working on? to, toward school today tonight to study I have to study homework See you

godhuu Maal gotta? hojii hojjachuu Maal hojjatta? gara mana barumsa har'a har'a galgala, edana qu'achuu Qu'achuun qaba hojii manaa Wal agarra