Zarma — top 341 words
High-frequency vocabulary for English speakers. Reveal each card, then rate your recall — the schedule adapts (SM-2) and is stored on your device.
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Full word list
| # | Zarma | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | fofo | hello — the all-purpose Zarma greeting (also used for thanks) |
| 2 | mate ni go? | how are you? (lit. how you are-located?) |
| 3 | ay go baani | I am fine / in good health |
| 4 | baani samay | in good health — standard reply to greetings |
| 5 | mate kwaara? | how is the village / how is home? (greeting) |
| 6 | mate goy? | how is the work? (greeting) |
| 7 | mate ni kani? | how did you sleep? (morning greeting) |
| 8 | kala tonton | see you later (lit. until addition) |
| 9 | kala suba | see you tomorrow / until tomorrow |
| 10 | ay ma ka ti Yakuba | my name is Yakuba (pattern: ay ma ka ti …) |
| 11 | ohõ | yes |
| 12 | hã'ã | no |
| 13 | saabu | to thank; thanks |
| 14 | ay ga ni ŋwaaray | please (lit. I beg you) |
| 15 | yaafa ay se | forgive me / excuse me |
| 16 | a to | that's enough / OK |
| 17 | kaa ne | come here |
| 18 | ay si bay | I don't know |
| 19 | ay ga ba | I want / I like (it) |
| 20 | ay si ba | I don't want (it) |
| 21 | ifo no woone? | what is this? |
| 22 | marge no? | how much is it? (price) |
| 23 | kani baani | sleep well (night farewell) |
| 24 | to, madalla | fine, wonderful (approving reply) |
| 25 | fo | one; a certain (indefinite marker after noun) |
| 26 | hinka | two |
| 27 | hinza | three |
| 28 | taci | four |
| 29 | gu | five |
| 30 | iddu | six |
| 31 | iyye | seven |
| 32 | ahakku | eight |
| 33 | yagga | nine |
| 34 | iway | ten |
| 35 | iway cindi fo | eleven (ten remainder one) |
| 36 | iway cindi gu | fifteen (ten remainder five) |
| 37 | waranka | twenty |
| 38 | waranza | thirty |
| 39 | waytaci | forty |
| 40 | waygu | fifty |
| 41 | wayddu | sixty |
| 42 | wayye | seventy |
| 43 | wahakku | eighty |
| 44 | wayga | ninety |
| 45 | zangu | one hundred |
| 46 | zangu hinka | two hundred |
| 47 | zambar | one thousand |
| 48 | boro | person, human being |
| 49 | borey | people (definite plural of boro) |
| 50 | adamayze | human being, child of Adam |
| 51 | alboro | man, male |
| 52 | wayboro | woman, female |
| 53 | zanka | child |
| 54 | ize | child, offspring; diminutive suffix |
| 55 | ize aru | son (male child) |
| 56 | ize way | daughter (female child) |
| 57 | baaba | father |
| 58 | nya | mother |
| 59 | kayne | younger sibling |
| 60 | beere | elder sibling |
| 61 | kurnye | husband |
| 62 | wande | wife |
| 63 | coro | friend |
| 64 | alfa | Islamic teacher, marabout; learned person |
| 65 | jasare | griot, praise-singer and oral historian |
| 66 | windi | compound, household; family enclosure |
| 67 | boŋ | head; also the postposition 'on' |
| 68 | mo | eye; face |
| 69 | hanga | ear |
| 70 | niine | nose |
| 71 | me | mouth; opening, doorway |
| 72 | deene | tongue |
| 73 | hinje | tooth |
| 74 | jinde | neck; voice |
| 75 | kambe | hand, arm |
| 76 | ce | foot, leg |
| 77 | gunde | belly, stomach |
| 78 | bine | heart; seat of emotion |
| 79 | kuuru | skin, hide |
| 80 | biri | bone |
| 81 | kuri | blood |
| 82 | hamni | body hair, fur |
| 83 | curo | bird |
| 84 | hansi | dog |
| 85 | muusu | cat |
| 86 | muusu beeri | lion (lit. big cat) |
| 87 | haw | cow, ox; cattle |
| 88 | feeji | sheep |
| 89 | hincin | goat |
| 90 | bari | horse |
| 91 | farka | donkey |
| 92 | yo | camel |
| 93 | gorŋo | chicken, hen |
| 94 | gondi | snake |
| 95 | soboro | mosquito |
| 96 | hamisa | fish |
| 97 | hari | water |
| 98 | isa | river; the Niger River |
| 99 | laabu | earth, soil; land, country |
| 100 | tondi | stone, rock |
| 101 | tuuri | tree |
| 102 | tuuri-nya | tree (lit. tree-mother) |
| 103 | subu | grass |
| 104 | saaji | bush, countryside, wilderness |
| 105 | fari | field, farm plot |
| 106 | wayno | sun |
| 107 | handu | moon; month |
| 108 | handariya | star |
| 109 | beene | sky; up, above |
| 110 | ganda | ground; down, below |
| 111 | hew | wind, air |
| 112 | danji | fire |
| 113 | taasi | sand |
| 114 | beene hari | rain (lit. sky water) |
| 115 | ŋwaari | food |
| 116 | hawru | evening meal; millet paste, the staple dish |
| 117 | hayni | millet, the staple grain |
| 118 | dunguri | beans, cowpeas |
| 119 | ham | meat |
| 120 | buuru | bread |
| 121 | wa | milk |
| 122 | ji | oil, fat |
| 123 | leemu | orange, citrus fruit |
| 124 | albasan | onion |
| 125 | tamaatu | tomato |
| 126 | ciiri | salt |
| 127 | tonko | hot pepper, chili |
| 128 | sukkar | sugar |
| 129 | haray | hunger |
| 130 | jaw | thirst |
| 131 | fu | house, hut, home |
| 132 | fu me | doorway, entrance of a house |
| 133 | tira | book; paper, letter |
| 134 | kalam | pen, writing instrument |
| 135 | taabal | table |
| 136 | guuru | iron, metal |
| 137 | wura | gold |
| 138 | nzarfu | silver |
| 139 | nooru | money |
| 140 | jinay | things, goods, belongings |
| 141 | taafe | wrapper, cloth (women's garment) |
| 142 | bankaaray | clothes, clothing |
| 143 | zaama | knife |
| 144 | gaasu | calabash, gourd bowl |
| 145 | kusu | cooking pot |
| 146 | haabu | cotton |
| 147 | kwaara | village, town, home settlement |
| 148 | habu | market |
| 149 | fondo | road, path, way |
| 150 | lokkol | school (from French l'école) |
| 151 | lokotoro | doctor (from French le docteur) |
| 152 | safari | medicine, remedy, treatment |
| 153 | doori | pain, illness |
| 154 | moota | car, motor vehicle |
| 155 | hi | boat, pirogue |
| 156 | jine | front; in front of (postposition) |
| 157 | banda | back, behind (postposition) |
| 158 | ra | in, inside (postposition) |
| 159 | cire | under, beneath (postposition) |
| 160 | game | middle; between (postposition, as in game ra) |
| 161 | do | at (someone's) place, chez (postposition) |
| 162 | se | to, for (dative postposition) |
| 163 | sõhõ | now |
| 164 | hunkuna | today |
| 165 | suba | tomorrow |
| 166 | bi | yesterday; also: black |
| 167 | susubay | morning |
| 168 | almaari | evening |
| 169 | cin | night |
| 170 | zaari | day, daytime |
| 171 | jirbi | night spent; to pass the night |
| 172 | alwaati | time, moment |
| 173 | waati kaŋ | when, at the time that |
| 174 | za | since, from (a time) |
| 175 | hala | until; up to |
| 176 | jiiri | year |
| 177 | alhadi | Sunday |
| 178 | atinni | Monday |
| 179 | atalaata | Tuesday |
| 180 | alarba | Wednesday |
| 181 | alhamiisi | Thursday |
| 182 | aljuma | Friday; the Muslim day of prayer |
| 183 | asibti | Saturday |
| 184 | koy | to go; also: owner, master (suffix) |
| 185 | kaa | to come |
| 186 | ŋwa | to eat |
| 187 | haŋ | to drink |
| 188 | kani | to sleep, to lie down |
| 189 | tun | to get up, to rise |
| 190 | goro | to sit, to stay, to dwell |
| 191 | te | to do, to make |
| 192 | ne | to say |
| 193 | ci | to say, to tell |
| 194 | ba | to want, to love; to be numerous |
| 195 | bay | to know |
| 196 | di | to see |
| 197 | maa | to hear; to feel; to understand (a language) |
| 198 | hẽ | to cry, to weep; (of a bird) to sing |
| 199 | haaru | to laugh |
| 200 | dira | to walk, to travel |
| 201 | zuru | to run |
| 202 | day | to buy |
| 203 | neera | to sell |
| 204 | no | to give; also: predicative 'it is' |
| 205 | ta | to receive, to accept |
| 206 | sambu | to pick up, to take |
| 207 | kate | to bring |
| 208 | konda | to take along, to lead away |
| 209 | daŋ | to put, to put into |
| 210 | fatta | to go out, to exit |
| 211 | furo | to enter |
| 212 | ye | to return, to go back |
| 213 | zumbu | to descend, to dismount, to lodge |
| 214 | kaaru | to climb, to mount |
| 215 | gana | to follow; to obey |
| 216 | hin | to be able, can; to overcome |
| 217 | du | to get, to obtain |
| 218 | wi | to kill |
| 219 | kar | to hit, to strike |
| 220 | dumbu | to cut |
| 221 | catu | to throw |
| 222 | candi | to pull |
| 223 | farga | to be tired |
| 224 | goy | to work; work, job |
| 225 | hantum | to write |
| 226 | caw | to read; to study |
| 227 | dondon | to learn |
| 228 | dondonandi | to teach (causative of learn) |
| 229 | cabe | to show |
| 230 | salaŋ | to speak, to talk |
| 231 | faham | to understand |
| 232 | hã | to ask |
| 233 | hangan | to listen |
| 234 | yaafa | to forgive, to pardon |
| 235 | hanse | to fix, to repair, to arrange |
| 236 | nyumay | to wash, to bathe |
| 237 | tonton | to add, to increase |
| 238 | ban | to finish, to be finished |
| 239 | sintin | to begin |
| 240 | gay | to last a long time, to delay |
| 241 | naŋ | to leave, to let, to allow |
| 242 | bu | to die |
| 243 | funa | to be alive, to live |
| 244 | hay | to give birth to, to beget |
| 245 | zay | to steal |
| 246 | hasara | to spoil, to ruin |
| 247 | beeri | big, large; great |
| 248 | kayna | small, little; younger |
| 249 | boobo | many, much, a lot |
| 250 | hanno | good, beautiful |
| 251 | laalo | bad, evil |
| 252 | futu | bad, mean, ill-tempered |
| 253 | kaano | sweet, pleasant, agreeable |
| 254 | kuuku | long, tall |
| 255 | dunguriya | short |
| 256 | tiŋ | heavy |
| 257 | kwaaray | white |
| 258 | ciray | red |
| 259 | zeeno | old, worn (of things) |
| 260 | taji | new |
| 261 | dungo | hot, warm |
| 262 | yeeni | cold; coldness, cold season |
| 263 | cimi | truth; true |
| 264 | tangari | lie, falsehood |
| 265 | arzaka | wealth, riches |
| 266 | laakal | mind, intelligence, care |
| 267 | alhakku | right, due (plural: alhakey) |
| 268 | burcin | free person, noble |
| 269 | burcintara | freedom, liberty |
| 270 | sanni | speech, language, word, matter |
| 271 | ciine | language, speech (as in Zarma Ciine) |
| 272 | Zarma ciine | the Zarma language |
| 273 | annasaara | European, Westerner, white foreigner |
| 274 | ay | I, me |
| 275 | ni | you (singular) |
| 276 | a | he, she, it; him, her |
| 277 | iri | we, us |
| 278 | araŋ | you (plural) |
| 279 | i | they, them |
| 280 | wo | this, that (demonstrative) |
| 281 | woone | this one |
| 282 | yaadin | thus, like that, so |
| 283 | da | if; when; and (joining nouns) |
| 284 | nda | with; and |
| 285 | wala | or |
| 286 | amma | but |
| 287 | zama | because, for |
| 288 | kaŋ | who, which, that (relative marker) |
| 289 | kulu | all, every, each |
| 290 | care | each other, one another |
| 291 | -yaŋ | indefinite plural enclitic ('some …') |
| 292 | go | to be (located), to exist (locative 'be') |
| 293 | si | not to be; negative incompletive marker |
| 294 | ti | to be (equative, linking two nouns) |
| 295 | ma | subjunctive marker; name |
| 296 | ga | incompletive (habitual/future) marker |
| 297 | mana | negative completive marker (did not) |
| 298 | may | who? |
| 299 | ifo | what? |
| 300 | man | where? |
| 301 | marge | how many? how much? |
| 302 | mate | how? |
| 303 | waatifo | when? |
| 304 | ifo se | why? (lit. for what?) |
| 305 | Irikoy | God (lit. Our-Master) |
| 306 | jingar | to pray; prayer, religious festival |
| 307 | albarka | blessing, abundance (also: no thanks, at market) |
| 308 | alhamdu lilaahi | praise God — common reply meaning all is well |
| 309 | baani | health, well-being; peace |
| 310 | gaakasinay | help, mutual aid |
| 311 | gaa | to help; body, side |
| 312 | batu | to wait; to watch over |
| 313 | fahamay | understanding, comprehension |
| 314 | dondonandiko | teacher, instructor |
| 315 | cawandiko | teacher, one who makes others read |
| 316 | cawko | student, reader |
| 317 | zarmatarey | Zarma identity, Zarma way of life |
| 318 | hansi ize | puppy (lit. dog child) |
| 319 | haw ize | calf (lit. cow child) |
| 320 | hari-mi | well, water source (lit. water mouth) |
| 321 | guusu | hole; well |
| 322 | birni | walled town, city |
| 323 | Nyamey | Niamey, capital of Niger |
| 324 | Nizer | Niger (the country) |
| 325 | zaari bindi | midday, noon (lit. day middle) |
| 326 | mo boŋ | face (lit. eye top) |
| 327 | ce daaru | journey on foot, walking trip |
| 328 | fondo beeri | main road, highway (lit. big road) |
| 329 | hari dungo | hot water |
| 330 | hari yeeno | cold water |
| 331 | ham hina | cooked meat (hina = to cook) |
| 332 | hina | to cook; to be cooked |
| 333 | nyum | to wash (something) |
| 334 | fisi | to dig |
| 335 | duma | to sow, to plant |
| 336 | wi ka ban | to finish off completely (serial verbs) |
| 337 | margu | to gather, to assemble |
| 338 | fay | to separate, to divide; to leave |
| 339 | waani | different, other; to be different |
| 340 | afo | one (counting form); another one |
| 341 | ihinka | two (counting form) |