Learn Oromo

Where it's spoken

Ethiopia and northern Kenya

Speakers

around 37 million

Writing system

Latin alphabet (Qubee)

Oromo is one of Africa's largest languages by speaker count and severely underserved by existing language apps.

What makes Oromo different

• Doubled consonants and doubled vowels both change meaning.
• Word order is typically subject–object–verb.
• Qubee spelling is consistent, so reading comes quickly.

Your first Oromo phrases

Each phrase is written the way it's spelled, then respelled for English speakers with the stressed syllable in capitals.

• AkkamHello/ak-KAM/
• GalatoomiThank you/ga-la-TOO-mee/
• Baga nagaan dhuftanWelcome/BA-ga na-GAAN dhoof-TAN/
• NagaattiGoodbye/na-GAAT-tee/
• EeyyeeYes/EH-yeh/
• LakkiNo/LAK-kee/
• MaalooPlease/MAA-lo/
• DhiifamaSorry/dhee-fa-MA/

Want the full list? Read the free Oromo phrasebook with pronunciation, grab the free printable Oromo starter kit, or compare SemaSoma with other African language apps.