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Nobiin overview

How to say hello, thank you and more in Nobiin

25 essential Nobiin phrases with pronunciation written out for English speakers. Everything below is what a beginner actually needs first: greetings, polite words, numbers, family, food, time and getting around. The stressed syllable is in capitals so you can say it out loud without guessing.

Quick answers

Hello

Sallam

/sah-LAHM/

Thank you

Shukran

/shook-RAHN/

Yes

Awa

/AH-wah/

No

Immen

/EEM-men/

How are you?

Nog tirikon?

/nohg tee-ree-KON/

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First words

Greet someone and be polite

  • SallamHello/sah-LAHM/
  • ShukranThank you/shook-RAHN/
  • AwaYes/AH-wah/
  • ImmenNo/EEM-men/
  • MiskinGood/MEES-keen/
  • EssiWater/ES-see/
  • EiHouse/EY-ee/
  • KhalilFriend/kha-LEEL/

Meeting people

Introduce yourself and ask how someone is

  • Iren min?What is your name?/EE-ren MEEN/
  • Ai iren AmaraMy name is Amara/eye EE-ren a-MA-ra/
  • Nog tirikon?How are you?/nohg tee-ree-KON/
  • Ai miskinI am fine/eye MEES-keen/
  • EshBread/ESH/
  • AmanFish/AH-mahn/
  • DodChild/DOHD/
  • IdMan/EED/

Counting

Numbers and market basics

  • WerOne/WEHR/
  • UwoTwo/OO-woh/
  • ToskoThree/TOS-koh/
  • KemsiFour/KEM-see/
  • DijjiFive/DEE-jee/
  • Min tir?How much is it?/meen TEER/
  • SuqMarket/SOOK/
  • EssiWater/ES-see/
  • FuddaMoney/FOOD-dah/

Questions people ask about Nobiin

How do you say "hello" in Nobiin?

"Hello" in Nobiin is Sallam, pronounced /sah-LAHM/ (stressed syllables in capitals).

How do you say "thank you" in Nobiin?

"Thank you" in Nobiin is Shukran, pronounced /shook-RAHN/ (stressed syllables in capitals).

How do you say "how are you?" in Nobiin?

"How are you?" in Nobiin is Nog tirikon?, pronounced /nohg tee-ree-KON/ (stressed syllables in capitals).

Is Nobiin hard to learn?

  • It is a Nile-Nubian language, not Bantu and not Semitic, so its vocabulary looks unrelated to Arabic or Swahili despite the neighbours.
  • Old Nubian was written in a Greek-derived alphabet with extra letters borrowed from Coptic and Meroitic — surviving manuscripts date from around the 8th century.
  • Vowel length changes meaning, so a short and a long vowel can be two different words.
  • Word order puts the verb last, and grammar is marked by endings added to nouns and verbs rather than by prepositions.

Where is Nobiin spoken?

Northern Sudan along the Nile, and southern Egypt around Aswan and Kom Ombo — roughly 500,000 to 1 million. Writing system: Latin and Arabic scripts today; historically its own Old Nubian alphabet.

Can I learn Nobiin for free?

Yes. This phrasebook is free to read, and SemaSoma gives you the first three units of the course plus 15 translations a day before anything is paid.

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