Everything below is what a beginner actually needs first: greetings, polite words, numbers, family, food, time and getting around. Each entry shows the Oromo spelling, the English meaning, and a respelling with the stressed syllable in capitals so you can say it out loud without guessing.
First words Greet someone and be polite
Akkam Hello Galatoomi Thank you Baga nagaan dhuftan Welcome Nagaatti Goodbye Eeyyee Yes Lakki No Maaloo Please Dhiifama Sorry Meeting people Introduce yourself and ask how someone is
Maqaan koo Amara My name is Amara Maqaan kee eenyu? What is your name? Akkam jirta? How are you? Nagaan jira I am fine Bishaan Water Nyaata Food Michuu Friend Mana House Counting Numbers one to five and market basics
Tokko One Lama Two Sadii Three Afur Four Shan Five Gatiin isaa meeqa? How much is it? Gabaa Market Bishaan Water Bituu nan barbaada I want to buy Questions people ask about Oromo Is Oromo hard to learn? Doubled consonants and doubled vowels both change meaning. Word order is typically subject–object–verb. Qubee spelling is consistent, so reading comes quickly. Where is Oromo spoken? Ethiopia and northern Kenya — around 37 million. Writing system: Latin alphabet (Qubee).
Can I learn Oromo 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.