Berber phrasebook

Berber languages or Amazigh languages (Tamaziɣt / Tamazight / ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ / ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵗⵜ / ⵝⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵗⵝ) are spoken in Northern Africa, mainly in Morocco and Algeria. These are not one language, but rather several closely related ones. Berber languages use their own alphabet called Tifinagh, but can also be written in Arabic or Latin script like the other two languages spoken in this region (Arabic and French).

Pronunciation guide

Vowels:

ⴰ (a) 

like ⴰⵏⵣⴰⵔ (Anzar)

ⴻ (e) 

like

ⵉ (i) 

like ⵉⵎⴰⵣⵉⴳⵏ (Imaziɣen)

ⵓ (u) 

like ⵍⵎⵓⴷⵏ (Lmoden)

Consonants:

ⴱ (b) 

like

ⴳ (g) 

like

ⴳⵯ (gʷ) 

like

ⴷ (d) 

like

ⴹ (ḍ)

like

ⴼ (f)

like

ⴽ (k)

like

ⴽⵯ (kʷ) 

like

ⵀ (h)

like

ⵃ (ḥ)

like

ⵄ (ɛ)

like

ⵅ (x)

like

ⵇ (q)

like

ⵊ (j)

like

ⵍ (l)

like

ⵎ (m)

like

ⵏ (n)

like

ⵔ (r)

like

ⵕ (ṛ)

like

ⵖ (ɣ)

like

ⵙ (s)

like

ⵚ (ṣ)

like

ⵛ (c)

like

ⵜ (t)

like ⵜⴰⴳⴰⴷⵉⵔⵜ (Taɣadirt)

ⵟ (ṭ)

like

ⵡ (w)

like

ⵢ (y)

like

ⵣ (z)

like ⴰⵣⴰⵢⵣ (Azayz)

ⵥ (ẓ)

like

Phrase list

Basics:

Good Morning

ⵜⵉⴼⴰⵡⵉⵏ (Tifawin)

Hello. (informal) 

ⴰⵣⵓⵍ (Azul)

How are you? 

ⴰⵎⴽ ⵜⵍⵍⵉⴹ? (Amek telliḍ?)

Fine, thank you. 

ⵉⴳⵔⵔⵣ, ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵎⵉⵔⵜ (Igerrez, tanemmirt)

What is your name?  

ⵉⵙⵎ-ⵏⵏⴽ? (m), ⵉⵙⵎ-ⵏⵏⵎ? (f) (Isem-nnek? (m), Isem-nnem? (f))

My name is ______ .

ⵉⵙⵎ-ⵉⵏⵓ ______ . (Isem-inu ______ .)

Nice to meet you. 

ⵜⴰⵎⵓⵙⵙⵏⵉ ⵏ ⵍⵅⵉⵔ. (Tamussni n lxir)

Please. 

ⵜⵜⵅⵉⵍⴽ (m), ⵜⵜⵅⵉⵍⵎ (f) (Ttxil-k (m), Ttxil-m (f))

Thank you.  

ⵜⴰⵏⵎⵎⵉⵔⵜ. (Tanemmirt)

You're welcome. 

ⵓⵍⴰⵛ ⴰⵖⵉⵍⵉⴼ (Ulac aɣilif)

Yes. 

ⵉⵀ (Ih)

No. 

ⵓⵀⵓ (Uhu)

Excuse me. (getting attention)  

ⵙⵙⵓⵔⴼ-ⵉⵢⵉ (Ssuref-iyi)

Goodbye 

ⴰⵔ ⵜⵓⴼⴰⵜ (Ar tufat)

Goodbye (informal) 

ⴰⵔ ⵜⵉⵎⵍⵉⵍⵉⵜ (Ar timlilit)

I can't speak tamazight [well]. 

ⵓⵔ ⵙⵙⴰⵡⴰⵍⵖ ⵜⴰⵎⴰⵣⵉⵖⵜ (Ur ssawaleɣ tamaziɣt)

Do you speak English? 

ⵜⵙⵙⴰⵡⴰⵍⴹ ⵜⴰⵏⴳⵍⵉⵣⵉⵜ? (Tessawaleḍ tanglizit?)

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

ⵢⵍⵍⴰ ⵡⵉⵏ ⴰⵢ ⵢⵙⵙⴰⵡⴰⵍⵏ ⵜⴰⵏⴳⵍⵉⵣⵉⵜ ⴷⴰ? (Yella win ay yessawalen talglizit da?)

Help! 

ⴰⴱⴱⵓⵀ! (Abbuh!)

Look out! 

ⵖⵓⵔⴽ! (Ɣur-k!)

Good morning. 

ⵜⵉⴼⴰⵡⵉⵏ (Tifawin)

Good evening. 

ⵜⵉⵎⵏⵙⵉⵡⵉⵏ (Timensiwin)

Good night.

ⵉⴹ ⴰⵎⴳⴳⴰⵣ (Iḍ ameggaz)

I don't understand. 

ⵓⵔ ⴳⵣⵉⵖ (Ur gziɣ)

Where is the toilet? 

ⴰⵏⴷⴰⵜ ⵡⴱⴷⵓⵣ? (Anda-t webduz?)

Problems:

Leave me alone. 

(...)

Don't touch me! 

(...)

I'll call the police. 

(...)

Police! 

(...)

Stop! Thief! 

(...)

I need your help. 

(...)

It's an emergency. 

(...)

I'm lost. 

(...)

I lost my bag. 

(...)

I lost my wallet. 

(...)

I'm sick. 

(...)

I've been injured. 

(...)

I need a doctor. 

(...)

Can I use your phone? 

(...):

Numbers:

0 

ⴰⵎⵢⴰ (Amya)

1 

ⵢⴰⵏ (Yan)

2 

ⵙⵉⵏ (Sin)

3 

ⴽⵕⴰⴹ (Kṛaḍ)

4 

ⴽⴽⵓⵥ (Kkuẓ)

5 

ⵙⵎⵎⵓⵙ (Semmus)

6 

ⵙⴹⵉⵚ (Sḍiṣ)

7 

ⵙⴰ (Sa)

8 

ⵜⴰⵎ (Tam)

9 

ⵜⵥⴰ (Tẓa)

10 

ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Mraw)

11 

ⵢⴰⵏ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Yan d mraw)

12 

ⵙⵉⵏ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Sin d mraw)

13 

ⴽⵕⴰⴹ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Kṛaḍ d mraw)

14 

ⴽⴽⵓⵥ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Kkuẓ d mraw)

15 

ⵙⵎⵎⵓⵙ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Semmus d mraw)

16 

ⵙⴹⵉⵚ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Sḍiṣ d mraw)

17 

ⵙⴰ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Sa d mraw)

18 

ⵜⴰⵎ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Tam d mraw)

19 

ⵜⵥⴰ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Tẓa d mraw)

20 

ⴰⴳⵏⴰⵔ (Agnar)

21 

ⴰⴳⵏⴰⵔ ⴷ ⵢⴰⵏ (Agnar d yan)

22 

ⴰⴳⵏⴰⵔ ⴷ ⵙⵉⵏ (Agnar d sin)

23 

ⴰⴳⵏⴰⵔ ⴷ ⴽⵕⴰⴹ (Agnar d kṛaḍ)

30 

ⴰⴳⵏⴰⵔ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Agnar d mraw)

40 

ⵙⵉⵏ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ (Sin wagrawen)

50 

ⵙⵉⵏ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Sin wagrawen d mraw)

60 

ⴽⵕⴰⴹ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ (Kṛaḍ wagrawen)

70 

ⴽⵕⴰⴹ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Kṛaḍ wagrawen d mraw)

80 

ⴽⴽⵓⵥ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ (Kkuẓ wagrawen)

90 

ⴽⴽⵓⵥ ⵡⴰⴳⵔⴰⵡⵏ ⴷ ⵎⵔⴰⵡ (Kkuẓ wagrawen d mraw)

100 

ⵜⵉⵎⵉⴹⵉ (Timiḍi)

200 

( )

300 

( )

1000 

( )

2000 

( )

1,000,000 

( )

1,000,000,000 

( )

1,000,000,000,000 

( )

half 

( )

less 

( )

more 

( )

Time:

now 

ⵖⵉⵍⴰⴷ (ɣelad)

later 

(...)

before 

(...)

morning 

(...)

afternoon 

(...)

evening 

(...)

night 

(...)

Clock time:

one o'clock AM (...)

two o'clock AM 

(...)

noon 

(...)

one o'clock PM 

(...)

two o'clock PM 

(...)

midnight 

(...)

Duration:

_____ minute(s) 

_____ minute(s) (...)

_____ hour(s) 

_____ hour(s) (...)

_____ day(s) 

_____ day(s) (...)

_____ week(s) 

_____ week(s) (...)

_____ month(s) 

_____ month(s) (...)

_____ year(s) 

_____ year(s) (...)

Days:

Sunday 

ⴰⵙⴰⵎⴰⵙ (Asamas)

Monday 

ⴰⵢⵏⴰⵙ (Aynas)

Tuesday 

ⴰⵙⵉⵏⴰⵙ (Asinas)

Wednesday 

ⴰⴽⵕⴰⵙ (Akṛas)

Thursday 

ⴰⴽⵡⴰⵙ (Akwas)

Friday 

ⴰⵙⵉⵎⵡⴰⵙ (Asimwas)

Saturday 

ⴰⵙⵉⴹⵢⴰⵙ (Asiḍyas)

Months:

January 

ⵉⵏⵏⴰⵢⵔ (Innayr), ⵢⵏⵢⵓⵔ (Yenyur)

February 

ⴱⵕⴰⵢⵕ (Bṛayṛ), ⵙⵉⵏⵢⵓⵔ (Sinyur)

March 

ⵎⴰⵕⵚ (Maṛṣ), ⴽⵔⴰⵢⵓⵔ (Krayur)

April 

ⵉⴱⵔⵉⵔ (Ibrir), ⴽⵓⵥⵢⵓⵔ (Kuẓyur)

May 

ⵎⴰⵢⵢⵓ (Mayyu), ⵙⵎⵢⵓⵔ (Semyur)

June 

ⵢⵓⵏⵢⵓ (Yunyu), ⵙⴹⵢⵓⵔ (Seḍyur)

July 

ⵢⵓⵍⵢⵓⵣ (Yulyuz), ⵙⴰⵢⵓⵔ (Sayur)

August 

ⵖⵓⵛⵜ (Ɣuct), ⵜⴰⵎⵢⵓⵔ (Tamyur)

September 

ⵛⵓⵜⴰⵏⴱⵉⵔ (Cutanbir), ⵜⵥⴰⵢⵓⵔ (Tẓayur)

October 

ⴽⵟⵓⴱⵕ (Kṭubṛ), ⵎⵔⴰⵢⵓⵔ (Mrayur)

November 

ⵏⵓⵡⴰⵏⴱⵉⵔ (Nuwanbir), ⵢⴰⵎⵔⴰⵢⵓⵔ (Yamrayur)

December 

ⴷⵓⵊⵏⴰⴱⵉⵔ (Dujnabir), ⵎⴳⴳⵢⵓⵔ (Meggyur)

Writing time and date

Colors:

black 

ⴰⴱⵔⴽⴰⵏ (Aberkan)

white 

ⵓⵎⵍⵉⵍ (Omlil)

gray 

(...)

red 

ⴰⵣⴳⴰⵖ (Aẓgaɣ')

blue 

ⴰⵥⵔⵡⴰⵍ (Aẓerwal)

yellow 

ⴰⵡⵔⴰⵖ (Awraɣ)

green 

ⴰⵣⴳⵣⴰⵡ (Azegzaw)

orange 

(...)

purple 

(...)

brown 

(...)