Chadian Arabic phrasebook

The Chadian dialect of Arabic (لهجة تشادية‎) is the main language of Chad.

Pronunciation guide

Vowels

Consonants

Common diphthongs

Phrase list

Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.

Basics

Common signs OPEN  CLOSED  ENTRANCE  EXIT  PUSH  PULL  TOILET  MEN  WOMEN  FORBIDDEN

Hello. 

Salaam wa alekoum. (Peace be with you ):Wa alekoum salaam. (And also with you) - the response

Hello. (informal) 

Lalê. ( )

How are you? 

Inti afé (to a female):Inta afé (to a male)

Intoum afé (to a group)

Fine, thank you. 

Ana afé. ("I am fine"):Anina afé ("We are fine")

What is your name? 

Inti Ousoum-ki yatou ( to ask a girl her name):Inta Ousoum-ak yatou? (to ask a boy his name)

My name is ______ . 

Ana ousoumi ________ . ( My name is ____________ .)

Nice to meet you. 

. ( )

Please. 

Min fadlak. (Please.)

Thank you. 

Chukkran. (Thank you.)

You're welcome. 

Afwan. (You are welcome.)

Yes. 

Ayé. (Yes - people also click their throats to indicate agreement when someone is talking)

No. 

La. (No )

Excuse me. (getting attention) 

. ( )

Excuse me. (begging pardon) 

Semini. (Pardon me)

I'm sorry. 

. ( )

Goodbye 

Ma salaam. ( )

Goodbye (informal) 

ma salamak. ( )

I can't speak name of language [well]. 

[Ana ma n'arfa kalam Arab ]. ( I do not speak Arabic [ ])

Do you speak English? 

Inti t'arfa kalam [Anglais]? (Do you know how to speak [English]?) (to a girl):Inta t'arfa kalam [Anglais]? (Do you know how to speak [English]?)) (to a boy)

Is there someone here who speaks English? 

? ( ?)

Help! 

! ( !)

Look out! 

! ( !)

Good morning. 

. ( )

Good evening. 

. ( )

Good night. 

. ( )

Good night (to sleep) 

. ( )

I don't understand. 

. ( )

Where is the toilet? 

? ( ?)

Problems

Leave me alone. 

. ('Khalini'!)

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

1 

wâhed ( )

2 

tinên ( )

3 

talâta ( )

4 

arba'a ( )

5 

xamsa ( )

6 

sitte ( )

7 

saba'a ( )

8 

tamâne ( )

9 

tis'a ( )

10 

ashara ( )

11 

ashara wa wahid ( 11)

12 

ashara wa tinên (12 )

13 

ashara wa talâta (13 )

14 

ashara wa arba (14 )

15 

ashara wa khamsa (15 )

16 

ashara wa sitte (16 )

17 

ashara wa saba'a (17 )

18 

ashara wa tamâne(18 )

19 

ashara wa tis'a (19 )

20 

itnène (20)

21 

itnène wa wâhed (21)

22 

itnène wa tinên (22)

23 

itnène wa talâta (23)

30 

talatine (30 ):talatine wa wâhed

40 

arba-ine (40):arba-ine wa wâhed (41)

50 

khamsine (50):khamsine wa wâhed (51)

60 

( )

70 

( )

80 

Tamianine (80)

90 

( )

100 

Ichirine (100)

200 

( )

300 

( )

1,000 

( )

2,000 

( )

1,000,000 

( )

1,000,000,000 

( )

1,000,000,000,000 

( )

number _____ (train, bus, etc.) 

( )

half 

( )

less 

( )

more 

( )

Time

now 

Hassa (now )

later 

Bi-den (later):illa bi-den (until 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) 

( )

_____ hour(s) 

( )

_____ day(s) 

( )

_____ week(s) 

( )

_____ month(s) 

( )

_____ year(s) 

( )

Days

today 

( )

yesterday 

( )

tomorrow 

( )

this week 

( )

last week 

( )

next week 

( )

Sunday 

Yom al ahad (Sunday):Al yom al ahad (today is Sunday)

Monday 

Yom al itnên (Monday)

Tuesday 

Yom al sabaa (Tuesday)

Wednesday 

Yom al arba (Wednesday)

Thursday 

Yom al khmasa (Thursday)

Friday 

Yom al joumla (Friday)

Saturday 

Yom al sabat (Saturday)

Months

January 

( )

February 

( )

March 

( )

April 

( )

May 

( )

June 

( )

July 

( )

August 

( )

September 

( )

October 

( )

November 

( )

December 

( )

Writing time and date

Colors

black 

( )

white 

( )

gray 

( )

red 

( )

blue 

( )

yellow 

( )

green 

( )

orange 

( )

purple 

( )

brown 

( )

Transportation

Bus and train

How much is a ticket to _____? 

( )

One ticket to _____, please. 

( )

Where does this train/bus go? 

( )

Where is the train/bus to _____? 

( )

Does this train/bus stop in _____? 

( )

When does the train/bus for _____ leave? 

( )

When will this train/bus arrive in _____? 

( )

Directions

How do I get to _____ ? 

( )

...the train station? 

( )

...the bus station? 

( )

...the airport? 

( )

...downtown? 

( )

...the youth hostel? 

( )

...the _____ hotel? 

( )

...the American/Canadian/Australian/British consulate? 

( )

Where are there a lot of... 

( )

...hotels? 

( )

...restaurants? 

( )

...bars? 

( )

...sites to see? 

( )

Can you show me on the map? 

( )

street 

( )

Turn left. 

( )

Turn right. 

( )

left 

( )

right 

( )

straight ahead 

( )

towards the _____ 

( )

past the _____ 

( )

before the _____ 

( )

Watch for the _____. 

( )

intersection 

( )

north 

( )

south 

( )

east 

( )

west 

( )

uphill 

( )

downhill 

( )

Taxi

Taxi! 

( )

Take me to _____, please. 

( )

How much does it cost to get to _____? 

( )

Take me there, please. 

( )

Lodging

Do you have any rooms available? 

(indoukou chambre hana oudjoura )

How much is a room for one person/two people? 

(nadoum wahid/ nasene ti adjourou low/lome b kam)

Does the room come with... 

( )

...bedsheets? 

( )

...a bathroom? 

( )

...a telephone? 

( )

...a TV? 

( )

May I see the room first? 

( )

Do you have anything quieter? 

( )

...bigger? 

( )

...cleaner? 

( )

...cheaper? 

( )

OK, I'll take it. 

( )

I will stay for _____ night(s). 

( )

Can you suggest another hotel? 

( )

Do you have a safe? 

( )

...lockers? 

( )

Is breakfast/supper included? 

( )

What time is breakfast/supper? 

( )

Please clean my room. 

( )

Can you wake me at _____? 

( )

I want to check out. 

( )

Money

Do you accept American/Australian/Canadian dollars? 

( )

Do you accept British pounds? 

( )

Do you accept Euros? 

( )

Do you accept credit cards? 

( )

Can you change money for me? 

( )

Where can I get money changed? 

( )

Can you change a traveler's check for me? 

( )

Where can I get a traveler's check changed? 

( )

What is the exchange rate? 

( )

Where is an automatic teller machine (ATM)? 

( )

Eating

A table for one person/two people, please. 

( )

Can I look at the menu, please? 

( )

Can I look in the kitchen? 

( )

Is there a house specialty? 

( )

Is there a local specialty? 

( )

I'm a vegetarian. 

( )

I don't eat pork. 

( )

I don't eat beef. 

( )

I only eat kosher food. 

( )

Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter/lard) 

( )

fixed-price meal 

( )

a la carte 

( )

breakfast 

( )

lunch 

( )

tea (meal) 

( )

supper 

( )

I want _____. 

( )

I want a dish containing _____. 

( )

chicken 

( )

beef 

( )

fish 

( )

ham 

( )

sausage 

( )

cheese 

( )

eggs 

( )

salad 

( )

(fresh) vegetables 

( )

(fresh) fruit 

( )

bread 

( )

toast 

( )

noodles 

( )

rice 

( )

beans 

( )

May I have a glass of _____? 

( )

May I have a cup of _____? 

( )

May I have a bottle of _____? 

( )

coffee 

( )

tea (drink) 

( )

juice 

( )

(bubbly) water 

( )

(still) water 

( )

beer 

( )

red/white wine 

( )

May I have some _____? 

( )

salt 

( )

black pepper 

( )

butter 

( )

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server)

( )

I'm finished. 

( )

It was delicious. 

( )

Please clear the plates. 

( )

The check, please. 

( )

Bars

Do you serve alcohol? 

( )

Is there table service? 

( )

A beer/two beers, please. 

( )

A glass of red/white wine, please. 

( )

A pint, please. 

( )

A bottle, please. 

( )

_____ (hard liquor) and _____ (mixer), please. 

( )

whiskey 

( )

vodka 

( )

rum 

( )

water 

( )

club soda 

( )

tonic water 

( )

orange juice 

( )

Coke (soda) 

( )

Do you have any bar snacks? 

( )

One more, please. 

( )

Another round, please. 

( )

When is closing time? 

( )

Cheers! 

( )

Shopping

Do you have this in my size? 

( )

How much is this? 

( )

That's too expensive. 

( )

Would you take _____? 

( )

expensive 

( )

cheap 

( )

I can't afford it. 

( )

I don't want it. 

( )

You're cheating me. 

( )

I'm not interested. 

(..)

OK, I'll take it. 

( )

Can I have a bag? 

( )

Do you ship (overseas)? 

( )

I need... 

( )

...toothpaste. 

( )

...a toothbrush. 

( )

...tampons. 

. ( )

...soap. 

( )

...shampoo. 

( )

...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen) 

( )

...cold medicine. 

( )

...stomach medicine. 

... ( )

...a razor. 

( )

...an umbrella. 

( )

...sunblock lotion. 

( )

...a postcard. 

( )

...postage stamps. 

( )

...batteries. 

( )

...writing paper. 

( )

...a pen. 

( )

...English-language books. 

( )

...English-language magazines. 

( )

...an English-language newspaper. 

( )

...an English-English dictionary. 

( )

Driving

I want to rent a car. 

( )

Can I get insurance? 

( )

stop (on a street sign) 

( )

one way 

( )

yield 

( )

no parking 

( )

speed limit 

( )

gas (petrol) station 

( )

petrol 

( )

diesel 

( )

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong. 

( )

It was a misunderstanding. 

( )

Where are you taking me? 

( )

Am I under arrest? 

( )

I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen. 

( )

I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate. 

( )

I want to talk to a lawyer. 

( )

Can I just pay a fine now? 

( )

Other

Entries that might not conform to the guidelines at Wikivoyage:Phrasebook article template.

Here are some basic Chadian Arabic phrases to get you started on the road to interacting with Chadians.

Typical More Formal Greeting Conversation

Ahlan wa sahlan - Welcome! (to our place, shop, home)

Salâm alek, Mohamed - greeting to an adult man, or boy (formal)

Keif-ak? - How are you?

Hamdulillah, kwayyis. - Thank God, I'm fine.

Inta, keif halak? - And how are you?

Hamdulillah, wa nass beitak? - Thank God. And your family?

Kullum kwaysin -- They are all fine.

Ma salaam. - Goodbye

Ma salaam. - Goodbye

Other Greetings

Salâm aleki - greeting to an adult woman, or girl (formal)

Wa alêk al-salâm - response to the greeting (formal)

Lalê - hello (familiar, peer to peer greeting)

Inta (m)/inti (f) âfé? - are you well? (note the difference between addressing a man and a woman)

(anâ) âfé - I am well. (response to above; first word is optional)

agod âfé - you (sing.) stay well (I am leaving, a leave-taking phrase when addressing one person)

agodu âfé - you (plural) stay well (when addressing more than one person)

amshi âfé - you (sing.) go well (leave-taking, when you are the one who is staying)

amshu âfé - you (plural) go well (when addressing more than one person)

ma salamak - Goodbye

Medical

wên al daktor? - Where is the doctor?

wên al labtan? - Where is the hospital?

Ordering Something

antini almi hana churâb - Give me water to drink (In such phrases, "please" is not necessary)

antini Coka hana churâb - Give me a Coca-Cola to drink

antini mapa - Give me a baguette (French bread)

bêkam al kitab da? - How much does that book cost?

shunu al kitab da? - What is that book there?

mâla? - Why?

êsh wa mulah - boule (millet paste, staple food of Chad) and sauce

General

usumak shunu? - What is your name?

wên inta? - Where are you from?

shukran - Thank you

afwân - You are welcome (response to "shukran")

Al hamdu l'llah! - Praise God

How To Learn New Words

ma' anata... - What does... mean?"

Da shunu? - What is this?

Kikef tigul ... - How do you say...?

Kikef tigul be fransawi? - How do you say in French?

Kikef tigul be arabi? - How do you say in Arabic?

Kikef tigul be inglezi? - How do you say In English?