Learning English

Caalii
Yooyyaa! Gara sagantaa barnootaa How do I… tti baga nagaan dhufte! An Caaliidha. Saam na waliin jirti.

Sam
Welcome, everybody.

Caalii
Har'a, akkatti odeeffannoo gaafachuu dandeenyu ilaalla. Haasaa gaggabaaboo sadii kanneen Adamiifi namoota biroo sadii giduutti taasifame caqasuudhaan haa'eegallu. Hubachuuf kan si rakkisu yoo ta'e hinyaada'iin gara boodaatti gargaarsa siif goona. Ammaaf, Adam caqasiitii yoo inni namoota itti dubbachaa jiru sana kan beeku ta'eef qalbeefadhu. Jechoonni 'the nearest supermarket' 'supparmaarkeetii as dhiyaatu' jedhan tarii hubachuuf si gargaaru malu.

Adam
Excuse me! Where's the nearest supermarket, please?
Woman 1
Oh, yes. Turn down here on the left, then…

Adam
Hello! Sorry to bother you. Do you know where the nearest supermarket is, please?
Man
Yes, I do. Go straight down here, then…

Adam
Hello! Can you tell me where the nearest supermarket is, please?
Woman 2
Yes, of course I can. It's just down here on the right…

Caalii
Ati maal yaadda? Adam namoota gaafachaa tureen walbeeka jettee yaaddaa, Saam?

Sam
No, I think he was talking to strangers, people he didn't know. So he was being very polite.

Caalii
Eeyee, haala gaarii ykn kabaja qabeessa ta'een 'polite' dubbata ture. Jechoonniifi gaaleewwan Adam namoota haala gaariin gaafachuuf fayyadame maal fa'i, Saam?

Sam
Well, he used 'please' a lot! And also 'excuse me' and 'sorry to bother you' in a polite voice or intonation.

Caalii
Eeyee, Xiyyeeffannaa namootaa argachuuf gaaleewwan kanneen fayyadamaa ture; akkasi miti?

Sam
Absolutely! And then he asked for the same thing, but in three different ways.

Caalii
Egaa, gaafii jalqabaa ammas haacaqasnu. Gaaficha akkamitti jalqabe?

Where's the nearest supermarket, please?

Caalii
Gaaficha 'Where's…' dhaan jalqabe; innis jechoota lama, 'where' 'eessa' akkasumas 'is' 'dha' walitti fiduudhaan waan gaafatu ittaanse. 'Where…' cinatti jecha biraallee fayyadamuu dandeessa.

Sam
Yeah, you can say 'What's the nearest supermarket?' or 'Which is the nearest supermarket?'
Shall we practise the pronunciation? Repeat after me:
Where's the nearest supermarket, please?
What's the nearest supermarket, please?
Which is the nearest supermarket, please?

Caalii
Thank you, Sam! Amma, gaafiin Adam kabaja qabeessa ture garuu kallattiidhaani. Afaan Ingilizii keessatti gaafiiwwan al-kallattii ta'an ni jiru. Ammas adamiin haacaqasnu – kutaa lammaffaan gaafichaas waluma fakkaata, garuu tokoon tokkoon gaafiicha akka itti eegale qalbeeffatte?

Do you know where the nearest supermarket is, please?
Can you tell me where the nearest supermarket is, please?

Caalii
Tole, kan jalqabaa 'Do you know where…?' '…eessa akka ta'e beektaa?' jechuudhaan jalqabe.

Sam
And the second question started with 'Can you tell me where…?'

Caalii
Kamtu '...eessa akka ta'e natti himuu dandeessaa?' jechuudha. Akkamittis gaafiiwwan lamaan xumuree? utuma sagaleessa shaakalatuu Saamiin caqaqasi, gochi 'is' eessatti akka galu haalaan qalbeeffadhu.

Sam
Ready? Repeat after me:
Do you know where the nearest supermarket is, please?
Can you tell me where the nearest supermarket is, please?

Caalii
Hubattee? Gaafiiwwan al-kallattii keessatti fakkeenyaaf gochi 'is', waan ati gaafattu booda dhufa.
Amma yeroon kan shaakkala muraasa itti gootuudha. Manni fincaanii 'the toilet' eessa akka ta'e baru barbaada, egaa nama hinbeekne tokko gaafachuuf jetta. Gaafiikee 'where' isa jedhuun jalqabi, akkasumas 'please' jechuu hindagatin; boodarra kan saam jettu waliin walbira qabi ilaali.

Sam
Where's the toilet, please?

Caalii
Baay'ee gaarii! Ammammoo mana fincaanii gaafadhu, garuu yeroo kanatti jecha 'is' jedhu, gaalee 'the toilet' jedhu booda fayyadami.

Sam
Do you know where the toilet is, please?

Caalii
Gaariidha! 'Can you tell me where the toilet is, please?' jechuullee dandeessa turte. Egaa amma akkamitti haala kabajaa qabuun odeeffannoo akka gaafattu ni beekta.

Sam
Yes, well done, everyone!

Caalii
Sagantaa biroo How do I…'n torbaan ittaanu walitti deebina. Bye!

Sam
Until next time, bye!