| English |
Zarma |
Yesterday someone said to me: "If you go into the bush, you will see a lion."
I said to him, "Who told you that?"
He said to me: "We saw it day before yesterday. It is a red lion." |
Bi boro fo ne ay se: waati fo ni ga koy saajo ra, ni ga di musu beeri.
Ay ne a se: may no na wodin ci ni se?
A ci ay se: bi fo iri di a. Muusu beeri ciray no. |
Every morning we pray, but the religious teacher does not pray; he recites the Muslim "prayers".
Do they not all go into the big mosque? |
Susubay kulu iri ga te adduwa, amma alfaga si te adduwa; a ga te jingar.
I si koy kulu jingaray beero ra, wala? |
How much is this white kitten?
It’s ninety-five Francs.
Who killed its mothers?
I don’t know.
I didn’t even know she was dead (= she died).
Who told you that? |
Marje no muusu'ize kwaar'o?
Dala waranka af si.
Man no n'a ɲa wi?
Ay si bay.
Ay mana ba bay a bu.
Man no na wodin ci ni se? |
I am sitting down at my house.
I see your brother. He is running. |
Ay go ga goro ay fuwo do.
Ay ga di ni arme*1. A go ga zuru. |
Why is it that it is now, this soon, that you (p) got up?
Well, we didn’t sleep during the night.
Why was it you didn’t sleep?
Because guests arrived to stay with us (= guests descended upon us). |
Ifo se no sohõ no, nda hinnay din, kan araŋ tun?
To, iri mana jirbi cino ra.
Ifo se no araŋ mana jirbi?
Zama yawyan zumbu iri gaa. |
Which chair did they take that which is green or that which is black?
They didn’t tell me, but I know they took both (= all two). |
Karga wofo no i kaa, wodin kan ga boogu wala wodin kan ga bi?
I mana ci ay se, amma ay ga bay I na kulu hinka kaa. |
