Chadian Arabic

Basic words and greetings

Below is a listing of common Arabic words. Many of the below words are similar or identical in Modern Standard Arabic and Chadian Arabic. Where pronunciations differ, we have used the Chadian pronunciation, as given by Samir Abu Absi.

Each word is listed in English, transliterated into Arabic, and pronounced.

Greetings and other simple phrases (taken from Samir Abu Absi's Basic Chad Arabic: The Pre-Speech Phase)

Hello	Salaamaleekum
typical answer	Walikumsalaam
How are you?(to 1 man)	Keefak
How are you?(to 1 woman)	Keefik
typical answer ("thank God")	Hamdulillaah
Welcome	Ahlan wa sahlen
Good bye	Ma'a salamaak
Thank you	Shukraan
typical response ("for nothing")	Afwaan

Directions (taken from Samir Abu Absi's Basic Chad Arabic: The Pre-Speech Phase) Note that the "x" here is representative of a letter that does not exist in most European languages. In English, it is closest to the "kh" sound.

East	Sabaah
West	Xaarib
To your right	Aiidak azzeenaay
To your left	Aiidak al'aisraay
Above, up	Foog
Below, down	Tihit
Before you (in front)	Guddaamak
Behind you	Waraak
Near	Gareeb
Far	Ba'iid

Weights, measurements, and numbers (taken from Samir Abu Absi's Basic Chad Arabic: The Pre-Speech Phase) and Abu Absi's Chadian Arabic, published 1995)

Gram	Graam
Kilogram	Kiilu
Ton	Toon
Yard	Yarda
Two yards	Yardateen
Yards (plural of yard)	Yardaat
Centimeter	Sentimitr
Kilometer	Kilumitr
Liter	Litr
One	Waahid
Two	Tineen
Three	Talaata
Four	Arba
Five	Xamsa
Six	Sitte
Seven	Saba'a
Eight	Tamaanya
Nine	Tissa
Ten	Ashara
Eleven	Wihdashar
Twenty	Aishriin
Thirty	Talaatin
One hundred	Miyya
Two hundred	Miiteen
One thousand	Alf
Million	Milyoon
First (masculine)	Awwal
(feminine)	Uula
Second	Taani

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Greetings
Directions
Measurements and numbers