Turkana Language

Eee / Eeh

Yes

a (class 1 verb subject prefix)

I, me

e (class 2 verb subject prefix)

I, me

Ayong

I, me personal pronoun

Kinyaritae iyong ng'ae?

What is your name?

Nyai

What's up? What's going on?

Ipedori iyong aking'arakin ayong'a?

Are you able to help me?

Ataanyun akwar nache.

Good bye, Let's see each other another time.

Ejoka

Good/well (Hello, how are you? - greeting)

e (class 1 verb subject prefix)

He, she, it, him, her

Ng'esi

He, she, it, him, her personal pronoun

Ijokasia!

How are you all (plural greeting)

Nyanu ng'ache

How are you? (you have no problems/ concerns?)

Etatama ayong ng'aturkana

I am learning Turkana.

Kanyaritae ayong _________.

My name is __________

Ejok noi kiriemun

Nice to meet you.

Emam

No, There is not (also used in response to Nyanu Ng'ache- I don't have any problems or concerns)

e - ete (class 1 verb subject prefix)

They, them

Kesi

They, them personal pronoun

Verb + Subject + Object

Turkana Sentence Structure

Kijok noi

Very good / doing well (plural response to greeting)

Ejok noi

Very good/ doing very well (response to singular greeting)

ki (class 1 verb subject prefix)

We, us

ki (class 2 verb subject prefix)

We, us

Sua

We, us EXCLUSIVE of those spoken to personal pronoun

Ng'woni

We, us INCLUSIVE of those spoken to personal pronoun

Been

Yesterday

i (class 1 verb subject prefix)

You

i - ete (class 1 verb subject prefix)

You all

Esi

You all personal pronoun

i - ete (class 2 verb subject prefix)

You all, They, Them

Iyong

You personal pronoun

i (class 2 verb subject prefix)

You, He, She, It, Him, Her

Ikoku (nide)

child (mtoto)

Akimuj

food (chakula)

Akirin (narino)

meat (nyama)

Tokona

now (sasa)

Itwan (nituna)

person (mtu)

Akidet

to beat with a stick (class 2 verb)

Akinyam

to eat (class 1 verb)

Akipuk

to paint, smear (class 2 verb)

Akicum

to spear (class 2 verb)

Akisak

to want / to look for (class 1 verb)

Moi

tomorrow / another day (kesho)

Noi

very (sana)