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)