Arberesh phrasebook

The Arberesh language (Arbëresh, Arbërisht, or Arbërishte) is similar to the Albanian spoken in Albania and less similar to the Albanian of Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro. Arberesh is derived from the medieval form of Albanian with the same name from which both Arberesh and Albanian are derived. It's mainly spoken by Albanian communities in Southern Italy and Sicily, who migrated there in medieval times.

Learning some basic Arberesh expressions could always come in handy; however, knowing either Italian or Sicilian should be enough for a tourist visiting the Arberesh communities, since all Arberesh people are trilingual.

Pronunciation guide
For some Arberesh sounds, there is no easy transliteration.

Vowels

 * a : like 'a' in "apple"
 * i : like 'ee' in "cheese"
 * u : like 'oo' in "pool"
 * o : like 'o' in "door"
 * e : like 'e' in "bed"
 * ë : like 'i' in "bird" or 'u' in "pull", at the end of a word it is silent

Easy Consonants

 * b : like 'b' in "bed"
 * c : like 'ts' in "cats"
 * ç : like 'ch' in "church"
 * t : like 't' in "top"
 * h : like 'ch' in Scottish "loch" (or German "nach")
 * d : like 'd' in "mad"
 * dh : like 'th' in 'then'
 * r : like 'r' in Scottish "row"
 * z : like 'z' in "haze"
 * s : like 's' in "sing"
 * sh : like 'sh' in "sheep"
 * f : like 'f' in "fun"
 * k : like 'k' in "kitten"
 * l : like 'l' in "love"
 * m : like 'm' in "mother"
 * n : like 'n' in "nice"
 * j : like 'y' in "yes"
 * xh : like 'j' in "jam"
 * zh : like 's' in "pleasure"

A double 'r' 'rr' is pronounced the same as a single 'r'.

Difficult Consonants

 * ll : like 'r' in French "rire"
 * g : as 'll' in the above example
 * hj : like 'ch' in Scottish "loch" followed rapidly by a 'y' in "yet"
 * gj : like 'g' and 'y' in "dogyard"
 * q : like 'k' and 'y' in "dockyard"
 * x : like 'dz' in "adze"

When j comes at the end of a word, it is always pronounced in the same way as 'hj'. When b, d, dh, g, gj, ll, x, xh, z, and zh come at the end of a word or before another consonant, they always devoice, e.g.

b - p d - t dh - th g - k gj - q ll - h x - c xh - zh z - s zh - sh

Phrase list
Some commonly understood Arberesh phrases, use either Italian or Sicilian words; these have been shown in quotes below to avoid confusion.

Basics

 * Hello. : Falem
 * Welcome! : Mirë se na jerdhe (single); Mirë se na jerdhët (plural)
 * How are you? : Si rri? (informal), si ë zotrote (strote)? (formal)
 * (I'm) fine. : U rri mirë
 * Good : Mirë
 * Very well : Shumë mirë
 * And you? : E ti? (informal), e zotrote (strote)? (formal)
 * What is your name? : Si të thonë? (informal), Si i thonë? (formal)
 * My name is ______ . : Mua më thonë ______.
 * Nice to meet you. : Gëzonem të të njoh (informal), Gëzonem të i njoh (formal), Pjaçir!
 * How old are you? : Sa vjeç ke?
 * Please. :Pi fauri
 * Thank you. :Të haristis/Ghracji
 * You're welcome : Mosgjë
 * Welcome (welcoming someone). :Eja, eja rtu (come, come here)
 * Really? : Më ftet?
 * Yes. : O£, or Arà, or ëj
 * No. : Jo
 * Maybe : Ommce, Mëndjetë
 * Excuse me. (getting attention) :Perdono
 * Excuse me. (begging pardon) : Lip ndjesë
 * I'm sorry. :Skuza
 * Goodbye : Falem
 * Goodbye (informal) :Çau!
 * I don't speak Arberesh [well]. : Ngë flas [mirë] t'arbërisht
 * Do you speak English? :E flet ngliz?
 * Is there someone here who speaks English? :Isht njeri rtu çë e flet ngliz?
 * Help me! : Më ndih!
 * Okay : Mirë
 * Look out! : Shih!
 * For sure/Of course! :Çertu!
 * Good morning. : Mirë menatë
 * Good evening. : Mirë mbrëma
 * Good night. : Natën e mirë
 * I don't know. : Ngë di
 * Where is the toilet (bathroom)? : Te ku ë rritreu?
 * Where is the restroom (in a restaurant)? : Te ku janë rritrenjët?
 * I : U
 * You : Ti (informal), Zotrote (pronounced "strote") (informal)
 * I understand :Drëngonj (or) Kapir
 * I do not understand :Ngë drëngonj (or) Ngë kapir
 * Sweetheart : Zëmbra
 * You're the prettiest of them all : Je më e bukura se të gjithëve!
 * Where are you from? : Ka vjen?

Problems

 * Leave me alone : Bëjëm të rri me paqë
 * Stop it: Basta!
 * Don't speak to me! : Mos më flit!
 * I'll call the police. : Ka thërres te poliçia
 * Stop! : Sose!
 * Can you help me? : Mënd më ndihësh?
 * I got lost/I'm lost : U zborëm
 * I lost my bag. : Kam zbier thesin
 * I'm sick : Jam sëmurë
 * I want a doctor. : Dua një dutur
 * Can I use your phone? :Mënd lluzar telefoninin tot?

Numbers

 * 1 : një
 * 2 : di
 * 3 : tre
 * 4 : kartë
 * 5 : pesë
 * 6 : gjashtë
 * 7 : shtatë
 * 8 : tetë
 * 9 : nëntë
 * 10 : dhjetë
 * 11 : njëmbëdhjetë
 * 12 : dimbëdhetë
 * 13 : trimbëdhjetë
 * 14 : kartëmbëdhjetë
 * 15 : pesëmbëdhjetë
 * 16 : gjashtëmbëdhjetë
 * 17 : shtatëmbëdhjetë
 * 18 : tetëmbëdhjetë
 * 19 : nëntëmbëdhjetë
 * 20 : njëzet

For numbers between 20 and 100, Arberesh people use Sicilian numbers according to Arberesh phonology.


 * 21 : Vintunu
 * 32 : Trintadui
 * 43 : Kuarantatri
 * 54 : Çinkuantakuatru
 * 65 : Sesantaçinku
 * 76 : Setantasei
 * 87 : Otantaseti
 * 98 : Novantotu
 * 100 : Qind


 * number _____ (train, bus, etc.) : numbri _____ (tren, autobus)
 * half : gjimpsë
 * less : manku
 * more : më

Time/Qiròi

 * now : naní
 * later : mëtardu
 * before : përpara
 * morning : menatë
 * afternoon : ditë
 * evening : mbrëma
 * night/nights : natë/netë

Clock time/Hera

 * What time is it? : Çë herë bën?
 * one o'clock: jan l'unu
 * one fifteen: jan l'unu e një kuart


 * two o'clock AM: jan i dui dhi menatnet
 * two thirty: jan i dui e mencu
 * noon: mjesdita
 * one o'clock PM: një ditën
 * two forty five : jan i tri manku një kuart
 * two o'clock PM: jan i dui dhi ditën
 * midnight: mjesnata

Days/Ditët

 * today : sot
 * yesterday : dje
 * tomorrow : nestrë
 * this week : këtë javë
 * last week : java çë shkoi
 * next week : java çë vjen


 * Sunday : dieli
 * Monday : e hënia
 * Tuesday : e martë
 * Wednesday : e mërkurë
 * Thursday : e injtja
 * Friday : e prëmptja
 * Saturday : shtunë

Months/Muajtë

 * January : jinar
 * February : shkurte
 * March : mars
 * April : prill
 * May : maj
 * June : kërshor
 * July : korrik
 * August : gusht
 * September : setembri
 * October : otubri
 * November : novembri
 * December : diçembri

Colors/Kullurët

 * black : i zi (masculine) e zeza (feminine)
 * white : i barth (masculine) e bardhe (feminine)
 * red : i kuq (masculine) e kuqe (feminine)
 * blue : axurru
 * yellow : xhall
 * green : virdhi
 * orange : portokall
 * brown : kafe

Bus and train

 * How much is a ticket to _____? :Sa kustar një biletë pë' ...
 * One ticket to _____, please. :Një bilet pë' ...
 * Where does this bus go? :Te ku vete këtë posta? ...
 * Does this bus stop in San Giuseppe? :Kjo postë qëndron Murtilat?
 * When does the bus for leave? :Kur ka vete posta?
 * When will this bus arrive in Belmonte? :Kur arrëhet Mixanji?
 * Where are you going? :Ku ka veç?

Directions

 * How do I get to _____ ? :Si arrënj _____ ?
 * ...the airport? :...l'arjuportu?
 * ...Piana/Santa Cristina? :...Hora?/Sëndahstinë
 * ...the hotel? :...l'alberghu?
 * Can you show me on the map? :Mënd e më shohësh te a mapa?
 * street :strata
 * Turn left. :jec tek e shtrëmbra
 * Turn right. :jec tek e drejta
 * straight ahead/in front :dreq
 * towards the _____ :fina _______?
 * past the _____ :pranë _____
 * before the _____ :përpara _____
 * up: alarta
 * down: aposhta

Money/Ghranet

 * Do you accept Credit Cards? :Mirrni karta krediti?
 * Can I pay in cash? :Mënd paguanj me ghranet?
 * That's cheap! :ë frëng!
 * Expensive! :shtrejtë!

Eating/Të Ngrënit

 * A table for one person/two people, please. :Një triesë pë' një/di.
 * Can I look at the menu, please? : Mënd shoh menu?
 * Can I look in the kitchen? : Mënd shoh te kuçina?
 * Is there a house specialty? :Isht një speçialità të shpisë?
 * I'm a vegetarian. : Ngë ha mishtë
 * I don't eat pork. : Ngë ha mishtë derri
 * Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter) : Mënd i ziesh me pak vaj/gjalpë
 * breakfast :kulacjuni
 * lunch :pranxu
 * I want _____. : Deja ______
 * chicken : pule
 * meat : mishë
 * fish : pishq
 * ham : mish derri
 * sausage : likënkë
 * cheese : udhos
 * eggs : vezë
 * salad : ncallatë
 * vegetables : virdhurë
 * fruit : frutë
 * bread : bukë
 * toast : tost
 * pasta : brumit
 * beans : fasolla
 * prosciuto : hjiramer
 * May I have a glass of _____? :Mënd më japësh një qerq ________?
 * coffee : kafeu
 * tea : te
 * juice : lunk
 * water : uja
 * beer : birra
 * red/white wine : vera kuqe/bardhe
 * salt : kripë
 * black pepper : mustur
 * butter : gjalpë
 * I'm finished. : kam sosur

Bars

 * Do you serve alcohol? : Jipni alkol?
 * Is there table service? : Isht një shërbim te triesën?
 * A beer/two beers, please. :Një/di birrë, pi fauri
 * A bottle, please. :një butijë, pi fauri
 * One more, please. : Një pameta
 * When is closing time? : Kur mblluin?

Authority

 * I haven't done anything. : Ngë bëra gjë
 * I want to talk to a lawyer. :Deja të flisja me një avukat

Asking about language

 * How do you say _____ ? : Si thuhet ...?
 * What is this/that called? : Si thërritet?