Nawdm phrasebook

Nawdm, {nàwdḿ} is a language spoken in parts of Ghana and Togo in the region of West Africa.

Nawdm is the language of the Nawdba (singular: Nawda). The Nawdba are settled in the north of Togo, in the Prefecture of Doufelgou. From there, large numbers migrated to central and southern Togo and also to Ghana. Nawdm is a voltaic language (or gur), classified by Manessy, Gabriel, with the yom of Benin, in a separate group of the Oti-Volta subfamily.

Alphabet
There are thirty one (31) Nawdm letters of alphabet.

A                      a

B                       b D                       d

E                        e

Ɛ                        ɛ

F                        f

G                        g

Gw                  gw

Gb                   gb

H                        h

Ĥ                        ɦ

I                          i

J                         j

K                        k

Kw                    kw

Kp                    kp

L                         l

M                        m

N                        n

Ny                    ny

Ŋ                        ŋ

Ŋm                   ŋm

O                        o

Ɔ                        ɔ

R                        r

S                        s

T                        t

U                        u

V                        v

W                       w

Y                       y

Vowels
There are short and long vowels in Nawdm.

Short vowels
We have seven (7) vowels:

A, E, Ԑ, I, O, Ͻ, U (a, e, ε, i, o, ͻ, u)

Long vowels
We get the long vowels whenever we stretch a short vowel a little. Thus, we double the letter when writing it.

AA, EE, ԐԐ, II, OO, ϽϽ, UU (aa, ee, εε, ii, oo, ͻͻ, uu)

Consonants
There are 24 consonants in Nawdm language:

B, D, F, G, Gw, Gb, H, ɦ, J, K, Kw, Kp, L, M, N, Ny, Ŋ, Ŋm, R, S, T, V, W, Y.

Common diphthongs

Gw, Gb, Kp, Ny, Ŋm,

= Phrase list = Some phrases in this phrasebook still need to be translated. If you know anything about this language, you can help by plunging forward and translating a phrase.

Basics

Welcome.

Bdanmii/ ndanmii

Ok (response to welcome) yoo

How is it?

L ked lan?

Response to hello

L keda hom

How are you?

L' ba laa?/ L' ba

Yes am fine

Mba hom

What is your name?

Ba ɦolb na wenii?/ ba ɦolb na bee?

My name is ______ .

Ba ɦolma naa ______.

Ma ɦidr nnii  ___________

Please                 Di kɛwr

Excuse me !         Agoo

Thanks.

You're welcome/It's a pleasure

Ben ɦεra wεgb

'''Excuse me. (getting attention)'''

'''Excuse me. (begging pardon''')

Ma jowb

I'm sorry          yen

Goodbye ( I am going)

Ma nyabn

We will meet again

T’ ba t’ taη

I can't speak Nwadm.

Ma kpaa gwɛɛla Nawdm

I'm learning Nawdm

Ma kpεlηa Nawdm

Do you speak English?

Ma gwɛɛla ηglism

Does anyone here speak English?

ɦii gwɛɛla ηglism Nnaɦ?

Help me!

tͻrg man!

Look out!

Gwedg nnaɦ!

Good morning.

b rorbii, v robii

Good afternoon.

b muunu, v Muunun

Good evening.

b jabrii, v jabrii

Good night (to sleep)

B’ doot hϽm

I am going to bed/sleep

Ma keeda ma doot

I don't understand.

Ma kpakewa Where is the toilet?

Bin badgu ba te?

White person

saamaɦ

Visitor

saanaɦ

Problems

I am sick

L’weera ma

Sickness

bԐɦyiHurt/Injured

Ha nyadg ayen

Numbers
Jugu, calb

Time
Today

jana

Tomorrow

Su

After tomorrow

subɛtr, suvɛtr

Yesterday

dindiin

Before yesterday

Togdaa

Clock time

Waasu gama

Game

Gbuut, saɦla

Football

Bool gbuut

I play football

Mà gbul yarmga.

He plays guitar.

Ĥa gbul janjalu

Months
There are 12 months by Nawdm people

Lodging
How to name up some places where you would like pass the night even your own house?

Money
lig̈biir

How much?

daɦt, alaaɦ?

Eating jub

Food diit

Cooking digm, diit digm

Breakfast
ɦateekwɛɛn diit, ɦateekwaan diit

Lunch

muunun diit, muungbowr diit

 Dinner

jabr diit, jabhoolm diit

Water
Nyaalm

  Milk

beɦeem

Tea

Tii

Plantain

ɦamadaaŋu

Banana ɦayabr

Bread

kpoonu

Pineapple

saama laŋkpadga

Mango

tamb

Coconut baŋkpurb

Papaya

ɦadibgu, ɦadimbgu

Tomato

jimadgu

Maize

jimadgu

Meat

Naanamgu

Rice miiri

Fish ɦɔlga

Chicken

kɔdahiir, kadahiir

Egg

kɔɔleer

Beans

Tiira

Stew

salambii Jit

Soup

Jit

Bread

kpoonu

Onion

gaabu, jaabu

Bars

baɦr

Shopping

Market yaaku

I want (a) _______

Mabagl ______

I have (a) _______

Ma ba n

Sell yaarm

Buy

daɦ

To buy

daɦb

To sell

gweedmb

BOOK

wadga

Driving

Road

saama hurbermu

Car loor

Authority
Government

kɔrgu

Gouverneur

kɔrgu huura

Animals and Insects

Bird

ŋmɛnga

Lizard

baŋa

Mouse

ɦɔŋr

Goat

burgu

Cow

naag̈b

Cat

muusŋa

Dog

gwԐԐgu

Monkey

waama

Elephant

ŋmɛŋmɛɛr

Crocodile

kaseegu

Bee

heb, hib

Mosquito

dumga

Housefly

joŋa

Butterfly

kpaŋkpaanga

Tse Tse

Fly

koljond, koljuŋu

Ant

gwɛɛm

Termite

jamru, ligr

sheep

fɛɛgu

Learning more

To  phone

tangarfu

medicine

ragr

soap

fɔfɔɔ

Hospital

dɔgdŋu

Christmas

binkpeemr

Merry Christmas to you

B’ binkpeemrii, V’ binkpeemr

Happy new year to you

B’binkwɛɛlii