Emergency

1. Aw ka n dɛmɛ!

   Help me!

   Usage

   Shouted to ask for help. "aw" is the plural / respectful "you"

   Grammar Note

   Request form with "ka" (same pattern as "I ka n dɛmɛ"). "dɛmɛ" is the verb "to help" and also the noun "help". Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

2. Aw ka polisi wele!

   Call the police!

   Usage

   Used to ask people to call the police

   Grammar Note

   In the dictionary "polisi" is the police officer. "wele" means to call. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

3. N bɛ dɔgɔtɔrɔ fɛ joona

   I want a doctor right away

   Usage

   Used to ask for a doctor in a medical emergency

   Grammar Note

   "N bɛ X fɛ" means "I want X". "joona" means quickly. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

4. N tununa. Aw ka n dɛmɛ.

   I am lost. Help me.

   Usage

   Used when lost to ask nearby people for help

   Grammar Note

   "tunun" means to get lost. The intransitive perfective takes the suffix "-ra / -na" (tunun + na). Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

5. Nson! A minɛ!

   Thief! Catch him!

   Usage

   Shouted to alert people and have a thief caught

   Grammar Note

   The dictionary has "á yé nsòn bɛ̀n!" (get the thief). "nson" means thief; the same spelling also covers rust and smallpox. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

6. N b'a fɛ ka taa dɔgɔtɔrɔso la

   I want to go to the hospital

   Usage

   Used to say you want to go to the hospital

   Grammar Note

   "N b'a fɛ ka + verb" means "I want to ...". "dɔgɔtɔrɔso" covers hospital and care centre. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

7. Mɔgɔ dɔ ye n ka pasipɔri sonya

   My passport was stolen

   Usage

   Used to report a stolen passport

   Grammar Note

   The passive is expressed with an active sentence: "someone (mɔgɔ dɔ) stole". Possession is "n ka pasipɔri". Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

8. Kana maga n na!

   Don't touch me!

   Usage

   Said firmly when you do not want to be touched

   Grammar Note

   "kana + verb" is the prohibitive. The dictionary has "í kàna màga nìn ná!" (do not touch this). Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

9. Mɔgɔ dɔ ye n sonya

   I was robbed

   Usage

   Used to say you were robbed

   Grammar Note

   The dictionary has a sentence with a person as the object ("I have never robbed anyone"). Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

10. Tasuma!

    Fire!

    Usage

    A one-word warning of a fire

    Grammar Note

    "tasuma" means fire or flame.

11. Bɔnbu!

    Bomb!

    Usage

    A warning that a bomb has been found

    Grammar Note

    Loan from French bombe.

12. Tasuma! Boli!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Shouted to make people flee a fire

    Grammar Note

    As a verb "boli" means to run; the noun with the same spelling means a fetish object. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

13. Polisiso bɛ min?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Asks where the police station is

    Grammar Note

    "X bɛ min?" means "Where is X?". "polisiso" is the police post. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

14. Mɔgɔ dɔ ye n bugɔ

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Used to say you were hit or attacked

    Grammar Note

    "bugɔ" means to hit; "gosi" is a synonym. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

15. Mɔgɔ dɔ ye n nanbara

    I was cheated

    Usage

    Used when you were tricked or cheated

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary has "à yé né námara" (he cheated me). Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

16. Mɔgɔ dɔ ye n ka wari sonya

    My money was stolen

    Usage

    Used to report stolen money

    Grammar Note

    Possession is "n ka wari" (my money). Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

17. N y'a to yen

    I left it there

    Usage

    Used to say you left something behind

    Grammar Note

    "to" means to leave or leave behind; the dictionary has "k'an to yan" (left us here). No dedicated verb for "forgot" was verified. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

18. I kɔlɔsi!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Warns someone to be careful

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary has "í kɔ̀lɔsi fàli lá!" (watch out for the donkey).

19. Na joona!

    Come quickly!

    Usage

    Used to ask someone to come at once

    Grammar Note

    The bare verb stem makes the imperative. Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

20. Kɔrɔtɔ don

    It is urgent

    Usage

    Says that the matter is urgent

    Grammar Note

    The dictionary has "ní kɔ́rɔtɔ dòn..." (if it is urgent). Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

21. Mɔbili kasaara kɛra

    There has been a car accident

    Usage

    Used to report an accident

    Grammar Note

    "kasaara" means accident (the dictionary also glosses it as car accident). "kɛ" is to happen; its perfective is "kɛra". Composed from dictionary-verified words following regular grammar.

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