Kala/phrases

Basic

greetings

• yata

greet/farewell

Hello. / Goodbye.

• iyomani

PROX-day-nice

Good day/morning.

• ipuamani

PROX-evening-nice

Good night/evening.

• to tayo ka

manner 2S.POSS Q

How are you?

• niha, nyasa

fine thank

Fine, thank you.

meeting

• ke ata tayo ka

O name 2S.POSS Q

What is your name?

• ____ ke ata nayo

____ O name 1S.POSS

____ is my name.

• ya pesoni

VOC meet-nice

Nice to meet you.

civilities

• tsepa

please

Please.

• nyasa

thank

Thank you.

• nyasampa

thank-much

Thank you very much.

• hako

welcome

You're welcome.

• munyek

problem-NEG

No problem.

• yali(te)

pardon-(PREC)

Excuse me.
(getting attention, begging pardon, etc)

• na koya

1S apologize

I'm sorry.

• tama

good

It's okay/fine.
(polite response to “I’m sorry”)

Communicating

• na ke kala unyak

1sg O language know-NEG

I don't speak Kala.

• ta ke enkalatla unya ka

2sg O England-language know Q

Do you know English?

• kola ke enkalatla unyatle hina ka

AG-INDEF O England-language know-REL be.here Q

Is there someone here who speaks English?

• yote!

help

Help! (in emergecies)

• na unyak

1sg understand-NEG

I don't understand.

• mo pokomo ka

place urinate-place Q

Where's the pisser? (informal)

• mo uetse ka

place toilet Q

Where is the toilet? (polite)

Problems

• ya utse

VOC exclude

Leave me alone.

• na uehak

1S want-NEG

I don't want it!

(useful for people who come up trying to sell you something)

• ya matok

VOC touch-NEG

Don't touch me!

• na ke tsonyo nyalotli

1S O police phone-FUT

I'll call the police!

• tsonyo

police

Police!

• ya nusuko

VOC steal-AG

Stop, Thief!

• ya matok

VOC touch-NEG

Don't touch me!

Asking for help

• ena yotehe

P.1S help-NEC

I need help.