Markets & Souvenirs

1. Esukari olkilo obo naa ropiyiani aja?

   How much is one kilo of sugar?

   Usage

   Asks the price of a weighed item; swap "esukari" for another item

   Grammar Note

   "ropiyiani aja" (how much) comes at the end. "olkilo" and "esukari" came in from Swahili and English. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended. Borrowed word; native review recommended

2. Ropiyiani aja irnyanya?

   How much are the tomatoes?

   Usage

   Asks the price of tomatoes; swap the last word for other produce

   Grammar Note

   "irnyanya" is the plural of "olnyanyai" (tomato) and is the common form in conversation. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

3. Ketii enkuashe?

   Do you have potatoes?

   Usage

   Asks whether a stall has an item; swap "enkuashe" for other produce

   Grammar Note

   "ketii" is the question form of "there is", followed by the noun. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

4. Ketii irnyanya?

   Do you have tomatoes?

   Usage

   Asks whether tomatoes are available

   Grammar Note

   "ketii" is the question form of "there is", followed by the noun. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

5. Ketii ormaisuri?

   Do you have bananas?

   Usage

   Asks whether bananas are available

   Grammar Note

   "ketii" is the question form of "there is", followed by the noun, here in the singular. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

6. Kayieu nainyang'u irnyanya

   I want to buy tomatoes

   Usage

   Says what you want to buy; swap the last word for other goods

   Grammar Note

   "kayieu na-" plus a verb means "I want to ...". "nainyang'u" is the verb for buying in its "na-" form. Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

7. Adolita ake

   I'm just looking

   Usage

   A polite way to tell a seller you are only browsing

   Grammar Note

   "adolita" is the progressive form of "see"; "ake" adds the sense of "just". Composed from known words and sentence patterns; native review recommended

8. Olnyanyai

   Tomato

   Usage

   Tomato; a market item

   Grammar Note

   Carries the masculine prefix "ol-"; in speech it may sound like "ornyanyai". The plural is "irnyanya"

9. Enkuashe

   Potato

   Usage

   Potato; a market item

   Grammar Note

   Carries the feminine prefix "en-"

10. Ormaisuri

    Banana

    Usage

    Banana; a market fruit

    Grammar Note

    A masculine noun; the prefix "ol-" becomes "or-" before "m". The plural "irmaisurin" is also heard in conversation

11. Pilipili

    Chili pepper

    Usage

    A hot spice; a market item and a word for checking how spicy a dish is

    Grammar Note

    The same word as Swahili "pilipili". Borrowed word; native review recommended

12. Olbene

    Bag, sack

    Usage

    A bag or sack for carrying purchases

    Grammar Note

    Carries the masculine prefix "ol-"

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