shashamane is located in oromo area.it would be very beneficial for ones seeking to live or visit in shashamane to learn some of the oromo language. The Oromo people are the largest ethic group in Ethiopia. The Oromo people account for more than 40% of the Sixty million total population of the country. The Oromo people are found all over the country predominantly in Wollega, shoa, Illubabour, Jimma, Arsi, Bale, Hararghe, Wollo, Borana, and southwestern part of Gojjam.

The Oromo people have their own language, which is called Afaan Oromo. The Oromo language has very rich vocabulary. It is a highly developed spoken language. The Oromo people are proud of their language. They really consider their language as their identity. Someone who speaks their language is very special to them; he or she is not considered alien, but a part of their community. The Oromo people do not have hatred to Amharic as a language of communication. However, they become furious when Amharic is used as a sign of oppression and in a way that displaces the Oromo language. When Oromos are forced by external power to use Amharic in a situation where they can use Oromo by some external power, they do not feel comfortable. The Oromos who know Amharic can use Amharic when it is necessary. I do think that the opposition of the Oromo people is not to speak Amharic, but about the subtle plot behind using Amharic in the Oromo areas. Most of the time people are confused about being involved in a political party and being conscious about being Oromo. I think that being in a political party is a choice one has to make, but being Oromo is a predestined. The Oromos claim that God created them Oromo and they have to use the language He gave them. Any power against this is intolerable.

The Oromo people recently adopted the Latin script to the Oromo language. The adoption of the Latin script was a burning issue in the country in the beginning of 1990's. The adoption of the Latin script was necessary for many reasons: (1) The Latin script is the most convinient system of writing best suit to the Oromo language. The Sabean script or the Amharic script syllabary does not indicate the length of vowels. In addition, the sabean script has more than 300 hundred characters while the Oromo language has 34 basic sounds which are easy for new beginners to learn the language. (2) It is easy to write the Oromo words clearly without any confusion using the Latin script. (3). Adaptability to the computer.

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Since 1993, the medium of instruction in schools in the Oromo State, Oromiya is Oromo language in the Latin script. The offices are also using the Latin script. The Oromo people were prohibited from using their own native language in their own schools and offices for a century. They were forced to use Amharic by force, which created resistance to use Amharic in Oromo speaking areas.

The Oromo language has five major dialects in the country. They are the central and the western, the Arsi, the Eastern (Qottuu), the Guji, and the Borana dialects. The central and western dialect is the most widely used dialect because the sizes of the speakers are larger than the others. There is the whole Bible translation in the central and western dialect in both Latin and Sabean scripts. Since currently the Oromo language is being used in schools and offices, the barrier among the different dialects is being narrowed. The tendency is to use one national Oromo language all over the Oromo speaking areas. The step was taken and currently using the standardized national Oromo language, which is being used in schools, offices, and mass media, made communication among all Oromo speaking people very simple. I do believe that currently, there is no need to learn each dialect. The Oromos are being happy to reunite by speaking the same language and the same dialect.

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There are ten vowels in the Oromo language.

Short vowels long vowels

a aa aarii anger

e ee eeboo spear

i ii ilmoo offspring

o oo olaanaa super

u uu uffata dress/ cloth

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There are also 24 basic consonants in Oromo language. .

b baabbaa dad

c caabii plate
d damma honey

f farda horse

g gaala camel

h harree donkey

j jaamaa blind

k kalee kideny

l lafa earth

m marga grass

n nama human/man

q qamalee ape

r raammoo worm

s saree dog

t tabba hill

w Waaqayyo God

x xaxamaa complex

y yakka crime

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Diphthongs

Ch gurraacha black

Dh dhadhaa butter

Ny nyaata food

Ph salphaa easy

Sh shan five

Dz

Foreign sounds

The sounds of the following characters are not found in Oromo language, but they are used in the Oromo language as adopted sounds.

p koppii copy

v talavidzinii television

z

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A key to pronunciation of any Oromo word

(1) If similar consonants are double in a word, the sound should be stressed/ emphasized.

komee complaint

kommee come

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(2) If similar vowels are double in a word the sound should be longer.

Laagaa roof of the mouth

laga river

Greeting words

Come back safely. Nagaan gali/galaa

Come in seen/seenaa

God bless you. Waaqayyo si haa eebbisu.

Good afternoon? Attam oolte / ooltan?

Good morning? Attam bulte/bultan?

Goodbye Nagaan turi / turaa

Have a good day. Guyyaa nagaa siif haa ta'u.

Hello Ashamaa

Hi Attam

How are you? Attam jirta/jirtu?

I am fine, Praise the Lord. Nagaa, galata Waaqayyoo

I am fine. Nagaa. / Fayyaa.

Please maaloo

Sit down taa'i/ taa'aa

Thank you. Galatoomi/ galatoomaa

Von voyage. Karaa nagaa.

Welcome baga nagaan dhufte/ dhuftan

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Transportation

Accident balaa

Address teessoo

Air port buufata xiyyaaraa

Airplane xiyyaara

Arrival dhufa, galma

Awake damaksuu

Baggage mi'a karaa

Bar mana buna

Bathroom mana dhiqannaa

Battery baatirii

Bed siree

Bicycle biskiliitii

Blanket uffata halkanii

Boat bidiruu

Brake fireenii

Bridge riqicha

Bus station buufata atoobisii

Bus atoobisii

Car konkolaataa

Cold water bishaan dilallaa'aa

Driver konkolaachisaa

Driving license hayyama konkolaachisuu

Electricity elektiriika

Envelope poostaa

Fire ibidda

Flea tafkii

Gasoline benizila

Go deemuu

Guest house mana keessummaa

Guest keessummaa

Guide dura-deemaa

Horse farda

Hot water bishaan o'aa

Hotel hoteela

Information odeeffannoo

Insurance inshuraansii

Light ibsaa

Map maappii

Market gabaa

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Message ergaa

Mud dhoqqee

Mule gaangee

Needle lilimmoo

Package ba'aa

Passenger karaa-deemaa

Petrol station baka bobaa’aa bitatan

Police pooliisii

Post office mana poostaa

Railways karaa baaburaa

Receive fudhachuu

Restaurant mana nyaataa

Road daandii, karaa

Room kutaa

Send erguu

Ship doonii

Shop suuqii

Stop dhabadhu

Swimming pool bishaan daakaa

Taxi taaksii

Telephone bilbila

Tissue paper waraqaa mana fincaanii

Toilet mana fincaanii

Tout wayyaalaa

Towel fooxaa

Town, city magaalaa

Traffic tiraafikii

Train baabura

Umbrella dibaabee

Village ganda

Weather haala qillensaa

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Directions

Back booda

East ba'a

Front fuuldura

Left bitaa

North kaaba

Right mirgaa

Side bukkee, cinaa

South kibba

West lixa

Time

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Days of the week
Monday Wiixata

Tuesday Kibxata

Wednesday Roobii

Thursday Kamsa

Friday Jimata

Saturday Sanbata

Sunday Dilbata

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3:00 am iyyaa handaaqqoo

Afternoon Waaree booda

Dawn Obboroo

Day Guyyaa

Evening Galgala

Mid night halkan walakkaa

Morning Ganama

Night Halkan

Noon Waaree, saafaa
Twilight Dimimmisa

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Months of the Year

January Amajjii

February Guraandhala

March Bitootessa

April Caamsaa

May Ebla

June Waaxabajjii

July Adooleessa

August Haggaya

September Fulbaana

October Onkoloolessa

November Sadaasa
December Muddee

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Seasons of the year
Autumn birraa

Spring arfaasaa

Summer ganna
Winter bona

General time related words

Afterwards gulana

Again ammas, lammaffaa

Ago dur, qaata

Always yeroo hundaa

Appointment beellama

Century jaarraa

Early dafee

Hour saatii, saa'a

Last year waggaa darbe

Late yeroo dabarsuu

Minute daqiiqaa

Month ji'a, baatii

Next year waggaa dhufu

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Shadow gaaddidduu, gaaddisa

Sometimes takka takka, darbee darbee

Sun rise ba'a biiftuu

Sunset lixa biiftuu

The day before yesterday dheengadda

Time yeroo

Today har'a

Tomorrow booru

Tonight galgala har'aa

When yoom

Year waggaa

Yesterday kaleessa

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Numbers
1 tokko
2 lama
3 sadii
4 afur
5 shan
6 ja'a
7 torba
8 saddeet
9 sagal
10 kudha
11 kudha-tokko
12 kudha-lama

20 digdama

21 digdamii-tokko

22 digdamii-lama

30 sodoma

31 sodomii-tokko

32 sodomii-lama

40 afurtama

41 afurtamii-tokko

42 afurtamii-lama

50 shantama

51 shantamii-tokko

52 shantamii-lama

60 jaatama

61 jaatamii-tokko

62 jaatamii-lama

70 torbatama

71 torbatamii-tokko

72 torbatamii-lama

80 saddeettama

81 saddeettamii-tokko

82 saddeettamii-lama

90 sagaltama

91 sagaltamii-tokko

92 sagaltamii-lama

100 dhiba

101 dhibaa fi tokko

102 dhibaa fi lama

110 dhibaa fi kudhan

120 dhibaa fi digdama

200 dhiba- lama

300 dhiba- sadii

1000 kuma

1001 kumaa fi tokko

1002 kumaa fi lama

2000 kuma lama

3000 kuma sadii

100,000 kuma dhiba

1000,000 kitila, miliyoonii

add (+) idda'uu

subtract (-) irrisuu

divide ( ) hiruu

multiply (x) baay'isuu

equal (=) walqixxee

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Money

Bank baankii

Borrow liqeessuu

Buy bituu

Cash kaashii, callaa

Check cheekii

Cheep gatii cabaa, rakasa

Coin saantima, niiree, taamunii

Cost gatii

Custom qaraxa

Dollar doolaarii

Exchange jijjiirraa

Expense baasii

Expensive mi'aa

Foreign currency qarshii biyya alaa

Form unkaa

Income galii

Identification card waraqaa eenyummaa

Loan liqii

Local currency qarshii biyya keessaa

Money qarshii

Passport paaspoortii

Profit bu'aa

Rate of exchange hamma jijjiirraa

Receipt naga'ee

Salary mindaa

Sell gurguruu

Signature mallattoo

Transfer dabarsuu

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Food Related words

Appetite fedhii nyaataa

Banana muuzii

Beans baqilaa

Beef foon sangaa

Bread maxinoo, daabboo

Butter dhadhaa

Cabbage raafuu

Cake keekii

Cheese baaduu

Chicken handaaqqoo

Chili qeexoo, qaaraa

Chips waaddii dinnichaa

Coffee buna

Corn boqqoolloo

Drink dhugi

Eat nyaadhu

Egg hanqaaquu

Fish qurxummii

Fried barley qorii

Fruit ija mukaa

Garlic qulubbii adii

Grapes ija wayinii

Honey damma

Juice cuunfaa ija muka

Lamb foon hoolaa

Lemon loomii

Lentils misira

Local bread buddeena

Milk aannan

Mineral water bishaan Amoo

Onion qullubbii

Peanut ocholoonii

Pepper miximmixa

Pork foon booyyee

Potato dinnicha

Rice ruuzii

Roasted beef waaddii foonii

Salad salaaxaa

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Salt soogidda

Sauce ittoo

Spices qimamii

Spoon fallaana

Sugar shukkaaraa

Tea shaayii

Vegetables ashaakkiltii

Water bishaan

Yogurt itittuu

Breakfast ciree

Lunch laaqana

Tea time fucha-butee

Supper irbaata

Dinning room kutaa nyaataa

Meal dhi'aana, nyaata,

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Colors

Black gurraacha

Brown magaala

Gray daalacha

Green magarisa

Red diimaa

White adii

Yellow kelloo

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Important phrases

A little. Xinnoo – xinnoo.

Can you read this script for me? Qubee kana anaaf dubbisuu ni dandeessaa?

Can you tell me his job? Hojii isaa natti himtaa?

Congratulations. Baga gammade/ gammaddan

Could you please help me? Maaloo na gargaaruu ni dandeessaa?/dandeessuu?

Did you understand? Sii galeeraa?/ Isinii galeeraa?

Do you drink coffee? Buna ni dhugdaa?

Do you need more food? No. Nyaata biraa ni barbaaddaa? Waawuu/ lakkii.

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Do you speak English? Afaan faranjii ni beektaa?
He is a good person. Inni nama gaarii dha.

He is not the man we are looking for. Lakkii, namichi nuyi barbaadnu isa miti.

How do you say it in Oromo? Afaan Oromootiin maal jedhama?
How much is it? Hammamii?/ Meeqa?

How was it? Attam ture?

I agree Tole.

I am a guest. Ani keessummaa dha.

I am sorry. Nan gadda.

I did not understand. Anaaf hin galle./ Nuuf hin galle.

I do not need more food. Nyaata biraa hin barbaadu.

Is it right? No, it is not right. Sirrii dhaa? Waawuu, sirrii miti.

Is that the man we are looking for? Namichi nuyi barbaadnu isa sanaa?

It is delicious food. Nyaata miy'aa'aa dha.

It is good news. Oduu gaarii dha.

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No problem. Rakkon hin jiru.
No, I do not. Waawuu./ Lakkii.

Oromo culture. Aadaa Oromoo.
Pardon. Naa dhiis.

Please, eat. Maaloo, nyaadhu.

See you. Walargina

The road is safe. Karaan nagaa dha.

They left their baggage in the hotel. Isaan mi'a isaanii hoteela kessatti dhiisan.

This is our church. Kun mana kadhataa keenya.

This is very special. Argamee hin beeku. Adda.

We are visitors. Nuyi duwwattoota.

Well stay. Baga nagaan turte/ turtan.

What is it? Maal inni?

What is your name? Maqaan kee eenyu?

What is your religion? Amantaan kee maal inni?

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When shall we meet? Yoom wal argina?

Where are you coming from? Eessaa dhufta?/ dhufta?

Where does she come from? Isheen eessaa dhufti?

Where is it? Eessa?/ Eessa dha?

Where is my room? Kutaan kiyya eessa?

Where is your residence? Iddoon jireeny keessan eessa?

Who are you? Ati eenyu dha?

Who is her husband? Abbaan manaa ishee eenyu dha?

Who is that? Eenyu inni?

Why are you come late? Maaliif yeroo dabarsite?

Yes, I do. Eeyyee.

You are my friend. Ati michuu kiyya.

You lost your key. Ati bantuu kee ni gatte.

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Common words
Agriculture qonnaa
Ankle koomee

Ape qamalee

Arm irree

Armpit bobaa

Baboon jaldeessa

Bachelor qeerroo

Back dugda

Beautiful bareedduu

Behind booda

Believer amanaa

Bible Macaafa Qulqulluu

Bird simbirroo

Blind jaamaa

Blood dhiiga

Body nafa, dhagna

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Bone lafee

Book kitaaba

Boy gurbaa

Boyfriend michuu dhiiraa

Brother obboleessa

Buffalo gafaarsa

Business daldala

Businessperson Daldaalaa

Cat adurree

Cheek maddii

Chest qoma

Child Mucaa

Church building mana kadhataa

Church waldaa amantootaa

Clinic mana hakiimii

Cloth uffata

Cloud duumessa

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Conference wal ga'ii

Constitution heera mootummaa

Cross fannoo

Culture aadaa

Dance sirba

Daughter intala

Deaf duudaa

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Development misooma

Dew fixeensa

Dictionary galmee jechootaa

Dog saree

Door balbala

Dream abjuu

Ear gurra

Earth lafa

Economy dinagdee

Enemy diina

Example fakkeenya

Experience shaakala, muuxanno

Eye ija

Face fuula

Factory warshallee

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Faith amantii

Family maatii

Famine beela

Far fagoo

Farmer Qotee bulaa

Father abbaa

Fear sodaa

Feast cidha, nyaachisa

Fence dallaa

Fiancée kaadhimaa

Finger quba

Flag alaabaa

Flood lolaa

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Flower abaaboo, daraaraa

Fly titisa

Foot milla

Forehead adda

Foreign alagaa, orma

Forest bosona

Freedom bilisummaa

Friend michuu

Frown nyaara

Funeral sirna awaalaa

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Garden manduubee

Genital qaama saalaa

Girl dubara

Girlfriend michuu durbaa

Gospel wangeela

Grandfather akaakayyuu

Grandmother akkayyaa

Group garee

Guard Waardiyyaa

Gun qawwee

Hair rifeensa

Hall galma

Hand harka

Handsome bareedaa

Head mataa

Heart onnee, garaa

Heaven bantii waaqaa

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Here as

History seenaa

Holy qulqulluu

House mana

Husband abbaa manaa

Ice cabbii

In front fuul-dura

Inside keessa

Invitation waamicha

Itch cittoo

Job hojii

Joy gammachuu

Justice qajeelummaa

Kidding baaca, tapha

Kidney kalee

Kiss dhunguu

Knee jilba

Lady giiftii

Laughter kolfa

Law seera

Lawyer abbaa seeraa

Leader geggeessaa

Leaf baala

Leg luka

Lesson barumsa, barannoo

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Library mana kitaabaa

License hayyama

Lion leenca
Lip hidhii

Liver tiruu

Lung somba

Mad maraatuu

Man dhiira

Marriage gaa'ela

Mirror of ilaalee

Modern ammayyaa

Monument siidaa

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Mosque masgiida

Mosquito bookee busaa

Mother haadha

Mountain tulluu

Mouth afaan

Nail qeensa

Near dhi’oo

Neck morma

News oduu

Nose funyaan

Notebook waraqaa yaadannoo

Now amma

Ocean garba guddaa

Office waajjira

Outside ala, diida

Palace mana mootummaa

Pastor tiksee

Peace nagaa

Pen kobbee

Pencil qubeessaa

Pharmacy mana qorichaa

Photograph suura

Plate caabii

Poor hiyyeessa

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Prayer kadhata

Preacher Lallaabaa

Pregnant ulfa

Priest luba

Prison mana hidhaa

Prohibition dhowwaa, dhorka

Promise waadaa, kakuu

Quality waandansaa

Quantity baay'ina

Question gaaffii

Rain bokkaa

Rat antuuta

Research qorannoo

Rich sooressa, badhaadhaa

Ring qubeelaa

Rope funyoo

Rural baadiyyaa

Sand cirracha

Schedule sagantaa

School mana barumsaa

Sea garba

Secretary Barreessaa

Shoemaker kophee suphituu

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Shoulder gatiittii

Sin cubbuu

Sing farfachuu, weeddisuu

Sister obboleettii

Skin gogaa

Sky samii

Slavery garbummaa

Sleep irriba/ rafuu

Smoke aara

Snake bofa

Soap saamunaa

Soil biyyoo

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Soldier Loltuu

Son ilma

Song farfaannaa, weedduu

Sorrow gadda

Steal hatuu

Stomach garaacha

Stone dhagaa

Story oduu durii, oduu seenaa qabu

Struggle qabsoo

Student barataa

There achi

Thief hattuu

Thigh luka

Tiger qeerramsa

Tongue arraba

Tooth ilkaan

Translator Jijjiirtuu

Traveler Kara-adeemtuu

Truth dhugaa

Uncle waasiila / eessuma

Valley suluula

Vision mul'ina

Waiter Keessimsiftuu

Wallet korojoo

War waraana, lola

Wedding cidha gaa'elaa

Wife haadha manaa

Window foddaa

Woman dubartii

World addunyaa

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Amharic Words

Bible metsaf qiddus

Bus awtobis

Church bete kritiyaan

Coffee bunaa

East misirak

Excuse me. Yikrita.

How are you? Teanastellegn

Left gira

Letter debdabbea

Map karta

No problem chiggir yellem

Office biro

Ok ishii

Please, ibakon

Right keny

South debub

Tax taksii

Tea shai

Thank you. Ameseginalehu

West mirab

When mechea?

Where yeat?

Yes aon