A collection of useful phrases in Vai (ꕙꔤ), a Mande language spoken in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
Key to abbreviations: sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).
| Phrase | ꕙꔤ (Vai) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | ꔻꔤꕯꕊ ꘈ! (siinaã mɛ!) - sg ꕴ ꔻꔤꕯꕊ ꘈ! (wo siinaã mɛ!) -pl |
| Hello (General greeting) | ꘋꕯ ꖬꕎ ꘃꗡ ꗪ ꔤ ꕮ (ŋna suwa kɛɛ ɓɛ i ma) - sg ꘋꕯ ꖬꕎ ꘃꗡ ꗪ ꕴ ꕮ (ŋna suwa kɛɛ ɓɛ wo ma) - pl |
| Hello (on phone) | ꗥꖃꕱ (hɛ̃loo) |
| How are you? | ꔤ ꕺꖃ ꗏ? (i kpolo lɔ?) - sg ꕴ ꕺꖃ ꗏ? (wo kpolo lɔ?) - pl |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | ꕪꔖ ꔇꔀ ꕪꘋꕓ ꕮꔧ! (kase ɓee kãmɓa mahĩ!) - grace be to God ꘋ ꕺꖃ ꗏ ꔇꔀ ꗪꗡꕯ (ŋ kpolo lɔ ɓee ɓɛɛna!) - I'm not feeling well ꘋ ꕺꖃ ꗏ ꕧꕌꕩꕌꔒ ꖷ! (ŋ kpolo lɔ jahayahale mu!) - I'm sick |
| Long time no see | ꕉ ꗱ ꕧꘋ! (a fɛ jã!) ꕉ ꕆꘊ! (a miɲɛ!) |
| What's your name? | ꔤ ꗋꖺꗡ? (i tɔɔɛ?) - What’s your first name? ꕩ ꔽꔤ ꗋꖺꗡ? (ya zii tɔɔɛ?) - What’s your surname? |
| My name is ... | ꘋ ꗋꘋ ... (ŋ tɔŋ) - My first name is ... ꘋꕯ ꔽꔤ ꗋꖺꗡ ꗋꘋ ... ( ŋna zii tɔɔɛ tɔŋ) - My surname is ... |
| Where are you from? | ꔤ ꗃꕎ ꕆꕰ? (i ɓɔwa miɲa?) - sg ꕴ ꗃꕎ ꕆꕰ? (wo ɓɔwa miɲa?) - pl |
| I'm from ... | ꘋ ꗃꕎ ... (ŋ ɓɔwa ...) - sg ꖷ ꗃꕎ ... (mu ɓɔwa ..) - pl |
| Pleased to meet you | ꘋ ꕘꕞ ꕢꔒ ꖷ ꘃꖷ ꖷꕊ ꗠꖻ ꔛ! (ŋ fala sale mu kɛmu muã ɲɔɔ̃ je!) |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
ꕩ ꖴꘉ (ya kunɛ) - sg ꕴꕎ ꖴꘉ (wowa kunɛ) - pl |
| Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
ꔤ ꗪ ꖸ? (i ɓɛ nu?) - sg ꕴ ꗪ ꖸ? (wo ɓɛ nu?) - pl |
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
ꔤ ꗪ ꖸ? (i ɓɛ nu?) - sg ꕴ ꗪ ꖸ? (wo ɓɛ nu?) - pl |
| Good night | ꔤ ꘀꔤꕮ! (i jɛima!) - sg ꕴ ꘀꔤꕮ! (wo jɛima!) - pl |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
ꘀꗡ ꕮ! (jɛɛ ma!) |
| Good luck! | ꕪꘋꕓ ꘂꔤ ꕧꕌ ꕪ! (kaŋmɓa yɛi jaha ka!) - sg ꕪꘋꕓꔤ ꕴ ꕧꕌ ꕪ! (kaŋmɓai wo jaha ka!) - pl |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
ꗕꗕ! (zɔzɔ!) ꕺꖃ ꗏ ꔳꘂ! (kpolo lɔ tiyɛ!) |
| Have a nice day | ꕪꘋꕓꔤ ꔎꔒ ꗪꗡꕯ ꕢ ꔤ ꔝ! (kaŋmɓai tele ɓɛɛna sa i ye!) - sg ꕪꘋꕓꔤ ꔎꔒ ꗪꗡꕯ ꕴ ꔝ! (kaŋmɓai tele ɓɛɛna wo ye!) - pl |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
ꗏꘋ ꔌꘋꗣꔧ ꕢ ꔤ ꕘꕞ ꕮ ꕘꕊ! (lɔŋ feŋŋɛ̃hĩ sa i fala ma faã!) - sg ꗏꘋ ꔌꘋꗣꔧ ꕢ ꕴ ꕘꕞ ꕮ ꕘꕊ! (lɔŋ feŋŋɛ̃hĩ sa wo fala ma faã!) - pl |
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
ꕪꘋꕓ ꘂꔤ ꖴꕮ ꗱꗡ! (kaŋmɓa yɛi kuma fɛɛ!) - sg ꕪꘋꕓꔤ ꕴ ꖴꕮ ꗱꗡ! (kaŋmɓai wo kuma fɛɛ!) - pl |
| Yes | ꗡꗥ! (ɛhɛ̃!) |
| No | ꔉꔒ! (kpele!) |
| Maybe | ꗓꗃꖺ ꕴꔤ! (sɔɓɔɔ woi!) |
| I don't know | ꘋ ꕮ ꕉ ꗏ ꗓ! (ŋ ma a lɔ sɔ!) |
| Do you understand? | ꕩꕌ ꕧ ꔛ? (yaha ja je?) - sg ꕴꕎꕌ ꕧ ꔛ? (wowaha ja je?) - pl |
| I understand | ꘋꕯꕊ ꕧ ꔛ! (ŋnaã ja je) |
| I don't understand | ꘋ ꕮ ꕉ ꕧ ꔛ (ŋ ma a ja je) |
| Please speak more slowly | ꖏꕎꔀ ꔒꘋ ꕚꕌꕮꕊ (kowae leŋ tahamaã) |
| Please say that again | ꗛꘉꗢ, ꔤ ꗉ ꗏ ꗏꗒ (kɔnɛɛ̃, i fɔ lɔ lɔnɗɔ) - sg ꗛꘉꗢ, ꘀꗡ ꗏ ꖸ (kɔnɛɛ̃, jɛɛ lɔ nu) - pl |
| Please write it down | ꗛꘉꗢ, ꔤ ꘊꔧ ꕺꖃ ꕮ (kɔnɛɛ̃, i ɲɛhĩ kpolo ma) |
| Do you speak English? | ꔤ ꕶꕱ ꖨꖕꕴꕱꔀ ꗉ ꕎ ꘃ? (i poo luuwooe fɔ wa kɛ?) |
| Do you speak Vai? | ꔤ ꕙꔤ ꖨꖕꕴꕱꔀ ꗉ ꕎ ꘃ? (i vai luuwooe fɔ wa kɛ?) |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
ꗡꗥ, ꕉ ꔒꘋ (ɛhɛ̃, a leŋ) |
| Do you speak a language other than Vai? |
ꔤ ꖨꖕꕴꕱ ꕮꔕ ꗉ ꕉꔤ ꗉꖺ ꕙꔤ ꖨꖕꕴꕱꔀ ꕮ? (i luuwoo manɗe fɔ ai fɔɔ vai luuwooe ma?) |
| Speak to me in Vai | ꖏꕎꔀ ꘋ ꕒꕌ ꕙꔤ ꖨꖕꕴꕱꔀ ꗏ (kowae ŋ ɓaha vai luuwooe lɔ) |
| How do you say ... in Vai? | ꗞ ꕩꕌ ꗉ ꕪꕮ ꕙꔤ ꖨꖕꕴꕱꔀ ꗏ ...? (mɔ yaha fɔ kama vai luuwooe lɔ ...?) |
| Excuse me | ꕪ ꕙꔤ! (ka vai!) |
| How much is this? | ꕪꕮ ꖷ ꕉ ꘃ ꕞ? (kama mu a kɛ la?) |
| Sorry | ꕌꘃ ꕿ! (hakɛ to!) |
| Please | ꗛꘉꗢ (kɔnɛɛ̃) |
| Thank you | ꔤ ꕒꔤꕪ (i ɓaika) - sg ꕴ ꕒꔤꕪ (wo ɓaika) - pl |
| Reply to thank you | ꔤ ꗨꗡ ꔤ ꕒꔤ ꕪ (i pɛɛ i ɓai ka) - sg ꕴ ꗨꗡ ꕴ ꕒꔤ ꕪ (wo pɛɛ wo ɓai ka) - pl |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | ꗋꖺꔒꔀ ꗪ ꕆꕰ? (tɔɔlee ɓɛ miɲa?) ꖏ ꖴꖕꘂ ꗪ ꕆꕰ? (ko kuuyɛ ɓɛ miɲa?) |
| This gentleman will pay for everything | ꕪꔤ ꕘꕞ ꕮ ꕈꕰꔒ ꘈꗢ ꕎꔤ ꕉ ꔰ ꕐꕌꕎ ꘃꕩ. (kai fala ma ɲiɲale mɛɛ̃ wai a gbi pahawa kɛya.) |
| This lady will pay for everything | ꖷꖬ ꕘꕞ ꕮ ꕈꕰꔒ ꘈꗢ ꕎꔤ ꕉ ꔰ ꕐꕌꕎ ꘃꕩ. (musu fala ma ɲiɲale mɛɛ̃ wai a gbi pahawa kɛya) |
| Would you like to dance with me? | ꔤ ꕴꕱꕎ ꔤ ꗵꘋꔻ ꘃ ꘋꕡ? (i woowa i dɛŋsi kɛ ŋnɗa?) |
| Do you come here often? | ꔤ ꕯ ꕎ ꘃ ꕇꘊ ꗨꗡꗨꗡ? (i na wa kɛ niɲɛ pɛɛpɛɛ?) |
| I miss you | ꕩ ꖏ ꔞꔀ ꕞ ꘋ ꕮ ꕎ ꘃ (ya ko kee la ŋ ma wa kɛ) |
| I love you | ꘋꕯ ꔤ ꔷꕩ (ŋna i liya) - sg ꘋꕯ ꕴ ꔷꕩ (ŋna wo liya) - pl |
| Get well soon | ꕺꖃ ꗏ ꔳꘂꔤ ꕯ ꕢ ꕩ ꖏꕎ ꕘꕊ! (kpolo lɔ tiyɛi na sa ya kowa faã!) |
| Go away! | ꔇꔀ ꕇꘊ ꕮ! (ɓee niɲɛ ma!) |
| Leave me alone! | ꔤ ꕸꖃ ꕪ ꘋꕡ! (i ɓolo ka ŋnɗa!) - sg ꕴ ꕸꖃ ꕪ ꘋꕡ! (wo ɓolo ka ŋnɗa!) - pl |
| Help! | ꕴ ꕯ ꘋꔜ! (wo na ŋnje!) |
| Fire! | |
| Stop! | ꖏꖃ! (kolo!) - stop doing ꗓ! (sɔ) - stop moving |
| Call the police! | ꕶꔤꔻꘂ ꖸ ꔞꔀ! (poisiyɛ nu kee!) |
| Christmas greetings | ꔞꔻꕮꔻ ꖬꕎ ꘃ (kesimasi suwa kɛ) |
| New Year greetings | ꕢꘋ ꕯꕮ ꖬꕎ ꘃ (saŋ nama suwa kɛ) |
| Easter greetings | |
| Birthday greetings | ꕴꖃ ꔎꔒ ꖬꕎ ꘃ (wolo tele suwa kɛ) |
| Congratulations! | ꔤ ꗻꗡ (i sɛɛ) - sg ꕴ ꗻꗡ (wo sɛɛ) - pl |
| One language is never enough | ꖨꖕꕴꕱ ꗅ ꗏꗒ ꔇꔀ ꖴꘋ ꕇ ꕗ (luuwoo kpɔ lɔnɗɔ ɓee kuŋ ni gba) |
| My hovercraft is full of eels | ꕚ ꕪꕊ ꕔꔤ ꗪ ꘋꕡ (ta kaã kpai ɓɛ ŋnɗa) |
Phrases provided by Tombekai V. Sherman and Charles Riley
Transliterations in the ALA-LC transliteration system from
https://www.translitteration.com/transliteration/en/vai/ala-lc/
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Information about Vai | Vai syllabary | Phrases | Numbers
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