Oromo–English Dictionary

Look up Oromo words and get English translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Browse the common-word table below or type a Oromo word into the lookup tool.

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Browse common Oromo vocabulary

Word	Part of speech	Translation	Example
ani	pronoun	I	Ani amma qophaa'eera. I am ready now.
ati	pronoun	you	Ati baay'ee gaaridha. You are very kind.
inni	pronoun	he	Inni obboleessa koo ti. He is my brother.
isheen	pronoun	she	Isheen mana jirti. She is at home.
nuti	pronoun	we	Nuti guyyaa hunda hojjenna. We work every day.
isaan	pronoun	they	Isaan ganama kana dhufan. They came this morning.
maal	pronoun	what	Maqaan kee maal? What is your name?
eessa	adverb	where	Ati eessa jiraatta? Where do you live?
yoom	adverb	when	Isheen yoom dhufti? When will she come?
eenyu	pronoun	who	Balbala irrattii eenyutu jira? Who is at the door?
maaliif	adverb	why	Ati maaliif gaddita? Why are you sad?
akkam	adverb	how	Har'a akkam jirtu? How are you today?
ta'uu	verb	to be	Ani cimaa ta'uu barbaada. I want to be strong.
qabaachuu	verb	to have	Isaan konkolaataa haaraa qabu. They have a new car.
gochuu	verb	to do	Nuti hojii keenya gaarii goona. We do our work well.
deemuu	verb	to go	Ani guyyaa guyyaatti mana barumsaa deema. I go to school daily.
dhufuu	verb	to come	Maaloo gara mana koo kottu. Please come to my house.
arguu	verb	to see	Ani halkan keessaa ji'a arga. I see the moon tonight.
beekuu	verb	to know	Maqaa ishee beektaa? Do you know her name?
yaaduu	verb	to think	Nuti gara fuulduraatti yaadna. We think about the future.
barbaaduu	verb	to want	Ani bishaan qulqulluu muraasa barbaada. I want some clean water.
barbaachisuu	verb	to need	Daa'imman guyyaa hunda nyaata barbaachisa. Children need food every day.
hojjechuu	verb	to make	Isheen buna gaarii hojjetti. She makes good coffee.
fudhachuu	verb	to take	Kitaaba sana gara manaatti fudhadhu. Take the book home.
kennuu	verb	to give	Maaloo bishaan naaf kenni. Give me some water.
jechuu	verb	to say	Inni deebii sana ifatti jedha. He says the answer clearly.
himuu	verb	to tell	Seenaa naa himi. Tell me the story.
gaafachuu	verb	to ask	Ani gaaffii salphaa tokko gaafadha. I ask one simple question.
argachuu	verb	to find	Nuti furtuu bade arganne. We found the lost key.
ilaaluu	verb	to look	Samii ilaali. Look at the sky.
fayyadamuu	verb	to use	Ani guyyaa guyyaatti barcuma kana fayyadama. I use this chair daily.
hojjechuu	verb	to work	Isaan magaalaa keessatti hojjetu. They work in the city.
nyaachuu	verb	to eat	Nuti ganama hunda buddeena nyaanna. We eat bread every morning.
dhuguu	verb	to drink	Isheen aannan ho'aa dhugdi. She drinks warm milk.
rafuu	verb	to sleep	Mucaan sun yeroo duraan rafa. The child sleeps early.
deemuu	verb	to walk	Ani guyyaa guyyaatti hojii deemee miilaan deema. I walk to work daily.
fiiguu	verb	to run	Ilmi sun saffisaan fiiguu danda'a. The boy can run fast.
dubbisuu	verb	to read	Isheen kitaaba haaraa dubbisti. She reads a new book.
barreessuu	verb	to write	Maqaa kee asitti barreessi. Write your name here.
dubbachuu	verb	to speak	Isaan mana keessatti Afaan Oromo dubbatu. They speak Oromo at home.
dhaggeeffachuu	verb	to listen	Barsiisaa of eeggannoodhaan dhaggeeffadhu. Listen to the teacher carefully.
dhaga'uu	verb	to hear	Ani alatti qilleensa dhaga'a. I hear the wind outside.
bituu	verb	to buy	Nuti har'a fuduraa haaraa bitna. We buy fresh fruit today.
gurguruu	verb	to sell	Isaan asitti shaayii gurguru. They sell tea here.
kaffaluu	verb	to pay	Ani amma maallaqa kaffala. I pay the money now.
gargaaruu	verb	to help	Hiriyoonni wal gargaaru. Friends help each other.
jaallachuu	verb	to love	Ani maatii koo baay'een jaalladha. I love my family deeply.
jiraachuu	verb	to live	Isaan laga bira jiraatu. They live near the river.
du'uu	verb	to die	Namni hundi du'uu qaba. All people must die.
barachuu	verb	to learn	Daa'imman mana barumsaa keessatti baratu. Children learn at school.
barsiisuu	verb	to teach	Isheen daa'imman xixiqqoo barsiisti. She teaches small children.
banuu	verb	to open	Maaloo balbala bani. Please open the door.
cufuu	verb	to close	Amma foddaa cufi. Close the window now.
nama	noun	person	Namni hundi kabaja barbaada. Every person needs respect.
dhiira	noun	man	Dhiirri sun baay'ee dheeraadha. The man is very tall.
dubartii	noun	woman	Dubartiin sun barsiistuu koo ti. The woman is my teacher.
mucaa	noun	child	Mucaan sun rafeera. The child is sleeping.
ilma	noun	boy	Ilmi sun saffisaan fiiga. The boy runs quickly.
intala	noun	girl	Intalli sun sirriitti dubbisti. The girl reads well.
maatii	noun	family	Maatiin koo as jiraata. My family lives here.
haadha	noun	mother	Haati koo shaayii qopheessiti. My mother makes tea.
abbaa	noun	father	Abbaan isaa ciminaan hojjeta. His father works hard.
hiriyyaa	noun	friend	Isheen hiriyyaa koo ti. She is my friend.
mana	noun	house	Manni isaanii guddaadha. Their house is big.
mana	noun	home	Ani gara manaatti deemaa jira. I am going home.
mana barumsaa	noun	school	Manni barumsaa yeroo duraan banuu jalqaba. The school opens early.
magaalaa	noun	city	Magaalaan kun baay'ee socho'aa dha. This city is very busy.
biyya	noun	country	Biyyi keenya bareedduu dha. Our country is beautiful.
addunyaa	noun	world	Addunyaan saffisaan jijjiiramaa jirti. The world is changing fast.
karaa	noun	street	Karaan sun dheeraa dha. The street is long.
kutaa	noun	room	Kutaaleen kun qulqulluu dha. This room is clean.
yeroo	noun	time	Yeroon baay'ee saffisaan darba. Time goes very quickly.
guyyaa	noun	day	Har'a guyyaa gaarii dha. Today is a good day.
halkan	noun	night	Halkani sun qabbanaawaadha. The night is cold.
ganama	noun	morning	Ani ganama hunda nan deema. I walk every morning.
galgala	noun	evening	Nuti galgala hunda shaayii dhugna. We drink tea each evening.
torban	noun	week	Torban tokko guyyaa torba qaba. A week has seven days.
ji'a	noun	month	Jiini kun baay'ee hojii qaba. This month is very busy.
waggaa	noun	year	Waggaan kun barbaachisaa dha. This year is important.
har'a	adverb	today	Ani har'a gammadaa dha. I am happy today.
boru	adverb	tomorrow	Nuti boru imalla. We will travel tomorrow.
kaleessa	adverb	yesterday	Inni kaleessa galgala dhufe. He came yesterday evening.
amma	adverb	now	Maaloo amma as kottu. Please come here now.
aduu	noun	sun	Aduun ho'aa dha. The sun is hot.
ji'a	noun	moon	Jiini halkan kana ifaadha. The moon is bright tonight.
urjii	noun	star	Urjiin tokko gubbaa ni ibsa. A star shines above.
samii	noun	sky	Samiin cuquliisa. The sky is blue.
lafaa	noun	earth	Lafti mana keenya. The earth is our home.
ibidda	noun	fire	Ibiddi baay'ee ho'aa dha. The fire is very hot.
bishaan	noun	water	Bishaan baay'ee barbaachisaa dha. Water is very important.
rooba	noun	rain	Roobni tasa dhufe. The rain came suddenly.
qilleensa	noun	wind	Qilleensi har'a cimaa dha. The wind is strong today.
muka	noun	tree	Mukni sun baay'ee dheeraadha. That tree is very tall.
daraaraa	noun	flower	Daraaraan kun bareedduu dha. This flower is beautiful.
gaara	noun	mountain	Gaarri sun baay'ee ol dheerata. The mountain is very high.
laga	noun	river	Lagni saffisaan yaa'a. The river flows quickly.
nyaata	noun	food	Nyaanni qophaa'eera. The food is ready.
buddeena	noun	bread	Ani guyyaa guyyaatti buddeena nyaadha. I eat bread daily.
ruuzii	noun	rice	Nuti halkan kana ruuzii bilcheessina. We cook rice tonight.
foon	noun	meat	Isaan yeroo baay'ee foon nyaatu. They eat meat often.
qurxummii	noun	fish	Nuti qurxummii haaraa bitne. We bought fresh fish.
hanqaaquu	noun	egg	Hanqaaquun cabeera. The egg is broken.
aannan	noun	milk	Aannanni laafaa ho'aa dha. The milk is warm.
fuduraa	noun	fruit	Fuduraan fayyaaaf gaarii dha. Fruit is good for health.
shaayii	noun	tea	Isheen guyyaa guyyaatti shaayii dhugdi. She drinks tea daily.
buna	noun	coffee	Bunni baay'ee gaarii urgaawa. Coffee smells very good.
mataa	noun	head	Mataan koo har'a na dhukkuba. My head hurts today.
ija	noun	eye	Ijji ishee diimaa dha. Her eye is red.
gurra	noun	ear	Gurri koo sirriitti dhaga'a. My ear hears well.
afaan	noun	mouth	Afaan kee bal'inaan bani. Open your mouth wide.
funyaan	noun	nose	Funyaani koo qabbanaawaadha. My nose is cold.
harka	noun	hand	Harka kee sirriitti dhiqadhu. Wash your hand well.
miila	noun	foot	Miilli isaa cimaa dha. His foot is strong.
garaa	noun	heart	Garaan koo tasgabbaa'aa dha. My heart is calm.
maqaa	noun	name	Maqaan kee bareedaa dha. Your name is beautiful.
kitaaba	noun	book	Kitaabni kun haaraa dha. This book is new.
jecha	noun	word	Jechi sun barbaachisaa dha. That word is important.
afaan	noun	language	Afaan namoota baay'ee wal qunnamsiisa. Language connects many people.
maallaqa	noun	money	Ani maallaqa dabalataa barbaada. I need more money.
hojii	noun	work	Hojiin salphaa miti. Work is not easy.
jaalala	noun	love	Jaalalli mana nagaa fida. Love brings peace home.
muuziqaa	noun	music	Ani muuziqaa kana jaalladha. I like this music.
seenaa	noun	story	Seenaan sun baay'ee nama hawwata. The story is very interesting.
karaa	noun	way	Karaan kun salphaadha. This way is easier.
waan	noun	thing	Wanti kun fayyadaa qaba. This thing is useful.
jireenya	noun	life	Jireenyi jijjiirama guutuu dha. Life is full of change.
balbala	noun	door	Balbalni banameera. The door is open.
minjaala	noun	table	Minjaalli qulqulluu dha. The table is clean.
barcuma	noun	chair	Barcumni kun xiqqaa dha. This chair is small.
konkolaataa	noun	car	Konkolaataan sun haaraa dha. The car is new.
gaarii	adjective	good	Nyaanni kun gaarii dha. This food is good.
hamaa	adjective	bad	Bishaan sun hamaa urgaawa. That water smells bad.
guddaa	adjective	big	Manni isaanii guddaa dha. Their house is big.
xiqqaa	adjective	small	Kutaan sun xiqqaa dha. The room is small.
haaraa	adjective	new	Ani kitaaba haaraa bitadhe. I bought a new book.
moofaa	adjective	old	Barcumni kun moofaa dha. This chair is old.
dheeraa	adjective	long	Karaan sun dheeraa dha. The road is long.
gabaabaa	adjective	short	Seenaan sun gabaabaa dha. The story is short.
ol'aanaa	adjective	high	Gaarri sun ol'aanaa dha. That mountain is high.
gadaanaa	adjective	low	Minjaalli sun gadaanaa dha. The table is low.
ho'aa	adjective	hot	Shaayiin ho'aa dha. The tea is hot.
qabbanaa'aa	adjective	cold	Bishaanichi qabbanaa'aa dha. The water is cold.
gammadaa	adjective	happy	Daa'imman gammadoo dha. The children are happy.
gaddaa	adjective	sad	Isheen har'a gadditi. She feels sad today.
bareedaa	adjective	beautiful	Daraaraan sun bareedaa dha. The flower is beautiful.
salphaa	adjective	easy	Hojiin kun salphaa dha. This work is easy.
jabaa	adjective	hard	Hojiin kun jabaa dha. This work is hard.
saffisaa	adjective	fast	Konkolaataan sun saffisaa dha. The car is fast.
suuta	adjective	slow	Dhiirri moofaan suuta deema. The old man walks slow.
sirrii	adjective	right	Deebiin kee sirrii dha. Your answer is right.
dogoggoraa	adjective	wrong	Deebiin sun dogoggoraa dha. That answer is wrong.
barbaachisaa	adjective	important	Bishaan jireenyaaf barbaachisaa dha. Water is important for life.
dhugaa	adjective	true	Seenaan isaa dhugaa dha. His story is true.
guutuu	adjective	full	Xoofoon guutuu dha. The cup is full.
duwwaa	adjective	empty	Kutaan sun duwwaa dha. The room is empty.
dargaggoo	adjective	young	Ilmi sun dargaggoo dha. The boy is young.
cimaa	adjective	strong	Dhiirri sun cimaa dha. That man is strong.
laafaa	adjective	weak	Inni har'a laafaa ta'e. He feels weak today.
diimaa	adjective	red	Daraaraan sun diimaa dha. The flower is red.
cuquliisa	adjective	blue	Samiin cuquliisa. The sky is blue.
magariisa	adjective	green	Mukni sun magariisa. The tree is green.
keelloo	adjective	yellow	Daraaraan sun keelloo dha. The flower is yellow.
gurraacha	adjective	black	Konkolaataan sun gurraacha dha. The car is black.
adii	adjective	white	Aannanni adii dha. The milk is white.
eeyyee	interjection	yes	Eeyyee, ani amma nan hubadha. Yes, I understand now.
lakki	interjection	no	Lakki, ani hin beeku. No, I do not know.
hin	adverb	not	Ani qophaa'aa hin jiru. I am not ready.
fi	conjunction	and	Shaayii fi buddeenni qophaa'aniiru. Tea and bread are ready.
ykn	conjunction	or	Shaayii ykn buna gaarii dha. Tea or coffee is fine.
garuu	conjunction	but	Ani dadhabeera, garuu gammadaa dha. I am tired, but happy.
yoo	conjunction	if	Yoo dhufte, na bilbili. If you come, call me.
sababni isaas	conjunction	because	Ani mana ture sababni isaas roobni roobe. I stayed home because rain fell.
wajjin	preposition	with	Ani hiriyyaa koo wajjin dhufe. I came with my friend.
malee	preposition	without	Inni maallaqa malee deeme. He left without money.
dhaaf	preposition	for	Kennaan kun siif dha. This gift is for you.
irraa	preposition	from	Isheen mana barumsaa irraa dhufte. She came from school.
gara	preposition	to	Nuti gara magaalaatti deemne. We went to the city.