Prepositions and related grammatical constructions show relationships between people, objects, places, time and actions. They help express meanings such as in, on, at, from, to, with, for, under and between.
Somali does not always use a one-to-one equivalent of an English preposition. Many relationships are expressed through constructions involving other grammatical elements.
Common Somali prepositional meanings
| Somali expression | English meaning |
|---|---|
| ku | in, at, on, with/by |
| ka | from, of/about |
| u | to, for |
| la | with |
| dhex | between/among/inside |
| hoos | under/below |
| korka | on top of |
| agta | beside/near |
| hortiisa | in front of him/it |
| gadaashiisa | behind him/it |
The exact meaning depends on context.
Ku
ku has several uses.
Examples:
Waxaan ku noolahay Nairobi.
I live in Nairobi.
Buuggu wuxuu ku jiraa boorsada.
The book is in the bag.
It can also appear in constructions expressing means or association.
Ka
ka can express meanings such as “from” or “about”.
Waxaan ka imid Muqdisho.
I came from Mogadishu.
Waxaan ka hadlaynaa arrinta.
We are talking about the matter.
U
u can express direction, purpose or benefit.
Waxaan u socdaa guriga.
I am going towards the house.
Waxaan u iibiyey hadiyad.
I bought a gift for him/her.
La
la commonly expresses association or accompaniment.
Waxaan la socdaa saaxiibkay.
I am going with my friend.
Location
Somali has many constructions for describing location.
Miisku wuxuu yaallaa qolka.
The table is in the room.
Buuggu wuxuu saaran yahay miiska.
The book is on the table.
Carruurtu waxay joogaan guriga.
The children are at home.
Direction
Direction can be expressed through combinations involving verbs and grammatical particles.
Wuxuu aadayaa dugsiga.
He is going to school.
Waxaan ka imid suuqa.
I came from the market.
Spatial expressions
Useful expressions include:
agta guriga — near the house
hoosta miiska — under the table
korka miiska — on top of the table
horta guriga — in front of the house
gadaasha guriga — behind the house
dhexda magaalada — in the middle of the city
Why Somali prepositions can be difficult
English learners often expect every English preposition to have exactly one Somali equivalent.
This is not always the case.
The best approach is to learn prepositions and related constructions through complete sentences.