wiil
/ˈwîːl/
The Somali word for boy is wiil.
wiil can be used to refer to a son or any male child, regardless of age.
Meaning: male child (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the definite article suffix -ka to wiil results in wiilka, meaning 'the boy'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈwîːl/
Did you know?
- Linguists suggest wiil might be related to the Oromo word wa'ela, meaning 'bastard'.
Examples in context
- Wiilkaas yar waa uu orday.That little boy ran.
- Ma aragtaa wiilkaas ku ciyaaraya?Do you see that boy playing?
Example conversation
Hodan and Omar are talking about a new neighbor.
- HodanMa aragtay wiilka cusub?Did you see the new boy?
- OmarMaya, xagee jooga?No, where is he?
- HodanWiilka ayaa dibadda taagan.The boy is standing outside.
- OmarWaan arki karaa hadda.I can see him now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry wiil, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries wiil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
