walaal
The Somali word for brother is walaal.
The term walaal is used to mean a brother, a sister or a sibling. In social contexts, it is also frequently used as a friendly term of address for any person, much like the English words 'friend' or 'mate'.
Meaning: male sibling (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word Jaalle is an informal term used to address a friend or someone of the same age.
Did you know?
- In certain Somali poetic traditions, the concept of being walaal is used to bridge tribal divides and promote unity.
- The word walaal is so versatile that it can function as a noun for 'sibling' and also as an adjective to mean 'equal' or 'peer'.
- In many Somali social interactions, you might call a complete stranger walaal to establish a sense of kinship and peace.
Examples in context
- Walaal ayaa ii dhashay.I have a brother.
- Ma haystaa walaal?Do you have a brother?
Example conversation
Mustafa and Sagal are talking about their families.
- MustafaSagal, ma haysaa walaal?Sagal, do you have a brother?
- SagalHaa, hal walaal ayaan leeyahay.Yes, I have one brother.
- MustafaXagee ayuu deggan yahay?Where does he live?
- SagalWalaalkay wuxuu deggan yahay magaalada.My brother lives in the city.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brother” translations and entries walaal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
