dhar
The Somali word for dress is dhar.
The word dhar can refer to a single item of clothing that covers the upper body and includes a skirt, but it is more commonly used as a collective noun meaning clothes or clothing in general.
Meaning: item of clothing which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirt below the waist (noun)
Which one should you use?
While dhar is a general term for clothes or a dress, dirac is a more specific term used to describe a traditional Somali long dress worn by women.
How does it change in a sentence?
To create the definite form meaning 'the dress' or 'the clothes', you can add the suffix -ka or -ta to the word to form dharka.
Did you know?
- In Somali culture, the colors and patterns of a woman's dirac can sometimes signal her marital status or the specific nature of a celebration she is attending.
- While dhar is the general word for clothing, the traditional dirac is often worn over a gorgorad, a underskirt that prevents the sheer fabric of the dress from being see-through.
- A dirac is typically made from very lightweight, flowing fabric and is intentionally oversized to allow for air circulation in the hot Horn of Africa climate.
Example conversation
Hodan and Abdirashid are talking about a party.
- HodanAbdirashid, ma aragtay dharka aan iibsaday?Abdirashid, did you see the dress I bought?
- AbdirashidMaya, xagee ku jiraa?No, where is it?
- HodanWaa dhar buluug ah oo aad u qurux badan.It is a very beautiful blue dress.
- AbdirashidHubaal aad ayaad ugu qurux badnaan doontaa.I am sure you will look very beautiful in it.
