ri'
The Somali word for "goat" is ri'.
ri' is used to refer to the animal known as a goat.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Did you know?
- In Somali culture, a ri' is often used as a form of traditional payment or bride price, where the animal acts as a living currency.
- The counting systems used for a herd of ri' can differ from standard numbers, utilizing a specialized pastoralist counting logic.
- The goat is central to the Somali nomadic identity, often appearing in traditional poetry as a metaphor for resilience and survival in the arid landscape.
Examples in context
- Waxaan rabaa inaan iibsado ri'.I want to buy a goat.
- Ri' ayaa haraysan.A goat is left over.
Example conversation
Farah and Nimco are talking about their farm animals.
- FarahMa aragtay ri'dii weynayd?Did you see the big goat?
- NimcoHaa, ri'du waxay joogtaa geedka hoostiisa.Yes, the goat is under the tree.
- FarahWaa inay cunto heshaa hadda.It needs to get food now.
- NimcoWaan siinayaa cawska hadda.I will give it grass now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goat” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
