basali
The Somali word for pink is basali.
basali is an adjective used to describe a color that is between red and white.
Meaning: colored/coloured between red and white (adj)
Did you know?
- If you are describing a person's complexion, using 'basali' might be confusing. Instead of using 'pink', Somali speakers often use words related to 'bright' or 'radiant' to describe healthy, glowing skin.
- In some Somali dialects, the concept of 'pink' is treated as a subset of 'red' rather than a distinct primary color category. This means the grammatical relationship between 'basali' and 'casaan' is much tighter than between 'pink' and 'red' in English.
- If you want to describe a specific shade of pink for a flower, a speaker might bypass 'basali' entirely and use the phrase 'midabka casaan khafiif ah', meaning 'a light red color'.
Examples in context
- Ubaxu waa mid basali ah.The flower is a pink one.
Example conversation
Farah and Nimco are choosing a gift for a friend.
- FarahMa jeceshahay boorsadan basali ah?Do you like this pink bag?
- NimcoHaa, waa mid aad u qurux badan.Yes, it is very beautiful.
- FarahNimco, ma u malaynaysaa inay ku habboon tahay?Nimco, do you think it suits her?
- NimcoHaa, midabka basali ahi waa mid aad u wanaagsan.Yes, the pink color is very good.
