walaal
The Somali word for sister is walaal or huunno.
Meaning: woman or girl having the same parents (noun)
Ways to say it
| Somali |
|---|
| walaal |
| huunno |
walaal is frequently used as a term of endearment or respect for any person, regardless of biological relation, similar to 'brother' or 'sister' in English.
Which one should you use?
The word 'walaal' is gender-neutral and can mean either 'brother' or 'sister'.
Did you know?
- Using walaal in a formal debate or a political speech can be a way to create a feeling of 'oneness' among a crowd.
- The use of walaal for non-relatives mirrors a broader Somali cultural value of treating all members of the community as extended family.
- The word walaal is cognate with the Jiiddu words waláal for brother and walaalé for sister.
Examples in context
- Walaalkay iyo walaashay waa isku mid.My brother and my sister are alike.
Example conversation
Omar is introducing his family to Hodan.
- OmarTani waa walaalThis is my sister.
- HodanAad ayaan ugu faraxsanahay.I am very glad to meet her.
- OmarWalaal waa ardayadMy sister is a student.
- HodanWaa wax aad u fiican.That is very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sister” translations and entries walaal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries walaal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
