xaas
/ˈħɑ̂ːs/
The Somali word for "wife" is xaas.
xaas is used to refer to a female partner in a marriage.
Meaning: female partner in a marriage (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
xaas is the standard, formal term for wife used in most contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "the wife" in Somali, you add the suffix -ka to the word to form xaaska.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈħɑ̂ːs/
Did you know?
- The word xaas does not have a direct opposite in terms of a single mirrored word for 'husband' that shares the same Proto-Cushitic root for 'family'.
- The Somali term xaas shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the Tsamai word ħeesko, which means 'women'.
- In Somali culture, the concept of 'wife' is often entwined with the role of the household manager, meaning xaas refers to the woman who maintains the domestic sphere and kinship ties.
Examples in context
- Xaasku waa qof aad u naxariis badan.My wife is a very kind person.
- Ma og tahay xaaska qofkaas?Do you know that person's wife?
Example conversation
Farah and Sagal are talking about family at a gathering.
- FarahSagal, ma halkan baa joogta xaaskaaga?Sagal, is your wife here?
- SagalMaya, xaasaydu waxay joogtaa guriga.No, my wife is at home.
- FarahWaa maxay sababtu?What is the reason?
- SagalWaa inay carruurta xannaaneysaa.She has to take care of the children.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry xaas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries xaas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
