adiga
/ʔɑ̀ˈdɪ́ɡɑ̀/
The Somali word for 'you' is adiga.
adiga is used as a subject pronoun to address a single person.
Meaning: subject pronoun: the person being addressed (pron)
How does it change in a sentence?
The form adiga is used specifically to refer to the singular 'you'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʔɑ̀ˈdɪ́ɡɑ̀/
Did you know?
- The term adiga originates from an ancient Proto-Afroasiatic root *ʔanti, which is shared by a vast family of languages across North Africa and the Middle East.
- To show high respect, speakers may avoid adiga and instead use a kinship term or a title to address someone.
- In casual conversation, adiga is often left out entirely because the ending of the verb already indicates that the subject is 'you'.
Examples in context
- Adiga ayaa sax ah.You are the one who is right.
- Ma adiga baa soconaya?Is it you who is going?
- Adiga ayaa saaxiibkay ah.You are my friend.
Example conversation
Mustafa and Yasmin are talking about who will cook dinner.
- MustafaYasminka, adiga ayaa cunto karsanaya caawa.Yasmin, you are cooking the food tonight.
- YasminMaxay tahay sababtu?What is the reason?
- MustafaSababtoo ah waan mashquulsanahay.Because I am busy.
- YasminHaa, waan karsanayaa.Yes, I will cook it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries adiga, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries adiga, CC BY-SA 4.0.
