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Lesson 26

Some Questions and Answers



Questions may or may not consist  of question words  (Lesson 25). The following are some examples of possible questions and their  answers.

Question 1.  Ku sunGw awni gn? = What (who) is your name?
Answer(A):  yi sunGw gaim gn = My name is Gaim
 AwuKwra gn enti? = Whose son are you?  
A: AwteKwra = The son of Awte.

 Question 2.  The question tag  -ma  (Lesson 18) has the same meaning as the Tirgringa word -do .
 ku sunGw gabrema? =    Is your name Gabre?
A1. yewa, yi sunGw Gabre gn = Yes, my name is Gabre

A2. ifalu yi sunGw Gabre aKla = No, my name is not Gabre

NOTE: In Blin, it is normal to answer a question by posing another, confirming question, as in the following (answer to Q1)
A3. yi sunGw Gabre aKet awahabre ariro? = How did you know that my name is Gabre?
A4. yi sunGw Gabre Aket awi duweka? = Who told you that my name is Gabre?

Question 3.  wra yrKun?  = What did you say?  (Lesson 25)
A1. yi sunGw gabre gn yKun = I said my name is Gabre
A2.  lari yli = I didn't say anything (I said nothing).

NOTE: yKun = I said; yli = I didn't say; yna = to say

Question 4. Gabre ystaKw awni ni? Who is what is called Gabre? (who is Gabre?)
A1. an gn = It is me. I am.
A2. Gabre ystaKw an gn = It is me who is called Gabre.
A3. Gabre ystaKw an aKli = It is not me who is called Gabre.
A4: net Gabre ystaKw illa = There is nobody here called Gabre.
A5. Gbare ystaKw enti jerebraKw net illa = The one (Gabre) whom you are looking for is not here.
A6. wra jerebrelu? = What do you want of him?

Question 5.  awil mendertraKun? Where do you live?
A1. net mendertekun = I live here. 
A2. Asmara mendertekun = I live in Asmara.
A3. nan Asmara mendertekun imanaKa Keren Keren mendertu ergKun = I live now in Asmara but I (had) lived in Keren before.
A4. awil mendertet dwelika = I will not tell you where I live.
A5. dwiyaka jerebren entiKr awil mendertret dwile = If you want me to tell you, you also tell me where you live.
A6. wra jerebre an nil mendertaKwsi? = What do you want (of) where I live?
A7. an nil mendertaKwsi  wriKw wenqerdaKunle? = Why do you ask  me where 
I  live?

Question 6.  awil ferdaKun? = where are you going?
A1. mdatiya ferekun = I am going for lunch (mdatna = to eat lunch).
A2. tebdiya ferekun = I am going to study (tebdna = to study).
A3. kol ferekun = I am going home.
A4. laKwl fereli = I am going nowhere.
A5. an nil feraKwsi dwelika = I will not tell you where I am going.

Question  7.  kol awn ferto gn? = When are you going home?
A1. amar = next year
A2. amar dembera = The year after next year.
A3. kol fereli = I will not go home.
A4. kol ferdma yro? Do you think I will go home?
A5.  ashashaKud  feriya gn = I will go soon.
A6. enti ferdakak feriya gn = I wil go when you go.
A7. betaten fereli = I  will never go.

NOTE:  the suffix -li is attached to a verb to show negative, as in 
fereli = I shall not go. 

Question 8.  kol awdi ferto gn? With whom are you going home?
A1. kudi feriya gn = I am going with you.
A2. laKwdi fereli = I am going with nobody.
A3. ytu feriya gn = I am going alone.

Question 9.  kol awti Qwalto gn?  = Whom will you visit (at) home?
A1. yi genat = My mom.
A2. yi shansi = My brothers and sisters.
A3. kut QwalawQ aKla = It is not your concern.  

Question 10.  shka qrish uwenka shai jbito aqtremaka yuKra? = My son, if 
I give you ten dollars, is it sufficient to buy tea?
A1. yewa aqtrele = Yes, it is sufficient for me.
A2.ifalu aqtelale = No, it is not sufficient.
A3. jar uwunkut abbe aqtew gn = Thank you dad it is sufficient.
A4. shka qrishd shahi jbiri tekekwmeka?  = Do you think I can buy tea 
for ten dollars?
A5. nat naKle ima kebtwesi yi gena kodterile = Give me that, my mom will 
add (for me) the balance.
A6. shkad wra isiya geresaKun = What can I do for ten?


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