Arberesh phrasebook

The Arberesh language (Arbëresh, Arbërisht, or Arbërishte) is similar to the Albanian spoken in Albania and less similar to the Albanian of Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro. Arberesh is derived from the medieval form of Albanian with the same name from which both Arberesh and Albanian are derived. It's mainly spoken by Albanian communities in Southern Italy and Sicily, who have migrated there in medieval times. Learning some basic Arberesh expressions could always come in handy; however, knowing either Italian or Sicilian should be enough for a tourist visiting the Arberesh communities, since all Arberesh people are trilingual. Pronunciation guide For some Arberesh sounds, there is no easy transliteration. Vowels a  like 'a' in "apple" i  like 'ee' in "cheese" u  like 'oo' in "pool" o  like 'o' in "door" e  like 'e' in "bed" ë  like 'i' in "bird" or 'u' in "pull", at the end of a word it is silent Easy Consonants b  like 'b' in "bed" c  like 'ts' in "cats" ç  like 'ch' in "church" t  like 't' in "top" h  like 'ch' in Scottish "loch" (or German "nach") d  like 'd' in "mad" dh  like 'th' in 'then' r  like 'r' in Scottish "row" z  like 'z' in "haze" s  like 's' in "sing" sh  like 'sh' in "sheep" f  like 'f' in "fun" k  like 'k' in "kitten" l  like 'l' in "love" m  like 'm' in "mother" n  like 'n' in "nice" j  like 'y' in "yes" xh  like 'j' in "jam" zh  like 's' in "pleasure" A double 'r' 'rr' is pronounced the same as a single 'r'. Difficult Consonants ll  like 'r' in French "rire" g  as 'll' in the above example hj  like 'ch' in Scottish "loch" followed rapidly by a 'y' in "yet" gj  like 'g' and 'y' in "dogyard" q  like 'k' and 'y' in "dockyard" x  like 'dz' in "adze" When j comes at the end of a word, it is always pronounced in the same way as 'hj'. When b, d, dh, g, gj, ll, x, xh, z, and zh come at the end of a word or before another consonant, they always devoice, e.g. b - p d - t dh - th g - k gj - q ll - h x - c xh - zh z - s zh - sh Phrase list Some commonly understood Arberesh phrases, use either Italian or Sicilian words; these have been shown in quotes below to avoid confusion. Basics Hello.  Falem Welcome!  mirë se na jerdhe How are you?  si rri? (informal), si ë zotrote (strote)? (formal) (I'm) fine.  rri mirë Good  mirë Very well  shumë mirë And you?  e ti? (informal), e zotrote (strote)? (formal) What is your name?  Si të thonë? (informal), Si i thonë? (formal) My name is ______ .  Mua më thonë ______ . Nice to meet you.  Gëzonem të të njoh (informal), Gëzonem të i njoh (formal) How old are you?  Sa vjeç ke? Please.  pi favuri (Arberesh people use the Sicilian form) Thank you.  Të haristis (Arberesh) Grazii (Sicilian) You're welcome  Mosgjë Welcome (welcoming someone).  eja, eja këtu (pronounced "eja htu")(eja ketu means "come here;" eja brenda means "come inside") If God wills (or used as 'hopefully')  na do madh'in'zot Really?  më ftet? Yes.  o, or ara, or ëj No.  jo Maybe  omse, mëndjetë Excuse me. (getting attention)  "perdono" (Italian is used here) Excuse me. (begging pardon)  lip ndjesë I'm sorry.  "sorry" (English is used here) Goodbye   falem Goodbye (informal)  "ciao" (Italian is used here) I don't speak Arberesh [well].  ngë flas [mirë] t'arbërisht Do you speak English?  E flet nglizë? Is there someone here who speaks English?  Isht njeri këtu çë e flet nglizë? Help me!  Më ndih! Okay  Mirë Look out!  Shih! For sure/Of course!  çertu! (sicilian is used here) Good morning.  Mirë menatë Good evening.  Mirë mbrëma Good night.  Natën e mirë I don't know.  Ngë di Where is the toilet (bathroom)?  Te ku ë rritreu? Where is the restroom (in a restaurant)?  Te ku janë rritrenjët? I  U You  ti (informal), zotrote (pronounced "strote") (informal) I understand  Ndrëngonj (or) Kapirta I do not understand  Ngë ndrëngonj (or) Ngë kapirta Sweetheart  zëmbra You're the prettiest of them all  Je më e bukura se të gjithëve! Where are you from?  Ka vjen? Problems Leave me alone  Bëjëm të rri me paqë Stop it Basta! Don't speak to me!  Mos më flit! I'll call the police.  Ka thërres te poliçia Stop!  Sose! Can you help me?  Mënd më ndihësh? I got lost/I'm lost  U zborëm I lost my bag.  Kam zbier thesin I'm sick  Jam sëmurë I want a doctor.  Dua një dutur Can I use your phone?  Mënd lluzar telefoninin tënd? Numbers 1  një 2  di 3  tre 4  kartë 5  pesë 6  gjashtë 7  shtatë 8  tetë 9  nëntë 10  dhjetë 11  njëmbëdhjetë 12  dimbëdhetë 13  trimbëdhjetë 14  kartëmbëdhjetë 15  pesëmbëdhjetë 16  gjashtëmbëdhjetë 17  shtatëmbëdhjetë 18  tetëmbëdhjetë 19  nëntëmbëdhjetë 20  njëzet For the numbers between 20 and 100, the Arberesh people use the Sicilian or Italian words. 100  qind Most numbers after 100 are only expressed in Italian or Sicilian. number _____ (train, bus, etc.)  numri _____ (tren, autobus) half  gjimpsë less  manku more  më Time now  naní later  mëtardu before  përpara morning  menatë afternoon  ditë evening  mbrëma night/nights  natë/netë Clock time What time is it?  Çë herë bën? one o'clock AM  ora isht një two o'clock AM  di menatnet noon  mjesdita one o'clock PM  një ditën two o'clock PM  di ditën midnight  mjesnata Days today  lunedi yesterday  dje tomorrow  nestrë this week  këtë javë last week  java çë shkoi next week  java çë vjen Sunday  dieli Monday  e hënia Tuesday  e martë Wednesday  e mërkurë Thursday  e injtja Friday  e prëmptja Saturday  shtunë Months January  jinar February  shkurte March  mars April  prill May  maj June  korrik July  kërshor August  gusht September  setembri October  otobri November  novembri December  diçembri Colors black  i zi (masculine) e zeza (feminine) white  i barth (masculine) e bardhe (feminine) red  i kuqe (masculine) e kuqe (feminine) blue  axurru yellow  xhall green  virdhi orange  portokal brown  kafe Transportation (Safar) Bus and train How much is a ticket to _____?  Sa vete një biletë pë' ... One ticket to _____, please.  Një bilet pë' ... Where does this bus go?  Te ku vete këtë autobus? ... Does this bus stop in San Giuseppe?  Ki autobus qëndron Murtilat? When does the bus for leave?  Kur ka vete autobusi? When will this bus arrive in Belmonte?  Kur arrëhet Mixanji? Where are you going?  Ku ka veç? Directions How do I get to _____ ?  Si arrënj _____ ? ...the airport?  ...aerejportu? ...Piana?  ...Hora? ...the hotel?  ...albergu? Can you show me on the map?  Mënd më shohësh te hartën? street  dhromi or strata Turn left.  jec tek e shtrëmbra Turn right.  jec tek e drejta straight ahead/infront  dreq towards the _____  deri _______? past the _____  pranë _____ before the _____  përpara _____ up alarta down aposhta Money Do you accept Credit Cards?  Mirrni karta krediti? Can I pay in cash?  Mënd paguanj me granitë? That's cheap!  ë mëre! Expensive!  shtrejtë! Eating A table for one person/two people, please.  Një triesë pë' një/di vete. Can I look at the menu, please?  Mënd shoh menu? Can I look in the kitchen?  Mënd shoh te kuçina? Is there a house specialty?  Isht një speçialitet e shpisë? I'm a vegetarian.  Ngë ha mishtë I don't eat pork.  Ngë ha mishtë derri Can you make it "lite", please? (less oil/butter)  Mënd i ziesh me pak vaj/gjalpë breakfast  collazione (Italian) lunch  pranzo (Italian) I want _____.  Deja ______ chicken  pule meat  mishë fish  pishq ham  mish derri sausage  likënkë cheese  udhos eggs  vezë salad  ncallatë vegetables  virdhurë fruit  frutë bread  bukë toast  tost pasta  brumit beans  fasolla prosciuto  hjiramer May I have a glass of _____?  Mënd më japësh një qelq ________? coffee  kafeu tea   te juice  lunk water  uja beer  birra red/white wine  vera kuqe/bardhe salt  kripë black pepper  mustur butter  gjalpë I'm finished.  kam sosur Bars Do you serve alcohol?  Jipni alkol? Is there table service?  Isht një shërbim te triesën? A beer/two beers, please.  Një/di birrë A pint, please.  A pint, please. (...) A bottle, please.  anniné please One more, please.  Një pameta When is closing time?  Kur mblluin? Authority I haven't done anything.  Ngë bëra gjë I want to talk to a lawyer.  Deja të flisja me një avukatë Asking about language How do you say _____ ?  Si thuhet ...? What is this/that called?  Si thërritet? This is a usable phrasebook. It explains pronunciation and the bare essentials of travel communication. An adventurous person could use it to get by, but please plunge forward and help it grow!