Common Expressions in Vogu

• Greetings
  • da`gnesn 'Hello' (lit. 'be well')
  • sla`thap thu ma 'Welcome' (lit. 'it is good you are here')
  • prihvyeta`sn (mi`slehonza) 'Greetings' (lit. 'many (happy) greetings')
  • do`sutoz ani` (apana`) 'May I present (someone)?'
  • u`slehonza oche`piht tha 'Pleased to meet you.' (lit. 'the meeting you pleases')
• Inquiries
  • Informal:
    • u`povep 'What's up?' (lit. 'it is what?')
    • vo`vni ka`te 'What's new? How are things?' (lit. 'what sort of news?')
    • na`snalo 'Not much.' (lit. 'few much')
    • budorga`kalo 'Not bad.' (lit. 'no few troubles')
    • pa`thap thu`ta dyu 'How are you?' (lit. 'goodness is with you?')
    • pathapa`sn 'Very well.' (lit. 'much goodness')
    • slehonzaka`l 'Fine.' (lit. 'completely happy')
    • e`bihr thu`ta dyu. 'And you?'
  • Polite:
    • hubenzo`tathu 'How are you?' (lit. 'your what sort circumstances')
    • u`slathap na`thani 'Well' (lit. 'mine are good')
    • e`bihr na`thu dyu 'And you?' (lit. 'and yours?')
  • Formal:
    • hubenzo`te thu`ta 'How are you?' (lit. 'what sort circumstances with-you')
    • na`slathap a`nita 'Well' (lit. 'good ones with-me')
    • e`bihr thu`ta dyu 'And you?' (lit. 'and with-you')
• Goodbyes
  • da`gnesn 'Goodbye' (lit. 'be well')
  • p`athap naba`nda 'Farewell' (lit. 'goodness always')
  • da`vihd go`rosl 'See you soon' (lit. 'may see the soonest')
  • go`rosl
  • na`brazgish na`vgre 'Au revoir' (lit. 'until the next meeting')
  • selema`t opu`lav 'Bon voyage, farewell' (lit. 'peace by going')
• Miscellaneous
  • do`zhishkutniko 'Excuse me' (lit. 'may (you) forgive')
  • da tsya`spel thu`ta 'Congratulations' (lit. 'may you be praised/approved')
  • pabo` thi 'Thank you' (lit. 'thanks to you')
  • pabo`sn 'Many thanks'
  • dagu`k 'Don't mention it' (lit. 'don't speak')
  • kdasi` 'Please'
  • (da`dar) tsema` 'Help!'
  • a`vep, kdasi` 'Who is it?'
  • u`kush X navpa` 'What does X mean?'
  • u`gu thu navpa` 'What did you say?'
  • u`slihvrya ani` 'I am certain.'
  • udata`k ani` 'I don't know.'
  • unyata`k ani` 'I don't understand.'
  • da`guri kdasi` 'Please repeat that.'
  • da`gu kdasi` thih`meduzg 'Please speak more slowly.'
  • u`gu ani` vo`guv na`lokta 'I only speak Vogu a little.'
  • da`gu 'Say "When".'
  • u`pombo 'Enough.'
  • u`polo 'More'
  • u`popoka 'A little bit more.'
  • u`polshu 'Too much."
  • selema`t ople`shtav 'Bon appetit.'

© 1998, Terrence Donnelly