A Sambahsa Phrasebook

(Special thanks to S.Rice: )

This work has been conceived in order to provide you with a fair number of Sambahsa phrases for basic communication abroad. It does not contain grammatical indicationsexplanations, which are already available in English on at (See: “Sambahsa Grammar in English”). The pronounciation will not be neither indicated either, except in a few cases, where the Sambahsa Phonetic Transcription will be used.

However, two important points have to be remembered before going further.

1° To address someone, Sambahsa distinguishes at in the second person singular between the common informal pronoun “tu” (te, tib, tien; present ending: -s ;s; past ending: -(i)st(a) ) and the courtesy pronoun “yu” (vos, vos, vies [voster]; present ending : -t(e); past ending: -at) which is the pronoun for the second person plural too.

In general, “tu” is only used with young children, and close friends and relatives. As you are more likely to meet abroad persons you did not know previously, most phrases of this handbook will use “yu”. Nevertheless, be aware that this usage varies from country to country.

2° Though it is a very naturalistic auxiliary language, Sambahsa is neutral. Therefore, speakers will often tend to render directly into Sambahsa the wording that exists in their native language.

For example, one will may translate “There are five rooms in the hotel” as:

(Ter) sont penkwe kamers in id hotel.

But a speaker of Hindi or Urdu will probably prefer:

In hotel penkwe kamers sont

(Hindi/Urdu): Hotal mê pâc kamre haî

Likewise, “Can you translate for me” corresponds to:

Maghte yu tarjmes pro me ?me?

But a speaker of Arabic may use a calque from his/her own language:

Mumkin an tu tarjems mi ?

(In Arabic): Mumkin tutarjimu lî ?

Yes ! / Ya (after a negative question: si )
No ! / No !
Thank you ! / Dank ! Mersie [mërsI:]
pleasePlease / Plais [pläs]
How are you ?you? / Kam leitte yu ?
Fine / Leito
Good bye / Do reviden / Khuda hafiz / Chao
I don’t know / Ne gnohm [në nyôm]
Cheerio !Cheerio! / Prosit !
“dDon’t mention it”. / Obligat
Excuse me !me! / Excuset me ! [ekskÜzd me]
Sorry !Sorry! / Maaf !
What a pity !pity! / Sayang !
Pardon !Pardon! / Pardon !
OK / OK(ey) / Tamam
Have a good meal !meal! / Sell appetite !
Pleased to meet you. / marba

Words found in nearly every sentence

Maybemaybe, perhaps / maghses
and / ed
or / au
With with (accompanied by) / con
without / aun

The most important questions

Is/are there a(n)… ? / Est/sont (ter) un… ?
Do you have …? / Habte yu… ?
Where is/are… ? / Quer [ker] est/sont …. ?
Where can I… ? / Quer magho io…. ?
How much is it ? / Qua cost idd ?
Can you help me ?me? / Maghte yu hehlpe me ?
Is there a bus to… ? / Est un bus kye… ?
What’s your name ?name? / Quod est vies nam ?
How old are you ?you? / Kam yarat ste yu ?
Where do you come from ?from? / Quetos yu ?
What time ?time? / Ye quod saat ?
What’s that ?that? / Quod est tod ?

Directions

To to the right / dextro
To to the left / levtro
Straight straight on / seid
outside / exo
inside / eni
here / her
there / ter
Traffic traffic light / boik
forward / perodh
backwards / retro
Near near / far / Prokwe(m) / dalg (ud)

Time

yesterday / ghes
today / hoyd
tomorrow / cras
Last last (in time) / akhire
morning / Aghyern aghyern [Agyërn]
afternoon / posmiddien
evening / vesper
Every every day / cadadien
Early early / late / Aus aus / sert
On on time / Barwaktbarwakt; barsaat
now / nun
Soon soon (adverb) / mox
never / Naiwnaiw(o)
often / ops
always / semper
immediately / fauran

Nothing understood Do you understand?

I don’t speak much Sambahsa.a lot / Ne bahm maung Sambahsa
I don’t understand. / Io ne prete
Do you know someone who speaks English / French / Spanish / Arabic / Russian ?Russian? / Gnohte yu [nyôt_yu] semanghen [sëmAngën] quel [kel] baht Englisch / Franceois [frantsëOys] / Espaniol / Arab / Rusk ?
How do you say that in Sambahsa ?Sambahsa? / Kam saycte yu tod in Sambahsa ?
What does it mean ?mean? / Quod maynt tod ?
How do you pronounce this word ?word? / Kam pronuncet [pronUntsët] yu tod werd ?
Can you repeat ?repeat? / Maghte yu repetihes ? [rëpëtÎs]
Could you write it down ?down? / Maghte yu scribe id ?
Can you speak more slowly ?slowly? / Maghte yu bahe lenter ?
I haven’t understood everything. / Ne ho prete(t/n) hol

Important adjectives

Nice - ugly / Jamile - biaur
Expensive - cheap / Dorgv - ieftin
Long - short / Long - cort
Open - closed / Ghyan(t/en) – clus/cluden [klÜdën]
Rich - poor / Riche - orm
Hot - cold / Chald - srig
Clean - dirty / Kiest - murdar
(physically) strong - weak / Nert - slab
(figuratively) strong - weak / Akster - muzlim
High - low / Hog - ghem
Dry - wet / Siuk - madh
Fast - slow / Oku - lent
Previous - new / Prev - nov
Old - young / Veut - yun
A lot – a little / Meg - lyt
Many - few / Maung - pau
Free - engaged / Leur - maschkhoul
Easy - difficult / Facil - difficil
Hard - soft / Kaurd - mliak
Stupid - clever / Stupid - clever
Dark - bright / Deusk – bert
Neat - nasty / Latif - peigher

Important verbs

(s) indicates where the use of the sigmatic aorist is, de facto, compulsory. – indicates when the past endings are compulsory.

English / Verbal stem / infinitive / Past stem / Past participles
be / es / ses / (irregular) / Estest/esen
become / bih / bihe / Bihbih(s)- / Bihtbiht/bihn
begin / inkap / inkape / inkiep / Inkapt/inkapen
blow / blah / blahe / Blahblah(s)- / Blahtblaht/blahn
break / brehg / Brehge brehge [bre:dj] / brohg / Brohctbrohct/brohgen [brO:djën]
build / (con)strug / (con)struge [(kon)strÜdj] / (con)strux- / (con)struct/(con)strugen
buy / kaup / kaupe / kieup / Kauptkaupt/kaupen
catch / kap / kape / kiep / Kaptkapt/kapen
come / gwehm / gwehme / gwohm / Gwohmtgwohmt/gwohmen
cut / seg / Sege sege [sedj] / Segseg- / Sectsect/segen
do / kwehr / kwehre / kwohr / Kwohrtkwohrt/kwohrn
drink / poh / poh / Pohpoh(s)- / Pohtpoht/pohn
drive / wehgh / wehghe / wohgh / Wohghtwohght/wohghen
eat / edd / edd / ess / Essess/edden
fall / fall / falle / fiell / Falltfallt/fallen
feel / kheiss / khisses / khiss / Khisstkhisst/khissen
find / trehv / trehve / trohv / Trohfttrohft/trohven
fly / pleuk / Plukes plukes [plüks] / pluk / Pluctpluct/pluken
forget / myehrs / myehrse / myohrs / Myohrstmyohrst/myohrsen
Get, obtain / dak / dake / diek / Dactdact/daken
give / dah / dahe / Dahdah(s)- / Dahtdaht/dahn
go / gwah / gwahe / Gwahgwah(s)- / Gwahtgwaht/gwahn
have / hab / habe / hieb / Habthabt/haben
hit / heih / Hihes hihes [hi:s] / hih / Hihthiht/hihn
know / gnoh / gnohe / Gnohgnoh(s)- / Gnohtgnoht/gnohn
leave / linekw / linkwes / likw / Likwtlikwt/likwn
lose / leus / Luses luses [lÜzës] / lus / Lustlust/lusen
make / makh / makhe / miekh / Makhtmakht/makhen
meet / ghat / ghate / ghiet / Ghatghat/ghaten
put / deh / dehe / Dehdeh(s)- / Dehtdeht/dehn
read / leis / Lises lises [lIzës] / lis / Listlist/lisen
run / curr / curre / curs / Curscurs/curren
say / sayg / Sayge sayge [saydj] / sieyg / Sayctsayct/saygen
see / vid / vide / vis / Visvis/viden
sell / pehrn / pehrne / pohrn / Pohrntpohrnt/pohrnen
send / yeis / Yises yises [yIzës] / yis / Yistyist/yisen
shut / clud / Clude clude [klüd] / clus / Clusclus/cluden
sit / sedd / sedde / sess / Sesssess/sedden
sleep / swehp / swehpe / swohp / Swohptswohpt/swohpen
speak / bah / bahe / Bahbah(s)- / Bahtbaht/bahn
stand / stah / stah / Stahstah(s)- / Stahtstaht/stahn
steal / klehpt / klehpte / klohpt / Klohptklohpt/klohpten
swim / snah / snahe / Snahsnah(s)- / Snahtsnaht/snahn
(physically) take / ghend / ghende / ghens / Ghensghens/ghenden
(figuratively) take / em / eme / Emem(s)- / Emtemt/emen
think / mehn / mehne / mohn / Mohnt/mohnen
understand / prete / prete / Pretpret(e)- / Pretetpretet/preten
write / scrib / scribe / Scripsscrips- / Scriptscript/scriben

Some «modal» verbs

English / Verbal stem / infinitive / Past stem / Past participles
To be able to / ghehd / ghehde / ghohd / Ghohdtghohdt/ghohden
To have the right to / poitt / poitte / poiss / Poisspoiss/poitten
Can can (in general) / magh / maghe / miegh / Maghtmaght/maghen
must / dehlg / Dehlge dehlge [de:ldj] / dohlg / Dohlctdohlct/dohlgen
To have to, to need / tehrb / tehrbe / tohrb / Tohrpttohrpt/tohrben
To intend to, to want / eiskw / Iskwes [Iskwës] / iskw / Iskwtiskwt/iskwn
To want / vol / vole / Volvol- / Voltvolt/volen
Cannot, not to be able to / khak / khake / khiek / Khactkhact/khaken
To need, to require / naudh / naudhe / nieudh / Naudhtnaudht/naudhen

Some important conjunctions

because / ob
but / Bet bet (“sontern” when it comes after “ne”)
If if (conditional) / sei
Ifif, whether / Anan, kweter
although / Quayque quayque [kwAykë]
therefore / itak
That that (ex: “I know that”) / od
not / ne
Neitherneither… nor / Neterneter… ni

Introducing people

This is my…. / En mien….
husband / mann
wife / Gvibhgvibh, esor
daughter / dugter
son / son
brother / brater
sister / Swesswes(ter)
boyfriend / kerdprient
girlfriend / kerdprientin
friend / prient
widow / vidva
widower / Vidvovidvo(s)

Acquaintance

(to a man) Are you married ?married? / Ste yu snupt/snuben ?
(to a woman) Are you married ?married? / Ste yu wohdt/wohden ?
Have you got children ?children? / Habte yu purts ?
How long have you been here ?here? / Pon quayt wakt gwivneute yu her ?
What’s yourjob ?job? / Quod est vies kasseb ?

To what one can answer

I’m a(n)… / Som…
clerk / katib
joiner / stolar
housewisehousewife / jufu
teacher / daskal

Opinions

I absolutely (dis)agree / Mutlak (ne) samstehmo
I don’t feel like having a walk / Ne wehno gredde
This is interesting/boring/strange / To est interessant/plictic/stragn [strany]
Are you sure ?sure? / Ste yu yakin ?
I can’t believe it / Khako credihes [krëdI:s] to

Love

love (n.) / liubh
To love / I love you / Lieubh- / Te lieubho
In love / Enliubh(t/en)
To caress (v.) / caresse
To kiss (v.) / kussen
kiss / kuss
intercourse / jima
To fuck (v.) / yehbh
contraceptive / contraceptive
pill / pilule
condom / condom
menstruation / menstruation
Tampontampon / tampon
pregnancy / setus
pregnant / hamil
Venereal venereal disease / Veneri siuge
penis / penis
vagina / wagin
couple / couple
beautiful / bell

Asking one’s way

Could you tell me the way… / Maghte yu sayge mi id itner…
To the station / Kyid station
To the travel agency / Kyid saferagence
To the hotel / Kyid hotel
To the airport / Kyid airport
To the pharmacy / Kyid pharmacia/apotheque [apo§Ek]
To the market / Kyid mercat

Airport

I’d like to book a (return) flight to London / Eiskwo buke [bük] un (reik)pleuk kye London
Is there a stopover in Paris ?Paris? / Bendert id in Paris ?
I have to cancel my flight to… / Dehlgo batalihes [batalI:s] mien pleuk kye…
departure / asimat
arrival / arriven
gate / dwor
crew / nieute
airport / airport
counter / contor
passenger / passager

On ship

anchor / anker
disembark / Disnaukdisnauk, disbark, exsteigh
boat / boot
ship / nav
steamer / Vaporvapor, steumnav, steumboot
ferry / ferry
deck / deck
harbour / Red, liman
port / port
yacht / yakht
coast / caust
lighthouse / phar
voyage / voyage
lLife-jacket / salvtatsvest
To cross / tehr

Train or bus

A ticket to Amsterdam, please. / Un tiquet kye Amsterdam, plais.
How much is a ticket to… / Qua cost un tiquet kye…
When is there a bus/train to… / Quando start un bus/train [trän] kye…
Where do I have to change? / Quer dehlgo io mutawehghe ?
What platform does the train to… leave from ? / Ud quod perron start id train kye…. ?
terminal / terminal
driver / wehgher
Couchette car / Couchetten wagon
Sleeping sleeping car / swehpwagon
compartment / Coupee (coupé)
fare / porm
Conductor conductor (tickets) / controleur
ticket / Tiquet [tIkët]
Station station hall / voxhall
platform / perron

Cars

Where’s the nearest petrol-station ?station? / Quer est id meist prokwem service-station ?
Full, please !/Fill ’er up! / Plais partancte !
Normal grade petrol for ten Dollarsdollars, please ! / Normal bensin po dec dollars, plais !
Can you check the oil/battery/tyre pressure ?pressure? / Maghte yu chehxe id ol/batterie/pneu pressem ?
I’ve had a breakdown / Ho haben un panne !
Can you take my car in tow ?tow? / Maghte yu bugsaire mien auto ?
I’ve had an accident. Please call the police !police! / Ho haben un accident. Plais kalte id police !
There’s something wrong with the indicator / Id blinker est defect.
The battery is out of order / Id batterie neti functiont
Could you repair the brake-lights ?lights? / Maghiete yu repare ia braikluces ?
Traffictraffic-light / boik
motorway / autostrad
brake / braik
gear / ghir
clutch / couplen
Steering steering wheel / styr
engine / motor
Headlight headlight / (auto)phar
jack / domkrakht
tool / alat
windscreen / windschib
Car car park, parking lot / parking
Parking parking meter / parkwaktmeider
Driving driving licence / wehghlicence
Road road sign / deik
Diesel diesel fuel / Diesel (fiull)
Super super petrol / Super naft
Regular regular petrol / bensin
To hitch-hike / autostop
Please, drop me over there / Plais, skladte me tetro

Accomodation

Hello, I’d like a single room/double room for two nights / Sellamat, eiskwo un kamer pro oin/dwo anghen(s) unte dwo nocts
Is breakfast included ?included? / Es’ snidan inclus ?
Liftlift/elevator / lift
bathroom / balnyakyal
bed / Lict/crovat
blanket / blanquet
sheet / charsaf
shower / dusch
Towel towel (for hands/for bath) / Handtuk/katife
heating / warmen
Stove stove (for cooking) / herd
pillow / wangher
lamp / lampe
mattress / matrass
Sleepingsleeping-bag / swehpsack
key / cleich
mirror / Specule [spEkül]
Socket socket (electricityelectrical) / Srovcutia, srovos
Floor floor (level), story / etage
electricity / electricitat
Youth youth hostel / Yuwent herbehrg
accomodation / fundwk

Camping

Have you got a place for a small tent/caravan (camper)? / Habte yu un place pro un smulk delt/caravan ?
campsite / waungordos
Washwash-basin / lowter
Waterwater-tap / chesma
campfire / koister
Tenttent-rope / tanab
Recreational recreational vehicle / waunwogh

At the restaurant

Can we have the menu,please?please? / Vidskwmos id menue, plais ! [vIdskumos id mënÜ: , pläs]
We would like to order / Eiskwmos hangjowe
Can we have the bill, please ?please? / Eiskwmos id rechwng [rEtcung], plais.
supper / souper
aperitif / aperitif
ashtray / aschbak
cutlery / bestehg
bread / dvan
diet / diete
Iceice-cream / swadglehdj
vinegar / acete
fish / pisk
meat / miems
breakfast / snidan
fork / ghabel
To to fry / freih
poultry / plukel
vegetable / opst
Drink drink (in general) / scharab
Drink drink (alcohol) / drehnk
spice / spiss
glass / glas
dinner / diner
chicken / kierk
coffee / coffie
cheese / caise
cook / cokw
cake / gateau
lunch / obedd
dessert / dessert
fruit / fruit
oil / ol
pepper / piper
veal / vicel
juice / juce
salt / sald
pork / pork
vegetarian / vegetarian
starter / entree
game / wedirn
rice / ris

Police

I was attacked / Anghen me hat attaquet
Please call the police/a lawyer !lawyer! / Plais kalte id police/un advocat !
Please inform the European embassy!embassy! / Plais informet id Europay ambassade !
My camera was stolen / Mien photoapparat est klohpt
I lost my… / Ho lust mien…
wallet / portmonaie
purse / jusdan
suitcase / valise
passport / passport
I’m innocent / Som innocent
thief / fur
prison / prison
money / Denars denars (plural)
Handhand-bag / handsack
murder / maurdh
murderer / maurdher
policeman / policiste
drug / drogh
accident / accident
witness / weitwodd
Policepolice-station / Police-station
rape / ghionkawn
Lost Property Office / trohvbureau
Form form (document) / formulire
To lodge a complaint / mahel

Customs

Have you got
Anything to declare ?declare? / Habte yu semject ad declare ?
You have to pay duty !duty! / Yu dehlcte payghe toll !
customs / duan
Customs customs office / kumruk
goods / maals

Bank and money

Where can I change money ?money? / Quer ghehdo io change denars ?
I’d like to change one hundred euros / Eiskwo change cent euros
What’s the rate of exchange US dollars/Euros ?Euros? / Quod est id change ratio US dollars – Euros ?
I want to cash in this cheque / Volo encasse tod cheque
bank / bank
Black black market / Sword mercat
Cash cash (money) / gienxin (denars)
amount / mikdar
banknote / banknote
Cash cash point / cassa
coin / pieng
counter / contor
cheque / cheque
To sign (v.) / signe
signature / signature
currency / rawaj
agency / agence
To pay (v.) / paygh
To exchange (v.) / exchange

Post

Stamps for five air-mail letters to India / Stamps pro penk airpost brevs do Hind
I want to send a telegram/a letter to China / Volo yises un telegramme/un brev do China
address / adresse
Letterletter/message / Brev/message
Letterletter-box / postdiek
stamp / Postmark, stamp
postman / postalion
envelope / vulbh
Postpost-office / postamt
Post post card / postcarte
counter / contor
e-mail / blixbrev
computer / Computer [kompÜtër]

Phone

Telephone telephone booth / Phone-kuschk
To dial / schakel
To lift (the receiver) / oisghend
To hang up (the receiver) / enhang
number / adadh
To ring (v.) / swehn
Receiver receiver (of phone) / aurer

Illness

I’m ill / Som sieug
I have to see a doctor / Tehrbo vide un liek
My head/stomach hurts / Mien kap/stomak gvolt
I’m allergic to penicillin / Som allergic dia penicillin
My skin is itching / Mien cuit paymt
arm / brakh
eye / ok
leg / jamb
appendix / appendix
breast / xiongbu
finger / fingher
foot / ped
face / lige
neck / coll
heart / kerd
bone / ost
head / kap
mouth / stohm
nose / nas
back / regv
shoulder / oms
hand / hand
toe / doik
ear / aur
Cchemist’s stopshop, pharmacy / Pharmacia, apotheque
doctor / Like, medic
To breathe / anem
treatment / Ilaj
blood / sehrg
fracture / fracture
diarrhoea / Diarrhea, issehal
To vomit (v.) / vomeih
cold / kholt
hospital / hospital
Illnessillness/disease / Siuge [siüdj]
x-raying / rontgen
pain / gvol
ointment / meklemm
nausea / nausea
examination / endersok
dentist / dentiste
asthma / Asthma [Astma]
leprosy / leper

Shopping

Hello, do you sell postcards ?postcards? / Sellamat, pehrnte yu postcartes ?
I want to buy a shirt please !please! / Kaupskwo un camiss, plais !
This is too expensive / Tod est pior dorgv
How long will it take to repare my glasses ? / Quayt wakt est tohrben kay repare mien bril ?
Have you got the swim-suitswimsuit in a smaller size?size? / Habte yu id yukwi in smulker mege ?
baker / pehkwer
To bargain/haggle / wesneih
boutique / butique
trader / saudagher
kiosk / kushk
grocer / backal
butcher / kassab
Opticianoptician / optician
Drydry-cleaner / sabbarh
Travel travel agency / Safer agence
stationer / stationar
shoemaker / schoutor
souvenir / souvenire
supermarket / supermercat
To try on / probire

Jewelry