Good morning
Subax wanaagsan means good morning. Subax means morning and wanaagsan means good, so this is the everyday good morning, used from waking up until around midday. The usual reply is the same phrase back, Subax wanaagsan, often followed by Iska warran (how are you?). It works with everyone, from a classmate to an elder, and children usually add who they are greeting: Subax wanaagsan, ayeeyo. Many Somalis open with the Islamic greeting Assalaamu calaykum first and then add the time-of-day greeting.
Tip: Greet the eldest person in the room first; it is a small habit that elders notice and love.
Use "Subax wanaagsan" in the moment it belongs to, not as a drill: say it, wait, and accept any answer in Somali or English. Children learn phrases from hearing them at the right time, and the native recording on this page gives you the model to copy.
Subax wanaagsan, Galab wanaagsan, Habeen wanaagsan, Iska warran, Waan fiicanahay, Magacaygu waa... and more. Then take the quiz.