Northern Sámi Notebook Chapter 1: Greetings

My Northern Sámi language learning notes

WARNING: There might be errors so correct me if you're a more advanced learner or a native speaker. I'm using our own language notebook to learn Northern Sámi, you can find the notebook links from the bottom of this post. 



Chapter 1: Greetings - Dearvvaheapmi

Welcome - buresboahtin
Hello - hei / dearvva
Good morning - buorre iđit
Good day - buorre beaivi
Good evening - buorre eahket
Good night - buorre idja
Nice to see you - soma oaidnit du
Long time no see - guhkes áigái

The correct way to reply to good morning, day, evening and night is to say "Ipmel atti" meaning God forbid.

When you shake someone's hand you say "bures" and the other person replies "bures bures".

Wishes in different situations

Wishes - sávaldagat
Happy Birthday - somás šaddanbeaivvi / somás riegádanbeaivvi
Happy Nameday - somás nammabeaivvi
Happy New Year - buorre ođđajagi
Happy May Day - somás válbora
Happy Valentine's Day - somás ustibabeaivvi
Have a nice weekend - somás vahkkoloahpa
Have a nice trip - buorre mátkki
Have a nice continuation of your trip - buorre mátki ain
Have a nice summer - buorre geasi
Merry Christmas - buriid juovllaid
Well done - čehpet dahkkon

Meeting new people

Nice to meet you - somá deaivvadit / suohtas deaivvadit
My pleasure - (I didn't find any translation)
You too - maiddái dutnje

Asking how someone is doing

How are you? - Mii gullo? / Mot manná?
I'm fine - bures manná / manná bures
How are you doing? - Mot (don) veaját I'm doing well - mun veaján bures
What's up? - Mot hurgá?
Quite well - aibbas bures
Okay - já nie
So so - (I didn't find any translation)
Nothing special - ii gullo ii miige
Not good - funet manná / manná funet
Are you ok? - Leat go buorre?
Yes - jo
No - ii
And you? - naba dus?

Thanking people

Thank you - giitu
Thanks a lot - giittos eatnat
Thank you too - giitu seammá
You're welcome - leage buorre (singular) / leahki buorit (dual) / leahkket buorit (plural)

Excusing and apologizing

Excuse me - ándagassii
I'm sorry - šállošan
No problem - ii daga maidige

Parting - Earráneapmi

Take care - váldde várrugasat
Tell greetings - cealkke dearvvuođaid
Greetings to everyone - dearvvuođat buohkaide
Good luck - lihkku beivviin
See you later - oaidnaletne / oaidnaleapmai
Until tomorrow - ihtažii
Goodbye

Singular: báze dearvan (stay healthy) - mana dearvan (go healthy)
Dual: báhcci dearvan (stay healthy) - manni dearvan (go healthy)
Plural: báhccet dearvan (stay healthy) - mannet dearvan (go healthy)

The one/ones leaving say "stay healthy" to the one/ones staying and the one/ones staying say "go healthy". You have to keep in mind if there is one person staying/leaving or two or more than two. To say goodbye - dahkat dearvvuođaid

Vocabulary learned: 54 expressions in different situations