Lesson 26

Questions may or may not consist  of question words  (Lesson 25). The following are some examples of possible questions and their  answers.

Question 1.  Ku sunGw awni gn? = What (who) is your name?
Answer(A):  yi sunGw gaim gn = My name is Gaim
 AwuKwra gn enti? = Whose son are you?  
A: AwteKwra = The son of Awte.

 Question 2.  The question tag  -ma  (Lesson 18) has the same meaning as the Tirgringa word -do .
 ku sunGw gabrema? =    Is your name Gabre?
A1. yewa, yi sunGw Gabre gn = Yes, my name is Gabre

A2. ifalu yi sunGw Gabre aKla = No, my name is not Gabre

NOTE: In Blin, it is normal to answer a question by posing another, confirming question, as in the following (answer to Q1)
A3. yi sunGw Gabre aKet awahabre ariro? = How did you know that my name is Gabre?
A4. yi sunGw Gabre Aket awi duweka? = Who told you that my name is Gabre?

Question 3.  wra yrKun?  = What did you say?  (Lesson 25)
A1. yi sunGw gabre gn yKun = I said my name is Gabre
A2.  lari yli = I didn't say anything (I said nothing).

NOTE: yKun = I said; yli = I didn't say; yna = to say

Question 4. Gabre ystaKw awni ni? Who is what is called Gabre? (who is Gabre?)
A1. an gn = It is me. I am.
A2. Gabre ystaKw an gn = It is me who is called Gabre.
A3. Gabre ystaKw an aKli = It is not me who is called Gabre.
A4: net Gabre ystaKw illa = There is nobody here called Gabre.
A5. Gbare ystaKw enti jerebraKw net illa = The one (Gabre) whom you are looking for is not here.
A6. wra jerebrelu? = What do you want of him?

Question 5.  awil mendertraKun? Where do you live?
A1. net mendertekun = I live here. 
A2. Asmara mendertekun = I live in Asmara.
A3. nan Asmara mendertekun imanaKa Keren Keren mendertu ergKun = I live now in Asmara but I (had) lived in Keren before.
A4. awil mendertet dwelika = I will not tell you where I live.
A5. dwiyaka jerebren entiKr awil mendertret dwile = If you want me to tell you, you also tell me where you live.
A6. wra jerebre an nil mendertaKwsi? = What do you want (of) where I live?
A7. an nil mendertaKwsi  wriKw wenqerdaKunle? = Why do you ask  me where 
I  live?

Question 6.  awil ferdaKun? = where are you going?
A1. mdatiya ferekun = I am going for lunch (mdatna = to eat lunch).
A2. tebdiya ferekun = I am going to study (tebdna = to study).
A3. kol ferekun = I am going home.
A4. laKwl fereli = I am going nowhere.
A5. an nil feraKwsi dwelika = I will not tell you where I am going.

Question  7.  kol awn ferto gn? = When are you going home?
A1. amar = next year
A2. amar dembera = The year after next year.
A3. kol fereli = I will not go home.
A4. kol ferdma yro? Do you think I will go home?
A5.  ashashaKud  feriya gn = I will go soon.
A6. enti ferdakak feriya gn = I wil go when you go.
A7. betaten fereli = I  will never go.

NOTE:  the suffix -li is attached to a verb to show negative, as in 
fereli = I shall not go. 

Question 8.  kol awdi ferto gn? With whom are you going home?
A1. kudi feriya gn = I am going with you.
A2. laKwdi fereli = I am going with nobody.
A3. ytu feriya gn = I am going alone.

Question 9.  kol awti Qwalto gn?  = Whom will you visit (at) home?
A1. yi genat = My mom.
A2. yi shansi = My brothers and sisters.
A3. kut QwalawQ aKla = It is not your concern.  

Question 10.  shka qrish uwenka shai jbito aqtremaka yuKra? = My son, if 
I give you ten dollars, is it sufficient to buy tea?
A1. yewa aqtrele = Yes, it is sufficient for me.
A2.ifalu aqtelale = No, it is not sufficient.
A3. jar uwunkut abbe aqtew gn = Thank you dad it is sufficient.
A4. shka qrishd shahi jbiri tekekwmeka?  = Do you think I can buy tea 
for ten dollars?
A5. nat naKle ima kebtwesi yi gena kodterile = Give me that, my mom will 
add (for me) the balance.
A6. shkad wra isiya geresaKun = What can I do for ten?