Lesson 9 – Speaking Arabana at home

In this lesson we will learn some useful phrases which can be used at home with kids. Try practising these sentences every day to help you and your family learn them. You could even write some of these sentences on post-it notes and stick them up around the house to help you to learn Arabana.

In the Morning

Use these sentences in the morning to tell someone to wake up and start getting ready for the day.

Wanirnda.

Get up.

Wanira!

Get up now!

wani- means to get up/rise

Waninai, muyu widnintaki.

Get up now, the sun is setting.

wani- means to get up/rise, muyu means sun and widni- means to set (sun)/to hide away

NOTE: this sentence is used sarcastically to indicate that the person you are speaking to is sleeping in too late.

In the bathroom

Use these sentences to ask someone to finish up in the shower, or to remind them to wash their hands or face.

Kutha-nga nhurli-nhurlimarnda.

Washing in the water/bath/shower.

kutha means water, -nga is an ending that means in/at/on and nhurli-nhurlima- means to wash

Maṟa kutha-nga nhurli-nhurlimarnda, ngalki nhurdu.

Wash your hands with the water, your cheeks too.

maṟa means hands, kutha means water, -nga is an ending that means in/at/on, nhurli-nhurlima- means to wash, ngalki means cheeks and nhurdu means also

Midlha kutha-nga nhurli-nhurlimarnda.

Wash your face.

midlha means nose, kutha means water, -nga is an ending that means in/at/on and nhurli-nhurlima- means to wash

NOTE: this literally translates to ‘wash your nose’, with the nose representing the whole face in this instance.

Kutha-ngaki wantyirda.

Finish up in the water/bath/shower.

kutha means water, -nga is an ending that means in/at/on, -ki is an ending that adds emphasis to what you are saying, and wantyi- means to finish

Yutaki kutha thadnarnda.

Finish up in the water/bath/shower.

yutaki means finished, kutha means water and thadna- means to stop

Kutha-ru wanhirnda.

Get out of the water/bath/shower.

kutha means water, -ru is an ending that means from and wanhi- means to get out

Yakarra karra-karrarnda.

Brush your teeth.

yakarra means teeth and karra-karra- means to take care of

Wiṟi karra-karrarnda.

Brush/wash your hair.

wiṟi means hair and karra-karra- means to take care of

Meal times

These sentences can be useful at meal times.

Tyalpa antu tharnika?

Have you eaten?

tyalpa means food, antu means you and tharni- is to eat

Ankunha tyalpa tharnirnda.

Eat your food.

ankunha is your, tyalpa is food and tharni- is to eat

Doing things around the house

These sentences are related to some things that might need doing around the house.

Kutha lhuka-ku wanparda.

Carry the water for your mother.

kutha means water, lhuka means mother, -ku is an ending that means for and wanpa- means to carry

Upatya-ku tyalpa wadnhirnda.

Cook the food for your younger sibling.

upatya means younger sibling, -ku is an ending that means for, tyalpa means non-meat food and wadnhi- means to cook

Nhuthi-kupa-kaṟi karrarnda.

Look after your younger brothers.

nhuthi means brother, -kupa is an ending that means young/small, -kaṟi is an ending that means more than two and karra- means to look after

Kaku-kaṟi karra-karrarnda.

Look after your sisters.

kaku means sister, -kaṟi is an ending that means more than two and karra-karra- means to look after

Other sentences for the home

Here are some other sentences which you can use around the home.

Maltya wadlhu-nga warrarnda.

Don’t play in that sand/dirt.

maltya means don’t, wadlhu means sand/dirt/earth, -nga is an ending that means in/at/on and warra- means to play

Wadlhu-ru wanhirnda.

Get out of the sand/dirt.

wadlhu means sand/dirt/earth, -ru is an ending that means from and wanhi- means to get out

Maltya warlu-thirnda.

Don't sulk.

maltya means don’t and warlu- means to sulk

Uka warlu-thirnda.

He's sulking.

uka means he/she/it and warlu- means to sulk

Leaving the house

Here are some sentences which can be used on the way out of the home, to remind someone that they are running late or to get them to walk faster.

Anpa yuta?

Are you ready?

anpa means you and yuta means ready

Yuta!

Ready!

Maltya ngardathirnda.

Don’t be late.

maltya means don’t and ngarda-thi- means to be late

Maltya ngarda yukarnda.

Don’t come/go late.

maltya means don’t, ngarda means late and yuka- means to come/to go

Nhiki-warra kalka yukarnda.

Come here fast.

nhiki means this/here, -warra is an ending that means in the direction of, kalka means fast and yuka- means to come/to go

Puthurru-purru yukarnda.

Come quickly (kicking up dust).

puthurru means dust, -purru is an ending that means having and yuka- means to come/to go

NOTE: this sentence is slang which means someone will come so quickly that they will kick up dust on the way.

Akuṟu yukarnda.

Go over there.

akuṟu means over there and yuka- means to come/to go