Some Romani Phrases
Phrase
Meaning
Notes
Source
Ajsi bori lachi: xal bilondo, phenel londo
Such a daughter-in-law is good who eats unsalted food and says it is salted
Slovakia
1.40
Akana mukav tut le Devlesa
I now leave you to God
Lovara, funeral comment
3.79
Amaro baro them
Our big land, ie ancestral homeland
1.109
Ande save vitsa
In which vitsa
9.193
Ando gav bi zhuklesko jal o pavori bi destesko
In the village without dogs the farmers walked without sticks
3.167
Ando gav bi zhuklesko shai piravel o manush bi destesko
In a village without a dog a man can walk without a stick
3.175
Ashen Devlesa, Romale
May you remain with God
3.214
Baxt hai sastimos tiri patragi
Wish luck and good health
Said on Slavas
9.119
Bengesko niamso
Cursed German
4.87
Bi kashtesko merel i yag
Without wood the fire would die
3.56
Bolde tut, kako
Please turn away
If she was unable to avoid passing in front of one or between two men, a gypsy woman might say this to avoid possible marhime
3.151
Chailo sim
I am replete (ie full)
3.30
Das dab ka i roata le neve vurdoneski
To give a push to the wheel of the new wagon
i.e. to provide a kick-start to newlywed households
3.201
Devlesa araklam tume
It is with God that we found you
3.245
Devlesa avilan
It is God who brought you
Droboy tume Romale
Traditional greeting (response is Nais tuke (thank you)
3.149
Dza devlesa
God go with you
Russia
2.90
El Crallis ha nicobado la liri de los Cales
The king has taken away the law of the gypsies
Cale; note the hybrid of Romani lexicon and Castilian phonology, morphology and syntax
6.167
Feri ando payi sitsholpe te nauyas
It was in the water that one learned to swim
Lovara
3.60
Gadje Gadjensa, Rom Romensa
Gadje with Gadje, Rom with Rom
4.96
I chatski tsinuda de tehara, vai de haino, khal tut
The true nettle stings from the beginning
4.94
I chirikleski kul chi perel duvar pe yek than
The droppings of the flying bird never fall twice on the same spot
4.24
Isi ili daba
Here there are also smacks
1.35
Isi ma xarica love; so hramosorav andi gazeta; a-ko isi pomoshinav tumen
I have a little money; I am a journalist; maybe I can help you
1.209
Jekh dilo kerel but dile hai but dile keren dilimata
One madman makes many madmen, and many madmen make madness
1.37
Ka xlia ma pe tute
I am going to shit on you
Albania
1.34
Kai zhal o vurdon vurma mekela
Where the wagon goes a trail is left
4.97
Kaski san?
Whose are you?
Kay zhala I suv shay zhala wi o thav
Where the needle goes, surely the thread will follow
4.95
Kon del tut o nai shai dela tut wi o vast
He who willingly gives you one finger will also give you the whole hand
3.205
Kon khakhavel o balo wi leste si I shuri
He who feeds the pig also holds the knife over it when it is fattened
4.115
Kon khal but, khal peski bakht
He who eats much eats away his own luck
Kalderash saying
3.224
Love k-o vast, bori k-o grast
Money in hand, bride on horse
1.286
Mandar tsera tai kater o Del mai but te aven tumenge
From me a little money, but may God give you plenty
?tumenge -> humungous
Mashkar le gadjende leski shib si le Romeski zor
Surrounded by the Gadje, the Rom's only defence is his tongue
3.51
May angle sar te merel kadi yag
Before this fire burns out
Armaya
3.169
May kali i muri may gugli avela
The darker the berry the sweeter it is
3.54
May mishto les o thud katar i gurumni kai tordjol
It is easier to milk a cow that stands still
3.53
May mishto phabol o kasht o chordano
Stolen wood burns better for being stolen
May sigo sar te may khav
Before I even have my next meal
Me mangav te jav ando granitza tumensa
I want to go to the border with you
1.208
Me piav pani
I drink water
Cf Skr me pina pani = to drink water
1.108
Me san de spiroski shey
I am Spiro's daughter
Me som Bardu
I am Bardu
1.218
Mukhenpe te khan la lumia
If they conquer the world
4.90
Na bister 500,000
Don't forget the 500,000
Ref to the holocaust
1.243
Na daran Romale vi ame sam Rom chache
Do not fear, you Gypsy men, for we too are Gypsieis
Na may kharunde kai chi khal tut
Not to scratch where it doesn't it
3.52
Nais tuke
Thank you
Nashti zhas vorta po drom o bango
You cannot walk straight when the road is bent
4.102
O chavorro na biandola dandencar
The child is not born with teeth
1.44
O lov tai o beng nashti beshen patshasa
Neither money nor the devil can remain in peace
3.240
O manusha khelevan tut
The people make you dance
Said if a place is nice
1.59
O shoshoy kaste si feri yek khiv sigo athadjol
The rabbit which has only one hole soon is caught
4.89
O Spiro le tinshasko shav
The Spiro who is the son of Tinha
O ushalin zhala sar o kam mangela
The shadow moves as the sun commands
4.31
O xonxano baro
The great trick
Spanish Romani, a type of swindle
6.62
O zalzaro khal peski piri
Acid corrodes its own container
Opre Roma!
Roma Arise!
Slogan of the first World Romani Congress
6.317
Ov yilo isi
Is it okay
Lit. is there heart here
1.75
Pachiv tumenge Romale
"This song was offered as a gift to worthy men"
3.94
Perdal l paya
Beyond the waters
i.e. the Americas
3.239
Piri telemosa chi athadjol o kam
The kettle that lies face down cannot get much sunlight
Prohasar man opre pirende - sa muro djiben semas opre chengende
Bury me standing - I've been on my knees all my life
1.304
Putrav lesko drom angle leste te na inkrav les mai but palpale mura brigasa
I open his way in the new life again and release him from the fetters of my sorrow
Ritual phrase to mark the end of mourning
3.236
Rode chia bora le kanensa tai te na le yakensa
Select one's daughter-in-law with the ears and not with the eyes
Pay more attention to reputation than looks
3.181
Romale tai shavale akarel tume o Pulika
By your leave, gypsy men and youths, this is Pulika calling you
The proper, formal way to address Rom
3.212
Romale tai Shavale, Churara tai wi Lovara
Gypsy men and youths, Churara and Lovara alike
4.150
Sako peskero charo dikhel
Everybody sees only his own dish
Sar laci and'ekh vadra
Like crabs in a bucket
1.296
Savo Spiro
Which Spiro?
Shuk tski khalpe la royasa
Beauty cannot be eaten with a spoon
Si khohaimo may pachivalo sar o chachimo
There are lies more believable than truth
3.82
Stanki nashti chi arakenpe manushen shai
Mountains do not meet, but people do
3.206
Te avel angla tute, kodo khabe tai kado pimo tai menge pe sastimaste
May this food be before you, and in your memory, and may it profit us in good health and in good spirit
3.235
Te avel angle tute
May this be before you
3.80
Te avel mange bakht drago mange wi te avav po gunoy
All we need is good luck. With luck I would not even mind sitting on a dunghill
Te aves yertime mander tai te yertil tut o Del
I forgive you and may God forgive you as I do
3.179
Te bisterdon tumare anava
May your names be forgotten
Te den, xa, te maren, de-nash
When you are given, eat, when you are beaten, run away
Nash - run - whence nash
Te khalion tai te shingerdjon che gada, hai tu te trais sastimasa tai voyasa
May your clothes rip and wear out, but may you live on in good health and in fulfillment
3.107
Te lolirav I phuv mure ratesa
May I redden the earth with my blood
Te malavel les i menkiva
May the malignant disease waste him
4.92
Te merav
May I die
Te merel amaro kuro o lasho
May our favourite stallion die
Te merel muri shey
May my child die tomorrow
9.134
Te merel muro dad, muri, dei
May my father, mother, brothers die
Te na khuchos perdal cho ushalin
To try to jump over your own shadow
3.44
Te pabaren mange memelia
May you burn candles for me
Te phirav pa-o gav
Lit. To go about the village ie to beg
Poland
1.200
Te pochinen penge lazhav
Pay for their shame
3.174
Te prakhon man pasho o X
May I be buried next to X
Te shordjol muri godji sar shordjol kadi bera
May my brains flow out the way this beer flows out if ...
Lovara armaya
3.166
Te shordjol muro rat
May my blood spill
Te vestinel o dosti Tito, te vestinena o jugoslovenske manusha
Long live comrade Tito and long live the Yugoslav people
1.20
Te xav ka to biav
May I eat at your wedding
1.76
Yekka buliasa nashti beshes pe done grastende
With one behind you can't sit on two horses
3.47
Yodjo la Mimako Zhamutro
Lit. "Yodjo, Mimi's son-in-law
3.115
Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
Go with God and in good health
Notes:
1. The first figure in the source column refers to the list of sources given here, while the second figure refers (where applicable) to the page number of the citation.
2. Abbreviations used: fr. - from, lit. - literally, mod. Ind. - modern Indian, Skr. - Sanskrit.
Index | Introduction | Glossary | Other languages | Names | Notes | Samples | Links | Sources
This page owned, developed and maintained by Fergus Smith. Mail mewith any comments, corrections, suggestions, additional information, etc. Page created 1st March 1998. Last updated 01 March 1998.
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