300 words in Sylt Northern Frisian (Söl’ring)
Idea and list from @funwithlanguages (list: 300 words)
Söl’ring (Sölring, Sylter Frisian, older Syltring) is a variety within the Northern Frisian languages cluster. It is spoken on the island Sylt and is the northernmost of all the Frisian languages. Söl’ring belongs to the island dialects of Northern Frisian, they are considerably different to the mainland dialects and could just as well be considered languages on their own. It is critically endangered, there are only 500 speakers left and most of them are elder speakers. Interestingly enough, Söl’ring still has speakers that preserved the Dual in the pronouns and verb conjugation.
This list is compiled and created by the author of www.friisk.org. It’s a really great resource for Söl’ring, it has a German <> Söl’ring dictionary, a conjugator, it gives you the pronunciation in IPA and has a lot of resources. Check it out!
You can already express a lot with only the 300 most basic words. In everyday situations, these 300 words make up 65% of the vocabulary you would use. For starting a language, these words are crucial and can boost your learning experience. So, if you chose to learn Söl’ring, this’ll give you a big head start.
(in form = infinitive (conjugation in present tense); past
simple generally / past simple 2nd person singular; past perfect (haa
or wiis (needs to be conjugated in present tense) + participle)
1. Be = wiis (ik sen, dü best, hi es, wü/i/ja sen, wat/at/jat sen);
wiar/wiarst; haa/wiis wesen (eg. ik sen wesen / ik haa wesen)
2. there is = diar es / er es
3. have = haa (ik haa, dü heest, hi heer, wü/i/ja haa, wat/at/jat haa);
her/herst; haa her (eg. dü heest her)
4. do = dö / maaki (ik dö, dü dérst, hi dér, wü/i/ja/wat/at/jat = dö);
dör/dörst; haa dön (eg. hi heer dön); maaki = (ik maaki, dü maakest, hi maaket, wü/i/ja/wat/at/jat = maaki); maaket; haa maaket (eg. hi heer maaket)
5. go = gung (ik gung, dü gairst, hi gair, wü/i/ja/wat/at/jat = gung); gair/gairst; wiis gingen (eg. ik sen gingen)
6. want = wel (ik wel, dü wet, hi wel, wü/i/ja/wat/at/jat = wel); wil/wit; haa wil (eg. dü heest wil)
7. can = ken (ik ken, dü kenst, hi kent, wü/i/ja/wat/at/jat = ken); kür/kürst; haa kür (eg. ik haa kür)
8. need = brük (ik brük, dü brükst, hi brükt, wü/i/ja/wat/at/jat = brük); brükt/brükst; haa brükt (eg. dü heest brükt); also = tört ek (need not; only used with not) = (ik tört, dü törst, hi tört, wü/i/ja/wat/at/jat = tört); tört/törst; haa ek tört (eg. hi heer ek tört)
9. think = teenk (ik teenk, dü teenkst, hi teenkt, wü/i/ja/wat/at/jat = teenk); taacht/taachtst; haa taacht (eg. ik haa taacht)
10. know = keen (ik keen, dü keenst, hi keent, X = keen); keent/keentst; haa keent (eg. dü heest keent)
11. say = sii (ik sii, dü sairst, hi sair, X = sii); sair/sairst; haa sair (eg. dü heest sair)
12. like = mai (ik mai, dü maist, hi mai, X = mai); maat/maatst; haa maat (eg. jü heer maat)
13. speak = spreek / snaki (ik snaki, dü snakest, hi snaket, X = snaki); snaket/snakest; haa snaket (eg. hi heer snaket); spreek = (ik spreek, dü sprakst, hi sprakt X = spreek); sprok/sprokst; haa spreeken (eg. ik haa spreeken)
14. learn = liir (ik liir, dü liirst, hi liirt, X = liir); liirt/liirst; haa liirt (eg. dü heest liirt)
15. understand = forstuun (ik forstuun, dü forstaanst, hi forstaant, X = forstuun); forstön/forstönst; haa forstönen (eg. ik haa forstönen)
1. that (as in “I think that…” or “the woman that…”) = “ik teenk dat” (German = “dass/daß”); “di Wüf diar” / dit Faamen wat” (relative pronoun for words with di = “diar”; with dit = “wat”)
2. and = en
3. or = of
4. but = man
5. because = omdat, aurdat
6. though = dach
7. so (meaning “therefore”; e.g. “I wanted it, so I bought it”) = alsoo eg. “Ik wil et haa, alsoo haa ik et koopet”
8. if = wan, for di Fal dat
1. of = of
2. to = tö
3. from = fan
4. in = ön
5. at (a place) = bi (archaic = it)
6. at (a time) = no preposition used with time eg. “at eleven o’clock” = “Klok elev”
7. with = me
8. about = aur
9. like (meaning “similar to”) = üs
10. for (warning, this one has several meanings that you need to take care of) = fuar
11. before (also as a conjunction) = fuar, bifuar, jer dat
12. after (also as a conjunction) = eeđer, diareeđer
13. during = wilt
1. who = hoken
2. what = wat
3. where = hur
4. when = wan
5. why = hurom/huraur
6. how = hur / hurdeling (in what way)
7. how much = hur fuul
8. which = wat / welk (welk = about people)
1. a lot = fuul
2. a little = en bet / wat
3. well = gur (good) (mostly as Adjective), wel (well); sün (physically well)
4. badly = ring
5. only = bluat
6. also = uk
7. very = mal
8. too (as in “too tall”) = tö, “tö hoog”
9. too much = tö fuul
10. so (as in “so tall”) = sa, “sa hoog”
11. so much = sa fuul
12. more (know how to say “more … than …”) = muar; “muar … üs …”
13. less (know how to say “less … than …”) = mener; “mener … üs …“
14. as … as … (e.g. “as tall as”) = sa … üs … (eg. sa gurt üs)
15. most = miist
16. least = menst
17. better = beeter
18. best = beest
19. worse = ringer
20. worst = ringst
21. now = nü
22. then = da
23. here = jir
24. there = diar / er
25. maybe = mesken
26. always = altert, langsen (continuing)
27. usually = miist, miisttirs, fuar’t miist
28. often = aaft, faaken, fuultirs
29. sometimes = somtirs, maninglop / maningmol
30. never = oler
31. today = deling
32. yesterday = jüster
33. tomorrow = miaren
34. soon = bal, daalken/daalkens
35. almost = binai
36. already = al
37. still = jit, langsen jit
38. even = sagaar
39. enough = noch, inoch (inoch behind substantives and adjectives)
1. the, a (technically articles) = di / dit (in plural only =di); en (= a)
2. this = di / des (with “di” words); dit / det (with “dit” words); desjirem/detjirem
3. that = didiarem / ditdiarem
4. good = gur
5. bad = ring
6. all = ali, (with people = altermaal, aligaar)
7. some = hok / som; (if without substantive = hoken / somen)
8. no = niin (like German = kein)
9. any = ark
10. many = maning
11. few = litjet, en paar, hok / som
12. most = miist
13. other = üđer
14. same = lik
15. different = üđers
16. enough = noch, inoch (inoch behind substantives and adjectives)
17. one = jen
18. two = tau
19. a few = en paar, hok / som, en litjet
20. first = jest
21. next = naist (“di leeter Dai” = the next day)
22. last (meaning “past”, e.g. “last Friday”) = forleeren
23. last (meaning “final”) = leest
24. easy = lecht, reedig, eenfach
25. hard = hart
26. early = eed’er (eed’er, jer, jest = early, earlier, earliest)
27. late = leet
28. important = wichtig
29. interesting = interesant
30. fun = lüstig, spaasig / grapig (funny)
31. boring = lüngwiilig
32. beautiful = dailk
33. big = gurt
34. small = litj
35. happy = bliir
36. sad = truurig
37. busy = folhanig, drok, ünlerig (very busy, specifically with work)
38. excited = mal, wiljhaiig, āpreeget
39. tired = treet
40. ready = klaar, reedig, paraat (available)
41. favorite = lefst
42. new = nii
43. right (meaning “correct”) = rocht / rochtig
44. wrong = falsk (not true), forkiirt
45. true = waar
Know them in the subject (“I”), direct object (“me”), indirect object (“to me”), and possessive (“my”) forms.
1. I = ik ; mi ; min
2. you = dü ; di ; din
3. she = jü (‘s) ; höör ; höör
4. he = hi (‘r) ; höm ; sin
5. it = hat (‘t / et) ; höm ; sin
6. we = wü ; üüs ; üüs
7. you (plural) = i ; juu ; juu
8. they = ja ; jam ; jaar
9. we (dual) = wat ; unk ; unk
10. you (dual) = at ; junk ; junk
11. they (dual) = jat ; jam
If your language has grammatical gender, then learn each noun as “the [noun]” with “the” in the correct gender. (e.g. in Spanish, instead of learning language = “idioma”, learn language = “el idioma”.) This will help you remember the gender. The endings like “-en” are the plural suffixes.
1. everything = ales
2. something = wat
3. nothing = nönt
4. everyone = arkjen / arkenjen
5. someone = hoken
6. no one = nemen
7. Sylt Northern Frisian = Söl’ring / Friisk / Nuurđfriisk
8. English = Engelsk
9. German = Dütsk
10. Thing = dit Ding (pl. di Dingen)
11. Person = di Mensk-en
12. Place = di Plaats-en; di Stair (pl. di Staiđer)
13. time (as in “a long time”) = di Tir; “en lung Tir”
14. time (as in “I did it 3 times”) = dit Lop-er / dit Mol-en; eg. “Ik dör et trii Lop / trii Mol”
15. Friend = di Frinj-er
16. Woman = di Wüf (pl. di Wüfhaur)
17. Man = di Man (pl. di Maaner)
18. Money = dit Jil
19. Country = dit Lön (pl. di Lönen)
20. Sylt = Söl’
21. Germany = Dütsklön
22. city = di Stat-en
23. Language = di Spraak-en
24. Word = di / dit Uurt-er
25. Food = dit Iit, dit Iiten
26. House = dit Hüs (pl. di Hüüsing)
27. Store = di Laaden-s / di Kram-en (small store)
28. Office = dit Büüro (pl. di Büüros); dit Kantoor-en (officeroom)
29. Company = dit Önernemen; di Firma (pl. di Firmen)
30. Manager =di Gisjeftsföörer-s (in a company); di Menedsjer-s; di Fuarstuuner-s (the leader)
31. coworker = di Koleeg-en; di Maker-s; di Falig-en
32. Job = di Job-s, di Baantji-s, di Hantiaring / di Biruuf-en / di Bruarwening (as in specific profession)
33. work (as in “I have a lot of work to do”) = di/dit Aarber-n
34. Problem = dit Probleem (pl. di Probleemen)
35. Question = di Fraag-en
36. Idea = di Idee-n / di Taacht-en (the thought)
37. Life = dit Leewent
38. World = di Wārel
39. Day = di Dai (pl. di Daagen)
40. Year = dit Jaar (pl. di Jaaren)
41. Week = di Week-en
42. Month = di Muun-en
43. Hour = di Stün-en
44. mother, father, parent = di Mooter/Moođer-n, di Faađer-n, di Aalern (parents, only plural)
45. daughter, son, child = di Daachter, di Seen, dit Jungen (pl. di Jungen); OR: dit Faamen (pl. di Faamnen/Faamner), di Dreeng-er, dit Jungen
46. wife, husband = di Wüf-en; di Man (pl. di Maaner)
47. girlfriend, boyfriend = di Fründin-en, di Fründ-en
More Verbs (conjugations on friisk.org)
1. work (as in a person working) = aarberi
2. work (meaning “to function”, e.g. “the TV works”) = funktsjoniari (eg.“di Fiirsekas/Fernseeer funktsjoniaret”)
3. see = se
4. use = brük, nüti
5. should = skel
6. believe = liiv
7. practice = ööwi
8. seem = liki, fuarkum V
9. come = kum
10. leave = wechköör / ofköör, wechfaar / offaar (with a ship), wechgung (go away)
11. return = töbeekkum (come back), töbeekdö (give back), töbeekbring (bring back)
12. give = dö
13. take = nem, iinnem (take in)
14. bring = bring
15. look for = sjuk (search) ; specifically look for = sjuk om
16. find = finj
17. get (meaning “obtain”) = fo
18. receive = fo
19. buy = koopi
20. try = forsjuk
21. start = bigen, starti
22. stop (doing something) = āphual
23. finish = āphual, jenigi (end), ofslüt
24. continue = förtermaaki / fiirermaaki
25. wake up = āpwaaki
26. get up = āpstuun
27. eat = iit
28. eat breakfast (in several languages, this is a verb) = Merönern fo / iit
29. eat lunch = Medaiiiten / Medaiiit fo / iit
30. eat dinner = Naachtert fo
31. happen = ske / pasiari
32. feel = fööl
33. create (aka “make”) = maaki
34. cause (aka “make”) = maaki, foruursaaki
35. meet (meeting someone for the first time) = raaki, möt
36. meet (meaning “to bump into”) = töögenstumpi
37. meet (an arranged meeting) = raaki
38. ask (a question) = fraagi
39. ask for (aka “request”) = ber, om wat ber (to ask for something), aiski
40. wonder = wuneri
41. reply = swaari
42. mean = miin/meen
43. read = lees
44. write = skriiv
45. listen = töhiir, töharki V
46. hear = hiir
47. remember = teenk (om); töbeekteenk (om)
48. forget = foriit / auriit
49. choose = weeli, ütweeli, ütsjuk
50. decide = öntskēr
51. be born = bēren uur ; tö W ārelkum
52. die = stuarev / stuarewi
53. kill = duar maaki
54. live = lewi
55. stay = bliiv; uuni (live somewhere)
56. change = aneri / foraneri
57. help = help
58. send = stjüür
59. study = liir, studiari (at University)
60. improve = forbeeteri
61. hope = hööpi
62. care = kiir, kümeri
63. will (for Future tense) = wel, skel
1. hello = Moin / Gur Dai (answer to Gur Dai = “Dai Gur”)
2. goodbye = Faarwel
3. thank you = Fuul Dank / Fuul Toonk
4. you’re welcome = Nönt tö dankin
5. excuse me (to get someone’s attention) = öntskiljigi
6. sorry = öntskiljiging, hat dēr mi liir (I am sorry)
7. it’s fine (response to an apology) = niin Probleem, niin Uarsaak/Uursaak
8. please = not a word, only a phrase; “wiis sa gur ….” (= be so good ….)
9. yes = jaa
10. no = naan
11. okay = ookee; ön di Reeg / bi di Reeg
12. My name is = Min Noom es
13. What’s your name? = Wat es din Noom?
14. Nice to meet you. = Hat früget mi mal, di tö raakin
15. How are you? = Hur gair’t wat / Hur gair’t di?
16. I’m doing well, how about you? = Mi gair’t gur, en di?
17. Sorry? / What? (if you didn’t hear something) = öntskiljigi? / wat?
18. How do you say ______? = Hur sair em ….?
19. What does ______ mean? = Wat bidüüdet … ?
20. I don’t understand. = Ik forstuun ek
21. Could you repeat that? = Kürst dü dit weđerhaali?
22. Could you speak more slowly, please? = Wiis sa gur en spreek/snaki wat lungsomer; OR: Kürst dü wat lungsomer spreek/snaki?
23. Well (as in “well, I think…”) = not used in that sense “well, i think” = “nü, ik teenk….”
24. Really? = Würklich?
25. I guess that = Ik haa dit al taacht ( I have already thought that); OR = ik gesi dat … / ik formuri dat … (I think/guess that ….)
26. It’s hot. (talking about the weather) = Hat es wārem / mal wārem
27. It’s cold. (talking about the weather) = Hat es kuul