There are two things that shape every human life, no matter where you are born. The first is time—the dates on the calendar, the days of the week, the months of the year. The second is the sky—the weather, the rain, the sun, the wind. Together, they decide when we plant, when we harvest, when we travel, when we celebrate. They decide what we wear, what we eat, and sometimes, whether we survive.
In Africa, this is not an abstraction. It is a daily reality. The farmer in Oromia watches the clouds for the first sign of ganna, the rainy season. The trader in Kinshasa plans her journey around the mbula, the rain that can turn a road into a river. The family in the Sahel waits for the ndiyam, the water from the sky, that determines whether the year will be one of plenty or want.
This course is about that reality. We are going to explore fifty questions and answers about dates and weather across five languages: Swahili, Oromo, Amharic, Fulani, and Lingala. These are the phrases you use when you want to know what day it is, when you want to plan for the rain, and when you want to talk about the sky like a friend.
Let us begin with a truth: in many African cultures, the weather is not small talk. It is serious talk. It is the first thing you ask about in the morning. It is the last thing you discuss before sleep. The rain is not a nuisance. It is a blessing. The sun is not an inconvenience. It is a promise.
So as we go through these fifty questions, think of them as a conversation with the sky. Each one helps you understand the world around you.
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The Fifty Questions and Answers
Below are fifty questions and answers about dates and weather, organized by topic. Not every language has a direct translation for every phrase, but these are the ones that travel best. Learn them in the language you are studying, or learn a few in each. The goal is not perfection. The goal is connection.
Dates and Days
# English Swahili Oromo Amharic Fulani Lingala
1 What day is it today? Leo ni siku gani? Har'a guyyaa kam? Zare k'en new? Hannde ñalnde ndeye? Lelo mokolo nini?
2 Today is Monday Leo ni Jumatatu Har'a Wiixata Zare segno new Hannde altine Lelo mokolo ya liboso
3 What is the date today? Leo ni tarehe ngapi? Har'a guyyaa meeqa? Zare k'en sint new? Hannde ndeeyi? Lelo mokolo ya ngonga nini?
4 What month is it? Ni mwezi gani? Ji'a kam? Wer new? Lewru ndeye? Sanza nini?
5 It is January Ni Januari Amajjii Tir Siilo Yanwali
6 What year is it? Ni mwaka gani? Bara kam? Amet new? Hitaande ndeye? Mobu nini?
7 This week Wiki hii Torban kana Yih semon Yontere ndee Poso oyo
8 Next week Wiki ijayo Torban dhufu Yemīt'ew semon Yontere aroore Poso ekoya
9 Last week Wiki iliyopita Torban darbe Yalefew semon Yontere ɓennunde Poso eleki
10 This month Mwezi huu Ji'a kana Yih wer Lewru ndu Sanza oyo
Days of the Week
# English Swahili Oromo Amharic Fulani Lingala
11 Monday Jumatatu Wiixata Segno Altine Mokolo ya liboso
12 Tuesday Jumanne Qibxata Maksagno Talaata Mokolo ya mibale
13 Wednesday Jumatano Roobii Rebu Alarba Mokolo ya misato
14 Thursday Alhamisi Kamisa Hamus Alkamisa Mokolo ya minei
15 Friday Ijumaa Jimaata Arb Aljuma Mokolo ya mitano
16 Saturday Jumamosi Sanbata Kidame Asibit Mokolo ya mpokwa
17 Sunday Jumapili Dilbata Ihud Dimas Mokolo ya eyenga
18 Tomorrow Kesho Boru Nege Jaŋngo Lobi
19 Yesterday Jana Kaleessa Tilant Haŋki Lobi ya kala
20 The day after tomorrow Kesho kutwa Iftaan Ke'nege Fajiri Lobi ya lobi
Months of the Year
# English Swahili Oromo Amharic Fulani Lingala
21 January Januari Amajjii Tir Siilo Yanwali
22 February Februari Guraandhala Yekatit Colte Febwali
23 March Machi Bitooteessa Megabit Mbooy Marsi
24 April Aprili Elba Miyazya Seeɗto Apilili
25 May Mei Caamsa Ginbot Duujal Mai
26 June Juni Waxabajjii Sene Korse Yuni
27 July Julai Adooleessa Hamle Morso Yuli
28 August Agosti Hagayya Nehase Juko Agusti
29 September Septemba Fuulbana Meskerem Siilto Septemba
30 October Oktoba Onkololeessa Tikimt Yarkomaa Okotoba
Talking About the Weather
# English Swahili Oromo Amharic Fulani Lingala
31 How is the weather? Hali ya hewa ikoje? Haalli qilleensaa akkam? Ye'ayyer zehon endet new? No weeyo? Eleko ezali ndenge nini?
32 The weather is good Hali ya hewa ni nzuri Haalli qilleensaa gaarii dha Ye'ayyer zehon t'iru new Weeyo ko moƴƴo Eleko ezali malamu
33 The weather is bad Hali ya hewa ni mbaya Haalli qilleensaa gadhee dha Ye'ayyer zehon met' new Weeyo ko boni Eleko ezali mabe
34 It is hot Ni moto Ho'a Muk new No ndiyam Ezali molunge
35 It is cold Ni baridi Qorra Qez new No ɓuuɓri Ezali malili
36 It is raining Ni mvua Roobni jira Zinab yizewal No ndiyam Mbula ezali kɔta
37 It is sunny Ni jua Aduun jira T'ay new No naange Mwinda ezali
38 It is windy Ni upepo Bubbee jira Nifas new No henndu Mopepe ezali
39 It is cloudy Ni mawingu Duumessa jira Damena new No duule Matuti ezali
40 It is foggy Ni ukungu Hurrii jira Gize new No ɓowdi Mbungi ezali
Seasons and Rain
# English Swahili Oromo Amharic Fulani Lingala
41 What season is it? Ni msimu gani? Waaltina kam? Werbet new? Ndunngu? Eleko nini?
42 Rainy season Msimu wa mvua Ganna Kiremt Ndunngu Eleko ya mbula
43 Dry season Msimu wa kiangazi Bona Bega Dabbunde Eleko ya molunge
44 The rain is coming Mvua inakuja Roobni dhufaa jira Zinab yimet'al Ndiyam aroore Mbula ezali koya
45 The rain has stopped Mvua imeacha Roobni dhaabe Zinab tewese Ndiyam nani Mbula ekangaki
46 It will rain tomorrow Itanyesha kesho Boru roobni rooba Nege zinab yizewal Jaŋngo ndiyam aroore Mbula ekosala lobi
47 We need rain Tunahitaji mvua Rooba barbaadna Zinab inifeligal Min nani ndiyam Tosengeli mbula
48 The sun is strong Jua ni kali Aduun cimaa T'ay bezu new Naange ko tiiɗnde Mwinda ezali makasi
49 The wind is strong Upepo ni kali Bubbeen cimaa Nifas bezu new Henndu ko tiiɗndu Mopepe ezali makasi
50 The sky is clear Anga ni safi Samiin qulqulluu Semay t'iru new Asamaan laaɓi Likolo ezali polele
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The Grammar of Sky and Season
The grammar of weather reveals how a culture lives with nature.
In Swahili, the word for rain is mvua. It is a noun, but it is often used with the verb kunyesha—to rain. Inanyesha means "it is raining." The subject is not "it," as in English. The subject is the rain itself. The rain is doing the raining.
In Oromo, the word for rain is rooba. The verb is roobuu—to rain. Roobni roobaa jira means "the rain is raining." Again, the rain is the actor. It is not passive. It is alive.
In Amharic, the word for rain is zinab. The verb is maznab—to rain. Zinab yizewal means "rain is falling." The verb is in the third person masculine singular. The rain is a "he." It is a force.
In Fulani, the word for rain is ndiyam. It is the same word used for water. Rain is not separate from water. It is water in motion. Ndiyam no aroore means "rain is coming." The verb arooré means "to come." The rain is a visitor.
In Lingala, the word for rain is mbula. The verb is kɔta—to fall. Mbula ezali kɔta means "rain is falling." The word mbula is also used for year. This is not a coincidence. In Lingala, a year is measured by the rains. One rainy season, one year.
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How to Practice Dates and Weather
You cannot learn dates and weather from a book. You learn them by living.
Keep a weather journal. Every day, write down the date and the weather in the language you are studying. Say it out loud. Do this for a month.
Listen to the forecast. Find a radio station or podcast in Swahili, Oromo, Amharic, Fulani, or Lingala. Listen to the weather report. Repeat the phrases.
Learn the seasons. Find out when the rainy season begins in the region where your language is spoken. Learn the words for ganna, kiremt, ndunngu, mbula. Connect the words to the world.
Talk about the sky. When you wake up, look outside. Say the weather in your new language. Ni moto. Roobni jira. Zinab yizewal. Ndiyam no aroore. Mbula ezali kɔta.
Celebrate the new year. Learn when the new year is celebrated in different cultures. In Ethiopia, the new year is in September. In the Swahili world, it is tied to the monsoon. In Fulani culture, it is tied to the rains. Time is not universal. It is cultural.
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The Fifty-First Question
There is one question that is not on the list. It is the question you ask yourself when you have learned all fifty phrases: What does the sky mean to me?
The weather is not just a topic of conversation. It is a relationship. It is the way we live with the earth. In Swahili, there is a proverb: Mvua ni baraka. Rain is a blessing. In Oromo, there is a saying: Roobni eebba. Rain is a gift. In Amharic, zinab barkat new. Rain is a blessing. In Fulani, ndiyam ko barke. Water is a blessing. In Lingala, mbula ezali mapamboli. Rain is a blessing.
Every language agrees. The sky is not empty. It is full of grace.
So learn these phrases. Use them. But remember that the most important thing you can do with the weather is not to complain about it. It is to be grateful for it. It is to stand in the rain and feel alive.
And that gratitude needs no translation.
It is called wonder.
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