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83 [eighty-three]

Past tense 3

83 [åttitre]	Fortid 3

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African Languages

In Africa, a great deal of different languages are spoken. No other continent has so many different languages. The variety of African languages is impressive. It is estimated that there are about 2,000 African languages. However, all of these languages are not alike! Quite the opposite – they are often completely different! The languages of Africa belong to four different language families. Some African languages have one-of-a-kind characteristics. For example, there are sounds that foreigners cannot imitate. Land boundaries are not always linguistic boundaries in Africa. In some regions, there are a great deal of different languages. In Tanzania, for example, languages from all four families are spoken. Afrikaans is an exception among the African languages. This language came into being in the colonial period. At that time people from different continents met each other. They came from Africa, Europe and Asia. A new language developed out of these contact situations. Afrikaans exhibits influences from many languages. It is most closely related to Dutch, however. Today Afrikaans is spoken in South Africa and Namibia more than anywhere else. The most unusual African language is the drum language. Every message can be theoretically sent with drums. The languages that are communicated with drums are tonal languages. The meaning of words or syllables depends on the pitch of the tones. That means that the tones have to be imitated by the drums. The drum language is even understood by children in Africa. And it is very efficient… The drum language can be heard for up to 12 kilometers!

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to make a call	r_n_e ringe r____ ringe _____ ringe
I made a call.	J_g h_r r_n_t_ Jeg har ringt. J__ h__ r_____ Jeg har ringt. ___ ___ ______ Jeg har ringt.
I was talking on the phone all the time.	J_g h_r r_n_t h_l_ t_d_n_ Jeg har ringt hele tiden. J__ h__ r____ h___ t_____ Jeg har ringt hele tiden. ___ ___ _____ ____ ______ Jeg har ringt hele tiden.

to ask	s_ø_r_ spørre s_____ spørre ______ spørre
I asked.	J_g h_r s_u_t_ Jeg har spurt. J__ h__ s_____ Jeg har spurt. ___ ___ ______ Jeg har spurt.
I always asked.	J_g h_r a_l_i_ s_u_t_ Jeg har alltid spurt. J__ h__ a_____ s_____ Jeg har alltid spurt. ___ ___ ______ ______ Jeg har alltid spurt.

to narrate	f_r_e_l_ fortelle f_______ fortelle ________ fortelle
I narrated.	J_g h_r f_r_a_t d_t_ Jeg har fortalt det. J__ h__ f______ d___ Jeg har fortalt det. ___ ___ _______ ____ Jeg har fortalt det.
I narrated the whole story.	J_g h_r f_r_a_t h_l_ h_s_o_i_n_ Jeg har fortalt hele historien. J__ h__ f______ h___ h_________ Jeg har fortalt hele historien. ___ ___ _______ ____ __________ Jeg har fortalt hele historien.

to study	l_r_ / l_s_ lære / lese l___ / l___ lære / lese ____ _ ____ lære / lese
I studied.	J_g h_r l_r_ / l_s_. Jeg har lært / lest. J__ h__ l___ / l____ Jeg har lært / lest. ___ ___ ____ _ _____ Jeg har lært / lest.
I studied the whole evening.	J_g h_r l_r_ / l_s_ h_l_ k_e_d_n_ Jeg har lært / lest hele kvelden. J__ h__ l___ / l___ h___ k_______ Jeg har lært / lest hele kvelden. ___ ___ ____ _ ____ ____ ________ Jeg har lært / lest hele kvelden.

to work	j_b_e jobbe j____ jobbe _____ jobbe
I worked.	J_g h_r j_b_e_. Jeg har jobbet. J__ h__ j______ Jeg har jobbet. ___ ___ _______ Jeg har jobbet.
I worked all day long.	J_g h_r j_b_e_ h_l_ d_g_n_ Jeg har jobbet hele dagen. J__ h__ j_____ h___ d_____ Jeg har jobbet hele dagen. ___ ___ ______ ____ ______ Jeg har jobbet hele dagen.

to eat	s_i_e spise s____ spise _____ spise
I ate.	J_g h_r s_i_t_ Jeg har spist. J__ h__ s_____ Jeg har spist. ___ ___ ______ Jeg har spist.
I ate all the food.	J_g h_r s_i_t o_p_ Jeg har spist opp. J__ h__ s____ o___ Jeg har spist opp. ___ ___ _____ ____ Jeg har spist opp.

Phrasebook

African Languages

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