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Halayi mukkenti hasoofti Khalai talks to plants Khalai azungumza na mimea

Written by Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by Jesse Pietersen

Translated by Demoze Degefa

Language Oromo

Level Level 2

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.


Isheen kuni Halayi dha. Umriin ishee wagga torba. Hikkan maqaa ishee’ nama gameti’ jechuudah afaan isheetin, Lubukusu dhan.

This is Khalai. She is seven years old. Her name means ‘the good one’ in her language, Lubukusu.

Khalai ni msichana mwenye umri wa miaka saba. Jina lake lina maana ya ‘aliye mzuri’ katika lugha yake ya Lubukusu.


Halayi hirbaa kaate burtukaanati dubbati. “Mukaa burtukanaa adaraa kee dafii gudadhuu ijaa mi’aawa nukenni.”

Khalai wakes up and talks to the orange tree. “Please orange tree, grow big and give us lots of ripe oranges.”

Khalai anaamka na kuongea na mmea mchanga wa Mchungwa, “Tafadhali mti wa Mchungwa, kua mkubwa uzae machungwa mengi mabivu.”


Halayin gara mana barnoota nideemiti. otuma deemitu margaatti akkan jette dubbate, “Adara margan dafii gudadhuu oto hingogin turi.”

Khalai walks to school. On the way she talks to the grass. “Please grass, grow greener and don’t dry up.”

Khalai anaenda shuleni na njiani anaongea na Nyasi, “Tafadhali Nyasi, kua kijani zaidi na zaidi na wala usikauke.”


Halayin hababoo didaa bira dabarte. “Adara hababowaan bayee darara akkan mataa ko gubbaa isin ka’au.”

Khalai passes wild flowers. “Please flowers, keep blooming so I can put you in my hair.”

Khalai anayapita Maua ya mwituni na kusema, “Tafadhali Maua, endelea kunawiri ili niweze kukuweka kwenye nywele zangu.”


Mana barnoota kessati, Halayin mukkenti dubbati. “Adara kessan dafaati damee guddaa basaa akkaa isin jala tenyee dubifnu.”

At school, Khalai talks to the tree in the middle of the compound. “Please tree, put out big branches so we can read under your shade.”

Akiwa shuleni, Khalai anazunguumza na Mti ulioko katikati ya shule, “Tafadhali Mti, toa matawi makubwa ili tusome chini ya kivuli chako.”


Halayi mukken balbala gubbatin jiranti dubbatee. “Adara dafa gudadhati namoota ala dhufan nurra qabaa.”

Khalai talks to the hedge around her school. “Please grow strong and stop bad people from coming in.”

Khalai anazunguumza na ua unaoizingira shule yake, “Tafadhali ua, kuwa mwenye nguvu ili uzuie shule yetu kutokana na watu wabaya.”


Yeroo Halayi gara mana deebitu, mukaa burtukaana ilalti. “Firrin kee hinbilchanee?” jette gafati.

When Khalai returns home from school, she visits the orange tree. “Are your oranges ripe yet?” asks Khalai.

Anaporudi nyumbani alasiri, Khalai anautembelea mti wa Mchungwa kuangalia kama machungwa yameiva.


Burtukanni kun hinbilchanee, jette Halayin. “Muka burtukana bor walarginaa” jette Halayin. “Akka tasa firii bilchate nafkennita ta’a!”

“The oranges are still green,” sighs Khalai. “I will see you tomorrow orange tree,” says Khalai. “Perhaps then you will have a ripe orange for me!”

“Machungwa bado mabichi,” Khalai anashusha pumzi. “Nitakuona kesho, we mti wa machungwa. Labda utanipa chungwa bivu wakati huo.”


Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Jesse Pietersen
Translated by: Demoze Degefa
Language: Oromo
Level: Level 2
Source: Khalai talks to plants from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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