Getting started
The worksheet has one practice page and one answer page. It uses Latin-script Kabyle. Instructions follow the language of this page; the Kabyle expressions stay the same.
Your form to print
Download is available without registration. Print at actual size on A4 paper, then keep the correction aside during the exercises. PDF is used for reading, writing and revising; it does not contain audio.
Download the PDF sheetTo hear the forms, ask a speaker to read them or use a listening resource. Consult our guide to the Kabyle alphabet if the letters are new to you.
Six expressions to recognize
| Kabyle | English |
|---|---|
| Azul | Hello |
| Tanemmirt | Thank you |
| Ih | Yes |
| Xaṭi | No |
| Isem-iw … | My name is... |
| Amek i telliḍ ? | How are you? |
You may encounter different pronunciations and spellings. Keep the form used by your learning resource or your family and note where it comes from. The three dots in the introduction mark the place for your name.
Three exercises before looking at the correction
- Cover the meaning column. Identify the greeting, the thank-you, the affirmative answer and the negative answer.
- Complete the introduction with your name. Then copy the question used to ask how someone is.
- Locate the dot under the last letter of the question, then the dot under the consonant of the word for “no”. Copy the words without removing these signs.
The objective of the first session is to recognize forms. In the second session, start from the meaning and find the expression. On the third, ask a partner to choose the order of the questions to avoid reciting mechanically.
Correction and points to observe
Show replies
Greeting: Azul . The thank you: Tanemmirt . Yes: Ih . No: Xaṭi . The presentation begins with Isem-iw . The question is Amek i telliḍ ? .
In this question, the sign under ḍ is part of the letter. In Xaṭi , it is ṭ that must be kept. The double mm of Tanemmirt also deserves your attention.
Go from the file to a real meeting
Prepare a thirty-second scene: greet, say your first name, listen to a question and thank. Ask your partner to correct you on one point at a time. Then start again without reading the sheet.
Reading a word and understanding it are different skills. If you recognize it in writing but not in speech, replay a short recording while looking at the written form. If you recognize the spoken word but cannot recall it yourself, practise starting from its meaning.
Write down what you know how to use
After each session, write the date, two expressions found without help and one point to review. Take the form again a few days later. Then add a sentence that concerns you in the course to learn Kabyle .