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Greetings
In Ateso there are numerous ways of greeting people. A simple ‘hello’ is ‘Yoga’. The type of greeting which is adequate to use always depends on the situation and your relationship to that other person.
Ateso
English
Ateso Pronunciation
Iyoga/kiyoga/kimala ngesi!
Greet him/her!
Ikatunga,iyogata/kiyogata/
kimalata ngesi!
My people, greet him/her!
The next form of greeting can be used in pretty much every situation, both to unknown and known people, either when just passing or when starting a conversation:
Ateso
English
Ateso Pronunciation
Ijai biai?
How are you?
Kosodi bodo? (Informal, used amongst friends or acquintances)
How are you? (Lit: What next?)
Response: Emamete aceda/ejokuna
Nothing much/It is fine
Eyalama ber eong kanu akusaswam/ aswam kus
Lit.: Thanks for your (plural) work
Response: Iso/Isio itelekarit
You’re welcome/ It’s our pleasure
Yoga ber ijo aswam
Thanks for the work
Yoga ber ijo akoniswam/aswam kon
Thanks for your work
When showing respect or when actually starting a conversation, one
can ask what loosely translates into ‘Good morning’ or ‘Good afternoon’ but
is in fact a question:
From morning to noon:
Ateso
English
Ateso Pronunciation
Ikwenyunit biai Lokapolon(Ipa)/ Napolon(Nakapolon,Ito)?
Good morning, Sir/Madam?
Response: Ejokuna/Ejok ajotot eong ejok cut
Good, I slept very well
Iperitos biai?
How was your night/sleep?
Ikwenyunitos/Iwalaritos biai?
Good morning (Lit; How have you woken up?)
Response: Ikwenyunit iso/isio cut ejok.
Good/We woke up feeling very well.
Akwenyun
To wake up
Ejok
Good
From noon to night:
Ateso
English
Ateso Pronunciation
Biaibo elosio apaaran
Lokapolon/Napolon
(Nakapolon)?
How is your day going Sir/ Madam?
Response: Ejokuna/Elosi ejok cut
Good/It is going very well
Biaibo elositor apaaran kon
Lokapolon/Napolon
(Nakapolon)?
How did you pass your day Sir/ Madam?
Biaibo elositor apaaran kus?
How did you pass your day?
Response: Ejok, elosit apaaran ejok cut
Our day went very well
Kolot bo apaaran biai?
How did your day go?
Response: Ajokuna
It was good
When greeting a friend or an acquainted person (not to someone who deserves respect) and inquiring about their well-being one can say: