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The Ishtar Gate

Basic Sumerian Phrases

𒁲𒈠𒃶𒈨𒂗
silima hemen
Welcome, farewell (lit. "may you be healthy/prosperous").

𒁲
silim
Hello, goodbye (lit. "peace").

𒁲𒈨𒂗
silimen
Are you healthy? (= "how are you?")
Can also be translated as "I am in good health/I am prospering".

𒊷𒂵𒈨𒂗
sagamen
I am (doing) well.

𒅆𒌨𒈨𒂗
hulmen
I am (doing) bad.

𒅴𒂠 𒂊𒍪𒅇𒀀𒀭
emegir ezuam
Do you speak Sumerian?

𒅴𒂠𒋫 𒅗 𒂊𒁕𒁄𒂊𒂗
emegirta inim edabala'en
Yes, I speak Sumerian.

𒀀𒁀𒀀𒀭 𒈬𒍪
abam muzu
What is your name?

... 𒈬𒈬𒌝
... muĝu
My name is ... (see our page on Sumerian personal names)
You can also say: ... 𒈨𒂗, pronounced ... men (literally "I am...")

𒈨𒀀 𒋼𒈨𒂗
me'a temen
Where are you from?

... 𒋼𒈨𒂗
... temen
I am from ...

𒆠 𒈬𒊏𒉘𒂗
ki muraĝen
I love you.
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  • Society & Culture
    • Cuneiform Basics
    • Amagi = Freedom
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    • Numerals & Numerology
    • Basic Sumerian Phrases
  • Calendar
    • The Akitu festival
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  • The Sapphire Tablet