nithё ėtsё dbêgënék
What time is it?
nyano dbêgënémget.
It is five o’clock.
i zhё ė nё nyano dbêgënék
It’s getting to be five o’clock.
i zhё ė nё nawkwėk
It’s getting to be noon.
gizh ndatso nseth nish dbêgëné
It is after twelve o’clock.
bwamshé ngot dbêgënék.
It is before one o’clock.
1. nithёpi ga byé mathiyen
When did you start out? (to get here)
ngothi mana nyano dbêgënék ngi byémathi
I left around five o’clock.
bwamshé mok’ёk ngi byé mathi.
I left before sunrise.
gish nawkwėk ngi byé mathi.
I left in the afternoon.
wnago ngi byé mathi.
I left yesterday.
2. nithёpi ga byé mathibzoyėk
When did you guys start out?
gwiyen zhё gi nyano dbêgëné
Exactly at five o’clock.
ga gish nawkwėk shё zhna
It was in the afternoon.
ga gish nish dbêgënék pi byé mathiyak (pi – that’s when)
It was after two o’clock, that’s when we left.
nso dbêgnék ngi byé mathimen
We left at three o’clock.
bwamshé nish dbêgënék ngi byé mathimen
Before two o’clock we left.
3. nithёpi wa odankéyen
When are you going to town?
shwatso dbêgënék nwi odanké
I’m going to town at eight o’clock.
bama nё bgeshmëk nwi odanké
I’m going to wait till evening to go to town.
oswabêk nwi odanké
Day after tomorrow I’m going to town.
wabêk kёzhėp nwi odanké.
Tomorrow morning I’m going to town.