Sidee

Sidee is an interrogative adverb in Somali meaning “how” or “in what way.” It is used to inquire about manner, method, condition, or process, and is a fundamental element of Somali question formation. In everyday speech and media, sidee introduces questions such as “Sidee tahay?” (“How are you?”), “Sidee u shaqeeyaa mashiinkan?” (“How does this machine work?”), and “Sidee wax u socdaan?” (“How are things going?”).

Grammar and usage: Sidee typically appears at the beginning of a question, though it can also come after a topic or verb. It is used with verbs, adjectives, or participles to specify the aspect being asked about, and can be followed by a pronoun or noun to form more specific questions, such as “Sidee loo sameeyaa canjeero?” (“How is canjeero made?”).

Usage notes: Sidee is common across Somali-speaking communities, including Somalia, Djibouti, Somaliland, and Somali-speaking areas of Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as among speakers in the diaspora. It is one of several basic interrogatives that constitute the core syntax of Somali questions.

See also: Somali language; Interrogatives in Somali.