Albanian

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II	This is a Category II Language.

1 Introduction
2 The Letters
3 Lesson 1
4 Appendices

[edit] Introduction

The Albanian language is called Shqip in Albanian (pronounced shchip). There are two dialects: Gheg and Tosk. Tosk is spoken in most of Albania except for the northern part, while Gheg is spoken in the northern part of Albania, and by Albanians living in Kosova (Kosovo) and Macedonia. The two dialects are mostly mutually intelligible. This tutorial will cover the unified version of the language taught in Albania after WWII which was also taught in Yugoslavia from about 1960 onward. This version uses aspects of both Gheg and Tosk and is understood by speakers of any dialect. The majority of written texts in Albanian are in this version.

It's also impotant to know that albanian is NOT similar to any other language except the infusion of words from neighboring countries as well as Turkish from ottoman empire time, English, Italian etc. The grammar, word formation and sentence structure are unique. Albanian is an Indo-European language that is NOT related with any other branch like Latin, Slavic etc.

[edit] The Letters

There are 36 letters in the albanian alphabet, which are pronounced as follows:

Vowels:

a, e, ë, i, o, u, y

a: as a in bar
e: as e in bet
ë: as e in serb
i: as i in bit
o: as oo in door
u: as oo in boot
y: as u in ruse (French u sound)

Consonants:

b, c, ç, d, dh, f, g, gj, h, j, k, l, ll, m, n, nj, p, q, r, rr

The consonants are pronounced the same as in English, with the following exceptions/additions:

c: as ts in cats
ç: as ch in check
dh: as th in that
gj: as "gyuh", no equivalent in English, but similar to du in honduras
j: as y in yellow
ll: as ll in tall
nj: as n in new
q: as tu in mature
rr: as er in mister
sh: as sh in shoe
th: as th in think
zh: as s in pleasure
x: as dz
xh: as j in jack

Words are spelled phonetically. Jack Taylor would be spelled Xhek Tejlër. The accent is on the second-last syllable.

Now that you know how to pronounce the words, you are ready to start with the first lesson.

[edit] Lesson 1

[edit] Personal Pronouns

unë - I
ti - you (singular)
ai - he
ajo - she
ne - we
ju - you (plural)
ata - they (masculine)
ato - they (feminine)

The singular you is used when you are addressing a person informally, such as a close friend or a child. The plural you is used to show respect when you are addressing someone important, such as a stranger. The masculine they is used to refer to a group of males (or a group of masculine objects), or to refer to a mixed gender group. The feminine they is used to refer to an all-female group.

[edit] To be

unë jam - I am
ti je - you are
ai është - he is
ajo është - she is
ne jemi - we are
ju jeni - you are
ata janë - they are (m)
ato janë - they are (f)

Here are some phrases with the verb to be:

unë jam shqiptar - I am an albanian
ti je anglez - you are english
ata janë anglezë - they are english
ato janë angleze - they are english (feminine)

Notice how the last two adjectives have an ë or e at the end while the first two do not. That is because they describe a plural noun while the first two describe singular nouns. The ë is added to the end of the adjective describing a masculine (or mixed masculine/feminine) noun to make it plural. If the noun is feminine, then e is added instead.

Most nouns are made feminine by attaching an e to the end. For example, Shqiptar means Albanian, if that Albanian is a male. If that Albanian was a female, then you would say Shqiptare. If it was a group of Albanians, you would say Shqiptarë.

[edit] To have

unë kam - I have
ti ke - you have (singular)
ai ka - he has
ajo ka - she has
ne kemi - we have
ju keni - you have (plural)
ata kanë - they have (m)
ato kanë - they have (f)

Here are some phrases with the verb to have:

unë kam një libër - I have a book
ti ke një makinë - you have a car
ai ka një shok - he has a friend
ata kanë para - they have money

In addition to the verb to have, we have also introduced another word: një. This means "a". It is also the word for the number one. It works the same way as the word "a" in English; it is placed before a noun when the noun is not definitive. More on the definite and indefinite form of nouns later.