Shqip, the language spoken in Kosovo as well as neighboring Albania, is a unique branch of the Indo-European language family, written with Roman lettering and unrelated closely to any other modern language except for more recent loan words like muze/muzeu, hotel, restorant, and universitet). And for visitors, here´s a handful of essential Albanian words and phrases:
Hello - përshëndetje (pronounced "per-shen-DET-yeh")*
Hi (informal) - tung ("toong")
Goodbye - mirupafshim ("meer-oo-PAHF-sheem")
Please - ju lutem ("yoo LOO-tem")
Thank you - faleminderit ("fah-leh-meen-DEH-reet) - if you can manage to remember only one, make it this one.
Yes - po ("poh")
No - jo ("yoh")
Good morning - mirëmëngjes ("meer-uh-MUHN-jes")*
Good evening - mirëmbrëma ("meer-uh-MBRUH-ma")*
Excuse me/sorry - më falni ("muh FAHL-nee")*
Cheers! - gëzuar! ("guh-ZOO-ar!")*
Do you speak English? - A flisni anglisht? ("ah FLEES-nee ahn-GLEESHT?")
*the letter ë is pronounced "uh"
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