1
a Somali
指单个索马里人，复数形式为 Somalis。
He is a Somali.
他是索马里人。
索马里语
somalis — plural of somali
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
索马里语
the Cushitic language spoken by the Somali
He is a Somali.
他是索马里人。
An ethnic group native to the Somali Peninsula; a Somali, a group of Somalis, the Somalis.
The Somali ethnic group as a whole; the Somali.
A citizen or resident from the country of Somalia.
A person from a Somali-majority republic, state, or region, including but not limited to: the Republic of Somaliland, the Somali region of Ethiopia (often called the Ogaden, but more neutrally the Somali region), or autonomous states within Somalia's federal system such as Puntland.
My neighbor is a Somali who moved here last year.
我的邻居是位去年搬来的索马里人。
There are several Somalis in my language class.
我的语言课上有几个索马里人。
The Somali who works at the bakery always smiles at me.
那个在面包店工作的索马里人总是对我微笑。
指单个索马里人，复数形式为 Somalis。
He is a Somali.
他是索马里人。
定冠词 the 加复数，指索马里民族整体。
The Somalis have a rich oral tradition.
索马里人有着丰富的口头传统。
表示语言时，Somali 为不可数名词，前面不加冠词 the。
Do you speak Somali?
你会说索马里语吗？
in + 语言名称，表示“用某种语言”。
The letter is written in Somali.
这封信是用索马里语写的。
Not this
Many Somali live in Mogadishu.
Use this
Many Somalis live in Mogadishu.
表示“索马里人”的 Somali 是可数名词，复数形式为 Somalis；汉语没有名词复数后缀，所以学习者容易漏掉词尾的 -s。加上 -s 后，句子才正确地指多个索马里人。
Not this
I speak Somali language.
Use this
I speak Somali.
表示“索马里语”的 Somali 在这里是不可数名词，直接作 speak 的宾语即可；若保留 language，则需说 the Somali language，因为 language 是可数名词单数，前面要有限定词。去掉 language 是最自然的说法。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
说索马里语
Many people in the region speak Somali.
该地区的许多人说索马里语。
学习索马里语
She is learning Somali to work with refugees.
她正在学习索马里语，以便与难民一起工作。
用索马里语
The announcement was made in Somali.
该公告是用索马里语发布的。
翻译成索马里语
The handbook has been translated into Somali.
这本手册已被翻译成索马里语。
一名索马里人
A Somali helped me find the hotel.
一名索马里人帮我找到了酒店。
索马里人（总称）
The Somali have a rich oral tradition.
索马里人有着丰富的口头传统。
Use somalis naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
记忆联想：同根的Somalia是国家，少一个a的Somali是人或语言；用“尾巴-a”记国家，“尾巴-i”记人。
语域：neutral 常见场景：language learning、linguistics、translation Somali 指索马里语时，为不可数名词，通常用于语言学习、语言学或翻译等场景。该词在这些语境中属于中性词，正式和非正式场合均可使用。
该词为专有名词，首字母须大写。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.