Please Note

This is a "work in progress." Have a particular word or phrase you'd like to know how to say in Zafharish?
Email me and I'll post it here. ~Linnea

He pulled his hand from her hair and spun her about, grasping her roughly by the elbow. He shoved the pistol against her ribs. "Kazat merash! Gdro deya?"

"What?"

It took him a moment to realize he’d barked at her in Zafharish again. Sloppy, he was getting sloppy.

"Oh, by the way, Captain Tivahr. As long as we’re on the subject of Grantforth, I’ve some new information you might want to look at." She squeezed his arm, hard. He got the message. Don’t go dravda gera mevnahr now.

She propped the plush felinar against one edge of the screen, picked up her empty coffee cup. "Want some? I was just going to get a refill." Her tone was light, but without any real energy behind it.

"Yav chalkon gara reling, viek." He casually requested a cup of tea, trying to sound, not teacher to student, but as if speaking Zafharish to her were an ordinary occurrence. He wanted it to be.

She was already turning. "Yellow tea or that black—oh! Sorry." She shrugged. "I understand better than I answer."

Selections from FINDERS KEEPERS by Linnea Sinclair -- Bantam Spectra 2005

ZAFHARISH LEXICON

Boulashka -- (n) any stew or one pot meal made with a variety of ingredients

Chera -- You (fem)

Cheron -- You (masc)

Cordag merash -- Listen to me; Pay attention; Attend to my words (no direct translation to English)

Dasja -- (n) Honored lady

Dasjon -- (n) Honored man

Dravda -- Slang expression for a body's posterior; rear-end, ass-end

Dravda gera mevnahr -- A popular slang expression for being thoroughly confused, or relating to an event that makes one feel all upside down. Best translated to "ass over tea kettle"

Dharjas -- a brewed alcoholic beverage similar to beer

Dharjas taf, viek -- Cold beer, please

Dasjankira -- (n) Slang expression of affection towards a female loved one. Best translated as "My lady love" or "My beloved"

Ebohr -- Black

Fedka -- (n) A potent liquor, popular in the Yanir Quadrant

Gara -- Some, an amount of

Gera -- Over

Gdro deya -- Identify this location, name this place

Jhavedzga -- Aggression

Jhev'd -- Thanks (informal usage)

Jhevdon -- Thank you (formal usage), I'm grateful

Kazat merash -- see "Cordag merash". Colloquial and much less polite way of demanding attention.

Lutsa -- (n) Light, as in solar or electrical powered

Mevnahr -- Kettle; tea kettle. Also derogatory slang for a decrepit ship/vessel.

Nav -- No, Negative

Rice Bolaf -- A cooked rice dish made with butter and spices

S'viek noyet -- I'm sorry; Please forgive

Strezza -- (n) Star

Taf -- Chilled, iced

Vad -- Yes

Vad yasch -- I'm okay, I'm fine

Viek -- Please

Yagash -- Be quiet!

Yav -- I

Yav chalka -- I want/would like

Yav chalkon gara reling, viek -- I (masc) would like/want some tea, please

Yav chera/cheron -- I desire you (fem/masc)