Corsican (corsu ) is the native language ofCorsica . Even though it has no official status there, it is estimated that 50% of the population has conversational understanding of Corsican, and a significant minority of islanders prefer to use the language over French. Corsican is most closely related to theTuscan dialect ofItalian and is also much more closely related to other Italian dialects than to French.
Pronunciation guide [ edit ] a as in fa ther e as in be t or he y, also pronounced as in ra ck or fa ther in the south of Corsica i as in pi n or spee d o as ino r u as in moo n b same as English c as inch eap beforei ore , and as inc at elsewhere ch as inc at chj t as int en, followed byy as iny arnd as in English, but also pronounced as a (trilled?) r sound in some words f as in English g as inJ ack beforei ore , and as ing ill elsewhere gh as ing ill ghj d as ind eed, followed byy as iny arngli g as ing ill, followed byy as iny arn; sometimes pronounced asdd in the south of Corsicagn as in oni on gu as in hangw a l as in English, but also pronounced as a (trilled?) r in some words m as in English n as in English, also as in nam e before b, p, and v p as in English qu as inqu ilt r as in English (or trilled?) s as in English, but also pronounced as insh e in some words, especially beforet sc as insh e sg as in French bonj ur t as in English v as in English or as inb ee z as in cats of kids ia as in Germanja ie as inya y oryea h io as inyo -yo iu as inyou ua as inwa ter For this guide, all phrases and sentences are provided in the polite form. It was written this way under the presumption that anyone using this guide will be speaking Corsican to people they are not familiar with.
Hello. Bonghjornu (X) How are you? Cumu site? (X) Very well, Thank you. Bè, vi ringraziu. (X) What is your name? Cumu vi chjamate? (X) My name is _____. Mi chjamu _____. (X) Nice to meet you. Un piacè di incuntravvi. (X) Please. Per piacè (X) Thank you. Grazie (X) I don't know. Di nunda. (X) Yes. Iè (X) No. Innò (X) Excuse me. Scusatemi. (X) Sorry. Goodbye. Avedeci (X) I do not speak _____. Ùn parlu micca ______. (X) Do you speak English? Parlate Inglese? (X) Is there anyone that speaks English here? Ci hè qualchissia chi parla Inglese quì? (X) Help! Aiuta! (X) Good Morning. Bonghjornu (X) Good Afternoon. Good Evening. Bona sera (X) Good Night. À bona notte (X) I don't understand. Ùn capiscu micca. (X) Where is the bathroom? Induve sò e toilettes? (X) Don't upset me. Ùn mi dirangeti micca. (XX) Don't touch me! Ùn mi tuccate! (X) I will call the police. Aghju da chjamà a puliza. (X) Police! Puliza! (X) Stop! Thief! Arristeti! O scruccò! (X) Help me, please! Aghjutatemi, per piacè! (X) This is an emergency. Hè una urgenza. (X) I am lost. Sò persu. (X) I lost my bag (handbag/pocketbook). Aghju persu u mo saccu. (X) I lost my wallet. Aghju persu u mo porta muneta. (X) I am sick. Mi sente. (X) I am hurt. Sò feritu. (X) I need medical attention. Aghju bisognu di un duttore. (X) Can I use your telephone? Possu telefunà? (X) 0 Zèru (X) 1 Unu (X) 2 Dui (X) 3 Trè (X) 4 Quattru (X) 5 Cinque (X) 6 Sèi (X) 7 Sette (X) 8 Ottu (X) 9 Nove (X) 10 Dece (X) 11 Ondeci (X) 12 Dodeci (X) 13 Trèdeci (X) 14 Quattordeci (X) 15 Quindici (X) 16 Sèdeci (X) 17 Dicessette (X) 18 Diciottu (X) 19 Dicenove (X) 20 Vinti (X) 21 Vintunu (X) 22 Vintidui (X) 23 Vintitrè (X) 30 Trènta (X) 40 Quaranta (X) 50 Cinquanta (X) 60 Sessanta (X) 70 Settanta (X) 80 Ottanta (X) 90 Novanta (X) 100 Cèntu (X) 200 Duiecèntu (X) 300 Trecèntu (X) 1,000 Mille (X) 2,000 Duiemila (X) 1,000,000 Un millione (X) Number _____ (train, bus, etc.) Nùmeru _____ (X) Half Mèzu (X) Less Menu (X) More Più (X) now Avà (X) later Più tarde (X) before Prima / Ans'ora (X) morning A matina (X) during the morning ind'a matinata (X) Afternoon dopu meziornu (X) evening A sera (X) during the evening ind'a serata (X) night A notte (X) one o'clock AM un'ora di mane (X) two o'clock AM duie ore di mane (X) nin o'clock AM nove ore di mane (X) noon meziornu (X) one o'clock PM un'ora (X) two o'clock PM dui ore (X) six o'clock in the evening sei ore di sera (X) seven o'clock in the evening sette ore di sera (X) quarter to seven o'clock,06:45 sette ore menu u quartu (X) quarter past seven,07:15 sette ore è quartu (X) seven thirty,07:30 sette ore è mezu (X) midnight meza notte (X) _____ minute(s) ______ minuta(e) (X) _____ hour(s) ______ ora(e) (X) _____ day(s) ______ ghjornu(i) (X) _____ week(s) ______ simana(e) / settimana(e) (X) _____ month ______ mese(i) (X) _____ year(s) ______ annu(i) (X) weekly settimanale, ebdumadariu (X) monthly mensuale (X) yearly annuale (X) Today Oghje (X) Yesterday Eri (X) Tomorrow Dumane (X) This week st'etima / sta simana/settimane (X) Lest week st'etima chì vene / a prussima simana / settimane (X) Next week a simana scorsa / settimane (X) Monday luni (X) Tuesday marti (X) Wednesday marcuri (X) Thursday ghjovi (X) Friday venneri (X) Saturday sabbatu (X) Sunday dumenica (X) January ghjinaghju (X) February ferraghju (X) March marzu (X) April aprile (X) May maghju (X) June ghjugnu (X) July lugliu (X) August aostu (X) September sittembre (X) October uttrovi (X) November nuvembre (X) December dicembre (X) Black neru (X) White biancu (X) Gray grisgiu (X) Red rossu (X) Blue turchinu (X) Yellow ghjallu (X) Green verde (X) Orange aranciu (X) Brown brunu (X) How much is a ticket to _____? Quantu costa u bigliettu per andà in _____? (X _____) One ticket for _____. Un bigliettu per ____, per piacè. (X) Where does this train/bus go? Induva và stu trenu/carru? (X?) Where is train/bus for _____? Induva hè u trenu/carru per _____? (X _____) Does this train/bus stop in _____? Stu trenu/carru s'arresta in _____? (X _____) When does the train/bus for _____ leave? U trenu/caru per _____ parte à chi ora? (X _____ X) When will this train/bus arrive in _____? U trenu/caru per _____ hà da ghjunghje quandu? (X _____) How do I get to ...? Induva si trova ____? (X _____) ...the train station? a gara? (X) ...the bus station? a gara? (X) ...the airport? l'aeroportu? (X) ...downtown? in villa/cità? (X) Where are there a lot of... Induva ci sò uni pochi di ... (X) ...restaurants? ...risturanti? (X) ...bars? bar? (X) ...sites to see? ...lochi da visità? (X) Can you show me on the map? Pudete mustrammi annant'à a carta? (X?) Do you serve alcohol? Servite alcool? One beer/two beers, please. Una biera/duie biere, per piacè. A glass of red/white wine, please. Un bichjeru di vinu rossu/biancu, per piacè. One large beer, please. Una grande biera, per piacè. A bottle, please. Una buttiglia, per piacè. whisky whisky vodka vodka rhum rhum water acqua soda soda Coke Coca Do you have any bar snacks? Avete aperitivi (ind'u sensu chips è cacahuete) One more, please. Un(a) altru(a), per piacè. When do you close? À chi ora chjudete? Do you have this in my size? Avete què ind'a mo taglia? How much (is this)? Quantu costa? That's too exspensive. Hè troppu caru. Would you take _____? Accittate _____? exspensive caru cheap à bon pattu Je ne peux pas le/la payer. Ùn possu pagallu(la). I don't want it. Ùn ne vogliu micca. Vous me trompez. Mi burlate. I'm not interested. Ùn sò micca interessatu. Bien, je vais le/la prendre. Bè, aghju da pigliallu(la). Can I have a bag? puderesti dammi un saccu? Do you ship (overseas)? Livrate à u strangeru? I need... Aghju bisognu... ...toothpaste. ...di dentifriciu. ...a toothbrush. ...d'una brossa à denti. ...tampons. di stamponi. (X) ...soap. di savone. ...shampoo. di shampooing. ...painkillers (aspirin, ibuprofen). ...un analgesicu. ...cold medicine. ...un medicamentu per u rhume. ...stomach medicine. ...di medicamentu per u stomacu. ...a razer. ...di un rasoghju. ...batteries. ...di pile. ...an umbrella. ...di un paracua. ...a parasol. d'un parasole. (X) ...sunscreen. ...di crema pè u sole. ...a postcard. di una cartulina. (X) ...des timbres à poste. di franchizie. ...du papier à lettres. di carta. (X) ...a pen. d'una penna. (X) ...de livres en français. ...di libri in francese. ...des magazines en français. ...di magazini in francese. ...un journal en français. ...un ghjurnale in francese. ...d'un dictionnaire français-XXX. ...di un dizziunariu francese-XXX. I want to rent a car. Vudriu appigiunà una vittura. Can I get insurance? Purriu esse assicuratu(a)? stop (on a street sign) stop one way senzu unicu yield lasciate passà no parking staziunamente difesu speed limit lìmita di vitezza gas (petrol) station stazione essenza petrol l'essenza diesel diesel I haven't done anything wrong. Ùn aghju fattu nunda di male. It was a misunderstanding. Hè un sbagliu. Where are you taking me? Induva mi purteti? Am I under arrest? So in statu d'arristazione? I am a French/Belgian/Swiss/Canadian citizen. So francese/belgu/svizzeru/canadianu. Je suis citoyenne française/belge/suisse/canadienne. So francesa/belga/svizzera/canadiana. I want to talk to the French/Belgian/Swiss/Canadian embassy/consulate. Devu parlà à l'ambassada/à u cunsulatu francese/belgu/svizzeru/canadianu. I want to talk to a lawyer. Vuderiu parlà à un avucatu. Can I just pay a fine now? Puderiu simplicemente pagà un'amanda? How do you say _____ in Corsican? Cumu si dice _____ in corsu ?(X) What is this/that called? Què cumu si chjama ?(X)