Phrase

Meaning

Notes

Source

Ajsi bori lachi: xal bilondo, phenel londo

Such a daughter-in-law is good who eats unsalted food and says it is salted

Slovakia

1.40

Akana mukav tut le Devlesa

I now leave you to God

Lovara, funeral comment

3.79

Amaro baro them

Our big land, ie ancestral homeland

1.109

Ande save vitsa

In which vitsa

9.193

Ando gav bi zhuklesko jal o pavori bi destesko

In the village without dogs the farmers walked without sticks

3.167

Ando gav bi zhuklesko shai piravel o manush bi destesko

In a village without a dog a man can walk without a stick

3.175

Ashen Devlesa, Romale

May you remain with God

3.214

Baxt hai sastimos tiri patragi

Wish luck and good health

Said on Slavas

9.119

Bengesko niamso

Cursed German

4.87

Bi kashtesko merel i yag

Without wood the fire would die

3.56

Bolde tut, kako

Please turn away

If she was unable to avoid passing in front of one or between two men, a gypsy woman might say this to avoid possible marhime

3.151

Chailo sim

I am replete (ie full)

3.30

Das dab ka i roata le neve vurdoneski

To give a push to the wheel of the new wagon

i.e. to provide a kick-start to newlywed households

3.201

Devlesa araklam tume

It is with God that we found you

3.245

Devlesa avilan

It is God who brought you

3.245

Droboy tume Romale

Traditional greeting (response is Nais tuke (thank you)

3.149

Dza devlesa

God go with you

Russia

2.90

El Crallis ha nicobado la liri de los Cales

The king has taken away the law of the gypsies

Cale; note the hybrid of Romani lexicon and Castilian phonology, morphology and syntax

6.167

Feri ando payi sitsholpe te nauyas

It was in the water that one learned to swim

Lovara

3.60

Gadje Gadjensa, Rom Romensa

Gadje with Gadje, Rom with Rom

4.96

I chatski tsinuda de tehara, vai de haino, khal tut

The true nettle stings from the beginning

4.94

I chirikleski kul chi perel duvar pe yek than

The droppings of the flying bird never fall twice on the same spot

4.24

Isi ili daba

Here there are also smacks

1.35

Isi ma xarica love; so hramosorav andi gazeta; a-ko isi pomoshinav tumen

I have a little money; I am a journalist; maybe I can help you

1.209

Jekh dilo kerel but dile hai but dile keren dilimata

One madman makes many madmen, and many madmen make madness

1.37

Ka xlia ma pe tute

I am going to shit on you

Albania

1.34

Kai zhal o vurdon vurma mekela

Where the wagon goes a trail is left

4.97

Kaski san?

Whose are you?

9.193

Kay zhala I suv shay zhala wi o thav

Where the needle goes, surely the thread will follow

4.95

Kon del tut o nai shai dela tut wi o vast

He who willingly gives you one finger will also give you the whole hand

3.205

Kon khakhavel o balo wi leste si I shuri

He who feeds the pig also holds the knife over it when it is fattened

4.115

Kon khal but, khal peski bakht

He who eats much eats away his own luck

Kalderash saying

3.224

Love k-o vast, bori k-o grast

Money in hand, bride on horse

1.286

Mandar tsera tai kater o Del mai but te aven tumenge

From me a little money, but may God give you plenty

?tumenge -> humungous

3.201

Mashkar le gadjende leski shib si le Romeski zor

Surrounded by the Gadje, the Rom's only defence is his tongue

3.51

May angle sar te merel kadi yag

Before this fire burns out

Armaya

3.169

May kali i muri may gugli avela

The darker the berry the sweeter it is

Lovara

3.54

May mishto les o thud katar i gurumni kai tordjol

It is easier to milk a cow that stands still

3.53

May mishto phabol o kasht o chordano

Stolen wood burns better for being stolen

4.94

May sigo sar te may khav

Before I even have my next meal

Armaya

3.169

Me mangav te jav ando granitza tumensa

I want to go to the border with you

1.208

Me piav pani

I drink water

Cf Skr me pina pani = to drink water

1.108

Me san de spiroski shey

I am Spiro's daughter

9.193

Me som Bardu

I am Bardu

1.218

Mukhenpe te khan la lumia

If they conquer the world

4.90

Na bister 500,000

Don't forget the 500,000

Ref to the holocaust

1.243

Na daran Romale vi ame sam Rom chache

Do not fear, you Gypsy men, for we too are Gypsieis

3.245

Na may kharunde kai chi khal tut

Not to scratch where it doesn't it

3.52

Nais tuke

Thank you

3.149

Nashti zhas vorta po drom o bango

You cannot walk straight when the road is bent

4.102

O chavorro na biandola dandencar

The child is not born with teeth

Albania

1.44

O lov tai o beng nashti beshen patshasa

Neither money nor the devil can remain in peace

3.240

O manusha khelevan tut

The people make you dance

Said if a place is nice

1.59

O shoshoy kaste si feri yek khiv sigo athadjol

The rabbit which has only one hole soon is caught

4.89

O Spiro le tinshasko shav

The Spiro who is the son of Tinha

9.193

O ushalin zhala sar o kam mangela

The shadow moves as the sun commands

4.31

O xonxano baro

The great trick

Spanish Romani, a type of swindle

6.62

O zalzaro khal peski piri

Acid corrodes its own container

4.97

Opre Roma!

Roma Arise!

Slogan of the first World Romani Congress

6.317

Ov yilo isi

Is it okay

Lit. is there heart here

1.75

Pachiv tumenge Romale

"This song was offered as a gift to worthy men"

3.94

Perdal l paya

Beyond the waters

i.e. the Americas

3.239

Piri telemosa chi athadjol o kam

The kettle that lies face down cannot get much sunlight

4.96

Prohasar man opre pirende - sa muro djiben semas opre chengende

Bury me standing - I've been on my knees all my life

1.304

Putrav lesko drom angle leste te na inkrav les mai but palpale mura brigasa

I open his way in the new life again and release him from the fetters of my sorrow

Ritual phrase to mark the end of mourning

3.236

Rode chia bora le kanensa tai te na le yakensa

Select one's daughter-in-law with the ears and not with the eyes

Pay more attention to reputation than looks

3.181

Romale tai shavale akarel tume o Pulika

By your leave, gypsy men and youths, this is Pulika calling you

The proper, formal way to address Rom

3.212

Romale tai Shavale, Churara tai wi Lovara

Gypsy men and youths, Churara and Lovara alike

4.150

Sako peskero charo dikhel

Everybody sees only his own dish

1.35

Sar laci and'ekh vadra

Like crabs in a bucket

1.296

Savo Spiro

Which Spiro?

9.193

Shuk tski khalpe la royasa

Beauty cannot be eaten with a spoon

3.181

Si khohaimo may pachivalo sar o chachimo

There are lies more believable than truth

3.82

Stanki nashti chi arakenpe manushen shai

Mountains do not meet, but people do

3.206

Te avel angla tute, kodo khabe tai kado pimo tai menge pe sastimaste

May this food be before you, and in your memory, and may it profit us in good health and in good spirit

3.235

Te avel angle tute

May this be before you

3.80

Te avel mange bakht drago mange wi te avav po gunoy

All we need is good luck. With luck I would not even mind sitting on a dunghill

4.95

Te aves yertime mander tai te yertil tut o Del

I forgive you and may God forgive you as I do

3.179

Te bisterdon tumare anava

May your names be forgotten

1.59

Te den, xa, te maren, de-nash

When you are given, eat, when you are beaten, run away

Nash - run - whence nash

1.35

Te khalion tai te shingerdjon che gada, hai tu te trais sastimasa tai voyasa

May your clothes rip and wear out, but may you live on in good health and in fulfillment

Armaya

3.107

Te lolirav I phuv mure ratesa

May I redden the earth with my blood

Armaya

3.175

Te malavel les i menkiva

May the malignant disease waste him

4.92

Te merav

May I die

Armaya

3.169

Te merel amaro kuro o lasho

May our favourite stallion die

Armaya

3.169

Te merel muri shey

May my child die tomorrow

Armaya

9.134

Te merel muro dad, muri, dei

May my father, mother, brothers die

Armaya

3.169

Te na khuchos perdal cho ushalin

To try to jump over your own shadow

Lovara

3.44

Te pabaren mange memelia

May you burn candles for me

Armaya

3.169

Te phirav pa-o gav

Lit. To go about the village ie to beg

Poland

1.200

Te pochinen penge lazhav

Pay for their shame

3.174

Te prakhon man pasho o X

May I be buried next to X

Armaya

3.169

Te shordjol muri godji sar shordjol kadi bera

May my brains flow out the way this beer flows out if ...

Lovara armaya

3.166

Te shordjol muro rat

May my blood spill

Armaya

3.169

Te vestinel o dosti Tito, te vestinena o jugoslovenske manusha

Long live comrade Tito and long live the Yugoslav people

1.20

Te xav ka to biav

May I eat at your wedding

1.76

Yekka buliasa nashti beshes pe done grastende

With one behind you can't sit on two horses

3.47

Yodjo la Mimako Zhamutro

Lit. "Yodjo, Mimi's son-in-law

3.115

Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa

Go with God and in good health

4.95