nadharia 9/10 theory
nafasi 9/10 opportunity; space
nafuu advantageous, good, nice; better
namna 9/10 kind
namna hii like this
namna hiyo...sauti ikimtetemeka like this...her voice shaking
nani kaliwa who was swallowed (beaten at cards)
Nansio capital of Ukerewe
nao and they, they too
nasi ndio twaigeuza and we are the ones changing it
nawa wash hand or face
nawiri shine
ndala 9/10 flipflops
ndele (contextual) 9/10 sexiness
ndevu 9/10 beard
ndiyo maana that's why
ndoa 9/10 marriage
ndoo 9/10 bucket
nenda zako go away
nenepa put on weight
ng'aa shine
ng'alia shine at
ng'ambo 9/10 opposite side; abroad
ng'ang'ania beg, nag
ng'ata bite
ng'oka come out, get pulled out
nge 9/10 & 1/2 scorpion
ngoja wait
ngojea wait (for)
ngozi 9/10 skin
ngumu 9/10 fist
nguo za matandiko bed linen
nguzo 9/10 pillar; principle
ni ajabu it's amazing
ni mweupe kunizidi she is lighter (in color) than me
nia 9/10 aim
niache niende let me go
nidhamu 9/10 discipline
nimekosa nini? what wrong have I done?
ninakomea kiunoni I reach up to (his) waist
ninakuhakikishia I assure you/guarantee you
ning'inia swing
ningalikuwa nataka if I had wanted
ningekuwa na I would have
nisingezaliwa hapa if I hadn't been born here
nitashukuru I'll be grateful
njiwa 9/10 & 1/2 dove
noa sharpen
noga be sweet or good
nong'oneza whisper to
nukia smell good, sweet
nuna sulk
nung'unika grumble, complain
nung'uniko 5/6 grumbling, complaining
nuru 9/10 light
nusu 9/10 a half, semi-
nusurika narrowly escape
Nyakabungo suburb of Mwanza
nyamavu quiet, not speaking
nyamaza be quiet, keep quiet, repress oneself
nyamazisha quieten someone
nyang'anya snatch, steal, take by force
nyanyasa kijinsia harass sexually
nyemelea approach secretly
nyigu 5/6 & 1/2 large wasp, hornet
nyima refuse to give, deny
nyimwa be denied
nyoa shave, cut hair very short, have one's hair cut
nyonga hang, strangle
nyonya suck
nyosha make straight
nyosha nguo iron clothes
nyota 9/10 star
nyoya 5/6 feather; animal hair (PL.)
nyuma behind
nyuma yao behind them
nywesha make someone drink, give drink to someone
nzi 9/10 & 1/2 fly








O • index

oa marry (of men only)
ofisi 9/10 office
ogelea swim
ogopa be afraid
ogopesha frighten
okoa save (life etc.)
okota pick up, come across
okotwa be picked up, found
ole! woe!
omba ask, beg, pray
omba kidole cha pete propose engagement, to marry
omba radhi apologize
"ombe" = pombe 9/10 beer
ombea ask for something on someone's behalf, pray for
ombi 5/6 prayer
omboleza lament, mourn
ona ajabu be amazed
ona haya be ashamed, embarrassed, shy
ona kinyaa be disgusted/sick
ondoa take away
ondoka leave
ondolea remove for someone
ondolewa be removed
onea envy, look down on
onea huruma show compassion, feel for someone,
onekana seem; appear
onewa be envied; looked down upon
ongea (na) talk (with/to)
ongeza increase
ongezea add to, increase for someone
ongoza lead
ongozana na follow someone
ongozana njia showing way to each other
ongozwa be led
onya warn
onywa be warned
orodha 9/10 list
orofa 9/10 story, floor
ororo soft
osha wash up, wash something
oshwa be washed
ota grow
ovyo randomly, carelessly
oza rot








P • index

pa give
pa adhabu give punishment, punish
pa mimba make pregnant
pa pole commiserate, express sympathy
pa pongezi [kumpa mtu pongezi] congratulate [congratulate someone]
padri 5/6 & 1/2 Catholic priest
paja 5/6 thigh
paka apply, smear on
paka mafuta put on cream or oil
pakana na border on
pakua dish out
pamba decorate
pamba 9/10 cotton
pamoja na together with
panchi criticise in public posters
pandikizi 5/6 big piece
pandikizi la mtu giant
pandisha sauti say/speak/make louder
pandwa na mori be beside oneself with anger, emotion
panga set up, plan, arrange
panga 5/6 machete
panga vitu pack up; arrange things
pangiwa have something arranged, planned
pango 5/6 cave
pangusa wipe, dust off
papasa touch gently
papasapapasa stroke, touch gently, feel
paramia catch hold of
parokia 9/10 parish
pasa be a duty, be an obligation
pashwa/paswa have to
pasi 9/10 passport
pasua tear up, split
pasuka tear, get split
pasuliwa get/be torn
paswa be proper
pata find, get
pata bahati be/get lucky
pata mashauri get advice
pata mimba get pregnant
patana agree
patia get something for someone, hand
patiwa have something brought
pazia 5/6 curtain
pea 9/10 pair
peke yake by self
peke yangu by myself
peleka send
pelekea send to, for
pelekwa be sent
pembe 9/10 corner
penda love
pendekezo 5/6 proposal, suggestion
pendeza please; look good
penya penetrate
pepa sway, stagger
peperusha blow away
pepesuka totter
pepetana na face off each other
pesa za matumizi spending money
pewa be given
piga chapa type
piga chenga dodge, avoid
piga hatua take a step
piga kelele be noisy
piga kofi slap or clap
piga magoti kneel
piga miayo yawn
piga mishindo thump
piga mstari underline, draw a line
piga ramli divinate; tell the future
piga vigelegele ululate
pigiwa simu be called on the phone
pima measure, inspect
pindua turn over, overturn
pinduka turn over (by itself)
pinduliwa be turned
pinga oppose, obstruct, block
pipa 5/6 barrel
pishana
pita pass, go by
pitia stop at
pitiliza go on by, pass by
pitisha move something, pass something from one place to another
poda 9/10 powder
pofusha blind someone
pokea receive
pole gentle
pombe ya moshi illicit liquor
pona get well, heal
pongeza congratulate
pongezi 9/10 congratulations
pori 5/6 wilderness, inhospitable area
posa propose marriage
potea get/be lost
poteza lose, waste
poteza muda [kukupoteza muda wako] waste time [waste your time]
pua 9/10 nose
pumua breathe
pumzika rest
pumzisha give a rest to something/someone
punga wave
pungua get less
punguza diminish, reduce, make less
punguza ulevi drink less (alcohol)
punguzia reduce something for somebody
punguziwa have something reduced
pupa 9/10 eagerness








Q • index

Hakuna msamiati wo wote hapa.

Copyright © 1999 Magdalena Hauner

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