adj., tuukirivu.
adv., he just talks, amala g'ogera, ayogera bwogezi; j. so! int., weewaawo!
eby'ensonga, ebyobutuukirivu.
okuwebwa obutuukirivu.
okuweesa obutuukirivu, okuggyako omusango; j. oneself, okwewolereza.
act, okukola eby'ensonga.
okutawulula, okulongoosa.
divide into portions; open partly, okubegulula emimwa, to purse the lips (as one just beginning to cry), okubegulula amatama, to laugh foolishly, guffaw. cf. akabezo, olubega, (o)mbegedde.
be ou'^e rinp have just the right degree of ripeness (of fruit, etc.). cf. emboosa, embooseera.
for which see the grammars. The following usages are important for lexical purposes because the derivatives formed cannot all be included in the dictionary. 1) bu + la ~ negative infinitive, often equivalent to an English noun which is not an infinitive in form. okumanya, to know; obutamanya, not to know; ingnorance. 2) bu + stem of a noun from another class often produc es an adverb which must be rendered by a phrase in English, enkofu, guinea fowl; bukofu, like a guinea fowl, kukaabya bukofu, to make cry like a guinea fowl, i.e., to cause to suffer. 3) bu + reduplicated stem of a noun of another class indicates plurality with the added notions of indefiniteness, scattered state or even contemp t. essomero, school; obusomerosomero, small, scattered schools which are inferior in quality. 4) normal verb form + bu + verb stem + i. Abalala bagamba nti... others say that; Abalala bagamba bugambi nti... others just/ simply/only say that.
o- (bu/-) judgeship; justice, cf. lamula, omulamuzi.
formerly the name of the Parliamentary Building of the Government of Buganda; obs. kabaka's court of justice.
o- adv. in a state of readiness, kuba bulindaala, to be ready/prepared. Enkuba eri bulindaala. It is just about to rain.
o- (bu/-) extortion; thievery; injustice, unfairness; hate, bad feelings. cf. omulyake; lyakula.
o- also obusimbalala (bu/-) verticalness. as adv. vertically, upright, on end; fig. in an upright/just manner. -a busimba, vertical, upright, cf. simba.
olugendo is implied by -lu-). to be just beginning, to have a long way to go. Tetunnaluba. We are just beginning.
o- (bu/-) rightness, correctness; justice; legality, cf. -tuufu, tuuka.
o- adv. like beer. Kyamutamiiriza ddala bwenge. It intoxicated him just like beer. cf. omwenge.
o- also obwenkamukamu (bu/-) equality; fairness, justice, cf. yenkana.
o- (bu/-) uprightness; justness, fairness; reasonableness, cf. simba, -esimbu.
nzize) v.i. return, come back; go back; go; come up (of crops); take effect (of medicine), kudda mu mbeera, to return to normal, kudda mu maziga, to burst into tears; kudda mu ddiiro, to do a job over (because it was poorly done the first time); to dance again, kudda ngulu, to regain consciousness; to wake up. kudda buto, to become childish, enter one's second childhood (see buto for additional meanings). kudda ku mabbali, to stand aside, kudda mu bi- gere bya..., to follow in the footsteps of, succeed. Tayinza kudda awo kumala bi- seera bye. He can't just stand around and waste his time, abanlu abatalina kadda eri mumwa, people who have nothing to eat, lit. who do not have (a little thing, kantu implied) which returns to the lip. Emmere ezze. The food has been vomited up or The crops have come up.
nziraabirizza) v.tr. mend; repair; adjust; fix up; restore; put (someone) at ease.
e- plur. amaliba (li /ma) skin; hide; cover (of a book or magazine). Lugaba yabuggyako eddiba. [t dawned. Dawn came, lit. God took the skin/covering off of (day, daytime, implied by -bu- = obudde). okufuna ekigulira Magala eddiba, to make money, get some money, get something profitable. Bwe batusiba mu ddiba erimu tuliyuza. We just do not get along. We are mutually incompatible, lit. if they tie us in one skin we will tear it open (an almost hopeless feat), cf. ^akaliba, ekiriba.
carelessness, inevitability (in the sense of being obliged to do what one does not want to do) and even sheer exasperation. Tumaze ga- gendayo. We sent there just for the sake of going. Mumale gaddamu, temulowooza. Just give an answer, don't think about it first. Mala gakola. Just go ahead and do it. Don't spend too much time on it. Among the younger generation there is a tendency to drop the verbal stem which normally follows ga-. The meaning is implied from context, e.g., Twamala ga-. We simply went there (or simply did something else, dep ending on previous context).
be like; look like; be similar; seem, appear. Obulwadde buno bulaanana kawaali. This disease resembles smallpox. Mwenna mu- faanana. You are all alike. Banno ba- faanana batya? What are your friends like? Afaanana ng'alya. He seems to be eating, obutafaanana nga bulijjo, unlike the usual situation, in an unusual manner. oku- faanana ne + noun = like, just like. okufaanana n'amawanga amalala, just like other nations.
e- (li/ma) finely ground powder made from dried greens such as mpindi, etc. Ky'onkoze entungo ekikola ggobe. You have put me in a bad/difficult/sticky situation. n'amanya nti luno eggobe lya kuggwa mu kibya, and he knew that things would turn out just right, lit. the ggobe would wind up in the bowl.
e- (li/ma) bone, okusimba eggumba egganda, to walk. 01 uvannyuma lw'okuki- gaayagaaya baakizuula mpozzi nga kirimu eggumba. After thinking it over they realized that it might just be true, lit. after chewing it they found that perhaps it had a bone inside, okuggwa ku magumba, to lose weight, become all skin and bones, oku- tunguka ku magumba, to cook thoroughly (of meat). Ebigezo bino birimu eggumba. These examinations are quite difficult, lit. have some bone in them. Kirimu eggumba okugamba nti... It is difficult to maintain that. It is hard to say that. lit. There is a bone in saying that... Omwavu lw'alya ennyama amagumba asansa masanse. (prov.) When a poor man eats meat, he scatters the bones around (to impress others ).
mpwedde) v.i. be finished/ ended; be completed (e.g., of a job); be exhausted/worn out. Mpweddemu amaanyi. I have no strength left, obulamu obutaggwa- wo, eternal life, okuggwaamu akakunkuna, to be completely convinced, have one's doubts removed, okuggwa ku muntu, to be ‘finished' with a person, no longer to trust him; to be utterly amazed at a person, ku- ggwaamu mazzi, to be on the point of death; to have just died, lit. to be exhausted of water. Aweddeemu amazzi. He is on the brink of death. Yanywedde n'aggwa. He drank to excess/got drunk. Yayambadde n'aggwa. She was dressed ‘fit to kill.'
e- plur. atnawolezo (li/ma) tribunal, court of justice, cf. lwoza.
gwiririra (-gwiriridde) v.i. appl. 3 lean to one side, tilt, be inclined; become soft, supple (of barkcloth); be cooked to a turn, be just right (of prepared food), okugwiririra olubege, to tilt to one side.
okusaliriza, embyone, okusobya.
reach a high point of intensity; be involved/ complicated (referring to a situation, either in a favorable or unfavorable sense). Gu- jabagidde: ng'omunafu azadde kaiiira. iii (low high low) interj. expressing surprise and flat contradiction I just don't believe you. (prov.) It is complicated affair, just as when a lazy cultivator gives birth to a heavy eater.
a- (ka/bu) something interesting/ worthwhile/appealing. amawulire omutali kanigguusa, very uninteresting news. Ebyo temuli kanigguusa. All this is just nonsense. There is nothing of any value in this.
e- (ki/bi) kind of yellow flower, resembling a sunflower, from which a reddish dye is obtained; fig. something beautiful/ resplendent. Omwana omuwala oli si kimyula kitalo butalo. That girl is not just beautiful, she is ravishing.
e- (ki/bi) kind of large black ant. Ekika ky'Ekinyomo, the Black Ant Clan. Nze sisiika binyomo. colloq. I am not just joking, lit. frying ants.
e- (ki/bi) amusement; entertainment; sport; social gathering, party; celebration, okukoza ekinyumu, to do (something) just for the sake of being sociable, cf. nyuma.
e- (ki/bi) piece of cloth; rag; duster; patch; bandage. Ate linda ggwe, bino bi- kyali biwero. But just wait, this is only the beginning (of what I have to tell you). kuba biwero buwero, to be nothing, be far inferior to the person or thing with which comparison is being made, lit. be mere rags.
grow up, mature. Awakula ennume tewakula emu. (prov.) lit. Where bulls grow up, there does not grow (just) one. Perhaps ~ Troubles never occur singly, okukula nga, to be formed like; to resemble. Nnalonda akafo akaakula ng'ekisu ky'akasanke. 1 selected a small place which resembled a finch's nest. Obudde bukuze. The situation is very bad. There is trouble.
make off; run fast; do to an intense degree (in association with a prec eding negative verb). Tazina akwekwenyuka. He does not just dance, he dances exceptionally well.
however, but; only, as exclusive pron. & adj. for sing, nouns of the ki/bi class, it alone, by itself, ekitabo kimu kyokka, just one book, only one book. cf. -kka.
to showoff, put oneself in the limelight. Laba erikuleese. Go away. Get out of here, lit. See (the road, ekkubo is implied by eri-) which brought you. Gundi oyo talaba! So-and-so is very proud/putting on airs. Ng'olabye. I am sorry for you now. I sympathize with you. Nkukubye nga ndaba. I have hit you on purpose/intentionally. Obalaba. Say hello to them for us. En- nyumba yaabwe eraba buvanjuba. Their house faces east. Bwali tebunnalaba. It was before dawn (bu- implies obudde). Ndaba ku ki? lit. What do I see? (A friendly greeting to a guest, particularly an unexpected one). Bo bakola nga bwe balabye. They do just as they please, mu kulaba kwange, in my view, according to the way 1 see it. Tandabamu kantu. He despises me/ has no respect for me. Onookiraba. You will be sorry. You will find out, lit. you will see it.
o- (lu/n) large packet of salt, kusi- tula lubaya, to lift a very heavy load; to attempt a very difficult task (esp. something in which others have failed). Anti laba, zitutte olubaya! Look who has just passed by (esp. of somebody disliked- zitutte = empewo zitutte, the winds have taken). See also ekkerenda.
nnumye) v.tr. bite; pinch; hurt; pain; ache; fig. accuse, charge with a fault, kuluma bugigi, to grit the teeth (in pain). kuluma mba, to clench the teeth (in anger), kuluma munno, to accuse your companion/the other person of wrong doing, kuluma kiwanvuwanvu, to eat on the run; to eat hurriedly/while standing up. Embwa ennumye. The dog has bitten me. Ennyonta ennuma. I am thirsty. Enjala ennuma. I am hungry. Akalimi k'essaawa kalumye. The hour (hand, on the clock) has just struck.
o- no plur. (lu/n) a small amount of foam. Amaanyi nnina ga luyovuyovu. I just have a little bit of strength, cf. ejjovu.
o- (lu/n) tendency to boast/ make unjustifiable claims; tendency to be intrusive/intrude oneself, cf. -etatan- kiriza.
a- lit. in a manner expressing cessation of rebellion or opposition. Yaseka busesi majeemulukufu. He just laughed sheepishly (indicating that he had been bested), cf. jeema and its conv. jeemulukuka.
complete; use up, consume; spend (time); satisfy, be sufficient for. v.i. suffice, be sufficient; be adequate; be enough. As an auxiliary verb mala has the following uses (adapted from Ashton's Luganda Grammar): 1) To denote completed action mala is followed by the main verb in the inf. Twamaze okusamba omupiira ng'obudde buzibye. We finished playing ball by the end of the day. 2) Followed by an inf. without the I.V., mala stresses the completion of an action before another action begins. Onoomala kuleeta mazzi. You will first bring water. 3) Followed by ga- and a verbal stem, mala expresses inevitability, obligation or simple carelessness. Tumaze gagendayo. We simply had to go there. Bamala gakomaga mbugo zityo. They just beat out the bark in any old way. 4) Followed by the neg. of the ne tense, mala indicates a reversal of decision.
a- adv. quickly; soon; at once; early, ensonga ez'amangu, urgent matters, amangu nga bwe kisoboka, as soon as possible, amangu ddala nga, just as soon as. mangu ago, immediately, at once. cf. -yangu, amangwago.
a- adv. for the sake of appearances; as a bluff. Effumu akntte lya maseeneeko. He has taken a spear (in his hand) just to make an impression. He is holding a spear just as a bluff, cf. seeneeka.
e- (n/n) justification, explanation /e.g., of one's conduct); leg. plea of the defendant, empoza y'okwetaasa, plea of self-defense, cf. ^woza.
e- (n/n) back of the head, okukuba enkoona, to turn one's back to; to go away from, leave behind, okulaba omulabe ku nkoona, to defeat the enemy, lit. see the enemy on the back of his head, okusuulira enkoona, to toss the head back, omwaka ogukubiddwa enkoona, the year which has just passed.
e- adv. without any right, unjustly. Obwami yalya bwa nsowole. He obtained the chieftainship unjustly, cf. sowoka, sowola.
e- (n/n) cheek(s). from ettama, plur. amatama, q.v. okwerya entama, lit. to suck in the cheeks. Teyeerya ntama. He is not one to be trifled with. He does not just fool around.
e- (n/n) [Lunyoro~\ morning heat, about 6:15 a.m.; time just after sunrise, ntanyi, e- (n/n) crime/gross violation of traditional customs, ntanyoomwa, e- (n/n) loincloth, ntanzi, e- (n/n) green pigeon, cf. entawuuzi.
kuija ng'obulidde mu kintn, to come loaded down with something heavy (esp. on the head), lit. come disappearing into something.
level off (e.g., the edges of a woven mat).
etc.; pass an unfair judgment on, judge unjustly.
v.tr., okugonza, okukkakkanya; (dispute) okumalawo empaka, okusonjola; (adjust) okulongoosa.
nzisizza) v.i. & tr. caus. of kka, q.v. make to go down;'put, place; set up, establish; put forth, bear (fruit, of the plantainj; breathe, okussa ekimu, to agree, come to an agreement; to receive Holy Communion. Bassa kimu nga nkuyege. They get along very well, lit. like termites, okussa ekikkowe, to sigh, okussa omukka, to sigh, draw a breath, okusaako omwoyo, to pay attention, okussa omukono ku nda- gaano, to sign an agreement, okussaamu ekitiibwa, to honor, okussaako, to count in, include, okwo ssaako, and add to that, and besides that, okussaako essira, to stress, emphasize, okussaawo abiri, to look at, just look at (abiri implies maaso, eyes), butassa mukono, without resting, without stopping, kussaawo kikyo (eki- gambo), contribute to a discussion, put in one's own ‘two cents.' kussaawo kakalu, to post bail/a bond. Toliimu kassa. You are really stupid. Yagambye nti amaze oku- ssaawo gavumenti ey'ekiseera. He said that he had set up a provisional government. Nnaalongo teyassaamu kantu nga batambula. The wife did not hesitate and they went off. akalenzi kaba kabissa kati ne..., just as the little boy finished telling these things...
shake about, kusukumbula kyejo, to act in a spoiled manner, behave badly. cf. essukumbuli. night; sleep; remain, stay; live, dwell. Wasuze otyanno? Good morning, lit. How did you pass the night? kusula ku budde, to spend a sleepless night (esp. with one who is seriously ill). Yasuze mulwadde nnyo. He was very sick last night. Osula otya obulwadde? How are you now? (Said to someone who is very sick.) Tanywa si- gala asulayo bbiri. He smokes to great excess. Tanywa mwenge asulayo bbiri. He doesn't just drink, he gets intoxicated.
perform, (in a play). Gundi atemba butembi. So-and-so is just joking, cf. katemba.
e- (n/n) pile of bricks which are being baked or have just been baked.
act, okukola mbyone.
rnpubye) v.tr. slip by, slip out, get by (of an unintended act); be overlooked; miss, be missed; fail. Ekyo kya- mpuba buwubi, tonyigga. This was an unintentional mistake/just slipped by me, don't get angry.
mpunye) v.i. smell, produce a smell/odor; stink, kuwunya bugobe, to seem to be certain of losing a game/a sporting competition, kuwunya lugendo, to be almost ready to depart, be on the point of departure, kuwunya luliroliro, to smell or look like one who has been working over a hot stove, kuwunya buwunyi ku mmere, to pick at one's food, eat only a little, kuwunyayo buwunyi or kuwunyamu buwunyi, to go to a place and leave soon, stay only for a short time. Era ye munnange mu nju yawunyamu buwunyi nga yeggyawo. And my friend just went into the house briefly and then went right out. Tewali mmotoka egi- wunyamu. There is no other car which is its equal. Obukulu bumuwunyako. Old age is creeping up on him.
come out of the egg; arch, become convalescent; recover (from a sickness). Akaana kaffe omula- ngira yali yaakaalukako. Our small child has just recovered from the measles, lit. the prince. okwaluka inf.
be poured out; spill; overflow; fall down, collapse; pour in (as a group of people); fail, come to naught (of a plan), okuyiikamu, to strike it rich; to have a stroke of good luck. Nva kuyiikamu. I have just been paid. Alina amaaso gayiika buyiizi. She has gleaming eyes.
come to naught. Eby olugendo lwaffe bizizittanye. Everything connected with our trip is just going wrong.
ensonga ezibejjerezebwa, reasons which are given as excuses.
i.e., be limited to just a little. cf. -gere, eggerezo, ekigero, ekigezo, lolugero.