ye; (obj. pref.) mu.
ye nnyini.
e- (li/ma) large body. Eyeerabye ebbiri talagulwa. (prov.) lit. He who sees himself (as having) a mighty body does not accept prophecy. Pride cometh before a fall. cf. omubiri.
e- (li/ma) large barkcloth. kugwa mu bbugo, to ask secretly for help. Yamukubira essimu ng'amugwa mu bbugo. He telephoned him and asked him in confidence to help. cf. olubugo.
beezesa (-beezesezza) v. tr. appl. caus. 1 & 2 cause to be; keep alive; maintain; cause to continue. Yamu- buuzizza ekyamubeezesa n'ebintu ebibbe. He asked him what caused him to be in the possession of stolen property.
o- (bu/-) evil, wickedness; badness; inferiority; ugliness; excreta, as an adv. badly; poorly. Bamuli bubi. They have it in for him.
be lacking, lack; be at a loss for; lose. Yabulwa eky' okuddamu. He was at a loss for an answer. Nnali siyinza kubulwa ddoboozi lye. I could not be mistaken about/fail to recognize his voice. Bwe yamunoonya n'abulwa n' agenda. When he looked for him without success (lit. and he was missing) he went away. Omuntu bw'abulwa by'ayogera anuuna ne ku vvu. (prov.) When a person is at a loss for words he even sucks on ashes. (This is said of a person who talks for the sake of talking).
o- adv. like beer. Kyamutamiiriza ddala bwenge. It intoxicated him just like beer. cf. omwenge.
o- (bu/-) brain, brains, omuwala amulya obwongo, a girl who appeals to him/who is attractive to him, lit. who eats bis brains. Ki ekikulya obwongo? What's eating you? What's troubling you?
ekituli ky'omukka.
ezzike.
make a pounding/thumping sound. Ejinoma zidudula. The drums are pounding, v.tr. beat, pound. Yamududula ennume y'ekigwo. He gave him a mighty fall (in wrestling).
aze mwene, I myself. Katonda mwene. God Himself. Kye kyange kyenekyene. It is my very own. cf. ^mwene.
to lose one's head over something; to lose one's sense of values because of something. N'obugagga nno bwe butyo tebubama- langamu nsa. And do not, in that way, let (the desire for) wealth get the better of you/ cause you to lose your perspective. Okuvuma omusomesa kimumalamu ensa eri b'asomesa. To insult the teacher causes him to lose respect in the eyes of the students he is teaching.
feel free with, have confidence in, trust. Siyinza kumweyabiza. I cannot confide in him. I can't talk to him freely. See the note under yab-.
pron. & adj. for singular nouns of the n/n class, this, that (referring usually to something already mentioned), as a demons, adv. there (nearby). cf. eno, eri. deprive of; lose completely. Kijja kumufiiriza omulimu gwe. It will cause him to lose his job.
faayo v.i. care, be concerned/interested; pay attention. Mukasa afa nnyo ku banne. Mukasa cares a great deal/pays attention to his companions. Omwana oyo talina amufaako. That child has no one who cares about him/ no one to take care of him. Nze sifaayo oba Byekwaso anajja oba tajje. I don't care whether B. comes or not.
very skillful person. Yali ffuluku mu kukwata emisota. He was very skillful in his ability to handle snakes. Abantu bamwogerako nga ffuluku mu kumannya eddagala ery'ekinnansi. The people described him as being an expert in (knowing) native medicine.
kneel in front of. Bangi baagendanga gy'ali okumufukaamirira. Many people used to go and kneel before him. v.i. kneel constantly; kneel all the time.
recount (a legend, tradition, fable, tale). Bwe ndigenda e Kampala nga musigadde kunfuma bugumu When I go to Kampala you will never see me again. Jjajjange kati tufuma mufume. My grandfather is long since dead, lit. we talk (of him) only in legends.
etc. Yamuganzikidde emiggo. He beat him with blows (of a stick). cf. ennanzikizo.
nzigadde(wo)) v.tr. shut, close; inclose; bring to an end; fig. discontinue. Amawanga ago gajja kuggalawo okukolagana ne Bungereza. These countries will discontinue their cooperation with England. Tumuggaddewo. We have refused him/ turned him down.
nzigunze) v.tr. dash down; hurl down; throw violently; stab. Yamu- ggunda agakonde mu kifuba. He punched him forcefully in the chest.
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.'
have room; correspond to; be equivalent; be fitting/suitable/appropriate, omuwendo ogugya mu nsawo ya buli muntu, a suitable price, a price which ‘fits' everyone' s pocketbook. Omukazi gwe yawasa tamugyamu. The woman he married is not suitable for him. Oba nno ezo emboga zigyamu nsimbi ki? I wonder what that cabbage is worth.
be, it is the equivalent of the English prepositions to or from, gye ndi, where I am; to me. Yali afuukidde ddala wa luganda gye ndi. He had become as much as a relative to me. With a change in tone gye becomes an emphatic adv. of place, there, gy'ali (= gye a I i) he is there; he is well (in answering salutations). Idioms: Ekyo kiri gy'ali. That is up to him. Katonda gy'ali! God will avenge me. gye bujja, in the future. God is there = God knows what is best or Nze gye nnali nga jinamba nti ajja. As for me, I kept thinking he would come.
e- (ka/bu) young locust. is an artist (painter) down to his fingertips. Yamukwata mu bwala. He shook hands with him. Abaserikale babagombyemu obwala. The soldiers have apprehended them. cf. ^olwala.
a- plur. obwama (ka/bu) whisper, whispering. oku(mu)kuba akaama, to talk (to him) in a whisper, whisper (to him).
make stiff; fig. kill; make obstinate; cause to be rebellious, kukakanyaza muntu, to kill a person; to question a person with the intent of trapping him.
etc. (See kala.) okukalira mu muntu, to stand up to a person, take a firm attitude towards a person (e.g., one who has overcharged you or imposed on you). Enseko zankalira ku matama. The smile disappeared from my face (on hearing something unpleasant), lit. the laughter dried on the cheeks. Yamusindirira n'akalirawo. He fired at him and he died instantly/on the spot.
in rage, etc.); overwhelm; kill. Baamukanuliranga amaaso. They looked at him with wide-open eyes/in anger. Obusungu bwali bwagala kumukanula. Rage almost overwhelmed him. Okumubuuza ng'akanula maaso. On being questioned he could only stare vacantly. cf. -kanufu, obukanu, enkanu.
a- (ka/bu) small chair; small stool. Nnazaalibwa mu njala ‘ani amuwadde a katebe.' I was born during the great famine of the early 1940's, lit. the famine ‘who has given him a chair (so that he can sit down and eat our food)?' cf. ekitebe, entebe.
a- as an adv. a little, a little bit; slightly. Yatambulako katono. He walked a short distance (or a short time). After a neg. verb, n'akatono means not at all, not in the least. Simukkiriza n'akatono. I do not believe him at all. Before a verb in the subjunctive it means nearly, almost.
a-: Used in the proverb: Ow'akatuubo tabuulirwa bugenyi. A glutton should never be told of the dainty food awaiting him. cf. 1 tuuba.
a- (ka/bu) a kind of bean which resembles a lima bean but is much smaller, butter bean. Abantu ba kuno baamutwala teyeesibidde na kayindi. The people here sent him packing or (in a political context) they threw him out of office, lit. took him, he did not tie up beans for himself. (Formerly travelers used to take beans of this sort with them on long trips. The person referred to in the example left so quickly that he could not make the usual preparation.)
a- (ka/bu) small gourd used as a ladle or cup; cup. okunywamu akendo, to excel, win, come out on top. Eky'okunywa mu Uganda yonna akendo, kyaamufunyisa sikaala. The fact that he came out first in all Uganda enabled him to get a scholarship. cf. olwendo.
e- (ki/bi) moment; space, interval, distance; shed in which bricks are made. Olumbe lumubuusa ebibanda. He is seriously ill. Bamubuusizza ebibanda. They are chasing him.
e-: okutunula ekimogo, to cast a furtive/coy/shy glance. Saamukubako kimogo. I did not catch a glimpse of him. cf. moga.
lit. one who serves (food) for himself, cf. ^jjula.
c- (ki/bi) fro— cluhm:, tongue, q.v. Alina ekirimi or Ayogeza kirimi. He talks with a lisp, ow'ekirimi, a person with a lisp. Yamusala ekirimi. He interrupted him.
e- (ki/bi) night, nighttime, adv. at night, in the plur. period, era, times, mu biro bino, these days, in the present period. Akutwala ekiro omusiima bukedde. fprov.J He rouses you to effort at night but you are thankful to him in the morning, cf. kaakiro, ekyekiro.
e- (ki/bi) kindness; mercy; generosity. Frequently used with the -a of rel. as the equivalent of the Eng. adjectives: kind, nice; merciful, etc. Yandeeta ekisa. He made me feel sorry for him. Ekisa kya- mbuukako. I am through with being kind, lit. kindness has flown from me. Yali wa kisa nnyo gye nai. lie very kind to me. Ekisa kitta, n'enge etta. (prov.) Kindness kills, hostility kills. Extremes are bad.
e- (ki/bi) skull, cranium, n'eki- wanga katono kimuveeko olw'essanyu, and he became overcome by joy, lit. and (his) skull almost went away from him for joy. cf. oluwanga; ekiwalannanna.
e- (ki/bi) large, healthy cock/ rooster. Yavaarau ebiwanga musanvu. He had seven children, lit. there issued from him seven roosters, cf. -empauga.
e- adv. breathing one's last, on the point of death. Baamulaba ng'asigad- deko kiyiriitira. They found him unconscious/almost dead. cf. yiriitira.
e- (n/n) [Stu., dr.] lining of back of kkanzu, shirt, busuuti, etc.; back of kkanzu, etc. Yamulaga kkabba. He turned his back on him.
e- no plur. (ti/ma) sternness; dour- ness; moroseness, omuntu ow'ekkabyo, irritable person, grouch. Atunuza kkabyo. He has a grim look about him.
e- no plur. (li/ma) ill will, rancor, enmity; rare heartburn. Amulinako ekkonda. He has a feeling of bitterness towards him.
left (as opposed to right); left hand; left side; the (political) left. omukono ogwa kkono, the left hand. Wa kkono. He is left-handed, obukiika obwa kkono, north, kugwa kkono, to miss, miss out on. Kyangwa kkono. I missed it. It escaped me. Yangwa kkono. I missed him (i.e., he wasn't there when I arrived) or I was never successful in my dealings with him. See ddyo.
identical with the above, v.tr. frustrate, block; incapacitate. okukonera oluggi, to refuse to answer the door. Mmukonedde ebigenge ngalo. I have frustrated his efforts. I have blocked him (as leprosy does to fingers). cf. konoona.
lit. what dried up the laughter on his cheeks.
lit. madness makes him pass beyond.
to settle a dispute. Ekimala empaka kusirika. The way to settle a dispute is to keep silent or On points of dispute it is best to wait and see kumala bwoya ku n turn be, to keep (someone) running ragged, annoy (someone) by keeping him on the go all the time, lit. finish off the hair on the calves of the leg. kumala mmya, to put (someone) in his place, take down a peg. kumala muntu maanyi, to take the wind out of someone's sails, kukamala, to cause trouble (ka = akabi or akabaate). Okamaze. Now you have gone and done it.
make a rustling/swishing noise; scuffle. Amala okwekweka ye atenda banne okukwakwaya. (prov.) He who has already hidden himself blames his comrades who come later for making noise (in their efforts to hide themselves). Those who have arrived forget the difficulties of those still on the road. cf. -kwakwayufu, olukwakwayo, enkwakwayo; kwaya.
-kwasi, -kwate, obukwafu, obukwata, ekikwasi, ekikwaso, ekikwate, ekyekwaso, omukwasi, -Unkwaso, enkwata.
be taken in/for, etc. okukwatirwa ensonyi, to feel shame for. Baamukwatirwa ekisa. They felt sorry for him/her.
ndaajanye) v.i. wail; whimper; cry; plead, beg pitifully.
etc.; get for, provide; give greetings for another. Omundabira. Give him my regards. kulabira mu maddu, to be overjoyed to see (something, somebody). okulabira ku..., judging from, compared with. Kino kitono nnyo okulabira ku nkuba etonnya wano mu K. This is very little compared with the rain that falls here in K. kulabira awo (a high-frequency phrase which is difficult to reduce to any simple English equivalent): to get or see something by surprise or unintentionally; to do something without having made plans. Simanyi oba nga nnaagenda, leero nnaalabira awo. I do not know if I am going, I shall have to see/I really have no definite plans. Nnaalabira awo nga bandeetedde ku kamere. I was surprised when they brought me a little food. Baalabiraawo nga bazannya. They happened to be playing. Ndabira awo ekitabo kyange. You see that book of mine over there, give it to me. awo nga nkulabira or awo we nnalabira (stylized ending for a fable or tale). So the tale endeth.
etc.; prescribe for. Yamulambira eddagala. He prescribed medicine for him.
ndeeze) v.tr. tighten; strain; draw taut; stretch, extend; aim. okuleega ennoma, to stretch the cover on a drum, okuleega omutego, to set a trap, okuleega e:r.a""», to ?tr'nD,/tnnp a ham or other stringed instrument. Yamuleegamu ekiso. He aimed a knife at him.
nnemye) v.i. & tr. fail; be too much for. Talirema kujja. He will not fail to come. He will certainly come. Ekyo kyamulema okukola. He failed to do that. That proved too much for him. Eby'obufuzi bimulemye. He has been a failure in politics. As an aux. verb lema is used in the neg. imper. and in the neg. subj. Tuleme kwerabira. Let US not forget. Kwata ekitabo kyo kireme okugwa. Hold on to your book so that it does not fall.
nninye) v.tr. step on; tread on; ascend; climb; mount, v.i. go up; increase (of price), kulinnya nnyonyi, to board an airplane, kulinnya mu kyoto, to refuse flatly, butalinnya wa muntu, to stay away from a person's house, kulinnya mu mboozi, to interrupt/butt in on a conversation. kulinnya gye gava, lit. to step on it (i.e., amazzi, water, implied by ga-) where it comes from, to cut off something good at the source, to spoil one's chances, ruin an opportunity, uw'aliiiuju mu mm ere nuya buli. I like him (her) very much, lit. even if he (or she) steps in the food, I will eat it anyway.
bewitch, place a a spell on, put a hex on. okuloga obulwa- dde, to cure of sickness, okuloga ennyon- ta, to assuage thirst. Nzija kukukuba nkuloge eddalu eryo erikuli mu mutwe. I'll give you a beating that will knock that nonsense out of your head. Akuloze mukazi Muyima? Has a Muhima woman bewitched you? What has paralysed your efforts? Why are you there doing nothing (when work must be done or when danger must be avoided)? cf. -loge, obulogo, eddogo, omuloge, omulogo.
ndozze) v.tr. tell, recount, narrate, okulojja omukwano, to declare/express one's love. Kye nnalaba mu ... ndi fa nkirojja. What I saw in ... I will remember as long as I live, lit. I will die recounting it. Amulojja temumala. He is really amazed at him (in either a good or bad sense). Buli omu alulojja bubwe. Everyone tells it/describes it from his own point of view (said when different people give different reports of the same incident).
o- (lu/n) long foot, okusikambula engere, also okusaawa engere, to walk fast. Baamulonda engere, they followed him/tailed him. cf. ekigere.
o- (lu/n) laugh. Taggyikako lu- kamyo. It is impossible to get a laugh out of him.
o- (lu/n) copper wire; per ext. telephone; microphone. Yamukuba olukomo. He telephoned him. cf. ekikomo.
o- (lu/n) index finger. Yamusongamu olunwe. He pointed his finger at him. cf. oraunwe.
o- (lu/n) smoldering embers; burning charcoal mixed with ash, used for keeping food warm. Baamuyiwako olunyata. They excoriated him. They rebuked him unmercifully.
o- (lu/n) net. Bino byonna byali mazzi ku lutimba. I was wasting my breath trying to talk to him, lit. All this was water in the net. cf. timba, akatimba, ekitimba, olutimba.