Instant search, alphabet browsing, reverse lookup, and SEO word pages.

English → Luganda Luganda → English
Search
English → Luganda
Showing 37 result(s) for "life".
Alphabet
Entries
buvubuka EN→LG

a- (bu/-) youth (a period in life). Also the plural of akavubuka, small youth, slender young person, cf. vubuka.

Open page
buwangaazi EN→LG

o- also obuwangaaliro (bu/-) durability, capability of lasting a long time; permanence; long life, longevity. cf. wangaala.

Open page
ddya EN→LG

e- plur. amalya (li/ma) marriage, married life (of a woman). Sirina ddya. I am not married or My marriage is not working out at all. Bulungi si ddya. (prov.) Beauty is not (the basis for a happy) marriage, cf. lya.

Open page
fiirwa (-fiiriddwa) v.i. appl. pass EN→LG

be bereaved of; lose; miss, miss out on. oku- fiirwa obulamu, to lose one's life. Leka kufiirwa mukisa guno. Don't miss this opportunity. Abaana bangi bafiirwako bannyaabwe nga bakyali mabujje. Many people lose their mothers while they are still small children.

Open page
ggwa (-wedde EN→LG

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.'

Open page
kakokola EN→LG

a- (ka/bu) small elbow; angle in a wall, akakokola k'entebe, the arm of a chair, okusaako kakokola tondeka nnyuma, to run for one's life. cf. olukokola.

Open page
kisekeseke EN→LG

e- (ki/bi) large umbelliferous plant (Peucedanum grantii) from which nseke (straws, pipestems, etc.) are made. cf. oluseke.

Open page
kyama EN→LG

e- (ki/bi) secret, mu kyama, se- retly. okukuuma ekyama, to keep a secret, obulamu bw'omuntu obw'ekyama, a person's private/personal life. Yankuba ekyama. He took me aside privately and told me a secret.

Open page
lead EN→LG

v., okukulembera, okuluŋŋamya; l. good life, okuyisa obuluugi. leader, omukulu; (guide) omusaale, omukulembeze.

Open page
mayisa EN→LG

a- plur. (li/ma) manners, behavior; bad behavior, amayisa amalungi, good conduct. AI * ku kibonerezo kya mayisa. He is serving a sentence of life imprisonment. cf. ^yita, yisa, empisa.

Open page
mmindi EN→LG

e- (stem-bindi) (n/h) pipe ( for smoking), bukya luba nga luba lwa mmindi, for a very long time, kwogera bikulire nga mmindi, to speak with the wisdom of experience. Omwenge oguli eri n'ow'emmindi asena. There is a tremendous quantity of beer over there, lit. the one with a pipe draws (some). Tolikula olibnmba mmindi/ You are not going to grow up molding pipes, i.e., are you going to behave like a child all your life? cf. akabindi, ekibindi, olubindi.

Open page
nnyini (la) owner EN→LG

possessor of (followed immediately by the governed noun without the -a of rel.). buli nnyini mmotoka, every automobile owner. Nnyini Ggulu, the Owner of Heaven, God. Nnyinibulamu, the Master of Life, God. nnyinimu, owner of the house, master of the house. Nnyinimu! or Bannyi- nimu! Is anybody at home? (Asked by someone outside who really doesn't know.) cf. obwannannyini, nnannyini,2

Open page
raise EN→LG

okusitula, okuyimusa; (price) okuwanika. raise to life, okuzuukiza. r. the alarm, okukuba enduulu. r. oneself to a position, okwesusunkula.

Open page
siika (-siise) v.tr. fry EN→LG

roast, kusiika muntu miggo, to give a person a sound beating (with sticks). Asiika obulamu tassa mukono. (prov.) lit. He who roasts life does not put down his hand. He who is concerned with his life will constantly strive to preserve it.

Open page
tamya (-tamizza) EN→LG

tamisa (-tamisizza) v.tr. caus. 1 Sc 2 cause to be disgusted with, cause to take a dislike to. Eby'engeri eno byali bimutamizza obujaasi. Things of this sort had caused him to take a great dislike for the military life.

Open page
lya (-lidde) v.tr. eat; consume; take office (of chief LG→EN

king, etc.). eby'okulya, food, okulya obwami, to assume the chieftainship, kulya mu ndago, to sing, kulyamu luyi, to slap, kulyamu kikonde, to punch with the fist, kulya mazzi, euph. to drink a lot of beer, lit. water, kulyamu lukwe, to plot, conspire, kulya kijaja or kigagga, to eat very well/in great style, kulya muntu kimuli, to interrupt a person in bi? conversation. kulya nkoko bbiri, to give one's sister in marriage to two men (thereby receiving the gift of two chickens), kulya misinde, to run very fast, kulya butaaia, to roam at large, be on the loose (e.g., of an escaped prisoner), kulya bulamu, to enjoy life, have a good time, kulya eki- banja/emmayiro, to come into land/an estate, okulya ebbanja, to incur a debt, okulya obugenyi, to receive food or presents while a guest, okulya enguzi, to take a bribe, okulya engere, to walk fast, okulya ensimbi, to steal money, okulya ensowole, to take something (e.g., the chieftainship) when one is incompetent or unprepared. Genda olye enkoko yo. You have had a lucky escape/a narrow escape, lit. go and eat your chicken. Omuwala yamulyamu omwoyo. The girl won/stole his heart. Obusungu bwandya. I was consumed with anger. Mwana muwala, oyo andya omutwe! I am completely enamored of that girl, lit. she eats my head. Baagala kumulyamu maaso. They wanted to bawl him out/upbraid him severely. Okulya ennyingi si kuggwa maddu. (prov.) To eat a lot is not to get rid of one's appetite. The more you have, the more you want. Amaanyi sigalya. (prov.) Force does not prevail. Physical strength alone does not accomplish things. Ky'otonnalya tokyesunga. (prov.) What you have not yet eaten, do not anticipate. Don't count your chickens before they are hatched. Kye walyanga bw'olaba ennaku olekayo. (prov.) What you used to eat — when you experience hard times — you give up. One must adjust to circumstances/ calamaties.

Open page
tunda (-tunze) v.tr. sell; betray LG→EN

okutunda omwoyo, to risk oneself or one's life in doing something difficult or dangerous. Okugenda ewaabwe nga kutunda omwoyo ng'enkoko emira ensanafu. Going to their place was taking one's life in one's hands, lit. like the chicken who swallows biting ants. Ebigere bintunze. My feet have betrayed me/led me into trouble, kutunda buliwo, to sell for cash, kutunda layisi, to sell at a bargain price/on a sale.

Open page
Lubuga LG→EN

(la) the title of the queen sister ( Nnaalinnya) during the lifetime of the Kabaka. She also has the title of Kabaka. As a common noun sister and co-heir of an important person.

Open page
kulembeza (-kulembezza) LG→EN

v.tr. caus. appoint as leader; put first; cause to go ahead. Mu bulamu bwaffe kiki kye tusaana okukulembeza ensimbi? In our life what should we put ahead of/regard as more important than money? cf. obukulembeze, omukulembeze.

Open page
komba (-kombye) v.tr. lick; lap; kiss. okukomba kw'erima LG→EN

to refuse flatly, lit. to lick that which digs (enkumbi, hoe, is implied). okukomba obulamu, colloq., to enjoy life, have a good time, okukomba amazzi, colloq., to drink a great deal of beer, okukomba amannyo ng'embwa, to lick one's chops in anticipation of food or (more frequently) drink, okukomba ssente, to acquire money without much effort, to ‘clean up.' okukomba ku kantu, to eat a little bit, taste a little bit; to drink a little bit. Ge balira ge bakomba. They are in great distress, lit. The tears (amaziga is implied) they weep they lick. Yasula takombye ku mpeke ya tulo. He didn't get a wink of sleep all night.

Open page