e- usually plur. amalusu (li/ma) spit, saliva, okumira ku ddusu, to experience a feeling of-relief (after a period of tension); to take a break/breather, okufiirwa amalusu, to waste one's time in talking to someone who will not listen, lit. to waste one's spit, ekibuuzo ekitu- maze amalusu mu kamwa, a question which has preoccupied us very much, lit. which has exhausted the spit in our mouths, cf. akalusu, olulusu.
e- (ki/bi) wild fig tree, Ficus kitu- balu.
up to the waist, as far as the waist. Nfukiramu caayi okukomya mu makkati. Pour out some tea for me up to the middle of the glass. Yankomya ku ssomero. He accompanied me to school, gye -komya + inf... gye -komya + inf., the more...the more. Gye tukomya okuyiga ennyo gye tu- komya n'okufuna obubonero obulungi. The more we concentrate on our studies the better our grades will be. \bamu gye baakomyanga okutendereza omwami naye gye yakomya n'okwenyumiriza. The more some people praised the chief, the prouder he became.
e- plur. (mu/mi) mucus of the nose; fig. trouble, difficulties, problems. Atu- leetedde eminyira. He has caused us a lot of trouble, cf. akalindaminyira.
e- (n/n) round shoulders, ow'entu- mba, a person with round shoulders.
e- (n/n) calf of the leg; in the plur. loins, kulega muntu ntumbwe, to follow after a person, dog the heels of a person. Mugende muzannyeemu emmere ekke mu ntumbwe. Go and play a while so your food may be digested, lit. go down into the calves. Kulemberamu y'akulega entu- mbwe. (prov.) lit. (He who says) ‘you go first' is measuring the size of your legs. He who gives you a task is trying to test your capabilities.
n. (of salt, etc.), use n. in tu-class, e.g. otunnyo.
raise up; cause to stand. cf. -situfu, akasitukira, akasitula, akasitu- liro, ekisituliro, omusituka, omusituliro; situnkana.
e- (li/ma) swelling up, surging up; anger, rage; disease of infants causing vomiting and foaming at the mouth, amazzi ag'ettumbiizi, surging of waters, ow'ettu- mbiizi, a hot-tempered person, cf. tumbiira.
with tremendous haste. Amameeme gantujja be ttu-ttu, ttu-ttu ttu-ttu. My heart (began) throbbing at a great rate.
throb, pulsate (esp. of the heart). Omutima guntu- ndugga. My heart is throbbing.
bring down; take down (something hanging), ku- wanula kikkowe, to give a sigh, kuwanula nnume ya kigwo, to throw to the ground (e.g., in wrestling), kuwanula kintu mu dduuka, to buy something ready-made at a store, lit. take down (from the racks). Otu- wanudde emitima. You have relieved us of our worry. cf. eggwanika, akawanika, akeewaniko, ^omuwanika, omwewaniko, empanuka, ssekiinpanika, twewanulire; kanika, wana.
tinyimye) v.i. stand; be situated; in translation often equivalent to the preposition from. Yayima Busujju n'atu- wandiikira. He wrote to us from Busujju. Ayima atya e Bulemeezi n'amanya ebifa e Busujju? How can he be in Bulemeezi and know what is going on at Busujju? Yayima ku katebe n'awanula engoye zaffe. He stood on a chair and took down our clothes.
inflate (e.g., a ball); blow on, play (a flute, or similar instrument). okufuuwa lulimi (olugwira), to speak a (foreign) language fluently, kufuuwa mukka mu kisero, to waste one's time/breath, lit. blow air into a basket, kufuuwa kintu mu jinombe, to lose something, give up something for lost, lit. blow something through a trumpet, kufuuwa malenge, to do to extremes; to be extreme, lit. to blow on reed pipes. Tanywa mwenge afuuwa malenge. He drinks to great excess, okufuuwa omukka, euph. to pass wind, okuluuwa oluwa, to whistle, kufuuwa muntu bigambo, to rush to tell something to a person. Mukasa ye yabitu- fuuwa. Mukasa broke his neck to tell us about it. kufuuwa muntu ssente, to give a person money voluntarily as a token of appreciation. ekintu okujjula ne kifuuwa, to overflow, be completely full. Enkuba yatonnye n'omugga ne gufuuwa. It rained and the river flooded over. Yafuuwa ekiwa ng'akizza munda. He drew in his breath in surprise, lit. blew a whistle and brought it back inside, kafuuwe or (more often) kikafuuwe! God forbid! Don't say things like that! kufuuwa musaayi, to spurt blood, kufuuwa taaba, to smoke (tobacco). Nnabbubi yamufuuye. The spider got on him and caused a rash. Ofuuwako? colloq. Do you drink (alcohol)?
v.tr. jump over; leave out, skip, omit, kubuuka be ceoppa, to run in leaps, kubuuka bibanda, to romp, frolic, kubuuka mugwa, to skip rope, kubuuka mmere, to interrupt one's meal, particularly to take care of something urgent, kubuuka nga muddawo, to enjoy oneself, have a wonderful time (esp. at a party). Kyatu- buukako okuwulira nti yasenguka. It surprised us very much/took us aback to hear that he had moved. Olubuto lubuuseemu. There was a miscarriage. She has had a miscarriage. Gabuuse ensaka. The meal has been magnificent, lit, they (matooke implied) have jumped the pot. amaaso ne gabula n'okumbuuka mu kiwanga, and my eyes almost jumped out of my skull, i.e., I made a grimace of pain or gave a look of shock/amazement. Enviiri zaamubuuka ku mutwe. His hair stood on end.
to chase after a person, pursue with the purpose of attack. Nnalaba ogusolo emabega waffe nga gutu- mezeeko, I saw a huge animal behind us pursuing us hotly. Maama we olwavaawo woowe (or yaaye) n'amera ku mumwa. As soon as his mother went away he started crying, kumera lutiko, to break out in goose pimples, kumerako bwebindu, to act very important, put on airs, kumerawo, to succeed, come next.
(woomye) vi. be tasty or good to eat/ drink; be pleasant/nice; be attractive; be interesting; be well dressed. Tugende tu- woome. Let's go and eat.
v.tr. conv. 2. contradict/deny the report of a death. Yatu- sanga tuli mu maziga n'atubikulula. He found us in tears and told us that the news of the death was untrue. cf. ekyebikiro.
apprehend; arrest, capture; rape; /ig. comprehend, ‘catch on to.' v.i. touch; adhere; turn sour (of milk); freeze (of water); coagulate (of blood); be contagious/infectu- ous (of a disease); be intoxicating (of liquor), okukwata omuliro, to catch fire, okukwata wansi ne waggulu, to become furious, hit the ceiling; to become very dangerous/serious (of a situation), okuwata ku mumwa, to be amazed/astonistad. okukwata amateeka, to obey the laws; to memorize the Ten Commandments, emisomo egikwata ku by'obulimi, courses relating to/about/ concerning agriculture, ebintu ebitakukwata- ko, things which do not concern you. obu- lwadde obukwata obukoko obuto, a disease which strikes young chickens. Obulwadde buno bukwata. This disease is contagious. Yakwata lya mu Buyindi. He started off for India, lit. took (kkubo, road, is implied) to India. Obudde bwali bukutte. It had become dark. Omusango gwabakwata. They were found guilty. Ndese bakutte. I have left them eating. Jjangu tukwate. Come and join US in eating, kllkwata eyr. n'pyr, be very large/extensive. Yazimba enju ekwata eyo n'eyo. He built a large house/a house covering a large area. Yankwata mu liiso. He deprived me of something. He did me out of something. Omwami oyo ebyambalo bye bimukutte bulungi. The clothes of that gentleman are very becoming/fit him perfectly.
nga bwe is usually rendered as. Nga bwe batali wano, sirowooza nit tukyabalabye. As they are not here, I do not think we are likely to see them, ne bwe = although, even if. Sandi- genze Entebbe omwami ne bwe yandintu- myeyo. 1 would not have gone to Entebbe even if the master had sent me. bwe -ti, like this; bwe -tyo, like that. Kibuuka bwe kiti. It jumps like this. Toyogera bw'otyo. Don't talk like that. The rel. adv. bwe must not be confused with the copula bwe, is/are; the poss. adj. bwe his/her; or the rel. pron. bwe which. The last three are used only in association with nouns whose class prefix is bu-.
pers. subj. pref.. 1st pers. p/nr. wo
water; otuzzi, a drop of water; a very small amount of water.
vide clumsy, kkono; turn a., okukaŋŋanta.
mbadde) v.i. be. In certain tenses ba is replaced by -li, Both may be used as primary verbs or as auxiliaries in compound tenses. bwe tuba mu ssomero, when we are in school. Yabadde anzise. He nearly killed me. Tuli mu kisenge. We are in the room. Twali tuli mu kisenge. We were in the room, ba and -li may be followed by na (-na in the case of -li) to express possession. Tulina ensimbi. We have money. Twabadde n'ensimbi. We had money.
-yo, -mu, -wo. ba becomes baa- before such an addition, mbaako kye njogera, if 1 have something to say (note that this does not imply physical pos ses s ion as is often the case when -na is suffexed to -li), abo abanaabaawo enkya, those who will be present tomorrow. Bwe walibaamu amazzi mu mugga, tulivuba. If there is water in the river we will fish. Taliimu. He is stupid or He is not at home.
okukuba nsoke, okusenda. turn back on, okukuba amabega.
put in one's word when it is not appropriate, intrude in a conversation.
walk with the feet turned outwards; fig. fail to conform, be out of step; diverge on political issues; be unfaithful, be guilty of marital infidelity, cf. embaliga.
q.v.); turn/roll over and over; push back, repel; hurl, throw.
e- always plur. (ki/bi) bowlegs, with the -a of rel. bowlegged. Wa bitege. He is bowlegged. Gye twakyadde baatufumbiddeyo enkoko, ekyemisana ne kigenda bitege. They cooked chicken for us where we went to visit, and it turned out to be a wonderful meal.
n., e bbavu, e bbambavu, aka tuulituuli.
also boyaana (-boyaanye) v.i. be dizzy; be delirious, rave (of a sick person); toss about restlessly; be disturbed/ troubled; seethe, be in a turmoil, boyaanya (-boyaanyizza) v.tr. caus. make dizzy/delirious, etc. cf. akaboyi; boyonga.
nyirivu, tukuvu; (intelligence) b magezi; (joyful) sanyufu.
be full of; surround, go all around, v.i. be or feel satisfied/contented. Baatugabula ffenna ne tuwulira nga tubugaanye. They entertained us and we felt contented.
o- (bu/-) popularity, favoritism; affection; favor, good turn. cf. ganja, omuganzi.
o- adv. like a ngege fish, kwekyusa bugege, to toss and turn (in bed); to fidget (in one's seat), cf. engege.
o- (bu/-) in-laws; relationship acquired by marriage; relationship of a man to his wife's brothers; disease or misfortune due to the violation of any of the prohibitions relating to in-laws; Parkinson's disease, eby'obuko, bride price. Tugenda ku buko. We are going to visit our in-laws. cf. ebiko, ^njuko.
omugugu, ekisaaganda, eki tuutuuli; (shells) omutwalo; (fish) olutala; (firewood), ekinywa, omuganda, olusekese; (salt) olubaya; (cloth) omutumba.
o- (bu/-) travel; pilgrimage; fig. harlotry; unfaithfulness in marriage, Tunning around. ' cf. tambula.
0- pr.n. (n/n) Turkey, cf. Omutuluki.
o- (bu/-) mission, task for which one is sent; relig. apostleship, disciple- ship. obutume obw'okwegayirira, apostleship of prayer, cf. tuma.
o- (bu/-) habit or tendency to send others to get something/to delegate others to do something, cf. tuma, omutumi.
o- (bu/-) selling; trade, eby'obu- tunzi, handle rf tiinrja
o- (bu/-) fame, renown, cf. tutumuka.
o- (bu/-) rightness, correctness; justice; legality, cf. -tuufu, tuuka.
o- (bu/-) buttocks, cf. tuula, tuulira.
o- (bu/-) grave site; grave, cf. tuula.
o- (bu/-) residence, residing, ebbaluwa ez'obutuuze, residence permits. cf. tuula.
o- (bu/-) tracks, traces; footsteps; direction, okugoba obuwufu, to follow the steps of; to track (of a hunter), okuzza obuwufu, to go back, return, okukyusa obuwufu, to change one's course, alter one's direction. Ka tubagwe mu buwufu. Let's trail them. cf. oluwufu.
o- (bu/-) place to turn. Sikya- lina bwekyusizo. I have no place to turn. also fig. I am in a tight corner/difficult spot. cf. kyuka, -ekyusa.
longoofu, longoose, tukuvu, lungi.
adj., tuufu, lamba, lambi rira; be c., okutuukirira, okumaliriza, okumala, okukome kkereza.
adj., golokofu, tuufu; be come c., okutuuka, okulongoosa.
cuncumula = Lunyoro cognates o/luntumuka, tuntumula,
e- adv. long ago, in former times; (with a future verb) in the future, eddako. a short time ago; (with a future verb) later on, in a short time, afterwards, edda n'edda lyonna, always (only with the past). Edda n'edda lyonna wali oli ludda wa? Where were you all that time? Tulibiraba edda. We will see them in the distant future. Tunaagenda edda. We will be going later on (in the near future).
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.
e- (li/ma) cooked plantains, matooke which have been cooked to a turn, omufumbi w'eddigobe, wife.
erinnya; (sect) eki tundu.
lamba, lambirira, tuufu.
adj., tuukirivu.
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).
e- (1 i/m a) kind of bird, plantain-eater, Ross's turaco; reddish/purple velvet.
kambwe, kakali, a nkanu. f. person, entakkutakku. turn f., okubama, okutaama. look f., okw'ekajanga, okutunula buswandi. fiercely, bukanga, bukanu.
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.
knot; bring to an end, conclude, oku- fundikira omugwa, to tie a knot in a rope, okufundikira enviiri, to braid the hair into knots, okufundikira olukunnaana, to close a meeting, okufundikira obuliri, to tuck in the sheets and blankets (when making a bed), okufundikira essaati, to tuck in one's shirt.
cigarettes, etc.); blow, blow out. oku- fuuweeta oluyimba, to whistle a tune, okufuuweeta olulimi, to speak a language fluently, kufuuweeta bbidde, to drink alcohol. okufuuweeta erapewo, to show off, be snobbish/supercilious/high-hat. ennambo ezibadde zifuuweeta mu Kampala, the rumors which were spreading around Kampala. Omuntu oyo afuuweeta nnyo ebigambo. This person gossips a lot. cf. fuuwa.
nnenze) v.i. go, go away; relieve oneself, ‘go.' Before a following infinitive it expresses future time. Tugenda kugenda. We are going to go. oku- lugenda, euph. to die, lit. to go on the journey (olugendo is implied by -lu-). Mu- naffe alugenze. Our friend is dead.
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.
e- (li/ma) colloq. beer, liquor, spirits. Ka tugende tukwate ku ggengere. Let's go and have a drink.