ekiwaawaatiro, ekiwawa. cooked w. of chicken, ekivu. hit on the w., okukuba butanga. be on the w. of army, okukoobera.
showing off, exhibitionistic act; something humorous, omuntu alina bampaane, one who does or says funny things.
e- (li/ma) vat; trough for brewing beer. cf. ekibanvu, emmanvu.
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/-) the act of blowing, obufuuyi bw'omuzannyo, refereeing. cf. fuuwa.
o- (bu/-) kind of mushrooms growing on hills of night-flying ants.
o- (bu/-) kind of grass growing near lakes, also the plur. of akayanja, small lake. cf. yanja, lakayanja, ennyanja.
o- (bu/-) boastfulness; showing off. cf. laga, -eraga.
be next in order, oluddako, the next day, the following day (lu- implies lunaku, day). Nnambi y'anzirako. Nnambi is my younger sister/the one who comes after me. Namusoke azzeeko omubiri. N. has gained some weight.
e- plur. amalenge (li/ma) small wind instrument, whistle, reed pipe made of bamboo; measure for a charge of gunpowder. Enjala wano efuuwa n'ama lenge. The hunger here is beyond belief, lit. is blowing whistles, cf. ^akalenge, kirenge, orau- lenge. See also fuuwa and fuuyira.
n., ekifaananyi.
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.
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.
rare except in the following derived forms:
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 ).
nzigye) v.tr. take; take away/ off/out, etc. (The enclitics -ko, -mu, -wo are frequently suffixed to ggya, performing a role analogous to that of the adverbs following take, i.e., away, off, etc.). Ggyawo ekitanda. fake the bed away.. Ggyako ekikopo. Take the cup off (e.g., of the table), okuggyako, except, excepting, okuggya ku mabeere, to wean, okuggya omwoyo ku kintu, to neglect/forget something. okuggya akagere, to start walking, try one's first steps, okuggya obutiko, to pick mushrooms, okuggyawo omusango, to dismiss a case (at law). Kyanzigya enviiri ku mutwe okulaba nga... It made the hair stand up on my head to see that... Ebigambo bye yayogera byamuggya n'amaziga mu ki- wanga. The things which he said made her cry, lit. took tears from her skull. Temuggya okwo, mugende mu maaso. Don't stop there, go on. Keep up the good work.
as an aux. verb before a following inf. denoting desirability, suitability or obligation Ogwana okugenda okulaba ssengaawo. You ought to (should, have to) go and see your aunt.
a- plur. obwato (ka/bu) small boat; canoe; brewing vat. obwato obubbira, submarines. akaato ak'omuliro, motorboat. cf. eryato (lyato), nnakaato.
twilight (on the Equator the period immediately preceding and following six P.M.). cf. linda, omuzaana; kalabiri- zabazaana.
a- (la) kind of mushroom growing in an area where nnaka (a kind of termite) occur.
a- no plur. (ka/bu) spasm; exhaustion. Olunaku olwo lwatandika n'akasana akayinza n'okusuula omuntu kawansazi. That day started off with sunshine which was capable of throwing a person into a state of exhaustion.
e- (ki/bi) cushion, pillow (made of grass or banana fibers), mu ngeri eteri ya kusimba lukokola ku kigugu, in a very industrious way, without showing any laziness, lit. in a way which is not that of planting the elbow on the pillow.
e- (ki/bi) Ensimbi ng'ozi- funye leka zireme kukumezaako biwaawaa- tiro. When you have obtained the money don't let it go to your head, lit. grow wings for you.
e- (ki/bi) wing. See ekiwaawaatiro which is more common. See also the proverb under oluwawa.
e- (ki/bi) implement for winnowing, winnowing tray. cf. wewa.
e- (ki/bi) kind of shrub growing in water. The stems float and are used for spearing lungfish.
pound, okukommonta taaba, to smoke tobacco, okukommonta empewo, to be very proud. Empewo enkommonta. The wind is blowing against me .okukommonta oluwa, to whistle, okukommonta eŋŋombe y'emmotoka, to blow the horn of an automobile.
make the sound characteristic of a cock; fail to grow (of a banana tree). N'ezikookolima, gaali magi, (prov.) The(chickens) which are crowing were (formerly) eggs. From little acorns great oaks grow.
sift, fan (esp. termites in order to detach the wings). The var. forms kuyeeya and kuyuuya areof less frequent occurrence).
e- (ki/bi) [Sw., Pers."] sewing machine.
e- with the -a of rel. self-sown; wild (of plants). Emmere eno baagisanga mu bibira kuba ya kyemeza. They found this (type of) food in the forests (growing) wild. cf. mera.
e- (ki/bi) showing off, swaggering. cf. ^waga, -ewaga.
e- (ki/bi) feather; (single) hair (on the body); plur. ebyoya, feathers; fur; body hair; abundance of body hair, kuba byoya bya nswa, to be utterly useless/unprofitable, lit. the wings of a drone termite, cf. akooya, olwoya.
ndese) v.tr. permit, allow; leave, abandon, leka has the following uses as an auxiliary verb: 1) followed by the infinitive it means stop, leave off, refrain from. Leka kusoma, Stop reading. 2) followed by the subjunctive it exp res ses a request or exhortation. Leka tugambe nti... Let us say that...
o- no plur. (lu/n) direction; side; party, faction, ku ludda olulala, on the other hand, viewing things from a different point of view, amawanga agatalina ludda, the unaligned nations, nze nga nnyimiridde erudda ne munnange erudda, and I was standing on one side and my friend on the other. Ali ludda wa? Where is he?
o- (lu/n) flat tray (made from the fibers of papyrus or other plants; often used for winnowing). Emimwa gye gya lugali. His lips are flat and spread out (as opposed to thick and protruding). Wa lugali. He has a ‘big mouth.' Nzigyako olugali. Shut your big mouth, cf. walugali.
o- (lu/n) defeat (in sports); forward line (in soccer), oludda olugobe, the defeated team, oludda olugoba, the winning team, ow'oku lugoba olwa ddyo, right wing (in soccer), cf. goba.
o- (lu/h) kind of small tree growing near water. It may be used as firewood.
o- (lu/n) showing (e.g., of a movie), c f. 1 aga.
nnunze) v.tr. herd, tend (cattle); fig. keep in view; keep following around (someone who does not want to be followed ).
o- (lu/n) metal wire, oluuma olubaka, aerial (of a radio or television set). abajja bagoba oluuma, immigrant workers, lit. those who come following the telephone cable lines, cf. ekyuma.
o- adv. afterwards; later; (before a following inf.) after, oluvannyuma lw'oku- funa amawulire gano, after receiving this news, with the -a of rel. last, final, mu ssaawa ez'oluvannyuma, in the final hours. Mukasa y'abeera wa luvannyuma mu mugigi. Mukasa is at the tail end of the class. cf. -vannyuma, va, nnyuma.
o- (lu/n) arch, garment of goatskins; current thin/flimsy/transparent wrapper or cover. oluveera lw'ekiteeteeyi, a flimsy, transparent dress; a long, flowing dress.
o- with the -a of rel. successive, repetitive, following one another.
o- plur. empawa (lu/n) wings. Ebibuuka bitalagaanye bikubagana empawa. (prov.) (Birds which) fly together without previous consultation knock their wings against each other, cf. ekiwawa.
o- plur, empina (lu/n) strand of a banana leaf tied around the top of a gourd to prevent the beer from overflowing. It may also be used to tie around other banana leaves on a cooking pot to provide additional strength. It is also worn around the waist in certain dances and ceremonies.
o- no plur. (lu/n) presumption; vanity; showing off; tendency to attempt what is beyond one's power, okukola ebintu eby'olwetumbu, to bite off more than one can chew. cf. tumbuka.
o- no plur. (lu/n) pride; showing off. cf. wulira, -ewulira.
ekyuma; sewing m., ekyalaani.
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- plur. (li/ma) kind of fungus growing on tree stumps; the second totem of the Anteater (Olugave) Clan.
a- plur. (li/ma) knowing, knowledge, cf. manya, manyika.
a- plur. (li/ina) time of brewing beer; period of pressing bananas for the purpose of making mubisi(banana juice). cf. sogola.
a-: used in phrases of the following pattern: Emmeeme yansala mayira. I became nervou s/worried/distraught.
e- (n/n) kind of edible plant, resembling spinach but with smaller leaves. It cooks very rapidly, hence the following idiomatic usage: Embooge teyabuguma nga tutuuse. We arrived in no time at all, lit. the mbooge had not even become warm.
e- (n/n) described in previous dictionaries as: sternum, sternal cartilage; pit of the stomach; internal bodily part. It is now used almost always in a figurative sense: heart, soul, seat of the emotions. It occurs in hundreds of phrases and expressions of which the following is a sampling: mu ngeri ya kawanika mmeeme, in a frightening way. kwekuba mmeeme, to reconsider, emmeeme n'enfa, and my heart sank/I was utterly distressed. Nze emmeeme yangwa wala. I became very depressed. Otukubye wala emmeeme. You have really given us a scare. Emmeeme yamudda mu nteeko. He felt relieved, lit. his heart went back in place, ow'emmeeme etawaana amangu, one who is easily nauseated. Emmeeme entye- muse. 1 am terribly anxious/concerned/ shocked. Kino kyali ng'ekyawanula emmeeme ye. This seemed to relieve him/ calm him down. Emmeeme katale, ky'esiima ky'egula. (prov.) The heart is like going to market — it buys what it wants. Emmeeme gy'esula, ebigere gye bikeera. fprov.J Where the heart sleeps is where the feet- go in the morning, i.e., when you sleep with the intention of doing something, that is what you do. Emmeeme etefumba kigambo ekwo- geza munno ky'atagenda kwerabira. (prov.) lit. The heart which does not fashion well the spoken word makes you say what your friend will never forget. The spoken word can never be retracted.
e- (n/n) spirals of rnnppr hrace- let; special method of sewing barkcloth. cf. 2 yita.
e- (n/n) very poor person, unimportant person, a ‘nobody,' lit. one who can only offer sacrifices (wonga) of termite wings (byoya).
o- plur. (mu/mi) year; season (for sowing, harvesting, etc.). omwaka ogw'ama- kungula, the harvesting season, omwaka giili, last year, lit. that yeai. ulukunnaana olwa buli mwaka, annual meeting.
e- (n/n) kind of animal supposedly having very keen sight, kulaba nga ndabi, lit, see like an ndabi. Used mostly in sentenc es of the following pattern: Yandaba nga ndabi n'atandika okunvuma. The minute he saw me/as soon as I came he started to insult me.
e- (n/n) netting/rack on which clusters of beer bananas are placed to ripen before they are used in brewing.
e- (n/n) way of getting up early, as adv. early in the morning; the next morning; the next day, the following day. cf. keeta [appl. form of ^kya).
e- (n/n) throwing stick, stick for knocking fruit down from a tree, particularly mpafu.
e- (n/n) shape, form, appearance; kind; character; nature; way of growing. cf. kula, ekikula.
kasimbe- nkokola. (la) mantis; plant with the nodal stem growing in a crooked way as though it had elbows (nkokola). cf. olukokola.
keen-sighted. It is almost exclusively restricted to the following proverb: Embwa ya nnamaaso bw'etebba n'eyigga. When the keen-sighted dog is not stealing, it is hunting. Said of someone who can be either very good or very bad, depending on circumstances.
possessor, nnannyini nnyumba, owner of the house; master of the house, nnannyini kutu, drum of the ear. bannannyini mugenzi, the relatives of the deceased. nnannyini mukolo master of ceremonies. nnannyinimu, owner of the house; husband, cf. Innyini, obwannannyini.
-ko or -wo), kumalamu kyeso, to win at the game of mweso. kumalamu musolo, to flee, run off at a great speed, kumalamu kigwo, to throw (in wresting); to prevail (e.g., in an argument). Olumbe lwamumalamu amazzi. He died of illness, lit. disease finished up the water in him. kumalako kisa, to give up on (a person). Ommazeeko ekisa. You have worn out my kindness (because of your lack of appreciation), okumalawo obwe- taavu, to meet a need.
adj. usually following a noun of time, final, last; decisive, critical; long awaited. Omwezi guno ye nsalesale ku bakozi abagtvira. This month is the deadline for foreign workers. Leero ye nsalesale. Today is the final day or Today is the day that has long been awaited.