ONGOING RUKIGA-ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Hi friends :)

Even though the national language is English, not necessarily all people are educated enough to speak english very well, so instead they continue to speak the local language (based off of the regional tribe language). There are about 40 languages (exceptions are the national languages of English and Swahili) spoken in Uganda, and all fall into three families: Bantu, Nilonic, and Central Sudanic. The local language in Kabale (southwestern Uganda, right above Rwanda) is a Bantu language called Rukiga (language of the Bakiga tribe)

Anywho, here is my ongoing dictionary of all the words that I learn while here in Uganda:

• MUZUNGU (moo-zoon-goo)

• White person

• AGANDI (ah-gahn-dee)

• Hello, how are you?

• NIGE (nee-jay)

• good!

• WEBALE (way-bahl-ey)

• (one person) thank you

• MWEBALE (mwey-bahl-ey)

• (more than one person) thank you

• WEBALE OXIMA (way-ball-ey ox-ee-mah

• thank you for appreciating

• OLELEJE (oh-lee-ledge-ay)

• how was your sleep?

• ORIROTA (oar-ee-row-tah)

• (one person) good morning!

• MORIREMOTA (moor-ee-moe-tah)

• (more than one person) good morning!

• OSIBEREOTA (oh-see-baerae-row-tah)

• (one person) good afternoon!

• MOSIBEREMUTA (moe-see-baerae-moo-tah)

• (more than one person) good afternoon!

• OSIBEJE (oh-see-bae-jay)

• (one person) have a good day!

• MOOSIBEJE (moo-see-bae-jay)

• (more than one person) have a good day!

• OSIBELEJE (oh-see-bee-ledge-ay

• Did you have a good day?

• OLALEJE (oh-lah-ley-jay)

• (one person) good night!

• MOOLALEJE (moo-lah-ley-jay)

• (more than one person) good night!

• KALE (kah-ley)

• goodbye!

• TUJENDE (too-jen-day)

• lets go!

• TWAGALUKA (twah-gah-loo-kah)

• we've come back

• OKSHEKA (oak-shay-kah)

• smile!

• OKSHASHA (oak-shah-shah)

• pain

• OKSHESHA (oak-shay-shah)

• urine

• NYINE ENJARA (neen-yay en-jar-ah)

• I am hungry

• NYINE EIRIHO (neen-yay air-ee-ho)

• I am thirsty

• TUJE TUDIYE (two-jay two-dee-yay)

• lets eat

• OMAIYEMBE NOGUNGUZA OTA? (oh-my-em-bae no-gun-goo-zah oh-tah)

• (specific item) how much is this?

• NOGUZA OTA? (no-goo-za oh-tah)

• How much is this thing that I dont know the name of?

• OENEMIA AK ENGAI? (ah-nee-me-uh ahk en-guy)

• How old are you?

• EMWE (em-way)

• one

• EBIRI (ebb-ee-ree)

• two

• ISHATU (ee-shah-two)

• three

• INA (ee-nah)

• four

• ITANO (ee-tah-no)

• five

• MOKAGA (mo-kah-gah)

• six

• MUSHANJ (moo-shahnj)

• seven

• MANAN (mah-nahn)

• eight

• MWENDA (mwen-dah)

• nine

• NENKI (nen-kee)

• what?

• ORYOHA (oar-ee-oh-hah)

• who are you?

• NIBAKWETHA (nee-bah-kwayt-hah)

• what is your name?

• NIBANYETA (nee-bahn-yay-tah)

• my name is...

• ABYENKI (ab-yen-kee)

• why?

• RYAYI (ree-ah-yee)

• when?

• SHAHAZINGAI (shah-hah-zeen-guy)

• what time is it?

• NIN SAN ANKAI (neen sahn ahn-kai)

• where can I find..?

• JA TOLLA (jah toll-ah)

• it is there

• TINDAMANYA (teen-dah-mahn-yah)

• I dont know

DOCTOR'S OFFICE CONVO

• STAMA (stah-mah)

• sit

• IMUKA (ee-moo-kah)

• stand up

• BYAMAHANSI (beeyah-ma-hahn-see)

• lay down

• NOSHASHA OTA? (no-shah-shah oh-tah)

• NISHASHA... (nee-shah-shah)

• I have pain in...

• OMOTWE (oh-mot-way)

• head

• AMUNDA (ah-moon-dah)

• stomach

• AMAGUFA (ah-mah-goo-fah)

• bone

• NJINGO (n-jeen-goh)

• joint

• AMAGURU (ah-mah-goo-roo)

• legs

• EMECORNO (eymey-corn-oh)

• arms

• AMISHO (ah-mee-show)

• eyes

• ECHIJERE (eh-chee-jeyrey)

• foot

• EBIJERE (eh-bee-jeyrey)

• feet

• OMOGONGO (oh-moe-gone-go)

• back

• EBISA (ey-beesah)

• back of the neck

• AMARAKA (ah-mah-rock-ah)

• throat

• OMUCANWA (Oh-moo-cahn-wah)

• mouth

• ECHIFUBA (eh-chee-foo-bah)

• chest

• AMABEGA (ah-mah-bae-gah)

• shoulders

• AMAJU (ah-mah-jew)

• knees

• AHAMISHO (ah-hah-mee-show)

• face

• AMINO (ah-mee-noh)

• teeth

• ERINO (ey-ree-noh)

• tooth

• OMUTIMA (oh-moo-tee-mah)

• heart

• ENGULO (en-goo-low)

• hand

• AMATU (ah-mah-too)

• ears

• ENYIENDO (en-yee-en-doe)

• nose

• ORURIMI (oh-roo-ree-mee)

• tongue

• EMINWA (eh-meen-wah)

• lips

• NIN TANAKA (neen tah-nah-kah)

• vomiting

• NIN CORORA (neen core-orr-ah)

• coughing

• NYINE OMORIRO (neen-yay oh-moe-reer-oh)

• fever

• IZIMBERE.. (ee-zeem-beer-ey)

• swelling..

• NAZA KUSHESHA (nah-zah koo-shay-shah)

• pain while urinating

• AKAZENGERERA (ah-kah-zen-jer-err-ah)

• dizziness