222 lines
6.7 KiB
Markdown
222 lines
6.7 KiB
Markdown
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---
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layout: post
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title: "Rukiga: An African Language"
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subtitle: "A tiny dictionary and introduction to Rukiga"
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date: 2022-09-06 00:00:00
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permalink: rukiga-african-language/
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categories: travel, language
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author: Mahdi
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---
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During my trip to Southern Uganda I interacted with people who mainly spoke a local language called Rukiga. They said there is no dictionary for their language as of yet (although it is apparently being worked on), so I just kept asking them to teach me words and phrases and their grammar bit by bit. So here I’m sharing what I learned from my friends here in Uganda with you. Thanks to Tabitha and Tutamuzongoza and Jovan Tumwijukye specially who taught me and my friend a lot of these words and they spent time correcting the writing and pronunciation.
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# Pronunciation
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The “r” letter is sometimes read with a sound that is in-between L and R (get phonetic annotation for these)
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The “k” letter is sometimes read with a ch sound (need phonetic)
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Pronunciations may vary depending on the region. As an example, in one area we were told Musana means sun, but in another region we were told it’s pronounced as Mushana.
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# A tiny dictionary of words
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Rukiga English
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Webare Thank you (single person)
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Webare kusiuma Response to webare
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Mwebare Thank you (multiple people)
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Engaji Gorilla 🦍
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Kengaji Junior gorilla (used after Akana)
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Akana Baby
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Agandi How are you (used as greeting)
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Nigye Good (response to Agandi)
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Kache Small
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Munonga A lot
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Kihango Big
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Byinji Many of something
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Ruhanga wangye My Lord
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Eshaha Time
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Olaleje Good night (single person)
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Mulaleje Good night (many people)
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Olileje Good morning (single person)
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Mulileje Good morning (multiple person)
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Kunaaba Take shower
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Twena All of us
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Embwa Dog
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Ahamuheru End
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Hamwe And
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Enyonyi Bird, airplane
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Ekinyonyi Bird
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Omunywani Friend
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Omwojo omunywani Boyfriend
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Omuhara Girl
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Omwojo Boy
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Omusheija Man
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Ego Yes
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Wapi No
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Omujinya Jealous person
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Omukundwa Sweetheart
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Embuzi Goat
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Echiroto Dream
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Nyine enjara I’m hungry
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Ndu hire I’m tired
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Nikibi Ugly, a bad deed
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Echiroto nkirungi Good dream
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Wanji Response to someone calling you. Can be used when you don’t understand what they said, but also in general
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Embuzi Goat
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Akana Kembuzi Baby goat
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Entama Sheep
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Musana, Mushana (different pronunciation) Sun
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Omwanya gobsinge Peaceful Place
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Echirwa Island
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Chine Have
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Nyingyi A lot
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Ruhanga eizina rye rehimbisibwe Hossana
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Akasero Basket with handles
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Akatebo Basket
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Akibo Small basket
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Musingirio A kind of bean that grow while twining (while connected to something, grows around it
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Enyawawa The crying bird
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Sawa I’m ok (be careful: this word means “something bitter” in Swahili)
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Nimarungy I’m ok (response to Agandi)
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Mwakora You have done great (multiple people)
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Wakora You have done great (single person)
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Etanuru Bricks arranged in a dome shape with fire under and inside them, to dry the bricks
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Tutamuzongoza A person’s name, means someone who is not to be disturbed (or disturb others)
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Akana Kente Calf
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Omwana Human baby
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Omuzeire Parent
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Mama Mother
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Taata Father
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Buhunga A food made with maize flour mixed with hot water and sugar (called porridge in some areas)
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Entuhe Crusted Crane
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Ruhanga God
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Amina Amen
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Matooke Mashed green banana
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Chinnurile Delicious
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Bun Bread bun
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Omugisha Blessing
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Abatabani Sons
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Yaabagirati Said
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Ekibi Sins
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Byona Everything
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Ezitarikuzira Those which you can’t refuse
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Nyamaishwa Animals
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Aha This
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Buri That
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Muhango Great
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Enshaija Male (animal)
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Enkazi Female (animal)
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Enshaija n’enkazi Male and female (animals)
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Omusheija omukazi Male and female (humans)
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Otwareho You will take (a part of something, not all)
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Kare kare Goodbye
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Ebinyugunyugu Butterfly
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# Numbers
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Rukiga English
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Omwe One person
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Emwe One
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Ibiri Two
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Ishatu Three
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Ina Four
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Itahano Five
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Mukaga Six
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Mushanju Seven
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Mundane Eight
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Mwenda Nine
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Ekumi Ten
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Ekumi ne emwe Eleven
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Ekumi ne ibiri Twelve
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Ekumi ne ishatu Thirteen
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Makumi abiri Twenty
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Makumi abiri ne emwe Twenty one
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Makumi ashatu Thirty
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Makumi ana Forty
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Makumi atahano Fifty
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Makumi mukaga Sixty
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Makumi mushanju Seventy
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Makumi munana Eighty
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Makumi mwenda Ninety
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Igana Hundred
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Igana makumi ana One hundred forty
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Igana emwe One hundred one
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Igana makumi abiri ne munana One hundred twenty eight
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Bibiri Two hundred
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Bishatu Three hundred
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Bina Four hundred
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Bitahano Five hundred
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Rukaga Six hundred
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Magana mukaga Six hundred (another way of writing it)
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Rukumi One thousand
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Eukumi igana makumi ana One thousand one hundred forty
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Omutwaro Ten thousand
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Emitwaro ebiri Twenty thousand
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# Phrases
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Eizina ryangye Mahdi: my name is Mahdi
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Ndaruga Iran: I’m from Iran
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Nashemererwa kubanimwe: I’m happy to be here
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Webare munonga: thank you very much
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Aha nyamaishwa eztarikuzira: those animals you can’t refuse (ritually clean)
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Yesu asimwe: praise God
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Asimwe munonga, amen: response to Yesu asimwe
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Ruhanga ni muhango: God is great
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Ruhanga ny mulingi: God is good
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Ekibi kya Noa: sins of noah
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Mwije murye: Come and eat
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Ndakukunda munonga: I love you a lot
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Neshaha zokurya: Time to eat
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Neshaha zokuzakubyama: time to sleep
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Orakundachi: what do you prefer?
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Embwa hamwe na pusi: dog or cat
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Nishahazingahe: what Time is it
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Eizina ryawe niriha: what is your name?
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Eizina rye niriha: what is his/her name?
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Kunaaba twena: all of us take a shower
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Kafumbo: village with people with good ideas
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You are jealous of my bf: Oyinihre
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omujinya omunwani wange omwojo.
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Echirwa chine emitti nyingyi: island with a lot of trees
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Murikuza bunyonyi erizooba: we are going to bunyonyi today
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Mpa ameizi: give me water
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Ekibo kyebichiga chiga: basket of chiga beans
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Aha obuhunga bunnurile: this buhunga is delicious
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# How to say beautiful
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How the adjective changes based on what we are talking about:
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Animals:
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Eboneire (beautiful for singular non-human?)
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Ziboneire (beautiful for plural non-human?)
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Kaboneire (beautiful when used after Akana)
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Other things (based on first letter of word and context):
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Pair 1 (kind of things that have life):
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Goboneire (beautiful for singular non-human)
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Eboneire (beautiful for multiple non-human)
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Pair 2 (kind of things that have no life):
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Leboneire (beautiful for singular non-human)
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Gabonaire (beautiful for plural non-human)
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Oboneire (beautiful for singular human telling them directly)
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Baboneire (beautiful for plural human, when telling a third person)
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Muboneire (beautiful for plural human, when telling themselves directly)
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Aboneire (beautiful for singular human, when telling a third person)
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Eizina riboneire: beautiful name
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Eizina rya we liboneire: your name is beautiful
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Omushozi (singular mountain) goboneire
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Emishozi (multiple mountain) eboneire
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Omuti (tree) goboneire
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Emiti (multiple trees) eboneire
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Eibare (stone) leboneire
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Amabare (stones) gaboneire
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Ente (cow) eboneire
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Ente (cows) zeboneire
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Engaji eboneire
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Engaji zeboneire
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Akana kenjagi kaboneire munonga munonga: baby gorilla is very very beautiful
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