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