A: A
I am working: Mi a wuk
I am running: Mi a ron
He/she is reading: Im a riid
We are playing: Wi a plié
The girls are going: Di gyal-dem a guh
The boys are climbing the tree: Di bwoy-dem a klaim di trii
They are coming: Dem a kom
They are leaving: Dem a liiv
He was working: Im en a wuk
I was running: Mi en a ron
Darah Derow was teaching the boys: Darah Derow en a tiich di bwoy-dem
They were coming: Dem en a kom
I am the doctor: Mi a di dakta
Who is that? A huu dat?
Who is that playing with my ball? A huu dat ramp wid fi-mi baal
Whose phone is on the table? A huufa phone pan di tiebl
Whose house is this? A huufa hous dis
Whose cup is that? A huufa kop dat
What is that? A wa dat?
What is that in the garden? A wa dat inna di gyaadn
Preposition: Wah
A handful of boys: Wah anful a bwoy
Reference to a person
I am the doctor: Mi a di dakta
He is a big man: Im a big man
Darah Derow is the leader: Darah Derow a di liida
They are wicked girls: Dem a wikid gyal
It was Katz who told me about that: A Katz tel mi bout dat
It was Nicho who took the bottle of water: A Nicho tek di bokkl aff waata
It was my brother who picked the plate for eating: A mi breda pik di pliet fi a nyam
It was brother Obelix who won the race: A breda Obeliks win di ries
It was Katz who told me about that: A Katz tel mi bout dat
It was Nicho who took the bottle of water: A Nicho tek di bokkl aff waata
It was my brother who picked the plate for eating: A mi breda pik di pliet fi a nyam
It was brother Obelix who won the race: A breda Obelix win di race
It’s because i am a good person, that’s why people love me: A gud mi a gud, dat wa mek piipl lob mi
It’s because i am a good person, that’s why people love me: A gud mi a gud, dat wa mek piipl lob mi
Motion
Go to the market: Guh a maakit.
Go to town: Guh a toun
Time
In the morming: A di mwanin.
In the evening: A di iibnin
Place
Everyone will get a space at the exhibition: Ebriwan a guh get a spies a di hekszibishan
Every boy and girl got a bag of sweet at the party: Ebri bwoy anh gyal did get a baig a swiiti a di paati.
He is eating a mango: Im a nyaam wan manggo
He gave me a book and ten pens: Im gi mi a buk anh ten pen
Abandon (Ver): Abandan
They are going to abandon the place: Dem a gwain abandan di plies.
He abandoned the plan to become a politician: Im abandan di plaan fi ton politricker.
Abdomen (Nou): Beli
My abdomen is hurting me now: Mi beli a hat mi nou.
My abdomen is paining: Mi beli a pien.
The man has a very big abdomen: Di man hab a bang-beli.
Able (Adj): Iebl
“Can” is always used in place of “able”
Are you able to carry the bag?, its heavy: A yu iebl tu kiari di biag?, ihebi
Can you carry the bag? It’s heavy: Kyan yu kiari di biag? ihebi
I am able to carry because i am strong:
Mi iebl tu kiari bikaaz mi talawa
Mi kyan kiari bikaaz mi chrang
About (Adv): Bout
Tell me about your self: Tel mi bout yusef
Do you know anything about this bar?: Du yu nuo eniting bout dis baar?
Many of them know a lot of things about Darah Derow: Nof a dem nuo banz a tings bout Darah Derow
Abroad (Adv): Habraad or Farin
Where is Sarah Jay? She is currently in abroad: We Siera Jie de? Im a korantli enna farin.
He is going abroad next year for studies: Im a guh farin neks ier fi stodi.
She is coming back from abroad: Im a kom bak fram farin.
Abruptly (Adv): Braps
The rain started falling abruptly yesterday:
Di rien en staat a drap braps yeside
Di rien en staat a faal braps yeside
Absolutely all (Adv): Aal an aal
He didn’t share the money with his brothers, he took absolutely all for himself: Im nuh shier di duni wid im breda, im tek aal an aal fi imsef
Absorb (Ver): Habzaab
The soil absorbed most of the water: Di sail en habzaab muos a di waata
Abuse (Nou): Rax
He abused me: Im rax mi
He likes abusing people: Im laik fi rax piipl
He threw abuses on me when i asked him to buy for me water: Im truo rax pan mi wen mi hax im fi bai fi mi waata
Accident (Nou): Aksiden
Accidents are common nowdays: Aksiden a kaman nou-a-diez
He is using the crutch because he broke his foot in the accident that happened here last night: Im a yuus di koko maka bikaaz im brok im fut eena di aksiden dat hapn ya laas nait
Accompany (Ver): Kompini
Come and accompany me to the market: Kom ah kompini mi tu di maakit
You accompany her to the park: Yu kompini har tu di paak
Act (Ver): Ak
Don’t act like a fool: Doun ak laik a duufos
Why are you acting that way: Wa mek yu a ak dat wie
Act like an adult: Ak laka wan big-smadi
Act like adults: Ak laik big-smadi
Actor (Nou): Akta
I am an actor: Mi akta
She is an actor: Im a akta
Adult (Nou): Big-smadi or Big-piipl
We are adults: Wi big-smadi
In my country, adults are only 1 out of 5 of the voters: Eena mi kontri, big-smadi dem a ounli wan outa faib a di vuota-dem
Don’t disrespect them, young man respect the adults: Nuh style dem, stuoshi rispek di big-piipl dem
Advantage (Nou): Advaantij or Egvaantij
The advantages of studying: Di advaantij-dem aff stodi
Tell them the advantages of planting trees: Tel dem di advaantij-dem aff plaantin trii
To take advantage of, cheat or ill-treat someone: Advaantij
Don’t take advantage of me: Nuh advaantij mi
Many foolish people will take advantage of you when you are in trouble: Nof jegge a guh advaantij yu wen yu eena trobl
Special advantage given to someone: Liges
The mother gives him special advantages: Im moda gi im liges
Advice (Ver): Prips
Give them advice not to fight: Gi dem prips nat tu fait
Africa (Nou): Afrika or Hafrika
I come from Africa, my motherland: Mi kom fram Afrika mi modalan
Africa the land of organic food: Afrika di lan aff i-tal/aarjanik fuud
African (Nou): Afrikan or Hafrikan
I am Afrinan: Mi Hafrikan
After (Adv, Conj & Prep): Afta, Aafta or Aata
Adv:
Come after two hours: Kom aata tuu howa
Conj:
I paid him after he completed the work: Mi pie im aata im wuk don
Prep:
Where are your friends, they are coming after: A we yu fren, dem a kom aata
Afternoon (Nou): Aftanoon
Come in the afternoon: Kom eena di aftanoon
I will see you in the afternoon: Mi gwain si yu ina di aftanoon
Afterward/s (Adv): Aaftawad/z
See you afterwards: Si yu aaftawadz
Come afterwards; Kom aaftawadz
Again (Adv): Agen
Play the reggae song again: Plie di reggae sang agen
The market is crowded this week again: Di maakit a chokop dis wiik agen
Adv:
Most youths are against this government: Muos yuut a gens dis gobament
Prep
Two boxers are going to fight against each other next month: Tuu baksa gwain fait gens wan hada neks mont
Age (Nou): Ij
What is your age? I am eighty years old: Wa yu ij? Mi ieti ier oul
We live in an information technology age; Wi lib pan infarmieshan teknalaji ij
Agitated (Adj): Bringgl
He is agitated with me: Im bringgl wid mi
Why are you so agitated today: Wa mek yu bringgl tide
Ago (Adj): Aguh or Abak
People say that, three thousand years ago, the Luo were living in Seria: Piipl seh dat, chrii touzn
Ier aguh, di Luo en a lib eena Seria
He came here four years back: Im kom ya fuo ier abak
Alone (Adj & Adv): Aloun, Loun or Wan
Adj
Man can not live with bread alone; Man kyaahn lib wid bred aloun
She likes travelling alone: Im laik fi chravel aloun
Adv
I stay in this building alone: Mi stie ina dis a bill aloun
Already (Adv): Aredi
The film is over already: Di flim a ouba aredi
Darah Derow has gone to the concert already: Darah Derow gaan a kansot aredi
The boys have gone to the garden already: Di bwoy-dem a gaan a gyaadn aredi
Frank and the rest have gone to the show already: Frank-dem a gaan a shuo aredi
Alright (Adj, Adv & Interj): Haarait, Arait or Aarait
Adj
Things are alright and moving in the right direction: Tings aarait anh a muuv pan di rait wie
Everything is alright: Ebriting aarait
Everything is alright and fine: Irie
How are you? Everything is alright and fine:
Hou yu du?mi irie
Wagwaan? mi irie
Wagwaan? Mi haati
Adv
Alright, i will buy it? Aarait, mi gwain bai i
Interj
Alright, tell him that i am going to come: Aarait, tel im se mi gwain kom
Always (Adv): Aazwez, Aazwiez, Haazwiez or Eva deh
He told me that, we will always remain together: Im tel mi se, wi a guh aazwiez tan tigeda
He is always early for the game: Im eva deh hoerli fi di giem
Although (Conj): Alduo
Although the road was slippery, we still managed to drive through: Alduo di ruod en sipl, wi stil did manij tu draib chuu
He opened his bussines althoug he had little money: Im uopn im bizniz alduo im did av likkl moni
Albino (Nou): Bakra, Kwaa, Dundus, Mudu or Payrin
He is an albino: Im dundus
All (Adj): Aul, Aal or Haal
Deter:
Our office is open the all day: Howa hafis a uopn di aal die
Adj
All of: Wuola
All of us: Wuola wi
All of us are going to come for the dance tomorrow: Wuola wi a gwain kom fi di brokinz tumaro
All of them: Woula dem
All of them share the same origin: Wuola dem shier di siem harijin
Allow me to go home, it’s late: Mek mi guh a yaad, a liet
Allow the children to leave early today: Mek di pikni-dem tu liiv hoerli tide
Allow (Ver): Mek
Allow me to go home, it’s late: Mek mi guh a yaad, i liet
Allow the children to leave early today: Mek di pikni dem tu liiv hoerli tide
Aloe Vera (Nou): Singkl-baibl, singgl-baibl or sintl-baibl
Boil for me aloe vera leaves: Bwail fi mi sintl-baibl liif
Aloe vera can treat many sicknesses: Singkl-baibl kyan triit banz a sikness
Am (Pron): Mi
Am Darah: Mi Darah
I am Darah: Mi Darah
Amalgam (Nou): Mixop
The drink is amalgam of different fruits: Di dyink a mixop fi difran fruut
Among (Prep): Mongx
We are among the few in the world who truly understand Jamaican patois: Wi a mongx di fyuu pan di wurl huu ovastan Jumiekan patwa fitruu
They are among the best basketball players in the country: Dem a mongx di bes baskitbaal plieya eena di kontri
Amongst (Prep): Mongx
The building is amongst the best houses in town: Di a bill a mongx di bes hous-dem eena toun
The girl is amongst the first ten students: Di gyal a mongx di fos ten studen
Amuse (Ver): Swiit
He amused the children with his play: Im swiit op di pikni dem wid fi-im plié
They always amuse us with their way of play: Dem aazwiez swiit wi wid fi-dem wie aff plie
And (Conj): An, Ah or Anh
Kampala and Olim are cities: Kampala anh Olim a rimma
Olim, Patongo and New York have people brigning good change in the world: Olim, Patanga anh Nyuu Yak hab piipl bringin gud chienj eena di wurl
Angel (Nou): Eenjel or Ienjel
Angel of God: Ienjel fi Jah
Angry (Adj): Beks, Bringgl or Raatid
She was angry with me: Im en beks wid mi
Short-tempered or easily angered: Ignorant
He is a short-tempered person, don’t waste your time advising him: Im ignorant smadi, nuh wies yu taim advaizin im
Hot-tempered: Trong-physic
She is hot-tempered, she might fight you: Im hab trong-physic, shi mait fait yu
Annoy (Ver): Fatigue/Fitiig, Hackle, Hige, Mell, Sheg, Udge, Rax or Taament
Do not annoy the teacher, you have to behave well:
Nuh rax di tiicha, yu hafi gwaan wel
Nuh rax di tiicha, yu hafi behieb wel
Do not annoy your brother, you have to respect him: Nuh fitiig yu breda, yu hafi rispek im
Another (Adj): Anoda, Aneda, Anieda, Waneda, Wanieda or Neks Wan
Adj
Give me another ball: Gi mi wanneda baal
Deter
Tell me another side of the game:
Tel mi anoda said aff di giem
Tel mi wanieda said adi giem
Answer (Nou): Ansa
I have no answer for you: Mi av nuh ansa fi yu
No answer: Caranapu, Cararapum, Cononapu or Canana
When i hear them say their friends are poor, i just keep quite: Wen mi hier dem seh dem paadi a sufferer mi dis caranapu
Anus (Nou): Batty
His anus is paining him; Im batty a pien im
Any (Adj): Eni or Heni
Give me any book from the table: Gi mi eni buk fram di tiebl
Pick any pen and give me: Pik heni pen an gi mi
Anything (Nou): Eniting
How are you going to thank them for the knowledge they gave you? I will give them anything good: Hou a yu gwine tengk dem fi di nuolij dem gi yu? Mi gwine gi dem eniting gud
Apart (Adv): Apaat
My town and theirs are miles apart: Mi toun anh fi-dem a mail apaat
Separate the wood apart to set fire: Seperiet di wuud apaat tu ketch op di faya
Appealing (Adj): Peng
He is an appealing person: Im a peng smadi
Approval (Nou): Apruuval
The approval of my book will make me get a contract worth twenty four million shillings this year: Di apruuval fi-mi buk a guh mek mi get a kantrak wut twenti fuo milian shilin dis ier
April (Nou): Hiepril
April is the fourth month of the year: Hiepril a di fuot mont fi di ier
Are (Ver): A
They are going to the town: Dem a gwine a toun
They are bad girls: Dem a bad gyal
Arena (Nou): Hariina
We are in Darah Derow Arena:
Wi pan di Darah Derow hariina
Wi a eena Darah Derow hariina
Wi a ina Darah Derow hariina
Argument (Nou): Kaskas
They always have argument about politics: Dem haazwiez hab kas-kas bout politricks
Around (Adv & Prep): Rong
Adv
I am around school: Mi rong skuul
Prep:
He ran around the house ten times: Im ron rong di ous ten taim
Arrive (Ver): Kech or Kom
He arrived here from abroad yesterday: Im kech ya fram farin yeside
He arrived there after mid night: Im kech de aata migl nait
Do you know that he has arrived in the country? :
Yu nuo se im kom pan di kontri?
Yu nuo dat in kom eena di kontri
As i arrived, he was leaving; Az mi kom, im en a liiv
As (Conj & Prep): Az
Conj
The mango is big as a ball: Di manggo a big az a baal
Prep
He is not tall as the father: Im naa taal az di pupa
Conj
As long as: Az lang az
As long as i live, i am not going to die a poor man: Az lang az mi lib, mi naa gwain ded a sufferer
Conj
As soon as
As soon as the mother arrived, the baby laughed: Az di maada kom so, di biebi laaf
As soon as he comes, tell her to come to my office: Az im kom so, tel im fi kom tu mi hafis
As soon as you get there, you will see him: Az yu kech de, yu a guh si im
Phrase
So long as: So lang
He will work hard so long as he remembers what he said to him: Im wi wuk haad so lang im memba wa im seh tu im
As (Conj & Prep): Az
Conj
The mango is big as the ball: Di manggo a big az di baal
Prep
He is not tall as the father: Im naa taal az di pupa
Conj
As long as: So lang
As long as i live, i am not going to die a poor man: So lang mi lib, mi naa gwain ded a sufferer
Conj
As soon as
As soon as the mother arrived, the baby laughed: Az di maada kom so, di biebi laaf
As soon as he comes, tell her to come to my office: Az im kom so, tel im fi kom tu mi hafis
As soon as you get there, you will see him: Az yu kech de so, yu a guh si im
Phrase
So long as: So lang
He will work hard so long as he remembers what he said to him: Im a guh wuk haad so lang im memba wa im seh tu im
Ask (Ver): Aask, Aax, Ax, Hax or Aks
You ask him about the new song: Yu hax im bout di nyuu sang
Ask them about what they said: Aax dem bout wa dem seh
Asleep (Adj & Adv): Asliip
Adj
She fell asleep while driving: Im faal asliip wail draibin
While Sarah was driving, she fell asleep: Wail Siera en a draib, im drap asliip
Adv
He fell asleep yesterday at 9 o’clock: Im drap asliip yeside a nain o’klak
Aspect (Nou): Haxpek
The youth and the adults have different aspects of life:
Di yuut ah di big-smadi dem fi av difran haxpek fi laif
Di yuut anh di big-piipl dem hab difran haxpek aff laif
Associate (Nou): Kombolo
They have been associates for a long time: Dem a kombolo fi a lang taim
They have been associates from the time i knew them:
Fram di taim mi nuo dem, dem a kombolo
Dem a kombolo fram di taim mi nuo dem
At (Nou & Prep): Pon, Pan or A
Nou
Come at two o’clock tomorrow: Kom a tuu o’klak tumaro
Prep
I am at Wex’s house: Mi pan Wex hous
Men at work: Man-dem pan wuk
We are at school: Wi pan skuul
They are at the market: Dem a pan di maakit
The children are playing at the river bank: Di pikni-dem a plier pan di riba bengk
Attitude (Nou): Hatityuud
You will know people’s attitude from how they talk to you: Yu a guh nuo piipl hatityuud fram hou dem taak tu yu
Their attitude is bad towards you: Fi-dem hatityuud a bad tuwadz yu
Auction (Nou): Banju sale
He went to the auction:
Im gaan tu di banju sale
Im gaan a banju sale
I bougth the tables and chairs for my hotel from the auction: Mi en bai di tiebl-dem anh chier-dem fi-mi otel fram di banju sale
August (Nou): Haagas
August is the eigth month of the year: Haagas a di hiet mont aff di ier
Aunty (Nou): Hanti
Their aunty is there coming: Fi-dem hanti a de a kom
My aunty is a doctor: Fi-mi hanti a dakta
She is the aunty of Darah Derow:
Im a di hanti aff Darah Derow
Im a di hanti fi Darah Derow
Avaricious (Adj): Trang yeye
Meaning: Strong desire for wealth
His brothers and siters are avaricious and for the money they will not respect their adults:
Fi-im breda anh sista a trang yeye anh fi di moni dem naa rispek fi-dem big-piipl
Average (Adj): Habrij
The average hours of work in a day in Amerika is seven: Di habrij howa fi wuk eena die eena Amerika a sebm
Avoid (Ver): Avide
Avoid fighting them: Avide faitin dem
I will avoid them, they behave badly: Mi gwine avide dem, dem gwaan bad
Away (Adv): We
He ran away to the village: Im ron-we a vilij
He has gone away to school: Im gaan-we a skuul
Serve, i am taking away the chicken: Saab, mi gwine tek-we di chikin
Awkward (Adj): Akwad or Bafan
He is an awkward man: Im a bafan man