Aug. 29, 2015

LESSON 1: GREETINGS

LUGANDA is the L1 spoken by the biggest number of people(over 4 million L1 speakers) and the most widely spoken L2  language in Uganda, apart from English. (Ethnologue)  It is used as a language of trade in most of Uganda's trading centres. It is the language of the Baganda' the biggest tribe in Uganda found in the central region where the capital is.

In this language, syllable sounds are pronounced as they are written in most cases except for a few exceptions.

Greetings depend on whether it is morning or the rest of the day, and the sex of the person you are greeting. Ssebo is used to address a male and is the equivalent of sir while nnyabo is the equivalent of madam.

SSEBO- SIR            (Sse- bo)

NNYABO- MADAM   (Nnya- bo)

MORNING GREETINGS:

Wasuze otya ssebo?   (Wa - su- ze   o- tya -pronounced as- tia)

This literally means 'How was your night sir?" and is the equivalent of 'Good morning sir'

WASUZE OTYA SSEBO?- GOOD MORNING SIR.

WASUZE OTYA NNYABO- GOOD MORNING MADAM.

Sometimes otyanno (o- tya- nno)  is used instead of otya but the meaning does not change:

WASUZE OTYANNO SSEBO?- GOOD MORNING SIR.

WASUZE OTYANNO NNYABO- GOOD MORNING MADAM

GREETINGS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY:

For the rest of the day, the Luganda greetings are:

OSIIBYE OTYA ?  O- sii- bye   o- tya?  This literally means: "How is your day?" or "How has your day been?"

OSIIBYE OTYA SSEBO?- GOOD AFTERNOON SIR.

OSIIBYE OTYA NNYABO?- GOOD AFTERNOON MADAM.

The same greeting is used in the evening when you want to say "Good evening".

All this is the formal greeting but there is an informal greeting usually used among peers and friends.

KI KATI?    Ki   ka- ti?  This literally means "What is going on in your life or around you?" The Baganda love news and originally,  after the above formal greeting of Osiibye otya?  they would then as continuation of the greeting ask: "Amawulire?" or "Agafa eyo?" These both literally mean: "What is the news?" or "what is happening where you are coming from?" This is what the later generations shortened to "Ki kati?"

The respondents answer: Nedda, Ki kati?  literally meaning, nothing, how about you?

Another informal greeting used among peers is: OBULAMU?   (O- bu- la- mu?)  

This literally means "How is your life? and is also the equivalent of "How are you?"

OBULAMU?- HOW ARE YOU?

The respondent answers: Bulungi which means Good or fine or 'si bubi' meaning 'not bad' and when the respondent does not feel well the answer would be 'bubi'  ( bu- bi) meaning bad and then continue to explain.

OBULAMU?- HOW ARE YOU?

Respondent:   BULUNGI / SI BUBI- FINE  

or   BUBI- NOT FINE

But if you get a visitor you start with the welcome words and then the greeting:

Nsanyuse okukulaba ssebo/ nnyabo: You are welcome sir/ madam. Or I am glad to see you sir / madam

Eradde ssebo/ nnyabo? : Is it peaceful where you are coming from?

And the visitor replies: Eradde- It is peaceful.

Osiibye otyanno ssebo/ nnyabo   (see above).

Essomo2: Lesson 2

Okutuuza omugenyi: Getting the visitor seated

After welcoming a visitor, a host will show him/ her where to sit before the greetings. The following will be used to guide the visitor where to sit:

Akatebe kaako [A-ka-te-be kaa-ko]   There is your seat / Sit on that chair

Akatebe kaakano [A-ka-te-be kaa-ka-no] Here is your seat / Sit on this chair.

Tuulira wano [Tuu- li-ra wa-no] Sit here.

Okweyanjula n’okwebaza: Introducing yourself and showing appreciation

Okweyanjula- Introducing yourself

You may find yourself in a situation where you have to introduce yourself.

Somebody may ask for your name or you may give it without being asked.

Asking:

Erinnya lyo? [E-ri-nnya lyo- pronounced as lio ]  What is your name?

Nze James Green- My name is James Green

or

Ggwe  ani?-Who are you?

Nze James Green- I am James Green

Tubuulire erinnya lyo [Tu-buu-li-re e-ri-nnyalyo] Tell us your name

Nze James Green- My name is James Green

You should note that sometimes plural is used instead of singular when asking for names

Amannya go? [A-ma-nnya  go] – What are your names?

Here you can respond in plural: Amannya gange nze Caroline Arinawe-  (My names are Caroline Arinawe).

You can also simply say: Nze Caroline Arinawe- I am Caroline Arinawe.

Okwebaza: Showing appreciation

You may wish to show appreciation to somebody by thanking him/ herfor whatever reason. You may use the following:

Weebale nnyo ssebo [wee-ba-le  nnyo  sse-bo] - Thank you very much sir.

Weebale nnyo nnyabo [wee-ba-le  nnyo  nnya-bo] - Thank you very much madam.

Weebale [Wee-ba-le] - Thank you

Nneeyanzizza [nnee-ya-nzi-zza] - Thank you (usually used when somebody gives you something physical like food, a drink, etc.) 

Essomo 2: Lesson 3

Okwanjula abantu abalala: Introducing  other people

You may have people you are with that you may want to introduce or your host or person you are talking to may want to introduce some people to you.

These are some of the examples.

Maama [maa-ma] - Mother

Kankwanjulire maama.  [ka- nkwa-nju-li-re  maa-ma] - Let me introduce you to my mother.

Ono maama. [o-no  maa-ma] - This is my mother.

Maama wuuno. [maa-ma wuu-no]- Here is mother.

Taata [taa-ta] – Father/ my father

Kitange [ki-ta-nge]-  My father

Kankulage taata [ka- nku-la-ge  taa-ta] - Let me show you my father.

Ono ye taata. [o-no ye  taa-ta] - This is my father

Kitange wuuno. [ki-ta-nge  wuu-no] - Here is my father.

Omwana [o-mwa-na  pronounced as:  o-mu-ana] - Child

Abaana [a-baa-na]- Children.

Omwana wange [o-mwa-na  wa-nge]  – My child.

Abaana bange [a-baa-na  ba-nge] - My children.

Ono mwana wange [o-no- mwa-na  wa-nge]- This is my child.

Bano baana bange [ba-no  baa-na  ba-nge] - These are my children.

Kankwanjulire abaana bange [ka-nkwa-nju-li-re  a-baa-na   ba-nge] - Let me introduce you to my children.

Muwala [mu-wa-la]- Girl

Muwala wange [mu-wa-la  wa-nge] - My daughter

Bawala [ba-wa-la]- Girls

Bawala bange [ba-wa-la  ba-nge]- My daughters

Ono muwala wange [o-no  mu-wa-la   wa-nge]- This is my daughter.

Oyo  muwala wo? [o-yo-  mu-wa-la  wo?] – Is that your daughter?

Oyo muwala wange. [o-yo-  mu-wa-la  wa-nge]- That is my daughter.

Abo ababiri bawala bange. [a-bo  a-ba-bi-ri   ba-wa-la  ba-nge] - Those two are my daughters.

Kankwanjulire bawala bange. [ka-nkwa-nju-li-re ba-wa-la  ba-nge] - Let me introduce you to my daughters.

Mutabani [mu-ta-ba-ni]- son.

Mutabani wange [mu-ta-ba-ni  wa-nge] - my son.

Batabani [ba-ta-ba-ni]- sons

Batabani bange [ba-ta-ba-ni  ba-nge] - My sons

Ono mutabani wange [o-no  mu-ta-ba-ni  wa-nge] - This is my son.

Mutabani wange wuuno [mu-ta-ba-ni  wa-nge   wuu-no] - Here is my son.

Kankulage batabani bange. [ka-nku-la-ge  ba-ta-ba-ni  ba-nge]  –Let me introduce you to my sons.

Osobola okukyusa bino mu Lungereza?  - Can you translate these to English?

Nsanyuse okukulaba ssebo.

Tuulira wano.

Weebale nnyo ssebo

Nze David Lutalo

Bano baana bange.

Nnina abaana babiri

Mutabani wange ye Sam Obbo

Muwala wange ye Doreen Acan

Weeraba ssebo.

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