Runyankore to English Dictionary – M

Runyankore to English Dictionary – M

maama n. mummy: a child’s word for a mother. Maama otantsigaho. Mummy dont leave me alone.
maapu n. map: a representation of the earth’s surface on a flat sheet of paper. Abeegi bashabirwe kuteera maapu y’eishomero. Students were asked to draw a map of the school.
maarimi n. my maternal uncle: a brother to one’s mother. Maarimi akataaha embaga yangye. My maternal uncle attended my party. Var: maarume.
maarwa n. plant: a type of sweet fruity plant.
maawe n. my mother.
maawenkuru n. my grandmother: one’s mother to his father or mother; usually used when one is refering to his or her grand mother. Obu naaza omu kyaro tindareebire maawenkuru. When I went to the village I did not see my grandmother.
maawento n. my maternal aunt: a sister to one’s mother. used when one is refering to his or her aunt.
maaya n. ostrich: the largest African bird with a long neck and long legs that cannot fly but runs fast.
maazaara n. my mother-in-law: the mother to one’s wife or husband.
mabaati n. See: KANYOOBWA. mabeere n. a type of banana. mabuushu n. See: EKIHOME.
mabuzi adv. doing things in a foolish way like a goat.
macura n. See: BUCURA. madabada adj. See: WANDANDARA. madigadi n. See: MANDIGADI. mafeera adv. behaving like a coward.
mafuka n. the boy who goes with the groom to the bride’s parents home after the honey moon.
magabari n. a sweet potatoe specie which is yellow, and very sweet. Nyekiro turiire ebitakuri bya magabari. Last night we ate potatoes that were very sweet and yellow.
magana abiri n. two hundred: a number written as 200 in Roman numerals. Ekibiina kyabo kirimu abeegi magana-abiri. Their class has two hundred students. Var: bibiri.
magana ana n. four hundred: a number written as 400 in Roman numerals. Var: bina.
magana ashatu n. three hundred: a number written as 300 in Roman numerals. Var: bishatu.
magana ataano n. five hundred: a number written as 500 in Roman numerals. Var: bitaano.
magaro n. pair of pliers: a metal tool with handle used for holding things firmly, twisting and cutting them especially wires. Yanshaba magaro kukomoorora enati. He asked me for a pair of pliers to untie a nut.
maguru-ana phr. Enyamaishwa za maguru-ana zoona zikeeta orukiiko zaateisa okuza kurwanisa ba maguru-abiri. All four-legged animals convened a meeting in which they discussed how they can fight the twoo-legged creatures. Usage: four-legged: It is used in story telling to refer to four legged creatures.
maguru-gantuuha phr. mushroom: a variety of fungusplant with a round flat head and a long stem commonly called mushroom.
magyendo n. illicit trade: a crime of taking, sending or bringing goods secretly and illegally into or out of a country. Uganda eteire abaporiisi aha nyatano yaayo na Kenya kwenda kurwanisa magyendo. Uganda has stationed policemen at her boarder with Kenya to fight smuggling.
mahega n. a finger millet variety. Muhingye oburo bwa mahega bunuzire. Sow that type of millet, it is very taste.
mahinda n. maize variety: maize with coloured grains. Ebicoori bye ebingi nibya mahinda. Most of his maize is coloured.
mahogane n. mahogany: a tropical tree that produces hard timber. Etym: [].
mahonde n. salt: rock salt. Var: kihonde, ekihonde.
mahugye adv. a situation where one behaves in a confused manner. Naahandiika mahugye. He writes in a confused way.
mahumahu n. a type of chicken without feathers on the neck.
mahumpu adv. extravaganttly watsteful use of things, e.g. money. Ishe akamutwarira esente aha ishomero yaazirya mahumpu. His father gave him money at school but he used it extravagantly.
mahwehwe n. a perpetual liar.
maino-mpango adj. a person with very big teeth. Usage: disapproving.
maisho n. a variety of peas.
maisho-ana n. a small conical pot with four side openings among the Banyankore marriages for perfumery. See: pukonyo.
maisho-na-maisho adv. face to face. Akamureeba
maisho-na-maisho. He saw him face to face. majuta n. a bean variety with big seeds. majuuju n. See: MAHUMPU.
maka n. offal: an internal organ of an animal that is red in colour, and is not edible.
makaasi n. See: MAKANSI.
maka-marungi n. an aphrodisiac plant. makamba n. cereal plant: a type of finger millet. makanika n. mechanic: a person who repairs
machines. Makanika yaatwara emotoka yangye kugikora. The mechanic has taken my car for repair. Etym: [].
makansi n. a pair of scissors. Var: makaasi.
makara n. cereal: a type of finger millet.
makatara n. marked line: an activity or task aportioned to an individual to do it and finish it in a specified time. Yaakora makatara. Etym: [].
makeba n. cloth: a type of dress that is long. Naakunda kujwara makeba. She likes putting on long dresses.
makeke n. something that is extra ordinally in nature. makoma n. a round fruit with a thick skin. makorogo n. See: MAHONDE.
makunku n. bananas: a banana variety that has small fingers. Ref: BUKUMU Var: bukunku, enyabukumu, bukumu.
makyere adv. a way of jumping like a frog. Akaguruka makyere. He jumped like a frog.
mandigadi n. mudguard: a part of a bicycle closer to the tyre that guards it against mud. Var: madigadi. Etym: [].
mangada n. tangerine: a fruit of the orange family
with a soft outer layer and usually smaller and sweater than oranges. Mutumire omu katare kugura mangada yaareeta emicungwa. I sent her to market to buy tangerine but she brought oranges.
manya phr. by the way.
maraaya n. a prostitute who indulges in sex for money:.
maraika n. angel: a spirit who is believed to be a servant of God and is sent by God to deliver message or perform a task. Pl: baamaraika.
mareeto n. mulatto or half cast: a person whose parents are from different races with one a black and another a white.
marekaane adj. Americn calico heavy white cloth. A kakhi cotton material. Omwenda gwa marekaane nimurungi. Heavy white cloth.
maridaadi adj. stylish: someone who is very smart and fashionable. Naakunda ebintu bya maridaadi. He likes stylish things. Etym: [].
mashaaba n. dress: a big long round dress usually worn by pregnant women.
mashurubu n. a hen with big glands below the ears.
masyoro n. a steep part of a course.
Mataagi n. Palm Sunday: the sunday before Easter. Usage: CHRISTIANS.
matarisi1 n. advertiser: a person who informs people about something through oral communication (especially on the radio). Var: matarizi.
matarisi n. game: relay. Var: matarizi. matarizi n. See: MATARISI. mawenkuru n. See: NYOKWENKURU.
mayenje n. a cow with white and black spots. Twine ente ya mayenje. We have a white and black spoted cow.
mayiro n. mile: a unit of measuring distance equal to 1600 metres. Kuruga omuka kuhika omu tauni hariho mahiro ibiri. There are two miles between home and town. Etym: [].
mayongo n. a type of finger millet with creamish or yellowish seeds.
mayonja n. a type of a beans.
mayumbu1 n. royal drum: a drum that would allegedly play itself to determine who should be the next king in Ankole and this was an instrument of power. See: BAGYENDANWA, KABEMBURA.
mayumbu n. a goat that gives birth to twins all the time.
mazima adv. really: a way of emphasising that something is true. Hoona mazima wantsiga? Are you really leaving me?
mbaare n. a type of fingure millet that originated from Mbale (one of the districts in the eastern part of Uganda).
mbaaya n. a cow with mottled cloudy white patches everywhere on the body.
mbaba phr. they (people) are here. Aba mbaba bakaija.
mbaganire phr. (used in storytelling): an opening remark or introduction to storytelling that draws the attention of the people to whom the story is being told. The audience’s response is ‘tebere’. Mbaganire, mbaganire! Let me tell you a story, let me tell you a story!
mbaguta n. a name of one of the former kings of Ankole.
mbahi int. a way of greeting by children to show politeness and respect. Usage: BAHIMA.
mbamba n. a cow with white and grey patches.
mbari phr. there they are; referring to people. Abantu abu waaba nooronda mbari. The people you were looking for are over there.
mbarwa adj. very few things or or people in number. Abahekyera bakaita abantu haatsigara mbarwa. The rebels killed people and very few remained.
mbazi n. fawn grey brindle.
mbega n. a spy: a person who tries to get secret information about another country, organisation, person especially somebody who is employed by a government, or police. Ab’eby’okwerinda bakoohereza mbega aha ishomero ryaitu. The defence committe sent a spy to our school.
mbindi n. a black cow.
mbwenu shi phr. now what? Mbwenu shi ngire nta? Now, what should I do?
me! int. finished. Ku baamushabire amaizi yaabagambira ngu me! When they asked him for water he told them that it is finished. Var: mehe. mehe int. See: ME!
mememe int. taking something carefully. Idiom: Mememe tezaaza mwojo. Handling with kid gloves does not always yield the best results. Var: meme.
mhu int. an expression to show surprise, fear, excitement, sarcasm, exclamation, etc.
mihi adv. really. Mihi baija? Have they really come? Usage: KG.
minzaani n. weighing scale. Var: omunzaani.
mirankwongyere n. a type of calabash, big with a long neck. Obushera bu baamuteereire omuri mirankwongyere akaba atarikubasa kubuheza. He could not finish the porridge they had put for him in the big calabash.
miru1 int. keep silence, keep a secret. Gira oti ‘miru’. Keep silence.
miru int. to swallow: to gallop at once. Akakwata ekikopo kya caai at miru.
mirundi n. one with long legs.
Misa n. mass: a church service especially for the Roman Catholics. Misa y’okubanza neetandika shaaha ina z’akasheeshe. The first mass starts at 10.00am. Usage: Catholics.
misingiriro n. beans: type of beans with mixed colours normally with white and brown.
mita n. metre. Etym: [].
mpaha adv. here: usually used as ‘aha mpaha’.
Mushangire aha mpaha. I found him here.
mpaho conj. then: a word used in conversations to urge someone to continue with the story.
mpaka prep. time lag: until. Toraarye egi nyama mpaka omazire ogu murimo. You are not going to eat this meat until you finish this job. Etym: [].
mpango adj. size: big or large in size. Egi mpare ni mpango. This pair of trousers is big.
mpara n. cattle: a cow that is light brown in colour.
mpariya adv. over there. Mpariya ahu twabaire nitutuura. We used to stay over there.
mpenwaki int. I wish. Mpenwaki enjura egwa tutunga amaizi. I wish it could rain and we get water.
mpirima n. a bean variety with round cotyledons and a brownish coat and sometimes mixed colours.
mpora adv. slowly. Yetware, ngyenda mpora.; Naatwaza mpora. Please walk slowly. H is a soft spoken person.
mpungira n. sleeping sickness: a disease transmitted by tsetse flies.
mpuuga n. the name of a cow with a single white patch on the udder, sometimes extending on both sides of the abdomen, chest, flanks.
mpuura n. a cow with grey skin.
-mu adv. suffix meaning ‘in’.
-mu- n. singular class marker for nouns in class 1 and 3. e.g. o-mu-ntu(class 1) and o-mu-ti (class ** ** **3).
mucomo n. meat: roasted meat. Var: omucomo. Etym: [].
mugore n. name normally given to a newly wedded woman by her in-laws.
muguma n. potato: type of irish potato.
mugurusi-rya-kimwe n. a type of sweet potato that is white outside and yellow inside.
muha n. fox: one of the carnivorous mammals that has straight ears with a long tail with fur, that looks like a wolf.
muhabo n. a strange place. Enjura egwire naaraara muhabo. It rained and made me sleep in a strange place.
muhago n. See: MUTUKU.
muhago n. a disease usually in young children who lack some food nutrients. Omwana we arwaire muhago ahabw’obutarya gye. Her child is sick because she does not eat a balanced meal. Ref: MUTUKU
muhanami n. See: ENTUMBWE.
muhancuju n. See: ORUTANGURA.
muhara n. daughter. Muhara wa Baguma aine emicwe mirungi. Baguma’s daughter is well behaved.
muheru n. end result. Akagira muheru nungi. He had a good end result.
muhikirwa n. an opinion leader: a person who is believed and respected by many people within a locality. Bamwemekire nka muhikirwa w’ekyaro. He has been elected an opinion leader in the village.
muhinya n. Polio: an infectious disease that affects the central nervous system and can cause temporary or permanent paralysis.
muhogo n. cassava. Manihot Esculenta.
muhomberwa n. fire: a weak burning fire. Ogu muriro ni muhomberwa tigurikuza kuhiisa byokurya. This fire is too weak to cook food.
muhurubu n. a banana with big fingers.
mujuba n. a banana variety that has long fingers which are scattered on the cluster.
mujuuju adj. extravagant, wasteful: eating or using something without sparing anything for the future. Omushaija ebintu bye akabirya mujuuju. The man used all his things unsparingly.
mujwago n. a shabby person. Oyehindwire mujwago ebire ebi. These days you are very shabby.
muka n. wife of. Kyakwera ni muka Katarihwa. Kyakwera is Katarihwa’s wife.
mukaabaro n. your co-wife: a woman with whom you share a husband in marriage.
mukaaga n. six: the cardinal number after five and before seven.
mukaaka n. grandmother: the mother of one’s father or mother. Mukaaka nankunda ahabw’emicwe mirungi. My grand mother loves me because of my good behaviour.
mukaasho n. your stepmother. Mukaasho aine abaana bangahi?; Your step mother cannot be your mother. How many children does your stepmother have?
mukaatata n. my stepmother: the wife of one’s father. Mukaatata azaire omwana w’omwishiki. My stepmother gave birth to a baby girl.
muk’abangye n. See: NYIN’ABANGYE.
mukaiba n. her co-wife. Kentaro naakunda mukaiba. Kentaro likes her co-wife.
Mukama1 n. Lord: the supreme being or the creator of the world. Usage: Religion. See: RUHANGA. mukama n. owner: a person who has or owns something. Mukama w’ente ezaayona emisiri yaaruga aha. The owner of the cows that destroyed the garden has been here.
mukana n. sweet potato that is not sweet and it is very hard with leaves which are purplelish.
mukazi-murofa n. a plant variety which has a bad smell.
mukira n. a variety of peas.
mukomanshaija n. a shrub used for making grazing sticks.
mukonogaamu n. a miser: a person who loves money and hates spending it. Aine esente kwonka ni mukonogaamu. He has money but he is a miser. Var: mukonogaama. mukoona n. See: EKIKOONA.
mukundante n. a bird species that is normally found where cows graze.
mukuru w’eishomero n. headteacher: the person who heads a school. Mukuru w’eishomero abingire abeegi abatakahaire bishare by’eishomero. The headmaster dismissed students who had not yet paid school fees.
mukuru w’eitware n. bishop: the highest ranking catholic clergyman at the diocese. Usage: Catholism.
mukuru w’entebe n. 1) chairperson: a person who presides over a meeting. **2) a person who heads a committee.
mukuru w’omugongo n. an elder in society especially at village level. Bakeebuuza obwengye ahari mukuru w’omugongo. They sought wisdom from an elder in society.
mukuru-otaitwa-ebye n. a plant species. mukwe otajugire n. a traditional wooden stool. mukwe yebumbe n. a small plant, when one touches it, it comes together and after a while it spreads out again.
mukwe-wa-mwanure n. dragon fly: a large insect that has long and slender body that looks like a dragon fly.
mukyara n. my wife; title or honour given by a husband to his wife.
munaana n. eight: one of the cardinal numbers which comes after seven and before nin, normally writen as 8.
muneti n. a plant species.
munomuno adv. especially. Mureete abaana omu mushomo gwa siriimu na munomuno eminyeeto. Bring children to the seminar on HIV/AIDS, especially the youths.
munonga adv. very. Naamukunda munonga. He loves her very much.
muntu ‘we int. my dear.
munu adv. See: OMU.
munyaanya n. his sister or brother. Munyaanya n’omushomesa. Her brother/sister is a teacher.
munyaanyoko n. your brother (if you are a female) or your sister (if you are a male).
munyampa n. the flowers of a spear grass.
munywengye n. disease; AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Sydrome. A serious disease that destroys the human immune system. It is caused by HIV.
muramba adj. full; whole. Akabagurira akashaho ka shukaari muramba. He bought a whole sack of sugar for them.
muranga n. the public. Yaakikora muranga neereeba. He did it openly as the public method.
murangaaro n. coccidiosis: a disease of birds and mammals that greatly affects the intestines, caused by coccidia.
mureefu n. a tall person. Muhara wangye akashwerwa mureefu. My daughter got married to a tall man. Usage: slang. Etym: [].
murenzi n. a bean variety.
muriyo int. a form of greeting; literally meaning ‘are you there?’.
murokore n. a nick name given to a christian who is born again.
murungi we! phr. dearest.
muryangombe n. soap: a type of washing soap that is blue in colour.
musa n. a whitish green banana used for brewing local beer.
Musenene n. November: the eleventh month of the year. Enseenene zikira kugwa omu kwezi kwa Musenene. Grasshoppers normally appear in November. See: OKWIKUMI NA KUMWE.
mushaija-aranda n. banana species.
mushanju n. seven: one of the cardinal numbers written as 7. It comes after 6 and is before 8.
mushare n. the sister-in-law who goes with the bride to her home after her honeymoon. Nkaba mushare wa muka munyaanyazi twamarayo ebiro bishatu. I went with my brother’s wife to her parents home and we spent there three days. Var: mashare.
mushinja n. witness: a person who sees something happen and can tell other people about it later. Akareeta nyina kuba mushinja we. He brought his mother to be his witness.
mushorongo n. severe famine. Ref: AMAFA
mushunju n. a hen with few short feathers on its head. Mushunju yangye bagiibire. My hen with a few feathers on the head was stolen.
mushushu n. shrew: a small rodent with a long pointed nose, mouth and small eyes. Mushushu esiisire omusiri gw’ebitakuri gwona. A shrew destroyed the whole garden of sweet potatoes.
musimbiriro n. a bed whose legs are fixed in the floor. Omutsigazi ku yaagiire kushwera yaakora ekitanda ky’omusimbiriro omu kishengye kye. When a boy was going to marry, he made a bed fixed in the ground in his bedroom.
mutaahi n. 1) neighbour: a person who lives near another. **2) a friend or colleague.
mutabani n. boy or man: one’s son. Mutabani w’Omugabe. The king’s son. Pl: batabani.
mutare1 n. white colour: a light colour e.g. of fresh snow or milk. Yaija ajwaire akafuuraano ka mutare. He came putting on a white pull neck.
mutare n. cereal: a type of finger millet.
mutemante n. machete: a sharp and straight tool made of metal with a curved edge used for cutting. Omuhoro gwangye gwa mutemante gubuzire. My sharp curved machettes is lost.
mutiikye n. surcharge: an extra amount of money that one must pay in addition to the usual charge as a penalty for not paying in time.
mutiki n. a bean variety with compound leaves, white, purple or yellow flowers and bearing pods with red seeds. Embibo ya mutiki neeyera munonga. Beans with red seeds do well when grown.
Mutima-Orikwera n. See: MWOY O-ORIKWERA. mutinzi n. 1) scorn contempt: to raise a thumb as a result of contempt. **2) a feeling that one is inferior and undesirable.
mutuku n. kwashiorkor: a disease of infants normally caused by protein deficiency. Ref: EIYOSHE, MUHAGO
mutunda n. used clothes: second-hand clothes and shoes that are available for sale.
muyegu n. See: SENYIGA.
muzaanira n. a person who plays lullabies for the young children so as to intertain them.
muzeeyi n. old person, elder: a person who has lived for a long time. Baamuzeeyi nibaheebwa ekitiinisa. Elders are respected. Etym:]].
muziiki n. wisdom tooth: the last tooth on each side of both jaws in human beings. Muziiki niryo riino eririkuhererukayo. Wisdom tooth is the latest tooth.
muzima adj. a strong and bold person. N’omushaija
muzima. He is a strong and bold man.
Muzimbeezi n. December: the 12th and last month of the year. See: OKWIKUMU N’EBIRI.
mwamba n. house: a brick, square or rectangular house usually roofed with iron sheets.
mwami n. a wife’s title of endearment for her husband equivalent to darling. Mwami agiire Buraaya. My husband went to Europe.
mwayaya adv. the remains of something in a scattered and unsorted manner.
mwena pron. all of you. Mwena mwije. All of you come.
mwenda n. nine: one of the cardinal numbers, written as 9. It comes after 8 and is before 10.
mwene maawe n. sister or brother refering to one’s sister or brother. Pl: beene maawe.
mwene-ishe n. sister or brother refering to someone else’s sister or brother.
mwene-waitu n. belonging to the same family or clan group. Nkaba ntarikumanya ngu ogu ni
mwene-waitu. I did not know that this was my relative.
mwengye-bigyere n. local beer made out of ripe bananas. See: TONTO.
mwere adv. empty handed: having failed to obtain or achieve what one wanted. Akaaza kukora yaagaruka ari mwere. He went to work and came back empty handed.
mwirima n. related to darkness.
Mwisyo-Orikwera n. See: MWOYO-ORIKWERA.
Mwoyo-Orikwera n. Holy Spirit: the third person of the Trinity. Var: mwisyo-orikwera.
mya-mya-mya int. light coming on and off, as that by lightening.