Runyankore to English Dictionary – O
o n. one of the letters of the alphabet.
obeho int. a way of saying farewell to someone who is going away and wishing them well.
obu adv. when, while: at that time or as soon as. Akaraba omu katare obu yaaruga aha. She past in the market when she left here.
obubaagi n. the occupation of slaughtering animals like sheep, goats, cows, etc.
obubaagi n. being extravagant or a spendthrift. Owaabo bakaitwa obubaagi. They are all extravagant in their family.
obubaani n. incense.
obubaizi n. carpentry: the occupation of making or repairing things in wood.
obubi n. See: AMAZI.
obubundamo n. 1) a place where one falls after collapsing; where one falls after loosing control due to sickness or shock. **2) a place where one crouches to avoid sight, being seen or recognised.
obubuzi n. (of clothes) creases in clothes when they are not ironed. Eshaati aine obubuzi bwingi gigorore. The shirt has many foldings you must iron it.
obubya n. (of animals) acute craving for sodium chloride.
obucancabari n. tarters: clothes that have been worn out and are in tarters. See: OBUCUJU. Var: obushanshabari.
obucecezi n. night dancing done while performing recitations.
obucumita-mbogo n. a plant with small leaves and small thorns.
obucura n. a term that refers to old age in cattle.
obucureera n. calmness: being quiet, not agitated or excited; not ruffled by the wind.
obucureezi n. humility: the gentleness of living without chaos or agitation.
obucwekacweka n. small pieces: things that remain after something has been torn or broken.
obudongo n. kneaded mud, which is used for construction of mud and wattle houses.
obufa-matu adj. deafness: a situation where one is unable to hear at all.
obufu n. foolishness or doing foolish things; lacking wisdom.
obufu n. a cow dung: cow’s waste product.
obufuki n. Pl: obufuki. 1) coldness: the relative lack of heat produced by low temperature. **2) lacking affection or enthusiasm; being in low spirits.
obufumu n. witchcraft: the practice of using special powers (believed to be derived from the devil) to make things happen. Pl: obufumu.
obufunda n. narrowness: the state of being without space.
obufundi n. artisanship: the art of making or repairing things.
obufura n. hospitality: affable and generous behaviour towards other people.
obufute n. breach delivery: the abnormal delivery of a child by the legs first.
obufuuhi n. jealousy: excessive jealousy in respect of one’s spouse or lover.
obufuuzi n. a state of being an orphan.
obuga n. tight sensation when food is taken after a long fast.
obugabe n. kingship: having to do with monarchies or royal life.
obugabe n. freedom or liberty: the state of being free to do anything one wants without limitation. obugagye n. food that has gone bad and has lost its actual taste or is rotten.
obugamba n. rack: a structure made above the fireplace in the kitchen.
obugambiro n. freedom of speech: a state of having a chance or a right to say what one wants to say.
obuganga n. gun powder.
obugangaazi n. 1) disobedience: being obstinate. **2) stiffness: a situation where something is so hard that it cannot bend.
obugangye n. thrush: an infection of the mouth and throat by a yeast-like fungus, causing whitish patches especially in children.
obugaragwa n. a condition of being loved by a
chief. See: OMUGARAGWA.
obugigi adv. being forced or compeled to do something.
obugiizi-bwa-buryo n. See: AMASHUUMA.
obugimu n. manure: any animal waiste or plant material used to make land fertile.
obugomokye n. fatness: possessing a lot of flesh on the body.
obugore n. a period of time when one has just married or is about to get married.
obugoro n. snuff: tobacco in form of powder that is taken into the nose to sniff.
obugumba n. barrenness or infertility: a woman or female animal incapable of producing offsprings.
obugumi n. 1) hardness: being firm, solid or rigid and difficult; requiring a lot of effort. **2) being mean; not generous.
obugumira-naku n. perseverance: keeping strong as much as one can despite the difficulties one meets.
obugurusi n. old age: being old.
obugwagye n. peace: being healthy and happy.
obugwairaro n. madness: being mentally deraged, insane, very foolish, unable to differenciate between bad and good.
obugwizi n. feeling tickled: a feeling one gets after being tickled.
obugyega n. containers where fresh picked tea leaves are put.
obugyega n. foolishness: being devoid of good sense or judgement.
obugyemu n. the routine of taking milk or food to someone, for example in hospital, in a new place, etc.
obugyeragyere n. See: OBUNYARUME. obugyeragyere n. See: OBUNYARUME. obugyeya n. a sensitive plant. obuhamahama n. secrets. obuhambwe n. black tree ants.
obuhandiiki n. secretarial work. Bakamuha
omurimo gw’obuhandiiki aha gomborora. He was given secretarial work at the sub county head quarters.
obuhangangukye n. exile: the act of expelling a person from their native land. See: OBUZAAHE.
obuhangu n. expertise: skill in a particular subject, activity or job. Omwishiki ogu aine obuhangu omu by’okunogoora. This girl has expertise in pottery.
obuhatamo n. shelter: a place where people are protected from bad weather or from danger. Enjura ku yaagwire yaaronda obuhatamo bwabura. When it rained, she failed to get shelter. See: OBWEGAMO.
obuheehe n. sorghum husks: fine and less dense and particles of sorghum husks which can be easily blown away by wind.
obuhendagurika n. broken pieces of something especially a tree, glass, sticks, etc.
obuhiigiro n. the place or area where people go for a particular purpose or thing.
obuhiima n. See: AMAHIIMA.
obuhikiro n. reception: a room where visitors go first when they arrive in a place.
obuhindihindi n. a climbing edible plant with beans.
obuhingura n. hump: a round area of flesh at the top of the back of an animal.
obuhome n. building made out of mud and wattle.
obuhonda-mabaare n. quarry: a place where large rocks are dug out of the ground and crushed.
obuhundame n. state of being dull and inactive.
obuhunga n. flour: fine white, powder made from maize grains.
obuhuta n. bruises: wounds one gets after an injury.
obuhuuha n. certain arrangement of banana leaves when steaming bananas in a pan.
obuhuumuriro adj. a place for resting. obujagujagu n. wit: being cunning and tricky. obujenjemere n. laziness: being unwilling to work or do anything that involves physical labour.
obujuga-nyonza n. a period in the past when cows in Ankole died of an epidemic thought to have been rinderpest.
obujunja n. laces, tussels.
obujunzya n. ornaments.
obujurizo n. punctuation marks: marks used within or after sentences or phrases. nikibi kuhandiika otatireemu obujurizo. its bad to write without punctuating your work.
obukamba n. riverblindness: a disease which if not treated can cause blindness and roughness of the skin.
obukangaga n. a grass species that is hard and has sharp tips and grows in the swamps.
obukanja n. a tree species with very many small edible berries.
obukaragye n. ability to make a good choice. Ogu omwishiki aine obukaragye bw’engoye. This girl knows how to make a right combination of clothes.
obukiika n. width: the size or measurement of something from one end to another with a horizontal or diagonal orientation.
obukire n. wealth: the state of being rich and affluent. Obukire bwe nibwo bwamuheise oburuuru. His wealth is what earned him votes. See: OBUGAIGA.
obukomeraniro n. the point where two or more ropes or strings are tied together.
obukomo n. bungles: a piece of jewellery worn loosely around the wrist.
obukomooko n. origin of a person or something in terms of geographical location or lineage. obukonjangure n. too many scars on the body as a result of being stubbed.
obukono n. forks of a bicycle handle bars: the pair of bars joining the front hub to the frame in a bicycle.
obukoro n. groups: a set of people or things that are considered as a group. Bakeebaganisamu obukooro batakatandikire kurya. They grouped themselves before they started eating. Sing: akokoro.
obukubuuzi n. colonialisation: the process where a powerful state takes over another one and administers it. Obukubuuzi omu Uganda bukatandika omu 1894. Colonialisation in Uganda started in 1894.
obukumi n. playing a ball by making it repeatedly bounce on the knee. See: EMBARI 2.
obukumiirizi n. guarding, or keeping an eye on something.
obukungu n. chieftainship: being a leader in a community.
obukunguutwa n. residue: small amount of something that remains at the end of a process.
obukurura n. black jack seeds: seeds of a plant species which have hooks and are dispersed by people, animals and birds. Bidens pilosa. Sing: akakurura.
obukuumeeme adv. being extremely dry.
obukuutu n. insolence: the trait of being rude and impertinent; inclined to take liberties.
obukwatiro n. handle: a part of an object used to hold it or carry it. Enshaho yangye teine bukwatiro. My bag lacks handles.
obumanyi n. expertise: special skill or knowledge about a particular activity or topic.
obumare n. mastitis: a cow disease that attacks the teats and they get blocked.
obumuga n. See: OBUREMA.
obumwe n. unity: being together and showing a high degree of co-operation. Obumwe nigwo musingye gw’entunguuka. Unity is the fopundation of development.
obunabi n. prophecy: what is foretold by somebody who is belived to possess spiritual powers.
obunafu n. laziness: expressing unwillingness to work.
obunaku n. specified time: used to refer to a time when something will or is likely to happen.
obunaku n. poverty: the state of being impoverished unable to to meet the basic necessities of life e.g. food, shelter and clothing. obunanukye n. 1) contentment: a state of being satisfied in life. **2) relief: reassurance and relaxation from distress, anxiety, fatigue or tension.
obundi adv. next time: another time in future or again..
obundi adv. perhaps.
obuneene n. bungles: ornaments for children made in palm leaves.
obunena n. roasted or fried legumes e.g. soya beans, groundnuts, maize, etc.
obunono adv. flour that is fine or well ground. obunono n. roof top (seen from within). obuntu n. compassion: the quality of humane. obunuzi n. sweatness: pleasant taste. obunyaata n. scarcity of sauce.
obunyaatsi n. grass: common wild low-growing plants with green blades and stalks that are eaten by ruminants. Usage: Nkole. Var: obunyaasi, obunyansi.
obunyabangye n. a variety of mushrooms that is big in size but short.
obunyabwengye n. wisdom: the state or condition of being wise. Pl: obunyabwengye.
obunyadiini n. religiousness: believing in a supernatural being- God.
obunyagashani n. black round seeds shaped like peas.
obunyakabungo n. edible mushrooms with purplish colour.
obunyakantu n. selfishness: the habit of not letting others share your property.
obunyakare adv. long ago.
obunyampagara n. banana bunches with few fingures.
obunyamurera n. flutes: musical instruments shaped like a thin pipe.
obunyamurwa n. 1) a responsibility given to someone to do something. **2) a religious activity especially in the Catholic church where a person appointed can offer the sacrament of eucharist even when he is not an ordained priest.
obunyancooni n. underdeveloped banana fingers that are found at the bottom of a banana bunch and are of poor quality.
obunyangarara n. cracks: lines on the surface of something that has broken but not yet split. obunyantabo n. mushrooms: small mushrooms that grow where local brew is fermented. obunyarara n. stripes. Pl: obunyarara. obunyarume n. athletes foot: a fungal infection that attacks the skin in between the toes. See: OBUGYERAGYERE.
obunyarume n. athretes foot: a fungal infection causing sores between the toes especially due to damp conditions.
obunyigita n. the narrowest part of a calabash. obunyugwita n. sensations associated with orgasm. obunyuunya n. shrubs like cicanda liked by goats. Yellow Oxalis.
obunyuunyambuzi n. See: OBUNYUUNYA. obunyuunyambuzi n. See: obunyuunya. obunywani n. friendship. Obunywani nibukira
obuzaare. Friendship is more important than brotherhood.
obuporiisi n. police profession: the practice of maintaining law and order in the state as performed by a department of government concerned.
oburaakaare n. echo: reflection of sound off a wall or inside an enclosed space so that a noise appears to be repeated.
oburaara n. feebleness: physical weakness or laziness of the body.
oburaare n. mishap: an unpredictable outcome that is unfortunate.
oburaaro n. accomodation: used to refer to shelter given to one either for a night or a long period of time.
oburaaza n. a herbal concoction that was used in conferring blessings in the past.
oburabo n. passage: a place left for people to pass through.
oburagarikira n. crumbs: small pieces of food.
oburagi n. stupidity: lack common of knowledge neccessary in doing things.
oburagwa n. will: a written document containing instructions as to what has to be done to the property after one’s death.
oburahuzi n. bullying: the behaviour of making one annoyed or angry through verbal or physical actions.
oburaingwa n. 1) length: the vertical length of something. **2) height: the horizantal length of something.
oburamaazi n. long life: living for a long time.
oburamata n. goose grass that produces sticky red liquid.
oburamuzi n. judicial profession: an occupation for people who preside over cases.
oburanga n. resemblence: some similarity or anything that makes a person to be recognised as being related to someone else.
oburanga n. servitude: being forced to obey another person.
oburangura n. trachoma: a contegeous disease of the eyes.
oburare n. home desertion: the behaviour where one is interested in staying away from home.
oburari n. trail: used to refer to small marks left behind by the passage of somebody or something in a certain place.
obureeberezi n. diocese: an area of jurisidiction headed by a bishop in the Anglican Church.
obureeberezi n. help: the assistance given to a needy person.
obureebero n. vintage point.
obureebya n. betrayal: the act of giving information about somebody to an individual.
obureemeezi n. weight: how heavy something is measured in some scale as tons and kilograms.
oburefure adj. wet: something which is soaked.
obureju n. beards: hair of the lower part of the face excluding the moustache.
oburema n. disability: a condition that limits a person’s movements or activities. See: OBUMUGA.
oburengye adv. excessively: used to refer to unsual, too much or remarkable. Akamukunda oburengye. He loved her excessively.
oburengye adv. (in breech birth) use to refer to legs when they appear first instead of the head.
oburengyerwa-izooba n. west: used to refer to the direction where the sun sets and on the left hand side of the person facing North. Bunyoro eri omu burengyerwa-izooba bwa Uganda. Bunyoro is found in Western Uganda.
oburera-ngaro n. laziness: a state of being lazy.
oburezi n. baby sitting: the activity of looking after very young children.
oburiba n. heaviness: something that has great weight, or which is hard to lift from one place to another.
oburibatiro phr. available space: usually used to refer to a squeezed place that has many people. Tihariho buribatiro. There is no space at all.
oburiga n. dried starch food: food that is cut into pieces and dried e.g. cassava, matooke, potatoes, etc.
oburiho adj. cash: money at hand. Baamushaba emitwaro etaano z’oburiho. He was asked fifty thousand in cash.
oburiiro n. a place where one can eat from. Tinyine buriiro. I don’t have where to eat from.
oburiiro n. particles of food that stick to lips and to fingers when one eats with hands.
oburiisa n. a parish: a small administrative unit with a church that has a pastor or a priest in the Anglican Church.
oburiisizo n. grazing land: pasture or grazing land for cattle.
oburiite n. difficult, complicated and almost impossible. Akatandika enju yaamubeera oburiite. He started a house and it became almost impossible to finish.
oburikwera adj. holiness.
Obushwere oburikwera. holy matrimony.
oburimi n. speaking out uttering out words properly.
oburimiro n. soil that sticks on legs and hands of a person digging. Ku yaaherize kuhinga yaanaaba
oburimiro. He washed off soil from his legs after digging.
oburindi n. fire-making sticks.
oburingaaniza n. justice: fair, equal and just treatment of people.
oburingiri n. used to refer to small particles of crumbled baked blood cake.
oburinzi n. defence: protecting a community or people.
oburo n. 1) finger millet: a type of plant grown in tropical countries and produces very small seeds. **2) millet bread: prepared out of millet flour that is mingled and is ready for eating. **3) millet garden: a garden where finger millet is planted.
oburo-bw’enkombe n. a plant with compound leaves and small fruits.
oburofa n. dirt.
oburogo n. charm: magic power.
oburomborombo adj. fuss, complaints: to make fuss over anything; to complain about small details.
oburondo n. a type of mushrooms. oburondogozi n. 1) insenity. **2) moral decay. oburooro n. chicken fleas: small jumping insects without wings that feed on the blood of birds especially chicken. Sing: akarooro.
oburugo n. source or origin.
oburugwa-izooba n. East: direction from which the sun rises. Kenya eri oburugwa-izooba bwa Uganda. Kenya is in the east of Uganda.
oburuhe n. fatigue: the state of being tired or worn out.
oburuhuukiro n. a resting place.
oburumba adv. used to describe how big something/someone is.
oburungi n. goodness.
obururuma n. water falls: steep inclines in the river course that causes water to fall at a height.
oburwaire n. sickness.
oburwani n. tendency of fighting.
oburyambuzi n. moustache: a line of hair that a man grows on the upper lip. Usage: slang. oburyancebebe n. small insects red in colour that eat white ants.
oburyane n. conflicts and intrigues within a party.
oburyangatanisa n. embezzlement: the fraudelent use of funds. Oburyangatanisa niburemesa entunguuka. Embezzlement retards development. oburyarya n. deceit, dishonest: behaviour that is intended to make somebody believe something that is wrong. James aine oburyarya. James is full of mistrust.
oburyo n. usefulness: being helpful in a given activity.
obusaasi n. pain: physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury.
obusaasingo n. particles, fragments, or rubbish. obusasangira n. See: OBUSAASINGO. obuseeri adv. across.
obuseetura n. local beer made out of banana juice mixed with millet flour.
obusenzi n. stupidity: dullness of mind.
obusere n. charm: powdered charm given to to a man by a woman to win his love.
obushaagure n. menopause: the period when a woman ceases to go into menstruation periods, and cannot give birth.
obushaakure n. a disease associated with menopause that causes blisters on the legs and feet among women.
obushaariizi n. bitterness.
obushagiki n. support: giving someone or a candidate your mandate.
obushaho n. doctor: the profession of treating an ailment.
obushahuzi n. looting: the act of hacking or grabbing anything tangible.
obushaija n. manhood: male sexual organs. See: EMBORO.
obushakurukye n. curdled milk: milk that has stayed for long and has become sour.
obushambani n. fornication: to have sex with someone you are not married too.
obushanjagure n. scars obtained from fighting using spears, where a person is pierced with a spear several times.
obushanshabari n. See: OBUCANCABARI.
obushaza n. See: AMASHAZA.
obushazi n. madness: the state of being insane.
obusheeshe n. morning.
obushegu n. venom. Encwera eine obushegu bw’amaani. A cobra has deadly venom.
obushekyere n. millet: millet planted on land that has not been tilled before.
obushema n. igonarance: limited knowledge about something.
obushenda-bagyenyi n. high cheek bornes: two bones at the top of the cheeks just below the eye and towards the ear.
obushera n. porridge: the mixture of millet and other cereals with hot or cold water.
obushezya-migyere n. behaviour where one likes to lament and cry.
obushoberwa n. a situation where one cannot facilitate oneself with the basic needs of life such as food and clothes. or control over something or other people.
obushomankuzi n. the act of being corrupt and having fraudulent behaviour.
obushomesa n. 1) the teaching profession. **2) religious leadership.
obushongokye n. enlightened though tutelage.
obushugaane n. possessing virginity. See: OKUSHUGAANA.
obushuma n. 1) theft: the crime of stealing. **2) being mean: a situation of not giving out one’s things to people even if they are in need.
obushuuriita n. threads which have come out of a piece of cloth and are hanging.
obushuuru n. tribute: a gift that is intended to show gratitute, respect or admiration.
obushwere n. marriage: the legal relationship between a husband and wife.
obusibuko n. origin: one’s ancenstry.
obusinde n. small tills: Pieces of cultivated land as one prepares land for crops to be planted.
obusindura n. beads usually blue in colour.
obusinguzi n. success or victory: a state of prosperity or fame. Ninkwendeza obusinguzi. I wish you success.
obusingye n. 1) peace: a state of calm or rest without any problem. Abantu baine obusingye. People have peace. **2) a situation in which there is no war between countries or groups of people.
obusinzi n. habitual intoxication: prolonged and excessive intake of alcoholic drinks leading to a breakdown in health and an addiction to alcohol such that abrupt deprivation leads to severe withdrawal symptoms.
obusiri n. hook worms: long thin creatures that live in the intestines of humans and other animals which can cause disease.
obusiru n. stupidity: inability to understand or to learn from experience.
obusito n. young pregnancy of a heifer or cow.
obuso n. forehead. the part of the face above the eyebrows and the normal hair line.
obusukusuku n. edible mushrooms that tends to grow singly in banana plantations.
obusuzi n. bed bugs: these are small blood sucking bugs that infests especially beds and feeds on human blood.
obusya n. newness: the quality of being new.
obuta n. an instrument used to shoot arrows.
obutaahi n. neighbourliness: a sorrounding or nearby area.
obutaahiro n. entrance: something that provides access (to get in or get out).
obutaaho n. shelter or dwelling place.
obutaanyi n. indecent play of young girls.
obutaanyure n. trachoma. See: OBURANGURA. obutaara adj. used to mean very big. obutagatsi n. warmth: the quality of being warm.
obutahurira n. being obstinate and stubborn: refusal to obey rules.
obutahurira n. deafness: lacking the power of hearing or impaired hearing.
obutaijuka n. failure to remeber. Obutaijuka bwawe nabwo butukabize. We are tired of your failure to remember.
obutaitsya adj. hard working: to work very hard without giving yourself a break.
obutaka n. to be on the ground, usually used in a fight, wrestling or slides. Mutamba akakiriza Bwengye yaamuta obutaka. Mutamba lifted Bwengye and put him down on the ground.
obutakura n. retarded growth: failure to grow. Obutakura bwa Jacinta butumire omurumuna yaamukira. Jacita’s sister has grown faster than her because Jacita has a stanted growth.
obutamanya n. ignorance: lack of knowledge or information about something. Bakamwiba ahabw’obutamanya bwe. They cheated him because of his ignorance.
obutami n. weaving fibres or materials used to make baskets, usually from papyrus reeds.
obutare n. iron ore: a rock containing iron. Omuri Karamoja nibatimbayo obutare. They mine iron ore in Karamoja.
obutariza n. bracelets: ornamental bands, hoop, or chains worn in the waist or arm. Muhara wa Muhumuza ajwire obutariza aha mukono. Muhumuza’s daughter is wearing bracelets on the arm.
obutatiina n. 1) fearlessness: a quality of spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing fear. Obutatiina bukamureetera kwita ekicuncu. His braveness led him to kill a lion. **2) failure to respect. Obutatiina bazaire be kikamureetera kubingwa omu kika. His lack of respect for his parents led him to being disowned from the clan.
obutatsi n. espionage: the act of monitoring or spying on someone.
obuteebaasa n. the state of being unable to do something on your own or inability to fend for oneself. Obuteebaasa n’endwara. Inability is a disease.
obuteegi n. See: OBUTAHURIRA.
obuteeka n. orderlineess: a condition of regular or proper arrangement.
obuteera-kishaka n. money given to someone who has looked for herbs in the bush in search of medicine.
obuteerante n. a grass specie: this grass is tall and is used to make brooms.
obutega-maisho n. a condition where one waits to be provided and looked after. Okumanyiira obutega-maisho ishe ku yaafiire owaabaire amuha yaabonabona. His habit of waiting to be provided brought him misery after his father’s death, who used to provide for him.
obutegyeki n. 1) governance: the act of governing; exercising authority. **2) regime. Akafa omu butegyeki bw’Amin. He died during Amin’s regime.
obutembwe n. sores that appear on the throat as a result of an infection. Akarwara obutembwe bwamuremesa kurya. She could not eat because she has sores on the throat.
obutemu n. murder: the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. Obutemu bukanyire omu ndembo. There is increased murder in towns.
obutere n. sores that appear in the mouth due to an infection. Obutere bwanzibira okurya. Sores in the mouth have stopped me from eating.
obuterezi n. a slippery ground especially when it rains.
obuteta n. a state of speech impairment caused by sickness or abnormality at birth. Mugisha ebi arikugamba tibikayetegyerezibwa ahabw’obuteta. You cannot understand what Mugisha says because of his speech impairment. obutetsi n. pampering: a state of being spoilt out of having been attended so much in early childhood.
obutiini n. fear or cowardice: a state of being a coward.
obutiiti n. small round beads with a hole inside that are put on a thread and worn by women in the waist. Etym: []. Sing: akatiiti.
obutingwa n. sodomy/homosexuality: having sexual intercourse with a person of the same sex. obutingwa adv. being promiscuous: having many sexual partners. Omukazi ogu aine obutingwa. This woman is promiscuous.
obutirigye n. it refers to the style of hair dressing.
obutirima n. the bubbles the baby makes in its language development.
obutiti n. coldness: having a lower than usual temperature. This weather is very cold. Obwire obu n’obw’obutiti.
obutitizi n. feeling coldness: the sensation produced by low temperatures. Kigezi hariyo obutitizi bw’amaani omu kasheshe kare. Kigezi is always very cold early in the morning.
obuto n. youth: the time of life between childhood and maturity. Omu buto bweitu tukaba nituriisa embuzi. During our youth we used to graze goats.
obutoigo n. millet sowing time. See: EIBIBA.
obutojo n. chickenpox: a disease that attacks children with a mild fever and a lot of red spots or rash on the skin. Var: ebitojo.
obutoko n. porridge from sorghum that is cold at the time of drinking it.
obutonaatone n. dots: small round marks especially when printed on a cloth or paper. Omu kiteeteeyi kyangye harimu obutonaatone. There are dots in my dress. Var: obutone.
obutondagiriro n. a big piece of wood put across the rivers so that people can cross from one side to the other.
obutondogozi n. abnormality: features or charasteristics in a person’s body or behaviour that is not usual and may be harmful, worrying or cause illness. obutondogozi bw’omwana tibukumwikiriza kushoma. a childs abnormality can not allow him or her to study.
obutone n. See: OBUTONAATONE.
obutongore n. doing something officially. Yaamwanjura omu butongore. He was introduced officially.
obutooka n. period of germination.
obutooro n. the way out of a situation, problem. Akaita omuntu mbwenu hati taine butooro. He killed a person now he does not have where to go for hiding.
obutoosha adv. always: at all times. Naaza aha ishomero obutoosha. She always goes to school. See: BURIIJO.
obutoroogo n. prematurely born foetus or children. Nakira kuzara obutoroogo. She usually produces premature children.
obutsigazi n. the state of being a youth in male humans.
obutunda n. Sing: akatunda. 1) passion fruits: fruits used for making juice. **2) passion fruit plants.
obutungi n. wealth.
obutunguru n. onions.
obuturukiro n. the place or moment when something appears and becomes visible. Obuturukiro bwe tiburikumanywa gye. His origins are not well known. See: OBURUGO.
obuturuturu n. dawn: very early in the morning at around 6 a.m. Var: oruturuturu.
obutuuku n. pumpkins: young or immature pumpkins.
obutuura n. 1) settlement: a place where people live. **2) usual way of life. **3) grave.
obutuzi n. mushrooms: edible fungi that grow on antihills, are white in colour and have small short stems.
obutwa n. poison: a substance that causes harm or death if it is swallowed or absorbed in the body.
obutware n. a system of government in place at a particular time in a defined territory.
obutwariro n. container: a box or anything in which something can be stored or transported.
obutwire adv. 1) an indefinate period of time. Bakaija kutuura aha obutwire. They came to live here forever. **2) often times.
obuyonjo n. the condition of being without dirt. Aha muheru gwa taamu mukuru w’eishomero akagaba ebirabo by’obuyonjo. At the end of the term the headmaster gave out presents for cleanliness.
obuyoobe n. small groups. Ogwo mwishiki aine obuyoobe bwingi. This girl has many small groups.
obuyungiro n. a point where different things have been joined together. Pl: obuyungiro.
obuzaahe n. the state and period of being in exile.
obuzaana n. (of females) the condition and period of being a slave.
obuzaare n. kinship: the way a person is related to another in the family or clan.
obuzaariranwa n. an inborn quality or trait: inheritability.
obuzaarwa n. place of birth. Obuzaarwa bwangye ni Kanungu. My place of birth is Kanungu.
obuzahambuki n. acting as a rogoue.
obuzaire n. parenthood: the state of being a parent. Aine emirimo y’obuzaire mingi. She has many responsibilities of parenthood.
obuzibira n. a plant that has small leaves and it has medicinal properties.
obuzigu n. enmity. Ogu mwana aretsireho obuzigu omuka yaitu. This child has caused enmity in our family.
obuzimba n. being swollen. Akahendeka okuguru obuzimba bwahika omu kuju. She broke her leg and it swell up to the knee.
obuzimya-kwezi n. eclipse of the moon. Nyomwebazo habaireho obuzimya-kwezi. Yesterday there was an eclipse of the moon. See: OBWIRA-KABIRI.
obuzinio n. bones showing below hips. Omushuma bamuteire eisasi omu buzinio yahutaara. Te thief was shot below the hips and he got injured.
obuzinzi n. bandity: violent behaviour intended to hurt or kill someone. Beetegwire kukora obuzinzi aha muntu weena oraabahemure. They are ready to do violence to anyone who stands in their way.
obuzire n. useless, hopeless, rubbish or devastating things.
obuzo n. a place of refuge. Bakamubinga omuka yabura obuzo. She was chased away from home and she failed to get where to take refuge.
obwabe n. headache: pain that is felt in the head.
obwagi n. desparate need: the condition in which one is in serious need of help without which one may not survive. John agira obwagi bw’ebyokurya haihi buri mwaka. John is always in desparate need for food almost every year.
obwagimba n. sorghum covers.
obwahati adv. currently: presently. obwahati nyine omurimo ogu ndakora. Currently I have a job I am doing.
obwajaaba adj. plenty or ample amount of something. Embaga yangye ekaba erimu obwajaaba bw’ebyokurya. My party had plenty of food.
obw’akanwa n. an infection of the mouth with sores that often affect young children. Omwana we arwaire obwakanwa. His child has a sore infection in the mouth. Var: obwomukanwa.
obwaku n. echo: the sound that is reflected or repeated after the original one has stopped. Nimpurira obwaku bw’enyondo omu kibira. I am hearing the hammering echo in the forest. See: OBURAKAARE.
obwamanga n. an alarm that is made to scare birds.
obwamaraaya n. prostitution: the habit of sleeping with different sexual partners for money. Obwamaraaya bwe naabukorera omu rurembo. She practices prostitution in town.
obwambari n. 1) state of being of mixed parentage between subgroups in Ankole. **2) service offered in the palace.
obwambere adv. long ago. Obwambere abakazi bakaba batarya enkoko. Long time ago women were not supposed to eat chicken.
obwambizo n. material things that are given to the people in need as aid or help. John akaha obwambizo bwa burangiti ikumi abantu b’omu nkambi y’empungi. John gave out ten blankets to the people living in refugee camps.
obwambure n. a feeling of emptiness or lack e.g. when one feels the lack of something he or she is used to, like a watch. Eshaaha yangye bagiibire ni