IBIMANUKA.

An archive of Rwandan knowledge.

Ways of speaking

452 expressions

kabutindi

kaabutiindi

calamity

praise: "extraordinary, fantastic!"

Bipolar

karire k'inyana

kaárire k'íinyána

sleeping grass for calves

Idiom

kiberinka

kibeerinká

time suitable for cows

sunset

Time of day

kubagira umuntu ibisiga

kubáagira umuuntu ibisiiga

to slaughter the vultures for somebody

to slaughter the vultures for somebody; to slaughter somebody for the vultures

Idiom

kubangurira

kubáangurira

to take a cow in heat to a bull

sow a new plant in a field where it was not previously present/to crossbreed plants

Metaphor

kubuganiza

kubúgaaniza

change milk from one container into another

to be ripe for beans and peas/poetry 'to put milk in the gourd'

Metaphor

kubumbira

kubúumbira

to dig a well for cows

to meet someplace

Metaphor

kubunduka

kubúunduka

to stand up

Vulgar

kubura igicaniro

kubura igicaniro

to lose the kraal

to lose one's cows

Idiom

kubutama

kubútama

to squat

Vulgar

kubwigura

kubwíigura

to fart

Vulgar

kubyagira

kubyáagira

to rest (cows)

to stay in a place for a long time

Metaphor

kugabira

kugabira

to give cows to somebody

to give/to nominate somebody to an important position

Metaphor

kugasha

kugaasha

to bite

Vulgar

kugisha

kugisha

to move to summer pastures

to go into seclusion in order to get inspiration (dynastic poets)/to go into seclusion to meditate on the oracle (diviner)

Metaphor

kugwa inzira

kugwa inzira

to go

Vulgar

kugwatiziza igicaniro

kugwáatiziza igicáaniro

to loan a kraal

something to somebody without any guaranty or hope of getting a calf (umukangara) or something of the same value

Idiom

kujajura

kujájura

to hit

Vulgar

kujanjagira

kujáanjagira

to walk

Vulgar

kujisha

kujíisha

to hang a milk gourd or jar is to put it on a leash

Euphemism

kujisha igisabo

kujíisha igisaabo

to tie a milk gourd

to hang a milk gourd (kumanika)

Euphemism

kujya mu mezi

kujya mu méezi

to go into moons

to menstruate, to have periods

Euphemism

kujya mu mirimi y'abakobwa

kujya mu mirimi y'ábakoóbwa

to go into the chores of girls

to menstruate, to have periods

Euphemism

kujya mu mugongo

kujya mu mugóongo

to go in the back

to menstruate, to have periods

Euphemism
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