n-NG5pfxprefix on many NG5 nouns, both singular and plural
n (< ni)1VLinkam2VEquatisUkome uno nwangu (= ni wangu).This stick is mine.Ni often contracts to n attaching to the following word.3VEquatareNkhome zino nzangu (= ni zangu).These sticks are mine.
n- (ni-, si-)-Vpfx1INafikiri ni mhezi.I think I'm crazy.Nankakadya.I was eating it (rabbit).Miye naishi karibu na Walmart.I live near Walmart.Naunga nyumba.I want a house.Neva nguto.I hear noise.ni- > n- / ___V2meNogoha (miye)Fear me!Nakunogoha (miye).You feared me.
na-1Vpfx1nonpresentThis is an initial prefix.2definite past tenseNakawakama.He killed them.Nawagoma.They fought.Nasigona.I sleptIdi kolongo nadifukulwa.The hole was dug.Wali udya nanidire ni wedi. / Wali udya nidire nani wedi.That rice that I ate was good.Wabuga wadya nanidire wana mwire. / Wabuga wadya nidire nawana mwire.The rabbits that I ate were good.Ku kaya nahachina mabomba ya warabi.Back in the village we didn't have pipes for irrigation.This prefix na- is an initial. Combined with the final indicative suffix -a it indicates that a past activity is complete. It is used with suffix -(i)re in relative clauses in the past. Two na- prefixes cannot be used in the same overall sentence. Negative ha- comes after na-.3future tenseNanigone.I will sleepNanidye a matunda.I'll eat the fruits.Nderi ineza, nachikahande naho.When the rainy season comes, we'll go plant again.Chose nachisinye uswero!Let's all look at the sunset! / We'll all look at the sunset.Nachite kwe soko!Let's go to the market! / We'll go to the market.Nanikupikire.I'll cook for you.The prefix na- combined with final subjunctive suffix -e indicates a future activity. When the subject is 1st person plural, this same future construction also forms a "let's" command. The two meanings are differentiated in context.
na-2Connpfx1whenMgosiwo anafa, nanikupale miye.When your husband dies, I'll marry you.Chinapata mapesa madodo, nachite Kenya.When we get a little money, we'll go to Kenya.Chinadyika kwaha, nachitage i viya.When we finish harvesting, we'll sell the crops.Nnabula kunyumba, nanidye hande.When I get home, I'll eat a meal.Nnadyika kudya, nanigone.When I finish eating, I'll go to sleep.Wantru wengi wanasola chintru, hawadahire kuvuza.Many people when they take something don't know how to give it back.Unadyamanya zambi mwe duniya, naukaathawwe a hera.When you do a sin in the world, you will keep on being tortured in the hereafter.Mwanetu aneza, mdyise!When my younger sibling comes, pass him along!Nnakula, naunga kugaluka mlahi.When I grow up, I want to be a judge.Unasokera, nanikuhumuze miye.When you get tired, I'll give you a break.Naona kama ni mtengwa unanilonga ivo.I feel like I'm isolated when you speak to me like that.Ninakupikira...When I cook for you...This prefix comes after the subject prefix and before an object prefix, if any.2if Kama nnamona yeye, nanimuze mapesa.If I see him, I'll ask him for money.Kama nnamona yeye naho, nanimuze chisolane.If I see her again, I'll ask her for us to get married.Kama chinashegeyesa, nachipate mapesa.If we work hard, we'll make money.Ni bora kama unadyamanya vino.It's great if you would do thisNnakusoera hatuwa, naulumire.If I take a step towards you, you will be hurt.Chinaita, nakukagaluke mtowano.If we go, there will be a fight.Egu nana mapesa, egu nigule nyumba.If I had money, I'd buy a house.Egu namtogole, egu nimsole.If I loved her, I'd marry her.Egu nana hakiri, egu nite koliji.If I had smarts, I'd go to college.Na- is the normal conditional marker and is often, but not necessarily, used with kama 'if'.3have toBasi ero unanibase ku nyumba.Ok then, you have to visit me at home.Unanitange. -- Haye.You have to call me. -- OK.Unanipikire hande. -- Nanikupikire.You have to cook a meal for me. -- I'll cook for you.This prefix is often used to indicate a polite command.
na (kuna, hakuna)21VThaveNna swali.I have a question.Una chintru?What (thing) do you have?Nna wabuga wengi.I have a lot of rabbits.Nna wavere waidi / watatu / wanne.I have two / three / four wives.Una hakiri.You have wisdom.Wana wano wana balidi.These kids have a fever.Nyama ina mwire.The meat has deliciousness (= is delicious).Msigita una mwire.The jerky has deliciousness (= is delicious).Dyero china wezadyi.Today, we have visitors.Sina wambuya wengi.I don't have many friends.Sina bahati.I don't have any luck.Usazi wangu una mola.My bed has springs.Dyodoro dyangu dina mola.My mattress has springs.Vigosi vose vina mavuzi.All pubic areas have pubic hair.Mbudyi zangu zina sauti yedi.My rattles have a nice sound.Wantru wengi hawana uvumulivu male.Many people don't have any patience at all.This verb is highly irregular and not a normal transitive verb. In the present it takes no tense affixes; it is related to kugaluka na 'be with' on some level.2VTcontainSigala buyu dina mazi.I carry a calabash that contains water.Chitombo cha ngamira china mere mengi.The udder of a camel contains a lot of milk.3VExstthere is/areMdani mwe Ifo mna mabambo mengi.In Ifo there are a lot of vultures.Momo mna meza.In it there is a table.Mno mdani mna nafasi.In here there is space.See: kuna.
na (ne, no)1ConjandSimtogola yano na simkahata yeye.I like this guy, and I hate him.Chimpenda yeye na chiwakahata wowo.We love her, and we hate themNna msaka na balidi.I have a flu and a fever.Galamu zino sizipima na zapimika inchi nne.These pens, I measured them, and they measure 4 inches.Mtru na mbuyawe wapangana.A person and his friend share with each other.Baba nani msanadyi; nakasana mabakuli na mabirika.Grandfather was a creator; he created bowls and teapots.Kila chiro mame na tate wengira kugati.Every night mom and dad go into the private part of the house.Mzehe fulani na fulani wachilekera wasiya.Elder so-and-so and so-and-so left us wisdom.Kanizarau na simzarau.He despises me and I despise him.Nyama ya mbuzi na ngoto ni halali.Meat from goats and sheep is kosher.Awandika na mkono we dimoso na adya na mkono we dimoso.He/she writes with the left hand and eats with the left hand.Miye na wambuya wangu chakuseziga he i chikoni.Me and my friends went to play at the beach.Sinkhigwa dawa ino na inisaidiya.I was given this medicine and it helped me.Chohiza kumi nawo(wo) wahiza sufuriWe scored ten and they scored zero.na + i > ne; na + u > noShort forms are common: na wowo > nawo; na yeye > naye.2PrepwithChigomba na wowo.We fought with them.Wachibawa na bundiki.They robbed us with guns.Mzehe yuno sibwirana naye.This elder, I met with him.Sitanganya manyanya na mabamiya.I mix tomatoes with okras.Sitanganya basta na makoroni.I mix pasta with macaroni.Awandika na mkono we dimoso na adya na mkono we dimoso.He writes with the left hand and eats with the left hand.Segubika na go'o na bhusto.I covered myself with a sheet and a wool blanket.3PrepbySunuka na ndege.I left by plane.4PrepnearNekala karibu na Walmart.I live near Walmart.Dhiksheneri dye Chizigula ni karibu na kusira.The Kizigua dictionary is close to finishing.In this sense na is normally preceded by karibu in the compound prep. karibu na.5PrepinNo mtondo sinywa madyani.In the morning I drank tea.Wazana wake wafa na uteke.His kids died in infancy.6PreptoMiridiyan ni haguhi na Boizi.Meridian is close to Boise.Nna ahadi na mwanangu nimguire gari anabinda i skulu.I hava a promise to my child to buy her a car when she finishes school.7PrepfromWazana wangu siwatenga na wazana wako.I separated my kids from your kids.Kafa na chifadulo.She died from whooping cough.8PrepforNna chuki nayeI have bad feelings for her.
na chiroPPat nightNa chiro hukugona male.At night you're not sleeping at all.Sigona na chiro.I sleep at night.Mwaliko ana chisimo cha kwinuka na chiro.Mwaliko has a habit of getting up at night.
na chiro chikuluPPlate at nightNa chiro chikulu hasi hengira kutuntruma.Late at night the ground started to rumble.
na ivoPPthe wayAkaone idi kala na ivo wadyisane na mamnyake, niyo aunga uhenga amzengera hala.When he saw the way the beast and his mom treated each other, then he found the best way to build her a hut.
na kaputa mnyuzuVTbe mentally illNna kaputa mnyuzu.I'm mentally ill.Una kaputa mnyuzu.You're mentally ill.Ana kaputa mnyuzu.He's mentally ill.China kaputa mnyuzu.We're mentally ill.Mna kaputa mnyuzu.You are mentally ill.Naona mwenga mna waputa mnyuzu.I feel like y'all are mentally ill.Wana kaputa mnyuzu.They're menally ill.
na kwa (na ko)PPthroughHawalawire na ko mto; walaawa na ko lwalawana. Thet didn't come through the river; they came through the savanna.
na msiPPdaytimeNashegeya na msi.I'm working in the daytime.Natega ninga na msi.I'm trapping sand grouse in the daytime.Idi zuwa dayayusa i bharafu. na msi.The sun melted the snow in the daytime.
na ndaPPpregnantNi na nda. ~ Nna nnda.I'm pregnant.Wi na nda.You're pregnant.E na nda.She's pregnant.Mkazangu e na nda.My wife is pregnantChi na nda.We're pregnant.Mwi na nda.You all're pregnant.We na nda.They're pregnant.Wavere wangu we na nda.My wives are pregnant.
na viga (~ na chiga)PPon footIdi dyeshi dilawa hale na hale na viga.The army came from far far away on foot.Wakimbizi wadya wafosize na viga mwe Somaliya wafa na nchiru.Those refugees who came on foot from Somalia died of thirst.Chita na viga.We went on foot.Chiza na viga.We came on foot.
nabi (manabi)< ArbNG1prophetNabi Mohamed kenkhwa uchume yeye naana miyaka mirongo minne.Prophet Muhammad was given a prophesy when he was forty.Nabi neze agaluke mfufulwa wa kwanza.The prophet is going to be the first one resurrected.The singular is NG1 but the plural is NG3.
nachi (chi)VEquatwe wereNachi walimo.We were teachers. Chose nachi ho mkutano.All of us were at the meeting.Wakati nachi wazana nachikatereza mabharela mwe zi sugulu.When we were kids, we were sliding sleds on the anthills.This is 1st person singular past tense Linking Verb, both Equating and Locative/Stative.
nacho (< na + icho)PP1alsoChiti nacho chivunika.The chair also broke.2tooChikombe nacho chadalala.A cup melts too.3eitherFalisi Mnungu kailemera; sono ukafaliya wantru kwa chintru icho una nacho!Boasting, God prohibited it; [so] don't boast to people about anything you have either!
nadyo (na + idyo)PP1alsoBuku nadyo dikatuka.The book also fell apart.2tooDirisha nadyo dikuzeni!The window, widen it too!
nafasiNG51space(s)Ninkha nafasi!Give me space!Mno mndani mna nafasi.In here there is space.Sina nafasi nyingi male kwa sababu naishi kwe di gulu.I don't have enough space at all because I live in the loft.2opportunity (-ies)Sipata nafasi ya kwita Marikani.I got an opportunity to go to America.3availability (-ies)Nna nafasi luvi, nibasa!I have availability tomorrow, come to me [then]!Sina nafasi male dyero, nibasa luvi.I don't have availability at all today, come to me tomorrow!4chanceWadyamanyadyi weza; wenkeni nafasi!The doers have come; give them a chance!5betterWavimbirwa nawanywe soda; nawapate nafasi.The ones stuffed should drink soda; they'll get better.6levelKupata nafasi gani?What level did you get to?Kabula nafasi ya usajin.He reached the level of sargeant.
nafasi ya kulangaNG5outerspaceNafasi ya kulanga i kweise kwe zi hewa ze arthi.Outer space is outside of the earth's atmosphere.Ntrondo cha mchira ni mawe ikulagala kwe arthi kulawa kwe nafasi ya kulanga.A shooting star is a rock falling to earth coming from outerspace.
naftaNG51fuel (for vehicles)Bomba dino dina nguvu dyatufisa nafta.This pump has power to pump fuel a lot.2gas(oline)Dhadhiri na Shabani wavutanya nafta mwe di bharmile na bomba.Dadiri and Shabani sucked gas together from a drum with a tube.Kongeza nafta mwe makina lakini kuzimiza kongeza oliyo.You've added gas in the machine but you forgot to add oil3dieselGari dyangu dadyena na nafta.My car works with diesel.
naho (< na + aho)1Advagain(Kama) nnamona yeye naho, nanimuze chisolane.If I see her again, I'll ask her for us to get married.Nderi ineza, nachikahande naho.When rainy season comes, we'll go plant again.Wonga mazi naho? -- Male.Do you want water again? -- No.Suya na kunyuma kwa ivo naunga chigaluke wambuya naho.I came back so now I want us to be friends again.Polisi keza naho.The cop has come again.2Advre-VerbShirika dyawo wadizenga naho.Their company, they rebuilt it.3Conjand alsoNi mwana chiche wedi naho akunga.She's a nice girl and also she likes you.Mwana yuno ana firi zikonyeke naho zilegere.This kid has hair that's curly and also soft.Bhakari ni mpole naho ni msomi.Bakari is easy-going and also learned.4Conjand thenMndani mwe zi eka kumi wapata virigwa vingi, naho wana namna mbiri za kuvitumiya.On the ten acres they get many crops, and then they have two ways to use them.5ConjanymoreMsezigo wa soka utenkhanwa, hakuna Chikombe cha mwe Duniya male naho.The game of soccer has been split apart; there is no World Cup at all anymore.
Naijeriya1NG5NigeriaWazana chiche wadya wasoligwe ni "Boko Haram" nawahonywe ni sirikali yao ya Naijeriya.Those girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram will be saved by the authorities of Nigeria.Naijeriya itamphirwa ni wantru wengi.Nigeria has been gone to by a lot of people.Nazaniya timu ya Naijeriya neshinde chikome cha Afrika.I'm predicting the Nigerian team will win the African cup.2NG9Naijeriya kutamphirwa ni wantru wengi. [said if I'm out of Nigeria]Nigeria has been gone to by many people.