Entries | Sengwer Living Dictionary

Entries

kapus— foam
po suruumbēēt akeenge— to be brothers (lit. to belong to one umbilical cord)
ōōkso— intercept
ang'nyooto— just as ____
sēērēētyoo— Kikuyu grass (Chenchrus clandestinum)
pasan— beehive with a hole where the two halves meet
naap— wait for someone without them knowing
kitōōk— bed
puutul— pinch a soft food (eg. ugali)
yuut— be forgotten
āyēpiin— blesser
acheey— grazing time
āku— but
aririisan— be dusk
tyaaniit— become much (of something)
Kipowēn— name for a boy born when men are returning from a cattle-raid (from owēn: "to raid")
Cheesiiroor— name for a girl born just after crossing the road
sēwērwo— African redwood (Hagenia abyssinica)
lopooyo— light
tāng— absent-minded, head in the clouds
paypayiit— become or be happy
kēr— defend
sōōy— low land, plains
ya— bad
tēr— clay pot
sowiil— husks
kooy— long, tall, deep
chookē— granary, store
āng’ii— what about
chēērsō— motivating (act of)
iisyo— knee cap
ngaarya— ochre
Chēēptēēndur— seventh age-set for women
pung pung— sound of drumming
puumbus— dust from rotten trees
kāānoomwo— idol, scarecrow
pot— describing something that disappears quickly or moves very fast
nereektee— storm off
nyaangiinye— that which we talked about
nur— be soaked
Sēkērmēt— cattle coat with a white spot on its head
iiywo— madness
tisēywoo— sacrificial offering
siling— shilling
toolkuuku— tree that creates commotion in the family when in flowers
kipkiirōōr— name for a boy born just outside in the yard
iy tēēndē— teach a child to walk (lit. make the child tēēndē)
āmu— because
piliisyoo— plant (unknown)
kaalya— peace
rēēkuu— lower
kulut— scoop using your finger (oil or another similar substance)
tiit— turn around
tenden— thin, slender, slim
kōryōng kōryōng— clang clang (sound of metal hitting something hard)
kāā-iitiisyō— numbering, counting
put— fall (of something alive)
tulōng— ideophone for birds jumping on the ground
rērēktēē— go down from the top of something
kipaaraaryaa— someone who likes to provoke people and start fights
yumoot— collected, gathered
Kiporiit— name for a boy born inside
lyewlyew— rinse
taliil— shiny
awareer— type of grass that scratches
kaapkooseet— Matabele ants
kaamisino— city
suut— prepare the calabash for putting milk inside
chēēpsiirērē— black kite (Milvus migrans)
salan— praise
akeet— graze
kwiindil— pinch
ryēloot— dodged, avoided
chiit— smear floor (with cow-dung)
chaal— give up
kutkutēn— sound a hen makes when about to lay eggs
piriirin— redness
nyaaldee— neglect
chēchii— jinx
kwiiny— interrogate
pakach— beat to kill (especially from behind)
suut— soup made of bones
asiis— sun, traditional Kalenjin God
Ng'eleecheey— old name for a boy named after an (?) ox
Kipkēmēy— name for a boy born during draught or famine or dry season
ōō-iit— become big, grow
kiirwook— court case (from rwooch: try in court)
Kipkuruuy— name for a boy whose birth was delayed several times
Tapyōōtiin— old name for a girl who was born when there were many women around (given after initiation)
araap— son of
suup— cover with soil
kimatereng— 1. person who faints often 2. bug who pretend to die
nayat— knowledge
kipsikē— anus
toot toot— sound of a trumpet
nyāālu— to be suitable
miiniin— drool
cheemichiir— sheep with very folded-up ears
kesena— women’s wrapper (lower body)
muut— five
siirō— market
taktak— stalk
kwēr— hit with something hard
miisin— very
sōndi— bushland, bush (mostly isolated)
ng’wāālēywoo— sticks weaved around the tōrir in the traditional hut
pēy— water
chēēpsēngwēryoo— Sengwer woman
kimnyaypay— temple (of the skull)
mukuulēy— heart
tyēēn— sing
tirōkyoo— unproductive, bare land
piriir— red (often of cattle coat)
Kipkōōrir— name for a boy born at dawn between 5am and 6am
chikil— 1. ripping meat from bone with the teeth 2. grasp, understand
chēēpkulēēl— ugali from green immature maize
lay— burn
yuu— be like
Kipeereen— name for a boy born after the mother had several miscarriages (from eereen: snake)
echeey— herding
chawiikik— spurfowl (Pternistis afer)
tyel— all of it, completely
torong torong— walking like the bones are loose (of malnourished people or animals)
chēēmuryoo— hat for men made from colobus skin for the circumcision ceremony
mosok— widow
Cheepchumba— name for a girl for born in hospital
kipēy— typhoid, amoeba (water in joints disease)
Kiptiling'oy— nickname for a boy who survived after many miscarriages
uutēywoo— sting, stinger
ōōmbēn— roam around lazily
waany— finish off (completely)
rēkto— descend, get off, go down
rōkōs— loss, tragedy
tapulul— soft, fluffy
ryēl— avoid, dodge
mariny— exit point in the forest for animals (during hunting and pasture), narrowing of a road, corridor
sāwiywo— tree species (unknown)
taaparaar(yaa)— South-African Stephania (Stephania abyssinica)
ng’em— destroy
ōōtwookiin— slave
kaa-iilo— oiling
kaapkwāāng’sō— cooking area
syachsyaach— shake water inside a container
ndāsuur— embarass, shame
sepetyaa— eggshell
inyēē— you, thou (2ps)
taay— copper or precious stone
tiriing'wa— wheel
rar— be on one's own (emotionally, economically, socially)
rwooch rwooch— croak of a frog
yam— fit, be enough
nam— hold, grasp, catch, attach
yēsōō— who knows!
noor— cane
murkēw— rat (Rattus)
uutan— pricks (of plants)
ōōrkooyoo— overseer
kupēr— foundation
siriirtee— throw very far, hurl (in anger)
kwoong— be stubborn, refuse
ārēērēn— play, dance
yuch— make a knot
rar— 1. plan a wedding or ceremony 2. care about
kipchaambarwa— smelly burp (after overeating)
sokon— forked branch
sōōrnoondi— state of unhappiness, shame
tēngēkyoo— evil deed, sin
chēēlōpchoo— person who takes food without being given
tumtēē— pour
leekwa— child
takal— forbidden things, immoral things
tisya— birthmark, freckle, mole
koroorya— feather
tiiy— disagree
yeeryeeran— whining person, crybaby
yootchii— spy
seekeekwa— plant (Lobelia giberroa)
kipeereer— locust
chwet— very white
wese— sickle machete
sukuul— school (from English)
nyēng’woong— yours (pl.)
mosoop— highlands, plateau
nyaal— bob to a song
kikoombe— cup (from Swahili 'kikombe')
samis— smelly, bad-smelling
sikiin— parent
tēēkso— building
Sēngwēr— Sengwer tribe
ng'eecheepchaa— medicinal herb (unknown)
sukutyoon— become ungrateful (after eating or having received hospitality)
cham— love, admire, like, accept, agree
uun keey— bathe oneself
tiiny— 1. touch 2. prepare the calabash
rōōtyoot— boundary
mut— take away (someone)
mwoonnyo— bone at the ankle
nay— find out, get to know
ngaap— sometimes
serser— proactive

← →