The use of even a few phrases of the "mother tongue" will make you instant friends with whomever you meet! Ekegusii is spelt phonetically, so while you might not get the accent quite right you can rest assured that you're pronouncing the words fine..... For instance, "Abagirango Maate" people have a different dialexct of which most of these terms below may mean nothing or different for them.

Greetings etc. - Verbs - Days and times  -
People - Shopping  - Food  - Objects - Health
Animals - Numbers - Miscellaneous

Click here for a more compehensive list from the Webster Disctionary of several Gusii Language words

GREETINGS

ENGLISH_________________________________________ EKEGUSII

Are you well? (sing.)........................... Imbuya ore?

I'm fine ..................................Imbuya ande

Are you well? (pl.) ...............................Imbuya more?

We're fine .............................Imbuya tore

Good morning................. Bwakire buya

Good afternoon/evening.................. Bwairire buya

How was the night? ...........................Kwabokire?

Good/very well ..............Buya

Goodbye.............. Kwaheri

Remain well.................Tigara buya

What is your name?............... Naki okorokwa?

My name is.................. Nkorokwa ...

Nice to meet you (sing.) ..................Mbuya ase ogokoumera

Nice to meet you (pl.).................. Mbuya ase okobaumera

We shall meet again ..................Toumerane

I have enjoyed myself.................Nagokigwe mono

I speak a little Ekegusii................. Ngokwana Ekegusii egeke

I don't understand .................Tinkari koigua

We are teaching in ................... togosomia

I will miss you ...................Nindakobore

Thank you ................Imbuya mono

Sorry .........Sore

Welcome ................Kwareganigure

I have enjoyed myself very much .................Nagokiwe mono

I am satisfied................ Naigotire

Excuse me................... Nyabere akeigo

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 VERBS

ENGLISH_____________________________EKEGUSII

Come................. Inchu

Go...... Genda

Walk......Tara

Run.......Minyoka

Talk..........Kwana

Greet.......... Ogokwania

Write.......... Rika

Listen ..........Tegerera

Look......... Rigereria

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MONTHS

January....... Engatiato

February.....Monuguno O'barema

March........Egetamo

April........Rigwata

May..........Amaumuntia

June.......Ebwagi

July........Engoromomi

August......Riete

September......Tureti ya kebaki

October......Esagati

November........Egesunte

December......Egesunte kende

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DAYS AND TIMES

ENGLISH_______________________ EKEGUSII

Today............... Rero

Yesterday............ Igoro

Tomorrow.................... Mambi

This week......................... Ewiki eye

Last week.................... Ewiki ya erete

Next week...................Ewiki egocha

Monday........Chumatato/Tichi Rimo

Tuesday..........Chumaine/Tichi Kabere

Wednesday..............Chumatano/Tichi Gatato

Thursday..........Aramisi/ Tichi Kane

Friday.............Ichuma/ Enyongesa

Saturday..........Chumamosi/Esabato

Sunday.............Chumapiri/Omokubi

Sunrise....................... Rigaso rigosuka

Sunset............................... Rigaso rikorimeria

See you later........................................... Tororane

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 PEOPLE

ENGLISH_______________________ EKEGUSII

People........ Abanto

Person ..........Omonto

Man............. Omosacha

Woman ..................Omokungu

Boy ....................Omomura

Girl...................Omoiseke

Father ...............Tata

Mother.............. Mama

Brother ...............Momura ominto

Sister................ Moiseke ominto

Cousin............. Bamwabo

Child........... Omwana

My friend ............Omosani one

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 SHOPPING

ENGLISH________________________ EKEGUSII

Money.......... Chibesa

Coins .........Chisiringi/chitongoro

Notes................... Amanoti

One shilling............... Esiringi eyemo

Five shillings ..................Chisiringi isano

Ten shillings................. Chisiringi ikomi

How much does it cost?........................ Rigori irenga?

How much are those?......... Birenga bire?

Do you have____?......... Nobwate_____?

I would like______...... Nigondanche ______.

I like_______........ Ning'achete________.

I don't like______.......... Titageti______.

Very expensive........... Rigori rinene

I want to buy______.......... Tagete kogora________.

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 FOOD

ENGLISH______________ EKEGUSII

Food .............Endagera

Ugali (maize staple) .............Obokima

Vegetable............... Chinyeni

Meat............. Enyama

Bread............. Omogati

Tea......... Echae

Water .......Amache

Milk................ Amabere

Finger millet.............. Obori/wimbi

Maize ..................Ebituma

Sweet potatoes.................. Amarabwoni

Avocado.................. Abukato

Rice............... Omochere

Avocado............. Abukato

Plantain ..............Amatoke

Sweet bananas .................Ebisukari

Sugar ............Esukari

Salt.............Omonyo

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 OBJECTS

ENGLISH______________ EKEGUSII

Table......... Emesa

Chair......... Ekerogo

Door ..............Omorangu/Egesieri

Window ...............Edirisa

Wall............. Enyasi

Roof.......... Ekerama

Book............ Egetabu

Pen........... Ekaramu

Paper........... Ekaratasi

Keys........... Ebibunguo

Bed............ Egetanda

Toilet paper............. Etisiu/Ekaratasi ye choo

Shoes........... Ebikoroto

Trousers........... Erongi

Shirt............. Esuti

Skirt............. Esigati

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HEALTH

ENGLISH_____________ EKEGUSII

Are you feeling better?............. Noiguete buya?

I'm not feeling well ...........Tingiweti buya

I have a cold.............. Mbwate rikuba

I have flu......... Mbwate rikuba rineru

My head aches.......... Omotu okongatiai

Is this drinking water?.................... Aya namache yokonywa?

What happened?.............. Nki kiabete?

I was bitten by a mosquito............... Narometu ne eumbu

Head ............Omotu

Ear ..............Ogoto

Mouth.............. Omonu

Eye............. Eriso

Shoulder.............. Amareko

Heart..............Enkoro

Chest............... Egekubu

Stomach............ Enda

Back .............Omogongo

Leg............. Okogoro

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ANIMALS

ENGLISH_____________________ EKEGUSII

Hen.............. Engoko

Cock.............. Etwoni

Chicks............... Ebichuchu

Cow............. Engombe

Bull............. Eeri

Dog........... Esese

Cat........... Ekebusi/Ekembusi/Ekemoni

Bird........... Enyoni

Rat........... Embeba

Fish............ Ensu

Donkey............ Ebunda

Goat............... Embori

Sheep.............. Engondi

Flies........ Chingi

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NUMBERS

ENGLISH__________________EKEGUSII

one....... eyemo

two.........ibere

three........... isato

four........... inye

five ...........isano

six....... isanemo

seven.......isano ibere

eight ...........isano isato

nine.......... kianda

ten ...........ikomi

eleven ikomi nemo

twelve........... ikomi na ibere

twenty.............. imeronge ebere

twenty-one ..............imerongebere na eyemo

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 MISCELLANEOUS

ENGLISH_______________ EKEGUSII

Yes....... Eee

No............. yaya

What?.......... Inki?

Where?............... Arari?

Why?............... Ase ki?

How?.............. Naki?

Because........... Ase eng'encho

Usually............. Botambe

Sometimes................... Insa chinde

Straight ahead............ Gochia bosio rioka

Left.............. Ekebee

Right................ Okorio

Is it far?.............. Ngare are?

Not too near/far................ Tori ange/are mono

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For robust translations, please visit ekegusii online dictionary at http://www.ekegusii.org/