NAHAU ZA KISWAHILI NA MAANA ZAKE [TRANSLATED SWAHILI SAYINGS]
NAHAU ZA KISWAHILI NA MAANA ZAKE [TRANSLATED SWAHILI SAYINGS]
Imenukuliwa kutoka Gazeti la HABARILEO, Tanzania la Alhamisi, Januari 8 - 14, 2015
Na GENOFEVA MASAO
Amekula chumvi nyingi - Ameishi miaka mingi [lived a long life]
Ahadi ni deni - Timiza ahadi yako [be trustworthy; keep your promise]
Amewachukua wazee wake - Anawatunza vizuri wazazi wake [taking good care of parents]
Amekuwa popo - Yu kigeugeu [ a turncoat]
Amevaa miwani - Amelewa pombe [chakari] [inebriation, a drunkard]
Amekuwa mwalimu - Yu msemaji sana [a talkative person]
Amemwaga unga - Amefukuzwa kazi [ dismissed from employment]
Ana ulimu wa upanga - Ana maneno makali [biting words]
Ameongezwa unga - Amepandishwa cheo [promoted]
Agizia risasi - Piga risasi [shoot!]
Chemsha bongo - Fikiri kwa makini [think analytically]
Kuchungulia kaburi - Kunusurika kifo [saved from a worse fate]
Fyata mkia - Nyamaza [keep silent]
Fimbo zimemwota mgongoni -Ana alama ya mapigo ya Fimbo mgongoni [birching scars on ones' back]
Hamadi kibindoni - Akiba iliyopo kibindoni [savings for a rainy day]
Hawapikiki chungu kimoja -Hawapatani kamwe ! [always at loggerheads]
Kupika majungu - Kufanya mkutano wa siri [conspire a secret meeting]
Kumpiga [kumvika] kilemba cha ukoka - Kumsifu mtu kwa unafiki [kinafiki] [paying lip service]
Kula mlungula - Kula rushwa [receiving a bribe]
Kupelekwa miyomboni - Kutiwa [kupelekwa] jandoni [performing circumcision]
Kujipalia mkaa - Kujitia matatani [get yourself in trouble]
Kumeza [zea] mate - Kutamani [to crave for]
Kumuuma mtu sikio - Kumnong'oneza mtu jambo la siri [tell a secret to someone]
Kumpa nyama ya ulimi -Kumdanganya mtu kwa maneno matamu [using wiles to tell lies]
Kumchimba mtu - Kumpeleleza mtu siri yake to dig one's secrets]
Kutia chumvi katika mazungumzo - Kuongea habari za uwongo [tell lies]
Vunjika moyo - Kata tamaa [give up]
Yalimkata maini - Yalimtia uchungu [emotional pain]
Kujikosoa - Kujisahihisha [correct your ways]
Kutia utambi - Kuchochea ugomvi [convince someone to fight]
Kumeza maneno - Kutunza siri moyoni [to keep a secret]
Kula njama - Kufanya mkutano wa siri [to conspire a secret meeting]
Kumkalia mtu kitako - Kumsema/kumsengenya [to talk about someone]
Kupiga vijembe - Kumsema mtu kwa fumbo [use idioms to talk about someone]
Kiinua mgongo - Malipo ya pongezi/uzeeni [pension]
Kazi ya majungu - Kazi ya kumpatia mtu posho [hand to mouth existence]
Kaza kamba - Usikate tamaa - [never give up!]
Kumwonyesha mgongo - Kujificha - [to hide]
Kuona cha mtema kuni - Kupata mateso [torture]
Maneno ya uwani - Maneno yasiyo na maana/porojo - [hyperbole !]
Mate ya fisi - Kata tamaa kupita kiasi - [give up totally !]
Mbiu ya Mgambo - Tangazo [advertisement]
Mungu amemnyooshea kidole - Mungu amemuadhibu - [God's punishment]
Mkubwa jalala - Kila lawama hupitia kwa mkubwa - [The eldest is the Dumping ground!]
Mkaa jikoni - Mvivu wa kutembea - [a stay at home person]
Mungu si Athumani - Mungu hapendelei [God is fair]
Ndege mbaya - Bahati mbaya [bad luck]
Paka mafuta kwa mgongo wa chupa - Danganya [telling lies]
Usiwe kabaila - Usichume tokana na jasho la mwingine [Don't exploit others]
Usiwe kupe - Fanya kazi [be gainfully employed]
Usiwe bwanyenye - Usichume kwa vitega uchumi vyako [don't be a capitalist!]
Usiwe na mrija - Usinyonye wenzako [don't be exploitative]
Utawala msonga - Utawala wa wachache [leadership of the few]
Usiwe nyang'au - Usidhulumu kwa kutumia madaraka [Don't use your position to exploit others]
usiwe Kikaragosi - Usiwe chui katika ngozi ya kondoo [Don't be a sheep in a leopard's skin]
Umangimeza - Viongozi wanaopenda kuamrisha watu [a Dictatorship]
Kutoa ya mwaka - Kufanya jambo zuri na la pekee [performing a unique act]
Kumpa mtu ukweli wake - Kumwambia mtu wazi [to be transparent]
Pua kukaribiana kushikana na uso - Kukunja uso kwa hasira [to express anger]
Sina hali - Sijiwezi [I am helpless (mostly when talking about love)]
Kupiga uvivu - Kukaa tu bila kazi [abject laziness]
Kupiga kubwa - Kwenda moja kwa moja [vanishing act]
Kumwekea mtu deko - Kulipiza kisasi [pay back]
Mtu mwenye ndimi mbili - Kigeugeu [A turncoat]
Miamba ya mitishamba - Wanga hodari wa kienyeji [ expert wizardry]
Kupiga supu - Tegea [do the least]
Kupiga mali shoka - Gawana [distribute (contraband, bullion, inheritance]
Kula vumbi - Pata taabu [struggle]
Mafungulia ng'ombe - Kati ya saa mbili na saa tatu [between 8.00 and 9.00 o'clock
Kutia kiraka - Fichia siri [confiante]
Kumlainisha mtu - Kumzungumzia mtu maneno matamu mpaka akubali matakwa yako [convince someone to see eye to eye - to agree to your argument]
Na GENOFEVA MASAO
Amekula chumvi nyingi - Ameishi miaka mingi [lived a long life]
Ahadi ni deni - Timiza ahadi yako [be trustworthy; keep your promise]
Amewachukua wazee wake - Anawatunza vizuri wazazi wake [taking good care of parents]
Amekuwa popo - Yu kigeugeu [ a turncoat]
Amevaa miwani - Amelewa pombe [chakari] [inebriation, a drunkard]
Amekuwa mwalimu - Yu msemaji sana [a talkative person]
Amemwaga unga - Amefukuzwa kazi [ dismissed from employment]
Ana ulimu wa upanga - Ana maneno makali [biting words]
Ameongezwa unga - Amepandishwa cheo [promoted]
Agizia risasi - Piga risasi [shoot!]
Chemsha bongo - Fikiri kwa makini [think analytically]
Kuchungulia kaburi - Kunusurika kifo [saved from a worse fate]
Fyata mkia - Nyamaza [keep silent]
Fimbo zimemwota mgongoni -Ana alama ya mapigo ya Fimbo mgongoni [birching scars on ones' back]
Hamadi kibindoni - Akiba iliyopo kibindoni [savings for a rainy day]
Hawapikiki chungu kimoja -Hawapatani kamwe ! [always at loggerheads]
Kupika majungu - Kufanya mkutano wa siri [conspire a secret meeting]
Kumpiga [kumvika] kilemba cha ukoka - Kumsifu mtu kwa unafiki [kinafiki] [paying lip service]
Kula mlungula - Kula rushwa [receiving a bribe]
Kupelekwa miyomboni - Kutiwa [kupelekwa] jandoni [performing circumcision]
Kujipalia mkaa - Kujitia matatani [get yourself in trouble]
Kumeza [zea] mate - Kutamani [to crave for]
Kumuuma mtu sikio - Kumnong'oneza mtu jambo la siri [tell a secret to someone]
Kumpa nyama ya ulimi -Kumdanganya mtu kwa maneno matamu [using wiles to tell lies]
Kumchimba mtu - Kumpeleleza mtu siri yake to dig one's secrets]
Kutia chumvi katika mazungumzo - Kuongea habari za uwongo [tell lies]
Vunjika moyo - Kata tamaa [give up]
Yalimkata maini - Yalimtia uchungu [emotional pain]
Kujikosoa - Kujisahihisha [correct your ways]
Kutia utambi - Kuchochea ugomvi [convince someone to fight]
Kumeza maneno - Kutunza siri moyoni [to keep a secret]
Kula njama - Kufanya mkutano wa siri [to conspire a secret meeting]
Kumkalia mtu kitako - Kumsema/kumsengenya [to talk about someone]
Kupiga vijembe - Kumsema mtu kwa fumbo [use idioms to talk about someone]
Kiinua mgongo - Malipo ya pongezi/uzeeni [pension]
Kazi ya majungu - Kazi ya kumpatia mtu posho [hand to mouth existence]
Kaza kamba - Usikate tamaa - [never give up!]
Kumwonyesha mgongo - Kujificha - [to hide]
Kuona cha mtema kuni - Kupata mateso [torture]
Maneno ya uwani - Maneno yasiyo na maana/porojo - [hyperbole !]
Mate ya fisi - Kata tamaa kupita kiasi - [give up totally !]
Mbiu ya Mgambo - Tangazo [advertisement]
Mungu amemnyooshea kidole - Mungu amemuadhibu - [God's punishment]
Mkubwa jalala - Kila lawama hupitia kwa mkubwa - [The eldest is the Dumping ground!]
Mkaa jikoni - Mvivu wa kutembea - [a stay at home person]
Mungu si Athumani - Mungu hapendelei [God is fair]
Ndege mbaya - Bahati mbaya [bad luck]
Paka mafuta kwa mgongo wa chupa - Danganya [telling lies]
Usiwe kabaila - Usichume tokana na jasho la mwingine [Don't exploit others]
Usiwe kupe - Fanya kazi [be gainfully employed]
Usiwe bwanyenye - Usichume kwa vitega uchumi vyako [don't be a capitalist!]
Usiwe na mrija - Usinyonye wenzako [don't be exploitative]
Utawala msonga - Utawala wa wachache [leadership of the few]
Usiwe nyang'au - Usidhulumu kwa kutumia madaraka [Don't use your position to exploit others]
usiwe Kikaragosi - Usiwe chui katika ngozi ya kondoo [Don't be a sheep in a leopard's skin]
Umangimeza - Viongozi wanaopenda kuamrisha watu [a Dictatorship]
Kutoa ya mwaka - Kufanya jambo zuri na la pekee [performing a unique act]
Kumpa mtu ukweli wake - Kumwambia mtu wazi [to be transparent]
Pua kukaribiana kushikana na uso - Kukunja uso kwa hasira [to express anger]
Sina hali - Sijiwezi [I am helpless (mostly when talking about love)]
Kupiga uvivu - Kukaa tu bila kazi [abject laziness]
Kupiga kubwa - Kwenda moja kwa moja [vanishing act]
Kumwekea mtu deko - Kulipiza kisasi [pay back]
Mtu mwenye ndimi mbili - Kigeugeu [A turncoat]
Miamba ya mitishamba - Wanga hodari wa kienyeji [ expert wizardry]
Kupiga supu - Tegea [do the least]
Kupiga mali shoka - Gawana [distribute (contraband, bullion, inheritance]
Kula vumbi - Pata taabu [struggle]
Mafungulia ng'ombe - Kati ya saa mbili na saa tatu [between 8.00 and 9.00 o'clock
Kutia kiraka - Fichia siri [confiante]
Kumlainisha mtu - Kumzungumzia mtu maneno matamu mpaka akubali matakwa yako [convince someone to see eye to eye - to agree to your argument]
