NAHAU ZA KISWAHILI NA MAANA ZAKE
NAHAU ZA KISWAHILI NA MAANA ZAKE
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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
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]
