Browse Buli – English


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A-ln.pfx1prefixed to the names of animals, plants and inanimate objects: causes personalization (e.g. in fables, fairy tales etc.)Dilapo, dilapo naa-lie le yali Asuom.Once upon a time the chief's daugther married Mr Hare. 2marks a human proper name; can be prefixed to all parts of speech, sometimes to a whole sentenceWa yue le Achalichaab. His name is Achalichaab.
a1h1part.habitual or iterative particleMi cheng a loWhenever I walk I fall.Mi de a zuag I eat a lot (every day).2andFulaang ale bo ti yeni a kasi ti niinga. A Fulaani is living in our house and cares for our cattle. 3particle to intensify the effect of an imperativeA nye [h m]! Do it (quicker)! Keep on doing it.
a2lpart.particle denoting a non-recurring actionMi le de a zuagi. I will eat a lot (on a special occasion).
a3lpart.suffixed to a pers. pron., only in present tenseFaa nye ka boa [l m h l]?What are you going? Maa a nyu daamoanung.I am just drinking pito. (or:) I (like to) drink pito.
a4mlmpart.suffixed to a verb to denote a vocative in angry exclamationsNyaa!See!Toaa!Give it (to me)!
a5lconj.and, and thenWa yaa nye kantueng a [l] nye chiik me.He created the sun, and he created the moon, too.
a6l or msuffix to a noun to denote a vocativeN biik-a [l h l]!My real child! (I love you as my real child)N biik-a [l l m]!Oh, my child!N ko-a [l l m]!Oh, my father! (cf. suffix -ee to denote a vocative: Apung-ee! Hallo, Apung! used if Apung does not see me or does not know that I want to see him)
a7lpart.particle at the end of a neutral and complete statement (similar to aa1, but a7 is used without irritation, and may have an emphatic character)Mi nya gbang-a [h h h l].I see a book.Wa ta yer-a [l l h l].He has a house.Maa kuli yer-aa!" - "Kul-ee!""I will go home. - (no answer) I will go home!" - "Do go!"
a te1for, in favour of, toFi kan da jaamude a te mu?Can't you buy this thing for me?Wa ngmarisi gbang a te Ateng.He wrote a letter to Ateng.2for, in place of, instead of,Nurwade kaab a te yeni-nyonowa.This man should sacrifice instead of the house-owner.3with (restr.) N siag a te Azong.I agree with Azong.
aa1hmpart.1statement-final particle; may include a slight touch of irritationWa ka gbang-aa He has no book.Wa nya gbang-aa.He sees a book. 2question-final particle; replaced after a vowel by -yaFi ka gbang-aa?Have you no book?
aa2interj.ah! oh! my God! (surprise)Aa! Te wa nya! Ah, let him see!
abah minterj.That will do! That's enough!Aba! Kaa nye di. That's enough! Don't do it (again).
abel mabuconj.1and (then), beforeNari fi nisanga abe fi de ngan-diinta.Wash your hands before you eat food.2therefore, for this reasonNaawa...kan yaa nipoowade, abe ba kpiiri yaata a basi wa doku.The chief...did not love this woman, therefore they poured rubbish into her room.
abe-jentaabɛdʒɛnta l m l ldef. abe-jentangan.palmnut-soup, made from the pulp of the abe-fruitKambongsanga a yaa abe-jenta.The Ashanti like palmnut-soup.Twi
abrobeabrɔ´bɛ; m m habrobewaabrobeban.pineappleBa de abrobe kama.They eat (like to eat) a pineapple.Ananas comosusTwi
abunbonsim m h mlabunbonsiniabunbonsiman.Buli word referring to something or somebody whose name cannot be remembered, thingumbob, ‘what’s-its-name’Mi a Agbain ale abunbonsi ale chengi kuuni. I, Agbain and somebody else (whose name I forgot) went to the funeral.
aim hinterj.contradicting a statement given before; less respectful than aiya; cf. also ao-wo refusing a requestN maa de? - Ai! May I also eat? - No!
ainyueni1v.to say, to tellNuruwa yueni ain wa le cheng.The man said that he would go.2conj.thatMaa poli ain wa boro.I think (that) he is in.3conj.in order to, to (before a purpose clause) Wa nye dila ain wa nya ligra. He did that in order to get money.Nurwa a cheng ain wa yaalim.The man went hunting (lit. ...in order to hunt).
aiya'ai'ya h mayapart.no! (strong contradiction of a statement; cf. ai, less respectful; unarticulated "mm-mm" [h m], general denial or refusal; ao-wo, refusal of a request)Fi ka zue. - Aiya, n daa zue. You are a thief. - No, I am not a thief.
Ajampainl l lAsanpan, Anpann.proper name (from ja-pain "sth. to take" or lw.?) name of a baby that has not yet been named officiallyBa le kan diem te biika yue la, ba wi wa ka Ajampain. As they have not yet given a name to the child, they call him Ajampain.
akubel l mn.cocoa-nutakube tiibcocoa-nut-treeAkube tiisa a ka Bulu(k)-a.There are no coconut-trees in the Bulsa area.
Alaadil m lAlaadiwaAlaadibaLaadin.1SundayJam nya mu Laadi daiCome and see me on Sunday. synLaadiLaasidi2proper name for girls (very rare for boys) born on a SundayN liewa yue ale Laadi. My daughter's name is Laadi.Arabic via Hausa
alabasal l m lalabasawaalabasa, alabasaban.onionWa ta ka alabasa jam.He brought onions.Allium cepaHausa
Alamisil l m l (rare) AlamisiwaAlamisibaLamisi n.1ThursdayJam nya mu Lamisi dai.Come and see me on Thursday.synLamisi2proper name for girls (rarer for boys) born on a Thursday. N liewa yue le Alamisi. My daughter's name is Alamisi.Arabic via Hausa
Alaribal l l m(rare) AlaribawaaAlaribabaAlaariba, Lariban.1WednesdayJam nya mu Lariba dai.Come and see me on Wednesday.synLariba2proper name for girls (very rare for boys) born on a WednesdayN liewa yue le Alariba.My daughter's name is Alariba.

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