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Mulembe Nation’s Kinyarwanda and Kimaragoli Tongues Hack: 15+ Words With Surprisingly Similar Pronunciation and Meaning

The world renown, Kwita Inzina, the Rwandan gorilla naming ceremony that takes place annually at the Kinigi headquarters of Volcanoes national park, had me curious. The words, Kwita Inzina, reminded us of home as they sounded so close to my tongue. Now this happenstance isn’t uncommon among Bantu languages. However, it still got me curious to know how close Kinyarwanda and Kimaragoli were.

It turns out as expected, the Bantu roots of both Kinyarwanda and Kimaragoli remain visible hundreds of years since the migration from Misri and split in central Africa. This article and the next (on similar sounding words but with different meaning) are a continuation of a thread in a popular online Kenyan chat room. We’ve added flesh to the bones we found there. Hope you get to learn some Kinyarwanda and Kimaragoli in a breeze. Hit us up in the comments if you have clarifications or would like to add to the list.


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KINYARWANDA AND KIMARAGOLI WORDS WITH SIMILAR PRONUNCIATION AND SAME OR CLOSE MEANING

1. Kwiga

What an apt way to kick this off! Lets Kwiga (study) a little bit of these beautiful East African languages. What follows are Kinyarwanda and Kimaragoli word pairings that are similar sounding and at time will sound similar meaning too.

2. Kugamba

If we had a fair understanding about any of the two languages, we could ‘gamba’ with much ease. For, kugamba, is ‘to talk’ in Kinyarwanda. But Mugamba means ‘tomorrow’ in Maragoli. On the other hand, Kugamba, is old Maragoli speech that means ‘to talk’ or hold a conversation. However, today, the word – Koyoga – is more commonly in use to mean ‘to talk’.

3. Kurira

Sounds like close to the Swahili word for ‘to cry’ doesn’t it? Well, surprise! Indeed, kurira, is to cry in both Kinyarwanda and Maragoli. This word (as many others will in this post) goes on to illustrate how Swahili is partly born of Bantu languages.

4. Guseka

Across a majority of Bantu tribes of the great lakes region of Africa, all the way down to the Southern tribes that migrated from here, the word, seka, means to laugh. In Kinyarwanda, one adds ‘gu’ in Kimaragoli it’s ‘ko’ to make: Koseka.


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5. Kugenda

A verb that means ‘to travel’ transverses both Kinyarwanda and Maragoli. The Gusii, brothers to the Maragoli, who speak Ekegusii pronounce the same word that’s similar in meaning as: togende.

6. Kugwa

Means to fall. Kugwa in Maragoli might mean either ‘to fall’ or ‘to fail’ as one does in an exam.

7. Kwifumbika

In Kinyarwanda, it’s to ‘cover oneself’. The Maragoli have the Swahili sounding, Kwifunika, as the perfect pair. Moreover, there is, Kwikunika, which would be what one would say if they were a jar and they covered themselves with their cover.

8. Nene

That’s Kinyarwanda for ‘big’. The word has similar meaning too in Lulogoli. Furthermore in it’s use, the usual Bantu language rules apply. Therefore in Kimaragoli, a big man would be, mNene, and a big inanimate thing, iNene, or, kiNene.

9. Kwandika

To write in Kinyarwanda, in Kimaragoli it is Kuhandika.

10. Kwanura

To bring in from the sun in both languages. Like when sun drying food stuff like the Maragoli delicacy Kivambara and the rain comes. Or when bringing in utensils from the traditional outdoor kitchen utensil rack known as Kitaraze in Kimaragoli.

11. Kwegeka

To lean against in Kinyarwanda. It’s also Kwegeka in Maragoli although the reference when placing an inanimate object like a jembe against a wall.

12. Kubira

Means ‘to be boiling’ in Kinyarwanda. You can have Kuvira in Luloogoli which means the same. Like when cooking a Maragoli favorite such as muduya and the specially prepared beans and water come to a boil. Other Maragoli words that mean the same are Kuburabura and Kusarama.

13. Nyina/Nyoko

In Kinyarwanda, the word, Nyoko, is used interchangeably with Nyina to mean ‘mother to someone’. In lulogooli an abridged form, Nya, is commonly used.

14. Kwahukana

Mkana is what we call girls in Maragoli. Kwahukana is ‘to separate’ in Kinyarwanda. To mean the same in Kimaragoli, we’d say: Kwavukana.

15. Kuharura

Do you happen to know how sweet potatoes are harvested? For the benefit of those who may not know, there is procedure in the harvest of mabuwoni. First, not every person can be sent to the farm to harvest sweet potatoes.

One reason as to why this is so has to do with ‘the hands’. Meaning, there are some people whose hands you don’t want near your sweet potatoes patch as once they go in, you’ll never harvest anything again.

The other reason has to do with technique. Sweet potatoes are best harvested by scrapping the ground with a stick around where the vine shoots from the ground. With great care, the harvester working their way simultaneously wider and deeper.

Munyarwanda calls such action of scrapping or scratching the ground Kuharura. Mulogooli would term such action the same, but additionally would use, Kuharura, to refer to the act of pruning trees, so that the trunk develops more taper and strength.

16. Kwigendera

Remember the word, kugenda, above? This would mean ‘to go by oneself’ in Kinyarwanda. In Kimaragoli, it becomes Kwegendera or Kwegendiza.

17. Kubana

Is ‘to live together’ in Kinyarwanda. On the converse, the Maragoli have, Kuva na, which means ‘to be with’.

1 thought on “Mulembe Nation’s Kinyarwanda and Kimaragoli Tongues Hack: 15+ Words With Surprisingly Similar Pronunciation and Meaning”

  1. I love this .my name is Wainaina Na maragholi Na venda and lemba of Southafrica is the same you are Levi yes.. The priests.. DNA proves.you are hebrews

    Reply

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