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Home » Learn Luhya » Learn Lubukusu - Bukusu Language » Learn Bukusu Language, speak Lubukusu just like that! 130+ common Bukusu words translations, meaning and pronunciation
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Learn Bukusu Language, speak Lubukusu just like that! 130+ common Bukusu words translations, meaning and pronunciation

Learn Bukusu language with us, the home of everything Mulembe. Bukusu language or Lubukusu is the tongue of Babukusu, the largest of the 18 houses of Mulembe Nation. Kick off your journey with these 130+ common Bukusu words. Learn their meaning, find translation into English and get started on getting pronunciations right.

Learn Bukusu language

Go To: Resources on learning Bukusu language. | Common Bukusu words for greetings |Introducing yourself in Bukusu language and other conversation starters in Lubukusu |Learn Bukusu language: Keep the conversation flowing with these common Bukusu words|Numbers in Bukusu Language |Learn Bukusu Language: Places in Lubukusu | Bukusu words relating to travel |Learn Bukusu language: Common Bukusu words and phrases relating to food, dining cutlery and eating |Go shopping? Find your way in the market with these Bukusu words and phrases |Bukusu words for everyday stuff |Speak Lubukusu: Time of day and related vocabulary.

Enjoy our growing library of

Resources on learning Bukusu language

Before we get started, our growing Luhya-English dictionary and Thesaurus is a must have as you embark on this journey of learning Luhya. In the dictionary you will find meaning, synonyms, variations of common Luhya words from across the 18 dialects and links to stories that provide context and examples of everyday use of common Luhya words.

In addition, in this article, you will find contextual links to our other resources on learning Bukusu language. We promise you that they are worth the while as they are detailed and exhaustive on the topics they cover:

Finally, follow our new blog sibukusu that covers everything Bukusu in Lubukusu. This blog is growing to be a great resource that conserves the Bukusu language by challenging and deepening our reader’s Bukusu language skills.

Don’t forget to bookmark our comprehensive repository of Bukusu proverbs and sayings for they will be useful in spicing up your Lubukusu, so that you speak Lubukusu like a real Bukusu.

Let’s get started.

Learn Bukusu language: Common Bukusu words for greetings

Being it that Bukusu are the largest house of mulembe, it goes without saying that spreading the spirit of mulembe through greetings is at the heart of our way of life. Little wonder then that we have different ways of greeting each other for every situation. Start growing your vocabulary of Bukusu words and phrases for greetings here.

Oriena!

Hello!


Bwasiele

Good morning?


Kamakhuwa ke silo!

Good evening!

or

Kamakhuwa ke ekoloba!

Good evening!


Kona bulayi!

Good night!


Bulayi!

Good (bye)!

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Learn Bukusu language: Keep the conversation flowing with these common Bukusu words 

Esese

I


Ewewe

You


Oyo

He or she


Yiee

Yes.


Tawee

No.

Want to learn synonyms, uses, meaning and of this word? See the dictionary meaning

or

Ta

No.


Wakana

Maybe.


Nosima

Please.


Njete

Help me


Mbekho

Give me


Bulayi

Ok.


Nasima

Thank you!

or

Nasima Lukali

Thank you very much


Karipu

Welcome or you’re welcome!


Oli sinanu?

Pardon (me)?

Used in the context of a conversation when you need someone to repeat what they have said as you didn’t quite catch them the first time.


Kalaa

Sorry.

The same word said twice means something different.

Kalaa kalaa

Slowly slowly


poster lekha and leave that in Bukusu

Lekha

Leave that or stop doing something.

Khupe epicha

Take a picture of me


Sendi nabio ta

I don’t have

or

Ndamba

I don’t have

plural

Khutamba

We don’t have


Siatambile

There is no


Wateka

Well done.


Wanyala

Enough, you have done it.

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Learn Bukusu language: Introducing yourself, and other conversation starters in Lubukusu

Ewe bali nanu?

Who are you?/What is your name?


Lisina liange bali

My name (lisina) is…


Nama

I am from …


Ndi ne kimiaka

I am … years old.


Ese mundukho twa

I am not married.


Oti!

The call one makes when they knock at the door


Lindakho nyo

Just a moment please.


Sengendile seng’ene ta

I’m not traveling alone.


Ngendile ne

I’m traveling with….


Omanyile Lubukusu?

Do you speak Bukusu?


Semanyile Lubukusu ta

I don’t speak any Bukusu.


Niko olomile koosi kambirirekho busa

All that you have spoken flew by me. I didn’t understand what you said.


Onyala welelamo lundi?

Could you please repeat that?


Khuli no mundu ano onyala khuloma

Does anyone here speak …?

Lusungu?

English?

Luswahili?

Kiswahili?


Onyala waandika ako asi

Could you write that down please

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Learn Bukusu language: Numbers in Bukusu Language

Learn numbers in Bukusu. Watch our video on numbers in Bukusu and get to know how to count 1-10 in Lubukusu. In this article, we also cover common rules of language when counting in Bukusu language. Get started with the pronunciation.

Ndala

One.


Chibili

Two.


Chitaru

Three


Chine

Four.


Chirano

Five.


Sita

Six.


Sabaa

Seven


Munane

Eight


Tisaa

Nine


Kumi

Ten


Kumi na mocha

Eleven


In everyday speak, Bukusu words for numbers twelve to nineteen are borrowed from Kiswahili words. The only difference is how they are pronounced. Take the example below for number nineteen which in both Kiswahili and Lubukusu is ‘kumi na tisa’. Note the difference in pronounciation.

Kumi na tisa

Nineteen


shurini is the number twenty in Bukusu

Shurini

Twenty


Shurina mocha

Twenty-one


Salasini

Thirty


Arupaini

Forty


Khamusini

Fifty


Stini

Sixty


Tamanini

Eighty


Tisaini

Ninety


Mia mocha

One hundred


Elefu mocha

One thousand


Emillioni ndala

One million


Babili

Two people

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Learn Bukusu Language: Places in Lubukusu

Mumuskiti

Mosque


Mukelesia

Church


Echoo

Toilet


Sia aipoti

Airport


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of  an open air khusoko (market).

Khusoko

Market


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of   the healing snake commonly associated with eospito (hospital).

Eospito

Hospital


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of   as storied eoteli (hotel).

Eoteli

Hotel


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of  lituka (shop).

Lituka

Shop


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of  enju (bungalow house).

Enju

House


blue storied sia polisi. Sia polisi is police station in Bukusu language

Sia polisi

Police station


Epanka is bank in Bukusu such as this golden colored European bank building

Epanka

Bank

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Learn Bukusu language: Bukusu words relating to travel

Learn Bukusu langaugae musitendi is bus station as this vintage scene with buses and people

Musitendi

Bus stop


a blue toy likari which is train in Bukusu language

Likari

Train


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of  emutoka (car).

Emutoka

Car


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of  endeke (airplane).

Endeke

Airplane


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of  etikiti (ticket).

Etikiti

Ticket


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of  an orange epasi (bus).

Epasi

Bus

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Learn Bukusu language: Common Bukusu words and phrases relating to food, dining cutlery and eating

Enjala yakhayile

I am hungry


Bulesia bwakhayile

I am thirsty


Biakhulia/bilio

Food


Khulia

Eat


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of  a woman drinking (khunywa) water (kamechi)

Khunywa

Drink.


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of  a tea picnic including bikonji (scones).

Bikonji

Scones.


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of a slice of kumukati (bread).

Kumukati

Bread


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of a cut of enyama (beef).

Enyama

Meat (beef).


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of a cup of echai (tea)

Echai

Tea.


Obusuma

Ugali. Or simply busuma. You know what they say Mluhya and his ugali. But I bet you may not know that there are rules to cooking busuma the Luhya way. Or that there are rules to serving busuma; and if you thought you knew ugali, our take on ‘know ugali as only a Luhya can‘ packs plenty of surprises.


engoho and enyiwinywi chicken and chicks in Bukusu language

Engokho

Or engoho is chicken


Eng’eni

Fish



Kamatunda

Fruits


Chinyenyi, vegetables, and fruits, kamatunda.

Chinyenyi

Vegetables, in particular leafy vegetables. Though the meaning is often expanded to include any other accompaniments to busuma such as engoko, en’geni and even the simsim sauce kamasikhishki. Get to know the Bukusu names of traditional vegetables enjoyed by Mbukusu; and also the special names given to vegetables that are the first fruits of a farm.


Learn Bukusu language: Kamechi, water, coming from a tap.

Kamechi

Water


Learn Bukusu language: Kamabele, milk, pours from a glass jug.

Kamabele

Milk


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations: steaming buyu (porridge) in a bowl.

Buyu

Porridge


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. here's a vector image of grains of kumuchele (rice)

Kumuchele

Rice


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of sichiko (spoon)

Sichiko

Spoon


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of esahani (plate)

Esahani

Plate


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of  anthropomorphic shikombe (cup)

Sikombe

Cup


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of kumumbano (knife)

Kumubano

Knife.

Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of euma (fork)

Euma

Fork.


Dessert in a cup. In Bukusu language, bunulu means sweet.

Bunulu

Sweet. There is a common contemporary Bukusu saying (not food related) that goes ‘bunulu njire’ which means ‘sweetness kill me’. Guess what? We even have an emoji for this saying.


Vector image of ice cream cone. Bunyifu means cold in Bukusu.

Bunyifu

Cold.


Vector image of steaming food in a cooking pot. Bubile means hot in Lubukusu

Bubile

Hot.

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Go shopping? Find your way in the market with these Bukusu words and phrases

Chinga?

How much?


Senenya ta

I don’t want


Pei kali 

Very expensive.


Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of a chisendi or limotole (money).

Chisendi/ Limotole

Money

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Learn Bukusu language: Bukusu words for everyday stuff

Learn Bukusu language with picture illustrations. Here's a vector image of a shitanda (bed).

Sitanda

Bed


Learn Bukusu language: lusimu is phone in Lubukusu

Lusimu

Phone


a mug of kamalwa. Kamalwa is beer in Bukusu

Kamalwa

Beer, or generally any kind of alcoholic drink.


Changaa

Whiskey, alcoholic spirits, vodkas, rum, gin or liqueurs.


Mbekho nibio mayi kakhuwa

Give me what your mama gave you. As you might have imagined, they are a host of ways to ask for sex in Bukusu language. And if talking dirty is your thing, from shipoto to khulia bindu, we’ve got your covered.

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Professions, people and relations in Bukusu

Want to know who senje is? Or maybe if all relations uncle are known as kocha in Bukusu langauge? This exhaustive piece on relations in Bukusu has you covered.

Man talks to his omusale. Omusale is friend in Bukusu language

Omusale

Friend


A man hugs his khalinjola. Khalinjola is sweetheart in Bukusu language.

Khalinjola

Sweetheart.

Khalinjola is the title to a popular song by the king of Luhya pop Steve Kay. Appreciate the use of the word in this song by reading our review of Khalinjola by Steve Kay.


Learn Bukusu language, omwifwi is thief or burglar

Omwifwi

Thief


bapolisi is police officer in Bukusu language

Bapolisi

Police officers


Takitari

Doctor

Example in phrase: Nenya khubona takitari. It means, I want to see a doctor.


Learn Bukusu language with us. Omwekesia teaches a classroom of pupils. Omwekesia is teacher in Bukusu

Omwekesia

Teacher.


jazz musician silhouette. In Bukusu the word for musician is omupeni

Omupeni

Musician/ poet or verse composer.

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Learn Bukusu langauge: Time of day and related vocabulary in Lubukusu

For full list of common Bukusu words and vocabulary relating to time of day, you may want to read our detailed article on time of day in Bukusu. If interested, grow your Lubukusu vocabulary by learning days of the week in Bukusu; how to say today, tomorrow and yesterday in Bukusu; and the weather in Bukusu.

Chili saa ngapi?

What is the time?


Silo

Night


Kumuusi

Daytime


Akoloba

Evening


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3 thoughts on “Learn Bukusu Language, speak Lubukusu just like that! 130+ common Bukusu words translations, meaning and pronunciation”

  1. KEYAH Munyigula Shadrack

    Eeh baye! Kamakhuwa malala ke luswahili, sekali ke lubukusu tawe!
    echoo = esibakala
    eosipito = lilwalilo
    epanka = libikhilo
    emutoka = simocha lukongo
    chang’aa = enguli
    takitari = omusilikhi
    chili saa ngapi? = chili chinyanga chinga?

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