Etsako Dictionary

ELEMI OWOWẸNA (AT SCHOOL) Zẹ - read Kẹkẹ - write Bọla ,- play Bino - check Kpele akaba - ring a bell Wẹna - teach, learn Na - run Lolo kasẹ - explain Gu kasẹ - tell Rọ kasẹ - show Sa - think Fashe - fail Ni vhọ - pass *Kpele is used with musical instruments and may translate roughly as PLAY HOME Vheshẹshi - sleep Le - eat Da - drink Shishi - clean Nye - cook Bale - come Lumi - pound Fuẹ - wash Kpe - wash Kpege a - rinse Kpishi - dust Shitọ - sit WORK Gbe akanya- work Yẹmẹ a - rest Saki - sack Nyakua - try Fi afu - work hard Fọta - pay salary; debt Fami - pretend TRAVELLING Khia - walk Gua - drive, ride Nya - drive, ride Fiala - fly Ye okhia - travel Fali - pay Dẹ - buy RELIGION Ga - worship Sana - pray (salat) Fi olema - pray Mhu azumi - fast Fa azumi - end a fast Yayi - believe Nyie lama - believe Gbe kua - forgive Yabọ - pardon Tumi - save Rọ kali - follow Tofa - show mercy Vha elemi - show pity HOSPITAL Gua - fall sick...

SYNONYMS IN ETSAKO God - Ishinẹgba, Ọghẹna Build - gi (Gino), tọ (tọnọ) Name - eva, eli Man - agene, ọzawo, ọmọse Little child - ọmọfẹ, ọgọmọ, ọmobọ Father - era, ita, ibaba Mother - iyọ, inyọ, uwọ, imama Do - kiẹli, sese Look - ge/gue, fẹli Drink - da, wọ, yọ Inside - elemi, ẹkẹli Ground - otọ, ekẹ Sky - okhuili, eda, idane River - okẹ, ẹda Spouse - uguẹ, ami Truth - imhaghie, ughiẹmọ Matter/issue - ẹmọ, imhe Want - nono, kele Ask - mila, nọ Lift - tua, du Leave - yakhọ, vu Come/go out - Lase le, fie le , ya le Bad - yemi, khọlọ Cover - guese, vue Open - kuegea, tigea Person - ọọya, ọgbọ House - owa, uge, ikho Fear - ulishi, ofẹ Shame - omama, ẹkhọ Call - nyalu, vheghie, shie, guele Answer - sọvhọ, wanyẹ Sleep (n.) - ogue, owesẹ Sleep (v.) - vheshẹshi, deguẹ Wake up - Vu owesẹ, ki ogue Another - owese, owewe Mad person - ọmemẹ, ọvhevhẹ Stand - vule, kpa otọ Help - kpa obọ, kpaghiẹ, yobọ Leave alone - dobẹ, zẹ obọ Able - mati, dobẹ Big - khua, ...

Ali, Lagi - and Ama - but Kokua, laakhi - or Ina khi -  because Rari - because Ochi ni - instead of  Adesẹ, iteteva - between, among Olọkẹ - below Oleda - above Ẹkẹli, elemi - inside, in Vhi - in, at Shi, yọ - In, at, on Atodẹ, odato - outside Esọ - edge of Egbe - beside Ufwi - beneath, underneath Uji - bottom of Ukomi - on top Odalo, ugialo - in front of Oshimi, itsike - behind, after Nena - before Rọ te - through Te - from Na - for, to Gi - to Nu, gi - with Gbe, mhu - against Ni - that Ye, je - towards Ekekẹ - around Obodẹ - about, concerning Note that these words are not always used exactly in the same manner as the English counterparts. Etsako has a rich grammatical structure which is quite different from English.  Ibinoyẹsẹ (Examples) 1. Aljanna ni ekẹ e la ufwi ọli aa na.      Gardens underneath which rivers flow. 2. Obo u te aa bale?      Where are you coming from? 3. Ọni ọmọ ọ da rọ te iwindo ...

Elọ ki eva ẹ? What is your name? Eva mẹ ki Atiku. My name is Atiku. Ọmọ ikpe imhẹ u kia? How old are you? Ọmọ ikpe uye (20) mi kia. I am 20 years old. Ikpokhia imhẹ u mhuẹ? How many friends do you have? Mi mhuẹli ikpokhia n'e bu. I have many friends. Obo u te aa bale? Where are you coming from? Afẹ mi te aa bale. I am coming from home. Obo u aa ye? Where are you going to? Oki mi aa ye. I am going to the market. Elọ u ye oki laa kiẹ? What are you going to the market to do? Mi laa de itsua vhi oki. I am going to buy things at the market. Itsua elọ u laa dẹ? What things do you want to buy? Itsua ni mi laa dẹ e bu. The things I want to buy are many. Leva eguo. Name some. Mi laa dẹ ache ali ugbe ali ishuga. I am going to buy pepper, salt and sugar. Imhẹ u mhuẹ shi obọ? How much do you have with you? Inaira iyishe ishe mi mhue shi obọ. I have 500 naira with me. Oyọ o somi ẹ? Is that enough for you? Ee, o somi mẹ. Yes, it is enough...

Subject Pronouns .          Object Pronouns Mi/I - I.                                 Mẹ - me U - you                                  Ẹ - you Vha - you (plural)                Vha- you (plural) Ọ - He/she.                          Ọli - him/her O - it.                                     Ọli - it E - they .                               La - they Ma/Eyẹ - We.                     Eyẹ/Ma - us A - one / someone Emphatic or Single Pronouns Th...

Noun - trade, business Adẹrọdẹ ki ọlia ẹvholi Business is the blood of a society Related Words Ọdẹrọdẹ , noun - businessman

Verb - to count, to calculate Syn - lolo Vha ka lolo ọsomẹ Ọghẹna, vhaa laa mati kalọ la. If you count the favours of Allah, you will not be able to number them. Related Words Ukalọ - calculator

Noun - 1. Body       Egbe e aa to mẹ      My body hurts 2. Used to show relationship between two or more people or things       Vha tofa egbe      Be kind to each other      E vha somi elemi egbe      They do not like each other 3. Beside     Rọ oni akanama shi egbe oni aga     Put the bottle beside the chair

Owa , Noun - house Related Words Owigho , noun - bank Owowẹna , noun - school Owebe , noun - library Owamẹ , noun - bathroom Owakanya , noun - office Owilimi , noun - mortuary

Bi ebi Verb - to be dark Oni owa ona o bi ebi This room is dark

Amẹ Noun - water Amẹ o bi shi eda The weather is cloudy (lit. Water is dark in the sky) Amẹ o aa ruẹ It is raining (lit. Water is raining) Amẹ o aa dena It is drizzling (lit. Water is falling)

Ọlia Noun - blood Ọlia o khọ dala amẹ Blood is thicker than water

Okhuili noun -  up, sky, heaven Syn - eda, idane Ant - otọ, ekẹ

Azẹ, noun Election Ọguo ọ ni vhi oni azẹ? Who won the election?

Zẹ,   verb 1. To choose     Nu mẹ zẹ oni o somote nẹ     Help me choose the most beautiful one 2. To read     Era mẹ ọ mẹ mi ka zẹ ebe mẹ, mi laa ni vhi oni idamigue     Mu father told me if I read my book I'll pass the exam 3. To grow (as in a plant)       Eni ivhiorẹ e she aa zẹ      The cassavas are growing      4. To have (as in body parts)       Aikede l'a rọ zẹ abọ ali awẹ      We have hands and legs to prevent us from falling Related Words Azẹ - election Izẹmi - choice, reading Ozẹ - profit Ọnazẹ - elect, elected

Lọlọ, verb -  1. To slip 2. To tickle

Otọ, noun - land, ground, down syn - ekẹ Ant - okhuili, eda, idane

Khia , verb -  to walk Related Words Okhiali, noun - walk, journey