Ohema iwa
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Chapter 10
Contents
Ohema iwa
| English | Oshikwanyama |
|---|---|
| Clothes | Oikutu |
| T-shirt | Okambidja |
| Blouse | Ohema / Okabuluse |
| Trousers | Ombulukweva |
| Jersey / Sweater | Ombidja |
| Dress | Ohema (yoomeme) / Oshikutu |
| Skirt | Oufulukweva |
| Jacket | Ondjafa / Ombaikifa |
| Shoes | Eenghaku / Omalukaku |
| Flip-flops | Eetapa |
| Socks | Oikafino |
| Hat | Embale |
| Belt | Omuya |
| Slip | Okadjalifo |
| Glasses | Omakende okomesho |
| Tie | Otae |
| Watch | Ovili |
| Bra | Okamanga |
| Underwear | Okapendi / Okadolombuluku |
| Laundry | Oikutu yakaka / Oikoshomwa |
| Clean | Yela |
| Dirty | Kaka |
| Bucket | Oshiyemele / Evela |
| Soap | Ofewa |
| Clothesline | Ongodi yoikutu |
| Clothespins | Oukalamala |
| Iron | Oshikangule |
| Basin | Oshiyaxa / Ombaali |
| Wash (clothes or dishes) | Kosha (Kosho) |
| Wash (your body) | Likosho (Likosho) |
| Iron | Kangula |
| Toothpaste | Omuti wokomayo |
| Where can I hang my clothes? | Openi hai tulike oikutu yange? |
| You look nice. | Oto monika nawa. |
| I was born like that. | Osho nda lwa. |
Quick Tip
- For Americans: “Pants” means “underwear” in Namibian English. Say “trousers” to refer to the things you wear on your legs.
Exercise 1
Label the drawing on the previous page. Use words from the above list, or ask some friends.
| English | Oshikwanyama |
|---|---|
| Red | -tilyana |
| Orange | -tilyanaoushunga |
| Yellow | -shunga |
| Green | -ziza |
| Blue | -mbulau |
| Purple | -tilyanembulau |
| Black | -laula |
| White | -toka |
| Brown | -mbudu |
| What color is your shirt? | Ohema yoye oi li ngahelipi? |
Grammar Corner: Adjectives
To tell the truth, Oshikwanyama lacks adjectives. Because states of being can be expressed with verbs, adjectives are less necessary in daily usage. However, you will still hear them.
Once again, adjectives have their own set of concords that must agree with noun prefixes. Fortunately, they are nearly identical to the counting prefixes.
Here is a table. Prefixes that differ from counting prefixes are italicized.
| Noun prefix | Adjective prefix |
|---|---|
| omu- | mu- |
| ova- | va- |
| omu- (not people) | mu- |
| omi- | di- |
| e- | li- |
| oma- | ma- |
| oshi- | sh- |
| oi- | i- |
| olu- | li- / lu- |
| oka- | ka- |
| ou- (plural) | va- |
| ou- (singular) | u- |
| oku- | ku- |
| o- (group 5 singular) | i- |
| ee- (group 5 plural) | di- |
So:
| red t-shirt ? | okambinja katiliyana |
| blue t-shirt ? | okambinja kambulau |
| black pants (trousers) ? | ombulukweva ilaula |
| stupid goat ? | oshikombo shilai |
| hot water ? | omeva mapyu |
| good food ? | oikulya iwa |
Some common adjectives, other than the colors, include the following:
| English | Oshikwanyama |
|---|---|
| Good / Nice | -wa |
| Bad | -i |
| Stupid | -lai |
| Really nice | -walela |
| Clever | -ndunge |
| Big | * |
| Small | -shona |
| Hot | -pyu |
| Cold | -talala |
| Many | ** |
| Few | -shona |
| Sweet / Delicious | -nyenye |
| Sour | -lula |
| Easy / Light | -pu |
| Difficult / Heavy | -ndjuu |
| Short | -hupi |
| Long | -le |
* "Big" is usually expressed with the past tense of the verb kula (to grow). Thus, "big goat" is oshikombo sha kula.
** "Many goats" is said oikombo ihai pu (goats that don't finish).
For other nouns, you will need to choose the right subject concord.
Grammar Corner: More Adjectives
Note that all the previous adjectives are abstract – for example, only blue things exist in the world, not blue itself. Concrete adjectives, those that relate a noun to something else that exists in the world, are formed a bit differently.
| meme dress | ohema yoomeme |
| bedroom (sleep room) | ondunda yokunangala |
The dress is for oomeme, so we use the possessive prefix to link the two nouns together.
Exercise 2
Translate the following phrases from English into Oshikwanyama.
| English | Oshikwanyama |
|---|---|
| nice red shirt | |
| school books | |
| stupid goats | |
| blue trousers | |
| difficult exam | |
| cold water |
Grammar Corner: Comparisons
Just as Oshikwanyama tends to use verbs where English would have adjectives (e.g. “happy”) , it uses verbs to express comparative (e.g. “happier”) and superlative (e.g. “happiest”) forms. Both the comparative and the superlative form use the verb dule (surpass, exceed). To use the comparative form, combine [stative concord] + dule with whatever attribute you want to compare, e.g.
| I am happier than Rebecca. | Onda hafa ndi dule Rebecca. |
| You pound mahangu better than I do. | Oho tu omahangu u dule nge. |
| Beef is tastier than goat meat. | Ombelela yongobe oiwa i dule yoshikombo. |
| He is stronger than you. (“He surpasses you in strength.”) | Oku ku dule eenghono. |
| The superlative form is similar to the comparative. Just add the word for “all”. | |
| I am the happiest person. (“I am happier than all.”) | Onda hafa ndi dule aveshe. |
| Beef is the best meat. | Ombelela ongobe oi dule ombelela aishe. |
| Another useful verb for comaparing things is fa (look like, be like, seem like). It is used in the same way as the “feeling” verbs (see Grammar Corner: Feelings). | |
| You look like your mother. Owa fa nyoko. | Owa fa nyoko. |
| You all seem angry. | Omwa fa mwa handuka. |
| She runs like a cheetah. | Oha tondoka a fa etotono. |
| Note the need for the subordinate subject concords in many of the above examples. | |
Exercise 3
Lombwele nge, oto djala shike nena?
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