lugbara 101

Sorry no clicking in this language, but it’s still so much fun to learn! The Lugbara people LOVE to hear you practice their tongue. And they are more than willing to help/teach you. Our house helper, Jesca, and I sometimes have the opportunity to trade words… I give them to her in Spanish, and she to me in Lugbara. She tells me that Spanish is too hard and that Lugbara is way easier. I’ll let you be the judge of that!

Here we go (this good practice for me too. DOUBLE WAMMY!)…

Azi mi chi chi: I greet you.
Azi mi indi: I greet you as well.
Mi ngoni? : How are you?
Ma muke: I am okay.
Kani mi?: And you?
Mi ala?: Are you fine?
Ma ala: I am fine.
Mi ru adi’i?: What is your name?
Ma ru Brigette’i: My name is Brigette.
Mi enga ngoa ya?: Where do you come from?
Ma enga Amerikaa: I come from America .
Mi mungua?: You are going where?
Ma mu akua: I am going home.
Mi eli si ya?: How old are you?
Ma eli kale iri drini alu: I am 21 years.
Ma chandisi: I am sorry.
A wadi foo: Thank you.
Ma a’i ra: I receive your thanks.
Nyaka aluzuru: Food is good.
Yi: Water.
Yezu: Jesus.
Mungu: God.
Aje di si ya: Price this how much?
Lugbara ti were were: Speak little little Lugbara.
Eh (or eyebrow raise): Yes.
Yo: No.
A manga a manera: I will see you again shortly.
Eri: He, she, or it.
One- ten: alu, iri, na, su, towi, azia, aziri, aro, oromi, mudri.

This is all I know so far; okay, I confess… I had to peek a few times at my index cards! I am not useless though many in Uganda speak some English, BUT not American English. It’s AFRICAN English. I wish I could explain how this sounds to you, but I’m still trying to figure it out myself. It IS English… just with a whole lot of African accent in it to spice it up a bit. You have to try to pick it up from locals or you’re done for it! My first attempt at this African English was embarrassing. It probably sounded something like my Colombian grandmother trying to speak English. Anyways besides the language itself, it’s hard to talk to locals. You never really know what to talk about. I know what the typical American conversations look like and what the right questions to ask are, but it’s different here. When you think you got a good question, the answer they give you is completely irrelevant or they just repeat it to you… which probably means they have no clue what you are talking about. So you smile and pretend you know what’s going on. It’s frustrating. Yesterday I caught myself telling a friend “I wish I was one of them” because I want to relate, talk, and share with them so badly. Then I thought about good ol’ America, and how I am “one of them” there, yet I fail miserably at taking advantage of that. I’m not sure if it’s something you have to experience for yourself in order to truly appreciate speaking the same language as your neighbor or maybe to even know how to make a friend. Apparently, it was a day of thinking for me because I was then reminded about the life of Jesus-a life full of hardships, and how through him not only can I relate to the struggling Lugbara people but I can also offer hope.

I pray that wherever you are, you will “make the most of every opportunity (and) let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” –Colossians 4:5-6

Please pray the same for missionaries across the world. That we may be able to learn the language of those around us, that we may be able to make friends who we can share truth with.

Ma di doa mu ba! (I’m going now)