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Culture » Rutooro Language Lessons
This lesson in the Rutooro language of western Uganda introduces you to some basic greetings between men and women, both old and young. Greetings are an essential part of everyone's day in Tooro. Greetings between two people can be elaborate and last several minutes, or even as long as a quarter of an hour. When asked how long it took him to walk to school every morning, teacher Moses Musinguzi answered, "It depends on how many people I greet."
Oraire ota: How are you this morning? (2:05)
Morning to you: oraire oh-rah-EE-ray
Greetings to you: ota OH-tah
Among the Tooro, saying just "oraire ota" as a greeting would seem abrupt and almost rude. Other than in a very casual and passing moment, one would always add an acknowledgement of who the other person is. The Tooro are endlessly careful about recognizing, honoring, and inquiring after each other.
In the next spoken segment you will learn how to greet an older woman, an older man, and a younger woman. Generally speaking, the more-respected person in an exchange receives the first greeting, and responds to the greeter from a higher level or equal level. For example, a schoolgirl would greet her teacher as an older and more respected woman, and the teacher would respond with a greeting to the younger woman or girl.
Oraire ota, mu kaikuru: How are you this morning, madam? (5:45)
Older woman: omukaikuru oh-moo kah-ee-KOO-roo
Older man: omugurusi oh-moo goo-ROO-see
Younger woman or girl: omuisiki oh-moo ee-SEE-kee
Younger man or boy: omwoojo oh-moo OOH-jo
Child: aana AAH-na
Person: mu moo
You person: omu oh-moo
Good morning, respected woman: oraire ota, omukaikuru
How are you this morning, sir? oraire ota, 'mugurusi
Young woman, how are you feeling this morning? Oraire ota, muisiki
Young man, how are you this morning? Oraire ota, omuwoojo
Child, good morning to you: Oraire ota, omu aana
Best of the morning to you, schoolchilren: Oraire ota, ab aana
This next segment teaches you how to respond to a morning greeting. The R sound in Rutooro can often sound like an L sound instead. This seems to be the case more often when the R is bracketed by vowels, as in the word for "good", "kurungi".
Ndaire kurungi: I'm doing well (3:44)
My morning: ndaire nn-dah-EE-ray
Good, well, fine: kurungi koo-ROO-nn-gee
I'm well this morning: ndaire kurungi
I'm fine, my dear lady: ndaire kurungi, mu kaikuru
I'm having a good morning, sir: ndaire kurungi, mu gurusi
I'm doing very well, young woman: ndaire kurungi, mu isiki
Greetings among people in the afternoon and evening are different from those in the morning.
Osibire ota: Good afternoon (evening) (5:39)
Your afternoon or evening: osibire oh-SEE-BEE-ray
Greetings to you: ota OH-tah
My afternoon or evening: nsibire nn-SEE-BEE-ray
Are you have a good afternoon? osibire ota
Thank you, doing fine this afternoon, young woman: nsibire kurungi, mu isiki
Yes, I'm doing well this afternoon, sir: nsibire kurungi, mu gurusi
Doing well, ma'am: nsibire kurungi, mu kaikuru
This segment covers informal greetings among friends using pet names, which are called "empaako" in Rutooro. There are about a dozen empaakos in general use and many more that are less used. It is said that these names were introduced centuries ago into the Rutooro and Runyoro languages of western Uganda by invading Luo tribespeople from western Kenya. Empaakos are assigned to Tooro children soon after birth in elaborate ceremonies that feature particular special foods including millet cakes. Other people including visitors from abroad may have empaakos bestowed on them later in life, always with some ceremony. One never chooses one's empaako; all are assigned by respected elders of the community. Each empaako has a meaning that implies high praise of some form or other. Children always address their parents by empaako names. Friends address each other using them. (See this page for empaakos of Kasiisi School staff.)
Ota Abwooli: How are you, my friend? (6:04)
Pet name: empaako em-PAAH-koh
What is yours? yawe YAAH-way
What is your pet name? empaako yawe em-PAAH-koh YAAH-way
And what is yours? kandi e yawe KAHN-dee eh YAAH-way
Some popular empaakos:
abooki ah-BOO-kee ... piglike, active, intelligent
abwooli ah-BWOO-lee ... catlike, caring, womanly - the generic empaako for girls
acaali ah-CHAA-lee ... of the kings
adyeeri ahd-YEE-ree ... happy, friendly, laughing
akiiki ah-KEE-kee ... brave one, savior of nations
amooti ah-MOO-tee ... royal
apuuli ah-PWOO-lee ... doglike, manly - the generic empaako for boys
araali ah-RAH-lee ... like lightning and thunder
ateenyi ah-TEE-nyee ... wise as the serpent of the River Muziizi
atwooki ah-TWOO-kee
ocaali oh-CHAA-lee
How are you, my friend? ota abwooli
I'm fine, my friend: kurungi, amooti
There are several ways to say goodbye and farewell in Rutooro.
Kangende, chaali: I have to leave now, my friends (7:27)
I must say goodbye: kankuragi kah-nn-koo-RAH-gee
We must say goodbye: kanbaragi kah-nn-bah-RAH-gee
I must depart: kangende kah-nn-GENN-day
We must depart: mugende moo-GENN-day
My dear or dears, my colleague(s), friend(s): chaali CHAA-lee
Goodbye to one other person: ogorobe oh-go-ROH-bay
Goodbye to two or more other people: mugorobe moo-go-ROH-bay
Be well, stay well, everyone: mu e kaali kurungi moo eh kaa-lee koo-ROO-nn-gee
Go well, safe journey, everyone: mugende kurungi moo-GENN-day koo-ROO-nn-gee
This Rutooro lesson covers arriving and departing, coming and going.
Ninyija mtaweni: I'm coming to town (7:29)
I am coming: ninyija nee-NYEE-jah
To town or in town: mtaweni mm-TAH-way-nee
Monday: balaza bah-LAH-zah
We are coming: nitwija nee-TWEE-jah
You (one person) are coming: nwoija nn-WOH-ee-jah
To home or at home (for one person): omuka oh-MWOO-kah
You (several people) are coming: nimwijja nee-MWEE-jah
They are coming: nibweijja nee-BWAY-ee-jah
He or she is coming: naijja na-EE-jah
Ningenda balaza: I'm leaving on Monday (9:06)
I am going: ningenda nee-nn-GEN-dah
We are going: nitugenda nee-too-GEN-dah
They are going: nibbagenda nee-bwah-GEN-dah
He or she is going: nagenda na-GEN-dah
This Rutooro lesson covers possessives, which are considerably more complex than in English. The possessives listed below are only the simplest forms for each. Forms vary depending on the associated object, with respect to size (large or small), number (one or many), and whether the object is a person or not. This lesson has only some of the variations.
Ekitaabu kaitu: Our book (11:10)
My or mine: kange KAH-nn-gay
Your or yours (one person owning): iwe EE-way
His or hers: ike EE-kay
Our or ours: yaitu yah-EE-too
Your or yours (several people owning): yawe YAH-way
Their or theirs: yabbo YAH-boh
Pen: akachuumu ah-kah-CHOO-moo
Daughter: omuhara oh-moo-HAH-rah
Young woman or girl: omuisiki oh-moo-ee-SEE-kee
Young man or boy: omwojjo oh-MWOH-joh
Elephant: enjojo enn-JOH-joh
Book: ekitaabu eh-kee-TAH-boo
Give me or give to me: impa im-pah
This Rutooro lesson takes you - a teacher - to a primary school where you will meet children in a classroom and start teaching them a reading lesson.
Kubaaza habyo kusoma: Talking about reading (18:40, 35mb)
How are all of you: muli muta moo-lee MOO-tah
Children: abaana ah-BAH-nah
How are you (to one person): oly ota oh-lee OH-tah
How are you this morning, young woman: oraire ota mu isiki oh-ra-EE-ray OH-tah moo ee-SEE-kee
How are all of you this morning: muraire muta moo-ra-EE-ray MOO-ta
I am fine this morning: ndaire kurungi nn-dah-EE-ray koo-ROO-nn-gee
We are fine this morning: tuaire kurungi too-ah-EE-ray koo-ROO-nn-gee
Teacher: omusomesa oh-moo-so-MEH-sah
I am fine: ndi kurungi nn-dee koo-ROO-nn-gee
We are fine: tuuli kurungi too-lee koo-ROO-nn-gee
Visitors: abagenyi ah-bah-GEH-nn-yee
One visitor: omugenyi oh-moo-GEH-nn-yee
Foreigners, white people: abajungu ah-bah-JOO-nn-goo
One foreigner or white person: omujungu oh-moo-JOO-nn-goo
[They are] welcomed here: abaizire ah-bah-ee-ZEE-ray
I am pleased or happy: nsemereirwe nn-seh-meh-reh-EE-roo-way
To see [all of you]: kubaroora ku-bah-ROH-rah
To see: kuroora ku-ROH-rah
We are pleased or happy: tusemereirwe tu-seh-meh-reh-EE-roo-way
To come or arrive: kwijja KWEE-jah
Name: ibaara ee-BAH-rah
My name: ibaara yange ee-bah-rah YAH-nn-gay
What is your role or position (who are you)? nyiwe oha nyee-way OH-ha
My role or position is (I am a): ninyowe nee-NYOH-way
All of you sit down: mweekare mwee-KAH-ray
On that spot, where you are: hansi HAH-nn-see
Today: kirokinu kee-roh-KEE-noo
I would like, I want: ningonza nee-nn-GOH-nn-zah
To talk, to discuss: kubaaza koo-BAH-zah
On, atop, over: ha hah
The area of or topic: ebyo EH-bee-yo
On the topic of, about (ha + ebyo): habyo HAH-bee-yo
Reading, to read: kusoma koo-SOH-mah
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