LANGUAGE GEMS
These are the words that make the learning of a given language quick and easy. Below are some of them and their translations as well as usage in the Kalabari language. We call them "language gems"
Expressing [ above ]
above (as a preposition) = ogono above ( as in comparison) = nengi...
e.g Keep the bag above = Akpa me ke ogono kuroma
No one is above God = Tamuno nengibo ofori
Expressing [ all ]
all + the ... = mamgba all + ( of ) ... = ...mgba
e.g All the men went = Owiapu mamgba ( In ) mum
All of you should come = Ominimgba O bo
Expressing [ at ]
at = bu at (as prep.) = ke at = ani be
e.g Come at 5 O'clock = Sonoa so bu bo
Point it at him = Ani ke O tukuma
At last he went = Ani be kunoma O mum.
Expressing [ as ]
as = bara as = saki
e.g Come as you like = I bi ( bele ) bara bo
As smart as a cat = Posi bu gragra bara
He saw her as he was going = O muari saki Or' Ar' erim
Expressing [ also ]
also = so also = piki
e.g He also went = Or' so O mum.
Expressing [ alone ]
alone = ngeri
e.g Are you alone? = Iyeri ngeri emi
Can you carry it alone? = Iyeri ngeri I inete dogiba
Expressing [ are ] see Auxiliary Verbs
Expressing [ another ]
another = jen
e.g Bring me another shirt = Jen kapa oki bo I piri
Is there another restaurant here? = Munju jen yefi anga emi
Expressing [ and ]
and = na ... (piki) ...na
e.g You and I are going = Iyeri na (piki) Iyeri na muba.
and (+verb ...) = te
e.g Go and take it from him = Mu te O bara ani oki
Expressing [ anything ]
anything = beye beye anything = ye
Expressing [ anyhow ]
anyhow = bebara bebara
Expressing [ anywhere ]
anywhere = be anga be anga.
Expressing [ anytime ]
anytime = be saki be saki
Expressing [ but ]
but = kuma
e.g I called but met your absence = A bom kuma I ofori
Expressing [ before ]
before = treme before = turoko before = late boari before = j'ene
e.g Stand before me! = I turoko se
He left before I arrived = O so treme A bom
They were here before three = In munju bo treme tra so lam
I have seen it before = j'ene Ar' ani erite
Expressing [ because ]
because = gote because = ke gote oko bari ye
e.g We got the job because of you = I gote anee wa korinama me yanaye.
Expressing [ beside ]
beside = akaka beside = agara
e.g Bring the box beside the table = Debile akaka simeari igbe me oki bo.
Expressing [ besides ]
besides = sikimate
e.g Besides this, I don't know anything = Meme sikimate A jen nimia
No one besides God = Tamuno sikimate jen (Tamuno) ofori
Expressing [ can / could ]
can / could = inete can / could = ineba can / could = mimgba
e.g Can you see me this evening? = I inete mi bobiri I eriba
Yes I can = Ee Ar' ineba
I could have flogged you = Mimgba Ar' I fomute
Expressing [ cannot / couldnot ]
cannot / couldnot = inete + (main verb + biya) cannot / couldnot = inebiya
e.g Why can't you see me? = Tiyegote I inete I eribiya
Expressing [ even ]
even = so
e.g Even my taecher was there = I yetolumabo so O mum
Even when I went to see him... = A mu Or' eri ye me so...
Expressing [ ever ]
ever = j'ene ever = gbamaso
e.g Have you ever seen him? = J'ene I Or' erite
I will ever be thankful = Ar' imiete ke I be gbamaso laba.
Expressing [ for ]
for = gbala for = gote
