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Find great Idioms and Euphemisms in Kalabari.
KALABARI IDIOMS
[ egberima ekwen ]
"ama bio na kuroma bio na toluma wirari"
"ama bebe buru, ingeribo buru pakiri"
"alaga okuru inwaite"
"agusi, Or' owi baka kuma In ke O kira sin In mie duko O piriba"
"apana late ye, sibi late."
"akwa kiri poko fiete"
"alabo okolo poku sikia
"alabo duka menji bo bibi pulo pulo.
"aru tein aro"!
Eng: Used to alert any woman whose sitting position exposes her privates.
"bilaribo si piri nimia"
"boko gbain bo, beri gbainyaa"
"edele O bem, furu O nini laa ogbo O ke ingumabia"
"edele O bem O tubo obiari bo be fiim bebe, fiye bote; O piki dumom bebe, Tamuno miete"
"I nimia ye I bu be omongibo"
"ikaki nengima ye buo sun"
"I foite biaa ye, I soo so biabiya"
Eng: What does not get cooked when roasted, will not get cooked when boiled"
"In ejimina bari anga, anana toru beleaa."
Eng: The ewe is never happy where a ram is being killed.
"I ama ibi, I bu kunu"
Eng: Let my town shine and I partake in the glory.
"Ibo so fi, peni so fi"
Eng: Wheither one lies down or lies up, death wil come.
"jumo laye akawai"
"juein tein aro"!
Eng: Used to alert any man whose sitting position exposes his privates.
"kiko ani papa loku lokuari, pelebiya"
"minji sese anga anee ani se bariye"
"naa dinya bo, duko dinya"
Eng: Meaning, a poor listener cannot be a good narrator.
"nama keni keni bara ke nama keni"
"ngeri menji anee ododo ba ye"
"Okolo boko opumbu ba, sibi imgbuluba da"
Eng: The buttocks lets out foul gas, the head gets knocked for it. A man should not be punished for the offence committed by another.
"Okolo ndo treme biye"
Eng: Cleaning up before toileting. An equivallent of puting the cart before the horse.
"Osisa, Or' oyi ma alagba finji olo so Or' inete oboko na se biya."
Eng: Even with twelve guns in its arms, the cocroach is no match to the fowl.
"oru enene"
"ogboko suku simebo, ogoko ibi eriaa
"Obiri O bem, O gote furo dubate bo duka menjiari ye anee imbo osunaa bebe, imbo biyeba"
"si kumbu wari buromam"
Eng: A blunt axe can be of service ( in some situation)
"siri O bem Or' ekirete mangi O soma bo nama goye goye anee O tubo; mangi so nama goye goye anee O na fiyaa bo"
"Tubo dogibo, biobengbo dogiya"
Eng: The one carrying a baby does not carry the mind of the baby.
EUPHEMISMS IN KALABARI
Efemisimi anee fekefeke bara ke ikute ye duko.
English Plain Kalabari Mild kalabari
to die fi igoni doku; saba buro
to eat ye fi bara ke bibi lama
to urinate san kalanga buro
to defecate biye ye iyo mu
to sex eremono gboloma; nimia
be pregnant fura sime kon; akalu buro
more to come...
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