right (correct)
-tambunuka (e.g. kwaka- tambunuka: it is correct); alt. -lulwama (e.g. kwaka-lulwama).
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English-Kalanga Quick Reference Dictionary
Search English headwords and Kalanga equivalents from the draft bilingual dictionary.
Dictionary entries
4719 entries
right direction
ludli (Nya.); luji (Lil.).
Suggest a correctionright hand
ludli (Nya.); luji (Lil.).
Suggest a correctionright here
ipapa.
Suggest a correctionright now
ngwenu; alt. ngwenuwali.
Suggest a correctionrighteousness
ndulamo.
Suggest a correctionrind
nyenyengwa.
Suggest a correctionring
lidza.
Suggest a correctionring
n. ndalama.
Suggest a correctionrings
n. dzindalama.
Suggest a correctionringworm
kulu (Nya.); ikulu (Lil.).
Suggest a correctionrinse
dzungudza.
Suggest a correctionrip open
gabula.
Suggest a correctionripe, ripen (or be well cooked)
yibva (Nya.); bidwa (Lil.); (cause to ripen or mature: yibvisisa (Nya. ); bidwisisa (Lil.)).
Suggest a correctionripening
hanyuka (Nya.); shanyuka (Lil.).
Suggest a correctionrise
kukumuka (esp. by a large crowd).
Suggest a correctionrise early
phakela; alt. mukila.
Suggest a correctionriver
1. gwizi (gen.). 2. kwizana (usu. small river: see also stream and rivulet).
Suggest a correctionriver bank
mhili (Nya.); phili (Lil.).
Suggest a correctionrivers
njizi.
Suggest a correctionrivulet
lukoba; alt. lukobana (the smallest size).
Suggest a correctionroad
1. zila (gen.). 2. mwahha (Nya.). 3. ng'wazha (Lil.) (wide open road, a highway or dirt, gravel road). 4. ndibilidza (specifically a freeway without stops).
Suggest a correctionroads
zila.
Suggest a correctionroar
kuma; alt. bomba (e.g. of a lion roaring); bhong'a (coloq.).
Suggest a correctionRoar (as of a lion)
bomba.
Suggest a correctionroast
1. gotja (if directly on fire). 2. kanga (if using a pan).
Suggest a correctionrobot
robothi alt. robthoti (sing.); marobothi alt. marobhothi (usu. used for a traffic control light as well as an electromechanical industrial or other AI robot).
Suggest a correctionrock
bgwe.
Suggest a correctionrock lizard
gululu.
Suggest a correctionrock lizards
makululu.
Suggest a correctionrock monitor lizard
mbulugwizi.
Suggest a correctionrock rabbits
mbila (see also porridge).
Suggest a correctionrocks
mabgwe.
Suggest a correctionroll (to)
bumbuluka.
Suggest a correctionroll along
kunguludza.
Suggest a correctionroll down
kunguludza; kunguluka.
Suggest a correctionroll over
pituka.
Suggest a correctionroll up
kanya (as the legs of a pair of trousers or of shirt sleeves).
Suggest a correctionrolling (on the ground)
bumbuluka.
Suggest a correctionrondavel
1. rondaveli (Nya. coloq.). 2. rantafuli (Lil. coloq.).
Suggest a correctionroof
1. denga (n.; overhead covering of a house). 2. pfulila (n. as in to install a roof).
Suggest a correctionroof (v.)
pfulila (Nya.); thulila (Lil.).
Suggest a correctionroof poles
mhanda (Nya.); phanda (Lil.).
Suggest a correctionroofer
mpfulili (Nya.); nthulili (Lil.).
Suggest a correctionroofs
matenga (n.).
Suggest a correctionroom
ng'umba.
Suggest a correctionrooms
dzing'umba.
Suggest a correctionroot
1. ndzii. 2. ndzi (n.). 3. dzikila (v.).
Suggest a correctionroots
midzi (n.).
Suggest a correctionrope
ntjili; nswungo; ntambo (coloq.).
Suggest a correctionropes
miswungo.
Suggest a correctionrot
1. bola. 2. kwaka bola (is rotten). 3. bodzeka (to cause rot).
Suggest a correctionrotten egg
tjimimila.
Suggest a correctionrough sketching
bhonyongedza.
Suggest a correctionrough surface
makwapa (as the body of a reptile).
Suggest a correctionroundnuts
nyimo.
Suggest a correctionrow
kodzonga (as in row a rowboat).
Suggest a correctionrub eye
swokosa.
Suggest a correctionrub hard
toba; alt. thoba; alt. sirila.
Suggest a correctionrub off
swubula.
Suggest a correctionThis is a draft edition for public comment and correction. Entry wording and dialect labels follow The Bulilima-Mangwe Institute of Technology Comprehensive Bilingual English-TjiKalanga Quick Reference Dictionary (PDF edition). © Ndzimu-unami Emmanuel Moyo 2026.