Greetings and introducing in Lango.
In Lango culture, communication which is kubere in Lango language is essential whether formal or informal.
Words are formulated to make sentences and sentences are formulated to make full meaning of what we intend to make, receive or send out.
Communication means kubere in Lango language.
Below are some words related to communication;-
English | Lango |
Greetings and introducing | Mote kede nyute |
Word | Kop/lok |
Words | Kop apol/ Lok apol |
Sentence | Lok/kop |
Sentences | Lok apol/ coc adwong |
Language | Leb |
Languages | Leb apol |
Formulate | Yub/yik |
Poem | Lemo |
Chapter | Tic |
Nyigkop | Words |
Penkop | Topic |
Adwala leb | Tongue twister |
Examples of communications;-
English | Lango |
Lock the window | Pung dirija |
Close the window | Ceg/geng dirija |
Where are you going? | Yin itye wot kwene? |
Come here | Bin kan |
Go there | Wot kuca |
I want water | An amito pi |
Take me to town | Ter an i boma |
Let us go out | Wek wan owot oko |
Are you coming home | Yin i bino pacu |
Greet them for me | Mot gi pi an |
Greetings.
Greeting is very important in Lango culture. Greeting means ‘amot’ in Lango language.
As a sign of respect, boys greet elders by doubling their hands(left hand on right hand wrist) as they shake hands and girls greet by kneeling down.
A person who passes people without greeting them is always talked bad things about.
A person who greets people is said to be a good person always and is given respect by others.
Below are some of the related words used for such people;-
English | Lango |
Good person | Ngat/dano aber. |
Good people | Joo abeco |
Respected | Wore |
Beautiful person | Dano amwonya/acil |
Beautiful people | Joo amwonya/acil |
He is respected. | En o wore. |
a) Greeting one person;
When greeting one person, the word 'yin' is used meaning singular word for ‘you’.
And when answering, the word ‘a/an a’ is used meaning ‘am/i am'.
For example;-
English | Lango |
I am | An a |
Hi | Itye |
Hi | Atye |
In most cases, when the words are translated to Lango language,the arrangement starts from the last word to the first word as seen below;-
1. 2. 3. ? - 3. 2. 1. ?
English | Lango |
How are you? | Yin itye ningo? |
This man | Loni/ le ni. |
That man | Lono/dano no. |
You man | Loni/ le yin. |
I am fine | An atye aber. |
English | Lango | Answer |
How are you? | kop ango /yin itye ningo / oreme? | Kop pe /an atye aber / oreme . |
Good morning? | Ico ningo / Idonyo ningo / Ibutu aber? | Aco aber / adonyo aber / abutu aber. |
Good Afternoon? | Irio ningo? | Ario aber. |
How did you sleep? | Yin I buto ningo? | An a buto aber. |
How was it? | Obedo ningo? | Obedo aber. |
How was the journey? | Yoo o woto ningo? | Yoo o woto aber. |
Hello | Ningo | Ber/Moro pe. |
b) Greeting many people;
Here, many people are greeted by one person or group of people. When greeting many people, the word ‘wu / wun/ wunu’ is added/used meaning plural word for ‘you’.
And when answering, the word ‘o / wan’ is added/used meaning plural word for ‘a/an’ .
For example;-
English | Lango | Answer |
Greetings to you all | Amot bot wun ducu | Ogamo |
How are you all! | Wun ducu itye ningo? | Wan ducu otye aber |
We are all fine | Wan ducu otye aber | Mano ber |
Nice day to you all | Nino aber bot wun ducu | Wan opwoyo |
Good morning? | Ico wunu ningo? / idonyo wunu ningo? / Ibutu wunu ningo? | Wan oco aber / wan odonyo aber / wan obutu aber. |
Good Afternoon? | Irio wunu ningo? | Wan orio aber. |
How did you sleep? | I butu wunu ningo? | Wan o buto aber. |
How are you? | Itye wunu ningo? | Wan otye aber. |
c) Greeting a second person;
A second person in Lango is represented by the word ‘yin kono’ for singular meaning ‘what about you’. And for plural is ‘wun kono’.
And the answer is by adding the word ‘an dang’ for singular meaning ‘i'm also'. And ‘wan dang’ for plural meaning ‘we are also’.
We use the word 'yin kono' at the beginning of the sentence to greet a person as a second person.
English | Lango | Answer |
I am also fine | An dang atye aber | Mano ber |
We are also fine | Wan dang otye aber | Mano ber |
They are also fine | Gin dang tye aber | Mano ber |
How are you all | Wun ducu itye ningo | Wan ducu otye aber |
What about them | Gin kono? | Gin dang tye aber. |
What about you? | Wun kono? | Wan dang/wan pe |
What about you? | Yin kono? | An dang/An pe. |
Good morning to you? | Yin kono ico ningo? | An dang aco aber. |
Good Afternoon to you? | Yin kono irio ningo? | An dang ario aber. |
How are you? | Yin kono itye ningo? | An dang atye aber. |
How did you sleep? | Yin kono ibuto ningo? | An dang abutu aber. |
d) Greeting a third person;
Third person is referred to as ‘en' for singular meaning ‘he/she’.
And ‘gin’ for plural meaning ‘them/they’. Hence, we use the word ‘en/gin’ at the beginning of a sentence to refer to a third person.
For example;-
English | Lango | Answer |
How is that person ? | Dano no tye ningo? | Dano ni tye aber |
They are fine | Gin tye aber | Mano ber |
How are they? | Gin tye ningo? | Gin tye aber |
How is she/he? | En tye ningo? | En tye aber |
This person is fine | Dano ni tye aber | Mano ber |
Good morning to them? | Oco gini ningo? /obuto gini ningo? / odonyo gini ningo? | Oco gini aber /obuto gini aber /odonyo gini aber. |
Good Afternoon to them? | Orio gini ningo? | Orio gini aber. |
How did they sleep? | Obuto gini ningo? | Obuto gini aber. |
Introduction
An introduction is important when you meet somebody new. It is the first step to get to know somebody and for them to get to know you. Introduction means nyute in Lango language.
Luckily, introductions are usually made up of a few fixed phrases that you will find in the tables below!
English | Lango |
---|---|
I am called Victor | An o lwonga Victor |
And you? | Yin kono? |
May I know you please ? | An atwero ngeyo nga i bedo? |
I am Marcello | An abedo Marcello |
Hello! | Itye? Kobi? |
How are things moving? | Jami tye a wot ningo? |
What's your name? | Yin nyingi nga? |
My name is Omara. | An nyinga Omara. |
An important person. | Abembem / Oluma |
Man / mister / male. | Icoo / Olee |
Furthering a Conversation
After you have learnt somebody's name, it's a good idea to get to know them more.
Below are some useful questions that can be used to start a conversation after first introductions.
English | Lango |
---|---|
What do you do? | Ngo ame i timo? |
Where do you work? | Yin i tio kwene? |
What brings you here? | Ngo okelo yin kan? |
Where are-you from? | Yin i yaa i kwene? |
How old are you? | Mwaka ni tye adi? |
What do you do for fun? | Yin i timo ngo me yomyic/galo wang/ namu? |
Ending an Introduction
When your first conversation with somebody comes to an end, there are many different ways you can say goodbye to them.
Below are more examples in the table;-
English | Lango |
---|---|
Nice to meet you | Ber me rwate kedi |
Nice to meet you too | Ber me rwate kedi dang |
Nice to see you | Ber me neni |
Where have you been | Onwongo yin itye kwene |
I have been here | An onwongo atye kan |
It-was nice meeting you. | Onwongo ber me rwate kedi. |
Let us keep in touch. | Wek wan omede kede kubere. |
We shall keep in touch. | Wan o mede i kubere. |
We shall meet again. | Wan o rwate doki. |
Let us get-together again some time. | Wek wan onwongere/orwate doki ikare moro. |
Here is my number 012345678. | Man en namba na 012345678. |
Let us go for a coffee drink. | Wek wan owoti me mato mwony. |
Do-you want us to meet again maybe next week? | Yin imito wan me rwate doki i kareokene cabit abino? |
Take care! | Bed aber / yin aber / gwokere aber! |
I hope to see you soon. | An ageno me neno yin acegi. |
It-has been a pleasure to meet you, we will speak again soon. | Onwongo obedo me yomcuny me rwate kedi,wan pwod olok doki acegi. |
Introducing a friend
You can talk about somebody to people or a friend in a nice way so that they get to know your friend.
Below are more examples in the table;-
English | Lango |
---|---|
This is my-friend | Man obedo awota |
Her-name is Mary | Nyinge obedo Mary |
She comes from Lira City | En yaa i Lira Citi |
She is good | En ber |
We stay together | Wan obedo karacel. |
This is Akello | Man obedo Akello. |
May i introduce to you Akello? | An atwero nyuto Akello boti? |
Akello is my friend. | Akello obedo awota. |
We work with Akello. | Wan otio kede Akello. |