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umbilicar cordŋkʉ-nɛtɔŋforme comp. non-spéc deŋkʉ2 1cordnɛtɔŋnavelsyn.numbilical cord
umbrellaguplɛnumbrellaPɛ́ lɔ ŋ́kẅípɛ guplɛ ŋká yi mbʉŋ lɔ́nɛ.One covers up with an umbrella when it rains.
umbrella shaftŋkɔŋ-guplɛforme comp. non-spéc deŋkɔŋ 1pounding stickguplɛumbrellasyn.numbrella shaft
unblockńtɔŋtɛv.t unblock or unclogPɛ́ lɔ ńtɔŋtɛ ntsɛ́llɛ́ tsɛt kɛ́p-ndapaꞋ.One unclogs the dirt in a tabacco pipe.
uncharitable personkɛjímbúŋforme comp. non-spéc dekɛ́1NEG(future); NEG(future)ńjíknowmbúŋpoorn.cuncharitable person, ScroogeKɛjímbúŋ, páꞋ ntsɔ́ŋ, lɔɔ ńtsáa mɛjʉ́ŋ pɔ́.A Scrooge, like a thief, never has pity.
uncleankí 1nritually unclean person Kí lɔ ńnɛn nɛ́ mɛndẅí ɛ́pá.The ritually unclean persons walks with two suits of clothing. (for he/she discards what he/she is wearing during the traditional purification rites at the fon's palace)Denotes a person whose spouse has died with a swollen belly. This would be true of a man whose wife died while pregnant or a of women whose husband died while suffering from edema of the abdomen or even of other parts of the body.
uncleannessmɛzɛmnuncleannessYúu mɛzɛmQuelques choses que tu ne veux même pas toucher parce que ça peut te porte malheur.
unconditionalníinɛ́ 2adjunconditionalTǎa lɔ ńgá tyɔt níinɛ mbɔ̌ mɔ́ɔ nɛ.A father gives fonds (with which to do something) unconditional to his son.
uncooperativeńtswɛn 2v.statbe uncooperative
uncutmúꞋadjuncut, wholeA nʉŋ nɛpɔꞋ múꞋ, ɛ́ sáanɛ́.He/she stepped on the uncut squash and it split open.
undernɛtsɛ́n 4prépunder, at the foot ofsyntsaŋ1
undercooked(stative verb)ŋ́gɛ́pv.stat be undercooked or poorly cooked
understandingnɛzúꞋ 2nunderstanding
undisciplined manner, act in anŋ́gáꞋlɛ́ 2v.statact in an undisciplined manner
undisciplined persongáꞋ1 2dér.deŋ́gáꞋlɛ́ 2act in an undisciplined mannernnickname for a person who is undisciplined, reckless and disobedient, who is totally lacking self-control
unexpectedkɛ́zẅíꞋlɛadj.vunexpectedƐ́ ka pɔ́ ŋgap yine pɛtrɛ́nja kɛ́zẅíꞋlɛ́ tɔ́ ńtsɛ́Ꞌlɛ́ wu.It was last week that unexpected guests came to greet you.
unfertilized eggmɛlununfertilized eggMɔ̂ŋgɛ́p nyɔ kɛ mɔ̂ŋkʉ̈ɔꞋ mbuu mɛ́ pɔ́ pɔ mɛlu.When a hen lays without a rooster, her eggs are only unfertilized ones.
unfinishedkɛmɛkadj.vunfinishedFaꞋ kɛmɛk ká pɔŋ.Unfinished work is not good.
unfortunatepʉ́ktúvar.dial. depɛ́ktú 1bad_luckn.cunfortunate person
unhang (clothes)ŋ́kyɛt 2v.tunhang (take down) (clothers off a hook or hanger).
unhook
uniformtáꞋ ntɛ́ (ndẅí)dér.dentɛ́2uniformLúŋ lɔ ḿmaꞋ táꞋ ntɛ́ ndẅí.A dance group dresses in a uniform.
uniform, schoolndẅí-sɛkútforme comp. non-spéc dendẅí 2sɛkútschoolsyn.nschool uniformMbɔ́ŋkʉ̈ɔ lɔ ḿmaꞋ ndẅi-sɛkút la ŋ́gʉ sɛkút nɛzíꞋ yúu.
uniontɛmtɛdér.deńtɛmtɛcome_together, mixnunion
unitndaaquantunit for counting very long, narrow things like mushrooms with the root, strings/threads and hairsNdaa-gwúꞋ sak ńtsa ndaa-paŋpɔꞋOne 'enormous' mushroom is longer than a 'yellow' one.ntáꞋnunit of measure for long thingsndyɔŋ ntáꞋ yɛ́taafive raphia palm polesfukɛ́ ntáꞋ yɛ́pátwo bamboo polesmɛtʉ́ ntáꞋ yɛ́tátthree trees
unit of yam or sweet potatonduŋnunit for counting a harvest of yams or sweet potatoes (the whole pant with the tuber before separating them from the mother plant for sale)Pɛ́ laa ɛ́faktɛ nɛlʉ̈ɔꞋ nǔu nduŋ yɛ́, pfuꞋ ńtsʉ́Ꞌ nduu.When on separates the (edible part of) water yam from the whole, the rest of it becomes the seed (the cutting for planting).
unit, sphericaltáa1n.quantspherical unit (for counting things that are generally round), fruitmáŋgul táa pɛtaacinq mangues
unitytáꞋntsun.cunityTáꞋntsu pík ndɔɔ ḿbík ŋgáa.Unity wipes out cursing and divination.
unlucky personŋgaŋmbalɔk 1dér.dembalɔknunlucky personPɔ́ɔ-ŋgaŋmbalɔk lɔɔ ŋ́gʉ mbi pɔ́. Children of an unlucky person never get ahead.
unriopepɔ́t 1mod.nunripeThe noun class changes with the noun it modifies.
unripekɛ́paŋadj.vunripe, greenpukú 1nunripePukú zɔ̌ɔ.Unripe African plum.kɛtʉʉadj.vnot yet mature, unripeOften used in reference to corn or plantains that are not ready to be harvested.ŋkǐŋki 1var. lib.var. lib.tsitsǐnunripe (not yet dry)Mɔ́nzɔ ŋkǐiŋki.Unride (watery) groundnut/peanutUsed for things which need to dry before consumption, like groundnuts (peanuts), corn (maize) even avocado (a bit).
unripe nut or grainncʉ̈ɔ 1nunripe nut or grainTsɔ́Ꞌ ncʉ̈ɔ-ŋgɛsáŋ ɛ́ pɛ́t kɛ́ tʉʉ.An unripe ear of corn is not yet hard.refers only to palm nuts, peanuts or ears of corn
unsubmissivetɛtúꞋŋkipɛlʉʉcmp.deńtúꞋdrawŋki2 1waterndʉʉ 1vampiredér.deńtúꞋdrawŋki2 1waterndʉʉ 1vampireexpr.id.deńtúꞋdrawŋki2 1waterndʉʉ 1vampiren.c.qinsult used against s.o. who doesn't follow ordersMɔ́ɔ wa kɛtúꞋŋkipɛlʉʉ. N túu wɛ́, á lʉꞋ.This child is rebelious. I sent him (on an errand) and he refused.
untie(serveral things)ŋ́kyɛ́Ꞌtɛ 1vuntie several items
untiltɛconjuntil ; to the point of ; so that, so much that
unwillinglyḿmɛɛ1aux.advunwillingly, grudginglyA fyɛ́t wɛ́ nɛ́ sẅíŋɛ tɛ a mɛɛ ḿbɛ́m.He compelled him with words so that he unwillingly accepted.
unwillingly, dońcíitɛ mbʉʉv.tdo something against one's will
unwrap(verb)ɛ́fiiv.tunwrap, openPɛ́ lɔ ɛ́fii nɛpúꞋ-kɔkíi la ŋ́kwɛ́t.The ball of koki bean is unwrapped before eating.
upkɔ́ŋaavar. lib.kɔ́ŋɛprép.dirup, uphill
uppermost handntsaŋtʉ́nuppermost hand in a bunch of plantains
uprootḿmuꞋ 1vuprootA muꞋ mɛgí kɛpɔŋ.He uprooted some weeds.
uproot(verb)
uswɛ́k 2pn.obj.exclus (exclusive = and not you)
used clothingtsʉꞋmaꞋn.cused clothing
uselessnessmbúꞋ 2mod.nuselessness, useless
use sparinglyŋ́ŋɔꞋv use sparingly, take in small quantitiessynɛ́sɛ́plɛ́ 1
us(incl)wɛ́kŋɛ 2pn.obj.inclus (inclusive)
usurperjʉɔmpfún.cusurper Jʉɔmpfú lɔ ńjʉɔ nu, ńtíi ḿbiꞋ.A usurper sees an affair and appropriates it for himself.njʉ́ɔ mpfúdér.deńjʉ́ɔmpfúexpr.id.deńjʉ́ɔmpfún.cusurper of the goods or authority of anotherThis expression is also often applied to s.o. who takes advantage of a distraction to steal another's goods.
utter nonsenseńtswaŋtɛ mɛnucmp.deńtswaŋweave haphazardlynu2question, affair, problemdér.deńtswaŋweave haphazardlynu2question, affair, problemex.id.recount things that make no sensePɛ́ gẅɛɛ ntsɔ́ŋ, a tswaŋtɛ mɛnu.The thief gets caught, he recounts things that make no sense.