NAHAU ZA KISWAHILI NA MAANA ZAKE

Kumpa mtu ukweli wake                  =>  Kumwambia mtu wazi [to be transparent]
Pua kukaribiana kushikana na uso     =>  Kukunja uso kwa hasira [to express anger]
Sina hali                                            => Sijiwezi  [I am helpless (mostly when talking about love)]
Kupiga uvivu                                     => Kukaa tu bila kazi [abject laziness]
Kupiga kubwa                                   =>  Kwenda moja kwa moja [vanishing act]
Kumwekea mtu deko                         =>   Kulipiza  kisasi [pay back]
Mtu mwenye ndimi mbili                     =>  Kigeugeu  [A turncoat]
Miamba ya mitishamba                       => Wanga hodari wa kienyeji [ expert wizardry]
Kupiga supu                                       => Tegea  [do the least]
Kupiga mali shoka                              => Gawana  [distribute (contraband, bullion, inheritance]
Amekula chumvi nyingi          =>Ameishi miaka mingi [lived a long life]
Ahadi ni deni                          =>Timiza ahadi yako [be trustworthy; keep your promise]
Amewachukua wazee wake    => Anawatunza vizuri wazazi wake [taking good care of parents]
Amekuwa popo                      -=>Yu kigeugeu [ a turncoat]
Amevaa miwani                      =>Amelewa pombe [chakari] [inebriation, a drunkard]

Kuchungulia  kaburi                 =>Kunusurika kifo   [saved from a worse fate]
Fyata mkia                              => Nyamaza [keep silent]
Fimbo zimemwota mgongoni    =>Ana alama ya mapigo ya Fimbo mgongoni [birching scars on                                                         ones' back]
Hamadi kibindoni                    =>Akiba iliyopo kibindoni [savings for a rainy day]
Hawapikiki chungu kimoja       =>Hawapatani kamwe !  [always at loggerheads]
Kupika majungu                      => Kufanya mkutano wa siri [conspire a secret meeting]
Kumpiga [kumvika] kilemba cha ukoka   =>  Kumsifu mtu kwa unafiki [kinafiki] [paying lip service]
Kula mlungula                          => Kula rushwa [receiving a bribe]
Kupelekwa miyomboni            => Kutiwa [kupelekwa] jandoni [performing circumcision]
Kujipalia mkaa                         => Kujitia matatani [get yourself in trouble]
Amekuwa mwalimu                => Yu msemaji sana  [a talkative person]
Amemwaga unga                     => Amefukuzwa kazi [ dismissed from employment]
Ana ulimu wa upanga               =>Ana maneno makali  [biting words]
Ameongezwa unga                  => Amepandishwa cheo [promoted]
Agizia risasi                             =>Piga risasi  [shoot!]
Chemsha bongo                      => Fikiri kwa makini  [think analytically]
Kumeza [zea] mate                  => Kutamani   [to crave for]
Kumuuma mtu sikio                 => Kumnong'oneza mtu jambo la siri [tell a secret to someone]
Kumpa nyama ya ulimi             =>Kumdanganya mtu kwa maneno matamu [using wiles to tell lies]
Kumchimba mtu                      => Kumpeleleza mtu siri yake  to dig one's secrets]
Kutia chumvi  katika mazungumzo  =>  Kuongea habari za uwongo [tell lies]
Vunjika moyo                          =>  Kata tamaa [give up]
Utawala msonga                               => Utawala wa wachache [leadership of the few]
Usiwe nyang'au                                 => Usidhulumu kwa kutumia madaraka
                                                                [Don't use your position to exploit others]
usiwe Kikaragosi                              =>  Usiwe chui katika ngozi ya kondoo
                                                                [Don't be a sheep in a leopard's skin]
Umangimeza                                     =>  Viongozi wanaopenda kuamrisha watu [a Dictatorship]
Kutoa ya mwaka                               => Kufanya jambo zuri na la pekee [performing a unique act]
Kula vumbi                                         => Pata taabu   [struggle]
Mafungulia ng'ombe                            => Kati ya saa mbili na saa tatu
                                                                   [between 8.00  and 9.00 o'clock
Kutia kiraka                                        => Fichia siri [confiante]
Kumlainisha mtu                                  -=> Kumzungumzia mtu maneno

Yalimkata maini                       - Yalimtia uchungu  [emotional pain]
Kujikosoa                               => Kujisahihisha  [correct your ways]
Kutia utambi                            => Kuchochea ugomvi  [convince someone to fight]
Kumeza maneno                      => Kutunza siri moyoni  [to keep a secret]
Kula njama                              => Kufanya mkutano wa siri [to conspire a secret meeting]
Kumkalia mtu kitako                => Kumsema/kumsengenya  [to talk about someone]
Kupiga vijembe                        => Kumsema mtu kwa fumbo [use idioms to talk about someone]
Kiinua mgongo                         => Malipo ya pongezi/uzeeni [pension]
Kazi ya majungu                       => Kazi ya kumpatia mtu posho [hand to mouth existence]
Kaza kamba                             => Usikate tamaa - [never give up!]
Kumwonyesha mgongo             =>  Kujificha - [to hide]
Kuona cha mtema kuni             =>  Kupata mateso [torture]
Maneno ya uwani                     => Maneno yasiyo na maana/porojo  -  [hyperbole !]
Mate ya fisi                              =>  Kata tamaa kupita kiasi - [give up totally !]
Mbiu ya Mgambo                     => Tangazo [advertisement]
Mungu amemnyooshea kidole   => Mungu amemuadhibu -  [God's punishment]
Mkubwa jalala                          => Kila  lawama hupitia kwa mkubwa -
                                                       [The eldest is the Dumping ground!]
Mkaa jikoni                               => Mvivu wa kutembea -  [a stay at home person]
Mungu si Athumani                    -=>Mungu hapendelei [God is fair]
Ndege mbaya                            => Bahati mbaya [bad luck]
Paka mafuta kwa mgongo wa chupa => Danganya [telling lies]
 Usiwe kabaila                                  => Usichume tokana na jasho la mwingine [Don't exploit others]
Usiwe kupe                                      =>  Fanya kazi [be gainfully employed]
Usiwe bwanyenye                             =>  Usichume kwa vitega uchumi vyako [don't be a capitalist!]
Usiwe na mrija                                  =>  Usinyonye wenzako  [don't be exploitative]

METHALI ZA KIUTANDAWAZI(GLOBAL -PROVERBS)

1.Ada ya mja hunena muungwana ni kitendo

Kutokana na tabia ya kibinadamu, mtu hutambulika kwa uungwana wake kwa vitendo vyake wala siyo kwa mavazi, maumbile au maneno ayasemay

Public opinion maintains, a gentleman is judged by his actions. (Manners make man; or Handsome is as handsome does).

2. Akili ni nywele kila mtu ana zake

Akili za watu ni za aina nyingi na ni tofauti kama vile nywele za kila binadamu ni tofauti.  

Brains are like hair, every humankind has her/his own kind.

3.Baada ya dhiki faraja

Baada ya shida huja raha.

After hardship comes relief. (Every cloud has a silver lining; After storm comes a calm).

4.Bandubandu huisha (humaliza) gogo

Hata gogo liwe kubwa namna gain, unapolichanachana mwisho gogo hilo humalizika.

Chip! Chip! Finishes the log. (Little strikes fell great oak. Constant dripping wears away a stone).

5.Chanda chema hufikwa (huvishwa) pete

Jambo jema husifiwa na hushangiliwa ili liweze kufana zaidi. Ni wana kama kidole kizuri kinapovalishwa pete ili kizidi kupendeza.

A handsome finger gets a ring put round it.

6.Chema chajiuza kibaya chajitembeza

Kitu kizuri huonekana bila ya kunadiwa, lakini kibaya hupigiwa debe ili kukitangaza.

A good thing sells itself, a bad thing advertises itself for sale. (Good wine needs no bush). 

7.Dalili ya mvua ni mawingu

Ishara ya kuwa mvua itanyesha hivi punde ni mawingu meusi makubwa. Na yasipokuwepo mawingu haiwezi kunyesha. Hali kadhalika, katika juhudi zako waweza kujua mapema kama utafanikiwa

.

Clouds are the sign of rain. (Morning shows the day as the childhood shows the man. Cunning events cast their shadows before. No smoke without fire).

  

8.Damu ni nzito kuliko maji

Watu wa ukoo mmoja husaidiana sana katika matatizo yao kuliko marafiki au jamaa wa mbali.

Blood is thicker than water.

9.Elimu haina mwisho

Elimu ni za aina nyingi. Kila siku maarifa ya aina mpya yanagunduliwa na kuzuka, hivyo haiwezekani kuielewa elimu yote duniani.

Education has no limits. (One has to continue to learn all his/her life time).

  

10.Elimu ni bahari

Elimu ni pana hivi sawa na upeo wa bahari ambayo huelezwa na kusambazwa miongoni mwa binadamu. 

Education is like an ocean which spread all over the horizons of people’s life.

11.Fadhili za punda ni mashuzi

Shukrani za mtu mjinga ni kumtukana yule aliyemtendea mema.

The gratitude of a donkey is a breaking of wind.

12.Fimbo ya mbali haiuwi nyoka

Fimbo iliyo karibu nawe ndiyo ikufaayo wakati inapotokea shida. Methali hii inalenga kuwatanabaisha watu kuwa binadamu anapopata shida ni watu walio karibu naye ndio watakaomsaidia.

A stick in the hand is the one that kills a snake.

  

13.Ganda la muwa la jana, chungu kaona kivuno

Ganda la jana la muwa huwa limekauka, lakini chungu anapolipata huona ni mavuno maridhawa. Maana asiyezoea kuwa nacho, akipatapo hata kama ni kitu duni au hafifu namna gani na kidogo, hushangilia. Mathalani, kukengeuka kwa maadili kwa vijana barani Afrika na kuzamia tamaduni za kigeni.

The skin of yesterday’s sugar-cane is a whole harvest of an ant.

15.Gonga gogo usikie mlio wake

Ukitaka kujua mlio wa gogo, lipige na usikilize. Hili lina maana kuwa yakupasa kulichunguza jambo kwanza kabla ya kulihukumu (kulikabili).

Knock a log in order to hear the sound it makes.

16.Haba na haba hujaza kibaba 

Ukiweka akiba kidogo ya kitu kila mara, mwishoni utakuwa na akiba kubwa. Mwanzo wa makubwa ni madogo.

Little by little fills up the measure. (Little drops of water, little grains of sand, make a mighty ocean and a pleasant land).

17.Harakaharaka haina baraka

Jambo lifanywalo harakaharaka, haliwezi kufana. Mambo lazima yaende kwa kuzingatia mchakato wenye mpango na taratibu madhubuti.

Hurry, hurry, has no blessing. (More haste, less speed).

18.Iliyopita si ndwele, ganga ijayo

Mambo yaliyopita, yasishughulikiwe sana, bali tujizatiti kuyakabili na kuyadhibiti yale yajayo.

That which has passed is not a diease, cure what is coming.

19.Iwapo nia, njia hupatikana

Mtu anapofanya dhamira ya dhati ya kutaka kulitekeleza jambo, hawezi kukosa njia ya utekelezaji.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

20.Jambo usilolijua ni kama usiku wa giza

Chochote usichokifahamu vizuri huwezi kukieleza kwa ufasaha.

A matter of which you are ignorant is like a dark night.

Nini tofauti ya Kiswahili SANIFU na FASAHA?

Kuongea/kuandika Kiswahili Fasaha ni ile jinsi unavyo andika au kuongea bila kukosea kutamka herufi mfano: Ukiandika Neno Barua (walaka) hapo umeandika au kutamka kiswahili fasaha, kinyume chake BALUA hili neno si Kiswahili fasaha japokuwa unaweza kueleweka.

Kiswahili Sanifu ni kiswahili kilichofanyiwa marekebisho kutoka lugha nyingine na kuingizwa kwenye lugha husika... mfano neno... password ni nywila, barua pepe (email) nk.

Kwa ufupi tunaweza kusema kuwa ufasaha na usanifu ni kiswahili kilicho tungiwa kanuni zinazokubalika kwenye uwanja wa taaluma ya lugha.

Punde: Soon, in a little while, presently

Punde si punde: Inatumika kwa kumaanisha: Baada ya muda mchache (soon, in a moment, Thereafter)

Punde kwa punde: Kidogo kidogo (little by little, gradually)

Hivi punde: Muda mchache, (Shortly)

Mifano:

• Kiswahili: tulikuwa tunamngoja, na punde akaja.
  
• English: we waited for him, and he soon came.