B
Zarma [synonym] (origin):

English [remark] (word type; nr of lesson)

 
ba even, even though [precedes object when preposition] [high tone] (preposition or conjunction; 8p); portion [low tone] (noun 11p);  to be abundant, numerous, a lot [low tone] (verb; 13p);
ba [#] to like, to love, to desire, to want [tone from high to low] (verb; 5p)

baani, baano health [of the body]; peace [of the mind or personality] (noun; 2p)

baani samey just fine [reply to greeting questions]
(interjection; 1)

baanijaŋko sick person (noun; 22)

baanikoni well person (noun; 22)

baba [bab'o; demonstrative]: father (noun; 6p, 26p)
baba fumba: stepfather (noun; 26p)
baba gunde: real father (noun; 26p)

bagu to break, to burst [as a bag, bottle or dish does] (verb; 16p)

baji, bajo alcoholic liquor, spirit[s] (noun; 12)

bakar to feel pity, to pity; to have compassion (verb; 17p)

bakaraw mercy, pity, compassion (noun; 17p)

bakasine emotion of love; romantic love, affection among members of a family, friendship's affection (noun; 26)

bambana sixth month of lunar year (noun; 25p)

bambata, bambata [*]: very large, very big, huge
(adjective, not predicative adjective; 13p)

bambu, bambo round one-room, mud wall, grass roof
(noun; 24p)

ban to finish, to end (verb; 15)

bana to pay, to repay, to avenge (verb; 11p)

banako, banakwa runner (noun; 11)

bananta [kokoro banda wanta, banda wane] last
(ordinal number; 24)

banda after, with [accompanying, not by means of] [low tone] (preposition; 11p); back [anatomy] [high tone] (noun; 10, 20p);
behind, exterior of (adverb; 20);
banda fo levelled out, even [high tone] (adverb; 18p);
banda follon levelled out, even (adverb; 18);
banda wane [bananta, kokoro banda wanta]: last
(ordinal number; 24)

bande, bando [alborotaray, hanji] penis [offensive] (noun, 10)

bandu kwarey full moon, moon light (noun; 23p)

bangandi to reveal (verb; 19p)

bangey to appear [be manifest] (verb; 19p)

bangu, bango pond, pool (noun; 21)

bank, banko (F): bank [institute] (noun)

bankarey clothing (noun; 13p)

banya male slave, servant (noun; 22)

baŋa hippopotame [mammal] (noun; 5 list)

baou Nile monitor [reptile] (noun; 5 list)

bara to be [form of "to be", implies a state or quality of existence; in many case can be replaced by "go" and sometimes by "gonda"] (verb; 20); to turn, to turn over, to turn around
(verb; 21)

bare ka te to change into, to change and become, to be change into (verb; 21)

bare-bare to travel from place to place, from town to town
(verb; 18)

bargalu fire fly [animal] (noun; 5 list)

bari, bariyo horse (noun; 1p)
bari gu: stallion (noun; 5)
bari tafa: mare (noun; 5)

Barka!: Blessings! (interjection; 10)
Barka nda jire bareyan.: Blessings at the turn of the year. (interjection; 17)

barkar to beg [professionally] (verb; 17p)

barma granary (noun; 5)

barmey to change, to exchange [high tone] (verb; 21);
money change [high tone] (noun; 21)

baru, baro [labari, labaro] (H): news, information, story, history
(noun; 13p)

baru si [labari si]: suddenly, without warning (adverb; 18p)

batame, batama space, field, open area (noun; 24p)

batu to wait, to wait for, to guard, to lie in wait (verb; 16p)

bay to know [both "savoir" and "connaître"] (verb; 8p)

bayrey knowledge (noun; 23)

bebe mute person [generally deaf as well] (noun; 16p)

bene, bena sky, heavens (noun; 2p); (bene) above, up (preposition; 2p);
bene hari, bene haro rain (noun; 2p)
bene hi airplane [low tone] (noun; 17p)

bere, bero older brother or sister [or other close relative]
(noun; 7p)

beri big [see "musu beri"] (adjective; 3)

beri beri praying mantis [animal] (noun; 5 list)

beriyan bigness, size (noun; 25)

ber'ize child of one's older sister or brother (noun; 26p)

bessa senegal kob [mammal] (noun; 5 list)

beytu [beytu te]: to sing a hymn [tone from high to low]
(verb; 13p);
beytu, beyto
hymn, religious song [high tone] (noun; 13p)

beytu te [beytu]: to sing a hymn [tone from high to low] (verb; 13)

bi yesterday [tone from low to high] (adverb; 3p); to spin [thread or yarn; tone high] (verb; 22p);
bi, bi, biyo
[*]: black [tone from high to low] (adjective; 9p);
bi, biyo
shade, shadow [low tone]; sore, ulcer, wound [where the skin is broken] [low tone] (noun; 22p)

bi fo before yesterday [usually two days ago, but may be some recent day] (adverb; 3p)

bi fo hendi [bi fo yonge]: the day before "bi fo", that is three day ago (adverb; 17)

bibandi: to make black (verb; 19)

bindi, bindo middle, centre (noun; 7p)

bine, bina heart; anger, wrath [low tone] (noun; 10, 20p, 23p)
te bine: to become angry (verb; 23p)

bine kuna fifth month of lunar year (noun; 25p)

bine sare, bine sara grief, sorrow (noun; 13p)

binja irritation, annoyance (noun; 23p)

binya to be irritated, to be annoyed (verb; 23p)

biri to raise, to bring up [as child, animal] [low tone] (verb; 20p);
blackness [tone from high to low] (noun; 25p);
biri, biriyo bone [tone from low to high] (noun; 10, 20p)

birji, birjo circular net with leaded edges [tone low to high]; manure, fertiliser [high tone] (noun; 23p)

birkibirki cece Egyptian goose [bird] (noun; 5 list)

birnya see birŋa

birŋa [see also: alada] desert warthog [mammal]; probably used as well for domestic pig (noun; 5 list)

bisa [#]: to go past, to be better than, to be preferable, to exceed
(verb; 10p)

bita millet grain [may apply to any gruel] (noun; 24p)

bo [untranslatable, used to emphasize a contradiction or an argument for the opposite view; example: Manti yadin no bo: That is not the way it is either] (adverb; 18)

bobo much, many [always used with singular noun], a lot
(adjective; 8p)

bogu, bogu, boga [*]: blue, green (adjective; 9p)

bogobogo cattle egret [bird] (noun; 5 list)

bogoto, bogota mud, clay for building or pottery (noun; 12p)
bogoto mud, clay (adjective; 12)

boŋ on, upon, on the top (preposition; 2p);
boŋ, boŋo head (noun; 6, 10)
boŋ se, boŋ oneself, i.e. myself, yourself, him/herself, our self, ourselves, yourselves, themselves [added to personal pronoun or any noun; way of expression the reflexive idea, example: Ma wo dandan ni boŋ se: Learn that for yourself; When the "self" is the direct object of a verb, just boŋ is added to the personal pronoun, before the verb.] (reflexive pronoun; 19)
nda .. boŋ oneself, i.e. myself, yourself, him/herself, our self, ourselves, yourselves, themselves [added to personal pronoun or any noun to indicate personally; way of expression the reflexive idea, example: Ay nd'ay boŋ g'a te ni se = I will do it for you myself [personally]] (reflexive pronoun; 19);

boŋ dake [furu kange] cushion, pillow [literally: place the head]
(noun; 24p)

boŋ hamni, boŋ hamno hair of head (noun; 5, 10)

boŋde, boŋdo wave on water (noun; 22)

boŋfutey bad luck, misfortune (noun)
te boŋfutey: to be unlucky (verb; 16)

boŋfuto unlucky person (noun; 16)

boŋkaney luck (noun)
te boŋkaney: to be lucky  (verb; 16)

boŋkano lucky person (noun; 16)

boosu to flower (verb; 8)

bori nice, good looking, pretty; beautiful [always a predicate adj. m. never attribute of a noun] (adjective; 4p)

boro, bora person, human, individual (noun; 4p);
fu borey
members of one's immediate family (noun; 26)

boro bi native of Africa, Negroid type [literally: black person]
(noun; 8p)

boro fo someone, somebody, a certain person (noun; 4p)

botogo, botoga mud, clay for building or pottery (noun; 12p)

bu to die (verb; 3p)

bugdari striped polecat / zorilla [mammal] (noun; 5 list)

buka common duiker [mammal] (noun; 5 list)

buko, bukwa dead person, corpse (noun; 11)

bumbey him/herself, themselves [added to personal pronoun or any noun, third person only; way of expression the reflexive idea, example: A cindi kayna ngey bumbey ga kaa: In a little while they themselves will come] (reflexive pronoun; 19)

bumbo oneself, i.e. myself, yourself, our self, ourselves, yourselves [added to personal pronoun or any noun, third person using bumbey; way of expression the reflexive idea, example: Ay bumbo n 'a tunandi: I myself woke him] (reflexive pronoun; 19)

bundu, dundo stick, wood (noun; 11p)

burtakoy namaqua dove [bird] (noun; 5 list)

burtu northern ground hornbill [bird] (noun; 5 list)

buru, buro bread (noun; 10p)

buru-ize, buru-izo [bread] roll, bun; slice of bread (noun)

butel, butelo bottle [substance, not vessel] (noun; 12p)

butik, butiko shop (noun; 6)

butikkoy, butikkoyo shopkeeper, retailer (noun; 6)

buyan hane dying day (noun; 7)



Last updated: 02 februari 2006