Tiv–English dictionary

Tiv Dictionary: T

150 entries · part 1 of 3

Every Tiv word in the archive's dictionary that begins with “T” — 336 entries, in alphabetical order (part 1 of 3). Each entry gives the English meaning and part of speech, and, where the archive records them, the pronunciation, an example sentence in Tiv with its English translation, and notes on usage. Select a word to open its own page with related words and sources.

ta

shoot

Verb

ta

shoot

Verb

Also means
hit
Example
Ta ivaan. — “Shoot an arrow. ta sambe (to slap). Conmpae, ker ivaan (shoot an arrow). Ker iwen (throw a stone).”

ta

shoot; shot

Verb

ta1

shoot; hit

Verb

Also means
to throw something at; to let a bullet or arrow hit something
Example
Ta ivaan — “Shoot an arrow. ta sambe (to slap). Conmpae, ker ivaan (shoot an arrow). Ker iwen (throw a stone)”

ta2 iwanger

explain

Verb

Example
Ta iwanger sha kwagh u kwase eren u Tiv. Explain about Tiv marriage. Idiomatic.

taa

aid to walk

Verb

Example
Taa wan a zende fere. — “Aid the child to walk soon.”

Taan

Light

Verb

Example
Taan iwanger — “Give light”

tahav

freedom

Noun

Example
1. 2. — “M ngu a tahav mbu lamen er m soo yô. I have the freedom to speak as I want. M ngu a tahav mbu duen ken mkange. I have freedom to get out of bondage.”

tahav

energy

Noun

Example
M ngu a tahav mbu tôôn kilo utaan. — “I have the energy to carry 5 kilos.”

tahav

powerful

Adjective

tahav1

freedom

Noun

Also means
The power to do something (speak, choose, or act); the power to get out of something. 1
Example
M ngu a tahav mbu lamen er m soo yô — “I have the freedom to speak as I want. 2. M ngu a tahav mbu duen ken mkange. I have freedom to get out of bondage”

tahav2

energy

Noun

Also means
the ability to do something
Example
M ngu a tahav mbu tôôn kilo utaan — “I have the energy to carry 5 kilos. takeda; takerada (book), noun: bound pieces of paper with writing and pictures on them. Ôr takeda. Read the book”

takema

harness

Noun

Example
Wa nyinya takema. — “Put a harness on a horse.”

takezi

taxi

Noun

Example
Nyôr takezi yem Makurdi. — “Enter a taxi to go to Makurdi.”

tam

chew

Verb

Example
Tam kwaghyan wou man u mena ye. — “Chew your food before swallowing.”

tambe

gag

Verb

Example
I tambe un sha u a de bughun zwa ga yô. — “He/she was gagged so they wouldn’t talk.”

tamber

wait

Verb

Also means
linger
Example
Tamber kpuaa; Fada una nyôr higen higen (wait a while, the Priest will arrive soon.

tamber

wait; linger

Verb

Also means
wait a while
Example
Tamber kpuaa; Fada una nyôr higen higen (wait a while, the Priest will arrive soon

tamen

older

Adjective

Example
Ter ngu tamen a Ses. — “Ter is older than Ses.”

Tamen

older (in age)

Adjective

Tamen kwase

elderly woman

Noun

Example
Compare, tse/ngô kwase (impolite).

Tamen or

elderly man

Noun

Example
Compare, tse or.

tange

barrier

Noun

Example
Wa tange hen sule wou. — “Place a barrier at your farm.”

tann

five

Adjective

Also means
5

Tar

Land/Country

Noun/tahr/

Example
Tar Tiv u doo. — “Tiv land is good.”

Tar

Earth

Noun

Tar

Land / country / place of origin

Noun

tar

land

Noun

Also means
earth

tar

land, country, earth

Noun

Also means
world
Example
Tar u Tiv. Tiv land.

tar

lay furniture

Verb

Example
Tar orvaninya ikagh/gambe a yav. — “Lay or prepare a bed for the”

tar

three

Adjective

Also means
3

Tar

land; earth

Noun

tar

three (3)

tar1

land, country, earth

Noun

Also means
world — a large area of ground
Example
Tar u Tiv — “Tiv land”

tar2

lay furniture

Verb

Also means
to set furniture
Example
Tar orvaninya ikagh/gambe a yav — “Lay or prepare a bed for the”

tartor

kingdom

Noun

Also means
reign
Example
Tartor wou u va. — “Your kingdom come.”

tartor

kingdom; reign

Noun

Also means
the land or people over which one rules
Example
Tartor wou u va — “Your kingdom come”

tav

tall

Adjective

Example
Ola ta. Also, tav kar (taller than). — “Ola is tall.”

Tav ga

short

Adjective

Also means
soft / weak

tav ga

short (height)

Adverb

Also means
very short

taven

high / tall

Adjective

Taver

strong

Adjective

Also means
hard

taver

hard, difficult

Adjective

Example
Kwaghkaren taver, kpa seer taver ga. — “Division is hard/difficult, but”

taver

strong

Adjective

Example
Ikeve i taver; ayaba taver ga. — “A coconut is hard; a banana is not hard (is soft).”

taver

hard

Adjective

Also means
difficult

taver

difficult

Adjective

Also means
hard

taver fan

difficult

Adjective

Usage
Also in Tiv: taver eren

taver ga

short

Adjective

Also means
easy

taver ishima

persevere

Verb

Example
Taver ishima yevese mita dubu bee. — “Persevere to complete the one-thousand-meter run.”

taver1

hard, difficult

Adjective

Also means
not easy to solve
Example
Kwaghkaren taver, kpa seer taver ga — “Division is hard/difficult, but”

taver2

strong

Adjective

Also means
not soft
Example
Ikeve i taver; ayaba taver ga — “A coconut is hard; a banana is not hard (is soft)”

tawel

towel

Noun

Example
Ngohol tawel uma iyol. — “Get the towel to dry yourself.”

tebul

table

Noun

Example
Ver kwaghyan sha tebul. — “Place the food on the table.”

Tee

Sale

Noun

teen

sells

Verb/verbal form/

tegh tegh

slowly

Adverb

Example
Baba ngu zan tegh tegh.; Jime zenden tegh tegh — “Grandpa is going slowly.; Jime walks slowly”

televishen

television

Noun

Example
Bugh televishen se nenge abaver. — “Turn on the television for us to watch the news.”

tem

crack open

Verb

Example
Tem abun. — “Crack open the ground nut (peanut).”

tema

sit

Verb

Example
Tema shin ikôn. — “Sit in the chair. Also: tema inya (sit down); tema gigh gigh (sit still); tema tor (ascended to or sat on the throne/kingship)/reigned.”

tematu

tomatoes

Noun

Also means
tomato fruits
Example
M yam tematu pue sha kasua. — “I bought ten tomatoes at the market.”

temi man

comparing

Verb

Also means
looking at both
Example
A ngu temi man ishe sha ya atô. — “She is comparing prices at different stalls.”

tempecha

temperature

Noun

Example
M hia iyol je tempeca wam nyôr 100oC. — “I have a fever so much that my body temperature has reached 100oC.”

tenger

shake

Verb

Example
Tenger gbaa kon. — “Shake the branch of the tree.”

Ter

Father

Noun

Ter

Father

Noun

ter

father

Noun

Example
Gyado ka ter u Kugba. — “Gyado is the father of Kugba. Ter em (my father);”

ter

mention

Verb

Example
M ter ve kwagh u mgemishima. — “I mentioned to them about repentance.”

ter

Lord or God

Noun

Example
Ter ngu a vese. God

ter

father

Noun

ter

father

Noun

ter kwagh

planned

Verb

Also means
made plans
Example
A ter kwagh sha za kasua. — “He planned to go to the market.”

ter wen

your father

Noun

Also means
ter na (his/her father); ter wase (our father); ter ve (their father)

ter1

father

Noun

Also means
a male parent
Example
Gyado ka ter u Kugba — “Gyado is the father of Kugba. Ter em (my father);”

ter2

mention

Verb

Also means
to speak or tell about something briefly
Example
M ter ve kwagh u mgemishima — “I mentioned to them about repentance”

ter3

Lord or God

Noun

Also means
one having great power over others. for example, a king or God
Example
Ter ngu a vese — “God is with us. Ter zungwe (Lord has shown mercy); Ter na se. The Lord or God has given us”

teratar

six

Adjective

Also means
6

Terna

Father has given

Noun/TER-nah/

Example
Terna ka ti i dedoo. — “Terna is a good name.”

tese

show

Verb

Also means
teach
Example
1. M tese ve ape ve tema yô. — “I showed”

tese

show; teach

Verb

Also means
to allow something to be seen or understood. 1
Example
M tese ve ape ve tema yô — “I showed them where to sit. 2. Tica tese se ayenge. The teacher taught us mathematics. Tese mhoonom ma zungwen (show compassion/forgiveness/mercy) tica, ortesn (teacher), noun: a person who teaches. Abur Ger yange lu tica wam. Abur Ger was my teacher”

tesen

being (state of)

Verb

Also means
lun, van

tica

teacher

Noun

Also means
ortesen

tighir

main, basis, foundation

Noun

Example
Tighir kwagh i mzough wase ka nyi? What’s the main idea of our meeting?

tihi

heap

Noun

Example
Ta tihi u ikuleke. — “Make a heap of corn/maize.”

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