Tiv–English dictionary

Tiv Dictionary: U

111 entries

Every Tiv word in the archive's dictionary that begins with “U” — 111 entries, in alphabetical order. 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.

u

you

Pronoun/appears in question contexts/

u dondon

next door

Adverb

Also means
neighboring

u hiihii

first

Adjective

Example
Alu ka or u hiihii u nyôron. — “Alu is the first”

u va

you will

Noun

Example
U va wase. — “You will come to help.”

U Zenden

Walking/Vagabond

Noun

Example
Or u zenden a zende — “A person who wanders without a fixed home as in Vagabond”

Ubutu

mats

Noun

Also means
plural of butu

Uhe

new

Adjective

ujeem

bacteria, germs

Noun

uka

without soup

Adjective

Example
M ngu a inyam ken zwa; me wa uka ruam. — “I am chewing meat; I can swallow fufu without dipping in soup.”

Ukan

clan

Noun

Example
Me za sha Ukan. — “I shall go to Ukan.”

Uke

Hausa

Noun

Example
Mwuese fa u lamen zwa Uke (Hausa). — “Mwuese (knows how to speak Hausa language) or can speak Hausa.”

ulugh

pull

Verb

Example
Ulugh kor gbaakon a asegh. — “Pull on the rope for the branch to snap.”

uma

alive / life

Adjective

uma

life

Noun

Also means
dry

uma

dry

Verb

Example
1. Ijôr uma. 2. 1. 2. — “The well is dried up. Akondo a uman. Dry clothing. uma2 (life, alive noun: the thing in animals and plants that enable them to grow and reproduce. Inyon i purugh ngi a uma. A fying bird has life. Inyon i kpen ngi uma ga. A dead bird is not alive.”

uma

dry

Adjective

Also means
life

uma

life; dry

Noun

uma

alive

Adjective

uma1

dry

Verb

Also means
to be without water; not wet. 1
Example
Ijôr uma — “The well is dried up. 2. Akondo a uman. Dry clothing”

uman

dry

Adjective

umbur

remember

Verb

Example
Doo er m umbur u za tôôn Wasem yô — “It is good that I remember to go and pick up Wasem”

ume

bear fruits

Verb

Example
Kon ume atam. — “The tree has borne fruits.”

Un

He/she

Pronoun

Un

him

Pronoun

Also means
her

un

him/her

Pronoun

unde

climb

Verb

Example
A unde sha tilela u wan ikav. — “He climbed the trailer to load goods.”

unde

climb (ladder)

Verb

ūndū

leave / depart

Verb/low tone/

úndú

he/she climbs

Verb/high tone/

undu

left behind

Adjective

undu

left behind

Verb

Example
De undun mo ga. — “Don’t leave me behind.”

Undu

left behind

Verb

undu

leave (behind)

Verb

Ungwa

To hear/understand

Verb/UN-gwah/

Example
M ungwa Tiv. — “I understand Tiv.”

ungwa

hear

Verb

Example
Ve ungwa kwagh u m er yô. — “They heard what I said.”

ur

spray water

Verb

Example
Ur sam mkee ma mende. — “Spray water for the pepper seeds to germinate.”

Ura

rain

Noun

Usu

Fire!

Interjection

usu

fire

Noun

usu

fire

Noun

Example
Pir usu; iyough ngi hian. — “Put out the fire; the house is burning.”

usu

fire

Noun

usu

fire

Noun

Utar

Third or three

Noun

Utse

old

Adjective

uva

rustle

Verb

Example
The mouse rustles inside the ceilin.

uve

sink

Verb

Example
Iwen gba shin wagh maa uve. — “The rock fell into the stream and sank.”

uve

crouch

Verb

Example
Kpatema uve shin ityôikôn. Agbur ka uwagh; Niger ka ifi. — “The cat crouched under the chair. uwagh (stream, noun a body of flowing water that is smaller than a river. Agbur is a stream; Niger is a river.”

uve1

sink

Verb

Also means
to submerge in water
Example
Iwen gba shin wagh maa uve — “The rock fell into the stream and sank”

uve2

crouch

Verb

Also means
to lower the body close to the ground or floor
Example
Kpatema uve shin ityôikôn — “The cat crouched under the chair”

Uwegh

moon

Noun

Also means
month

Uwo

hill

Noun

Uwu

Wooh!

Interjection

Also means
surprised exclamation
Example
Uwu! M hen ga — “Wooh! I didn't think so”

uzendeinya

animals

Noun

Example
Uzendeinya ngee shin ikô. — “There are a lot of animals in the forest.”

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