Salamu, methali na misemo ya Wairaqw (Iraqw) — maana kwa Kiswahili na Kiingereza.
| Kiiraqw | Kiswahili | English |
|---|---|---|
| Laawo guute e.g. Ako laawo guute | Habari za asubuhi, baba. | Good morning, father |
| Saitaa e.g. Khae saitaa way | Hujambo, habari yako? | Hey, how are you? |
Methali za Wairaqw kutoka Mbulu — hekima, subira, malezi na maadili ya jamii.
| Kiiraqw | Kiswahili | English |
|---|---|---|
| Anu | Mimi. | I |
| Anu lach murue a buut | Mimi ni mkali, vitu vyangu ni vya kulipa. | I am fierce; my things must be paid for. |
| Baba | Baba. | father |
| Baba o xwayla bir kahh o haraaye ikahi? | Baba wa kukuzaa kama hayupo, hata wa malezi hayupo? | If the birth father is absent, is there even a parent for upbringing? |
| Bara amoker ghumta lohi huek | Ukienda sehemu beba kibuyu cha njiani. | When you go somewhere, carry a gourd for the journey. |
| Bawu bara si ari a sia | Ukikataa kuonywa, kitakachokukuta utakataa. | If you refuse warning, you will refuse what befalls you. |
| buhhtar | Hasira. | anger |
| Buhhtar wawtamo ador o'rotlor dirangw | Hasira za mtawala ni kama ngurumo ya simba. | A ruler's anger is like a lion's roar. |
| buut | Kulipa (deni). | to pay / repay |
| Delor buhare a tsar | Muda wa masika ni mbili. | The rainy season is short. |
| diraangw | Simba. | lion |
| Do a sleer yae tlakw a tsegamis | Nyumba ni sawa na ng'ombe mwenye mguu mbovu. | A house is like a cow with a lame leg. |
| Do bura qwareska dir masombimar uqwares dir seemir a'wak | Usipopoteza nyuma ukiwa kijana utapoteza ukizeeka. | If you fall behind as a youth, you will be lost in old age. |
| ehat | Tai. | eagle |
| gaslay | Jasho / faida (kutoka kwa kazi). | sweat / gain (from work) |
| Gaw masomba gwaresi gwa ehat | Uwindaji wa vijana, tai huwafuata. | When youths hunt, the eagle follows them. |
| ghumta | Sehemu / mahali. | place |
| gwaresi | Uwindaji. | hunt / hunting |
| haraaye | Malezi / ulezi. | upbringing / care |
| Hhae | Ndugu. | sibling / brother or sister |
| Hhae iala'ne, ial lagwalie | Ndugu wapendane wawe pamoja na wazae pamoja. | Siblings should love one another, stay together and bear children together. |
| huek | Njiani / safari. | path / journey |
| Ilwar | Maziwa. | milk |
| Ilwar sleer ghasarmo ki iwitananang'w wa wahahanka | Maziwa ya ng'ombe wa kuazima hayanywewi kwa kukaa. | Borrowed cow's milk is not drunk while sitting idle. |
| imi | Watu. | people |
| Kuro | Mwewe / tai. | eagle |
| Kuro tsihay u gawta tsahh | Mwewe mwenye mimba utamtambua juu. | The pregnant eagle will recognize it from above. |
| lohi | Kibuyu. | gourd (calabash) |
| Mangu | Mguu. | foot |
| Mangu tsui ti alen | Mguu wa mbu utupelee. | The foot of a mosquito lifts us. |
| Mara kwaslemuser yari naqwariye | Nyumba za wapenda kesi wengi zinapotea. | Houses of those who love disputes perish. |
| masomba | Vijana (winds wa uwindaji). | youth / young hunters |
| Matle | Asubuhi. | morning |
| Matle a tlaghandi | Asubuhi ni kiraka. | Morning is a sieve (time is short). |
| Nanagi doos gu ghoer | Mdudu wa mahindi atafika tu kwake. | The maize pest will only reach him. |
| nii | Watoto. | children |
| Puru | Unga. | flour |
| Puru khoslaro ahhoer faa a'tlemis iloa tsuu | Unga uliosagwa ni rahisi kusonga ugali. | Well-ground flour is easy to stir into ugali. |
| qatso | Miguu (iliyokaa bila kazi). | legs / feet (idle) |
| qaymo | Shamba / uwanja wa kilimo. | field / farm |
| Qaymo bara nii yaa'b inos kos gi yaa'b | Ukiwatuma watoto shambani, nao watawatuma watoto wenzao. | If you send children to the farm alone, they will send each other away. |
| Sarhha | Uso. | face |
| Sarhha tsuf a gaslay, qatso tsuf a gaslayka | Uso unaotoa jasho hupata lakini miguu iliyokaa haipati chochote. | The face that sweats gains; idle legs gain nothing. |
| Slaa | Kichaka. | bush |
| Slaa iakhmis | Kichaka kinasikia. | The bush hears. |
| sleer | Nyumba (au ng'ombe katika msemo mwingine). | house (also cow in other expressions) |
| tlaghandi | Kiraka (sifa ya muda mfupi asubuhi). | sieve (symbol of short morning time) |
| tlakw | Ng'ombe (katika msemo huu). | cow (in this proverb) |
| tsegamis | Mguu mbovu. | lame leg |
| Tsir-ir-dayouso ka nii yari' | Ndege mwoga ana watoto wengi. | A timid bird has many chicks. |
| tsui | Mbu. | mosquito |
| tsuu | Ugali. | stiff porridge (ugali) |
| wawtamo | Mtawala / kiongozi. | ruler / leader |
| xwayla | Baba wa kuzaa / kuzaliwa. | biological father (birth) |
| Yama | Maeneo / mahali pa watu. | people's place / area |
| Yama imi ahembeto | Maeneo ya watu yabebwe kwa pamoja. | People's places should be borne together. |
| yari' | Watoto. | children / offspring |
Maneno ya ndani ya salamu na sentensi za Kiiraqw.
| Kiiraqw | Kiswahili | English |
|---|---|---|
| Ako e.g. Ako laawo guute | Baba. | father |
| guute e.g. Ako laawo guute | Habari njema / za asubuhi. | good (morning greeting) |
| Khae e.g. Khae saitaa way | Hujambo / hey. | hey (greeting) |
| Laawo e.g. Ako laawo guute | Asubuhi (salamu). | morning (in greetings) |
| Kiiraqw | Kiswahili | English |
|---|---|---|
| ar | Kwa fimbo. | with (instrumental) |
| bará e.g. danú guna loxoós bará miringamoo ar xwaytsi | Ndani ya mzinga. | in / into |
| danú e.g. danú guna loxoós bará miringamoo ar xwaytsi | Asali (katika mfano hapo). | honey |
| guna e.g. danú guna loxoós bará miringamoo ar xwaytsi | Yeye / alitoboa (kiambishi cha kitendo). | he (3sg subject on verb) |
| Luxoos e.g. danú guna loxoós bará miringamoo ar xwaytsi | Alitoboa asali ndani ya mzinga kwa fimbo. | He poked into the honey in the bee-hive with a stick. |
| miringamoo e.g. danú guna loxoós bará miringamoo ar xwaytsi | Mzinga wa nyuki. | bee-hive |
| na/ay e.g. án ta-wa na/ay | Mtoto. | child |
| Qanhi e.g. Laari Qanhi | Yai. | egg |
| tloma e.g. Lei i dirqa ba tloma | Kilima. | hill |
| xwaytsi e.g. danú guna loxoós bará miringamoo ar xwaytsi | Fimbo. | stick |
Kamusi ya Kiiraqw — Nukta Kamusi. Community-contributed phrases for language preservation.