Meru language greeting

Kimeru Language
The Kimeru language is spoken by roughly 1.3 million people in the Meru district around Mt.
Kenya, in the central Kenya highlands. Linguistically, it is a Bantu language of the Niger-Congo
family of languages and there are several dialects: Igembe and Tigania (spoken in Meru district
North – and this includes the town Maua), Imenti (spoken in Central Meru – including Meru town),
and Miutini and Igoji (spoken in Meru South). Tigania and Imenti dialects share about 85%
similarity. And by comparison Kimeru has overall roughly 60% similarity to other important
languages in the region: Kikuyu, Kiembu, and Kikamba.
These statistics were quoted from the 15 th edition of Ethnologue: Languages of the World, edited
by Raymond G. Gordon, jr and published by the Summer Institute of Linguistics, Dallas Texas.
The information is also available online at their website www.ethnologue.com . The linguistic map
of Kenya has been reproduced here, also with permission, and Kimeru is shown as #28 in the
center of the map.
The Kimeru recordings in this podcast, by Wahome Kaburu, represent the Imenti dialect of Meru
town and central Meru district. The glossary entries were provided by Doreen Kathure Kimathi.
Greetings:
Singular
Muga? Hi/Hello
Muga mono – Hi (response)
Muga kairi – Hello again (2 nd greeter)
Plural
Mugeni? – Hi
Muga mono – Hi (response)
Mugeni kairi – Hello again (2 nd greeter)
Hello between generations:
Muga mama - Hello (speaking to someone of your mother’s age)
Muga mono mami – Hello (response from older person to younger woman)
Muga mono baba - Hello (response from older person to younger man)
Muga baba - Hello (speaking to someone of your father’s age)
Muga mono mami – Hello (response from older person to younger woman)
Muga mono baba - Hello (response from older person to younger man)
Muga juju - Hello (speaking to someone of your grandparent’s age)
Muga mono juju – Hello (response from older person to younger woman or man)
Niatia? – How are you? [a greeting from one person to another]
Ikwega – Fine
Inkuthugania uri umwega - Hope you are fine
Ibwega mucore wakwa - Thank you, my friend
Mucore waku - Your friend
Kethia bangi - Greet the others
Kethia antu ba nja ya ku na acore - Greet your family
Kara Bwega - Stay well
Kara bwega na ukethie bangi - Stay well and greet the others
Inkuthugania buri babega bwinthe: Hope all of you are okay
Singular
Urere atia? - How did you sleep?
Ndere bwega – I slept well
Plural
Burere atia? – How did you sleep?
Turere bwega – We slept well

Otinda atia? – How was your day?
Ndatinda bwega – My day was good
Uri umwega? – Are you okay?
Ndi umwega – I’m okay
Tinda bwega – Good day
Rara bwega – Sleep well/good night
Bwatinda atia? – How was your day?
Twatinda bwega – Our day was good
Buri babeega? – Are you okay?
Turi babeega – We are okay
Butinde bwega – Good day
Burare bwega/Rareni bwega - Sleep well
Numbers:
1. Imwe
2. Ijiiri
3. Ithatu
4. Inya
5. Ithano
6. Ithanthatu
7. Mugwanja
8. Inyanya
9. Kenda
10. Ikumi
11. Ikumi na imwe
12. Ikumi na ijiiri
20. Mirongo iri
30. Mirongo ithatu
40. Mirongo ina
50. Mirongo itano
60. Mirongo itantatu
70. Mirongo mugwanja
80. Mirongo inana
90. Mirongo kenda
100. Igana
200. Magana jairi
300. Magana jathatu
400. Magana jana
500. Magana jatano
600. Magana jatantu
700. Magana mugwanja
800. Magana janana
900. Magana kenda
1000. Ngiri imwe
Times of the day:
Rukiiri – Morning
Muthenya – Daytime
Ugoro – Evening
Utuku – Night

Common Expressions:
Ii – Yes
Ari – No
Ibwega – Thank you
Ibwega mono – Thank you very much
Nju – Come
Nju aja – Come here
Ita – Go
Twite – Let’s go
Wendo – Love
Inkwendete mono – I love you very much
Murungu – God
At Home:
Nyomba – House
Irio – Food
Ruuji – Water
Chai/Cai – Tea
Irio bikuthongi mono – The food was delicious
Mukimo – mashed potatoes, greens, onions, black beans
Mbeca – Money (read as “mbesa” or “mbesha” depending on where you come from and your
age)
Nkundia ruuji – Give me some water
Ndumia irio – Give me some food
Mpa mbeca – Give me some money
Ntikwenda – I don’t want
Family relationships
Mami/mama - Mother
Baba - Father
Mutana - Son
Mwari - Daughter
Mutana o cia - Brother
Mwari o cia - Sister
Tata mwanake – Aunt (if younger than your mother)
Tata mukuru – Aunt (if older than your mother)
M’wetu (Mtu wetu) – Uncle
- and there may be other ways depending on cultural relationships between family members
Juju – Grandmother/Grandfather
Colors & sizes
Ntune - Red
Njiru – Black
Njeru - White
Nini - Small

Nene - Large
Nkui - Short
Ndaja – Long/Tall
Nceke - Narrow
Mbarie - Wide
Days of the Week
Monday - Njumatatu
Tuesday - Njumaine
Wednesday - Njumatano
Thursday - Aramisi
Friday - Njumaa
Saturday - Njumamosi
Sunday – Ntuku ya kiumia/Njumapili
Months & Seasons
Month - Mweri
January – Mweri jwa mwambirio/Mweri jwa imwe
February - Mweri jwa iiri
March - Mweri jwa ithatu
April - Mweri jwa ina
May - Mweri jwa itano
June - Mweri jwa itantatu
July - Mweri jwa mugwanja
August - Mweri jwa inana
September - Mweri jwa kenda
October - Mweri jwa ikumi
November - Mweri jwa ikumi na imwe
December - Mweri jwa ikumi na iiri
Nature:
Kirinyaga - Mt. Kenya
Njota – star/stars
Mweri – Moon
Riuga/Riua – Sun