Ugandans speak English, but they speak it differently than an American. It’s different enough that I am constantly doing a double take. I feel like I’m living in a Thesaurus. The words they use by definition aren’t wrong, there are just not the words I would use in America. Especially true for verbs. It’s like they made a deal to replace every verb commonly used in America with a synonym. I’ve compiled a short list of things they say differently.
They say: He is admiring you.
They mean: He thinks you are pretty.
They say: He was knocked by a boda.
They mean: He was in a boda accident.
They say: My phone has gone off.
They mean: My phone has died. (battery is dead)
They say: My phone has died.
They mean: My phone has broken ( broken where need a new phone)
(This caused concern from the Ugandans. Every time I said my phone died, they thought I needed a new phone.)
They say: You are disturbing me.
They mean: You are bothering/annoying me.
They say: We are moving together.
They mean: We are going for a walk together.
They say: I fear.
They mean: I am afraid.
They say: You extend.
They mean: Please move out of my way.
They say: I have defeated you.
They mean: I’m right. You are wrong. Or I am better than you.
They say: I add you tea.
They mean: I give you more tea.
They say: It has gone.
They mean: I can’t remember.
They say: First wait.
They mean: You wait.
They say: I defeat you by 1.
They mean: I am older than you by a year.
They say: You’re not used.
They mean: You are not used to doing this.
They say: We are going the other side.
They mean: We are going there.
They say: My brother follows me.
They mean: My brother is younger than me.
They say: You get me?
They mean: Did you understand me?
They say:
I am going for a long call.
I am going for a short call.
They mean:
I am going to the bathroom (to poop).
I am going to the toliet (to urinate).
They say: I am called Ayat.
They mean: My name is Ayat.
They say: I produced 2.
They mean: I have 2 children.
They say: I graph you.
They mean: I’ll take a picture of you.
They say: You are smart.
They mean: You look nice today.
They say: We locamote.
They mean: Lets move.
They say: He has bad manners.
They mean: He is rude.
They say: Let us branch here.
They mean: Lets us detour this way.
They say: She has refused.
They say: She rejected me.
They say: Send me a plate.
They mean: Give me a plate.
They say: That is what.
They mean: What is that.
They say: You poured here.
They mean: You spilled your drink.
They say: I am satisfied.
They mean: I am full.
They say: Your English is slippery.
They mean: Your English is hard to understand.
They say: You are deceiving me.
They mean: You are lying to me.
