Luganda

Gyobera

“Where You Live”

Irene Ntale

 

• Obw’eda ndi eno ninze
  I’ve been over here waiting

– obw’eda = obwa (from obudde (= time)) and edda (= long ago, in former times) = for a long time

– eno = wano

 

• Nga n’enzikiza ekutte nyingi
  And darkness is too much

 

• Omanyi gyenva si kumpi
  You know where I come from isn’t close

– gye = where (in a relative clause, not in a question)

 

• Mu kkubo ntyamu
  I’m a bit scared on the streets.

– ntyamu = note the “-mu” which means something like “a bit”

 

• N’abattemu nabo mbatya
  I’m scared of murderers too

– okutta = to kill; abattemu = the one’s that mighte kill (?)

 

• Bayinza okunkunya
  They might torture me

 

• Nsabye Katonda era akikoze
  I’ve asked God and he’s done it

– era = and

 

• N’akuleeta leero nkufunye
  He’s (God) brought you today, I got you!

 

• Owa bodaboda mutagende
  Let the boda boda guy go away

– owa = from “omuntu owa” = “the person of” so “owa bodaboda” = boda boda guy

– mut’agende = mute (= let him) agende (= he shall go)

(okuta, -tadde = to let, release, set free)

 

• Tutambulewo ob’ompeke
  We walk there or you carry me

– Tutambulewo = note the “tu-stem-e” structure that denotes “let’s” like “tugende” from okugenda meaning “Let’s go!”; the -wo in the end means “here, around”

 

• Gy’obeera gyembeera
  Where you live Is where i live

– gye = where

 

• Nakanamba ko nkalina
  I even got your number

– akanamba = lit.: sweet/small number

 

• Gy’obeera gyembeera
  Where you live is where I live

 

• Manyi n’akazigo w’obeera
  I even know the studio in which you live.

– we = which

 

• Gy’obeera gyembeera
  Where you live is where I live.

 

• Mmanyi n’akabaala w’onywera
  I even know the (little) bar you drink at.

 

• Gira, gira, gira, nkwata n’onyweza
  You better hold me firmly

– gira = do it!

– nkwata = take me

– okunyweza = to hold firmly 

 

• Ah togeza nonsula
  You shouldn’t drop me

 

• Leka leka leka ntwala gyembeera.
  Let go, let go, let go, take me where I live.

 

• Anyway, oba gy’obeera
  Anyway, or where you live

 

This love is incredible, eri (it’s) visible

 

• N’omuzibe agilengera, ah
  Even a blind person can see it, ah

– okulengere = to see from far away

 

• Ggwe lwaki tonengera
  So why don’t you see me?

 

This love is doable
Unbreakable

 

• Ne ma-wire ajuwulira
  Even a pyshcopath feels it.

 

• Ggwe lwaki tontunulira?
  Why aren’t you looking at me?

– okutunulira = to stare, to look at