M - m

ma but.
contraction: 1st per. sing. with neg. ma dë nëën I totally disagree! (ma is the upriver dialect and is the downriver dialect). Variant: më́.
-má one who... (e.g. mujëëma one who has a wife or wives). giima (one who is stingy)
maá 1) to sharpen (knife).
2) maa töngö, maa tutu to clear throat (to get someone’s attention)
maafíakata type of obeah.
maaín type of bird (guan).
maaká 1) mark; to mark; to make a design on.
2) to aim at.
3) measure; to measure.
maáka sign or omen. na maaka nö? an expression used to show surprise
maamá term of address for mother, mother's sister, stepmother.
maamaadósu type of tree and its fruit.
maángai type of fish.
maaní 1) screen; sieve.
2) tjuba ta maani it is drizzling
3) ta maani wojo to look carefully in all directions
maapámbu type of fish.
maási unrefined sugar cane sugar; molasses.
maáta mulatto.
maáun cotton; thread.
madjóma See main entry: madjómina.
madjómina a payment made to the spirits. Variant: madjóma.
mafë́ndjë́ a type of mouse. Variant: masëngë́.
mái mother-in-law; daughter-in-law.
maíngë́ address of amazement.
Maipa See: Túmaipa.
maipá a type of palm tree and its fruit (known in Suriname as maripa).
maipá fóu type of bird (blue-gray and palm tanagers).
maisi eel.
majaja 1) second growth weeds and bushes.
2) type of rice (white husks and grain).
maká 1) thorns.
2) a type of palm tree with long black thorns on its trunk, and its nuts from which cooking oil is made.
3) sinkii fëën göö maka he/she shuddered
maká álátu rodent type (edible).
maká mbéti porcupine.
maká njámísi a type of yam; its vines have thorns.
maka njanjan the nuts of the maka palm tree from which cooking oil is made.
makáku a type of monkey.
Makakuhédi a section of Awaadan.
makámaka plant used for washing after childbirth.
Makambi a transmigration village at Brownsweg.
makándi together. kai makandi agreeable di pëë go makandi equal; a tie
makéba basin type.
makéi 1) kisi makei to sustain a physical injury
2) makei a wata death by drowning
3) to lack.
makisá 1) thin or unhealthy; helpless.
2) to squash or step on. Variant: masiká.
mákíti power; might.
makpénu large glass container with lid and handle. Variant: makwénu.
máku mosquito. maku njan mën he was bitten by a mosquito
makudjá passion fruit. Variant: amakudjá.
makúku rounded earthen clump made to hold pot over fire.
makwénu See main entry: makpénu.
malëmbë́ tökö plant for making obeah.
malëmbë́lëmbë most important of medicinal plants, smells like anise.
malë́ngë lazy.
malë́ngëma sluggard; lazy person.
Malobí a village between Dan and Masiakiiki.
mamá 1) mother. mama bëë relatives on your mother’s side
2) most essential part:. mama u di dan roughest part of the rapids mama u di fan essence of the conversation söötö mama lock faka mama larger knife of the penknife mama lio river (in contrast to creek)
mamáfínga thumb. See: gaan finga.
mamáfóu bush hen (great tinamou). Variant: mmáfóu.
mamágógótánda molar.
mamapíma an obscenity.
mámate morning.
mamáun papaya.
mambaái type of fruit tree.
mamuná blemish on skin; scab.
mandá 1) to send.
2) to command.
3) a ta manda go dë he/she’s eating fast and greedily
mánda basket. tjamanda kamian head
mándeku type of vine.
mandjá to stain; stain.
mandoó type of bird (euphonia).
mandúu 1) strong; big; ripe.
2) vine.
mángo mangrove (tree).
mángu thin.
maníni courtesy; good manners.
mánjan mango fruit and tree.
mánu 1) husband.
2) term of address between men.
manungú disease of testicles.
mapaapí a type of rice that is easy to pound.
mapía small biting gnats.
mapijö́n type of lice.
Mása Lord (God).
mása 1) master.
2) to boss.
masakusaku type of plant used as deodorant and for medicine.
masëngë́ See: mafë́ndjë́.
mási measles; pox.
masiá 1) rice that grows after harvest.
2) overgrowth.
Masía a village just downriver from Heikuun. Variant: Masíákííki.
Masíákííki See main entry: Masía.
masiká See: makisá.
masikaádu mask. See: basikaánu.
masikílili See: amasikílili.
masíni 1) machine; motor.
2) sewing machine.
masisá plant type used for cooking and for washing newborn child.
masuwá a type of fish trap.
máta mortar (usually for pounding rice).
mataási mattress.
matapí 1) reed press for draining cassava.
2) type of snake.
Matawái Matawari maroons.
matééa spray (e.g. from peeling an orange).
máti 1) friend.
2) to take offense.
Matjáu the name of a Saramaccan clan.
matjáu axe.
mató expression indicating opening of folktale.
mátu woods; jungle. mi nango a matu I’m going to the bathroom an buta mi a matu he didn’t take offence at what I did
mátú álísi a type of rice (black husks, hard to pound).
matúítui type of bird (sandpiper?).
matumbú údu tree good for firewood and for making slats for tying thatch.
matungá type of plant with thorns.
matutu small black rodent.
máun 1) hand; arm. leti/töötö maun right/left hand maun fëën tai he/she is stingy maun fëën hesi he/she is quick with what she/he does
2) branch. di kumu puu maun tuwë a branch has fallen from the kumu tree
3) wan maun bakuba a bunch of bananas
máúnmáun a dë a maunmaun he/she is between life and death
mawí type of bird (large like mamafou).
mazigaziga type of grass.
mazó nun or priest; a person who has no relations with the opposite sex.
mbáfumbá type of animal (hunts other animals).
mbalu wood or enamel chip.
mbalukpá disease resulting in peeling of skin surface. Variant: balukpá.
mbata type of deer.
mbéi 1) to make. mbei wosu to build a house
2) hën mbei that is why i seei mbei it is your own fault
3) ta mbei gadu ku ën to use for religious purposes
4) mbei katau to clear throat of mucus
5) mbei wëndjë/ kijoo to priss around
6) mbei fatu to process cooking oil
7) faandi mbei why
mbéti 1) animal.
2) flesh.
3) your sister-in-law’s husband or your brother-in-law’s wife.
mbíi 1) mill.
2) to grind.
mbógidi red howler monkey.
mbóo contraction for “let us”.
mbookó type of fish.
mbowa plant used as obeah and for curing headache, also used as a vegetable.
mbulu ma si mbulu fëën seei I’ve seen nothing of him
mbutíkáa wasp(s); hornet(s).
mbutulú See main entry: mbutuú.
mbutuú type of creek fish. Variant: mbutulú.
më́ 1) See: ma.
2) di alisi më the rice is threshed
më́ë́ë́n ideophone for completely clean.
më́íki milk.
mëkú a type of crab.
më́mbë 1) to remember.
2) to be careful.
mëmëlú type of crab.
mën 3rd person singular after some verbs:. njan mën eat it fon mën thrash it
më́ni 1) to think about; to think; to suppose.
2) to be careful.
më́sítë teacher.
mëtë́ to meddle with.
më́ti meter.
mi first person singular pronoun (I; me). mi nango u mi I’m leaving (e.g. in irritation) mi ku i you and I
míi 1) child.
2) son or daughter.
3) söötö mii key
4) faka mii the small knife of the penknife sitónú mií small stone kökönötö miii small, immature coconut
miíi 1) baby.
2) miii u mi di dë that is my son/daughter
3) mi paka wan dusu ku miii I paid a little over a thousand guilders
miindjá urine.
milión million.
mímö mbei mimo to fret.
mindí 1) to bind together.
2) to patch.
3) to be reconciled.
4) to compose (a story or song). u ta mindi kanda fu dee soni dee ta pasa ku u we make up songs about things that happen to us
5) a ta mindi soni he/she is lying
míndi 1) middle. mindi ndeti midnight buta a mindi set sail; to begin going
2) waist.
míndífési forehead.
míndíhédi top of the head. kuun mindihedi top of the hill/ mountain
miníti minute.
míséei myself.
mísi 1) to miss. misi buka to make an error in speech an ta misi goni/ an ta misi maun he always aims correctly
2) to offend.
míti 1) to meet. de tu wosu dë mitimiti the two houses are touching each other
2) to bring together.
m’má term of address for mother-in-law or elderly woman.
m’má address for older woman and for small girl.
mmáfóu See main entry: mamáfóu.
möfína destitute.
mö́i soft. Variant: möimöi.
Moigoón an area just downriver from Laduani which includes an especially deep part of the river.
möimöi See main entry: mö́i.
mö́íti mbei möiti to go out of one’s way to do something
mö́kísi to mix.
mö́líki to bother.
mömbë́ 1) type of tree and its fruit.
2) pretty girl (slang).
mö́mbi to slight.
möngöpíta severe punishment (beheading?) during slavery period.
mö́ni money. wojo fëën göö möni cataracts
mönímö 1) marble.
2) false eye.
mö́ön 1) more; more than. a möön mi it is too much for a (möön) köni möön mi he’s/she’s smarter than I am
2) again.
3) anymore.
4) na hanse a hanse möön he/she’s really beautiful/handsome
mö́önsö never; ever. an ta ko möönsö he never comes a ta ko möönsö nö does he ever come?
mösimö́si mouse.
mö́sö to mix together.
mösö́kö́kaká little mounds of dirt made by insects.
mötë́ outboard motor.
mötëlë́si boat motorist.
mötjö́ prostitute.
mö́tu watch.
mujë́ë woman; term of address to a woman. mujëë, i nango nö? are you going, ma’am? mujë́ë́ kámían female private parts mujë́ë́ gansë night pot
Mujë́ë́sándu a sand bank just downriver from Malobi.
mukangá corn-like plant.
múlíki See: mö́líki.
mumbúú type of palm. Its leaves are sometimes woven and used for the front and sides of houses and for making waimbo. Variant: mumúu.
mumúu See main entry: mumbúú.
múndu 1) universe. pakisei fëën dë a mundu he is thinking about something else
2) everybody.
munján wet; to wet or moisten.
Munjánwójo a creek and a rapids across from Dan.
musiní small basket to contain bait for alluring fish.
musói See main entry: amusói.
musu should. Gadu musu dë ku i God be with you.
músu 1) must.
2) to force.
3) child’s cap.
mutete back sack made of bark, vines, or reeds.
mutjáma rainbow. wan mutjama koti ala there is a rainbow over there
mutjáma kaká micah.
mutjë́tjë See: huntjë́tjë.
muungá 1) aluminum leg and arm bands.
2) sweet food made with rice, peanuts and sugar. tai muunga to prepare muunga and cook it (traditionally in banana leaves)
3) to bruise an old sore.
muusí palm tree (looks like coconut palm).
muvénda receding hairline.
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