Dictionnaire beria-français : A – a

A – a

a n la bouche, y compris les lèvres et le menton n ouverture

a dawra adj incapable de parler

a’a int non

aba n père

abiri n lèvre

abiri begî ra n lèvre supérieur

abiri ira n lèvre inférieure

adagani n paume

adataguney n begayeur

aday n baratte, pour en faire du beurre à partir du lait.

adi n barbe

adi huri n moustache

adiya prep plateau solide où on met le mil pour le sècher

adîya n cadeau donné “pour que la nouvelle mariée ne se voile pas le visage”, que l’on donne quand on rend visite au couple à la maison nuptiale

afe n santé

afî n salive

afide n vague

agafay adj tromperie

agasay n souffrance, difficulté, tentation

agili n innocent, pur

agîray adj faim

agu n crainte

agur n articulation, jointure

aguri n chenille

agwî n crème laitier.

agwîrì, agwarí v envoyer, comme un messager

Ahad n dimanche

ajab n surprise, miracle

ajama n oiseau noir avec des yeux noirs, de taille moyenne

ajaray adj celui qui n’est pas compris, et qui, par conséquent, est isolé

ajir n rage. Le mot est souvent précédé du nom de l’animal qui a mordu. Ex: biri ajir, sagur ajir.

aju n honte

akera prep plus tard n la fin des temps prep dernier

akun n peut-être

akûso-nì, akûso-giní v brosser les dents

ale n panse

alfitri n la fête après ramadan

alif n mille

aligini n les cris de joie d’une femme, comme pour une mariage

alîm n chef réligieux

amahut n un oiseau spécifique

aman n confiance

amanday adj un jaloux

amderek n Un boa, le couleur du sable. Il ne mord pas mais il étouffe et écrase son victime.

amerîkany adj bonne qualité. Pour désigner du parfum, des chaussures, des vêtements, etc. de bonne qualité, même si cela ne vient pas des États-Unis. adj une personne ou une chose américaine

amina n le chameau mâle pour la production du troupeau

amini-nì, amini-giní v confier une tâche ou une résponsabilité à quelqu’un pendant son absence

ammo n princesse

am-tebet n jus de mil, non- alcoolique

aña n la soeur de son père

añarû n la salive qui coule involontairement

anga n braise, charbon

angalang n la danse où tout le monde danse autour du tambour qui est tapé. Les pieds bougent au rhythme du tambour.

angara n oseille

angereb n lit n cercueil n brancard

angu n Nom d’un oiseau petit comme une hirondelle et très joli. La femelle est rougeâtre, avec quelques plumes bleues dans ses ailes. Sa queue et son bec sont rouges. Le mâle a une longue queue noire. Il habite à côté des gens et est très malin. n le clan royal qui détient le pouvoir chez les Beri du Tchad de la région de Kobé, qui est interdit par ses coutumes de ne pas tuer ni de chase ce oiseau de leurs maisons.

ani n varan fourmilier

anja n carie dentaire

anûgwî n perle n nuque

ara n famille n grand koudou

araw n une personne arabe

Arbaha n mercredi

arbatashar n jeu de cartes spécifique

arda n restes mangeables de nourriture

ardi n âne

are n coutume, habitude, tradition

are-dîngo n tout ce qui est utilisé pour protéger le dos d’âne qui porte quelque chose

arfa n un morceau d’une marmite

argo n lieu de repos

arsu n poutre

asal n miel

asalîya n boisson de mil non-alcoolique, les phases préliminaires de la préparation de “guru”

asîda n Pâte de mil.

asîmî n une personne invitée à une fête

asîmî-nì, asîmî-giní v inviter quelqu’un à une fête ou un repas

aska n la porte, ou l’ouverture dans un enclos pour entrer ou sortir

askar n soldat

atrûn n natron, le sel minéral recueilli du désert entre le Tibesti et Ati. Voir “teri”.

aw n peau tanné

aw mîrîs n un messager avant la colonisation n la peau brun de mouton, importée de l’Égypte, réservée aux chefs. Les bouts de laine pris de cette couverture sont envoyés aux administrés lorsque le chef désire les voir.

awja n nouvelles

ay n fer

ay pron je

ay ra n un prisonnier. Littéralement: le fils de fer.

aya n verset coranique; pluriel: ayat

aygi n La saison entre février et mai, quand les troupeaux se replient vers les puits permanents, et qu’on fait la chasse d’antilope aux filets. Une saison sec et chaud.

ayne n couleur

ayri n grain sauvage mangeable, cueilli pendant la période de la soudure

Beria to English Dictionary: Y – y

Y – y

 

yamyam n purification with sand before Muslim prayers

yom n day

Beria to English Dictionary: W – w

W – w

 

wafa n funeral

wakîl n the one in charge when the leader is absent.

wandi n Brothers-in-law, the husbands of two or more sisters who were born from the same mother and father.

war n wilderness

warga n amulet

we n head lice

weî n strength

wiro n brain

Beria to English Dictionary: T – t

T – t

 

ta n head

ta eînî n headache

tabag n a round plate woven from palm leaves, used to separate the wheat from the chaff.

taban n hardship, distress

tadî n necklace, either for people or for animals

tadûr n animal skin

taguneî n cucumber

tagur n nail, claw

tahir ra n circumcised person

talata n Tuesday

talib n student

tam n a good taste

tama ra n from the Tama region, a Tama person

tame n a sheep with a brown or black head, and a white body

tami n lamb

tamsi n tongue

tanay n a skin disease, such as a welt, wart, boil, tumor, etc.

tangaî n sleep

tara n The zygophyllaceae and its fruit. The grains are eaten in a time of severe famine.

tarba n time after the rainy season, around October, when the rainy season has ended but the cold season hasn’t started yet. The weather is dry and hot.

tarfi n flatulence

tari n clothes

tarme n personal effects of a house (clothes, rug, bedding, etc.)

taro n diarrhea

taro-nì, taro-giní v to have diarrea

tasu n a bowl or pot that has a cover

taw n wilderness n outside

tawnì, kidawní v stop

tebîr n the upper arm

tedî n a horn

tege n a shoe

tege herî n butterfly n moth

tege ra n those who like to work during the dark nights of the month

tegi n dowry

temina n thief

tene n daughter or, by extension, the daughter of one’s siblings (niece)

tene adajay n Gift presented by the parents of the groom to welcome the bride, usually a goat, a sheep, a cow or money. Literally, “That the bride does not go away.”

tene bîye n nuptial house, house for the girl

tene geyra n prospective groom

tene kerde n sister-in-law

tene segîr n married woman without children

tene seyra n bridesmaid

tene sîdak n wedding gift for the groom

tene teyra n virgin

tene tombo n a single woman who is of the age to be married

tene umura n the newly married bride

tenîya n The standard unit of value in cattle. One tenia is the equivalent of a healthy cow that is two years old. Camels, and other herds have a certain value in relation to the tenia. The tenia is how the value of an exchange of cattle is determined.

tergi n branch n a donkey or a horse that has given birth

tergos n a turban, a man’s head covering

teri n tools n iron

terî n termite

tersî n tailor

tey ra n The baobab tree. The wood of this tree is used to make the mortar and pestle, because it is such a solid wood.

ti pron a thing, usually something useless

tîbe n field

tîbînî n in a wadi, a place where there is a lot of water.

tîbîrîm n watering place

tidi n the place where animals are herded, and rest at night.

tidy adj short

timatim n tomato

timo n The bauhinia rufescens bush, a bush found on mountains and in the wilderness. The leaves are used as food for grazing animals, and the bark is crushed to help with burning eyes and wounds.

timsa n crocodile

tîne n thief

tîne-nì, tîne-giní v steal

tini n molar teeth

tintin n hummingbird

tir n name

tîrî n salt

tisik n basin for washing clothes or dishes

tîye n human excrement

tîyer n axe

tîyery adj skinned

tîyîr n root

todu n heart

todû n the vagina

todu ra adj a thoughtful, courageous person; one who thinks only of the needs of others.

togo n breast

togoro n The commiphora pilosa or commiphora calcicola tree, with a gray bark

togu n flour

togûnû n someone who refuses to move forward, who is stubborn.

toguru n butter-churning container

togwî n flour

toî n voucher. When we take something to pay for it later.

tolok n drip

tomay ra n one who takes advantage when something is offered to them, by taking what he can

tombo n young unmarried woman, a virgin

torbû n tail

torfu n bird

torfu huriya n bat

tou n debt

tow n commercial trip permitting one to trade or sell

tow bur n bullet

towe n an apron a cloth (pagne) that is wrapped and tied around the waist to keep from getting one’s clothes dirty while cooking

tshad n Chad, Lake Chad

tuba n Someone from the Bideyat region

tudu n back, spine, backbone

tûgûnû adj stubborn

tûjara n commerce

tûjaraî n trader

tûm n garlic

tumbey n archaic. antilope horn, or the trumpet made from this horn

tur n the father ram of the herd of sheep

turba n tomb, sepulchre

turda n The cordia rothii tree, a tree without thorns that is white with flowers at the end of the rainy season. The red fruit is eaten fresh or dried, and animals enjoy eating its leaves.

ture n monkey

tûre n man’s hat

tûrtûrda n termite hill

tûrû n fruit of the “tùrda” tree n a traditional drink made from millet before it is filtered after fermentation n a certain kind of grass that begins to grow just before the rainy season begins

tûw n gun

tûwe n the acacia senegalis tree

tûwe nango n arabica gum from the acacia senegalis tree, of high quality and very sweet

tûwî n before sunset, before 6:00 PM

Beria to English Dictionary: Û – U – û – u

Û – U – û – u

 

û conj if. conditional marker: if, when conj when

û n time. By extension, “when”

udruwi n bark

ugura n a shade n a criminal

uluga n hole in a tree trunk

ûlûga n hole in a tree trunk

ûmbash n what is left when peanuts are squeezed to obtain their oil. Used to feed animals.

ume n slave

ûnî n thunder

unju n a vampire, who drinks the blood of his or her victim from a distance.

ur n stomach

ur denî n stomach worm. literally “stomach snakes”

urde n moon n month

urde ra n those who like to work during the moonlit nights of the month

ure n valley, wadi n the anus

ûrga n thirst

uri n giraffe

ûrkab n one who travels in a vehicle, such as a truck

uru n bone

ûrû n shouts of sadness by women, as in mourning

ûrû bîye n temporary house made of sticks

usta n an artist, a specialist, a repairman, etc.

ûwîye n a person’s stomach n the contents of an animal’s stomach

uyra n the salvodora persica or toothbrush tree, whose branches are used to clean teeth.

Beria to English Dictionary: S – s

S – s

 

saba n wild grain gathered for eating, panicum laetum

sabît n Saturday

sabûr n patience

sagur n jackal. a wild animal that kills baby camels and goats

sagur bîye n den for a jackal

sakara n crutch

sanni n early morning

sarga n sacrifice n offering given to Qur’anic students

saw n housefly

saw tayer n dragonfly. lit. airplane of the fly

sawara n a private conversation or consultation

sebbe n prayer beads used for Muslim prayers

sef n sword, sabre

segir n a married woman without children

semaî n birth ceremony

sen n a small wineskin used for holding liquids, usually made from the skin of a baby goat

senden n sandalwood

senge n mosquito net

seri n hill

serî n knife

seriya n A judgement, usually presided over by a traditional or government official, to determine which of two parties in a dispute is in the right, and which is in the wrong.

shanta n a trunk for transporting and storing goods, usually made of aluminium

shay n tea

shek n In Chad, an important marabout n In Sudan, the Islamic leader and village chief

shetan n the dead who transform themselves into a spirit with evil intentions to act negatively against the body or spirit of a person

sîberî n rabbit

sîgara n cigarette

sigari n container for sauce

sigay n the bit of a horse

sigi n millstone; grindstone

sîgî n sand dune

sîgîr n a standard measure, one-tenth of a bag of millet

sîle n coins

sim n poison

siman n cement

simit n horsehair. the hair of the horse’s mane and tail

simo n a cooking pot

sina n nose

sindo n dates

sindo ra n palm tree

sitti n pepper

sîye n a wild animal, the size of a cat, that only comes out at night.

siyo n a tree with a white bark

sîyo n hunger, famine

sîyo now n famine year

sobi n runner

sobo n the shoulder of an animal being butchered

sobu n ashes

sogoni n ant

sogu n shoulder

sogwi n a skin disease, caught by animals

somoni n rabbit

sorû n hair

sow n sauce

subu n morning between sunrise and 7:30 am n Islamic early morning prayer, at around 4:30 AM.

sûbû n celebration n invitation

sugune n the three rocks used to hold a pot over the fire

sugurdai n lizard

sugurdi n a singer, often a thief and a stealer of camels and cattle. His songs usually speak of his brave exploits and robberies.

sûk n market

sûkar n sugar n a game children play

sûkar ta n sugar cone

sultan n the sultan, the chief of a people

sura n lion

sûrû n shell, used as a medicine against stomach aches

surwal n panties

susta n zipper

sûsû n the hump (of a camel, of a zebu…)

suwa n sand

sûwar n rebel

Beria to English Dictionary: R – r

R – r

 

ramadan n the Islamic month of fasting

rîyan n money

ro n the soul, the invisible part of a person that lives on after death.

Beria to English Dictionary: O – o

O – o

 

o n a living person

o boru n man, manhood, the period between maturity and old age

o eberay n a pedestrian, one who travels on foot

o jura n a foreigner, one who comes from afar

o juwat n The advisors and counsellors who are called upon to settle disputes and problems as well as marital disputes when the Sultan is absent.Arabic: ajwâdi.

o karda n guard (literally, shepherd of people)

o merî birí n tax collector

o omûy n a crowd of people

obbo n prince, son of the sultan

obu n grandmother, be she maternal or paternal, and, by extension, the brothers of the grandmothers, the husbands of their sisters, the brothers of their wives, the husbands of the sisters of their wives as well as their male cousins.

obû n he-goat

obu tey n story; literally “what Grandmother tells”

odur n pus

ofû n bran

ogî n leopard

ogo n round cover n chipmunk, a small, red squirrel

ogogí n I fought

ogoî n power to bind up someone

ogori n caterpillar

ogu n pigeon

ogû n

ogû ra n an assassin. Literally, “son of blood”

ogu tiyi n measles

oh n milk

oh dogorî n recipient for curdling milk

oh gwî n the foam or skin on the top of the milk that has been allowed to sit

oh mo n a meal of millet paste where milk is used in the place of water

okiya n today

omra n newlywed bride

omra bîye n nuptial house

omû n hedgehog

ongor n beauty scar on women’s faces

onû n mosquito

ordi n a small black ant that, when it bites, it hurts a lot

orfo n a bowl made from a calabash

orfû n fever, malaria

orfu kow n algae, mold

ori n young camel

orî n an adult goat skin bag for storing water

oro n insult

oro-nì, oro-giní v insult, accuse

orow n wood n crutch n a discreet way to refer to a gun

orow bo n the poles used to attach a roof to a house

orta n cow of four years of age

oru n umbilical cord n navel, belly button

orû n cattle n watermelon

orwe n co-wife, as in “bago orwe”

ory adj sweet smelling

oskina n shower area

osko n west

ossi n

ossy adj cold

osû n forest

ow n a recipient for storing and transporting water

oway ra n good boy

oy ra n tree sp.

oyini n the next day

oyro n bone marrow

Beria to English Dictionary: N – Ñ – n – ñ

N – Ñ – n – ñ

 

naga n greeting

nahas n the sultan’s drum. In Beria, the [ h ] drops out intervocalically

najî n refugee

namarda n cappadris decidua bush. The thin branches are used as a purgative, and to treat stomach problems.

ñar n a branch full of thorns n family circle

ñari n okra, okra sauce

ñarî n noise

nasara n one from a foreign county outside the continent of Africa

nawra n childhood. The age when a boy wears skins, from 5-6 years old to the time of circumcision

nebî n prophet

nede n dew

nefer n origin, race, tribe, fraction

nengir n squirrel

neri n lightning

nîbît n A sand dune that accumulates as a result of a dust storm, very fine

nini n small violin

nogo n cechrus biflorus. plant with thorns, whose seeds can be eaten in time of famine

nogor n male animal, particularly the horse and the donkey

nogor pron where?

nogora n mirror

noko n one

nongu n arabic gum

now ra n bad boy

nowy adj bad n o nowy: one who does not stay among the world of men. A hermit.

nû n enemy

ñûngûr n paper used for shining shoes or removing the dust

nunu n millet granary

nuny adj bad smell. ex: rotten vegetables, the smell of a toilet, rotting corpse

nur n the maerua crassifolia fruit, which are eaten in time of famine

nur da n Maerua crassifolia, a white tree that does not have thorns. It often grows on sandy ground, and has thick shade. It is believed that this is the tree in which the evil spirit which leads to murder dwells.

Beria to English Dictionary: M – m

M – m

 

madi n wild fruit of the Boscia senegalensis (madìra)

madî n a hollow tree trunk used to water animals

madi ra n Boscica senegalensis, Capparidaceae

madîda n non-alcoholic millet drink, the early stages of the preparation of “maska”

madûr n handicapped person

magadûm n canton chief

magadûm kûrsî n adviser to the chef de canton

magrib n the Muslim prayer time that takes place at sunset

maî n blacksmith, potter, leatherworker or any person of the craftsman class n liver n smoked meat

maîye n salaried

majûm n When a person has “too much blood”, this is used by a Muslim religious doctor to suck blood, poison or boils out of the skin.

mama n maternal uncle, the brother of one’s mother; by extension, refers to one’s mother’s sister’s husbands, to the cousins of one’s mother, or the brothers of the wives of maternal uncles

mamûr n the branding iron used for marking scars for one possessions, including animals n festival hairstyle

man n belongings n suitcase, baggage n cattle

manamana n a leather camel bag

manda n fetish, idol n a baobab tree

manda keî n a swamp filled with dead wood

mandawa n roasted peanuts

mandûb n delegate, representative

mani n any curse

manu n thorn

mar n star

mar kûrû-giní n meteor, comet

marabba n square, rectangle

marara n food consisting of liver and other offals

mardî n a flat place especially set aside for sports, celebrations and dances. Most villages have one. Usually the ground is hard and flat.

margî n tooth

markaba n boat

markûb n closed footwear

masamba n tent

maska n one type of alcoholic beverage; the stronger of the two, stronger than “guru”

matar n airport

medik n lizard

mek n duck

mengari n necklace, bead (worn only by women)

meri n throwing knife

merî n taxes

meske n a long net made of thin, strong cord, tied between two fairly distant trees and used to trap antilope in the hot season

meye n turtle

mî n calf

midi n the pliers used by an iron worker for metalwork

miga n jujuba seed

migri n a bribe, usually an animal from the herd, to persuade an unwilling relative to accept the giving in marriage of a daughter

mimi n from the Mimi people or region

mir n a very bitter wild cucumber. The grains can be eaten after being boiled for a long time.

mîr n sweat

misa n cooking pot

mît n standard of measure, approximately 2 litres

miya n shadow n a shade from the sun and the wind, made of sticks and out in the open, usually near a field

mîya n hundred

modo kîsîr n father-in-law, the father of one’s husband. May also be used to refer to the brothers of one’s father-in-law or mother-in-law, or, as a term of respect, to refer to the husbands of the sisters of one’s father-in-law, or the husbands of the sisters of one’s mother-in-law.

mogaf n bus station

mogo n a piece of cloth that is suspended on two ends as with a flag near the millet to wave in the wind, to scare off animals and birds

mogû n old female animal.

moju n pelican

mongo n mango

monjûr n The thin branches of a tree or bush, used to spank children

mordo n a broom made of grass

morî n flute; more specifically, the ocarina flute made of clay

moro n gazelle

moro mara n red gazelle

morsû n Brother-in-law, the brother of a wife’s husband.

morto n hammer

morwa n fan

mosî n neighbor

mudi n honey-producing fly

mudur n the dry, polished wood that remains after a tree has been cut down

mûgonî n end of rainy season (archaic). From about the end of August to the beginning of September, when the fields are weeded, and wild grains are reaped. from the word bitter

mur n vein, artery, blood vessels

murdu n buttock

mûrfa n blanket

mûshkîla n problem

muskun n a female fist, one where the girl hits with the bottom of the hand

mûsmar n nail

mûsû n handful

mûsûwak n a toothbrush made of the salvodora persica tree