Farm vocabulary: Luchazi to English

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Farm vocabulary: Luchazi to English

This section contains Luchazi words and phrases related to farming, agriculture, land cultivation, crops, and livestock management.

General farming terms

  1. Vundimi – Farming; agriculture 
  2. Ndimi – Farmer
  3. Vandimi – Farmers
  4. Mukua ku lima – Plougher; plowman; cultivator
  5. Vakua ku lima – Ploughers; cultivators
  6. Lima – Cultivate; till; plough
  7. Ku lima – To cultivate
  8. Limunuina = plough between the already ploughed.
  9. Tipa – till; plough.
  10. Ku tipa – To till; to plough
  11. Vulime – Tillage; cultivated land; fallow farmland
  12. Vingila = watch over (guarding grain crops against birds and monkeys)
  13. Vuvingililo = vigilance; protective observation.

Land, Fields and Boundaries

  1. Lihia – Farm; field; cultivated land
  2. Muhaka – Garden; vegetable plot
  3. Cinimbu ca livu – Plot of land
  4. Cipalo – Boundary marker; land marker
  5. Ku ntsongo ya lihia – At the end of the field
  6. Zimbango zia lihia – Corners of the field
  7. Livu – Soil
  8. Livu lia vuilo – Fertile soil; good soil
  9. Livu lia ku uma – Dry soil
  10. Livu lia ku zula – Wet soil
  11. Livu lia ku ilila – Fallow ground
  12. Lihia lia ku ilila – Fallow farmland
  13. Cisokola – Wasteland

Soil Preparation and Field Management

  1. Masinde – Soil clods; clay lumps
  2. Ku pazangana masinde – To break up soil clods; harrow
  3. Ku lambesa livu – To break up and level soil
  4. Ku saseya – To cut down small trees and bushes during field preparation
  5. Ku vavula – To carry out early burning around fields to create firebreaks
  6. Ku yauila – To weed
  7. Sevula – To completely remove grass from the ground
  8. Ku sendeka – 

Planting and Propagation

  1. Kuna – plant
  2. Kununuina – To plant seed among already planted crops
  3. Tombeka – To plant stems or cuttings
  4. Kuva – sow
  5. Mbuto – Seed
  6. Mbuto ya ndundu-katete – First seed; first produce
  7. Zintui – Pumpkin, gourd, or squash seeds
  8. Mitombo – Suckers; shoots; offshoots
  9. Cisoka – Plant
  10. Visoka – Plants; vegetation
  11. Tukumuna – To irrigate
  12. Tukumuina – Irrigation
  13. Sampuila – To sprinkle
  14. Vuilo – Manure; compost; organic fertiliser

Plant Growth and Development

  1. Cisoka – plant.
  2. Visoka (plural) – plants.
  3. Soko – Grow; germinate
  4. Ku soko – To grow; to germinate
  5. Sokele – Grew
  6. Sokesele – Cause to grow
  7. Ca lisokela – Self-growing plant; volunteer plant
  8. Ca lisokela mutoto ku mbuto – Plant growing naturally without being sown
  9. Kolo – Grow; develop
  10. Ku kolo – To grow
  11. Kolakana – Overgrown
  12. Sonda = prune; cut off.
  13. Sondola = prune.
  14. Tema – Blossom; flower
  15. Ku tema – To blossom
  16. Tuikilila – Sprout
  17. Ku tuikilila – To sprout
  18. Ku linda – To twine or wind around a stem
  19. Ku zuza – To wither
  20. Ku uminina – To dry up completely
  21. Ku ima mbuto – To produce grain
  22. Ku ima mihako – To bear fruit
  23. Luntui = vine; the slender stem of a trailing or climbing plant.
  24. Litindi = a wild plant that grow pods underground like groundnuts. It is commonly found along the river banks, and it is harvested for food as relish.
  25. Litindi = the small conical or ovoid-shaped seed pod especially of the Roselle plant, which is covered with bright red, fleshy, and petal-like calyces.
  26. Matindi (plural) = the seed pods especially of the Roselle plant.
  27. Zindole = female flowers of a vine plant with tiny, immature swellings or baby fruits (the ovaries) right at the base behind the petals; pistillate flowers.

Harvesting and Post-Harvest Activities

  1. Tia / Kutia – Harvest; harvesting
  2. Kela – Harvest grain crops; to harvest grain crops such as wheat, rice using the harvesting knife.
  3. Ku kela makania – Harvest tobacco
  4. Hela – Pick; pluck
  5. Ku hela makania – Pick tobacco leaves
  6. Potola – Pick or gather fruit
  7. vakua ku potola vusuka = fruit pickers or gatherers
  8. Tomona – Pick fruit, flowers, or leaves
  9. Tombola = pull up by the roots.
  10. Tukula = uproot or yank.
  11. Tenda – Shell pods; remove seeds from pods
  12. Ku tenda vielu – Shell groundnuts
  13. Tongona – Strip leaves
  14. Vunda – Chop stalks after grain harvest
  15. Zungula – Thresh
  16. Ndzungula – Threshing
  17. Pekula – Winnow; separate grain from chaff
  18. Muzungu = chaff; debris.
  19. Muhungu = debris; chaff.
  20. Kunga – Gather
  21. Halulula – Glean
  22. Hungulula – Gathering harvested crops
  23. Ungulula – Store harvested crops; stockpile
  24. Tuta – Haul; transport
  25. Longela – Fill up

Harvested Produce and Storage

  1. Vusuka – Produce; crops; fruits
  2. Vusuka vua ndundu-katete – First fruits
  3. Cisupo – Surplus; excess
  4. Visupo – Surpluses
  5. Cisua – Sheaf
  6. Visua – Sheaves
  7. Citutila – Bundle
  8. Lianda – Bundle
  9. Lianda lia valuku – Bundle of finger millet

Weeds, Grass and Pasture

  1. Saku – Noxious weeds
  2. Vikelekele – Weeds
  3. Muila – Grass
  4. Muila ua ku kamba – Mown grass
  5. Vulio – Forage
  6. Vulilo – Pasture
  7. Vulilo vua ku tontola – Green pasture
  8. Tundzata – Brambles
  9. Mungu – Nettles
  10. Ntsamba-kakatela – Black-jack (Bidens pilosa), also known by similar plants like Devil’s Thorn (Tribulus terrestris).
  11. Visuasua – Straw; stubble
  12. Visoni – Straw; stubble

Farm Structures and Features

  1. Cina – Burrow
  2. Cipuku – Pit
  3. Muhanga – Garden bed
  4. Mihanga – Garden beds
  5. Miondongole – Ridges
  6. Miondongole ya lihia – Field ridges
  7. Mitumbo / Matumbo – Soil mounds
  8. Vusito – Hedge

Types of crops in Luchazi to English

  1. Mundele = maize.
  2. Lipungu or pungu = multi-coloured heirloom African corn; maize.
  3. Valuku = finger millet.
  4. Masangu = bulrush millet.
  5. Masa = sorghum.
  6. Tiliku = wheat.
  7. Nijela = spelt grain; fitches grain.
  8. Vielu via ntsoke = groundnuts.
  9. Vielu via ndongo (loanword) = groundnuts.
  10. Vielu via kaseke = vigna substerranea; also known as Bambara ground-beans.
  11. Makunde = beans.
  12. Vipoke = cowpeas.
  13. Zimono = castor oil seeds.
  14. Muandza = cassava.
  15. Musambe = sweet potatoes
  16. Tuvanja = sweet potatoes.
  17. Mutete = roselle.
  18. Zindzilo = African green eggplants.
  19. Vimatia = tomatoes.
  20. Sapola = onions.
  21. Tulumingo = garlic.
  22. Zindungu = chili peppers.
  23. Kahombo = scotch bonnet chili pepper.
  24. Kanike uasina = African bird eye chili pepper.
  25. Lihapua = watermelon.
  26. Mahapua (plural) = watermelons.
  27. Litanda or Melau = melon.
  28. Matanda or Vimelau = melons.
  29. Litanda lia kambiambia = Cucumis melo or winter melon.
  30. Matanda a kambiambia (plural) = Cucumis melos or winter melons.
  31. Litiva = edible gourd or squash.
  32. Mativa (plural) = edible gourds.
  33. Cimputu = the bushy pumpkin leaves.
  34. Limputu = pumpkin.
  35. Mamputu (plural) = pumpkins.
  36. Lumono = gourd.
  37. Ntsuua = calabash.
  38. Cimbakasizi (loanword from Portuguese "abacaxi" = pineapple.
  39. Cinanazi = pineapple.
  40. Likonde (loanword mainly used in Zambia) = pineapple.
  41. Makonde (plural) = pineapple.
  42. Likonde = banana.
  43. Makonde (plural) = bananas.
  44. Zimasa = apples.
  45. Cimamau (loanword from Portuguese "mamão" = papaya (pawpaw).
  46. Mbakate (loanword from Portuguese "abacate" = avocado.
  47. Mbuma = mango.
  48. Zimbuma (plural) = mango.
  49. Makania = tobacco.
  50. Liamba = marijuana; cannabis.

Luchazi proverb: Yove ua koka luntui; ngecize na mativa a ci ka suameka (You have pulled up the vine so the mativa (type of squash) will be burned).

Vulanguluisi: Nga u koka cipue u tukula luntui; vusuka vuze vua kala ha luntui vu koma na ku nonga. Nga u nongesa vuputukilo u ka nongesa naua Vumanusuilo.

Ku Hetesa: Mu ntsimbu kanda u panga vimosi, yongola mua cili na ku singanieka viose vize vi hasa ku soloka ku vize vi u ka panga.

Parts of a maize plant in Luchazi to English

  1. Cisongo = blade of crop; leaf.
  2. Cihungu = head or ear of corn.
  3. Vikasakasa = ears of the corn.
  4. Mbuto zia mahumpu = grains.
  5. Mukandi = kernel.
  6. Mikandi (plural) = kernels.
  7. Nkuekue = husk; the green leafy layer that we peel back.
  8. Zinkuekue (plural) = husks.
  9. Cikundi = cob; corncob; the central cylindrical woody part of the maize ear to which the grains are attached.
  10. Vikundi (plural) = cobs; corncobs.
  11. Ntsala = tassel.
  12. Ntsoke = grass needle; awn; a long, slender, sharp-pointed part from lemma of the spikelet; also called threads.
  13. Zintsoke (plural)
Parts of a maize plant in Luchazi language

Mako (Mark) 4: 28, "Mavu avene ema mihako; ha katete cisongo, kaha cihungu, kaha mbuto zia muhumpu".

Farm storage structures and accessories in Luchazi to English

  1. Cisete = barn; granary.
  2. Visete (plural) = barns; granaries.
  3. Cikoloyi = a permanent storage structure for crops after harvest.
  4. Vikoloyi (plural) = permanent storage structures for crops after harvest.
  5. Cipundo = temporary storage structure at the farming field.
  6. Vipundo (plural) = temporary storage structure at the farming field.
  7. Cindundu = barn floor cover or mat especially made from bark.
  8. Cisasa = temporary shelter or booth.
  9. Cisasa ca mukua ku vingila = a shelter or booth for a person guarding the field.
  10. Cizunguilo = threshing floor or place.
  11. Njeke = sack.
  12. Njeke ya tuntuntu = a sack with holes.

Common farm animals in Luchazi to English

  1. Vimuna = livestock; domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting.
  2. Ngombe = cattle; ox.
  3. Citole = cow, heifer or a mature, female bovine are raised for milk, meat (beef) and hides (leather).
  4. Kavalu = horse.
  5. Cimulu = donkey.
  6. Mpembe = goat.
  7. Vampembe (plural) = goats.
  8. Muana mpembe = kid.
  9. Vana mpembe (plural) = kids.
  10. Mpanga = sheep.
  11. Vampanga (plural) = sheep.
  12. Muana mpanga = lamb.
  13. Vana mpanga (plural) = lambs.
  14. Ngulu = pig.
  15. Vangulu (plural) = pigs.
  16. Kalumba = rabbit.
  17. Tulumba (plural) = rabbits.
  18. Nkuzi = bull or a mature, male bovine that are raised for meat (beef) and hides (leather).
  19. Vankuzi (plural) = bulls.
  20. Nuei = bullock; male bovine, specifically one that has been castrated; bull.
  21. Vanuei (plural) = bullocks; male bovines, specifically those that have been castrated; bulls.
  22. Vankuzi vangombe = mature, male bovine.
  23. Nkomba = male animal.
  24. Nkomba ua ku lehuka = castrated male animal.
  25. Luhavo = female animal.
  26. Cizamba = ram or a male sheep.
Common farm animals in Luchazi

Words related to animals in Luchazi to English

  1. Cituto = paw.
  2. Vituto = paws.
  3. Zintsende = hooves.
  4. Vipondo = hoofs.
  5. Mucila = tail.
  6. Mianga = wag; swing the tail.
  7. Zimbinga = horns.
  8. Mukambo = yoke.
  9. Muhompo = snout.
  10. Cilambu = animal skin.
  11. Vutanga = flock.
  12. Matanga (plural) = flocks.
  13. Tanga = kraal; enclosure for domestic animals.
  14. Cunda = animal enclosure; kraal.
  15. Limba = kraal.
  16. Cisakala= cage.
  17. Vuvutameno = place for laying down; couching place.
  18. Kaniungi = herdsman, herder or shepherd.
  19. Ku kamuna = to milk the cow.
  20. Tusitu va ku nina = fattened animals; fatlings.
  21. Citi ca ku ndivuisa = goad.
  22. Viti via ku ndivuisa (plural) = goads.
  23. Cindivuiso = goad.

Common farm birds in Luchazi to English

  1. Kasumbi = chicken or a domestic fowl bred for its flesh and eggs.
  2. Tusumbi (plural) = chickens or domestic fowls bred for their flesh and eggs.
  3. Lipato (from Portuguese or Spanish) = duck or a water bird raised for its meat and eggs.
  4. Mapato (plural) = ducks or water birds raised for their meat and eggs.
  5. Ntsintsi = goose.
  6. Vantsintsi (plural) = geese.
  7. Ntento = quail.
  8. Vantento = quails.
  9. Livembe = pigeon.
  10. Mavembe (plural) = pigeons.
  11. Nkanga = guineafowl.
  12. Vankanga (plural) = guineafowls.
  13. Nkumbua = ostrich. (The name “nkumbua” can be found in many verses of the Mbimbiliya (the Luchazi bible). “Mavava a nkumbua a fuakuluka mu ku lihalesa.” (the wings of the ostrich flaps proudly) ~ Yombi (Job) 39: 13).
  14. Niamalanda = ostrich. Other sections of the Luchazi people call it as niamalanda.
  15. Ndemba = male bird; rooster.
  16. Kutambeka = crow.
  17. Cali = female bird or hen.
  18. Kukeketa = cluck.
  19. Camba = chicken coop; poultry house.
Domesticated birds in Luchazi language

Beekeeping terms in Luchazi to English

  1. Beehive = ngoma.
  2. Ku pamba ngoma = to make a beehive from a tree bark.
  3. Ku sosa = the action of putting the beehive up the tree.
  4. Lisoso = a long rope used to take the beehive up the tree.
  5. Lifuliko lia ngoma
  6. Ngoma i li a mualati = the beehive is up a tree and hanged in the fork of branches.
  7. Musenge ua vufumpu = forest or bush of 'vufumpu'.
  8. Ntsani ya nkuve = flower of 'nkuve'.
  9. Tsentsentse
  10. Chinyundu
  11. Bee = mpuka.
  12. Vuci = honey.
  13. Cisila = honeycomb.
  14. Sela = wax.
Types of honey:
  1. Vuci vua mpuka = honey made by bees.
  2. Vuci vua mase.
  3. Vuci vua mala.
  4. Vuci vua malianda.
  5. Vuci vua tu-mbulumbulu.
  6. Vuci vua matambi.

Group animal names in Luchazi to English

  1. Ndzema = swarm.
  2. Ndzema ya Vampuka = swarm of bees.
  3. Zindzema = swarms.
  4. Vutanga = herd or flock.
  5. Matanga (plural) = herds or flocks.
  6. Cimpuma = flock or herd.
  7. Vimpuma (plural) = flocks.
  8. Lihuma = group of birds.

Farm tools in Luchazi to English

  1. Njimbu = axe.
  2. Zinjimbu (plural) = axes.
  3. Njimbu ya mutaka = hatchet.
  4. Litemo = hoe, coulter.
  5. Matemo (plural) = hoes, coulters.
  6. Likandu = mattock.
  7. Makandu (plural) = mattocks.
  8. Mulanja = a large single-edged, bladed knife used for chopping agricultural work (cutting cassava stems or stakes).
  9. Hala = rake.
  10. Pa = shovel.
  11. Zipa (plural) = shovels.
  12. Fosholo = shovel.
  13. Cikekele = plough.
  14. Cilambeso ca livu = harrow.
  15. Cilambeso ca muzingulule = harrowing disc.
  16. Cikuniso = planter.
  17. Cikuvilo = seed holder used in sowing; a traditional gourd bowl used in sowing seeds.
  18. Citieso = harvesting tool.
  19. Cizunguiso = threshing implement..
  20. Vizunguiso (plural) = threshing implements.
  21. Cisehua = winnowing basket.
  22. Lisehua = winnowing basket.
  23. Cisampuiso = sprinkler.
  24. Visampuiso (plural) = sprinklers.
  25. Mpoko ya ku sondouesa = pruning shear or knife.
  26. Zimpoko zia ku sondouesa (plural) = pruning shears or knives.
  27. Mpoko ya ku tiesa = harvesting knife.
  28. Zimpoko zia ku tiesa (plural) = harvesting knives.
  29. Citi ca ku ndivuisa= goads.
  30. Viti via ku ndivuisa = goads.

Types of farms in Luchazi to English

  1. Mihanda = new farming fields.
  2. Ciseve = a one-year-old farming field.
  3. Cimbete = a two-year old farming field.
  4. Lihia = farm or farming field; an area of open land where plants or crops are grown for food.
  5. Lihia lia ndemba = a farming field managed by a husband for feeding his extended family.
  6. Mehia a ndemba (plural) = farming fields managed by husbands for feeding their extended family members.
  7. Muhaka = garden or a piece of land used for growing vegetables.
  8. Lihia lia viniu = vineyard.
  9. Citungu ca miti ya mihako = orchard; a piece of enclosed land planted with fruit trees.
  10. Cihemba = field of cassava.

Welcome to my profile. I am a proud member of the Luchazi tribe, dedicated to Honouring our ancestors by preserving our rich history. This blog is a digital home for the history, ways of life, custom practices, beliefs, values and social forms of the Luchazi people. It is a space built on deep respect for our past and hope for our future. Through this platform, I share authentic insights into the Luchazi history, way of life, including: The geographic roots of the Luchazi people, Luchazi identity and population, Origins and ancestry, Prehistoric Angola and Luchazi heritage, Precolonial Angola, Luchazi creation myths, Traditional society, etc,. Why I Started This Blog: Our heritage is not just history—it is a living blueprint for who we are. In a rapidly changing world, it is vital that we tell our own stories from an insider's perspective. I want to ensure our children and the wider world understand the depth of Luchazi history and culture. Whether you are a fellow community member looking to reconnect, or a visitor eager to learn about our vibrant way of life, I welcome you. Nja sangala, and thank you for walking this path of historical and cultural preservation with me.

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