Wa lala po?
Onda sa ondjala!
Owa za peni?
Oshimbombo oshitoye
Aanegumbo yandje
Kondingosho
Owu uka peni?
Uundjolowele
Omasiku nomathimbo
Ohema ombwanawa
mEgumbo
mOshiwambo!
CULTURAL INFORMATION
• Greet first before asking or saying anything, even in a shop or on the telephone.
• Always take time and shake hands when greeting.
• Always greet elders first.
• When greeting, females should bend their knees and males should nod their heads.
• Greeting passersby is considered very polite. It is often expected in the villages, but in town it is not necessary.
• It is normal for the person who comes to a group of people to initiate greeting.
• Words like Meme (mother), Tate (father), and especially Kuku (grandparent) show respect and are just as important as the greeting itself.
• Touch your right elbow to show extra respect.
• Literally, if someone says wa lala po, they are asking if you laid down last night. Wu uhala po asks if you spent the afternoon, and wa tokelwa po asks if the sky became white for you at dusk. For the record, the answer is always ee-ee.

Grammar Corner: Personal Pronouns
In English, we have three different persons: I, you, and he/she/it, as well as their plural counterparts: we, you all, and they. It is very similar in Oshindonga:

English Oshindonga
I Ngoye (often said “Ngweye”)
He/She Ye
We Tse
You all Ne
They Yo
Oshindonga makes no distinction between “he” and “she” – they are both referred to as ye.

Quick Tip
Ngame (often said “Ngaye”)
Ngaa and tuu are used quite often for emphasis and carry a meaning similar to “really” or “rather”.

Aniwa:
~ Okuti kwa vala. ~
The forest has delivered (you).
(Welcome home, after a long journey.)

Back