Kala lexicon

Main Article: Kala

See also: Thematic Lexicon

General Lexica

• The majority of lexical units in Kala can have multiple roles.
• Most have a primary role, such as verb, noun or particle, but almost all can serve in at least two roles.
• Because of this, this list is sorted alphabetically and not by part of speech or category.

pa ta ka ma na nya sa ha tsa tla ua la ya a

pa

• pata

1. tile; brick

• pato

1. duck
2. male prostitute [slang]

• paka

1. unintelligent and foolish; idiotic; stupid

mpa

• mpaka

1. border; boundary; frontier
2. line

ta

• ta

1. you, [2sg]

nta

• ntaku

1. sibling

See also: family terms

ka

• ka

1. interrogative particle, [q]

nka

• nka

1. emphatic negative

ma

• ma

1. and, also
2. too; as well (as)

na

• na - I [1SG]
• napa - grape; raisin
• napita - wine
• napo - turnip
• napu - treaty; agreement; promise; pact
• nata [-nta-] - relative; family member
• nati - religion; teaching; belief; myth; legend
• natila - forefinger; index finger
• nato - straight [direction]
• naka [-na] - female; woman; feminine [FEM]
• naku - sister
• nam - we [1PL]
• nama - mature; ripe; to grow; raise; growth
• nami - ourselves [1PL.REFL]
• namyo - our(s) [1PL.POSS]
• nanka - emphasizing disgust, contemp
• nanku - we - each other [1.RECP]
• nana - mom; mama; mommy
• nasa - be born; give birth
• masako - one who is like a deer
• nase - spider; arachnid
• nasi - pear [fruit; tree]
• nasua - upsurge; climax; orgasm; sexual pleasure
• naha - river; creek
• nahe - into; within; in [located inside of]
• nahi - girl; daughter
• naho - grammar; regulate; rule; sentence structure; syntax
• nahue - niece
• nahya - granddaughter
• natsa - draw; picture; painting; drawing
• natsi - poem; poetry; verse
• natsu - summer; summer weather
• natsua - let go; release
• natlo - plum; plum flower; prune
• nala - shine; illuminate; light; enlighten
• nalo - laugh; smile
• na'am - we [1PL.EXCL]
• na'ami - ourselves [1PL.EXCL.REFL]
• na'amyo - our(s) [1PL.EXCL.POSS]
• na'anku - we - each other [1PL.EXCL.RECP]
• na'i - myself [1SG.REFL]
• na'o - one; 1
• na'onye - January
• naua - cord; string; rope; to bind together; to twist around
• naue - female cousin
• naya - wife
• naye - during; hence
• nayo - my; mine [1SG.POSS]
• nayoma - Thursday
• ne - should; ought to [SUG]
• neka - make reprisals; retaliate; revenge; retaliation
• neko - cat; feline
• neku - winter; winter climate [snowy season]
• neme - take over; assume control
• nehe - fingernail; toenail; to scratch
• neli - lethargic; listless; unenergetic; sluggish; ennui; malaise
• neua - advise; urge; advice
• neya - should; ought to [SUG]
• nipa - stretch the lower back while alternately extending each leg
• nipue - dull [not sharp]
• nika - pungent [taste]; bitter; astringent; tart; acerbity
• niku - muscle; tendon
• nimu - work; labor; task
• ninka - television; to watch ~
• nisa - compare; contrast; ratio
• nisi - west; west side; western part; to the west of
• niha [-ni] - lovable; kind; nice; endearing; pleasant; likeable; affable
• nitsa - chairs and tables; household furniture
• nila - blue; indigo plant
• nilanya - blue eyes
• niua - garden; yard; depot
• niya - reasoning; goal; reason; motive; purpose; intention
• no - thing; object; item; stuff; matter
• nopa - pull; stretch; draw sth out
• nota - lie; be in horizontal position; horizon
• noto - compassion; relent; sympathize; sympathy
• nok - nothing
• noki - vertical; to erect; to set upright; vertical stroke
• noko - continue unchanged; remain; stay behind
• nokua - everything
• nomo - be fond of; like; prefer [situational; objects]
• nomya - act; action; activity; move; movement
• nosa - subject; theme; topic
• noho - chickpea; garbanzo
• nohya - wrap; pack; bundle; package
• notsa - ride horseback; mount; cavalry
• nola - anything
• noya - satisfied; content; happy; pleased
• nuka - joke; banter; tease; mock
• nuku - hate; detest
• numu - style; standard; pattern
• nusu - steal; pilfer; snatch
• nula - lick; lap [up]

nya

• nya - for [to benefit; for the purpose of]; by [actor; author]
• nyakua - by all means; by any means
• nyamu - mosquito; fly
• nyanku - whale
• nyasa - thank; thanks; thank [you]
• nyase - eyelashes
• nyahe - by means of; via; per; [using; through instrumentality of]
• nyahi - white; snowy; pure; bright; empty
• nyalo - telephone; phone call; phone number; cell phone
• nya'e - in order that; so that
• nya'o - five hundred; 500
• nye - because of; due to; reason; cause
• nyepa - cloud
• nyeta - open; start; turn on
• nyek - no reason
• nyekua - every reason; every cause
• nyema - hundred years; century
• nyemi - cape; headland; promontory; point; peninsula
• nyela - arrowhead
• nyeli - pink
• nyelo - extra; surplus; remaining; remainder after division
• nye'o / [nye-] / [-nye] - hundred; numerous; all kinds of; 100 / hecto- / centi-
• nyo - use X as a tool
• nyopa - poor; impoverished
• nyota - thirst; to be thirsty
• nyoki - dumpling; pot-sticker
• nyoma - rice
• nyome - beige
• nyonka - choke [on]; choke up; suffocate; strangle
• nyotlo - nut; seed
• nyola - any case; any reason
• nyolo - ant; insect

sa

• saya - soothe; calm; relax

ha

• ha - 3SG pronoun; he, she, it

See also: pronouns

tsa

• tsapa - effort; trouble; endeavor; struggle; suffer
• tsata - council; committee; assembly; parliament
• tsaka - home; residence; household [furniture etc]; domicile
• tsaki - chewing gum; bubblegum
• tsaku - idea; thought; conception
• tsama - pretend; feign; play a role
• tsame - collect; gather; accumulate
• tsamo - reef; coral reef; shoal rock
• tsanka - tire; become bored with; be fed up of; tired
• tsanko - monkey; ape; primate
• tsana - meditation; to practice meditation; to sit in meditation
• tsani - story; tale
• tsasu - cursive
• tsahe - for (in exchange for)
• tsatli - pineapple
• tsala - sauce; paste; gravy; dressing; to dip
• tsalo - clear [transparent in color]
• tsa'e - across (at the other side of; to the other side of) ; through
• tsa'i / tsai - tea; tea plant; tea leaves
• tsa'o - six; 6
• tsa'onye - June
• tsaua - complexion; looks; appearance of one's face
• tsaya - used to express anger; irritation; contempt [damn]; expletive; pejorative
  • -po - affixed to nouns and verbs for intense degradation
• tsaye - since; until; till [in time]; to; up to; as far as [in space]
• tsayoma - Tuesday

See also: days of the week

• tsepa - please
• tseka - pull; draw near; tug; tow; yank
• tsenta - to overdo it; to overcook; to exaggerate
• tsenka - orange [fruit/tree/color]
• tseno - thigh; crotch
• tse'e - appear; be perceived as; seem as if; seem to; seemingly; apparently
  • -tse - attached to nouns and verbs
• tsipa - for a limited time; ephemeral; not constant; temporary
• tsipa'o - octagon
• tsitila - knuckle
• tsika'o - heptagon
• tsikua - bird; avian
• tsikue - habit; custom; usual practice; to be used to; tradition
• tsima - hour; period; time; o'clock
• tsima'o - square
• tsini - sugar
• tsinu - entice; arouse; provoke; arousal; erogenous
• tsisa'o - nonagon
• tsisu - coefficient; factor; modulus; ratio
• tsiha'o - triangle
• tsihi - compassion; mercy; sympathy; empathize
• tsitsa'o - hexagon
• tsila - lip
• tsilo - naked; bare; uncovered; exposed
• tsi'u - transitive; transitivity
• tsi'ute - elbow
• tsiua - lake; pond; pool
• tsiue'o - decagon
• tsiya - freedom; liberty
• tsiya'o - pentagon
• tsiyo - corridor; aisle; hallway; passageway; piazza; veranda
• tso - middle; mid-; half; center
• tsopa - pair; a mate; a couple; to couple
• tsopo - prefer; preferred; preference
• tsota - breed; reproduce; propagate
• tsoto - surrender; capitulate; give up
• tsoka - bump; collide with; strike
• tsoko - chocolate
• tsoma - tobacco [plant; leaves] | smoke ; smolder; cigarette
• tsomye - smug; vain; shameless
• tsonkua - China
• tsonyo - alert; attentive
• tsoho - material; resources; data; information
• tsola - fox; Vulpes
• tsupa - saliva
• tsuka - pride; hubris; arrogance
• tsuki - order; sequence; next; next; numerical ordinal
  • ki- - numerical ordinal prefix
• tsuku - look of rumpled feathers; bedraggled; wet and limp
• tsumpa - buy; purchase
• tsuma - metal
• tsumi - guilt; sin; offense
• tsumu - careful; cautious
• tsunka - insect; bug; worm
• tsunki - filter; strain; perforated screen
• tsunku - can; jar; pot; urn
• tsuna - join; connect; link up; communicate
• tsuhi - panther; leopard
• tsula - celebration; party; social gathering
• tsule - wire; string
• tsuama - sandwich; wrap; sub; baguette
• tsuasi - stock; share; capital raised by a company
• tsuali - thunder
• tsue - position; stance; posture
• tsuene - baboon
• tsuya - most important; prime; primary; principal; main
  • -tsu - prime; main
• tsuyo - armadillo

tla

• tla - it [4SG]
• tlapa - horn [wind instrument]; bugle call; trumpet; elephant noise
• tlato - chant
• tlaka [-ta] - the male sex; a male; masculine; man; [MASC]
• tlaku - enmesh; wrap around; web; net
• tlakua - snail; slug; mole cricket
• tlam - them; those [4PL]
• tlama - anytime
• tlami - themsleves [4PL.REFL]
• tlanka - level; grade; rank
• tlanku - they - each other [4PL.REFL]
• tlana - person; human [being]
• tlani - damn; curse; revile
• tlasi - cough [up]
• tlaso - skin deep; superficial; shallow
• tlahi - convenient; easy; to facilitate
• tlatsa - fire; urgent; fiery or flaming; internal heat; to burn; to blaze
• tlatso - lastly; finally; last; final
• tlamyo - their [4PL.POSS]
• tla'i - itself [4SG.REFL]
• tlaue - colander
• tlaya [-ya] - marry; marriage; wed; matrimony; in-law; relative by marriage
• tlayo - its [4SG.POSS]
• tle - up; away from earth’s centre; abstract adverb of motion
• tlepa - teach; to instruct; educate
• tleka - mean; narrow-minded; petty
• tleki - boast; brag; boastful; exaggerative; pompous; bombastic
• tlema - banner; flag; ensign
• tleme - disc; sheet
• tlena - gradual; sluggish
• tleno - log; piece of wood; timber
• tlenyo - millennium
• tlehe - esteem; honest; candid; sincere
• tletsu - lettuce
• tlela - bathe; clean; purify; wash
• tlelo - toy; plaything
• tle'o / [tle-] / [-tle] - thousand; 10^3 / kilo- / milli-
• tli - group; collection; mass of [COL]
• tlipi - to tie; bind or fasten together; to kidnap
• tlipu - suspended by hanging; hung
• tlika - family; clan; kin
• tlikata - family name
• tliki - sulfur; brimstone [color and element]
• tlima - plough; to plow; to turn the soil; to till
• tlinta - guard
• tlinka - herring
• tlina - stop or cut short
• tliha - distant future [DIS]
• tlihi - immediate future [IMM]
• tlihya - beard; moustache or whiskers; facial hair
• tlitsi - reasoning; capacity of the human mind
• tlila - purple; mauve; violet ; lilac
• tlo - one who does/is; thing which does/is [AG]
• tlopa - forget; overlook; neglect
• tlok - no one; nobody
• tloka - lie; tell an untruth
• tloko - syllable
• tlokua - everyone; everybody
• tlompa - throw an explosive charge; to bomb; bomb
• tloma - feather; plumage; plume
• tlona - feed; nourish; fuel
• tloso - disturb; bother; trouble; annoy; harass
• tlohi - salmon; trout
• tlotsi - chives; onion
• tlotso - rob; plunder; to loot; sack; pillage
• tlotsua - corrode; rust; erode
• tlo'o - elephant

ua

• ua - either; or; other; else
• uapya - insult; ridicule; disgrace
• uata - intestine; bowel; guts
• uati - verb
• uato - that way
• uak - neither...nor
• uaka - ox; cow; bull; bovine; cattle
• uaki - boil; stew; simmer
• uako - that person
• uaku - that amount; much; that many
• uama - then; at that time; then; meanwhile; consequently
• uame - surely; certainly; necessarily; fixed; a certain (extent etc); given
• uanta - confer; consult; negotiate; hold a conference
• uanki - to confine; to imprison; to jail; to cage
• uana - thither; there; that place
• uani - alligator; crocodile
• uano - that thing
• uanye - that reason
• uanyo - bay; gulf [body of water]
• uasa - skill; profession; trade; craft
• uasi - take; get; acquire
• uaso - that kind; that type
• uasu - drinking glass [cup]; jug; pot; vessel
• uahi - arbitrary; at will; at random
• uaho - miss; feel the absence of someone or something
• uatsa - to welcome; welcome
• uatse - correspond; interrelated; correlation; relevance; mutuality
• uatsi - fish
• uatla - that [one]
  • ua- - distal demonstrative [DIST]
• uatli - inferior; of lower quality
• uala - truthfully; verily; indeed
• uali - chart; diagram; graph; scheme
• ualo - to bring; to fetch; to get
• ua'a - spinach
• ua'e - on top; upon; above; upper
• uaya - ascend; rise; climb; go up; ascent
• uaye - from (moving out of or away from)
• uayeko - stranger; foreigner
• ueta - uncle
• uetanye - December
• ueka - lentil
• uemi - castle; fortress; barracks
• uemya - aloof; standoffish; unsociable
• uenta - parent's sibling
• uenku - spleen
• uena - aunt
• uenanye - November
• uene - ship; boat; vessel; canoe
• ueni - blame; criticize; condemnation; reproach
• uenyo - decade; age; era; period
• ueso - bone
• ueha - wish; to desire; to want; appetite
  • -ue - volitive mood [VOL]
• uetse - bathroom; toilet; WC; outhouse
• uetsi - dispirited and downcast (idiom); listless; in low spirits
• uetla - an upright drum
• uetli - power; exponent (math.)
• uela - sail [boat]
• uele - contract; abbreviate; abbreviation
• uelo - bicycle; bike
• ue'o - ten; 10
  • ue- - deka-
  • -ue - deci-
• ue'onye - October
• ueyo - to intend; intent; intention; intend

la

• -la - motional suffix added to prepositions

• -lo - plural; several [PL]

ya

• ya - vocative particle [VOC]
• yapa - an extra or unexpected gift or benefit
• yapo - build; construct; erect
• yapu - disgrace; shame; humiliation; embarrassment
• yata - greetings; hello; farewell; bye; goodbye
• yatila - thumb
• yato - hand; palm
• yaka - limb; appendage; leg
• yako - berry; strawberry
• yaku - translate; to interpret; translation
• yama - mountain; hill; anything that resembles a mountain
• yanka - positive; greater than zero; principle
• yana - yellow; pornographic; to fall through
• yane - beside; by; next to; near; close to
• yani - define; meaning; definition; symbolism
• yano - avoid; shun; evade
• yasa - wind; news; style; air
• yasaya - peaceful wind
• yasi - cosmetics; makeup
• yaso - prepare; get ready
  • -so - prepare for X
• yasu - buffalo; bison
• yasue - cheap; inexpensive; low
• yahe - of (containing the measured quantity: "two liters of water")
• yatsi - tooth; bite; chew
• yatso - ferment; brew; make honey [of bees]; liquor
• yatsua - sigh in regret or pity
• yala - walk; to go; to travel
• yalo - covet; envious; jealous
• ya'o - five; 5
• ya'onye - May
• yaua - reply; answer; return; respond; echo
• yeta - give; transfer; donate
• yete - extraneous; redundant; superfluous
• yeku - circulate; distribute; circulation; distribution
• yempa - table; desk; flat work surface
• yema - both...and...
• yenkala - England; United Kindom
• yena - currency; monetary; money; coin; cash
• yenipa - white skinned one
• yeno - complete; to fill; full
• yesa - still; calm; quiet; not moving; peace; tranquil
• yeha - remote past [REM]
• yehi - recent past [REC]
• yetsa - cry; weep; sob; tear; tear-up
• yetsi - chair; seat; cushion; stool
• yetla - that [over there]
• yela - fart; break wind; talk nonsense; Utter rubbish!
• yeli - summarize; generalize; generalization
• yelo - freeze; solidify; congeal; ice; hail
• yeua - taste; try; sample
• yopi - post [office]; mail
• yota - deduce; infer; derive; an implication; extrapolate
• yote - assistance; aid; to help; to assist
• yoti - play; game; match; sporting event
• yoto - thus; like this; in this way; therefore; so; hence
• yoka - floor; deck
• yoko - swimming; to swim
• yoma - daytime; during the day; day
• yomaya - Monday
• yomi - bow; weapon used for shooting arrows
• yomo - right side; right; to the right
• yomu - read; study; count; recite
• yomua - morning; dawn; daybreak; a.m.; sunrise
• yonka - lava; magma
• yoni - virtue; goodness; morality; ethics; kindness; favor; character; kind
• yono - drama; play; theater
• yoso - left; the left side; to the left of
• yoha - have; possess
  • -yo - pronominal possessive [POSS]
• yohua - during the night; at night; nighttime
• yotsa - face; cheek
• yotso - noon; midday
• yotsu - larva; grub
• yotla - immerse; soak; steep; gradually
• yotli - melon; gourd; squash
• yolo - armor; shell
• youa - weak; feeble

a

• a - is; are; am; yes; to be
• apa - close; shut; turn off
• apua - sing; music; song
• apyo - celery
• ata [ta-] - name; noun (part of speech); to be called; so-called; what is called
• atahi - nickname
• ata'o - patronymic; metronymic
• ate - liver [ organ ]
• ati - plain; normal; ordinary; regular
• ak - no; is not; not
• aka - budge; move slightly; drive a vehicle
• akai - red
• aki - autumn; fall; harvest time
• akya - wake up; to awaken; to be awake
• am - plural; complex number
• ampa - as quickly as possible; as soon as possible; with all speed
• ampi - snot; nasal mucus
• ampu - smell; sniff; nose
• amha - abundance; ample sufficiency
• ama - time; moment; period
• amak - never at all; not even once; at no time
• amaha - era; epoch
• ame - axe; hatchet
• amenya - Germany
• ameyo - Americas
• amo - transport; to carry
• amya - like; be fond of
• amyata - boyfriend
• amyako - friend
• amyana - girlfriend
• anta - breathe; suck in; absorb; inhale
• anto - oath; pledge; to swear
• anka - hip; pelvis; hip joint; waist
• anko - cipher; code
• anku [-nku] - reciprocate; (in) return; reciprocation; pronominal reciprocal [RECP]
• ana - brain; mind; head; essence
• ano - one more time; again; one more; once again
• anu - ear; hear; listen
• anya - eye; look; see
• anyo - year [365/366 days]
• asa - live; alive; living
• asaya - living beauty
• asi - salt
• aso - broil; grill
• asua - hide; pelt; skin; fur; leather
• ahi [-hi] / [i-] - small; tiny; few; young; diminutive [DIM] / numerical fractional
• aho - garlic chives; leek
• ahua - avocado [Persea americana]
• ahya - potato; yam
• atsa - wheel; to roll; disk; to rotate; by turn
• atsi [tsi-] - angle; corner; bend; joint
• atsu - thick; chunky; solid; stocky
• atli [-tli] - in the future; future; the future [FUT]
• ala - fin; wing
• ale - wheat; barley; oats
• a'e - except for; apart from; excluding; against; in spite of
• aya - beautiful; wonderful; splendid; pretty
• aye [-ye] - past; former; previous; already; [PST]
• ayehi - recent
• eta - you [P.2SG]
• etam - you (all) [P.2PL]
• ete - pen; pencil; writing brush
• eka - prefix or suffix of a compound word; affix [linguistics]; to attach
• eke [e-] - object [in grammar]; pronominal patient [P]
• empa - walk quickly; to march; to run
• ema - used to express confusion and/or pause during conversation
• emya - happen; occur; take place
• ente - instead of; rather than
• enka - narrow; tight; thin
• enku - confidential; secret; hush-hush
• ena - me [P.1SG]
• enam - us [P.1PL]
• ena'am - us [P.1PL.EXCL]
• eno - anger; to be angry; upset; mad
• enya - mirror; reflect; mirror image; reflection
• enye - outside of; exterior to; besides
• eha - him; her [P.3SG]
• ekam - them [P.3PL]
• ehe - but; however
• ehya - complete; intact
• etsa - extent; degree of intensity; degree (angles; temperature etc)
• etla - it [P.4SG]
• etlam - them [P.4PL]
• etle - postpone; defer; stall; stave off
• ele - only if (..., or otherwise, ...); only when; only in the case that; unless
• elo - resign; quit
• e'o - zero; 0; nothing; null
• eua - fin; appendage of a fish
• eya - maybe; almost; nearly; practically; very close; possibly
• eye - only; merely; just; solely; alone
• ito - tree; wood
• ika - age; old; young
• ikaha - ancient; old
• ike - then; at that time; while
• iko - this one; person
• iku - this much; this many
• ikua - wolf down food; to devour ravenously; to gorge oneself
• ima - this time; now; yet; immediate; present
• imak - not yet; not now; not this time
• imahi - instant; moment
• inka - not moving; still
• ina - consume; eat; food; sustenance
• ino - this thing
• inu - beverage; drink; liquid
• inya - be hungry; hungry
• inye - this reason
• iso - this kind; this sort
• isu - peel; rind; outer layer of fruit and cheese
• iha - few; some
• itsa - love; affection; be fond of; like
• itla [i-] - this [one]; proximal; proximal demonstrative [PROX]
• itlo - equal; even; same
• ila - fly; hover; flight
• ile [-le] - to cause; to result in; causative [to make; cause X]
• ilo - cave; cavern
• iya - if; whether; possible
• iye - if (but not) *irrealis
• iyoma - today
• iyomua - this morning
• o / [o-] - number; numeral; digit / honorific [HON]
• opua [-pua] / [-pu] - to finish; to end; to complete [PRF] / final; last
• opye - hug; embrace
• ota - father
• ote - whichever
• oto - sound; noise; tone; phone(me)
• ok - none; no amount
• oka - bake; cook
• oku - owl
• okua - all; every amount
• oma - roar or howl of an animal; bellow of rage; to yell; to shout
• omo - business; commerce; exchange; trade
• omu - consider; plan; speculate; think; ponder; contemplate
• omya - cut; carve; engrave; chisel
• onta - parent; adult
• onto - tread on; to trample; to stamp
• ona - mother
• ono - delight
• onyo - learn; practice or study [old]
• oso - genitalia; groin
• osota - penis
• osona - vagina; clitoris
• oha - gape; yawn; open one's mouth
• ohi - lower; decrease; reduce; subtract; diminish
• ohua - luxurious; extravagant; wasteful
• otso - wolf; lupine
• otsokai - red wolf
• ola - gold [ color; element; coin ]
• ole - shell; carapace; crust; husk; casing
• oya - black; darkness
• oyo - bead; small round object
• upya [-pya] - to attempt; to try to do [CON]
• uta - deliver; to hand in; to hand over; submit
• ute - arm; armpit; forearm
• umpu - form; shape
• uma - horse; equine
• umo - unify; to unite; to integrate; unity; combine; join
• umua - ache; pain; sorrow; deeply; thoroughly
• umye - electric; electricity; electrical
• unta - camel
• unya - know; knowledge; understand; comprehend
• uhi - yam
• utsi - parsley
• utsu - outer space; empty; vacant; unoccupied; space
• utla - otter
• ula - any

Index

grammar outline | sentences | questions | lexicon | thematic lexicon | writing