Time in Rukiga

This page provides the basic details of time vocabulary in Rukiga relevant for a beginner language learner. In Rukiga the term for time is “eshaaha” which is also the same term for “hours”. Beginner learners should memorize these terms in order to become proficiency in Rukiga as they are used regularly in Rukiga discourse.

Eshaaha:

Obutiikitiiki = seconds

Edakiika = minute

Eshaaha = hour(s)

There are three ways to talk about “days”:

Eizooba = day / Amazooba = days

Ekiro = day / Ebiro = days

Orunaku = day

Okwezi = month / Ameezi = months

Omwaka = year / Emyaka = years

Ekyaasha = century

Omurembe = millennium

The Bakiga, similar to other Bantu people in Uganda, tell time in a different way than the common English way of telling time in the USA/UK. The basic premise is that that day starts at 7 am which is the “first hour” of the day. The basic division is located below divided by English Hour and how it compares to the Bantu hour:

6 English Time = 12 Bantu Time

7 English Time = 1 Bantu Time

8 English Time = 2 Bantu Time

9 English Time = 3 Bantu Time

10 English Time = 4 Bantu Time

11 English Time = 5 Bantu Time

12 English Time = 6 Bantu Time

1 English Time = 7 Bantu Time

2 English Time = 8 Bantu Time

3 English Time = 9 Bantu Time

4 English Time = 10 Bantu Time

5 English Time = 11 Bantu Time

A trick to use the Rukiga time, if your first reference is English time, is to imagine an analog clock in your mind’s eye and to recognize that Rukiga uses the opposite number on the clock from the English time when telling time.

In Rukiga you name the hour according to its part of the day using the following words/phrases:

(omu)kasheeshe = in the morning

orunaku = can be used to mean ‘in the day’

(omu)eihangwe = in the afternoon

(omu)ekiro = in the night

For example, “Ni shaaha ibiri omukasheeshe” or “It is 8 in the morning[/8am]”.

Amazooba ga wiiki/sande na Ameezi ga omwaka:

Amazooba ga wiiki/sande (days of the week):

Orw’okubanza = Monday

Orwakabiri = Tuesday

Orwakashatu = Wednesday

Orwakana = Thursday

Orwakataano = Friday

Orwamukaaga = Saturday

Sande = Sunday

Ameezi ga omwaka (months of the year):

Okw’okubanza = January

Okwakabiri = February

Okwakashatu = March

Okwakana = April

Okwakataano = May

Okwamukaaga = June

Okwamushanju = July

Okwamunaana = August

Okwamwenda = September

Okw’ikumi = October

Okw’ikumi na kumwe = November

Okw’ikumi n’ebiri = December

Some other helpful time-related vocabulary to know:

Kibanza = the first day of the month (you do not need to say ebiro before it)

i.e. Kibanza okw’ikumi = the first of October

Ebiro bikuru = important dates / public holidays

Ekihumuro = vacation / break / holiday that is focused on rest

Noiri = Christmas

Sikuukuru = Christmas Day

Pasika = Pascha/Easter