Weather & Climate

1. Mbula ezali konoka

   It is raining

   Usage

   Say it while rain is falling.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Konoka means to rain; mbula means rain and also year. The Bible has mvula ezali konoka (rain falling), and one corpus sentence spells it mvula ezalaki konoko.

2. Mbula ebetaka mingi

   It rains a lot

   Usage

   For talking about the climate or the wet months.

   Grammar Note

   Ebetaka is the habitual form of beta (hit), the standard way to say rain falls; the same sentence appears on ln.wikipedia.

3. Mbula makasi

   Heavy rain

   Usage

   Names a heavy downpour; makasi means strong.

   Grammar Note

   Noun followed by adjective; a corpus sentence has mbula makasi (heavy rain).

4. Mopepe ezali makasi

   The wind is strong

   Usage

   When it is windy; mopepe means wind and also air.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Mopepe means wind.

5. Mapata ezali mingi

   There are many clouds

   Usage

   Describes a cloudy sky; mapata is the plural of lipata, cloud.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Mapata is cloud in the Bible.

6. Moi ezali makasi

   The sun is strong

   Usage

   On a day with strong sunshine.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Moi means sun (dictionary); ln.wikipedia has moi ekomaka makasi (the sun gets strong).

7. Lelo ezali na molunge

   It is hot today

   Usage

   A small-talk opener; molunge is heat.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Ezali na means has; with molunge (heat) it means it is hot.

8. Lelo ezali na malili

   It is cold today

   Usage

   On a cold day; malili is cold.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Malili is cold in the Bible and wiki.

9. Mbula ekobeta lelo?

   Will it rain today?

   Usage

   Ask before making plans.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary- and corpus-verified words by regular grammar. Ekobeta is future (ko-); rising intonation makes it a question.

10. Eleko ya mbula

    Rainy season

    Usage

    A term from ln.wikipedia climate articles.

    Grammar Note

    Eleko is period or season; ya links the noun it modifies.

11. Eleko ya elanga

    Dry season

    Usage

    The season with little rain, as ln.wikipedia calls it.

    Grammar Note

    On ln.wikipedia eleko ya elanga names the dry season (elanga is field).

12. Monama

    Rainbow

    Usage

    Pointing at the sky after rain.

    Grammar Note

    The word used in Genesis 9 and has an ln.wikipedia entry.

13. Minzoto

    Stars

    Usage

    Stars in the night sky; minzoto is plural.

    Grammar Note

    The Bible has minzoto ya likolo (stars of heaven); the singular nzoto also means body.

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