mba

See also: Mba, MBA, ḿbà, mbà, mbä̀, and mbä̆

Igbo

Etymology 1

Interjection

mbà

1. no!

Etymology 2

From Proto-Igboid *ʊ́̃-bà. Cognate with Ekpeye ʊ̀bà, Ogbah ḿbà, Ezaa ḿbà.

Noun

mbà

1. country, nation
2. town
3. nation, ethnicity, people

Etymology 3

Noun

m̀ba

1. rebuke, reprimand

Etymology 4

Noun

m̀bà

1. tiredness
2. laziness
3. rape

Irish

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mˠa(h)/, /mˠɑ(h)/

Noun

mba f pl

1. Eclipsed form of ba.

   Blíonn siad a mba gach lá. ― They milk their cows every day.

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mˠə/
• Homophone: mo

Particle

mba (triggers lenition)

1. Eclipsed form of ba.

   dá mba chapall mé ― if I were a horse

Malagasy

Conjunction

mba

1. to, in order to
2. as

Nzadi

Etymology

From Common Bantu *ìbá.

Noun

mbá (plural mbá)

1. palm nut

Related terms

• ibá (“palm tree”)

Further reading

• Crane, Thera, Larry Hyman, Simon Nsielanga Tukumu (2011) A grammar of Nzadi [B.865]: a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, →ISBN

Swahili

Pronunciation

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

mba (n class, plural mba)

1. dandruff

Swazi

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-jìmba.

Verb

-mba

1. (intransitive) to dig

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Xhosa

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-jìmba.

Verb

-mba

1. (intransitive) to dig

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Zulu

Etymology

From Proto-Bantu *-jìmba.

Verb

-mba

1. (intransitive) to dig
2. (intransitive) to burrow
3. (transitive) to dig up, unearth, excavate

Inflection

Tone L, latent i
Infinitive	ukumba
	Positive	Negative
Infinitive	ukumba	ukungembi
	Imperative
	Simple	+ object concord
Singular	yimba	-mbe
Plural	yimbani	-mbeni
	Present
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngiyemba, ngimba	engimbayo, engimba	ngimba	angimbi	engingembi	ngingembi
2nd singular	uyemba, umba	ombayo, omba	umba	awumbi	ongembi	ungembi
1st plural	siyemba, simba	esimbayo, esimba	simba	asimbi	esingembi	singembi
2nd plural	niyemba, nimba	enimbayo, enimba	nimba	animbi	eningembi	ningembi
Class 1	uyemba, umba	ombayo, omba	emba	akembi	ongembi	engembi
Class 2	bayemba, bemba	abembayo, abemba	bemba	abembi	abangembi	bengembi
Class 3	uyemba, umba	ombayo, omba	umba	awumbi	ongembi	ungembi
Class 4	iyemba, imba	embayo, emba	imba	ayimbi	engembi	ingembi
Class 5	liyemba, limba	elimbayo, elimba	limba	alimbi	elingembi	lingembi
Class 6	ayemba, emba	embayo, emba	emba	awembi	angembi	engembi
Class 7	siyemba, simba	esimbayo, esimba	simba	asimbi	esingembi	singembi
Class 8	ziyemba, zimba	ezimbayo, ezimba	zimba	azimbi	ezingembi	zingembi
Class 9	iyemba, imba	embayo, emba	imba	ayimbi	engembi	ingembi
Class 10	ziyemba, zimba	ezimbayo, ezimba	zimba	azimbi	ezingembi	zingembi
Class 11	luyemba, lumba	olumbayo, olumba	lumba	alumbi	olungembi	lungembi
Class 14	buyemba, bumba	obumbayo, obumba	bumba	abumbi	obungembi	bungembi
Class 15	kuyemba, kumba	okumbayo, okumba	kumba	akumbi	okungembi	kungembi
Class 17	kuyemba, kumba	okumbayo, okumba	kumba	akumbi	okungembi	kungembi
	Recent past
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngimbile, ngimbē	engimbile, engimbē	ngimbile, ngimbē	angimbanga	engingembanga	ngingembanga
2nd singular	umbile, umbē	ombile, ombē	umbile, umbē	awumbanga	ongembanga	ungembanga
1st plural	simbile, simbē	esimbile, esimbē	simbile, simbē	asimbanga	esingembanga	singembanga
2nd plural	nimbile, nimbē	enimbile, enimbē	nimbile, nimbē	animbanga	eningembanga	ningembanga
Class 1	umbile, umbē	ombile, ombē	embile, embē	akembanga	ongembanga	engembanga
Class 2	bembile, bembē	abembile, abembē	bembile, bembē	abembanga	abangembanga	bengembanga
Class 3	umbile, umbē	ombile, ombē	umbile, umbē	awumbanga	ongembanga	ungembanga
Class 4	imbile, imbē	embile, embē	imbile, imbē	ayimbanga	engembanga	ingembanga
Class 5	limbile, limbē	elimbile, elimbē	limbile, limbē	alimbanga	elingembanga	lingembanga
Class 6	embile, embē	embile, embē	embile, embē	awembanga	angembanga	engembanga
Class 7	simbile, simbē	esimbile, esimbē	simbile, simbē	asimbanga	esingembanga	singembanga
Class 8	zimbile, zimbē	ezimbile, ezimbē	zimbile, zimbē	azimbanga	ezingembanga	zingembanga
Class 9	imbile, imbē	embile, embē	imbile, imbē	ayimbanga	engembanga	ingembanga
Class 10	zimbile, zimbē	ezimbile, ezimbē	zimbile, zimbē	azimbanga	ezingembanga	zingembanga
Class 11	lumbile, lumbē	olumbile, olumbē	lumbile, lumbē	alumbanga	olungembanga	lungembanga
Class 14	bumbile, bumbē	obumbile, obumbē	bumbile, bumbē	abumbanga	obungembanga	bungembanga
Class 15	kumbile, kumbē	okumbile, okumbē	kumbile, kumbē	akumbanga	okungembanga	kungembanga
Class 17	kumbile, kumbē	okumbile, okumbē	kumbile, kumbē	akumbanga	okungembanga	kungembanga
	Remote past
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngāmba	engāmba	ngāmba	angimbanga	engingembanga	ngingembanga
2nd singular	wāmba	owāmba	wāmba	awumbanga	ongembanga	ungembanga
1st plural	sāmba	esāmba	sāmba	asimbanga	esingembanga	singembanga
2nd plural	nāmba	enāmba	nāmba	animbanga	eningembanga	ningembanga
Class 1	wāmba	owāmba	āmba	akembanga	ongembanga	engembanga
Class 2	bāmba	abāmba	bāmba	abembanga	abangembanga	bengembanga
Class 3	wāmba	owāmba	wāmba	awumbanga	ongembanga	ungembanga
Class 4	yāmba	eyāmba	yāmba	ayimbanga	engembanga	ingembanga
Class 5	lāmba	elāmba	lāmba	alimbanga	elingembanga	lingembanga
Class 6	āmba	āmba	āmba	awembanga	angembanga	engembanga
Class 7	sāmba	esāmba	sāmba	asimbanga	esingembanga	singembanga
Class 8	zāmba	ezāmba	zāmba	azimbanga	ezingembanga	zingembanga
Class 9	yāmba	eyāmba	yāmba	ayimbanga	engembanga	ingembanga
Class 10	zāmba	ezāmba	zāmba	azimbanga	ezingembanga	zingembanga
Class 11	lwāmba	olwāmba	lwāmba	alumbanga	olungembanga	lungembanga
Class 14	bāmba	obāmba	bāmba	abumbanga	obungembanga	bungembanga
Class 15	kwāmba	okwāmba	kwāmba	akumbanga	okungembanga	kungembanga
Class 17	kwāmba	okwāmba	kwāmba	akumbanga	okungembanga	kungembanga
	Potential
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngingemba	—	ngingemba	ngingembe	—	ngingembe
2nd singular	ungemba	—	ungemba	ungembe	—	ungembe
1st plural	singemba	—	singemba	singembe	—	singembe
2nd plural	ningemba	—	ningemba	ningembe	—	ningembe
Class 1	angemba	—	engemba	angembe	—	engembe
Class 2	bangemba	—	bengemba	bangembe	—	bengembe
Class 3	ungemba	—	ungemba	ungembe	—	ungembe
Class 4	ingemba	—	ingemba	ingembe	—	ingembe
Class 5	lingemba	—	lingemba	lingembe	—	lingembe
Class 6	angemba	—	engemba	angembe	—	engembe
Class 7	singemba	—	singemba	singembe	—	singembe
Class 8	zingemba	—	zingemba	zingembe	—	zingembe
Class 9	ingemba	—	ingemba	ingembe	—	ingembe
Class 10	zingemba	—	zingemba	zingembe	—	zingembe
Class 11	lungemba	—	lungemba	lungembe	—	lungembe
Class 14	bungemba	—	bungemba	bungembe	—	bungembe
Class 15	kungemba	—	kungemba	kungembe	—	kungembe
Class 17	kungemba	—	kungemba	kungembe	—	kungembe
	Immediate future
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngizokumba	engizokumba	ngizokumba	angizukumba	engingezukumba	ngingezukumba
2nd singular	uzokumba	ozokumba	uzokumba	awuzukumba	ongezukumba	ungezukumba
1st plural	sizokumba	esizokumba	sizokumba	asizukumba	esingezukumba	singezukumba
2nd plural	nizokumba	enizokumba	nizokumba	anizukumba	eningezukumba	ningezukumba
Class 1	uzokumba	ozokumba	ezokumba	akazukumba	ongezukumba	engezukumba
Class 2	bazokumba	abazokumba	bezokumba	abazukumba	abangezukumba	bengezukumba
Class 3	uzokumba	ozokumba	uzokumba	awuzukumba	ongezukumba	ungezukumba
Class 4	izokumba	ezokumba	izokumba	ayizukumba	engezukumba	ingezukumba
Class 5	lizokumba	elizokumba	lizokumba	alizukumba	elingezukumba	lingezukumba
Class 6	azokumba	azokumba	ezokumba	awazukumba	angezukumba	engezukumba
Class 7	sizokumba	esizokumba	sizokumba	asizukumba	esingezukumba	singezukumba
Class 8	zizokumba	ezizokumba	zizokumba	azizukumba	ezingezukumba	zingezukumba
Class 9	izokumba	ezokumba	izokumba	ayizukumba	engezukumba	ingezukumba
Class 10	zizokumba	ezizokumba	zizokumba	azizukumba	ezingezukumba	zingezukumba
Class 11	luzokumba	oluzokumba	luzokumba	aluzukumba	olungezukumba	lungezukumba
Class 14	buzokumba	obuzokumba	buzokumba	abuzukumba	obungezukumba	bungezukumba
Class 15	kuzokumba	okuzokumba	kuzokumba	akuzukumba	okungezukumba	kungezukumba
Class 17	kuzokumba	okuzokumba	kuzokumba	akuzukumba	okungezukumba	kungezukumba
	Remote future
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngiyokumba	engiyokumba	ngiyokumba	angiyukumba	engingeyukumba	ngingeyukumba
2nd singular	uyokumba	oyokumba	uyokumba	awuyukumba	ongeyukumba	ungeyukumba
1st plural	siyokumba	esiyokumba	siyokumba	asiyukumba	esingeyukumba	singeyukumba
2nd plural	niyokumba	eniyokumba	niyokumba	aniyukumba	eningeyukumba	ningeyukumba
Class 1	uyokumba	oyokumba	eyokumba	akayukumba	ongeyukumba	engeyukumba
Class 2	bayokumba	abayokumba	beyokumba	abayukumba	abangeyukumba	bengeyukumba
Class 3	uyokumba	oyokumba	uyokumba	awuyukumba	ongeyukumba	ungeyukumba
Class 4	iyokumba	eyokumba	iyokumba	ayiyukumba	engeyukumba	ingeyukumba
Class 5	liyokumba	eliyokumba	liyokumba	aliyukumba	elingeyukumba	lingeyukumba
Class 6	ayokumba	ayokumba	eyokumba	awayukumba	angeyukumba	engeyukumba
Class 7	siyokumba	esiyokumba	siyokumba	asiyukumba	esingeyukumba	singeyukumba
Class 8	ziyokumba	eziyokumba	ziyokumba	aziyukumba	ezingeyukumba	zingeyukumba
Class 9	iyokumba	eyokumba	iyokumba	ayiyukumba	engeyukumba	ingeyukumba
Class 10	ziyokumba	eziyokumba	ziyokumba	aziyukumba	ezingeyukumba	zingeyukumba
Class 11	luyokumba	oluyokumba	luyokumba	aluyukumba	olungeyukumba	lungeyukumba
Class 14	buyokumba	obuyokumba	buyokumba	abuyukumba	obungeyukumba	bungeyukumba
Class 15	kuyokumba	okuyokumba	kuyokumba	akuyukumba	okungeyukumba	kungeyukumba
Class 17	kuyokumba	okuyokumba	kuyokumba	akuyukumba	okungeyukumba	kungeyukumba
	Present subjunctive
	Positive	Negative
1st singular	ngimbe	ngingembi
2nd singular	umbe	ungembi
1st plural	simbe	singembi
2nd plural	nimbe	ningembi
Class 1	embe	angembi
Class 2	bembe	bangembi
Class 3	umbe	ungembi
Class 4	imbe	ingembi
Class 5	limbe	lingembi
Class 6	embe	angembi
Class 7	simbe	singembi
Class 8	zimbe	zingembi
Class 9	imbe	ingembi
Class 10	zimbe	zingembi
Class 11	lumbe	lungembi
Class 14	bumbe	bungembi
Class 15	kumbe	kungembi
Class 17	kumbe	kungembi
	Past subjunctive
	Positive	Negative
1st singular	ngemba	ngangemba, angemba, angangemba
2nd singular	wemba	wangemba, awemba, awangemba
1st plural	semba	sangemba, asemba, asangemba
2nd plural	nemba	nangemba, anemba, anangemba
Class 1	wemba	wangemba, akemba, akangemba
Class 2	bemba	bangemba, abemba, abangemba
Class 3	wemba	wangemba, awemba, awangemba
Class 4	yemba	yangemba, ayemba, ayangemba
Class 5	lemba	langemba, alemba, alangemba
Class 6	emba	angemba, awemba, awangemba
Class 7	semba	sangemba, asemba, asangemba
Class 8	zemba	zangemba, azemba, azangemba
Class 9	yemba	yangemba, ayemba, ayangemba
Class 10	zemba	zangemba, azemba, azangemba
Class 11	lwemba	lwangemba, alwemba, alwangemba
Class 14	bemba	bangemba, abemba, abangemba
Class 15	kwemba	kwangemba, akwemba, akwangemba
Class 17	kwemba	kwangemba, akwemba, akwangemba

Derived terms

• umumbi

References

• C. M. Doke, B. W. Vilakazi (1972) “mba”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “mba”