Digane – English Lyrics

• By: Bob Sinclar, Sofiya Nzau

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant world of Kenyan culture and language with "Digane," a captivating Afro House track by Bob Sinclar and Sofiya Nzau. This song offers a unique opportunity to learn Kikuyu through its rhythmic beats and powerful vocals. Discover how Sofiya Nzau's heartfelt lyrics about love and familial expectations intertwine with Bob Sinclar's signature sound, making "Digane" a special and culturally rich musical experience.

[English]

Nijui maturite metereire

Muthenya uria makona tutiganite

Moigaga ni wana, ni wana

Moigaga hatire, hatire

Ona maitu nioigaga okorwo tiwe ngarehe mucii digane nako

Ona fafa nioigaga okorwo tiwe ngarehe mucii digane nako

Digane nako

Okorwo tiwe digane nako

Okorwo tiwe digane nako

Moigaga ni wana, ni wana

Moigaga hatire, hatire

Moigaga ni wana, ni wana

Moigaga hatire, hatire

Ona maitu nioigaga okorwo tiwe ngarehe mucii digane nako

Ona fafa nioigaga okorwo tiwe ngarehe mucii digane nako

Ona fafa nioigaga okorwo tiwe ngarehe mucii digane nako

Digane nako

Okorwo tiwe digane nako

Okorwo tiwe digane nako

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - to have information or understanding about something or someone
wait /weɪt/ A1	verb - to stay in one place or be available until someone or something arrives or happens
day /deɪ/ A1	noun - a period of 24 hours, especially the part when there is light
see /siː/ A1	verb - to perceive with the eyes verb - to understand or realize
separate /ˈsɛpəreɪt/ (verb), /ˈsɛprət/ (adjective) B1	verb - to divide or cause to divide into parts or groups adjective - forming a unit that is distinct or detached
say /seɪ/ A1	verb - to speak words; to express something in words
infatuation /ɪnˌfætʃuˈeɪʃən/ C1	noun - an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone or something
nothing /ˈnʌθɪŋ/ A1	noun - not anything; no single thing
mother /ˈmʌðər/ A1	noun - a female parent
father /ˈfɑːðər/ A1	noun - a male parent
bring /brɪŋ/ A1	verb - to take or go with someone or something to a place
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives permanently adverb - to or at the place where one lives
leave /liːv/ A1	verb - to go away from a place or person verb - to allow something to remain in a particular place or state

Key Grammar Structures

• Nijui maturite metereire

  ➔ Subject-verb agreement (1st person singular)

  ➔ The prefix "Ni-" in "Nijui" indicates the first person singular subject "I", directly incorporated into the verb stem "jui" (to know). This shows how subject pronouns are often integrated into Gikuyu verbs.

• Muthenya uria makona tutiganite

  ➔ Relative clause with 'uria'

  ➔ "Uria" functions as a relative pronoun, meaning "which" or "that", introducing a relative clause that modifies "Muthenya" (the day). It connects the day with the action of seeing.

• Moigaga ni wana

  ➔ Copula 'ni'

  ➔ "Ni" is the Gikuyu copula, equivalent to "is" or "are" in English, used to link a subject with a predicate. Here it equates "it" (implied) with "wana" (childishness or immaturity).

• Moigaga hatire

  ➔ Negative existential verb 'hatire'

  ➔ "Hatire" is a negative existential verb, meaning "there isn't" or "there is no". It's formed by the locative prefix "Ha-", the negative marker "-ti-", and the existential stem "-re".

• Ona maitu nioigaga

  ➔ Emphatic particle 'Ona', habitual aspect

  ➔ "Ona" is an emphatic particle meaning "even", adding emphasis to "maitu" (my mother). "Nioigaga" combines the subject prefix "ni-" (she/he), the verb stem "oiga" (to say), and the habitual/continuous aspect suffix "-aga", indicating a repeated action.

• okorwo tiwe

  ➔ Conditional clause ('okorwo'), negative copula

  ➔ "Okorwo" introduces a conditional clause, meaning "if". "Tiwe" is the negative form of the copula "to be" ("ti-") combined with the second person singular pronoun "-we" ("you"), meaning "it is not you".

• ngarehe mucii

  ➔ Causative verb form, noun 'mucii'

  ➔ "Ngarehe" is a causative verb, meaning "I bring". It's derived from "rehe" (to come/go) with the causative sense of "to cause to come". "Nga-" is the first person singular subject prefix. "Mucii" refers to the "home" or, more broadly, the "family/household".

• Digane nako

  ➔ Subjunctive mood, object pronoun with preposition

  ➔ "Digane" is in the subjunctive mood, expressing a wish or command for the first person singular ("let me separate"). The suffix "-ane" is characteristic of the subjunctive. "Nako" is an object pronoun meaning "from it/him/her", where "na-" indicates "with/from" and "-ko" is the pronoun.