Intensification and Comparison of Adjectives/Adverbs

Forming intensifications in Luganda

simply add nnyo (very)

Adduka nnyo

He runs faster

Adduka nnyo (lit)

He runs a lot

Okusinga

to exceed

What is okusinga’s significance?

Used to convey that someone or something is more ‘intense’

Verb + Okusinga

conjugate verb, then add okusinga

Martin adduka okusinga Michael

Martin runs faster than Michael

Martin adduka okusinga Michael (lit)

Martin runs exceeding Michael

Caayi ono ayokya okusinga caayi oyo.

This tea is hotter than that one.

Adjective + Okusinga

modify adjective with given noun

add okusinga with any subject pronouns in front of ‘singa’ if needed

Tatiana mugezi okunsinga.

Tatiana is smarter than me

Ekitabo ekyo kyamugaso okusinga kino.

This book is more important than that one.

Okusinga + Verb

conjugate okusinga

keep verb in infinitive

Patience ansinga okudduka.

Patience runs faster than me

Patience ansinga okudduka (lit)

Patience exceeds me in running

Matooke gasinga kuwooma kawunga.

Matooke is more delicious than posho.

Okusinga + Noun

Conjugate okusinga

Keep noun infinitive

Oluganda lusinga oluzungu obuzibu (lit)

Luganda exceeds English in difficulty.

Tatiana ansinga amagezi. (lit)

Tatiana exceeds me in intelligence

Adjective + Ku

Ku = than

noun/kuba + adjective + KU + possessive/personal pronoun

refers to age

Ndi mukulu ku ggwe.

I’m older than you

Abakazi bano bakulu kubbo.

These women are older than them

muto (when using adjective + ku)

younger sibling

mukulu (when using adjective + ku)

older sibling

Ono muto waffe

This one is our youngest/younger sibling.

What are other ways OKUSINGA can be used?

Favorites, Prefer, Superlatives

Nsinga kuwoomerwa matooke n’enkoko.

I exceed in being delighted by matooke and chicken.

Osinga kwagala kulya ki?

What do you exceed in loving to eat?

Musinga kwagala kusoma ki?

What do you (guys) exceed in loving to read?

Osinga kwagala ki?

What do you exceed in liking? (preference)

Njagala okusoma ebitabo okusinga kulaba ttiivi.

I like reading books exceeding watching TV

Ayagala amenvu okusinga emiyembe.

He likes bananas exceeding mangos

Gw’asinga!

You are the one exceeding! (your the best)

Abayizi abasinga bokka bagenda okuyingira yunivasite.

The students who exceed only are going to enter university

Omusajja ono y’asinze mu basatu.

This man is the best out of the three.