bonga

English

Noun

bonga (countable and uncountable, plural bonga or bongas)

1. A small, unctuous West African fish (Ethmalosa fimbriata) belonging to the genus Ethmalosa and family Dorosomatidae.

   Synonym: bongo shad

   • 2007, Suzanne LeVert, Cultures of the World: Sierra Leone, page 21:

     Among the common species found in the Atlantic Ocean are bonga (a type of herring), tuna, butterfish, skate, grey mullet, and tarpon.

See also

• Wikipedia: Ethmalosa
• Wikispecies: Ethmalosa fimbriata
• Wikispecies: Ethmalosa
• Wikispecies: Dorosomatidae

Anagrams

• bogan, goban

Bangi

See also: ɓonga and bong̃a

Noun

bonga

1. to arrange (firewood)

Fanagalo

Etymology

From Zulu -bonga.

Verb

bonga

1. to thank
2. to praise

Garo

Garo cardinal numbers

<  4	5	6  >
Cardinal : bonga

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *l/b-ŋa. Cognate with Burmese ငါး (nga:).

Numeral

bonga

1. five

Kankanaey

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈboŋa/ [ˈboː.ŋʌ]
• Rhymes: -oŋa
• Syllabification: bo‧nga

Noun

bónga

1. young pine tree, sapling
2. blossom, of flowering vegetables or fruits
3. (chiefly used in folk tales) man

Derived terms

• nabongaan

See also

• sabong

References

• Morice Vanoverbergh (1933), “búnga [búꬻa]”, in A Dictionary of Lepanto Igorot or Kankanay. As it is spoken at Bauco (Linguistische Anthropos-Bibliothek; XII)‎^[1], Mödling bei Wien, St. Gabriel, Österreich: Verlag der Internationalen Zeitschrift „Anthropos“, →OCLC, page 104
• Allen, Larry (2021), “bónga”, in Kankanaey – English Dictionary, Summer Institute of Linguistics
• Wallace, Judy (2018), “bonga”, in Northern Kankanay – English Dictionary, Summer Institute of Linguistics

Karao

Noun

bonga

1. flower

Lingala

Verb

-bonga (infinitive kobonga)

1. to suit

Malagasy

Noun

bonga

1. clod of earth
2. (dialectal) hill

Mansaka

Etymology

From bunga, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *buŋa.

Noun

bonga

1. fruit

Maranao

Noun

bonga

1. fruit

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbonɡa/ [ˈbõŋ.ɡa]
• Rhymes: -onɡa
• Syllabification: bon‧ga

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

bonga f (plural bongas)

1. (Colombia) silk-cotton tree

   Synonym: ceiba

Etymology 2

Etymology tree

Proto-Austronesian *buŋa

Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *buŋa

Proto-Philippine *buŋa

Tagalog bungabor.

Spanish bonga

Borrowed from Tagalog bunga.

Noun

bonga f (plural bongas)

1. (Philippines) a mixture of areca nut and betel pepper leaves customarily used for betelnut chewing

   Synonyms: buyo, betel

2. (Philippines) areca nut

Further reading

• “bonga”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), 24th edition, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 30 October 2026
• Abella, Venancio María de (1874), Vade–Mecum Filipino ó manual de la conversacion familiar Español–Tagalog. Seguido de un curioso Vocabulario de Modismos Manileños. [Filipino Pocket Handbook or Spanish–Tagalog Manual of Familiar Conversation. Followed by a Curious Vocabulary of Manileño Idioms.], 12.ᵃ edition (overall work in Philippine Spanish and Tagalog), Escolta, Manila: Establecimiento tipografico de Ramirez y Giraudier, á cargo de C. Miralles. [Typographic establishment of Ramirez and Giraudier, under the management of C. Miralles.], page 113

Swahili

Pronunciation

• (Unguja standard) IPA^(key): /ˈɓɔ.ᵑɡɑ/

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Etymology 1

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

-bonga (infinitive kubonga)

1. to bore a hole

Conjugation

Conjugation of -bonga
Positive present -nabonga Subjunctive -bonge Negative -bongi Imperative singular bonga
Infinitives
Positive kubonga Negative kutobonga
Imperatives
Singular bonga Plural bongeni
Tensed forms
Habitual hubonga Positive past positive subject concord + -libonga Negative past negative subject concord + -kubonga
Positive present (positive subject concord + -nabonga) Singular Plural 1st person ninabonga/nabonga tunabonga 2nd person unabonga mnabonga 3rd person m-wa(I/II) anabonga wanabonga other classes positive subject concord + -nabonga
Negative present (negative subject concord + -bongi) Singular Plural 1st person sibongi hatubongi 2nd person hubongi hambongi 3rd person m-wa(I/II) habongi hawabongi other classes negative subject concord + -bongi
Positive future positive subject concord + -tabonga Negative future negative subject concord + -tabonga
Positive subjunctive (positive subject concord + -bonge) Singular Plural 1st person nibonge tubonge 2nd person ubonge mbonge 3rd person m-wa(I/II) abonge wabonge other classes positive subject concord + -bonge
Negative subjunctive positive subject concord + -sibonge Positive present conditional positive subject concord + -ngebonga Negative present conditional positive subject concord + -singebonga Positive past conditional positive subject concord + -ngalibonga Negative past conditional positive subject concord + -singalibonga
Gnomic (positive subject concord + -abonga) Singular Plural 1st person nabonga twabonga 2nd person wabonga mwabonga 3rd person m-wa(I/II) abonga wabonga m-mi(III/IV) wabonga yabonga ji-ma(V/VI) labonga yabonga ki-vi(VII/VIII) chabonga vyabonga n(IX/X) yabonga zabonga u(XI) wabonga see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) kwabonga pa(XVI) pabonga mu(XVIII) mwabonga
Perfect positive subject concord + -mebonga "Already" positive subject concord + -meshabonga "Not yet" negative subject concord + -jabonga "If/When" positive subject concord + -kibonga "If not" positive subject concord + -sipobonga Consecutive kabonga / positive subject concord + -kabonga Consecutive subjunctive positive subject concord + -kabonge
Object concord (indicative positive) Singular Plural 1st person -nibonga -tubonga 2nd person -kubonga -wabonga/-kubongeni/-wabongeni 3rd person m-wa(I/II) -mbonga -wabonga m-mi(III/IV) -ubonga -ibonga ji-ma(V/VI) -libonga -yabonga ki-vi(VII/VIII) -kibonga -vibonga n(IX/X) -ibonga -zibonga u(XI) -ubonga see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kubonga pa(XVI) -pabonga mu(XVIII) -mubonga Reflexive -jibonga
Relative forms General positive (positive subject concord + (object concord) + -bonga- + relative marker) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -bongaye -bongao m-mi(III/IV) -bongao -bongayo ji-ma(V/VI) -bongalo -bongayo ki-vi(VII/VIII) -bongacho -bongavyo n(IX/X) -bongayo -bongazo u(XI) -bongao see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -bongako pa(XVI) -bongapo mu(XVIII) -bongamo Other forms (subject concord + tense marker + relative marker + (object concord) + -bonga) Singular Plural m-wa(I/II) -yebonga -obonga m-mi(III/IV) -obonga -yobonga ji-ma(V/VI) -lobonga -yobonga ki-vi(VII/VIII) -chobonga -vyobonga n(IX/X) -yobonga -zobonga u(XI) -obonga see n(X) or ma(VI) class ku(XV/XVII) -kobonga pa(XVI) -pobonga mu(XVIII) -mobonga
Some forms not commonly seen in modern Standard Swahili are absent from the table. See Appendix:Swahili verbs for more information.

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Verb

-bonga (infinitive kubonga)

1. (Sheng) to talk, speak

References

• Githiora, Chege (2018), Sheng: Rise of a Kenyan Swahili Vernacular, James Currey, →ISBN, page 188

Swazi

Etymology

From Proto-Nguni *-bonga.

Verb

-bonga

1. to thank
2. to praise

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Xhosa

Etymology

From Proto-Nguni *-bonga.

Verb

-bonga

1. to thank
2. to praise

Inflection

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Zulu

Etymology

From Proto-Nguni *-bonga.

Verb

-bonga

1. (transitive) to thank
2. (transitive) to praise, to laud

   Synonym: -dumisa

3. (transitive) to recognise, to show appreciation for

Inflection

tone L (infinitive ukubonga)

	positive	negative
infinitive	ukubonga	ukungabongi
imperative
	simple	+ object concord
singular	bonga	-bonge
plural	bongani	-bongeni
present
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyabonga, ngibonga	engibongayo, engibonga	ngibonga	angibongi	engingabongi	ngingabongi
2nd singular	uyabonga, ubonga	obongayo, obonga	ubonga	awubongi	ongabongi	ungabongi
1st plural	siyabonga, sibonga	esibongayo, esibonga	sibonga	asibongi	esingabongi	singabongi
2nd plural	niyabonga, nibonga	enibongayo, enibonga	nibonga	anibongi	eningabongi	ningabongi
class 1	uyabonga, ubonga	obongayo, obonga	ebonga	akabongi	ongabongi	engabongi
class 2	bayabonga, babonga	ababongayo, ababonga	bebonga	ababongi	abangabongi	bengabongi
class 3	uyabonga, ubonga	obongayo, obonga	ubonga	awubongi	ongabongi	ungabongi
class 4	iyabonga, ibonga	ebongayo, ebonga	ibonga	ayibongi	engabongi	ingabongi
class 5	liyabonga, libonga	elibongayo, elibonga	libonga	alibongi	elingabongi	lingabongi
class 6	ayabonga, abonga	abongayo, abonga	ebonga	awabongi	angabongi	engabongi
class 7	siyabonga, sibonga	esibongayo, esibonga	sibonga	asibongi	esingabongi	singabongi
class 8	ziyabonga, zibonga	ezibongayo, ezibonga	zibonga	azibongi	ezingabongi	zingabongi
class 9	iyabonga, ibonga	ebongayo, ebonga	ibonga	ayibongi	engabongi	ingabongi
class 10	ziyabonga, zibonga	ezibongayo, ezibonga	zibonga	azibongi	ezingabongi	zingabongi
class 11	luyabonga, lubonga	olubongayo, olubonga	lubonga	alubongi	olungabongi	lungabongi
class 14	buyabonga, bubonga	obubongayo, obubonga	bubonga	abubongi	obungabongi	bungabongi
class 15	kuyabonga, kubonga	okubongayo, okubonga	kubonga	akubongi	okungabongi	kungabongi
class 17	kuyabonga, kubonga	okubongayo, okubonga	kubonga	akubongi	okungabongi	kungabongi
recent past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngibongile, ngibongē	engibongile, engibongē	ngibongile, ngibongē	angibonganga	engingabonganga	ngingabonganga
2nd singular	ubongile, ubongē	obongile, obongē	ubongile, ubongē	awubonganga	ongabonganga	ungabonganga
1st plural	sibongile, sibongē	esibongile, esibongē	sibongile, sibongē	asibonganga	esingabonganga	singabonganga
2nd plural	nibongile, nibongē	enibongile, enibongē	nibongile, nibongē	anibonganga	eningabonganga	ningabonganga
class 1	ubongile, ubongē	obongile, obongē	ebongile, ebongē	akabonganga	ongabonganga	engabonganga
class 2	babongile, babongē	ababongile, ababongē	bebongile, bebongē	ababonganga	abangabonganga	bengabonganga
class 3	ubongile, ubongē	obongile, obongē	ubongile, ubongē	awubonganga	ongabonganga	ungabonganga
class 4	ibongile, ibongē	ebongile, ebongē	ibongile, ibongē	ayibonganga	engabonganga	ingabonganga
class 5	libongile, libongē	elibongile, elibongē	libongile, libongē	alibonganga	elingabonganga	lingabonganga
class 6	abongile, abongē	abongile, abongē	ebongile, ebongē	awabonganga	angabonganga	engabonganga
class 7	sibongile, sibongē	esibongile, esibongē	sibongile, sibongē	asibonganga	esingabonganga	singabonganga
class 8	zibongile, zibongē	ezibongile, ezibongē	zibongile, zibongē	azibonganga	ezingabonganga	zingabonganga
class 9	ibongile, ibongē	ebongile, ebongē	ibongile, ibongē	ayibonganga	engabonganga	ingabonganga
class 10	zibongile, zibongē	ezibongile, ezibongē	zibongile, zibongē	azibonganga	ezingabonganga	zingabonganga
class 11	lubongile, lubongē	olubongile, olubongē	lubongile, lubongē	alubonganga	olungabonganga	lungabonganga
class 14	bubongile, bubongē	obubongile, obubongē	bubongile, bubongē	abubonganga	obungabonganga	bungabonganga
class 15	kubongile, kubongē	okubongile, okubongē	kubongile, kubongē	akubonganga	okungabonganga	kungabonganga
class 17	kubongile, kubongē	okubongile, okubongē	kubongile, kubongē	akubonganga	okungabonganga	kungabonganga
remote past
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngābonga	engābonga	ngābonga	angibonganga	engingabonganga	ngingabonganga
2nd singular	wābonga	owābonga	wābonga	awubonganga	ongabonganga	ungabonganga
1st plural	sābonga	esābonga	sābonga	asibonganga	esingabonganga	singabonganga
2nd plural	nābonga	enābonga	nābonga	anibonganga	eningabonganga	ningabonganga
class 1	wābonga	owābonga	ābonga	akabonganga	ongabonganga	engabonganga
class 2	bābonga	abābonga	bābonga	ababonganga	abangabonganga	bengabonganga
class 3	wābonga	owābonga	wābonga	awubonganga	ongabonganga	ungabonganga
class 4	yābonga	eyābonga	yābonga	ayibonganga	engabonganga	ingabonganga
class 5	lābonga	elābonga	lābonga	alibonganga	elingabonganga	lingabonganga
class 6	ābonga	ābonga	ābonga	awabonganga	angabonganga	engabonganga
class 7	sābonga	esābonga	sābonga	asibonganga	esingabonganga	singabonganga
class 8	zābonga	ezābonga	zābonga	azibonganga	ezingabonganga	zingabonganga
class 9	yābonga	eyābonga	yābonga	ayibonganga	engabonganga	ingabonganga
class 10	zābonga	ezābonga	zābonga	azibonganga	ezingabonganga	zingabonganga
class 11	lwābonga	olwābonga	lwābonga	alubonganga	olungabonganga	lungabonganga
class 14	bābonga	obābonga	bābonga	abubonganga	obungabonganga	bungabonganga
class 15	kwābonga	okwābonga	kwābonga	akubonganga	okungabonganga	kungabonganga
class 17	kwābonga	okwābonga	kwābonga	akubonganga	okungabonganga	kungabonganga
potential
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngingabonga	—	ngingabonga	ngingebonge	—	ngingebonge
2nd singular	ungabonga	—	ungabonga	ungebonge	—	ungebonge
1st plural	singabonga	—	singabonga	singebonge	—	singebonge
2nd plural	ningabonga	—	ningabonga	ningebonge	—	ningebonge
class 1	angabonga	—	engabonga	angebonge	—	engebonge
class 2	bangabonga	—	bengabonga	bangebonge	—	bengebonge
class 3	ungabonga	—	ungabonga	ungebonge	—	ungebonge
class 4	ingabonga	—	ingabonga	ingebonge	—	ingebonge
class 5	lingabonga	—	lingabonga	lingebonge	—	lingebonge
class 6	angabonga	—	engabonga	angebonge	—	engebonge
class 7	singabonga	—	singabonga	singebonge	—	singebonge
class 8	zingabonga	—	zingabonga	zingebonge	—	zingebonge
class 9	ingabonga	—	ingabonga	ingebonge	—	ingebonge
class 10	zingabonga	—	zingabonga	zingebonge	—	zingebonge
class 11	lungabonga	—	lungabonga	lungebonge	—	lungebonge
class 14	bungabonga	—	bungabonga	bungebonge	—	bungebonge
class 15	kungabonga	—	kungabonga	kungebonge	—	kungebonge
class 17	kungabonga	—	kungabonga	kungebonge	—	kungebonge
immediate future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngizobonga	engizobonga	ngizobonga	angizubonga	engingezubonga	ngingezubonga
2nd singular	uzobonga	ozobonga	uzobonga	awuzubonga	ongezubonga	ungezubonga
1st plural	sizobonga	esizobonga	sizobonga	asizubonga	esingezubonga	singezubonga
2nd plural	nizobonga	enizobonga	nizobonga	anizubonga	eningezubonga	ningezubonga
class 1	uzobonga	ozobonga	ezobonga	akazubonga	ongezubonga	engezubonga
class 2	bazobonga	abazobonga	bezobonga	abazubonga	abangezubonga	bengezubonga
class 3	uzobonga	ozobonga	uzobonga	awuzubonga	ongezubonga	ungezubonga
class 4	izobonga	ezobonga	izobonga	ayizubonga	engezubonga	ingezubonga
class 5	lizobonga	elizobonga	lizobonga	alizubonga	elingezubonga	lingezubonga
class 6	azobonga	azobonga	ezobonga	awazubonga	angezubonga	engezubonga
class 7	sizobonga	esizobonga	sizobonga	asizubonga	esingezubonga	singezubonga
class 8	zizobonga	ezizobonga	zizobonga	azizubonga	ezingezubonga	zingezubonga
class 9	izobonga	ezobonga	izobonga	ayizubonga	engezubonga	ingezubonga
class 10	zizobonga	ezizobonga	zizobonga	azizubonga	ezingezubonga	zingezubonga
class 11	luzobonga	oluzobonga	luzobonga	aluzubonga	olungezubonga	lungezubonga
class 14	buzobonga	obuzobonga	buzobonga	abuzubonga	obungezubonga	bungezubonga
class 15	kuzobonga	okuzobonga	kuzobonga	akuzubonga	okungezubonga	kungezubonga
class 17	kuzobonga	okuzobonga	kuzobonga	akuzubonga	okungezubonga	kungezubonga
remote future
	positive absolute	positive relative	positive participial	negative absolute	negative relative	negative participial
1st singular	ngiyobonga	engiyobonga	ngiyobonga	angiyubonga	engingeyubonga	ngingeyubonga
2nd singular	uyobonga	oyobonga	uyobonga	awuyubonga	ongeyubonga	ungeyubonga
1st plural	siyobonga	esiyobonga	siyobonga	asiyubonga	esingeyubonga	singeyubonga
2nd plural	niyobonga	eniyobonga	niyobonga	aniyubonga	eningeyubonga	ningeyubonga
class 1	uyobonga	oyobonga	eyobonga	akayubonga	ongeyubonga	engeyubonga
class 2	bayobonga	abayobonga	beyobonga	abayubonga	abangeyubonga	bengeyubonga
class 3	uyobonga	oyobonga	uyobonga	awuyubonga	ongeyubonga	ungeyubonga
class 4	iyobonga	eyobonga	iyobonga	ayiyubonga	engeyubonga	ingeyubonga
class 5	liyobonga	eliyobonga	liyobonga	aliyubonga	elingeyubonga	lingeyubonga
class 6	ayobonga	ayobonga	eyobonga	awayubonga	angeyubonga	engeyubonga
class 7	siyobonga	esiyobonga	siyobonga	asiyubonga	esingeyubonga	singeyubonga
class 8	ziyobonga	eziyobonga	ziyobonga	aziyubonga	ezingeyubonga	zingeyubonga
class 9	iyobonga	eyobonga	iyobonga	ayiyubonga	engeyubonga	ingeyubonga
class 10	ziyobonga	eziyobonga	ziyobonga	aziyubonga	ezingeyubonga	zingeyubonga
class 11	luyobonga	oluyobonga	luyobonga	aluyubonga	olungeyubonga	lungeyubonga
class 14	buyobonga	obuyobonga	buyobonga	abuyubonga	obungeyubonga	bungeyubonga
class 15	kuyobonga	okuyobonga	kuyobonga	akuyubonga	okungeyubonga	kungeyubonga
class 17	kuyobonga	okuyobonga	kuyobonga	akuyubonga	okungeyubonga	kungeyubonga
present subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngibonge	ngingabongi
2nd singular	ubonge	ungabongi
1st plural	sibonge	singabongi
2nd plural	nibonge	ningabongi
class 1	abonge	angabongi
class 2	babonge	bangabongi
class 3	ubonge	ungabongi
class 4	ibonge	ingabongi
class 5	libonge	lingabongi
class 6	abonge	angabongi
class 7	sibonge	singabongi
class 8	zibonge	zingabongi
class 9	ibonge	ingabongi
class 10	zibonge	zingabongi
class 11	lubonge	lungabongi
class 14	bubonge	bungabongi
class 15	kubonge	kungabongi
class 17	kubonge	kungabongi
past subjunctive
	positive	negative
1st singular	ngabonga	ngangabonga, angabonga, angangabonga
2nd singular	wabonga	wangabonga, awabonga, awangabonga
1st plural	sabonga	sangabonga, asabonga, asangabonga
2nd plural	nabonga	nangabonga, anabonga, anangabonga
class 1	wabonga	wangabonga, akabonga, akangabonga
class 2	babonga	bangabonga, ababonga, abangabonga
class 3	wabonga	wangabonga, awabonga, awangabonga
class 4	yabonga	yangabonga, ayabonga, ayangabonga
class 5	labonga	langabonga, alabonga, alangabonga
class 6	abonga	angabonga, awabonga, awangabonga
class 7	sabonga	sangabonga, asabonga, asangabonga
class 8	zabonga	zangabonga, azabonga, azangabonga
class 9	yabonga	yangabonga, ayabonga, ayangabonga
class 10	zabonga	zangabonga, azabonga, azangabonga
class 11	lwabonga	lwangabonga, alwabonga, alwangabonga
class 14	babonga	bangabonga, ababonga, abangabonga
class 15	kwabonga	kwangabonga, akwabonga, akwangabonga
class 17	kwabonga	kwangabonga, akwabonga, akwangabonga

Derived terms

• -bongela (applicative)
• -bongeka (neuter-passive)
• imbongi
• isibongo