bongo

See also: Bongo, bongó, bongô, bỡ ngỡ, and boŋo

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɒŋ.ɡəʊ/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -ɒŋɡəʊ
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈbɑŋ.ɡoʊ/
  • Rhymes: -ɑŋɡoʊ

Etymology 1

A mountain bongo (animal)

From Spanish bongo.

Noun

bongo (plural bongos)

1. A striped bovine mammal found in Africa, Tragelaphus eurycerus.

Translations

mammal

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 紫羚 (zǐlíng)

• Dutch: bongo (nl) m
• Finnish: bongo
• French: bongo (fr) m
• Galician: bongo
• German: Bongo (de)
• Irish: bongó m
• Italian: bongo m
• Japanese: ボンゴ (ja) (bongo)
• Kikuyu: ndongoro class 9/10
• Marathi: बोंगो m (boṅgo), बाँगो m (bŏṅgo)
• Portuguese: bongo m
• Russian: бо́нго (ru) m (bóngo)
• Spanish: bongo (es)

Etymology 2

Bongo drums

From United States Spanish bongó, from a Bantu language; probably Ekele boungu.

Noun

bongo (plural bongos or bongoes)

1. Either of a pair of small drums of Cuban origin, played by beating with the hands.
   • 1984, Dire Straits (band), Money for Nothing (song)

     He's banging on the bongos like a chimpanzee.

   Synonym: bongo drum

Derived terms

• bongo flava
• bongoist
• bongo party
• Obongo

Translations

drum

• Catalan: bongo m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 邦哥鼓 (zh) (bāngēgǔ)

• Estonian: bongo (et)
• Finnish: bongo, bongorumpu
• French: bongo (fr)
• Galician: bongó m
• Icelandic: bongótromma f
• Irish: bongó m, druma bongó m
• Japanese: ボンゴ (ja) (bongo)
• Māori: pahū tamarua
• Marathi: बाँगो m (bŏṅgo)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: bongo m, bongotromme m or f

  Nynorsk: bongo m, bongotromme f

• Portuguese: bongô (pt) m
• Russian: бонго́ (ru) m (bongó)
• Spanish: bongó (es) m

Verb

bongo (third-person singular simple present bongos, present participle bongoing, simple past and past participle bongoed)

1. (intransitive) To play the bongo drums.
2. (intransitive) Of the heart, etc.: to beat with an irregular rhythm.
3. (transitive) To hit something rhythmically with the hands.

See also

• bingo bango bongo
• Bongo Bongo Land
• bongo mag

Anagrams

• bogon, boong

Bangi

Adverb

bongo

1. thus, so, this way

Dutch

Etymology

Likely borrowed from English bongo, from Spanish bongó, probably of onomatopoeic origin.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɔŋ.ɡoː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: bon‧go

Noun

bongo m (plural bongo's, no diminutive)

1. (music) a bongo (small Cuban drum used in pairs)

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈboŋːo/, [ˈbo̞ŋːo̞]
• Rhymes: -oŋːo
• Syllabification^(key): bon‧go
• Hyphenation^(key): bon‧go

Etymology 1

From Spanish bongo.

Noun

bongo

1. bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus, syn. Taurotragus euryceros)

   Bongo ei toistaiseksi ole uhanalainen vaikka on monilla alueilla harvinaistunut tai hävinnyt.

   The bongo is not currently vulnerable or endangered, even if it can no longer be found in some places, at least in the same numbers.

Declension

Inflection of bongo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		bongo	bongot
genitive		bongon	bongojen
partitive		bongoa	bongoja
illative		bongoon	bongoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		bongo	bongot
accusative	nom.	bongo	bongot
	gen.	bongon
genitive		bongon	bongojen
partitive		bongoa	bongoja
inessive		bongossa	bongoissa
elative		bongosta	bongoista
illative		bongoon	bongoihin
adessive		bongolla	bongoilla
ablative		bongolta	bongoilta
allative		bongolle	bongoille
essive		bongona	bongoina
translative		bongoksi	bongoiksi
abessive		bongotta	bongoitta
instructive		—	bongoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of bongo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative bongoni bongoni accusative nom. bongoni bongoni gen. bongoni genitive bongoni bongojeni partitive bongoani bongojani inessive bongossani bongoissani elative bongostani bongoistani illative bongooni bongoihini adessive bongollani bongoillani ablative bongoltani bongoiltani allative bongolleni bongoilleni essive bongonani bongoinani translative bongokseni bongoikseni abessive bongottani bongoittani instructive — — comitative — bongoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative bongosi bongosi accusative nom. bongosi bongosi gen. bongosi genitive bongosi bongojesi partitive bongoasi bongojasi inessive bongossasi bongoissasi elative bongostasi bongoistasi illative bongoosi bongoihisi adessive bongollasi bongoillasi ablative bongoltasi bongoiltasi allative bongollesi bongoillesi essive bongonasi bongoinasi translative bongoksesi bongoiksesi abessive bongottasi bongoittasi instructive — — comitative — bongoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative bongomme bongomme accusative nom. bongomme bongomme gen. bongomme genitive bongomme bongojemme partitive bongoamme bongojamme inessive bongossamme bongoissamme elative bongostamme bongoistamme illative bongoomme bongoihimme adessive bongollamme bongoillamme ablative bongoltamme bongoiltamme allative bongollemme bongoillemme essive bongonamme bongoinamme translative bongoksemme bongoiksemme abessive bongottamme bongoittamme instructive — — comitative — bongoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative bongonne bongonne accusative nom. bongonne bongonne gen. bongonne genitive bongonne bongojenne partitive bongoanne bongojanne inessive bongossanne bongoissanne elative bongostanne bongoistanne illative bongoonne bongoihinne adessive bongollanne bongoillanne ablative bongoltanne bongoiltanne allative bongollenne bongoillenne essive bongonanne bongoinanne translative bongoksenne bongoiksenne abessive bongottanne bongoittanne instructive — — comitative — bongoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative bongonsa bongonsa accusative nom. bongonsa bongonsa gen. bongonsa genitive bongonsa bongojensa partitive bongoaan bongoansa bongojaan bongojansa inessive bongossaan bongossansa bongoissaan bongoissansa elative bongostaan bongostansa bongoistaan bongoistansa illative bongoonsa bongoihinsa adessive bongollaan bongollansa bongoillaan bongoillansa ablative bongoltaan bongoltansa bongoiltaan bongoiltansa allative bongolleen bongollensa bongoilleen bongoillensa essive bongonaan bongonansa bongoinaan bongoinansa translative bongokseen bongoksensa bongoikseen bongoiksensa abessive bongottaan bongottansa bongoittaan bongoittansa instructive — — comitative — bongoineen bongoinensa

Etymology 2

From English bongo, from American Spanish bongó.

Noun

bongo

1. (music) bongo

   Bongoja soitetaan myös Lähi-idässä, Turkissa ja arabimaissa.

   Bongos are also used as an instrument in the Middle East, Turkey and Arab countries.

Declension

Inflection of bongo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		bongo	bongot
genitive		bongon	bongojen
partitive		bongoa	bongoja
illative		bongoon	bongoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		bongo	bongot
accusative	nom.	bongo	bongot
	gen.	bongon
genitive		bongon	bongojen
partitive		bongoa	bongoja
inessive		bongossa	bongoissa
elative		bongosta	bongoista
illative		bongoon	bongoihin
adessive		bongolla	bongoilla
ablative		bongolta	bongoilta
allative		bongolle	bongoille
essive		bongona	bongoina
translative		bongoksi	bongoiksi
abessive		bongotta	bongoitta
instructive		—	bongoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of bongo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative bongoni bongoni accusative nom. bongoni bongoni gen. bongoni genitive bongoni bongojeni partitive bongoani bongojani inessive bongossani bongoissani elative bongostani bongoistani illative bongooni bongoihini adessive bongollani bongoillani ablative bongoltani bongoiltani allative bongolleni bongoilleni essive bongonani bongoinani translative bongokseni bongoikseni abessive bongottani bongoittani instructive — — comitative — bongoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative bongosi bongosi accusative nom. bongosi bongosi gen. bongosi genitive bongosi bongojesi partitive bongoasi bongojasi inessive bongossasi bongoissasi elative bongostasi bongoistasi illative bongoosi bongoihisi adessive bongollasi bongoillasi ablative bongoltasi bongoiltasi allative bongollesi bongoillesi essive bongonasi bongoinasi translative bongoksesi bongoiksesi abessive bongottasi bongoittasi instructive — — comitative — bongoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative bongomme bongomme accusative nom. bongomme bongomme gen. bongomme genitive bongomme bongojemme partitive bongoamme bongojamme inessive bongossamme bongoissamme elative bongostamme bongoistamme illative bongoomme bongoihimme adessive bongollamme bongoillamme ablative bongoltamme bongoiltamme allative bongollemme bongoillemme essive bongonamme bongoinamme translative bongoksemme bongoiksemme abessive bongottamme bongoittamme instructive — — comitative — bongoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative bongonne bongonne accusative nom. bongonne bongonne gen. bongonne genitive bongonne bongojenne partitive bongoanne bongojanne inessive bongossanne bongoissanne elative bongostanne bongoistanne illative bongoonne bongoihinne adessive bongollanne bongoillanne ablative bongoltanne bongoiltanne allative bongollenne bongoillenne essive bongonanne bongoinanne translative bongoksenne bongoiksenne abessive bongottanne bongoittanne instructive — — comitative — bongoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative bongonsa bongonsa accusative nom. bongonsa bongonsa gen. bongonsa genitive bongonsa bongojensa partitive bongoaan bongoansa bongojaan bongojansa inessive bongossaan bongossansa bongoissaan bongoissansa elative bongostaan bongostansa bongoistaan bongoistansa illative bongoonsa bongoihinsa adessive bongollaan bongollansa bongoillaan bongoillansa ablative bongoltaan bongoltansa bongoiltaan bongoiltansa allative bongolleen bongollensa bongoilleen bongoillensa essive bongonaan bongonansa bongoinaan bongoinansa translative bongokseen bongoksensa bongoikseen bongoiksensa abessive bongottaan bongottansa bongoittaan bongoittansa instructive — — comitative — bongoineen bongoinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• bongorumpu

Further reading

• “bongo”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 1 July 2023

French

Pronunciation

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

Noun

bongo f (plural bongos)

1. bongo

Galician

Etymology

Probably of Bantu origin

Noun

bongo m (plural bongos)

1. bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus)

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɔn.ɡo/
• Rhymes: -ɔnɡo
• Hyphenation: bòn‧go

Etymology 1

Probably of Bantu origin.

Noun

bongo m (plural bonghi)

1. bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus)

Etymology 2

From American Spanish bongó.

Noun

bongo m (plural bonghi)

1. bongo (Afro-Cuban percussion instrument)

Further reading

• “bongo”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026

Japanese

Romanization

bongo

1. Rōmaji transcription of ぼんご

Lingala

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Bangi bongo.

Adverb

bongo

1. thus, so, this way

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Swahili bongo.

Noun

bongo

1. (anatomy) brain

Lithuanian

Noun

bongo

1. genitive singular of bongas (“bong”)

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbõ.ɡu/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbõ.ɡu/

• Hyphenation: bon‧go

Etymology 1

Probably of Bantu origin

Noun

bongo m (plural bongos)

1. bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus, an African antelope)

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Spanish bongó.

Noun

bongo m (plural bongos) (European Portuguese spelling)

1. alternative form of bongô

   Alternative forms: (European Portuguese spelling) bongó, (Brazilian Portuguese spelling) bongô

Further reading

• “bongo”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romani

Adjective

bongo (feminine bongi, plural bonge)

1. left

   Synonym: stungo

   Antonym: ćaćo

Sambali

Noun

bongô

1. skull

Spanish

Etymology 1

Probably of Bantu origin

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbonɡo/ [ˈbõŋ.ɡo]
• Rhymes: -onɡo
• Syllabification: bon‧go

Noun

bongo m (plural bongos)

1. bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus)

Etymology 2

From a Native American word.

Noun

bongo m (plural bongos)

1. large canoe

Descendants

• English: bungo

Further reading

• “bongo”, 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

Swahili

bongo

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Bantu *bʊ̀jòngó. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “or *bòngó? See variant 274 of BLR entry 3571. We should add the variant to the PB page”)

Pronunciation

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

• Audio (Kenya):

  (file)

Noun

bongo class V (plural mabongo class VI)

1. (anatomy) brain
2. brains (mental faculties)

Derived terms

• Bongo
• ubongo

Ternate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbo.ŋo]

Noun

bongo

1. a side

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001), A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh