Ningwendete o nawe
Ningwendete o nawe is the Kikuyu way to say "I love you too".
This phrase is a response used to tell someone that you feel the same love for them.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Ni- (I), -ngwendete (love you) and o nawe (also you/too).
Which one should you use?
To turn the standard expression for "I love you" (Ningwendete) into the response "I love you too", you add o nawe to the end.
Did you know?
- In many Kikuyu households, expressions of love like Ningwendete are often more common in song and poetry than in everyday casual conversation between adults.
- In traditional Gikuyu society, expressions of love were often conveyed through the giving of livestock or specific traditional gifts rather than spoken phrases.
- The root of the verb in -ngwendete carries a sense of 'wanting' or 'desiring' something deeply, which is more intense than the English 'like'.
Examples in context
- Ningwendete o nawe.I love you too.
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before Kamau leaves for work.
- NyamburaNingwendete mũno, Kamau.I love you very much, Kamau.
- KamauNingwendete o nawe, Nyambura.I love you too, Nyambura.
- NyamburaNĩ wega, ũthiĩ na ega.Okay, go well.
- KamauNĩ ngũĩrona ĩtina.I will see you later.
