own
gb/ˈoʊn/ us/ˈoʊn/
A1
Kiingereza
~ 1600
Maana
maana 0
Kitenzi
A1
action
1
Have something as property
To have something that belongs to you.
Muundo wa matumizi:
to own [something]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes confuse 'own' with 'have'. 'Own' emphasizes legal possession, while 'have' can mean simply holding or experiencing something.
Visawe
possess (More formal; often used in legal or technical contexts.)
Vinyume
rent (To use something temporarily in exchange for payment, without owning it.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
own property
|own a car
|own a house
|own shares
|own a business
Mada
daily life
|business
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- She owns three houses in the city.
- Do you own this laptop?
- They own a small bakery in town.
- He owns several shares in the company.
- I don't own any pets.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- I own a red car.
- She owns a dog.
- We own a small shop.
- Do you own this phone?
- They own a big house.
adjective
A2
property
2
Belonging to oneself
Belonging to the person or thing we talk about.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[someone's] own [noun]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may omit 'own' when they want to emphasize possession, making the sentence less clear.
Visawe
personal (Focuses on being private or individual rather than on ownership.)
Vinyume
shared (Used by more than one person, not belonging to only one.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
my own room
|her own idea
|his own car
|their own home
Mada
daily life
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- She has her own apartment now.
- Bring your own lunch to school.
- He fixed his own bike.
- I have my own reasons for leaving.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- This is my own pen.
- He has his own bed.
- We have our own room.
- She likes her own clothes.
Kitenzi
slang
B2
action
3
Defeat or embarrass someone
To beat someone very badly or make them feel stupid, especially online.
Muundo wa matumizi:
to own [someone]
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may misunderstand slang 'own' as literal possession rather than defeat; context is key.
Visawe
crush (Informal; emphasizes overwhelming victory.)
Vinyume
lose to (To be defeated by someone else.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
totally own
|completely owned
|owned in debate
Mada
internet
|sports
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- He totally owned his opponent in the game.
- She owned him during the debate.
- That comedian really owned the heckler.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- He owned me in the game.
- She owned her friend in chess.
- The player owned his rival.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
own
IPA
GB/ˈoʊn/
US/ˈoʊn/
Silabi na mkazo
own (silabi 1)
Stress on 1st syllable (own)
Maumbo ya neno
Adjective
- Base: own
Verb
- Base: own
- 3rd Person Singular: owns
- Present Participle: owning
- Past: owned
Familia ya neno
Semi
hold your own
1/hˈoʊld jˈʊɹ ˈoʊn/
idiom
Perform as well as others
To do as well as other people in a situation.
Mifano
- Even against more experienced players, she can hold her own.
- He held his own in the discussion with experts.
make something your own
1/mˈeɪk sˈʌmθɪŋ jˈʊɹ ˈoʊn/
fixed phrase
Adapt something for yourself
To change something so it feels personal and right for you.
Mifano
- She made the recipe her own by adding spices.
- He took the song and made it his own.
on one's own
1/ˈɔn wˈʌnz ˈoʊn/
fixed phrase
Alone or without help
Alone, or without anyone helping you.
Mifano
- She traveled to Japan on her own.
- He built the shed on his own.
own up to
1/ˈoʊn ˈʌp tə/
phrasal verb
Admit responsibility for wrongdoing
To say that you did something wrong or bad.
Mifano
- He owned up to breaking the window.
- She owned up to her mistake at work.