Swahili phrase, "strength to your elbow"?
my grandad is from south africa (kenya) and he has a phrase he uses all the time, he says it means something like "strength to your elbow" or "put some welly into it", i would really like to know the correct spelling of the word in swahili, and what it actually means

i will spell it phonetically

(ti - an - goo - foo)

it really means alot to me and him

so please, if you know the correct spelling of the word, and the translation i would very much appreciate it

thanks!

Question

Swahili phrase, "strength to your elbow"?
my grandad is from south africa (kenya) and he has a phrase he uses all the time, he says it means something like "strength to your elbow" or "put some welly into it", i would really like to know the correct spelling of the word in swahili, and what it actually means

i will spell it phonetically

(ti - an - goo - foo)

it really means alot to me and him

so please, if you know the correct spelling of the word, and the translation i would very much appreciate it

thanks!

Answer

Perhaps ask the person whose email is at this link http://www.translationdirectory.com/dictionaries/dictionary031.htm

I think that the word you have phonetically spelt is nguvu - which means strength or force. But that is a singular word and not a saying. However kiswahili is more complex than that so quiz your grandfather about more of the saying.

Hope it helps.

Answer

ti - an - goo - foo
What you have phonetically I believe is: tia nguvu
That's a 2-word Swahili phrase whose literal translation is "add strength" or "put more effort" 
The best way to read it is noting where the syllables are- and an easy way of knowing this is to check out the vowels.

ti-a ngu-vu

I hope this helps. A more accurate representation of the meaning would be:
"ongeza bidii" which means 'put more effort'.