ganani

Nheengatu

Etymology

Inherited from Old Tupi ganã, borrowed from Portuguese enganar (“to deceive”).

Verb

ganani

1. (transitive) to deceive; to trick
   • 1898 September 4, José Lourenço da Costa Aguiar, Christu Muhençáua […] (overall work in Nheengatu and Portuguese), Petropolis: Pap. e Typ. Pacheco, Silva & C., page 83:

     Ianê Iara Tupana u-hinhin cunhâ çupé: — Mahá tahá re-munhan iaué? Aé u-çuaxára: — Buia u-ganani ixé; xaúana.

     Our Lord God asked the woman: "Why did you do this?" She answered: "The snake tricked me and I ate it."

2. (transitive) to pretend (to make oneself appear to do something)
3. (intransitive) to lie [with supé or arama ‘to someone’]
4. (intransitive) to lie [with esé or esewara ‘about something’]

Derived terms

• gananisawa
• gananiwera