Mara nyingi, maneno "patient" na "tolerant" hutumiwa kwa kubadilishana, lakini yana maana tofauti kidogo. "Patient" inamaanisha uwezo wa kusubiri kwa muda mrefu bila kukasirika au kupoteza subira, wakati "tolerant" inamaanisha kukubali watu au hali tofauti na wewe bila kupinga au kulaani. Kwa kifupi, "patient" inahusu kusubiri, wakati "tolerant" inahusu kukubali.

Hebu tuangalie mifano:

• Patient: "She was patient with her younger brother while he learned to tie his shoelaces." (Alikuwa mwenye subira na kaka yake mdogo alipokuwa anajifunza kufunga viatu.) Hii inaonyesha uwezo wake wa kusubiri kaka yake afanye kitu bila kukasirika.

• Tolerant: "He is tolerant of different opinions, even if he doesn't agree with them." (Yeye ni mwenye kuvumilia maoni tofauti, hata kama hayakubaliani nayo.) Hii inaonyesha kukubali kwake maoni tofauti bila kupinga au kuyachukia.

Mfano mwingine:

• Patient: "The doctor was patient with his elderly patient, explaining the treatment slowly and clearly." (Daktari alikuwa mwenye subira kwa mgonjwa wake mzee, akielezea matibabu polepole na wazi.)

• Tolerant: "My neighbours are very tolerant of the noise from my band practice." (Majirani zangu ni wavumilivu sana kwa kelele kutoka mazoezi ya bendi yangu.)

Kumbuka kuwa mtu anaweza kuwa patient bila kuwa tolerant, na kinyume chake. Unaweza kuwa na subira unapo subiri basi lako lakini huenda usiwe mvumilivu kwa tabia ya dereva ambaye anaendesha kwa uzembe.

Happy learning!