Swahili Dictionary

Asante

/a-san-te/

Asante sana

Thank you

Thank you very much

Asubuhi

/a-su-bu-hi/

Asubuhi ninaamka mapema.

Morning

In the morning I wake up early.

Baba

/ba-ba/

Baba yangu ni daktari

Father

My father is a doctor

Babu

/ba-bu/

Babu yangu ni mzee.

Grandfather

My grandfather is old.

Barabara

/ba-ra-ba-ra/

Barabara hii ni ndefu.

Road / Street

This road is long.

Bibi

/bi-bi/

Bibi yangu anapenda chai.

Grandmother / Mrs / Lady

My grandmother loves tea.

Chai

/cha-i/

Ninakunywa chai asubuhi.

Tea

I drink tea in the morning.

Chakula

/cha-ku-la/

Chakula kiko tayari.

Food / Meal

The food is ready.

Chapati

/cha-pa-ti/

Ninanunua chapati mbili.

Flatbread

I am buying two chapatis.

Dada

/da-da/

Dada yangu ni mzuri.

Sister

My sister is kind.

Elfu

/el-fu/

Gari linagharimu elfu kumi.

One thousand

The car costs ten thousand.

Familia

/fa-mi-li-a/

Familia yangu ni kubwa.

Family

My family is large.

Habari?

/ha-ba-ri/

Habari za asubuhi?

What's the news? / How are you?

How is the morning?

Hapana

/ha-pa-na/

Hapana, asante.

No

No, thank you.

Hujambo

/hu-jam-bo/

Hujambo rafiki!

How are you? (singular)

How are you, friend!

Ishirini

/i-shi-ri-ni/

Ninanunua ndizi ishirini.

Twenty

I am buying twenty bananas.

Jana

/ja-na/

Jana nilikula pilau.

Yesterday

Yesterday I ate pilau.

Jicho

/ji-cho/

Macho yake ni mazuri.

Eye (sing.) / Macho (pl.)

His/Her eyes are beautiful.

Jioni

/ji-o-ni/

Jioni ninakaa nyumbani.

Evening

In the evening I stay home.

Jua

/ju-a/

Jua linachomeka leo.

Sun

The sun is hot today.

Kaka

/ka-ka/

Kaka yangu anasoma.

Brother (informal)

My brother is studying.

Karibu

/ka-ri-bu/

Karibu nyumbani

Welcome / You're welcome

Welcome home

Kesho

/ke-sho/

Kesho nitakwenda sokoni.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I will go to the market.

Kichwa

/ki-chwa/

Kichwa changu kinauma.

Head

My head hurts.

Kuandika

/ku-an-di-ka/

Ninaandika barua.

To write

I am writing a letter.

Kufanya

/ku-fa-nya/

Ninafanya kazi.

To do / make

I am doing work.

Kuja

/ku-ja/

Kuja hapa

To come

Come here

Kukimbia

/ku-kim-bi-a/

Anakimbia haraka.

To run

He is running fast.

Kula

/ku-la/

Ninakula ugali.

To eat

I am eating ugali.

Kulala

/ku-la-la/

Mtoto analala sasa.

To sleep

The child is sleeping now.

Kumi

/ku-mi/

Nina miaka kumi.

Ten

I am ten years old.

Kunywa

/ku-nywa/

Ninakunywa maji.

To drink

I am drinking water.

Kuona

/ku-o-na/

Ninaona nyumba kubwa.

To see

I see a big house.

Kusema

/ku-se-ma/

Anasema Kiswahili.

To speak / say

He speaks Swahili.

Kusikia

/ku-si-ki-a/

Ninasikia muziki.

To hear / listen

I am hearing music.

Kwaheri

/kwa-he-ri/

Kwaheri, tutaonana.

Goodbye

Goodbye, we will meet again.

Kwenda

/kwen-da/

Ninataka kwenda sokoni.

To go

I want to go to the market.

Leo

/le-o/

Leo ni siku nzuri.

Today

Today is a good day.

Maharagwe

/ma-ha-rag-we/

Ninakula maharagwe leo.

Beans

I am eating beans today.

Maji

/ma-ji/

Ninahitaji maji safi.

Water

I need clean water.

Mama

/ma-ma/

Mama yangu yuko nyumbani.

Mother

My mother is at home.

Mambo?

/mam-bo/

Mambo, rafiki?

What's up? (informal)

What's up, friend?

Mandazi

/man-da-zi/

Mandazi ni tamu asubuhi.

Fried dough

Mandazi are sweet in the morning.

Marahaba

/ma-ra-ha-ba/

Marahaba, mtoto.

Reply to shikamoo (from elder)

I acknowledge you, child.

Mbili

/m-bi-li/

Nina watoto wawili.

Two

I have two children.

Mboga

/m-bo-ga/

Ninapika mboga za kuchemsha.

Vegetables / Relish

I am cooking boiled vegetables.

Mchana

/m-cha-na/

Mchana tunakula pamoja.

Midday / Afternoon

At midday we eat together.

Mdomo

/m-do-mo/

Mdomo wake ni mkubwa.

Mouth

His/Her mouth is big.

Mguu

/m-guu/

Mguu wangu unachoka.

Foot / Leg

My leg is tired.

Mia

/mi-a/

Ninahitaji shilingi mia.

One hundred

I need one hundred shillings.

Mimi

/mi-mi/

Mimi ninaenda shule.

I / Me

I am going to school.

Mke

/m-ke/

Mke wangu anapika chakula.

Wife

My wife is cooking food.

Mkono

/m-ko-no/

Mkono wangu unaumia.

Hand / Arm

My hand is hurting.

Moja

/mo-ja/

Nina mtoto mmoja.

One

I have one child.

Moyo

/mo-yo/

Moyo wangu unapiga.

Heart

My heart is beating.

Msitu

/m-si-tu/

Msitu uko mbali.

Forest

The forest is far away.

Mto

/m-to/

Mto huu una maji mengi.

River

This river has a lot of water.

Mtoto

/m-to-to/

Mtoto wangu anacheza.

Child

My child is playing.

Mume

/mu-me/

Mume wangu anafanya kazi.

Husband

My husband is working.

Mwaka

/m-wa-ka/

Mwaka huu ni mzuri.

Year

This year is good.

Mwana

/m-wa-na/

Mwana wangu ni hodari.

Son / Offspring

My son is clever.

Mwezi

/m-we-zi/

Mwezi unang'aa usiku.

Moon / Month

The moon shines at night.

Nane

/na-ne/

Darasa lina wanafunzi nane.

Eight

The class has eight students.

Nazi

/na-zi/

Ninakunywa maji ya nazi.

Coconut

I am drinking coconut water.

Ndiyo

/n-di-yo/

Ndiyo, nakuja.

Yes

Yes, I am coming.

Ndugu

/n-du-gu/

Ndugu yangu yupo hapa.

Sibling / Relative / Fellow

My sibling is here.

Ninyi

/ni-nyi/

Ninyi mnaimba vizuri.

You (plural)

You all sing well.

Nne

/n-ne/

Nyumba ina vyumba vinne.

Four

The house has four rooms.

Nyama

/nya-ma/

Ninanunua nyama sokoni.

Meat

I am buying meat at the market.

Nyumba

/nyu-m-ba/

Nyumba yangu ni kubwa.

House / Home

My house is big.

Nzuri

/n-zu-ri/

Nzuri sana!

Good / Fine

Very good!

Pesa

/pe-sa/

Nina pesa kidogo.

Money

I have a little money.

Pilau

/pi-lau/

Ninapenda pilau ya nyama.

Spiced rice

I love meat pilau.

Poa

/po-a/

Poa kabisa!

Cool / Fine (informal reply)

Totally cool!

Rafiki

/ra-fi-ki/

Rafiki yangu anakuja.

Friend

My friend is coming.

Saba

/sa-ba/

Wiki ina siku saba.

Seven

A week has seven days.

Samahani

/sa-ma-ha-ni/

Samahani, nisaidie.

Sorry / Excuse me

Excuse me, help me.

Samaki

/sa-ma-ki/

Samaki wa leo ni safi.

Fish

Today's fish is fresh.

Sasa

/sa-sa/

Sasa tunaenda.

Now

Now we are going.

Shikamoo

/shi-ka-moo/

Shikamoo, bibi.

Respectful greeting (to elder)

Respectful greetings, grandmother.

Shule

/shu-le/

Watoto wanakwenda shule.

School

The children go to school.

Sijambo

/si-jam-bo/

Sijambo, asante.

I am fine (reply to hujambo)

I am fine, thank you.

Sikio

/si-ki-o/

Masikio yangu yanasikia.

Ear

My ears can hear.

Sisi

/si-si/

Sisi tunakwenda pamoja.

We / Us

We are going together.

Sita

/si-ta/

Tumekaa siku sita.

Six

We stayed six days.

Soko

/so-ko/

Ninakwenda sokoni leo.

Market

I am going to the market today.

Tafadhali

/ta-fa-dha-li/

Tafadhali kaa.

Please

Please sit down.

Tano

/ta-no/

Nina ndizi tano.

Five

I have five bananas.

Tatu

/ta-tu/

Ninataka vitabu vitatu.

Three

I want three books.

Tisa

/ti-sa/

Ninalipa shilingi tisa.

Nine

I pay nine shillings.

Tumbo

/tum-bo/

Tumbo langu linauma.

Stomach / Belly

My stomach hurts.

Ugali

/u-ga-li/

Ugali na sukuma wiki

Maize porridge (staple)

Ugali with kale

Usiku

/u-si-ku/

Usiku ninasoma vitabu.

Night

At night I read books.

Wakati

/wa-ka-ti/

Wakati ni pesa.

Time

Time is money.

Wali

/wa-li/

Ninapenda wali na nyama.

Cooked rice

I like rice with meat.

Wao

/wa-o/

Wao wanacheza nyumbani.

They / Them

They are playing at home.

Wewe

/we-we/

Wewe unajua Kiswahili.

You (singular)

You know Swahili.

Wiki

/wi-ki/

Wiki ijayo nitarudi.

Week

Next week I will return.