All Swahili and Sheng words · Lexifari Dictionary

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-akeSwahilipossessive stemhis; her; its.-akoSwahilipossessive adjectiveyour; yours.-anguSwahilipossessive adjectivemy; mine.-aoSwahilipossessive stemtheir; theirs.-emaSwahiliadjective stemgood; an adjective stem appearing in agreement forms such as mwema and njema.-enuSwahilipossessive stemyour; yours (plural).-enyeSwahilipossessive stemhaving; with.-etuSwahilipossessive stemour; ours.-oteSwahiliquantifierall; the whole of.

A

ajabuSwahilinounwonder; marvel.akoShengcopulais there; is at a place.alafuSwahiliadverbThen; afterwards. An alternative form of halafu.amaniSwahilinounpeace.asanteSwahiliinterjectionthank you.ashuShengnounten shillings.asubuhiSwahilinounMorning.auSwahiliconjunctionOr; joins alternatives.azimaSwahiliverbto lend.

B

baadaSwahilipreposition · adverbAfter; later than a time or event.baadayeSwahiliadverbLater; afterwards.babaSwahilinounfather; dad; a respectful or familiar form of address.babiShengnouna posh or elite person, often imagined as outside deep Sheng culture.badoSwahiliadverbStill; not yet.barikiSwahiliverbto bless.beiSwahilinounprice.beshteShengnounfriend; best friend.bongaShengverbto speak or talk.boraSwahiliadjective · conjunctionexcellent; better or best; as long as or provided that.brownShengnounone thousand shillings.bwanaSwahilinounsir; Mr.

C

chaiSwahilinountea.chakulaSwahilinounfood; a meal.changaSwahiliadjectiveyoung; immature; at an early stage.chapaaShengnounmoney.chekaSwahiliverbto laugh; to smile.chenjiSwahilinounchange.chokaSwahiliverbTo become tired; to feel exhausted.chumaSwahilinouniron; a piece of iron.chwaniShengnounFifty shillings.

D

dadaSwahilinounSister, especially an older sister. Also a familiar term of address or affection.demShengnoungirl; girlfriend.

E

elewaSwahiliverbto understand; to comprehend.elfuSwahilinumerala thousand.endaSwahiliverbto go.

F

falaShengnouna fool; an outsider.fanyaSwahiliverbto do; to make.fedhaSwahilinounmoney.fikaSwahiliverbto arrive.finjeShengnounfifty shillings.fuataSwahiliverbto follow; to come after.

G

ganiSwahiliinterrogativewhich; what kind of.ganjiShengnounmoney.gariSwahilinouncar; wheeled vehicle. The plural is magari.guokoShengnounfifty shillings.

H

habariSwahilinounnews; information; how things are.hakunaSwahilinegative existentialthere is not; there are no.hakuna matataSwahiliphrasethere are no problems; no worries.hamsiniSwahilinumeralfifty.hapaSwahiliadverbhere.hapanaSwahiliparticle · locative verb formNo. Also, there is not, when referring to a particular place.hapoSwahililocative demonstrativethere; at that place.helaSwahilinounmoney.hiiSwahilidemonstrativethis; these.hiviSwahilidemonstrative · adverbThese, for class 8 nouns; also like this, in this way, or thus.hongeraSwahiliinterjectionCongratulations! Well done!

I

ibaSwahiliverbto steal; to take without permission.ikoSwahililocative copular formis there; is at a general location.ishiSwahiliverbto live; to be alive.ishiriniSwahilinumeraltwenty.

J

jaliSwahiliverbto care about or pay attention to someone or something.jamboSwahilinounmatter; affair; thing; also encountered in greeting formulas.janaSwahiliadverbYesterday; the day before today.jeSwahiliparticleA particle that draws attention to a question; attached to a verb as -je, it asks how.jengaSwahiliverbTo build; to construct.jifunzaSwahiliverbto learn; to study.jinaSwahilinounname.jioniSwahilinoun · adverbEvening; in the evening.jirongoShengnouna five-hundred-shilling note.jumlaSwahilinounthe total; the sum.

K

kaaSwahiliverbto sit; to stay.kabisaSwahiliadverbCompletely; entirely; absolutely. Also used to strengthen a description.kablaSwahilipreposition · conjunctionBefore; earlier than a time or event.kamaSwahiliconjunction · prepositionif; like; as; approximately.karaoShengnounpolice officer.karibishaSwahiliverbto welcome.karibuSwahiliinterjection · adverbwelcome; near; almost.kavuShengnounone thousand shillings.kaziSwahilinounwork; a job; a task.keshoSwahilinoun · adverbTomorrow; the day after today.ketiSwahiliverbto sit.ki-Swahiliprefixa noun prefix that can mean “small” or “some.”kidogoSwahiliadverba little; a small amount.KiingerezaSwahilinounEnglish; the English language.kikundiSwahilinounsmall group; circle; organized group.kindeShengnounten shillings.kirendeShengnouncrowd; group of people.kitabuSwahilinounbook; written volume. The plural is vitabu.kitandaSwahilinouna bed; furniture you sleep on.kituSwahilinounthing; item.kituoSwahilinounstop; station.koboleShengnounfive shillings.kubwaSwahiliadjectiveBig or large; with people, older or senior.kulaSwahiliverbto eat; to consume.kumediShengverbto think about; to meditate.kumiSwahilinumeralten.kunaSwahiliverbthere is; there are.kunywaSwahiliverbto drink.kutanaSwahiliverbto meet.kuwaSwahiliverbto be; to become.kwaSwahiliprepositionwith; for; by; or at.kwaheriSwahiliinterjectiongoodbye; farewell.kwaniSwahiliinterrogative adverbwhy.kwanzaSwahiliadverbfirst.kweliSwahilinoun · adverbTruth; reality. As an adverb: truly; really; certainly.

L

lakiniSwahiliconjunctionBut; however; yet.lalaSwahiliverbto sleep; to lie down.leoSwahilinoun · adverbtoday; on this day.liniSwahiliinterrogative adverbwhen; at what time.lipaSwahiliverbto pay.lughaSwahilinounlanguage.

M

maanaSwahilinoun · conjunctionMeaning or sense; also a reason, purpose, or intention.mamboSwahiliplural noun · interjectionThings; matters; affairs. As an informal greeting: “How are things?” or “What’s up?”manzeShenginterjectionman!; an informal exclamation or emphasis marker.manziShengnoungirl; girlfriend.maraSwahilinountime; an occasion.marahabaSwahiliinterjectiona respectful response to Shikamoo, accepting the greeting.matatuSwahilinounminibus used for public transport in Kenya.mbaoShengnountwenty shillings.mbiliSwahilinumeraltwo; the number 2.mbogiShengnouncrew; group of friends; crowd.mbonaSwahiliinterrogative adverbwhy; for what reason.mchanaSwahilinounDaytime; afternoon.mgeniSwahilinounguest; visitor.mgonjwaSwahilinouna person who is sick; a patient.miaSwahilinumerala hundred.mimiSwahilipronounI; me.mjiSwahilinountown; city.mkahawaSwahilinounrestaurant; café.mkiwaSwahilinouna poor, helpless, or abandoned person.mkwanjaShengnounmoney.mojaSwahilinumeralone; the number 1.mokoroShengnounmother.msupaShengnounan attractive woman or girlfriend.mtuSwahilinounperson.muzikiSwahilinounmusic.mwakaSwahilinounyear.mwalimuSwahilinounteacher.mwiziSwahilinounthief.mzingaShengnouna bottle, especially a full-size bottle of alcohol; also a cannon in standard Swahili.mzukaSwahilinouna ghost, apparition, or spirit.

N

naSwahiliprepositionwith.nafasiSwahilinounspace; room.naniSwahiliinterrogative pronounwho.nchiSwahilinouncountry.ndaniSwahiliadverbinside; within.ndiyoSwahiliparticleyes.ndovuShengnounone thousand shillings.ngapiSwahiliinterrogativehow many; how much.ngiriShengnounone thousand shillings.niSwahilicopulaam; is; are, linking a subject to what it is.niniSwahiliinterrogativewhat?njemaSwahiliadjectivegood; fine; pleasant.

O

onaSwahiliverbto see; to perceive; to feel (in some constructions).ondokaSwahiliverbto leave; to depart.

P

paSwahiliverbto give.pendaSwahiliverbto like; to love.pesaSwahilinounmoney.piaSwahiliadverbalso; too.pikaSwahiliverbto cook.pilauSwahilinounspiced rice, often cooked with meat.poaShengadjective · interjectioncool; fine; calm.poleSwahiliinterjection · adverban expression of sympathy; slowly or gently.pumzikaSwahiliverbTo rest; to take a break.punchShengnounfive hundred shillings.punguzaSwahiliverbto reduce; to make smaller.pururaSwahiliverbto strip leaves off a branch by pulling it through the hand; by extension, to rub or strip off.

R

rafikiSwahilinounfriend; companion.riengShengnounvibe; plan; what is happening.rudiaSwahiliverbto repeat; to do again.rwabeShengnountwo hundred shillings.

S

saaSwahilinounhour.safariSwahilinounjourney; trip; travel.safiSwahiliadjectiveclean; pure.saidiaSwahiliverbto help; to assist.sanaSwahiliadverbvery; very much.sasaSwahiliadverb · phrasenow; hey (as a greeting).sawaSwahiliadjective · interjectionokay; fine; equal.semaSwahiliverbto say; to speak.shidaSwahilinouna problem; difficulty; trouble.shikamooSwahiliinterjectiona respectful greeting to an older person or someone of higher status.shilingiSwahilinouna shilling.shukaSwahiliverbto go down.shushaSwahiliverbto lower; to unload.siSwahiliparticleAm not; is not; are not.sikiaSwahiliverbto hear.sikuSwahilinounday.simuSwahilinounphone.sioSwahiliparticleNo; it is not.somaSwahiliverbto read; to study.sooShengnounone hundred shillings.sukariSwahilinounsugar; also used as a term of sweetness or affection.SwahiliSwahiliproper nounthe Swahili language; in Swahili, Kiswahili.

T

taarabSwahilinouna music genre popular in Kenya and Tanzania.tafadhaliSwahiliinterjectionplease.takaSwahiliverbTo want; to wish.tanoSwahilinumeralfive.tembeaSwahiliverbto walk.tenaSwahiliadverb · conjunctionagain; further; then; in addition.tengaShengnouna one-thousand-shilling note.thaoShengnounone thousand shillings.tokaSwahiliverbto come from; to go out; to leave.tozaSwahiliverbto charge; to demand a payment.tuSwahiliadverbOnly; just; merely.

U

usikuSwahilinoun · adverbNight.usoSwahilinounface; surface. The plural is nyuso.

V

vipiSwahiliinterrogative · adverbhow?; in what way?; also a casual “how’s it going?”vizuriSwahiliadverbwell.

W

wapiSwahiliinterrogative adverbwhere?; in what place?wekaSwahiliverbto put; to place.weweSwahilipronounyou.wezaSwahiliverbto be able to; can.wimboSwahilinounsong.

Y

yaSwahiliassociative markerof.yeyeSwahilipronounhe; she; him; her (third-person singular independent pronoun).

Z

zaSwahiliconnective · class 10of, linking plural N-class nouns, as in habari za asubuhi.zaidiSwahiliadverbmore; to a greater degree.zungumzaSwahiliverbto talk; to converse.zuriSwahiliadjectivegood; nice; beautiful; fine.