DictionaryPreview

Money

Pesa means money in Swahili, as do fedha and hela. In Sheng, you might hear ganji, chapaa, or mkwanja. Learn the names for Kenyan shilling (KES or KSh) amounts, ask the price, and follow the reply.

Amounts

Kenyan shilling amounts in Swahili and Sheng
Currency imageKESSwahiliSheng
5tano
kobole or guoko
10kumi
ashu or hashu or kinde
20ishirini
mbao
50hamsini
finje or chwani
100mia moja
soo
200mia mbili
rwabe
500mia tano
punch or jirongo
1,000elfu moja
thao or ngiri or ndovu or brown or kavu or tenga

Sheng names vary by place and generation; each entry has more context.

At the counter

Ask the price, choose how to pay, and check for change.

  1. You

    Bei gani?

    What’s the price?

    Seller

    Ni mia mbili.

    It’s two hundred shillings.

  2. You

    Jumla ni shilingi ngapi?

    How many shillings altogether?

    Seller

    Jumla ni mia tano.

    The total is five hundred shillings.

  3. You

    Naweza kulipa na M-Pesa?

    Can I pay with M-Pesa?

    Seller

    Ndiyo, unaweza.

    Yes, you can.

  4. You

    Una chenji?

    Do you have change?

    Seller

    Ndiyo, nina chenji.

    Yes, I have change.

Try a small purchase

The exchanges above are available to read anytime.

Think in Swahili

Use our app to learn, not memorize, Swahili and Sheng.

Start learning free