mwalimu
noun
teacher.
The plural is walimu.
Forms
- walimu
- teachers
Origins
Mwalimu comes from Arabic مُعَلِّم (muʿallim, “teacher”).
Sources3
Edward Steere, A Handbook of the Swahili Language as Spoken at Zanzibar (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1884), PDF page 102.
Lists mwalimu for teacher, with the historical plural spelling waalimu. Historical Zanzibar evidence.
University of Kansas Open Language Resource Center, University of Kansas Kiswahili Glossary (University of Kansas Open Language Resource Center), mwalimu and walimu glossary rows.
Identifies mwalimu as teacher and walimu as teachers.
- mwalimu (Wiktionary)
States mwalimu is borrowed from Arabic مُعَلِّم (muʿallim, “teacher”).
Examples
Mwalimu anafundisha Kiswahili.
The teacher teaches Swahili.
Walimu wangu ni wazuri sana.
My teachers are very good.
Mwalimu amefika shuleni.
The teacher has arrived at school.
Walimu wanapanga mkutano.
The teachers are planning a meeting.
Nani ni mwalimu wako wa hesabu?
Who is your maths teacher?
Mwalimu alitupa kazi nyingi.
The teacher gave us a lot of work.
Watoto wanampenda mwalimu wao.
The children love their teacher.
Mwalimu mpya ataanza wiki ijayo.
The new teacher will start next week.
Tunaheshimu walimu wetu.
We respect our teachers.
