pumzika
verb
To rest; to take a break.
Use -pumzika when someone stops working or takes time to rest. Pumzisha means to give someone rest.
Forms
- pumuzika
- historically recorded spelling; present usage requires human review
Origins
Pumzika belongs to Swahili’s earlier Bantu vocabulary and connects rest with breathing. It is analysed through -pumuza, a causative related to -pumua, “breathe; find rest”.
Sources4
Haspelmath and Tadmor / Lexibank, World Loanword Database CLDF (2009), wold-master/cldf/forms.csv row 17094.
Pumzika belongs to Swahili’s earlier Bantu vocabulary and connects rest with breathing. It is analysed through -pumuza, a causative related to -pumua, “breathe; find rest”.
A. C. Madan, Swahili-English Dictionary (1903), pumzika, page 347.
To rest; to take a break. Pumzisha is causative; pumuzika is a historically recorded variant.
Edward Steere, A Handbook of the Swahili Language as Spoken at Zanzibar (1884), 225.
To rest; to take a break. Pumzisha is causative; pumuzika is a historically recorded variant.
Open Language Resource Center, University of Kansas, Kiswahili Glossary, Glossary: pumzika.
To rest; to take a break.
Examples
Pumzika kidogo.
Rest a little.
Ninataka kupumzika.
I want to rest.
Tutapumzika baada ya chakula.
We will rest after the meal.
Anapumzika chini ya mti.
She is resting under a tree.
Tulipumzika njiani.
We rested along the way.
Mnapumzika saa ngapi?
What time do you rest?
Wamepumzika kwa dakika kumi.
They have rested for ten minutes.
Usifanye kazi sasa; pumzika.
Do not work now; rest.
Nikipata muda, nitapumzika.
If I get time, I will rest.
