punguza
verb
to reduce; to make smaller.
Can describe lowering a price.
Origins
Its earlier history is still under review.
Sources3
Mzee Morino Tsuneo and Nassor Nakazima Hisasi (editors), A dictionary of the Swahili language (Tokyo: ILCAA, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, 1990–1997), +punguza; [K13].
Records reducing.
A. C. Madan, Swahili-English Dictionary (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1903), PDF page 348.
Documents reduction, the causative form and lowering a price.
Edward Steere, A Handbook of the Swahili Language as Spoken at Zanzibar (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1884), PDF page 224.
Documents reducing and shortening.
Examples
Punguza kiasi cha sukari, tafadhali.
Reduce the amount of sugar, please.
Unaweza kupunguza bei?
Can you lower the price?
Tupunguze mwendo.
Let us slow down.
Nimepunguza sukari kwenye chai.
I have reduced the sugar in my tea.
Punguza moto, chakula kitaungua.
Turn down the heat; the food will burn.
Tunataka kupunguza matumizi ya maji.
We want to reduce our water use.
Bei zimepunguzwa wiki hii.
Prices have been reduced this week.
Usipunguze muda wa kupumzika.
Do not cut down your rest time.
Wamepunguza idadi ya safari.
They have reduced the number of trips.
