shida
noun
a problem; difficulty; trouble.
It refers to a problem or difficulty.
Origins
Shida comes from Arabic شِدَّةٌ (shidda), meaning “hardship” or “difficulty.”
Sources3
W. E. Taylor, African Aphorisms; or, Saws from Swahili-land (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1891), p. 67, note 3 to proverb 296 (PDF p. 80).
Explicitly derives shida from Arabic shidda; does not establish a borrowing date or route.
University of Kansas Open Language Resource Center, University of Kansas Kiswahili Glossary (University of Kansas Open Language Resource Center), shida glossary rows.
Gives problem and trouble as meanings of shida.
Edward William Lane, An Arabic-English Lexicon, Online transcription, entry شِدَّةٌ.
Records hardship and difficulty among the meanings of Arabic شِدَّةٌ; supports the donor form and glosses, not the Swahili borrowing independently.
Examples
Nina shida.
I have a problem.
Hii ni shida kubwa.
This is a big problem.
Tuna shida ya maji.
We have a water problem.
Hakuna shida.
No problem.
Usijali, hakuna shida.
Don’t worry, no problem.
Alikuwa na shida nyingi.
He had many problems.
Shida zake zimeisha.
His problems are over.
Je, una shida yoyote?
Do you have any problems?
Nisaidie na shida hii.
Help me with this problem.
