simplified_swahili Words 0 to 200Swahili words
by mirhirekibo
Jambo
Hello
Bwana
Boss/Sir/Mister
Mama
"Ma'am/Mrs."
Mtoto
Child
Memsabu
Madam (said by a household servant)
Habari
News
Nzuri
Good/beautiful
Njema
Good/safe (normative)
salama
peaceful
nyumba
house/home
siku
day(s)
safari
journey
kazi
work
Sabalkheri
Good morning (Arabic)
Masalkheri
Good evening (Arabic)
Shikamoo/Shikamuu
I hold your feet / I respect you, elder
Marahaba
lit. delightful (reply to shikamoo)
Mzima
healthy (used in greetings)
Umelalaje?
How have you slept? (said to a sick person)
Asante
Thank you
Kwa heri
Goodbye (if it is the last parting of the day)
Nakwenda sasa
"I'm going now (goodbye if it is only temporary)"
Hodi
knock knock
Karibu
Come in/welcome/draw near
Starehe
Be at ease (said by owner when guest enters a house)
Ngoja
Wait
Pole
Sorry (as a condolence)/I am sorry for you
Samahani
Sorry (I did something wrong)/forgive me
kuanguka
to fall
kufanya
to do, to make
kufika
to arrive
kufuata
to follow
kufunga
to shut, to close
kufungua
to open, to undo
kujua
to know
kukaa
to stay, to dwell, to sit
kukamata
to seize, to hold
kukata
to cut, to reduce
kuleta
to bring, to fetch
kungoja
to wait, to wait for
kununua
to buy
kupenda
to like, to love
kupiga
to beat, to hit
kupika
to cook
kusafisha
to clean
kusema
to speak, to say
kusimama
to stand, to halt
kutafuta
to search, look for
kutaka
to want
kuuza
to sell
kuweka
to put, to place
kuweza
to be able
kusamehe
to forgive, to sacrifice
kubaki
to remain, be left over
kufikiri
to think, to consider
kufurahi
to rejoice, to be happy
kuketi
to sit
kusafiri
to travel
kurudi
to return
kufaulu
to succeed
kuharibu
to destroy, to spoil
kujaribu
to try
kujibu
to answer, to reply
kufa
to die
kuja
to come
kula
to eat
kunywa
to drink
kuwa
to be, to become
kwenda (kuenda)
to go
kwisha (ku-isha)
to be finished
Mtu
Person
mganga
doctor / witch-doctor
mgeni
visitor, guest, stranger, newcomer
mgonjwa
sick person, patient
mpishi
cook / chef
mtoto
child
mtumishi
servant
mzee
elder, older person
mzungu
European, white person
mdudu
insect, bug
mnyama
animal
mwana
son / daughter
mwanafunzi
student
mwalimu
teacher
mwenyeji
inhabitant, householder
mwizi
thief
wezi
thieves
mwanamke
woman
wanawake
women
mwanamume
man
wanaume
men
mwindaji
hunter
wawindaji
hunters
Mwingereza
British person
Mwitalia
An Italian
Mwafrika
African
Mwamerika
American
Mwarabu
Arab
Mfaransa
French person
Mdachi
German person
Mholanzi
Dutch person
Mgiriki
Greek person
kuamka
to wake up
kuanza
to start, to begin
kuchukua
to carry, take
kufagia
to sweep
kufuta
to wipe, erase
kuhitaji
to need, require
kuingia
to enter, to go in
kujifunza
to learn
kukauka
to dry up, to be dry
kukausa
to make dry, to dry something
kulala
to sleep, lie down
kulima
to cultivate, plough
kulipa
to pay
kunusa
to smell something, sniff
kuona
to see (feel, think)
kupanda
to climb, to plant, to sow
kupata
to get, obtain
kusahau
to forget
kusoma
to read, study
kutumia
to use
kutunza
to take care of, tend to
kuwinda
to hunt
Kabisa
Completely, totally, extremely
Sana
very, a lot, very much
Na
and with
leo
today
sasa
now
tena
again
mti
tree
mbuyu
Baobab tree
mchezo
game, toy
mfereji
ditch, channel
mfuko
bag, pocket
mguu
leg, foot
mji
town, city
mkate
bread, loaf of bread
mkono
arm, hand
mlango
door, opening, gate
mlima
mountain
mmea
plant, crop
mshahara
salary, wages (used mainly in singular)
msumari
a nail
mtihani
examination, test
mto
pillow/cushion, river
mzigo
load, luggage, (pl), burden
moshi
smoke (rarely used in plural)
moto
fire, heat (rarely used in plural
moyo
heart
mwaka
year
mwembe
mango tree
mwendo
journey, speed
mwezi
month, moon
mwiba
thorn tree, thorn, prickle
mwili
body (living)
mwisho
end, conclusion
kufaa
of quality, to be suitable, of use
kuficha
to hide
kuiva
to be ripe, cooked, ready for eating
kulegea
to be loose, slack
kunuka
to stink, smell bad
kunukia
to smell good, smell sweet
kuota
to grow, bask, dream
kupoa
to get cool
kusaidia
to help, assist
kusitawi
to flourish, prosper
kutoa
to give/put out
kutosha
of quantity, to be sufficient, enough
-baya
bad
-bovu
rotten
-chache
few (takes plural only)
-chafu
dirty
-dogo
small, little
-fupi
short, low
-geni
strange, foreign, new (of people)
-gumu
hard, difficult
-kali
sharp, fierce, steep, strict
-kavu
dry
-kubwa
big, large
-nene
fat, thick
-ngapi?
how many? (takes plural only)
-pana
wide, broad, flat
-pya
new
-refu
long, deep, high, tall
-tamu
sweet (sugary)
-tupu
"empty, bare, pure, ('nothing but')"
-vivu
lazy, idle
-zima
whole
-zito
heavy
-kuu
great, main, important
-kuukuu
old (of things)
-zuri
good, nice, pleasant, beautiful, lovely
-zee
old (of people)
huyu/huu
this
hawa/hii
these
yule/ule
that
wale/ile
those
-ni (suffix)
in, on, at, near, by
-po
is at (definite/precise)