simplified_swahili Words 400 to 600Swahili words

by mirhirekibo

mwananchi

citizen, native, countryman

mwashi

bricklayer, stonemason

mfupa

bone

mkia

tail

mkoa

district, region

mkuki

spear

mkutano

meeting

mnazi

coconut

mpini

handle (especially wooden)

mpira

ball, rubber tree and anything made of rubber

mpango

arrangement, plan, program

msaada

aid, assistance, help

msikiti

mosque

msitu

forest, woods

mstari

line, queue

mtelemko

slope

muda

period of time

mwavuli

umbrella, sunshade

mzizi

root

chama

club, society, association, co-op

kiasi

quantity, amount

kibanda

shed, hut (not a permanent dwelling)

kipini

small handle

kiraka

patch (in clothing or tire etc)

kisiwa

island

kitunguu

onion

kivuli

shade, shadow

kiwanda

factory, plant

kiwanja

pitch, plot of ground, field (of sports)

kizibo

cork, stopper

kujulikana

to be known

kuonekana

to be visible

kupatikana

to be obtainable

kuwezekana

to be possible

baadaye

afterwards, later, and then

bado

not yet, still

halafu

afterwards, later, and then (h)

hasa

especially

hivyo/hivi

this way, thus

kumbe!

Wow! fancy that! (expression of astonishment)

labda

maybe, perhaps, possibly

mapema

early, soon

pia

as well, also, too

polepole

slowly, carefully, gently

sikuzote

always

only, just (always comes at the end of a sentence/phrase)

upesi

quickly, hurriedly

vilevile

just the same, as well, too, also

kwa bahati

luckily, fortunately

kwa ghafula

suddenly (sometimes used without kwa)

kwa haraka

quickly, speedily

kwa kawaida

usually, generally, customarily

kwa kifupi

briefly, shortly

kwa kusudi

on purpose, purposely (sometimes used without kwa)

kwa kutwa

daily

kwa kweli

truthfully, truly

kwa sauti

loudly

kwa hiyo

therefore

kwa sababu hii

therefore (h)

Gani

what sort, which kind of, which

Kwa nini?

why?

Lini?

When?

Mbona?

Why? (used only when greatly astonished or with impatience)

Nani?

Who?/Whom?

Nini?

What? (used only for object)

interrogative particle, how, how about

kubahatisha

"to guess, try one's luck"

kuchemsha

to boil

kueleza

to explain

kuendesha

to drive

kufundisha

to teach

kugeuza

to (cause something) to turn around

kuhakikisha

to make certain, ensure

kuhama

to move away

kuingiza

to cause to dryto insert, put in

kukaza

to fix, tighten

kukopa

to borrow

kukopesha

to lend

kulainisha

to soften, make smooth

kulaza

to cause to lie down

kulazimisha

to compel

kulegeza

to loosen

kulisha

to feed

kuoza

to rot, go bad / to cause to marry

kuozesha

to ferment / cause to rot

kupasha

to give (to cause to get)

kupendeza

to please

kupoteza

to lose (something)

kupunguza

to reduce

kurudisha

to send something back, to return

kusawazisha

to put in order, to put right

kushusha

to drop, discharge, let go

kushuka

to get down, disembark

kusikiliza

to listen

kusikia

to hear

kutayarisha

to prepare, make ready

kutelemka

to go down, descend (t)

kutelemsha

to lower

kuvalisha

to get dressed, put clothes on

kuvaa

to wear

kuwasha

to light, turn on, to itch

kuwaka

to be burning, to be on

asubuhi

morning

baba

father

bahati

luck, fortune

barabara

road, main road

baridi

cold, coolness

barafu

refrigerator, ice

barua

letter (mail)

bia

beer

bei

price

bilauri

tumbler, glass

chai

tea

chumvi

salt

chupa

bottle

dakika

minute

dawa

medicine, chemical, polish

hatari

danger

hema

tent

homa

fever

inzi

fly (the animal)

jioni

evening (before sunset)

kahawa

coffee

kalamu

pencil, pen

kaptula

shorts (used in singular)

karabai

lamp (pressure lamp/kerosene lamp)

karatasi

paper (not newspaper)

mama

mother

mbegu

seeds, planting material

mboga

vegetables, relish

mbu

mosquito

mbwa

dog

motokaa

car

mvua

rain

nafasi

opportunity, spare time, space

nguo

clothes, garment

nyama

meat

nyoka

snake

paka

cat

panga

machete

pasi

flat-iron

pesa

money, coin (generally used in plural)

pilipili

pepper, chilli

pombe

local beer

rafiki

friend

ratili

pound (weight)

ruhusa

permission

ruksa

permission (k)

saa

clock, watch, hour

sababu

reason, cause

sabuni

soap

sahani

plate, dish

samaki

fish

sehemu

part, portion, fraction

shida

trouble, difficulty, problem

siagi

butter

sigara

cigarettes

suruali

trousers (used in singular)

taa

lamp

takataka

trash, garbage, rubbish

tarehe

date (of calendar)

wiki

week

N- agreement goes before these consonants

Before D, G, and Z, agreement letter is...

M- agreement goes before these letters

Before consonants B, V, and P, agreement letter is...

Ny- agreement goes before these letters

All vowel agreements go with this letter(s)

njema (irregular)

good

ndefu (irregular)

long

mbili (irregular)

two

Kufanya kazi

to do work

kufua nguo

to wash clothes

kunyesha mvua

to rain

kupakua chakula

to serve food

kupanga meza

to set the table

kusikia baridi

to feel cold

kutandika kitanda

to make the bed

kuvua nguo

to undress

kuvua samaki

to fish

kuvuta sigara

to smoke (a cigarette)

kupiga dawa

to apply insecticide/to polish

kupiga deki

to scrub the floor

kupiga hema

to pitch a tent

kupiga hodi

"to say ""hodi"""

kupiga pasi

to iron

Nenda zako

Be on your way

kutaka (new meaning)

going to (the house is going to fall)

kupakua

to unload

kuvuta

to pull, drag, tow

askari

soldier/policeman

babu

grandfather

binadamu

human being

binamu

cousin

binti

daughter

dada

sister (older)

jamaa

family member

kaka

brother (older)

ndugu

"younger brother/sister, 'relative,' friend"

nyanya

grandmother

shangazi

"aunt (father's sister)"

shemeji

in-law