Swahili Vocabulary

Swahili Vocabulary
Learning the Swahili Vocabulary is very important because its structure is used in every day
conversation. The more you practice the subject, the closer you get to mastering the Swahili
language. But first we need to know what the role of Vocabulary is in the structure of the
grammar in Swahili.
Swahili vocabulary is the set of words you should be familiar with. A vocabulary usually grows
and evolves with age, and serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and
acquiring knowledge. Here are some examples:
English Vocabulary

Swahili Vocabulary

Vocabulary
Countries
Australia
Cambodia
Canada
China
Egypt
England
France
Germany
Greece
India
Indonesia
Italy
Japan
Mexico
Morocco
Peru
Spain
Thailand
USA

Msamiati
Nchi
Australia
Cambodia
Canada
Uchina
Misri
Uingereza
Ufaransa
Ujerumani
ugiriki
Bara Hindi
Indonesia
Italia
Japan
Mexico
Morocco
Peru
Hispania
Thailand
Merikani

Languages
Arabic
Chinese
English
French
German

Lugha
Kiarabu
Kichina
Kiingereza
Kifaransa
Kijerumani

English Vocabulary

Swahili Vocabulary

Greek
Hebrew
Hindi
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Latin
Russian
Spanish
Urdu

Kigiriki
Kiyahudi
Kihindi
Kiitaliano
Kijapani
Kikorea
Kilatini
Kiurusi
Kihispania
Kiurdu

Days
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Siku
Jumatatu
Jumanne
Jumatano
Alhamisi
Ijumaa
Jumamosi
Jumapili

time
hour
minute
second

wakati
saa
dakika
pili

List of Vocabulary in Swahili

Below is a list of the vocabulary and expressions in Swahili placed in a table. Memorizing this
table will help you add very useful and important words to your Swahili vocabulary.
English Vocabulary
Vocabulary
colors
black
blue
brown
gray
green
orange
purple
red

Swahili Vocabulary
rangi
Nyeusi
bluu
hudhurungi
kijivu
Kijani Kibichi
Chungwa
zambarau
nyekundu

English Vocabulary

Swahili Vocabulary

white
yellow

nyeupe
manjano

sizes
big
deep
long
narrow
short
small
tall
thick
thin
wide

Kimo/Vimo
Ukubwa
kina kirefu
urefu
Wembamba
Ufupi
Udogo
Urefu
Unene
Wembamba
upana

tastes
bitter
fresh
salty
sour
spicy
sweet

ladha
Chungu
upya
chumvi
chacha
chenye viungo
tamu

qualities
bad
clean
dark
difficult
dirty
dry
easy
empty
expensive
fast
foreign
full
good
hard
heavy
inexpensive
light

sifa
mbaya
safi
giza
Ngumu
chafu
kavu
rahisi
tupu
ghali
Haraka
Geni
Jaa
Njema
ngumu
nzito
Bei rahisi
Nyepesi

English Vocabulary
local
new
noisy
old
powerful
quiet
correct
slow
soft
very
weak
wet
wrong
young

Kienyeji
Mpya
kelele
zee
hodari
tulivu
sahihi
polepole
laini
sana
dhaifu
loa
makosa
Ujana

Swahili Vocabulary

food
almonds
bread
breakfast
butter
candy
cheese
chicken
cumin
dessert
dinner
fish
fruit
ice cream
lamb
lemon
lunch
meal
meat
oven
pepper
plants
pork
salad
salt
sandwich

chakula
almonds
mkate
kifungua kinywa
siagi
peremende
jibini/chizi
kuku
kisibiti
jangwa
chakula cha jioni
samaki
matunda
ice cream
mwana kondoo
ndimu
chakula cha mchana
chakula
nyama
jiko
pilipili
mimea
nguruwe
mchanganyiko wa mboga/matunda
chumvi
sandwichi

English Vocabulary
sausage
soup
sugar
supper
turkey
apple
banana
oranges
peaches
peanut
pears
pineapple
grapes
strawberries
vegetables
carrot
corn
cucumber
garlic
lettuce
olives
onions
peppers
potatoes
pumpkin
beans
tomatoes

soseji
supu
sukari
karamu
bata mzinga
tofaa
ndizi
machungwa
mafyulizi
njugu
mapea
mananasi
zabibu
jordgubbar
mboga
karoti
mahindi
tango
kitunguu saumu
kabeji
mizaituni
vitunguu
pilipili
viazi
malenge
maharagwe
nyanya

Swahili Vocabulary

alligator
alligators
bear
bears
bird
birds
bull
bulls
cat
cats
cow
cows
deer

mamba
mamba
unknown
unknown
ndege
ndege
ng'ombe ndume
ng'ombe ndume
paka
paka
ng'ombe
ng'ombe
swara

English Vocabulary
many deer
dog
dogs
donkey
donkeys
eagle
eagles
elephant
elephants
giraffe
giraffes
goat
goats
horse
horses
lion
lions
monkey
monkeys
mouse
mice
rabbit
rabbits
snake
snakes
tiger
tigers
wolf
wolves

swara wengi
mbwa
mbwa
punda
punda
tai
tai
tembo
tembo
twiga
twiga
mbuzi
mbuzi
farasi
farasi
simba
simba
kima
kima
panya
panya
sungura
sungura
nyoka
nyoka
chui wa mlia
chui wa mlia
mbwa mwitu
mbwa mwitu

Swahili Vocabulary

objects
bathroom
bed
bedroom
ceiling
chair
clothes
coat
cup
desk
dress

vitu
bafu
kitanda
chumba cha kulala
dari
kiti
nguo
shati
kikombe
dawati
mavazi

English Vocabulary
floor
fork
furniture
glass
hat
house
ink
jacket
kitchen
knife
lamp
letter
map
newspaper
notebook
pants
paper
pen
pencil
pharmacy
picture
plate
refrigerator
restaurant
roof
room
rug
scissors
shampoo
shirt
shoes
soap
socks
spoon
table
toilet
toothbrush
toothpaste
towel
umbrella
underwear

Swahili Vocabulary
sakafu
uma
samani
kioo
kofia
nyumba
wino
koti
jikoni
kisu
taa
barua
ramani
gazeti
daftari
suruali
karatasi
kalamu
penseli
duka la dawa
picha
sahani
jokofu
mkahawa
paa
chumba
rug
makasi
Sabuni ya nywele
shati
viatu
sabuni
soksi
kijiko
meza
choo
mswagi
dawa ya meno
kitambaa
mwavuli
chupi

English Vocabulary
wall
wallet
window
telephone

ukuta
mkoba
dirisha
simu

Swahili Vocabulary

this
that
these
those

hii
hio
hii/hawa/haya/hizi
hao/hayo

Questions
how?
what?
who?
why?
where?

Maswali
vipi?
nini?
nani?
nini?
wapi?

different objects
art
bank
beach
book
by bicycle
by bus
by car
by train
cafe
country
desert
dictionary
earth
flowers
football
forest
game
garden
geography
history
house
island
lake

vitu mbalimbali
sanaa
benki
pwani
kitabu
kwa baiskeli
kwa basi
kwa gari
kwa gari moshi
mkahawa
nchi
njangwa
kamusi
ardhi
maua
football
msitu
mchezo
bustani
jiografia
Historia
nyumba
kisiwa
ziwa

English Vocabulary
library
math
moon
mountain
movies
music
ocean
office
on foot
player
river
science
sea
sky
soccer
stars
supermarket
swimming pool
theater
tree

maktaba
hesabu
mwezi
mlima
sinema
mziki
bahari
ofisi
kwa miguu
Mchezaji
mto
sayansi
bahari
anga
kandada
nyota
maduka makubwa
bwawa la kuogelea
ukumbi
mti

Swahili Vocabulary

weather
bad weather
cloudy
cold
cool
foggy
hot
nice weather
pouring
rain
raining
snow
snowing
ice
sunny
windy
spring
summer
autumn
winter

hali ya hewa
hewa mbaya
mawingu
baridi
poa
ukungu
moto
hewa njema
mtiririko
mvua
kunyesha
theluji
kunyesha theluji
barafu
jua
upepo
majira ya kuchipua
majira ya joto
majira ya kupukutika
majira ya baridi

English Vocabulary
people
aunt
baby
brother
cousin
daughter
dentist
doctor
father
grandfather
grandmother
husband
mother
nephew
niece
nurse
policeman
postman
professor
son
teacher
uncle
wife

Swahili Vocabulary
watu
shangazi
mtoto
ndugu
binamu
binti
daktari wa meno
daktari
baba
babu
nyanya
mume
mama
mpwa
mpwa
muuguzi
polisi
mtu wa posta
profesa
mwana
mwalimu
mjomba
mke