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Swahili to English

Translating words and phrases into English from the Swahili language of East Africa.

257 Questions

Words that start with the letter o in Swahili?

  1. Oranges - "machungwa"
  2. Octopus - "pweza"
  3. Olive - "zeituni"

What does jahari mean in Swahili?

The name Jahari does not have a specific meaning in Swahili. It is not a common Swahili word or name with a defined translation.

What does the Swahili word bwana mean?

Bwana = Mr, sir, lord, master

Mabwana = gentlemen, menfolk

It is a word from the Bantu language group. There are many words from related roots in many African languages; e.g., Bafana from Zulu/Xhosa and other South African language; the national soccer team is known as Bafanabafana, the boys.

In Swahili some words from the same -ana root as bwana are:

kijana = youth

vijana = young people

mvulana = boy

ujana = abstract noun youth;

wana/wana = son or child (sing./pl.,found in hundreds of names and words, e.g., mwanafunzi student

mwanangu my child, Mwanahamisi child of hamisi wanajeshi, soldiers.)

What is a Swahili word for maternal grandmother?

The word for grandmother historically is nyanya, but this word has been completely replaced in Tanzania by bibi. (pl. mabibi). It applies to both of a person's grandparents and indeed to female all relatives of the grandparents' generation. It is also used a respectful form of address to older women, related or not.

To indicate "mother of my mother" its necessary to explain the relationship in full: Bibi yangu, mama mzazi wa mama yangu mzazi., my grandmother, the birth mother of my birth mother. "Birth mother" is necessary to narrow it down because all female relatives of the generation of one's mother are also called mama.

Note: Bibi formerly carried the connotation of an irregular sexual relationship, e.g., the mistress of a married man. It still has this connotation in Kenya but not in Tanzania. Bibi is also used in the phrases Bwana na Bibi Fulani (Mr. and Mrs. Fulani) and Mabibi na Mabwana or Mabwana na Mabibi to audiences as "Ladies and Gentlemen/"

How did the Swahili language develop?

Swahili developed as a trade language along the East African coast through interactions between Bantu-speaking communities and Arab traders. Over time, it absorbed vocabulary from various languages, including Arabic and Persian, to become the Swahili language we know today.

What does mama mean?

I'm not exactly sure it means something but it is in diary of a wimpy kid . wich is a funny book/movie.

What does suka mean?

Сука (suka - pronounced "sooka") is "female dog" or "bitch".

In Russian it is used in both senses, as a female dog, and as an insult to a woman.

What does kesho mean in Swahili?

Kesho means tomorrow

Kesho kutwa (i.e., the day following a full day) is the day after tomorrow, and kushinda kesho kutwa (the day following a full day and then another full day) is the day after tomorrow. The related verb kukesha means to stay up all night until the next day.

The Swahili language developed from a mixture of what languages?

Swahili is a Bantu language that developed from Sabaki.

Some words are derived from Arabic through more than 12 centuries of contact with Arabic-speaking people.

Other languages that loaned words to Swahili are:

Persian

German

Portuguese

English

French

CLARIFICATION: Swahili is a Bantu language with a basic Bantu-type grammar and a vocabulary drawn from many Bantu languages. There is no language in East Africa called Sabaki. By far the greatest number of non-Bantu words in Swahili have Arabic origins, but in recent decades English has been catching up.

How do you count to twenty in Swahili?

0 - sifuri

1 - moja

2 - mbili

3 - tatu

4 - nne

5 - tano

6 - sita

7 - saba

8 - nane

9 - tisa

10 - kumi

11 - kumi na moja

12 - kumi na mbili

13 - kumi na tatu

14 - kumi na nne

15 - kumi na tano

16 - kumi na sita

17 - kumi na saba

18 - kumi na nane

19 - kumi na tisa

20 - ishirini

Upo in Swahili what does it mean?

The only thing i found is Yupo and it has different meanings like Between or Here ,and maybe ore

What does soolaimon mean?

From the album "Tap Root Manuscript"

"Originally written for an extended piece(The African Trilogy) , Soolaimon took on a life of its own when it was presented to a live audience. The title is meant to be a variation of the word Salamah, meaning Hello and Welcome as well as Good-bye and peace be with you, in many languages."

- Fatos Halilaj

What is the meaning of chubuka and who is?

Chubuka is a Swahili word. The literal translation for the word Chubuka in English means "be bruised." There are many other words that look or sound similar that it may be mistaken for.

What it means Pia in Swahili?

"Pia" in Swahili usually means "also" or "too". It is commonly used to add on to a statement or list, similar to how you would use "too" or "as well" in English.

What is the meaning of the Swahili word nzuri?

The meaning of the Swahili word nzuri in English is good.

What does rukuya mean in Swahili?

Not a word in Swahili.

The verb kurukuu (koo-roo-KOO) means to bow with the hands on the knees, as Muslims do in prayer.

What is the meaning of nazeh kato utoh nazehka?

The meaning of nazeh kato utoh nazehka can be found using a translating program on an individual's computer or the internet. The language that nazeh kato utoh nazehka is, however, known to be derived from the Swahili language.

What is the Swahili word for joy?

Moja (pronounced MOH-jah)

The Swahili j is pronounced exactly as the English j in joke, jack, etc.

Number One (e.g., "We're Number One!") is Namba moja or Nambari moja. This contributor saw a giant headline on the front page of a Swahili tabloid newspaper nearly 50 years ago that said in 96-point type NAMBA WANI!

What is the meaning of the Swahili word kidogo?

kidogo = slightly

The word can be either an adjective or an adverb. As an adjective, it means little or a little bit: Kitu kidogo (a little thing), mazungumzo kidogo (a little bit of conversation). As an adverb it means a little bit or slightly (as in the first answer): Nilikunywa kidogo (I drank a little bit), niliumizwa kidogo (I was slightly hurt).

What is the meaning of the Swahili word abiria?

The Swahili word 'abiria' means 'passenger' in the English language.