Swahili - Basic Vocabulary
This is a collection of basic vocabulary for the Swahili language, including around 200 words.
1. Numbers
Learn to count and express quantities with basic numerals, cardinal and ordinal numbers, and numerical expressions
0
sifuri
zero
1
moja
one
2
mbili
two
3
tatu
three
4
nne
four
5
tano
five
6
sita
six
7
saba
seven
8
nane
eight
9
tisa
nine
10
kumi
ten
11
kumi na moja
eleven
12
kumi na mbili
twelve
13
kumi na tatu
thirteen
14
kumi na nne
fourteen
15
kumi na tano
fifteen
16
kumi na sita
sixteen
17
kumi na saba
seventeen
18
kumi na nane
eighteen
19
kumi na tisa
nineteen
20
ishirini
twenty
30
thelathini
thirty
40
arobaini
forty
50
hamsini
fifty
60
sitini
sixty
70
sabini
seventy
80
themanini
eighty
90
tisini
ninety
100
mia
hundred
1K
elfu
thousand
1M
milioni
million
2. Colors
Explore basic and advanced colors, shades, and descriptive terms for talking about the visual world around you
⚪
nyeupe
white
⚫
nyeusi
black
🔴
nyekundu
red
🔵
bluu
blue
🟡
njano
yellow
🟢
kijani
green
🟣
zambarau
purple
🟤
kahawia
brown
🟠
machungwa
orange
🌸
pinki
pink
⭐
dhahabu
gold
🌑
fedha
silver
☁️
kijivu
grey
3. Animals
Discover vocabulary for domestic pets, farm animals, wild creatures, and exotic species from around the world
🐶
mbwa
dog
🐱
paka
cat
🐴
farasi
horse
🐮
ng'ombe
cow
🐷
nguruwe
pig
🐦
ndege
bird
🐟
samaki
fish
🐭
panya
mouse
🦊
mbweha
fox
🐇
sungura
rabbit
🐻
dub
bear
🐼
panda
panda
🐨
koala
koala
🐘
tembo
elephant
🐢
kasa
turtle
🦒
twiga
giraffe
🦆
bata
duck
🕷️
buibui
spider
4. People
Learn words for immediate and extended family members, relationships, and terms for describing different types of people
👨👩👧👦
familia
family
🧔
mwanaume
man
👩
mwanamke
woman
👦
mvulana
boy
👧
msichana
girl
👶
mtoto
child
👨🦳
baba
father
👩🦳
mama
mother
👴
babu
grandfather
👵
nyanya
grandmother
🧑🦰
kaka/dada
brother
👩🦱
dada
sister
🧑
rafiki
friend
👥
watu
people
🙋
mtu
person
5. Objects
Build vocabulary for everyday items, household objects, tools, and common things you encounter in daily life
🏠
nyumba
house
🏢
jengo
building
🏫
shule
school
🏪
duka
store
🛣️
barabara
road
🌆
mji
city
🌳
mti
tree
💧
maji
water
☀️
jua
sun
☁️
wingu
cloud
📚
kitabu
book
🖊️
kalamu
pen
📱
simu
phone
🔑
ufunguo
key
🚗
gari
car
6. Food
Master vocabulary for meals, snacks, beverages, cooking ingredients, and different types of cuisine from various cultures
🍎
tufaha
apple
🍌
ndizi
banana
🍞
mkate
bread
🧀
jibini
cheese
🥩
nyama
meat
🥛
maziwa
milk
☕
kahawa
coffee
🍵
chai
tea
💧
maji
water
🍺
bia
beer
🍷
mvinyo
wine
🍽️
chakula
food
🍳
yai
egg
🍚
wali
rice
🥕
mboga
vegetables
7. Time
Learn to express time concepts including days of the week, months, seasons, clock times, and temporal expressions
☀️
siku
day
🌙
usiku
night
⏰
saa
hour
🗓️
wiki
week
📅
mwezi
month
🗓️
mwaka
year
🗓️
Jumatatu
Monday
🗓️
Jumanne
Tuesday
🗓️
Jumatano
Wednesday
🗓️
Alhamisi
Thursday
🗓️
Ijumaa
Friday
🗓️
Jumamosi
Saturday
🗓️
Jumapili
Sunday
🌅
asubuhi
morning
🌆
jioni
evening
🕛
sasa
now
🔜
karibuni
soon
🕒
wakati
time
8. Verbs
Essential action words and verbs for describing activities, states of being, and both physical and mental actions
🗣️
kuongea
to speak
🚶
kutembea
to walk
🏃
kukimbia
to run
🍽️
kula
to eat
🍷
kunywa
to drink
😴
kulala
to sleep
📖
kusoma
to read
✍️
kuandika
to write
👀
kuona
to see
👂
kusikia
to hear
💭
kufikiria
to think
🤔
kujua
to know
❤️
kupenda
to love
👍
kupenda
to like
👋
kuja
to come
🚪
kufungua
to open
🔒
kufunga
to close
💡
kujifunza
to learn
➕
kutoa
to give
💸
kununua
to buy
9. Adjectives
Expand your descriptive vocabulary with words for qualities, characteristics, emotions, and properties of things
😊
furaha
happy
😢
huzuni
sad
😠
hasira
angry
👍
nzuri
good
👎
mbaya
bad
⬆️
kubwa
big
⬇️
ndogo
small
🆕
mpya
new
🕰️
kale
old
💯
wengi
many
🤏
wachache
few
🥵
moto
hot
🥶
baridi
cold
💪
imara
strong
👶
dhaifu
weak
✨
mrembo
beautiful
👹
mbaya
ugly
✅
sahihi
correct
❌
kosa
wrong
⚡
haraka
fast
10. Connectors
Master conjunctions, transitions, and linking expressions to connect ideas and create more complex, flowing sentences
➕
na
and
➡️
lakini
but
👉
au
or
🤔
kwa sababu
because
👉
hivyo
so
🤨
hata hivyo
however
🤔
kwa hivyo
therefore
➕
pia
also
🕒
lini
when
🤔
ikiwa
if
🕒
kabla
before
🕒
baada
after
🕒
tangu
since
🕒
wakati
while
11. Professions
Learn vocabulary for various careers, occupations, and professional roles across different industries and sectors
👨🏫
mwalimu
teacher
🧑⚕️
daktari
doctor
👩💻
mhandisi
engineer
👨🍳
mpishi
chef
🧑🌾
mkulima
farmer
👮
afisa wa polisi
police officer
🧑🎨
msanii
artist
🧑💼
mfanyikazi wa ofisi
office worker
🔬
mwanasayansi
scientist
🛒
muuzaji
salesperson
Your Swahili Journey Starts Now!
Congratulations! You've just learned over 200 essential Swahili words. This list is a fantastic starting point, but remember that consistency is key to true fluency.
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