All the Swahili words from the old one-word cards, gathered into themed tables. Nouns show their noun class (singular/plural prefix pair) because that decides how every other word agrees with them. Adjective stems are written with a hyphen (-zuri) because they take a class prefix (mtu mzuri, a good person; kitabu kizuri, a good book).
Memory hooks from my original cards are kept in the notes column.
People and family
Swahili
English
Class / notes
mtu, watu
person, people
m-/wa-
mwanamume, wanaume
man, men
m-/wa- (also mwanaume)
mwanamke, wanawake
woman, women
m-/wa-
mtoto, watoto
child, children
m-/wa-
mume / mke
husband / wife
m-/wa-
baba / mama
father / mother
n- class, but agrees like m-/wa- (people)
rafiki
friend
n- class; plural marafiki also common
mwanafunzi, wanafunzi
student, students
m-/wa-. Alice ni mwanafunzi. Alice is a student.
familia
family
n-. Familia yangu inaishi Dubai. My family lives in Dubai.
Countries and nationalities
The pattern: U-/Ki-/M-/Wa- gives country, language, person, people. Kiswahili is the language; Waswahili are the Swahili people.
Swahili
English
Notes
Marekani
America (USA)
Mmarekani, Wamarekani
an American, Americans
Tanzania
Tanzania
Mtanzania, Watanzania
a Tanzanian, Tanzanians
Uhindi / India
India
Mhindi, Wahindi
an Indian (person), Indians
not “India” (my old card had this wrong)
Kiingereza
English (language)
Kiswahili
Swahili (language)
Pronouns and possessives
Swahili
English
Notes
mimi
I, me
wewe
you (one person)
“you just wewe all the time!”
yeye
he, she
no gender distinction
sisi
we
nyinyi (ninyi)
you all, y’all
wao
they
-angu
my
yangu (n- class: nyumba yangu, my house), langu (ji-/ma- class: jina langu, my name)
-ako
your
yako, lako: jina lako, your name
-ake
his, her
yake, lake: jina lake, his/her name
Greetings and courtesy
Swahili
English
Notes
habari
news
Habari gani? How are you? (literally “what news?”)
gani
which, what kind
Habari gani?
nzuri
good, fine
the standard reply to habari: “I’m good, I’m fine”
hujambo?
how are you? (to one)
reply sijambo
hawajambo
they are fine
Hawajambo? Are they well?
salama
peace, safe
Habari za asubuhi? Salama. How’s the morning? Peaceful.
za
of (n- class plural)
“Za men of”: habari za hapa, news of here
karibu
welcome; near
Karibu! Welcome!
kwaheri
goodbye
kwaherini to several people
nimefurahi
I’m glad, I’m happy
Nimefurahi kukuona. I’m glad to meet you.
kukuona
to see you, to meet you
ku- (infinitive) + ku- (you) + ona (see)
jina
name
ji-/ma-. Jina lako nani? What is your name?
Small words
Swahili
English
Notes
ni
is, am, are
Mimi ni Mhindi. I am Indian.
si
is not, am not, are not
Wao si Watanzania. They are not Tanzanians.
na
and; with
Tom na Jane; nina (ni + na) = I have
pia
also, too
tu
just, only
kidogo tu, just a little
sana
very, very much, a lot
Asante sana. Thank you very much.
kidogo
a little, few
sasa
now
mpaka
until; border
mpaka tutakapofikia, until we get there
Question words
Swahili
English
Example
nani?
who?
Huyu ni nani? Who is this?
nini?
what?
Unataka nini? What do you want?
wapi?
where?
Benki iko wapi? Where is the bank?
lini?
when?
vipi?
how?
Mambo vipi? How’s it going?
gani?
which?
Here, there, this, that
Swahili
English
Notes
hapa
here
Habari za hapa? How are things here?
huko
there (over there, far)
Ni joto sana huko Dubai. It’s very hot there in Dubai.
pale
there (that spot)
huyu / yule
this / that (person, m-/wa-)
Huyu ni rafiki yangu. This is my friend.
hiki / kile
this / that (ki-/vi-)
kitabu hiki, this book
hili / lile
this / that (ji-/ma-)
jina hili, this name. My old card said “in”, which was wrong.
huu / ule
this / that (m-/mi-)
mti huu, this tree
hii / ile
this / that (n-)
nyumba hii, this house
iko
it is (located), n- class
Benki iko wapi? Where is the bank?
Home, food and needs
Swahili
English
Notes
nyumba
house
n-
nyumbani
at home, home
nyumba + locative -ni
maji
water
ma- class
chakula
food
ki-/vi-
njaa
hunger
Nina njaa. I’m hungry (I have hunger).
kiu
thirst
Nina kiu. I’m thirsty. Two words: not ninakiu.
moto
fire; hot (of things)
for weather say joto: Kuna joto. It’s hot.
asubuhi
morning
Verbs from the cards
Each card was a conjugated form. Here they are with their root, so the pattern shows:
Form
Pieces
English
Root
ninaishi
ni-na-ishi
I live
-ishi live
anaishi
a-na-ishi
he/she lives
-ishi
inaishi
i-na-ishi
it lives (n- class, e.g. familia)
-ishi
anakaa
a-na-kaa
he/she lives, stays, sits
-kaa stay
wanakaa
wa-na-kaa
they live, stay
-kaa
anapenda
a-na-penda
he/she likes, loves
-penda
anasoma
a-na-soma
he/she studies, reads
-soma
wanasoma
wa-na-soma
they study
-soma
anatoka
a-na-toka
he/she comes from
-toka
wanatoka
wa-na-toka
they come from
-toka
wanasema
wa-na-sema
they speak, say
-sema
naweza
n(i)-a-weza
I can
-weza
kupata
ku-pata
to get
-pata. Naweza kupata maji? Can I get water?
tutakapofikia
tu-ta-kapo-fikia
when we get there
-fikia arrive at
Nature, body and the Swadesh list
The core of my original Swadesh list (the 200 most basic concepts), cleaned up and corrected.
Animals and plants
Swahili
English
Class / notes
mnyama
animal
m-/wa- (animals agree like people)
samaki
fish
n-
ndege
bird; also aeroplane
n-
mbwa
dog
n-
chawa
louse
n-
nyoka
snake
n-
funza
worm, maggot
n-
mti, miti
tree
m-/mi-
msitu
forest
m-/mi-
fimbo
stick
n-
tunda, matunda
fruit
ji-/ma-
mbegu
seed
n-
jani, majani
leaf; also grass
ji-/ma-
mzizi
root
m-/mi-
gamba
bark (of a tree)
ji-/ma-
ua, maua
flower
ji-/ma-
nyasi
grass
n-
kamba
rope
n-
Body
Swahili
English
Class / notes
ngozi
skin
n-
nyama
meat, flesh
n-
damu
blood
n-
mfupa
bone
m-/mi-
mafuta
fat, grease, oil
ma- (old list had “mori”, wrong)
yai, mayai
egg
ji-/ma-
pembe
horn
n-
mkia
tail
m-/mi-
unyoya
feather
u-/n- (plural manyoya)
nywele
hair (of the head)
n- (singular unywele)
kichwa
head
ki-/vi-
sikio, masikio
ear
ji-/ma-
jicho, macho
eye
ji-/ma-
pua
nose
n-
mdomo / kinywa
mouth
jino, meno
tooth
ji-/ma-
ulimi
tongue
u-/n-
ukucha
fingernail
u-/n- (plural kucha)
mguu, miguu
foot, leg
m-/mi-
goti, magoti
knee
ji-/ma-
mkono, mikono
hand, arm
m-/mi-
bawa, mabawa
wing
ji-/ma-
tumbo
belly
ji-/ma-
utumbo
intestines, guts
u-
shingo
neck
n-
mgongo
back
m-/mi-
kifua
chest
ki-/vi-
moyo, mioyo
heart
m-/mi-
ini, maini
liver
ji-/ma-
Actions (verb roots)
Infinitives add ku-: kunywa, to drink.
Swahili
English
Swahili
English
-nywa
drink
-la
eat
-uma
bite
-nyonya
suck
-tema
spit
-tapika
vomit
-puliza
blow
-pumua
breathe
-cheka
laugh
-ona
see
-sikia
hear
-jua
know
-fikiri, -waza
think
-nusa
smell
-ogopa
fear
-lala
sleep; lie down
-ishi
live
-fa
die
-ua
kill
-pigana
fight
-winda
hunt
-piga
hit
-kata
cut
-pasua
split
-choma
stab; burn, roast
-kuna
scratch
-chimba
dig
-ogelea
swim
-ruka
fly; jump
-tembea
walk
-ja
come
-kaa
sit; stay
-simama
stand
-geuka
turn
-anguka
fall
-pa
give
-shika
hold
-minya
squeeze
-sugua
rub
-osha
wash
-futa
wipe
-vuta
pull
-sukuma
push
-tupa
throw
-funga
tie; close
-shona
sew
-hesabu
count
-sema
say
-imba
sing
-cheza
play
-elea
float
-tiririka
flow
-ganda
freeze
-vimba
swell
-waka
burn (of a fire)
The world around us
Swahili
English
Class / notes
jua
sun
ji-/ma-
mwezi
moon; month
m-/mi-
nyota
star
n-
maji
water
ma-
mvua
rain
n-
mto, mito
river
m-/mi-
ziwa, maziwa
lake
ji-/ma- (maziwa also means milk)
bahari
sea
n-
chumvi
salt
n-
jiwe, mawe
stone
ji-/ma-
mchanga
sand
m-/mi-
vumbi
dust
ji-/ma-
ardhi, nchi
earth, land
n-
wingu, mawingu
cloud
ji-/ma-
ukungu
fog
u-
mbingu
sky, heavens
n-
upepo
wind
u- (old list had “homu”, wrong)
theluji
snow
n-
barafu
ice
n-
moshi
smoke
m-/mi-
moto
fire
m-/mi-
majivu
ash
ma-
njia, barabara
path, road
n-
mlima, milima
mountain
m-/mi-
usiku
night
u-
siku
day
n-
mwaka, miaka
year
m-/mi-
Describing things (adjective stems)
Swahili
English
Swahili
English
-kubwa
big
-dogo
small
-refu
long, tall
-fupi
short
-pana
wide
-embamba
narrow, thin
-nene
thick, fat
-zito
heavy
-ekundu
red
-eupe
white
-eusi
black
kijani
green (invariable)
manjano
yellow (invariable)
-pya
new
-zee
old
-ema / -zuri
good
-baya
bad
-bovu
rotten
-chafu
dirty
-nyoofu
straight
duara
round
-kali
sharp; fierce
butu
blunt
laini
smooth, soft
-bichi
wet; raw, unripe
-kavu
dry
sahihi
correct
-jaa (verb)
be full
karibu
near
mbali
far
kushoto
left
kulia
right
moto
hot
baridi
cold
Numbers and quantities
Swahili
English
Swahili
English
moja
one
mbili
two
tatu
three
nne
four
tano
five
sita
six
saba
seven
nane
eight
tisa
nine
kumi
ten
-ote
all
-ingi
many
baadhi ya
some
chache
few
-ingine
other
Corrections from the old cards and list
Mhindi is “an Indian (person)”, not “India”.
hili is “this” (ji-/ma- class), not “in”.
iko is “it is (located)”, not “it”.
“I am thirsty” is Nina kiu (two words), and “I’m hungry” is Nina njaa (not niza njaa).
