Kamusi ya Kiswahili

Learn Swahili with our comprehensive dictionary featuring pronunciation guides and example sentences

Browse by Letter
All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Bano

ba-no

English: A carpenter's tool like pincers, used to clamp

Example (Swahili):

Fundi alitumia bano kushikilia mbao.

Example (English):

The carpenter used pincers to hold the wood.

Bantamu

ban-ta-mu

English: A boxing weight class (51–53.5 kg); bantamweight

Example (Swahili):

Bondia huyo alishinda taji la bantamu.

Example (English):

The boxer won the bantamweight title.

Bantu

ban-tu

English: See Mbantu (Bantu people)

Example (Swahili):

Lugha ya Kiswahili ni ya jamii ya Bantu.

Example (English):

The Swahili language belongs to the Bantu family.

Banua¹

ba-nu-a

English: To loosen; to reduce tightness

Example (Swahili):

Alibanua kamba iliyokuwa imemfungia.

Example (English):

He loosened the rope that tied him.

Banua²

ba-nu-a

English: To remove fish or meat from a roasting stick

Example (Swahili):

Alibanua nyama kutoka kwenye mshikaki.

Example (English):

He removed the meat from the skewer.

Banza

ban-za

English: 1. To hide; to conceal. 2. To save as reserve

Example (Swahili):

Alibanza chakula kwa dharura.

Example (English):

He kept food aside for emergencies.

Banzi

ban-zi

English: 1. A small piece of sugarcane or stalk. 2. A piece used for roasting meat

Example (Swahili):

Mtoto alila banzi ya miwa.

Example (English):

The child chewed a piece of sugarcane.

Bao¹

bao

English: A goal in football

Example (Swahili):

Timu ilifunga bao dakika ya mwisho.

Example (English):

The team scored a goal in the last minute.

Bao²

bao

English: A plank; the wide side of a split log

Example (Swahili):

Waliweka bao la mbao kwenye paa.

Example (English):

They placed a wooden plank on the roof.

Bao³

bao

English: 1. Divination. 2. The board used in geomancy

Example (Swahili):

Walitumia bao kupata majibu ya kinyota.

Example (English):

They used the divination board for answers.

Bao⁴

bao

English: 1. A board game played with seeds in holes. 2. The board used for the game

Example (Swahili):

Wazee walicheza bao kivulini.

Example (English):

The elders played the board game under the shade.

Bao⁵

bao

English: 1. A platform. 2. A flat side of a tree used as a seat

Example (Swahili):

Waliketi juu ya bao karibu na mto.

Example (English):

They sat on a platform near the river.

Bapa¹

ba-pa

English: The flat surface of something

Example (Swahili):

Meza hii ina bapa pana.

Example (English):

This table has a wide flat surface.

Bapa²

ba-pa

English: Flat, without bends or curves

Example (Swahili):

Barabara ni bapa na rahisi kutembea.

Example (English):

The road is flat and easy to walk.

Bapa³

ba-pa

English: Flat characters in literature, not well developed

Example (Swahili):

Wahusika katika kitabu hiki ni bapa.

Example (English):

The characters in this book are flat.

Bapa⁴

ba-pa

English: A very small amount of food

Example (Swahili):

Walikula bapa la wali tu.

Example (English):

They ate just a small amount of rice.

Bara

ba-ra

English: 1. Dry land; a continent. 2. The interior away from the sea

Example (Swahili):

Bara la Afrika lina mataifa mengi.

Example (English):

The continent of Africa has many nations.

Baraa

ba-raa

English: To create (usually by God)

Example (Swahili):

Mwenyezi Mungu ndiye alibaraa ulimwengu.

Example (English):

God created the world.

Barabara¹

ba-ra-ba-ra

English: A wide, long tarmac road

Example (Swahili):

Gari lilipita barabara kuu.

Example (English):

The car passed on the highway.

Barabara²

ba-ra-ba-ra

English: Properly; smoothly

Example (Swahili):

Kazi imefanyika barabara.

Example (English):

The work has been done properly.

Quick Learning Tips
Practice Pronunciation

Pay attention to the pronunciation guides to improve your speaking skills.

Use Example Sentences

Study the example sentences to understand how words are used in context.