Kenyan English
Germanic
Kenyan English (language tag en-KE) is a localized second-language variety used across Kenya and by Kenyan communities abroad. The Constitution makes Kiswahili the national language and both Kiswahili and English official languages; English has major roles in government, courts, education, business, media, and international communication. Usage varies with education, region, setting, and first language among Kenya’s many linguistic communities. Contact with Kiswahili and languages such as Kikuyu, Luhya, Kamba, and Dholuo shapes vocabulary and pronunciation, so there is no single Kenyan accent; tendencies such as fuller unstressed vowels or more syllable-based rhythm are not universal. Formal writing usually follows British conventions, while established Kenyan meanings, local coinages, and code-switching with Kiswahili—including interaction with urban Sheng—characterize less formal speech.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Kenyan English
Sources
- Hoffmann, Thomas 2004 / Schmied, Josef 2004, "East African English (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania): phonology", in Kortmann & Schneider (eds.), A Handbook of Varieties of English vol. 1, Mouton de Gruyter, 918–930 (via en.wikipedia "Kenyan English"); en.wiktionary English lemmas
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | Kenyan English | Ghanaian English | Nigerian English | English | Philippine English | Malaysian English | Canadian English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔtɚ/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɑɾɚ/ |
| Fire | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /faɪɚ/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /ˈfaɪɚ/ |
| Sun | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sɔn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /san/ | sun /sʌn/ |
| Moon | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ | star /stɑːɹ/ | star /stɑr/ | star /staː/ | star /stɑɹ/ |
| Night | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /nʌɪt/ |
| Rain | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ |
| Snow | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snoː/ | snow /snoʊ/ |
| Wind | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ |
| Earth | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɝθ/ | earth /ɜːt/ | earth /ɝθ/ |
| Stone | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stoʊn/ |
| Mountain | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɛn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ |
| Sea | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /si/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ |
| Mother | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmɔðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ | mother /ˈmadə/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ |
| Father | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfaːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɑðɚ/ | father /ˈfadə/ | father /ˈfɑðɚ/ |
| Daughter | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔtɚ/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɑɾɚ/ |
| I | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /aɪ/ |
| You | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ | you /juː/ | you /ju/ |
| We | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ | we /wiː/ | we /wi/ |
| Name | name /neːm/ | name /neːm/ | name /nem/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /neɪm/ |
| Person | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsɔn/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɛrsɔn/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɝsən/ |
| Head | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ |
| Eye | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ |
| Ear | ear /ia/ | ear /ia/ | ear /ia/ | ear /ɪɚ/ | ear /ir/ | ear /iə/ | ear /ɪɹ/ |
| Nose | nose /noːz/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /noʊs/ | nose /noːs/ | nose /noʊz/ |
| Mouth | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /maʊt/ | mouth /mʌʊθ/ |
| Tooth | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːt/ | tooth /tuːθ/ |
| Tongue | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tɔŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /taŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ |
| Hand | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hæn/ | hand /hænd/ |
| Foot | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ |
| Heart | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /hɑrt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /hɑɹt/ |
| Bone | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /bon/ | bone /bon/ | bone /boʊn/ |
| Blood | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blɔd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blad/ | blood /blʌd/ |
| Poop | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ | poop /puːp/ |
| Love | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lɔv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /laf/ | love /lʌv/ |
| Tree | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ |
| Dog | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɔk/ | dog /dɑɡ/ |
| Cat | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæt/ |
| Fish | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːɹd/ | bird /bɝd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɝd/ |
| Butterfly | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbɔtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtɚflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbatəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌɾɚflaɪ/ |
| Egg | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛɹ/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛɹ/ |
| Horse | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔrs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔɹs/ |
| House | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /hʌʊs/ |
| Milk | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhɔni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhani/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ |
| Salt | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɔlt/ | salt /sɑlt/ |
| Wine | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ |
| Rice | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹʌɪs/ |
| Iron | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪɚn/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪɚn/ |
| Wheel | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ |
| Eat | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ |
| Drink | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wɔn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wan/ | one /wʌn/ |
| Two | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ | two /tuː/ | two /tu/ |
| Three | three /θɹi/ | three /tɹi/ | three /tɹi/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /tɹi/ | three /tɹiː/ | three /θɹi/ |
| Four | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔːɹ/ | four /fɔr/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔɹ/ |
| Five | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ |
| Hundred | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhɔndɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhandɹɛd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ |
| Hello | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈləʊ/ | hello /həˈloː/ | hello /həˈlo/ | hello /həˈloʊ/ |
| Thank you | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thanks /taŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thanks /θæŋks/ | thanks /tɛŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ |
| Good | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊt/ | good /ɡʊd/ |
| New | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ |
| Red | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ |
| White | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /wʌɪt/ |
| Black | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ |
| Green | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹin/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ |
| Blue | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /blu/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ |
| Cuckoo | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ |
| Woof | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɑkəduːdlˈduː/ |
| Computer | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kɔmˈpjuːta/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /komˈpjuter/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtɚ/ |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪpaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ |
| Tea | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ |
| Coffee | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɑfi/ |
| Sugar | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ |
| Orange | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ |
| Ninety-nine | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ |
| Dopamine | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoːpamiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ |
| At sign | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /at/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ |
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