Kiswahili
Swahili
Bantu
Also known as: Swahili, Kiswahili
Swahili (Kiswahili) is the most widely spoken African language with ~100M total speakers (~15-20M L1, the rest as L2 lingua franca). It is a Bantu language (G42 in Guthrie's classification) of the East African coast, with ~30% Arabic-derived lexicon from a millennium of Indian Ocean trade — the historic Swahili coast city-states (Kilwa, Lamu, Zanzibar, Mombasa) were Arab-Bantu hybrid civilizations from the 8th c. onward. Official in five East African nations and an African Union working language since 2004; SVO with rich noun-class agreement (~16 classes).
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Swahili
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Bantu
| Meaning | Swahili | Comorian | Maore Comorian | Shambala | Asu | Nyamwezi | Nyaturu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | maji /madʒi/ | madji /madʒi/ | maji /maʒi/ | mazi /mazi/ | mende /mende/ | minzi /minzi/ | maji /madʒi/ |
| Fire | moto /ˈmoto/ | mro /mro/ | moro /moro/ | moto /moto/ | mshika /mʃika/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | jua /dʒua/ | jua /dʒua/ | jua /dʒua/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | idhuva /iðuʋa/ | lyuba /ljuβa/ | yura /juɾa/ |
| Moon | mwezi /ˈmwezi/ | mwezi /ᵐwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | ṅwezi /ŋwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | ngʼwezi /ŋweːzi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ |
| Star | nyota /ˈɲota/ | nyora /ɲora/ | nyora /ɲora/ | ntondwe /ntondwe/ | nyenyeri /ɲeɲeri/ | nsonda /nsonda/ | njota /ndʒota/ |
| Night | usiku /usiku/ | masihu /masihu/ | uku /uku/ | kilo /kilo/ | usiku /usiku/ | buziku /buziku/ | utiku /utiku/ |
| Rain | mvua /ˈmvua/ | nvua /ⁿvua/ | vua /vua/ | fula /fula/ | mvua /mvua/ | mvula /mvula/ | mbura /mbura/ |
| Snow | theluji /θeˈludʒi/ | — | — | — | chasheru /tʃaʃeru/ | theluji /θeluʒi/ | seluji /seludʒi/ |
| Wind | upepo /uˈpepo/ | upepo /uˈpepo/ | pev̄o /peβo/ | mpeho /mpeho/ | mpeho /mpeho/ | myaga /mjaɡa/ | mpefo /mpefo/ |
| Earth | udongo /uˈdoŋɡo/ | — | trotro /tɾotɾo/ | shanga /ʃaŋɡa/ | isanga /isaŋɡa/ | bulongo /buloŋɡo/ | irongo /iɾoŋɡo/ |
| Stone | jiwe /ˈdʒiwe/ | — | ɓwe /ɓwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | ibwe /ibwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | igwe /iɡwe/ |
| Mountain | mlima /ˈmlima/ | mlima /mlima/ | mulima /mulima/ | muima /muima/ | ntuvi /ntuvi/ | lugulu /luɡulu/ | gitanto /ɡitanto/ |
| Sea | bahari /baˈhari/ | bahari /bahari/ | ɓahari /ɓahari/ | bahali /bahali/ | bahari /bahari/ | nyanza /ɲanza/ | irambo /iɾambo/ |
| Mother | mama /ˈmama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mayu /maju/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | baba /ˈbaba/ | baba /ɓaba/ | ɓaɓa /ɓaɓa/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | tata /tata/ |
| Daughter | binti /binti/ | mwana-mshe /mwana mʃe/ | mwana mutrumushe /mwana mutrumuʃe/ | ṅwana ywa kindele /ŋwana jwa kindele/ | mwana wa kibora /mwana wa kibora/ | mwana mukima /mwana mukima/ | muncha /muntʃa/ |
| I | mimi /ˈmimi/ | wami /wami/ | wami /wami/ | niye /nije/ | mine /mine/ | nene /ˈnene/ | une /une/ |
| You | wewe /ˈwewe/ | wawe /wawe/ | wawe /wawe/ | weye /weje/ | uwe /uwe/ | gwegwe /ˈɡweɡwe/ | uwe /uwe/ |
| We | sisi /ˈsisi/ | wasi /wasi/ | wasi /wasi/ | ishwi /iʃwi/ | uswi /uswi/ | iswe /iswe/ | sese /sese/ |
| Name | jina /ˈdʒina/ | dzina /dzina/ | dzina /dzina/ | zina /zina/ | izina /izina/ | lina /ˈlina/ | rina /ɾina/ |
| Person | mtu /ˈmtu/ | mndru /mndʳu/ | mutru /mutɾu/ | mntu /mntu/ | mntu /mntu/ | munhu /munhu/ | muntu /muntu/ |
| Head | kichwa /ˈkitʃwa/ | hitswa /hitswa/ | shitswa /ʃitswa/ | mtwi /mtwi/ | mtwi /mtwi/ | mtwe /mtwe/ | itwe /itwe/ |
| Eye | jicho /dʒitʃo/ | dzitso /dzitso/ | dzitso /dzitso/ | zisho /ziʃo/ | iiso /iːso/ | liso /liso/ | riho /riho/ |
| Ear | sikio /sikio/ | shishio /ʃiʃo/ | kio /kio/ | shikio /ʃikio/ | isikio /isikio/ | itwi /itwi/ | ikutwi /ikutwi/ |
| Nose | pua /ˈpua/ | — | pua /pua/ | mpua /mpua/ | fua /fua/ | nindo /nindo/ | mpura /mpuɾa/ |
| Mouth | mdomo /mˈɗomo/ | hanywa /haɲwa/ | hanyo /haɲo/ | kanwa /kanwa/ | momo /momo/ | mulomo /mulomo/ | momo /momo/ |
| Tooth | jino /dʒino/ | dzinyo /dziɲo/ | dzino /dzino/ | zino /zino/ | jino /dʒino/ | lino /lino/ | ino /ino/ |
| Tongue | ulimi /ulimi/ | ulime /ulime/ | ulimi /ulimi/ | ulimi /ulimi/ | ulimi /ulimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | urimi /urimi/ |
| Hand | mkono /mˈkono/ | mhono /mhono/ | muhono /muhono/ | mkono /mkono/ | mkono /mkono/ | kukono /kukono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ |
| Foot | mguu /m̩ˈɠuː/ | mndu /ᵐndu/ | mundru /mundɾu/ | mulundi /mulundi/ | ivunda /ivunda/ | kugulu /kuɡulu/ | mughuu /muɣuː/ |
| Heart | moyo /mojo/ | moyo /mojo/ | moyo /mojo/ | moyo /mojo/ | ngiti /ŋɡiti/ | moyo /mojo/ | umutima /umutima/ |
| Bone | mfupa /mfupa/ | shiɓa /ʃiɓa/ | shiɓa /ʃiɓa/ | vuha /vuha/ | ivindi /ivindi/ | iguha /iɡuha/ | ikufa /ikufa/ |
| Blood | damu /damu/ | damu /damu/ | damu /damu/ | phome /pʰome/ | sakame /sakame/ | magazi /maɡazi/ | sakami /sakami/ |
| Poop | Kinyesi /kiˈɲesi/ | madzi /madzi/ | — | mavi /mavi/ | — | maafi /maːfi/ | — |
| Love | upendo /uˈpendo/ | upendo /uːpendo/ | mahaba /mahaba/ | kukunda /kukunda/ | lumba /lumba/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ |
| Tree | mti /ˈmti/ | mri /ᵐri/ | mri /mri/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | umuti /umuti/ |
| Dog | mbwa /ᵐbwa/ | mbwa /ᵐbwa/ | mbwa /ᵐbwa/ | kuli /kuli/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ |
| Cat | paka /ˈpaka/ | paha /paha/ | paka /paka/ | nyau /ɲau/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ |
| Fish | samaki /samaki/ | nfi /ⁿfi/ | fi /fi/ | samaki /samaki/ | samaki /samaki/ | somba /soːmba/ | somba /somba/ |
| Bird | ndege /ndeɡe/ | nuni /nuni/ | nyunyi /ɲuɲi/ | deghe /deɣe/ | ideghe /ideɣe/ | noni /noni/ | nyonyi /ɲoɲi/ |
| Butterfly | kipepeo /kipeˈpeo/ | — | — | hoho /hoho/ | — | — | — |
| Egg | yai /ˈjai/ | djwai /dʒwai/ | jwai /dʒwai/ | tagi /taɡi/ | igi /iɡi/ | igi /iɡi/ | ighe /iɣe/ |
| Bear | dubu /ˈdubu/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Horse | farasi /faˈrasi/ | farasi /farasi/ | farasi /farasi/ | faashi /faːʃi/ | farasi /farasi/ | falasi /falasi/ | nyumbu /ɲumbu/ |
| House | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲũba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | numba /numba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Milk | maziwa /maˈziwa/ | dziwa /dziwa/ | dziya /dzija/ | mele /mele/ | mavee /maveː/ | mabeele /maβeːle/ | maya /maja/ |
| Honey | asali /aˈsali/ | ndjizi ya nyoshi /ndʒizi ja ɲoʃi/ | ngizi /ŋizi/ | woki /woki/ | nzoke /nzoke/ | buuki /buːki/ | ruke /ruke/ |
| Salt | chumvi /tʃumvi/ | shingo /ʃiŋɡo/ | shingo /ʃiŋɡo/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munu /munu/ | munyu /muɲu/ |
| Wine | mvinyo /mˈviɲo/ | — | maji ya zaɓiɓu /maʒi ja zaɓiɓu/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ | divai /divai/ |
| Rice | mchele /mˈtʃele/ | maele /maele/ | — | muhunga /muhuŋɡa/ | — | — | — |
| Chocolate | chokoleti /tʃokoˈleti/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Iron | chuma /tʃuma/ | shuma /ʃuma/ | shuma /ʃuma/ | kiama /kiama/ | kighera /kiɣera/ | kisinza /kisinza/ | ichuma /itʃuma/ |
| Wheel | gurudumu /ɡuruˈdumu/ | ɗiwara /ɗiwara/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Silk | hariri /haˈriri/ | — | hariri /hariri/ | halili /halili/ | hariri /hariri/ | — | hariri /haɾiɾi/ |
| Book | kitabu /kiˈtabu/ | shio /ʃio/ | shio /ʃio/ | kitabu /kitabu/ | kitabu /kitabu/ | kitabu /kitabu/ | gitabu /ɡitabu/ |
| Eat | kula /ˈkula/ | hula /hula/ | ula /ula/ | kuya /kuja/ | kurya /kurja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuria /kuɾia/ |
| Drink | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | hunwa /hunwa/ | unwa /unwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| Sleep | kulala /kulala/ | kulala /kulala/ | ulala /ulala/ | kugosha /kuɡoʃa/ | kushinjia /kuʃindʒia/ | kulala /kulala/ | kurara /kuɾaɾa/ |
| One | moja /modʒa/ | montsi /montsi/ | moja /moʒa/ | imo /imo/ | imwe /imwe/ | imo /imo/ | umwe /umwe/ |
| Two | mbili /mˈbili/ | mbili /ᵐbili/ | mbili /ᵐbili/ | mbili /mbili/ | avili /aβili/ | ibili /iβili/ | aviri /aβiri/ |
| Three | tatu /tatu/ | ntraru /ᶯʈaru/ | traru /tɾaɾu/ | katatu /katatu/ | adatu /adatu/ | idatu /idatu/ | itatu /itatu/ |
| Four | nne /nːe/ | nne /nːe/ | nne /nːe/ | kane /kaːne/ | — | inne /inːe/ | inne /inːe/ |
| Five | tano /ˈtano/ | ntsanu /ⁿtsanu/ | tsano /tsano/ | kashano /kaʃano/ | — | itaano /itaːno/ | itano /itano/ |
| Hundred | mia /ˈmia/ | djana /dʒana/ | mia /mia/ | gana /ɡana/ | ighana /iɣana/ | igana /iɡana/ | ighana /iɣana/ |
| Hello | habari /haˈbari/ | Jeje / Bariza /dʒedʒe / baːriza/ | Jeje /dʒedʒe/ | — /—/ | shiloi /ʃiloi/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ |
| Thank you | asante /aˈsante/ | Marahaba /marahaːba/ | marahaba /marahaːba/ | asante /asante/ | mwasanga /mwasaŋɡa/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | asante /aˈsante/ |
| Good | nzuri /ˈnzuri/ | ndjema /ⁿdʒema/ | nzuri /ⁿzuri/ | mtana /mtana/ | mwamba /mwamba/ | soga /soɡa/ | kihi /kihi/ |
| New | mpya /ˈmpja/ | — | pia /pia/ | mpya /mpja/ | shaa /ʃaː/ | pya /pja/ | mpya /mpja/ |
| Red | nyekundu /ɲekundu/ | nyekundu /ɲekundu/ | nyekundu /ɲekundu/ | nkundu /nkundu/ | nkundu /nkundu/ | laluku /laluku/ | ntune /ntune/ |
| White | nyeupe /ɲeupe/ | — | ndjeu /ndʒeu/ | yengʼaa /jeŋaː/ | jewa /dʒewa/ | pe /pe/ | njeru /ndʒeru/ |
| Black | nyeusi /ɲeusi/ | — | ndziɗu /ndziɗu/ | size /size/ | jiru /dʒiru/ | pi /pi/ | njiutiki /ndʒiutiki/ |
| Green | kijani /kiˈdʒani/ | — | — | manimani /manimani/ | — | — | — |
| Blue | buluu /buluː/ | — | — | — | — | bululu /bululu/ | — |
| Cuckoo | kekeo /keˈkeo/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | kokoriko /kokoˈriko/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Computer | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /ˈwifi/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsuʃi/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Tea | chai /tʃai/ | tshai /tʃai/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Coffee | kahawa /kaˈhawa/ | kafe /kafe/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sugar | sukari /suˈkari/ | sukari /sukari/ | — | — | — | — | — |
| Orange | chungwa /tʃuŋɡwa/ | — | trundra /tɾundɾa/ | — | — | — | — |
| Ninety-nine | tisini na tisa /tiˈsini na ˈtisa/ | — | — | milongo kenda na kenda /miloŋɡo keːnda na keːnda/ | makumi kenda na kenda /makumi kenda na kenda/ | makumi kenda na kenda /makumi kenda na kenda/ | makumi kenda na kenda /makumi kenda na kenda/ |
| Dopamine | dopamini /dopaˈmini/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| At sign | at /at/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Page 1/11
Word order compared
Compare with major world languages
Swahili
Ninataka
kujaribu
suti
niliyoiona
katika
duka
mkabala na
hoteli
I
want to
try on
a suit
I
saw
in
a shop
across from
the hotel
Ich
möchte
einen Anzug
anprobieren
den
ich
in einem
Geschäft
gegenüber vom
Hotel
gesehen habe
मैं
होटल
के सामने
एक दुकान
में
देखा
सूट को
पहनकर देखना
चाहता हूँ
私は
ホテルの
向かいの
お店
で
見た
スーツを
試着
したいです
我
想
试穿
酒店
对面的
商店
里
看到的
那套西装
أنا
أريد
أن أجرب
بدلة
رأيتها
في
محل
مقابل
الفندق
Я
хочу
примерить
костюм
который
я увидел
в
магазине
напротив
отеля
Swahili
Jina langu
ni
Tanaka
My
name
is
Tanaka
Mein
Name
ist
Tanaka
मेरा
नाम
तनाका
है
私の
名前は
田中
です
我的
名字
是
田中
اسمي
هو
تاناكا
Моё
имя
—
Танака
Swahili
Mimi
hula
kiamsha kinywa
kila asubuhi
saa moja
I
eat
breakfast
every morning
at 7 o'clock
Ich
frühstücke
jeden Morgen
um 7 Uhr
मैं
हर सुबह
7 बजे
नाश्ता
करता हूँ
毎朝
7時に
朝ごはんを
食べます
我
每天早上
七点
吃
早饭
أتناول
أنا
الإفطار
كل صباح
الساعة السابعة
Я
завтракаю
каждое утро
в 7 часов
Swahili
Iko wapi
stesheni
iliyo karibu zaidi
Where
is
the nearest
station
Wo
ist
der nächste
Bahnhof
सबसे नज़दीकी
स्टेशन
कहाँ
है
一番近い
駅は
どこ
です
か
最近的
车站
在
哪里
أين
تقع
أقرب
محطة
Где
находится
ближайшая
станция
Swahili
Kahawa
hii
ni nzuri
sana
This
coffee
is
very
delicious
Dieser
Kaffee
ist
sehr
lecker
यह
कॉफ़ी
बहुत
स्वादिष्ट है
この
コーヒーは
とても
おいしいです
这
咖啡
很
好喝
هذه
القهوة
لذيذة
جداً
Этот
кофе
очень
вкусный
Swahili
Mimi
nasoma
Kijapani
chuo kikuuni
I
study
Japanese
at university
Ich
studiere
Japanisch
an der Universität
मैं
विश्वविद्यालय में
जापानी
पढ़ता हूँ
私は
大学で
日本語を
勉強しています
我
在大学
学
日语
أنا
أدرس
اللغة اليابانية
في الجامعة
Я
изучаю
японский язык
в университете
Swahili
Hali ya hewa
kesho
itakuwa
na jua
Tomorrow's
weather
will be
sunny
Morgen
wird
das Wetter
sonnig
sein
कल
मौसम
धूप वाला
होगा
明日の
天気は
晴れ
でしょう
明天
天气
会
晴天
سيكون
الطقس
غداً
مشمساً
Завтра
погода
будет
солнечной
Swahili
Mama yangu
anapika
chakula cha jioni
kila siku
My mother
cooks
dinner
every day
Meine Mutter
kocht
jeden Tag
Abendessen
मेरी माँ
हर रोज़
रात का खाना
बनाती है
お母さんは
毎日
夕食を
作ります
我妈妈
每天
做
晚饭
تطبخ
أمي
العشاء
كل يوم
Моя мама
готовит
ужин
каждый день
Swahili
Mimi
nataka
kwenda
Japan
mwaka
ujao
I
want to
go
to
Japan
next
year
Ich
möchte
nächstes
Jahr
nach
Japan
fahren
मैं
अगले
साल
जापान
जाना
चाहता हूँ
私は
来
年
日本
に
行き
たいです
我
明
年
想
去
日本
أنا
أريد
أن أذهب
إلى
اليابان
العام
القادم
Я
хочу
поехать
в
Японию
в следующем
году
Swahili
Je
unaweza
kuongea
Kiingereza
Can
you
speak
English
Können
Sie
Englisch
sprechen
आप
अंग्रेज़ी
बोल
सकते हैं
あなたは
英語が
話せ
ます
か
你
会
说
英语
吗
هل
تستطيع
التحدث
باللغة الإنجليزية
Вы
умеете
говорить
по-английски
Compare with languages in the same classification
Ndikufuna
kuyesa
suti
yomwe
ndinaiona
m'
shopu
moyangʼanira
hotelo
Ndashaka
gupima
ikositimu
nabonye
mu
iduka
imbere ya
hoteli
Ndinoda
kupfeka
suti
yandakaona
muchitoro
iri pakatarisana ne
hoteru
Swahili
Ninataka
kujaribu
suti
niliyoiona
katika
duka
mkabala na
hoteli
Ndifuna
ukulinga
isuti
endayibona
evenkileni
ekhangelene ne
hotele
Dzina langa
ndi
Tanaka
Izina ryanjye
ni
Tanaka
Zita
rangu
ndinonzi
Tanaka
Swahili
Jina langu
ni
Tanaka
Igama
lam
ngu
Tanaka
Ine
ndimadya
chakudya cham'mawa
m'mawa uliwonse
pa 7
Ndafata
ifunguro rya mu gitondo
buri gitondo
saa moya
Ndino
dya
chikafu chemangwanani
mangwanani ose
pa 7
Swahili
Mimi
hula
kiamsha kinywa
kila asubuhi
saa moja
Ndi
tya
isidlo sakusasa
qho kusasa
ngo-7
Ili kuti
siteshoni
yapafupi kwambiri
Iri hehe
sitasiyo
y'hafi cyane
Chiteshi
chiri pedyo
chiri kupi
Swahili
Iko wapi
stesheni
iliyo karibu zaidi
Iphi
eyona ikufutshane
isitishi
Khofi
iyi
ndi yabwino
kwambiri
Ikawa
iyi
ni nziza
cyane
Kofi
iyi
inonaka
zvikuru
Swahili
Kahawa
hii
ni nzuri
sana
Le
kofu
imnandi
kakhulu
Ine
ndimaphunzira
Chijapani
ku yunivesiti
Niga
Ikiyapani
muri kaminuza
Ndinodzidza
chiJapanese
kuyunivhesiti
Swahili
Mimi
nasoma
Kijapani
chuo kikuuni
Ndi
funda
isiJapan
eyunivesithi
Nyengo
yawa
idzakhala
yosefuka
Ikirere
cy'ejo
kizaba
cyiza
Mangwana
mamiriro ekunze
achava
zuva richipisa
Swahili
Hali ya hewa
kesho
itakuwa
na jua
Ngomso
imozulu
iya kuba
yilanga
Amayi anga
amaphika
chakudya chamadzulo
tsiku lililonse
Mama wanjye
ateka
ifunguro rya nimugoroba
buri munsi
Amai vangu
vanobika
chikafu cheusiku
zuva nezuva
Swahili
Mama yangu
anapika
chakula cha jioni
kila siku
Umama wam
upheka
isidlo sangokuhlwa
yonke imihla
Ndikufuna
kupita
ku
Japan
chaka
chamawa
Ndashaka
kujya
muri
Ubuyapani
umwaka
utaha
Ndinoda
kuenda
ku
Japan
gore
rinouya
Swahili
Mimi
nataka
kwenda
Japan
mwaka
ujao
Ndifuna
ukuya
e
Japan
kunyaka
ozayo
Kodi
inu
mumalankhula
Chingerezi
Urashobora
kuvuga
Icyongereza
Unogona
kutaura
chiRungu
iwe
Swahili
Je
unaweza
kuongea
Kiingereza
Ungakwazi
wena
ukuthetha
isiNgesi
Open the interactive map: Word Map · HanMap · Name Map · Word Order · Tree
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.
Made by Heuron Inc. · GitHub · cho@heuron.com · LangMap home