daftari 5/6 notebook
dai claim
daima always, perpetually, permanently
daka snatch
daka maneno interrrupt speech
dakia jump in (conversation), interrupt
Dalili ya moto ni moshi. The sign of fire is smoke. (Proverb)
damu 9/10 blood
damu imemganda his/her blood froze
danganya deceive, cheat, elude
dansi 9/10 dance
daraka 5/6 obligation, responsibility
debe 5/6 tin, can
deski 5/6 school desk
dhahabu 9/10 gold
dhambi 9/10 sin
dhamira 9/10 theme
dhamiri 9/10 conscience, intention
dhani think, consider
dharura emergency
dhidi ya against
dhihaki make fun of, ridicule
dhihirisha reveal
dhoruba 9/10 storm
dhuru hurt, harm
diwani ya ushariri 9/10 poetry collection
doa 5/6 spot, stain
dogowesha form a diminuitive, diminish
duara 9/10 circle
dumu last
duru 9/10 round
dunda beat (fast, excitedly)
dunia 9/10 world








E • index

ebu! come on! let's...
eka 9/10 acre
elekea towards, be in the direction of, be directed towards
elekeza direct someone or something, position something
elekezo 5/6 direction
eleza explain, describe
elezwa be explained, described
embamba thin
enda kwa mganga go to the doctor
enda zake go off, take off, go on his/her way
enda zangu go off, etc., be on my way
endea go to/towards
endelea continue, progress
endeleza make someone progress
endeshwa be run
enea spread
eneo 5/6 area
epuka avoid
eti apparently
eti bwana! right, man?
Eti hawana. They say/Apparently, they don’t have it.








F • index

fa maji drown
faa be appropriate, proper
fahamu 10 senses
fahari 9 pride
faida 9/10 profit, good
faidika profit
faili 5/6 folder
falsafa 9/10 philosophy
fanana resemble
fanana na resemble someone/something
fani 9/10 form, genre
fanikiwa succeed
fanya do, make
fanya fujo make a disturbance, trouble
fanya hila trick
fanyiza make
farisayo 5/6 & 1/2 pharisee
fasihi 9/10 literature
faulu succeed
fedha 9/10 money
ficha hide
fika reach, arrive
fika umwone umpendaye come to see the one you love
fikara 9/10 thought, idea
fikia arrive at, reach at/to
fikia kikomo reach the limit
fikira 9/10 thought, idea
fikisha cause or enable to reach
fisi 9/10 & 8/12 hyena
fiwa (fa) be bereaved
flana or fulana 9/10 sweater
Flora naye Flora also
fofofo deep, heavily
foka be fuming with anger, blurt out angrily
fokea yell at
fokewa be yelled at
fua nguo wash clothes
fuata follow
fuja waste, squander
fujo 9/10 trouble (usually noisy)
fukuza drive away, drive out, kick out
fukuzwa be driven away, expelled
fulani certain
fuma knit
fumana catch in the act, esp. sex
fumania catch in the act, esp. sex
fumba mystify, disguise
fumba macho close eyes
fumia knit for someone
funga mizigo pack up
funga safari set out on a trip
funika cover
funua open, open up
funua macho open one's eyes
funua mdomo open one's mouth
funuliwa be opened
fununu 9/10 rumor
funza 5/6 larva
fupisho 5/6 abbreviation
furaha 9 joy
furahi be happy, joyful
furika overflow
futa remove, erase
fuvu skull
fyeka cut grass, mow

gaagaa / garagara roll from side to side
gadhabu 9/10 rage
ganda coagulate, freeze, jell up
ganzi 9/10 numbness
gari 5/6 car; vehicle; wheelbarrow
gauni 5/6 dress
gauni linamkaa the dress fits her
gereza 9/10 prison
geuka turn around; become different, change
geuka sura change appearance (face)
geuza change something
geuza sura change one's appearance
geuzageuza turn over and over
ghafla suddenly
gharama 9/10 expense
ghasia 9/10 uproar, commotion; disturbance, trouble
ghilibu get the better of, cheat
giza 9/10 darkness
glasi 9/10 glass
godoro 5/6 mattress
gomba argue (with)
gombana na argue, fight (verbally)
gonga knock
gongwa be knocked (on)
gorofa floor
goti 5/6 knee
guna grumble, grunt
gundua find (out)
gurudumu 5/6 car wheel
gusa touch
gusia touch, finger something; touch on (in conversation)
gwake = wake his/her (Kikerewe Kiswahili)




H • index

hadhari be careful, cautious
hadharisha warn, make someone careful of
hadi until, up to
hafifu weak
Haidhuru It doesn't matter/Never mind.
haifai it isn't right/appropriate; it's no good
haja 9/10 need
hajapata kugombania mtu she hasn't fought over anyone
haji pilgrimage to Mecca
hajitambui she doesn't remember herself
hajiwezi she is in a bad way
hakika 9/10 truth
hakikisha make sure, make certain
hakimu 5/6 & 1/2 judge
hakufahamu...walipokuwa she didn't know where they were
Hakuna uzuri usio na dosari. There is no beauty which does not have some defect. (Proverb)
halali lawful
hali 9/10 state, condition
hali akikisaidia kichwa chake helping her head
hali akinguruma grumbling
hali shuka ikitelemka (with her) wrap sliding down
hama move (away)
hamaki get angry
hamdu 9/10 praise
hamia move to, settle at
hamisha move something
Hamna kabisa! No way! Absolutely not!
hamu 9/10 anxiety, fervor
hapo Septemba in September
harakati 9/10 struggle, scramble, rush
haribika get destroyed, ruined
haribiwa be destroyed
haribu spoil, ruin
harufu 9/10 odor
hasa especially
hasara 9/10 loss, damage
hasira 9/10 anger
hata even, until, to
hata hivyo even so
hata kwa mizinga not even (if I was shot at) by a cannon
hata vile even so
hatari 9/10 danger
hati 9/10 certificate, document
hatimaye eventually
hawara 9/10 & 1/2 whore; mistress
haya 9/10 embarrassment, shyness; shame
hayawi, hayawi, huwa It isn't (happening), it isn't (happening), (there) it is! (Saying)
hazina 9/10 treasury
hekalu 9/10 temple
hesabu count, add up
heshima 9/10 respect
heshimu respect
hewa 9/10 air
hiji make a pilgrimage to Mecca
hila 9/10 trick
himiza urge, haste, hasten
hina 9/10 henna
hisabati 9/10 mathematics
hitaji need
hitaji 5/6 need
hitajika be necessary, needed
hitimu graduate, complete studies
hivyo ndivyo wanavyojitahidi this is how they try
hofu 9/10 fear, fright
hojiwa be quizzed, interviewed
hubiri preach
hubiria preach to/at
hudhuria attend
hudumu serve, take care
hujaji 5/6 pilgrim to Mecca
huko huko right there
hukumiwa be sentenced, be judged
hukumu sentence; judge, cast judgment
humo humo in the same place
huruma 9/10 pity, compassion
hurumia take pity, feel sorry for
husika na be involved in
husu concern
hutubu give a speech
Huwa sipendi. I just don't feel like it.
huyooo! was off/ran off, off s/he was
huzuni 9/10 grief, sorrow

Copyright © 1999 Magdalena Hauner