R • index  

radi 9/10 clap of thunder
rafiki wa kiume 1/2 boyfriend
rakaa 9/10 bowing during prayer
randaranda wander around
rarua tear up
rasimali 9/10 capital/assets
ratiba 9/10 timetable, schedule
refuka get tall, grow tall
rejea return
rekebisha adjust, fix
rekodi 9/10 record (gramophone)
rika 5/6 age group
riwaya 9/10 novel
robo 9/10  one quarter
roho 9/10 soul
rudi return
rudia repeat
rudishwa be returned
rudufisha reduplicate
ruhusa allow
ruhusiwa be allowed
ruhusu permit, allow
ruka jump, fly
rukia jump at, fly at
rukuu bow during prayer








S • index

sabahi greet in the morning, make a morning call
sabuni ya kuogea bath soap
safari hii this time
safari ilivunjika the trip was off
safiri travel, go on a journey
safirisha deliver, transport
safirishwa be taken/sent/driven/transported
safisha clean
saga grind, crush to bits
sahili simple
saidia help, assist
saili ask, question
sajili register
saka hunt, search for
sakafu 9/10 floor
sali pray
salia remain over
salimu greet somebody
sambamba parallel, abreast
sanaa 9/10 art
sanamu 9/10 statue
sanduku 5/6 record player; box; suitcase
sauti nzito 9/10 deep voice(s)
sawiridepict portary
sawiriwa be depicted, portrayed
sebule 9/10 living room
sekta 9/10 sector
sema ovyo curse; yell
semekana be said, rumored
seng'enge 9/10 barbed wire
sentensi 9/10 sentence
shabiki 5/6 fan, supporter
shahada 9/10 degree (academic)
shahada ya udaktari Ph.D.
shairi 5/6 poem
shaka 5/6 doubt
shangaa be amazed, surprised, astonished
shangaza amaze someone
shangilia rejoice, cheer
sharti 5/6 rule, regulation
shauku 9/10 eagerness, craving, passion
shauri advise
shavu 5/6 cheek
shetani 5/6 & 1/2 devil
shiba get/be full (after a meal)
shibe 9/10 good, big meal
shika hold, take hold, seize, grasp
shika mashavu hold one’s cheeks (in thought or unhappiness)
shikilia hold on to
shikwa be seized, be held
shikwashikwa to be held/touched
shimo 5/6 hole
shina 5/6 stem, (source)
shinda win; succeed
shinda masomo pass in classes/courses
shindwa fail
shingo 9/10 neck
shingo upande half-heartedly
shirikisha involve
shoka 5/6 axe
shtukia be startled
shughulika be busy, engaged
shughulikia deal with
shuhudia witness
shuka descend, come down, get down, off
shuka 5/6 bed sheet; night wrap (clothing)
shukuru thank
shule ya msingi elementary/primary school
shurutisha make someone do something; nag; put pressure on, force
shusha push down
shutumu reprove, abuse, scold
shuzi 5/6 fart
Si leo siku ya kwanza? It's the first day after all.
siafu 9/10 &1/2 biting ant
sifa reputation; praise
sifa 9/10 reputation; praise
sifia praise
sifu praise, commend
sifu vikubwa praise to high heaven
sijali I don't care
sikia hear
sikika audible (sauti zilisikika = voices could be heard/were audible)
sikiliza listen
sikiliza kwa makini listen carefully
sikilizana get along well, be friendly
sikio 5/6 ear
sikitika regret, be sorry
siku hizi zilizopita these past days
siku watakayokifiana the day when they satisfy each other
Siku za mwizi ni arobaini. A thief has forty days (i.e., is bound to be caught). (Proverb)
simamia supervise
simamisha stop something
simulia tell, give account of
simuliana tell each other
sindikiza accompany part way a guest who is leaving; see someone off
singizia slander
siri 9/10 secret
sisimizi 9/10 & 1/2 small, black, harmless ant
sista 5/6 form of address to nun: sister
sita hesitate
sitasita hesitate, be at a loss
sogeza move something
sokota twist
sokwe 9/10 chimpanzee
somba carry (loads)
somea ubruda study to be a monk
somea usista study to be a nun
someka be possible to read, be legible
somo 9/10 & 1/2 close female friend
songa press, compress
songa ugali prepare ugali
staafu retire
staili 9/10 style
staili zifaazo suitable, appropriate styles
starehe relax
stashahada 9/10 acad. certificate
stukia start, be startled at
stusha startle someone
subiri wait
sufuria 9/10 aluminum pot
suka plait, braid
sukuma push
suluhisha mediate, reconcile
sumbua trouble, harass, annoy, worry
sumbuka be troubled
sumbuliwa be troubled by someone/something
sumu 9/10 poison
sura 9/10 appearance
suti 9/10 suit
swala 5/6 question (topic)
swali 5/6 question








T • index

taabu 9/10 trouble, problem
taaluma 9/10 ?
taarifa 9/10 report
taasisi 9/10 institute
T.T.C. Teacher Training College
tabasamu smile
tabia 9/10 habit, behavior
tafrija 9/10 reception, banquet
tafsiriwa be translated
tafuna chew
tafuta look for, search (for)
tai 9/10 tie
taiti 9/10 tights (clothing)
taja name, utter
taka 5/6 trash
takasa cleanse, purify
takatifu holy
tako 5/6 thigh
tamaa 9/10 desire
tamani desire
tambaa crawl
tambua recognize, realize
tamka utter, pronounce
tamthilia 9/10 drama, play
tanda spread
tandika get spread, cover
tandika meza set/prepare a table
tangaza announce
tangu since
tapika vomit
tarafa 9/10 admin. division
taraji hope, expect
tarajia hope for
tarajiwa be intended
tarehe 9/10 date
tatua tear (up)
tatuliwa be torn (up)
taulo 9/10 towel
tawala rule
tawanya disperse
tayari ready
tayarisha prepare, arrange
tayarishia prepare for someone
tazamana machoni look into each others eyes
tazamia expect
tazamiwa be expected
tega set a trap
tega mgongo turn one's back
tegatega entangle
tegemea expect
tegua solve
tejama=tazama look (Indian Kiswahili)
teka take up, get water
telemka move down
tema spit
tema mate spit (saliva)
tembea walk
tembelea visit, call on someone
tembelea fimbo walking with (the support of) a stick
temea spit at/on
temewa mate be spat on
tenda do, act, commit
tendeka be done, be happening, be commited
tendewa have something done to one
tendo 5/6 act, doing
tenga separate, isolate
tengemaa settle down
tensi 9/10 verb tense
tesa annoy, torment, afflict, cause trouble
teta oppose
tetea defend
tetemeka shake, tremble
teua select
tezo 9/10 adze
thubutu dare
tia fora move ahead
tia saini sign
tiba 9/10 medical treatment
tibu treat (medically)
tikisa cause to shake, wave
tima run away
timiza fulfill
timua run away
timuliwa be chased away
tingisha shake someone/something
tisha impress, frighten
tishia threaten
titi 5/6 breast
tiwa jino be bitten
toa give; give out, take out, remove
toa maganda remove husks
toa maua flower
toa mimba have an abortion
toa mwari a girl's initiation rite
toa sauti sound; play
toba 9/10 repentance
toboa bore a hole
tochi 9/10 flashlight
toka come out, come from
toka jasho sweat, perspire
tokea happen
tokeo 5/6 result
tokeza come out
tokwa na machozi break out in tears
tolea give to
tolewa be removed; taken out
tone 5/6 drop
tope 5/6 mud
tosha be sufficient, be enough
tosheka be satisfied, have enough
tota get soaked
toweza not to be able
tua set, land, settle (down)
tukana curse, speak angrily
tukia happen, come about
tukio 5/6 event
tulia calm down
tulivu calm (adj.)
tuliza comfort someone
tulizana comfort one another
tuma send
tumaini 5/6 hope
tumainia hope for
tumbukia fall into
tumia send to someone, use
tumika get used, be used
tumwa be sent
tundika hang up
tundikwa be hung up
tunga compose, create
tunuku award
tunza look after
tunzwa be looked after
tuongee let's talk
tupa throw
tupia throw to/at
tupia mkono reach towards
tusi 5/6 abuse, insult
tusio (mikono) we who don't have
tuta 5/6 ridge (cultivated row in a field)
tutawasema we'll tell on them
tuza reward, give monetary gifts