English-Swahili Dictionary
Browse common English words and their Swahili translations, with parts of speech and example sentences. Use this dictionary to look up everyday vocabulary or as a starting point for learning Swahili.
Translate full sentences into SwahiliAbout Swahili
Swahili (Kiswahili) is a Bantu language widely spoken in East Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It serves as a lingua franca across the region. Swahili has a significant number of Arabic loanwords due to centuries of trade along the East African coast. The language is known for its noun class system.
Cultural Note
Swahili has a noun class system with 18 classes. Arabic loanwords are common. The language uses the Latin alphabet.
Browse common Swahili vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pronouns | |||
| I | pron. | mimi | I am ready now. Mimi niko tayari sasa. |
| you | pron. | wewe | You are very kind. Wewe ni mwema sana. |
| he | pron. | yeye | He is my brother. Yeye ni ndugu yangu. |
| she | pron. | yeye | She is at home. Yeye yuko nyumbani. |
| we | pron. | sisi | We are going home. Sisi tunaenda nyumbani. |
| they | pron. | wao | They work every day. Wao wanafanya kazi kila siku. |
| Question Words | |||
| what | int. | nini | What do you want? Unataka nini? |
| where | int. | wapi | Where is the school? Shule iko wapi? |
| when | int. | lini | When will you come? Utakuja lini? |
| who | int. | nani | Who is that person? Mtu huyo ni nani? |
| Verbs | |||
| to be | v. | kuwa | They are very happy. Wao wana furaha sana. |
| to have | v. | kuwa na | I have a book. Nina kitabu. |
| to go | v. | kwenda | They go to school. Wanaenda shuleni. |
| to come | v. | kuja | Please come here now. Njoo hapa sasa. |
| to eat | v. | kula | We eat rice tonight. Tunakula wali usiku huu. |
| to love | v. | penda | I love my family. Ninaipenda familia yangu. |
| Nouns | |||
| man | n. | mwanaume | The man is tall. Mwanaume huyo ni mrefu. |
| woman | n. | mwanamke | The woman is smiling. Mwanamke anatabasamu. |
| child | n. | mtoto | The child is sleeping. Mtoto analala. |
| family | n. | familia | My family is big. Familia yangu ni kubwa. |
| mother | n. | mama | My mother cooks well. Mama yangu anapika vizuri. |
| father | n. | baba | His father works here. Baba yake anafanya kazi hapa. |
| friend | n. | rafiki | She is my friend. Yeye ni rafiki yangu. |
| house | n. | nyumba | The house is new. Nyumba ni mpya. |
| world | n. | dunia | The world is changing. Dunia inabadilika. |
| water | n. | maji | Water is very important. Maji ni muhimu sana. |
| Adjectives | |||
| good | adj. | nzuri | This book is good. Kitabu hiki ni kizuri. |
| bad | adj. | mbaya | The weather is bad. Hali ya hewa ni mbaya. |
| big | adj. | kubwa | The house is big. Nyumba ni kubwa. |
| small | adj. | ndogo | The room is small. Chumba ni kidogo. |
| beautiful | adj. | nzuri | The flower is beautiful. Ua ni zuri. |
| Prepositions | |||
| with | prep. | na | I came with my friend. Nilikuja na rafiki yangu. |
| from | prep. | kutoka | She came from school. Alikuja kutoka shuleni. |
| to | prep. | kwenda | We walked to town. Tulitembea kwenda mjini. |
| Conjunctions | |||
| and | conj. | na | Tea and bread. Chai na mkate. |
| or | conj. | au | Tea or coffee. Chai au kahawa. |
| but | conj. | lakini | Tired but happy. Nimechoka lakini nina furaha. |
| Interjections | |||
| yes | interj. | ndiyo | Yes, I know him. Ndiyo, ninamjua. |
| no | interj. | hapana | No, I am busy. Hapana, nina shughuli. |
How It Works
Type an English word above to find its Swahili translation.
Common Uses
- •Learning Swahili
- •Travel to East Africa
- •Reference for Swahili classes
FAQ
Is this Swahili-English dictionary free?
Yes, completely free.