Tag: Swahili

Select Choices

By Simon

The Swahili lessons I did today were about politics, and one of the words I learnt was uchaguzi, which means election or selection. I was able to guess it’s meaning from the context, and because the -chagu appears in words related to choosing.

Kilimani polling station

Uchaguzi comes from chagua (to choose, pick, pick out, select). Related words include:

  • chaguo = choice, selection, the selected
  • kuchagua = to choose, elect, deform, distort
  • kuchaguliwa = to be chosen
  • mchaguzi = fastidious person, choosy person

Sources: https://swahili-dictionary.com/swahili-english/chagua_chagua
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/chagua#Swahili

Another word that I’ve noticed appearing in various forms is (ku)sikia, which means to hear, obey, pay attention, feel or sense. Related words include:

  • sikio = ear
  • (ku)sikiliza = to listen (to), to hear (a court case)
  • sikika = listening
  • msikilizaji = a listener
  • usikivu = hearing

Sources: https://swahili-dictionary.com/swahili-english/sikia_sikia
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sikia#Swahili

I’ve been learning Swahili for a few months now, and am beginning to be able to guess the meanings of some words based on other words I know, or to at least recognise that they might be related. I feel like I’m making good progress, but there is a lot more to learn.

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Roomy Houses

By Simon

One of the Swahili words I learnt recently is chumba (room). I wondered where it comes from and what other words are related to it. Let’s find out.

Tanzania Village House

Chumba means room, chamber, cabin or cloakroom, and is a diminutive of nyumba [ˈɲu.ᵐbɑ] (house, apartment), which comes from Proto-Bantu *njʊ̀mbá (house) [source].

Related words include

  • chumba cha kulia = dining room
  • chumba cha kulalia = bedroom
  • kichumba = small room
  • jumba = mansion, large building
  • kijumba = cottage, small house
  • uchumba = courtship, engagement
  • -chumbisha = to get engaged to be married (of a man)
  • -chumbishwa = to get engaged to be married (of a woman)
  • mchumba = financé(e), lover, partner
  • wachumba = spouse, couple
  • unyumba = married life, marital relations
  • nyumba ya uzazi = womb, uterus (“house of parenthood”)
  • nyumbani = at home, in the house

Other room-related words in Swahili include:

  • bafu (bath, bathtub, bathroom), which was borrowed from English bath
  • darasa (classroom, class period, lesson), which was borrowed from Arabic دَرْس (dars – study, studies, lesson, class)
  • msalani (bathroom, toilet), a locative of msala (private chamber, retreat, bathroom, toilet), from Arabic مُصَلَّى (muṣallan – place of prayer, prayer room/hall)
  • faragha (privacy, private chamber, retreat, opportunity), which was borrowed from Arabic فَرَاغ (farāḡ – empty space)
  • sebule (living room), which was borrowed from Arabic (?)

Here are a few house- and home-related proverbs and sayings in Swahili:

  • Nyumba njema si mlango.
    A good house isn’t judged by the door.
  • Kinywa ni jumba la maneno.
    The mouth is a house of words.
  • Nyumba ya udongo haihimili kishindo.
    A house made of mud cannot withstand a strong wind.
  • Mkate mkavu wa nyumbani ni bora kuliko nyama ya shuwa ya pengine.
    A piece of dry bread from home is better than a roasted piece of meat from someone else’s home.

Sources: https://mhariri.com/kamusi/learn-swahili/proverbs-in-swahili-and-their-translations-and-meanings/, https://pristinetrails.com/blog/swahili-proverbs/

The more Swahili I learn, the more interesting it gets.

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