Swahili

Swahili Translation, Resources, and Discussion

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Swahili:English:
maana meaning
Machi March
maendeleo advancement
maendeleo progress
mafuta oil
magharibi West
mahali place
mahali plaza
mahali public square
mahali square
mahali po pote wherever
maisha life
majani grass
majani herb
maji water
malaika angel
mama mother
mamba crocodile
mapema early
mara occasion
mara kwa mara now and then
mara moja once
mara moja one time
mara nyingi frequently
mara nyingi often
mara nyingi regularly
mara, saa, nafasi, wakati time
mashariki East
mashine, mtambo engine
mashine, mtambo machine
mavuno harvest
maziwa milk
mbegu seed
mbele ahead
mbele foreward
mbele formerly
mbele previously
mbele, katika, ndani ya, juu ya on
mbili, wili, pili two
mboga vegetable
mbu mosquito
mbuzi goat
mbwa dog
mbweha jackal
mchawi enchanter
mchawi magician
mchawi sorcerer
mchawi warlock
mchawi wizard
mchele husked rice
mchele, mpunga rice
mcheza actor
mchezo game
mchungaji shepherd
mchungwa orange tree
mdachi, mjeremani German
mdudu bug
mdudu insect
Mei May
meza table
mfalme king
Mfaransa Frenchman
mfupa bone
mgeni foreigner
mgeni guest
mgeni stranger
mgomba banana plant
mgonjwa patient
mguu foot
mguu leg
mguu paw
Mhindi Indian
mia hundred
mia one hundred
mia mbili, mia wili two hundred
Misko Moscow
Misri Egypt
mjane widow
mji city
mji town
mjinga fool
mkahawa restaurant
mkate bread
mkate loaf
mke wife
mkeka mat
mkeka plaited mat
mkia tail
mkono arm
mkono hand
Mkristo Christian
mlango door
mlango gate
mlango gateway
mlango portal
mlezi nurse
mlima mountain
mlinzi guard
mnazi coconut palm
mno too much
mno, sana very
mno, sana very much
mno, sana, kabisa quite
mnyama animal
mnyama beast
moja, moja, mosi one
moshi smoke
moto fire
moyo heart
mpishi cook
mpishi male cook
Mreno Portuguese
Mrumi Roman
msaada aid
msaada help
msafiri traveller
Msahafu Koran
msalaba cross
mshahara salary
mshahara wage
mshahara wages
msitu forest
msitu woods
mstari line
mswaki tooth brush
mtama millet
mtende date palm
mti pole
mti post
mti stake
mti stanchion
mti timber
mti tree
mti wood
mto river
mtoto bairn
mtoto infant
mtu person
mtumishi boy
mtumishi servant
mtumwa slave
muhindi Indian corn
muhindi corn
muhindi maize
muhindi mealies
muhogo cassava
mume husband
muwa sugar cane
mvua rain
mwaka year
mwalimu instructor
mwalimu teacher
mwamerikani American
mwamerikani US citizen
mwana offspring
mwana son
mwana young
mwana, mtoto child
mwanamke woman
mwanamume fellow
mwanamume man
Mwarabu Arab
mwavuli umbrella
mwembe mango tree
mwendo distance
mwendo offset
mwendo, safari journey
mwendo, safari trip
mwendo, safari voyage
mwenyeji inhabitant
mwenyewe owner
mwezi month
mwezi moon
mwiba thorn
mwiko large spoon
mwiko, kijiko spoon
mwili body
Mwingereza Englishman
Mwingereza Sassenach
mwisho end
mwisho ending
Mwislamu Mohammedan
Mwislamu Moslem
Mwislamu Muslim
Mwislamu Mussulman
mwivi, mwizi thief
mwuza duka shopkeeper
Myahudi, Yahudi Hebrew
Myahudi, Yahudi Jew
Myunani Greek
mzazi parent
mzigo burden
mzigo charge
mzigo load
mzizi root
Mzungu European
Arab Influences
Arabic has played a significant role in both influencing Swahili as well as helping to develop it. Arabic’s role in the language goes back to the interactions and influence Arabic traders had with people who lived on the eastern coast of Africa. As a result, Swahili eventually became the language spoken in that part of Africa. In fact, it became the standard language for Bantu tribes who spoke many other languages starting in the 19th century.
Moving Inland
Also around the 19th century, Swahili started to move inland from the eastern coast of Africa because Arab ivory traders and slave traders used it as the primary mode of communication. They went all the way to the Congo and north to Uganda, which helped spread the language.
A Common Language
During the colonization of Africa, Europeans decided to adopt Swahili and not force people to learn their languages. This was both true of the British and the Germans who encouraged its use in schools, the military, and government.

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