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 A HANDBOOK 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SWAHILI LANGUAGE, 
 
 AS SPOKEN AT 
 
 ZANZIBAR. 
 
 EDITED FOR THE UNIVERSITIES' MISSION TO 
 CENTRAL AFRICA 
 
 BY 
 
 The late EDWARD STEERE, LL.D., 
 
 MISSIONARY BISHOP FOR CENTRAL AFRICA. 
 
 FOURTH EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED BY 
 
 A. C. MADAN, M.A., 
 
 SENIOR STUDENT AND FORMERLY TUTOR OF CH. CH. OXFORD. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE 
 
 NORTHUMBERLAND AVENUE, W.C. ; 
 
 43, VUEEN VICTORIA STREET, E-C 
 1894.
 
 PEEFACE TO THE FIKST EDITION. 
 
 There is probably no African language so widely known 
 as the Swabili. It is understood along the coasts of 
 Madagascar and Arabia, it is spoken by the Seedees in 
 India, and is the trade language of a very large part of 
 Central or Intertropical Africa. Zanzibar traders pene- 
 trate sometimes even to the western side of the conti- 
 nent, and they are in the constant habit of traversino- 
 more than half of it with their supplies of Indian and 
 European goods. Throughout this immense district 
 any one really familiar with the Swahili language will 
 generally be able to find some one who can understand 
 him, and serve as an interpreter. 
 
 This consideration makes it a point of the greatest 
 importance to our Central African Mission that Swahili 
 Bhould be thoroughly examined and well learnt. For 
 if the members of the Mission can go forth from Zan- 
 zibar, or, still better, can leave England already well 
 acquainted with this language, and provided with 
 books and translations adapted to their wants, the}' 
 will carry with them a key that can unlock the secrets 
 of an immense variety of strange dialects, whose very 
 names are as yet unknown to us. For they will not
 
 iv fueface. 
 
 onl}'" be able at once to communicate witb new tribes, 
 but in mastering this really simple and far from 
 difficult language tbey will have learnt how to set 
 about learning and writing all others of the same class, 
 since they agree with Swahili in all the chief respects 
 in which it differs from our European tongues. 
 
 The work, then, which is here begun is not to be 
 regarded as though its utility were confined to the 
 islands and the narrow strip of coast of which this 
 language is the vernacukir, but much rather as the 
 broad foundation on which our labours in the far inte- 
 rior must for many years be built up. As there is no 
 way by which those inner lands are so ordinarily or can 
 be so easily reached as from Zanzibar and the coast 
 dependent on it, so neither is there any way by which 
 we can make ourselves so readily intelligible, or by 
 'which the Gospel can be preached so soon or so well as 
 by means of the language of Zanzibar and its dependen- 
 cies, to which this work is intended as an introduction 
 — a language which, through its Arabic relations, has 
 a hold on revealed religion, and even on European 
 thought, while, through its negro structure, it is 
 exactly fitted to serve as an interpreter of that re- 
 ligion and those thoughts to men who have not yet 
 even heard of their existence. 
 
 When Bishop Tozer arrived in Zanzibar at the end of 
 August 1864, the only guides we had to the language 
 were the grammar and vocabulary of Dr. Krapf, and his 
 translation of part of the Book of Common Prayer. 
 During Bishop Tozer's visit to Mombas in November, 
 he made a copy of a revised vocabulary belonging to
 
 FREFACE. V 
 
 tlie Eev. J. Eebmann. However, although one cannot 
 estimate too highly the diligence and linguistic ability 
 displayed by Dr. Krapf and the patient sagacity of Mr. 
 Eebmann, we soon found that, owing partly to the fact 
 of their collections having been made in the dialect of 
 Mombas, and still more to the confused and inexact 
 style of spelling adopted unfortunately by both, their 
 works were of scarcely any use to a mere beginner. 
 
 I soon after procured copies of the manuscript voca- 
 bularies collected by Mr. Witt and Mr. Schultz, then 
 representing the firm of O'Swald and Co. in Zanzibar, 
 and with such help as I could procure from any quarter, 
 I began in July 1865 to print the first pages of my col- 
 lections for a " Handbook of Swahili as Spoken in 
 Zanzibar." When I had proceeded as far as page 33, I 
 made the acquaintance of Hamis wa Tani and of his 
 son Mohammed, both of them well acquainted with 
 English and French, and of pure Swahili extraction. 
 To the disinterested kindness of Mohammed, who, 
 while confined to his house by sickness, allowed me to 
 spend every Saturday morning in questioning him 
 about his language, I owe all that is best in my know- 
 ledge of African tongues. With his help and revision I 
 completed the list of substantives, and found my way 
 through the intricacies of the adjectives and pronouns. 
 Of how much importance an accurate guide in these 
 matters would be may be seen from the " Table of 
 Concords," first printed in Zanzibar, in a form sug- 
 gested by Bishop Tozer, and now reprinted as part 
 of this volume. 
 
 Mohammed's sickness increasing about the time that
 
 vi PREFACE. 
 
 I had begun to print the conjugation of the verb, I was 
 unable to continue my visits, and completed the " Col- 
 lections " from Dr. Krapf, with the help of the voca- 
 bulary collected by the late Baron von der Decken 
 and Dr. Kersten, and of that collected by the Eev. 
 Thomas Wakefield of the United Methodist Free 
 Churches' Mission, both of which I was kindly allowed 
 to copy. 
 
 After Mohammed's partial recovery I continued my 
 visits to him, and went through the verbs, making first 
 a list of useful EngKsh verbs from a dictionary, and 
 entering all the words contained in the collections of 
 which I had copies. I thus checked and supplemented 
 what others had already done, and obtained a tolerably 
 complete insight into that branch of the vocabulary. 
 Before I could get much beyond this, Mohammed was 
 so far recovered as to be able to sail for Bombay. I 
 have always much pleasure in acknowledging how 
 much I owe to him. 
 
 Meanwhile I had begun my collection of short tales 
 in Swahili, the first of which were printed in Zanzibar 
 with an interlinear version, under the title of " Speci- 
 mens of Swahili," in March 1866, and reprinted in 
 an early number of " Mission Life." I also began to 
 use my Swahili to a practical purpose by making the 
 collections for a handbook of the Shambala language, 
 the first draft of which was completed in May 1866. 
 These collections were made with a view to the mission 
 since commenced in that country by the Rev. C. A. 
 Alington ; they were revised by the help of another 
 teacher, and printed in Zanzibar in the j^ear 1867.
 
 PREFACE. rtt 
 
 Finding the Swahili tales most valuable as well to 
 myself as to those who were studying with me, I pro- 
 ceeded to print a further collection, with the title 
 " Hadithi za Kiunguja" in Swahili only. For the tales 
 then printed I was mainly indebted to Hamis wa Kayi, 
 a very intelligent young Swahili, who always compre- 
 hended better what a foreigner wanted to know, ami 
 explained more clearly what was difficult, than any one 
 else I met with while in Zanzibar. 
 
 At the same period I had begun and carried on from 
 time to time the investigation of the Yao or Achowa 
 language, one peculiarly interesting to us, as that of 
 nearly all the released slaves under Bishop Mackenzie's 
 charge, and as having now supplanted the Mang'anja 
 in the country where our Mission was originally settled. 
 From this study I first gained a definite notion of the 
 wonderful effect the letter n has in African languages, 
 and so came to understand the origin of several appa- 
 rent irregularities in Swahili. 
 
 I had begun even before Mohammed bin Khamis left 
 Zanzibar to make some essays in translation, the best of 
 which are embodied in a pamphlet printed in Zanzibar, 
 with the title " Translations in Swahili : " it was com- 
 pleted in January 1867. 
 
 I was then getting help from many quarters, and on 
 explaining to some of our native friends our wish to 
 make a complete translation of the Bible into their 
 language, one of them. Sheikh *Abd al 'Aziz, kindly 
 volunteered to translate for me the Arabic Psalter into 
 the best and purest Swahili. I found, before long, that 
 not only did his numerous avocations prevent any rapid
 
 viii PREFACE. 
 
 progress, but that his language was too learned to suit 
 exactly our purpose in making the version ; it did not 
 therefore proceed further than the Sixteenth Psalm. 1 
 printed these as at once a memorial of his kindness 
 and a specimen of what one of the most learned men 
 in Zanzibar considers the most classical form of his 
 language. 
 
 I cannot but mention at the same time the name of 
 Sheikh Mohammed bin Ali, a man of the greatest 
 research, to whose kindness I was indebted for a copy, 
 made by his own hand, of some very famous Swahili 
 poetry, with an interlinear Arabic version ; he also 
 revised for me a paraphrase of it in modern language, 
 for which I was chiefly indebted (as for much other 
 help) to Hassan bin Yusuf, whose interest in our doc- 
 trines and teachings has always been most marked. 
 The verses and translation are both printed in the 
 " Swahili Tales." 
 
 At the end of 1867 I printed a translation of Bishop 
 Forbes' little primary catechism, chosen as being the 
 shortest and clearest I could find to begin upon. 
 Though very imperfect, I am glad to think that it 
 has been found of use. 
 
 When I had completed the Yao collections, I went on 
 to the Nyamwezi language, as being that of the largest 
 and most central tribe with which there is constant and 
 tolerably safe communication. 
 
 In November 1867 I lost, by the sadly sudden deaths 
 of the Eev. G. E. Drayton and his wife, most useful 
 helpers, who were beginning to be able to give me sub- 
 stantial assistance. Their places were, however, well
 
 PREFACE. in 
 
 siippKed by the Bev. AV. and Mrs. Lea, wlio arrived 
 opportunely just before the time of our bereavement. 
 I was then engaged in preparing the translations of 
 St. Matthew's Gospel and of the Psalms, as well as in 
 beginning to put in order the materials for the present 
 work. To Mr. Lea I was indebted, amongst other 
 things, for the first version of the 119th Psalm, and to 
 Mrs. Lea for the arrangement of the Swahili-Engiish 
 Vocabulary. The last thing I printed in Zanzibar was 
 a translation of the Easter and Advent Hymns, and of 
 Adeste Fideles, which I had the pleasure of hearing 
 the girls of the Mission Orphanage sing most sweetly 
 to the old tunes just before I left. 
 
 I ought also to mention that, having been often under 
 great obligations to the French Eomanist Mission, I 
 had the pleasure of printing for them a Catechism in 
 French and Swahili, which was indirectly valuable to 
 me as showing how the great truths we have in 
 common were rendered by a perfectly independent 
 student of the language. I know not how sufficiently 
 to regret that the excellent compiler, Pere Etienne 
 Baur, should have been content to use the jargon (for 
 it is nothing better) commonly employed by Indians 
 and Europeans, and should have adopted an ortho- 
 graphy adapted only to a French pronunciation. 
 
 Only three weeks before leaving I had the advan- 
 tage of consulting two large manuscript dictionaries 
 compiled by Dr. Krapf, and brought to Zanzibar by 
 the Eev. E. L. Pennell. I was able to examine about 
 half the Swahili-Engiish volume, with the assistance 
 of Hamis wa Kayi, enough to enrich materially my
 
 X PREFACE. 
 
 previous collections, and to show how far even now 
 1 fall short of my first predecessor in the work of 
 examining and elucidating the languages of Eastern 
 Africa. There remains for some future time or other 
 hand * the examination of the rest of Dr. Krapf 's 
 dictionary, as well as the collation of what will no 
 doubt deserve to be the standard Swahili lexicon, on 
 which the Eev. John Eebmann has been for nearly a 
 quarter of a century labouring unweariedly. Even 
 then there will remain many dialectic variations, and 
 many old and poetical words and inflections, so that 
 for many years one who loves such studies might find 
 employment in this one language. 
 
 Since my arrival in England, at the end of November 
 1868, I have been able to superintend the printing of 
 the Gospel of St. Matthew in Swahili, liberally under- 
 taken by the Bible Society, of translations of the 
 Church Catechism and of their Scriptural Eeading 
 Lessons out of the Old Testament, kindly undertaken 
 by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. 
 For the Central African Mission I have carried through 
 the press this work and the collection of Swahili 
 Stories with an English version, published by Messrs. 
 Bell and Sons, of which those previously printed at 
 Zanzibar form a small part, and besides these a number 
 of small pamphlets, including translations of the Books 
 of Euth and Jonah, and some slight specimens of the 
 Gindo, Zaramo, and Ngazidja languages. There remain 
 the Psalms, which the Bible Society has promised to 
 print for us, and the collections in the Yao and Nyam- 
 wezi languages, all which I should like to get through
 
 PREFACE. xi 
 
 the press in the course of this year. I wish there were 
 a chance of the Eev. John Eebmann's Swahili version 
 of St. Luke's Gospel, of which I have seen a large part, 
 being printed at the same time. 
 
 This handbook is arranged on the principle of sup- 
 plying w^ith each portion of it such rules as are re- 
 quired for the practical use of that portion. In the 
 first part, after some introductory observations. Sub- 
 stantives, Adjectives, Pronouns, and Verbs have each 
 a separate section, containing first the rules which 
 govern their inflection and employment, and then an 
 alphabetical list of the Swahili equivalents of our 
 English words belonging to each part of speech. For 
 the mere finding of words one general alphabet would 
 perhaps have been more convenient ; but as the object 
 of this work is not merely to tell what the Swahili 
 words are, but also how to employ them correctly, it 
 seems better so to group them as to bring the rules of 
 grammar and the words which they control into as 
 close a connection with one another as possible. The 
 Editor has done what most readers would have had to 
 do — sort out first the word and then the grammatical 
 rules which must be observed in using it. The minor 
 parts of speech are indexed together to avoid a multi- 
 plicity of alphabets, except the Interjections, which 
 cannot be said to have exact equivalents in any other 
 language. The part ends with a section on the forma- 
 tion of words, which may be of use where the other 
 alphabets fail to give a satisfactory rendering, and 
 may also be useful as a guide in turning Swahili into 
 English, in the case of the many words which igno-
 
 xii PREFACE. 
 
 ranee or some oversiglit in preparing tlie second part 
 may have caused to be omitted. The rales and hints 
 prefixed to the second part are intended to enable any- 
 one who sees or hears a Swahili word to ascertain the 
 material part of it, so as to be able to use the dictionary 
 which follows. It is evident that there must be great 
 difficulties at first in either using or arranging an 
 alphabetical list of words which may begin with, in 
 some cases, nine or ten different letters, according to 
 the grammatical position they hold in each case. 
 However, the difficulty is greater in appearance than 
 in practice. 
 
 The Appendices contain some curious or useful 
 matter which could not well find a place in the body 
 of the work. The first contains a specimen of a curious 
 kind of enigmatical way of writing and speaking called 
 Kinyume. The second gives a specimen of the forms 
 used in letter- writing, both in prose and verse. The 
 third is part of a Swahili tale, with all the prefixes 
 separated and the grammatical forms explained, in- 
 tended as a guide and introduction to the art of 
 reading, and through that of writing the language. 
 The fourth Appendix consists of a small collection of 
 phrases, some of them such as are wanted in ordinary 
 conversation, some of them useful in illustrating the 
 idiom or peculiar constructions used by natives. This 
 collection might have been very much increased had 
 it not been carefully confined to phrases actually met 
 with in conversation with persons reputed to speak 
 correctly.
 
 FBEFACE. xiii 
 
 The name of the language — Swahili — is beyond all 
 doubt a modified form of the Arabic Sawahil, the plural 
 of Sahil, a coast. The natives themselves jestingly 
 derive it from Sawa Mia, which a Zanzibar interpreter 
 would explain as " All same cheat." 
 
 Little Stee'ping, May 1870.
 
 C ^- ) 
 
 ADVEKTISEMENT TO SECOND EDITION. 
 
 The First Edition having been at the last sold out 
 with unexpected rapidity, I have not been able to add 
 so much as I should have wished to this. The chief 
 novelty is the omission of what I called the second 
 class of Substantives, which proved to be only the most 
 common instance of the general rule, that Substantives 
 of any and every form denoting animate beings are 
 constructed with Adjectives and Pronouns in the forms 
 proper to the first class. Some words have been added 
 to the Vocabularies and a few mistakes corrected. 
 
 During the last four years the work of translation 
 and collection has been going steadily forward, Swahili 
 preaching has been going on, and some Elementary 
 School-books printed in Zanzibar for our vernacular 
 schools. The great work of evangelizing Africa seems 
 to grow in magnitude the more one understands what 
 is required for it ; but our hopes still grow with the 
 growth of our knowledge. 
 
 Edwabd StEEPwE, 
 
 XiOndoTif January 1875.
 
 ADVEETISEMENT TO THIED EDITION. 
 
 This Edition may be taken to represent substantially 
 the final form whicli the Handbook assumed in the 
 hands of its compiler, the late Bishop Steere. No 
 estimate can be attempted here of his services to 
 philology in general, and the student of African 
 languages in particular, stiJl less of their bearing on 
 the spread of Christianity in Central Africa. What- 
 ever the relative purity of the dialects of Mombasa and 
 Zanzibar, and however great the debt Bishop Steere 
 undoubtedly owed to his distinguished predecessor in 
 their study, Dr. Krapf, the broad fact remains that 
 Bishop Steere took the language as he found it spoken 
 in the capital city of the East Coast, reduced its rules 
 to so lucid and popular a form as not only to make it 
 accessible, but easy to all students, and finally made a 
 great advance towards stereotyping its forms and ex- 
 tending its use by embodying it in copious writings 
 and translations. 
 
 Some of the last hours of his life were apparently 
 spent in preparing this Handbook for a new edition. 
 Those who were familiar with the many cares and 
 anxieties then pressing on him, will not be surprised 
 that there were signs of haste and pressure in his 
 
 h
 
 xviii PREFACE, 
 
 revision. With Part I., however, lie seems to have 
 been satisfied. The corrections of the text were few 
 and unimportant, and though the Lists of Words might 
 have been largely added to, he seems to have preferred 
 leaving them as ' they were, in view of the strictly 
 practical purpose of the whole book. 
 
 With Part II. (the Swahili-EngHsh Vocabulary, &c.) 
 the case is rather different. With the aid of various 
 members of the Mission, the Bishop had made some- 
 what large collections in order to expand and complete 
 it. Probably from the pressure of work before alluded 
 to, he had only prepared a selection of them for this 
 Edition. It has been thought better, however, to in- 
 corporate all the words found in his notes and added 
 with his approval. But it must be remembered that 
 the Bishop never regarded Part II. as ranking as a 
 Dictionary, even in embryo, but rather as a tolerably 
 full list of words to serve as a useful companion to 
 Part I. Even with this reservation, there remain 
 many traces of imperfection in arrangement, spelling, 
 and interpretation of words, which would doubtless 
 have been removed if he had been allowed time to pass 
 the whole list under revision finally. 
 
 This final revision no one is in a position adequately 
 to supply. Minor corrections and additions have been 
 cautiously and sparingly made. One Appendix (No. Y.), 
 likely to subserve the practical aim of the whole, has 
 been added, with the Ven. Archdeacon Hodgson's ap- 
 proval. There still remain among the Bishop's notes 
 some miscellaneous specimens of Swahili verses, pro- 
 verlis, riddles. <fcc., which mio-ht have formed another.
 
 PREFACE, xix 
 
 It is thouglit best, however, to reserve them, and leave 
 the whole book, as far as possible, as the Bishop left it. 
 Subsequent editors may find something to add. They 
 probably will not find much to alter. 
 
 A. C. M. 
 
 P.S. — Dr. Krapf 8 great Dictionary of the Swahili 
 Language, in its printed form, was in the Bishop's 
 hands too short a time to allow of his making any use 
 of it for this Edition of the Handbook. 
 
 Zanzibar, Chridmas^ 1882.
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 PAGP 
 
 Introduction 1 
 
 The Alphabet 8 
 
 Substantives : — 
 
 Grammatical rules 16 
 
 List of Substantives 24 
 
 Adjectives : — 
 
 Grammatical rules 83 
 
 Irregular Adjectives 86 
 
 Comparison of Adjectives 87 
 
 Numerals 89 
 
 List of Adjectives 94 
 
 Pronouns : — 
 
 Personal Pronouns 102 
 
 Possessive Pronouns 109 
 
 Eeflective Pronouns 112 
 
 Demonstrative Pronouns 113 
 
 Eelative Pronouns 117 
 
 Interrogatives, &c. l'-2 
 
 Verbs : — 
 
 Conjugation 125 
 
 Irregular Verbs 149 
 
 Auxiliary Verbs 155 
 
 Derivative Verbs ... 157 
 
 List of Verbs ... 165
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Adverbs, Prepositions, and Conjunctions 
 
 List of Adverbs, &c. 
 
 Interjections 
 
 Formation of Words ... 
 
 Table of Noun Prefixes in nine languages 
 Table of the Preposition -a in four languages 
 
 PAGB 
 
 209 
 212 
 221 
 
 226 
 
 28-1: 
 
 235 
 
 PART IL 
 
 Preliminary Observations , ,.. 239 
 
 Swahili-English Vocabulary 245 
 
 Appendices : — 
 
 I. Specimens of Knyume 425 
 
 II. Specimens of Swahili Correspondence 427 
 
 III. Part of a Swahili Tale, with the Prefixes marked 
 
 and explained 431 
 
 IV. Usnful and Idiomatic Phrases 443 
 
 V. On Money, Weights and measures in Zanzibar „, 455
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 PAET I. 
 
 The Swaliili language is spoken by the mixed race 
 of Arabs and Negroes who inhabit the Eastern Coast 
 of Africa, especially in that part which lies between 
 Lamoo and the neighbouring towns on the north, and 
 Cape Delgado on the south. 
 
 It is classified by Dr. Bleek as one of the Zangian 
 genus of the middle branch of the Bantu languages. 
 That is to say, it belongs to one of the subdivisions of 
 that great family of Negro languages, which carries on 
 the work of grammatical inflexion by means of changes 
 at the beginning of the word, similar to that whereby 
 in Kafir, umuntu, a man, becomes in the plural dbantu, 
 people. All these languages divide their nouns into a 
 number of classes, which are distinguished by theii 
 first syllable, and bring their adjectives, pronouns, and 
 verbs into relation with substantives by the use oi 
 corresponding changes in their first syllables. None 
 of these classes denote sex in any way. Dr. Bleek, in 
 his comparative grammar of South African languages, 
 enumerates eighteen prefixes which are found in one 
 or other of the languages of this family ; but it must
 
 2 8WAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 be remembered that he reckons by the form of the 
 prefix only, so that the singular and plural forms of 
 most words count as two, while the same form will 
 sometimes answer to two or more forms in the other 
 number. Dr. Block's arrangement is the most conve- 
 nient for his purpose, which is the comparison of the 
 formatives used in different languages ; but I have not 
 followed it in this work, because I think that for practical 
 purposes such a classification should be used as will 
 enable the learner who sees or hears the noun in the 
 singular at once to put it into the plural. Prefixes 
 may be counted up separately ; but in practice we have 
 to do with nouns, not with prefixes, and a noun cannot 
 be put into a different class when it becomes plural 
 or singular without great risk of confusion. Thus in 
 Fredoux' Sechuana grammar, 4 and 6 are the plurals 
 of 3, 10 and 6 are the plurals of 11, and 6 alone is the 
 plural of 5 and 14. Can this be a olear arrangement ? 
 
 I have very little doubt that Dr. Bleek is right in 
 regarding these classes as substantially the same with 
 the genders in most of the European languages, which 
 are even now only sex-denoting to a veiy limited 
 extent. There is a distinction in Swahili as to words 
 which denote living heings, called by Dr. Krapf, not 
 very happily, a masculine gender, though it has no 
 relation to sex, but to life only. 
 
 It is very puzzling to a beginner, accustomed to 
 languages which change at the end, to find the be- 
 ginnings of words so very uncertain. Thus he hears 
 that ngema means good ; but when he begins to apply
 
 INTRODUCTION. 3 
 
 his knowledge he finds that natives use for the English 
 word good, not only ngema, but micema, wema, mema^ 
 njema, jenia, pema, cJiema, vyema, and hwema. Again, 
 yangu means my, but he will hear also, wangu, zangu, 
 changu, vyangu, langu, pangu, hwangu, and mwangu. It is 
 necessary therefore to get at the very first a firm hold 
 of the fact that in Swahili it is the end, and not the be- 
 ginning of a word, which is its substantial and unchang- 
 ing part. The beginning of the word when taken to 
 pieces denotes its number, time, and agreements. 
 
 The " Table of Concords " prefixed to the section on 
 Adjectives, shows at one view the variables of the 
 language ; and when that has been mastered, the diffi- 
 culties for an English student will be over. The 
 various forms will be explained, and the nicer distinc- 
 tions mentioned in the grammatical parts of the book. 
 In the preliminary observations prefixed to the second 
 part will be found an account of all the changes which 
 may occur at the end of a word, changes which in 
 practice are very soon mastered, relating as they chiefly 
 do to a few points in the conjugation of the verb. 
 
 There is a broken kind of Swahili in use among 
 foreigners, Indian as well as European, which serves 
 for very many purposes, though it is of course utterly 
 useless when one has to speak with exactness, or on 
 subjects not immediately connected with the ordinary 
 afiairs of life and commerce. Its rules may be briefly 
 laid down as follows : — If you are in doubt about how 
 to make a plural, prefix ma, or use nyingi, i.e. many. 
 In conjugating the verb, always put the subject 
 
 B 2
 
 4 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 before and the object after it, for the present tens© 
 prefix na-, for the past wa-, for the future ta-. For rto 
 or not^ use hakuna. It is wonderful how intelligible 
 you can make yourself by these few rules ; but it is 
 just as wonderful what absurd broken stuff can be 
 made to do duty for English. 
 
 Let any one, however, who really wishes to speak 
 the language get the Table of Concords well into his 
 head, by any means he finds best for the purpose, and 
 he will have no need to resort to broken and incorrect 
 ways of talking. 
 
 Swahili, like all languages of the same family, is 
 very rich in Verbs, and poor in Adjectives and Prepo- 
 sitions. There is nothing corresponding to the English 
 Article, the word when standing alone implying the 
 indefinite article, while the definite article can in many 
 cases be expressed by the use and arrangement of the 
 Pronouns, but still must often be left unexpressed. 
 Though the Verb is etymologically the most important 
 part of speech, it is the Substantive which determines 
 the form of all the variable syllables. The Substan- 
 tive will therefore be first considered, and next the 
 Adjective, which very closely resembles it. The Pro- 
 nouns will come next, as it is by their help that the 
 Verb is conjugated, then the Verb itself, and after that 
 the minor parts of speech. Adverbs, Prepositions, Con- 
 junctions, and, last of all, the Interjections. A sketch 
 of the grammar of each part of speech, which aims at 
 being sufficient for ordinary and practical purposes, is 
 first given, and after that a list of words belonging to
 
 INTRODUCTION. 5 
 
 tliat part of speech, thus forming a combined grammar 
 and English-Swahili dictionary. The second part con- 
 sists of a Swahili-Engiish vocabulary, and so completes 
 the work. 
 
 The Swahili language has been hitherto but litclo 
 written by those who speak it, and they know and use 
 only the purely Arabic alphabet. There are copies of 
 religious and secular verses, and possibly other works, 
 composed in the old or poetical dialect, which is not 
 now, and I believe never was, thoroughly understood 
 by the mass of the people. The modem dialect is used 
 in letters; but they have always a string of Arabic 
 compliments at the beginning, and Arabic words and 
 phrases freely interspersed throughout. 
 
 Any one who tries to read a letter or a poem written 
 in Arabic characters, will at once see why it is impos- 
 sible to adopt them as the standard Swahili alphabet. 
 It is absolutely necessary to have a good idea of what 
 you are to read before you can read at all. The reason 
 is that Swahili has five vowels, Arabic only three, and 
 of Swahili consonants the Arabic supplies no means of 
 writing ch, g, p, or v, nor can consecutive consonants be 
 written without shocking Arabic notions of propriety. 
 Thus the Swahili are driven to write the ba for p and 
 for mh as well as for h ; the gJiain for g, ng, and ng\ as 
 well as for gh ; the fa for v and mv, as well as for /; 
 the ya for ny as well as for y ; the shin for ch as well as 
 for sh ; and to omit altogether the n before cZ, y, y, and z. 
 Initial vowels and consecutive vowels are only to be 
 expressed by Jiemzas or 'ains. In. the first piece of
 
 6 8WAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 written Swahili I ever possessed (the Story of tlie Ox 
 and the Ass) the words ng^omhe and punda were written 
 ghihe and huda. It will be easily seen how imperfect 
 and ambiguous a means of writing Swahili the Arabic 
 character must be. An instance occurred while I was 
 in Zanzibar of a letter written from Kilwa with the 
 account of a fight, in which it was said that one of 
 the principal men, ameJciifa, had died, or amevuJca, had 
 got away, and which it was no one could certainly 
 tell ; the last two consonants were fa and qaf, with 
 three dots over them. If two of the dots belonged 
 to the first letter, the man was dead ; if two belonged 
 to the next letter, he was alive : but the dots were 
 so equally placed that no one could tell how to divide 
 them. If the Arabic had possessed a v, there could 
 have been no mistake. It would no doubt be possible 
 to express Swahili sounds by using letters with addi- 
 tional dots and affixing arbitrary sounds to the letters 
 of prolongation, as is done in Persian and Hindi, but 
 the result would puzzle a genuine Swahili and could 
 never be quite satisfactory in any respect. 
 
 There seems to be no difficulty in writing Swahili 
 in Eoman characters, there being no sound which does 
 not 80 nearly occur in some European language that 
 the proper way of writing it can readily be fixed upon, 
 and illustrated by an example. When this is the case 
 there is no need to look for anything further. I think 
 those who tiy to settle the alphabets of new languages 
 are too apt to forget how essential simplicity is to a 
 really good alphabet. If the Eoman alphabet can be
 
 JNTRODUCTIOK 7 
 
 made to distinguisli all the sounds used in that lan- 
 guage, it does all for it that it does for any. To at- 
 tempt to distinguish the sounds used in that language, 
 from the sounds used in another, or to mark all the 
 varieties of tone which occur in speaking, is always 
 useless and embarrassing, and not one man in a thou- 
 sand has sufficient accuracy of ear to do it properly. 
 It is practically easier to learn to attach a new 
 sound to a known letter, than to learn a new sound 
 and a new letter too, especially when the new letter 
 has to be printed and written, and the learner is en- 
 tangled in a maze of italics and letters with a point 
 below and a point above, or a line through them, or 
 some Greek letter which has not the sound one gives it 
 in Greek, or some new invention which will fit well 
 neither into printing nor writing, and looks at its ease 
 neither as a capital nor a small letter. It generally 
 happens that the sounds of a language, though not 
 identical with those of another, correspond with them 
 sufficiently to make the corresponding letters appro- 
 priate symbols. Thus an English and a French t are 
 not identical; but which nation would or ought to 
 submit always to put a dot somewhere about its t to 
 show that it is not the t which it never will want to 
 use, and never did, and could not pronounce, if it met 
 with it ? Or, to take a stronger instance, ought Ger- 
 mans, Englishmen, and Spaniards always to cross the 
 tails of their y's, or print them in italics, or deform their 
 books with new symbols, merely because they do not 
 pronounce their /s as Frenchmen do theirs?
 
 SWAEILI EANDBOOK, 
 
 THE ALPHABET. 
 
 The Vowels are to be pronounced as in Italian, the 
 Consonants as in English. 
 
 A = a in father, 
 
 B = & in hare. 
 
 Ch= cli in cherry. Italian c before i or e. 
 
 J) = din do. D occurs very frequently in the Mombas dialect 
 
 where j is used in that of Zanzibar. 
 E = ai in chair. 
 F = / in fine. German v. 
 G = g in gate, never soft as in genius. 
 H = hin hat. 
 I = ee in feet. 
 J = j ia joy. Sometimes more like dy or di in cordial. French 
 
 di, German dj, Italian gi. 
 K — hin kalendar. 
 
 L = Z in long. L and r are generally treated as the same letter. 
 M = m in man. 
 N = w in no. 
 
 O = o in hoy, more like au than the common English a. 
 P = p in 'paint. 
 K = r in raise. An English, not a Scotch, Irish, German, or 
 
 French r. See L. 
 S = 8 in Bun. German ss. It is never pronounced like a 2 or 
 
 the English s in arise. S and sh are commonly used for 
 
 one another indiscriminately. 
 T = < in ten. T frequently occurs in the dialect of Mombas 
 
 where ch is used in that of Zanzibar.
 
 TEE ALPEABET. 9 
 
 U = 00 in tool. 
 
 V = v in very. German lo. 
 
 W = 10 in xoin. French ou. It is merely a u pronounced as a 
 consonant. 
 
 Y = j^ in yonder. German j. It is merely an i pronounced as a 
 
 consonant. Y is frequently used in the Lamoo dialect 
 where j occurs in that of Zanzibar. 
 Z = 2 in zany. German s. Z frequently occurs in the dialect of 
 Lamoo where v is used in that of Zanzibar. 
 
 There are several sounds introdnced from the Arabic 
 which do not occur in purely African words. 
 
 Gh = the Arabic gliain ; it is a guttural g, resembling 
 the Dutch g. It may be obtained by pro- 
 nouncing a g (as nearly as it can be done) 
 with the mouth wide open. Most Europeans 
 imagine, the first time they hear it, that 
 there is an r sound after the g, but this is a 
 mistake. 
 
 Kh = the Arabic TcTia ; it is a very rough form of the 
 German ch, the Spanish j, or the Scotch ch in 
 loch. It resembles the sound made in trying 
 to raise something in the throat. It may 
 always be replaced in SwahiK by a simple ^, 
 but never by a h. 
 
 Th = the four Arabic letters tlia, thai, ihod, and thah. 
 The first of these is the English th in think, 
 the second that in they. The third and fourth 
 are thicker varieties of the second sound. In 
 Swahili they may all be replaced by a z. No 
 attempt is ever made to distinguish the last 
 three letters; but as the first is generally
 
 10 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 marked in pronunciation, it is in the first 
 part of this handbook marked by printing 
 the th in italics wherever it is to be pro- 
 nounced as in the English word tJiink. The 
 sound of the English th in that occurs in 
 some Swahili as a dialectic variation for z. 
 In vulgar Swahili z is not merely put for 
 the Arabic th, but th is also put for the 
 Arabic z, as wathiri for waziri, a vizir. 
 
 There are several compound consonantal sounds 
 tv^iich require notice. 
 
 Ch, a very common sound, representing what is 
 sometimes a t and sometimes Jci — in other 
 dialects. C is not required for any other 
 sound, as it can be always represented by k 
 when hard, and by s when soft. It would 
 probably be an improvement always to write 
 the ch sound by a simple c. 
 
 Gn, see ng'. 
 
 Kw represents the sound of qu in queer. 
 
 M frequently stands for mu, in which cases it is pro- 
 nounced with a half-suppressed u sound 
 before it, and is even capable of bearing the 
 accent of the word, as in mtu, a person, where 
 the stress of voice is on the w, which has a 
 dull nasal semivowel sound, not quite urn. 
 Where m occurs before any consonant except 
 b or w, it must have this semivowel sound.
 
 TEE ALPHABET. H 
 
 M, standing for mu, has generally its semi- 
 vowel sound before u. Before a or e it 
 becomes raw, and before o it frequently loses 
 the u altogether, and is pronounced as a 
 simple m. 
 
 N has frequently a nasal semivowel sound, a half- 
 suppressed i being suggested by it. N has 
 always this semivowel sound where it is 
 immediately followed by c7i, /, A, w, n, or s. 
 
 Is'y has the sound of the Spanish w, the French and 
 Italian gn, the Portuguese rih, and the English 
 ni in companion, only a little thicker and 
 more nasal. 
 
 Ng' is a peculiar African sound, much resembling 
 the -ng which occurs at the end of many 
 English words. If we could divide longing 
 thus, lo-nging, without at all altering the 
 pronunciation, it would come very near 
 the African sound, which is never a final, 
 because all Swahili syllables must end in a 
 vowel. Some prefer to write this sound gn-, 
 as it resembles the sound given by Germans 
 and others to those letters when they occur 
 as initial letters in Greek. This sound must 
 be distinguished from the common sound of 
 ng-, in which the g distinctly passes on to 
 the following vowel, as in the English word 
 engage; in ng'- both sounds are heard, but 
 neither passes on to the vowel. 
 
 Sh is the Arabic shin, the English sh, the French ch.
 
 12 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 the German sch. Sh and s are commonly 
 treated as identical. 
 
 P, T, K, and possibly some other letters, have occa- 
 sionally an explosive or aspirated sound, 
 such as an Irishman will often give them. 
 This explosive sound makes no change in 
 the letter, but is an addition to it, probably 
 always marking a suppressed n. Thus iipepo 
 is a ivind, with both ^)'s smooth as in English ; 
 but the plural, which should regularly be 
 npejpo, is p'ej)o, with a strong explosive sound 
 attached to the first letter. This explosive 
 sound may be marked by an apostrophe ; it 
 is, however, very seldom necessary to the 
 Bense of a word, and is noticeably smoothed 
 down or omitted by the more refined and 
 Arabized Swahili. 
 
 There are other niceties of pronunciation which a 
 fine ear may distinguish; but as they are 
 by no means essential, and are seldom noticed 
 by the natives themselves, it is not worth 
 while her© to examine them particularly. 
 
 As a rule, the vowels are all pronounced distin'ctly, 
 and do not form diphthongs. When, however, a for- 
 mative particle ending in -a is placed before a word 
 beginning with e- or i-, the two letters coalesce into a 
 long e sound. It is not, however, even in such a case 
 as this, always incorrect to pronounce the two vowels 
 distinctly, though it is not usually done. The instances
 
 THE ALPHABET. 13 
 
 of and rules for this union of sound will be found 
 where the several prefixes which give occasion to it 
 are dealt with. 
 
 When two vowels come together at the end of a 
 word, they are often to the ear one syllable, and have 
 the sound of a diphthong; they are really, however, 
 two syllables of which the former bears the accent. 
 This is at once apparent in the Merima dialect, in 
 which an I is put between the vowels. Thus hufaa, to 
 be of use, which sounds as if written hufd, is in the 
 Merima dialect hufala. The shifting of the accent 
 sometimes shows that the vowels are really separate. 
 Thus a common fruit tree is called mzamharau, in which 
 word the last two vowels apparently unite into a 
 sound like that in the English word how ; but when -ni 
 is added, making Mzambarauni, at the zamhardu tree — 
 the name of one of the quarters of Zanzibar — the u is 
 quite separated from the a, and the last two syllables 
 are pronounced like the English -oony. 
 
 It may be assumed in all cases in which two vowels 
 come together that an I has been omitted between 
 them, and will appear in some modification of the word 
 or in its derivatives. 
 
 The shifting of the accent above referred to takes 
 place in obedience to the universal rule in Swahili, 
 that the main accent of the word is always put upon 
 the last syllable but one, a rule which often changes 
 the sound of a word so materially as to baffle a beginner 
 in his endeavour to seize and retain it. The syllable 
 -ni is the chief disturber of accents ; and words which
 
 14 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 end in it may be always suspected of being plural 
 imperatives if they are verbs, or of being in what is 
 known as the locative case if they are nouns. There 
 are only a very few words which end in -ni in their 
 simple forms. 
 
 The formation or division of syllables is so closely 
 connected with the powers of the letters, that this wdll 
 be a proper place to mention it. The rule is that all 
 Swahili syllables end in a vowel, and that the vowel 
 must be preceded only by a single consonant, or by 
 one preceded by n or m, or followed by lo or y. 
 
 There are a few half-assimilated Arabic words in 
 which double consonants occur ; but there is a strong 
 tendency in all such cases to drop one of the consonants 
 and attach the other to the vowel which follows them. 
 
 W can be placed after all the other consonants, 
 simple and compound, except perhaps F 
 and Y, 
 
 Y can follow F, N, and V. 
 
 These two letters are used in the formation of Verbs, 
 -w- being the sign of the passive, and -y- being used to 
 give a transitive meaning. In several cases -fy- stands 
 for -py- ; -py- occurs in one word only, ^mpya, new. 
 
 N can be placed before D, G, J, Y, and Z. 
 
 M can be placed before B, and perhaps Ch and V. 
 
 M in these instances represents an n- used as a sub- 
 stantival and adjectival prefix. Used in this way, n 
 before h becomes m ; before I or r it changes the Z or r 
 into c?, making nd- instead of nl- or nr- ; before w it 
 changes into wi, and the w becomes &, making mh-
 
 THE ALPHABET. 15 
 
 instead of nw-. It is curious that w can be made to 
 follow n without any change, but that n cannot be put 
 before w. Before k, p, and t, the n is dropped, and 
 they become A;', jp\ and t' ; before the other letters ch, 
 /", A, 7w, n, and s, it is merely dropped. 
 
 The resulting syllables are not always easy of pro- 
 nunciation to a European, as, for instance, nywa in hu- 
 nywa, to drink, nor is it very easy to pronounce ngu oi 
 nda ; but to a native such sounds present no difficulty, 
 whilst he can scarcely pronounce such a word as hlack. 
 
 Instances of the division of syllables will be found 
 in the specimen of Kinyume, which forms Appendix I. 
 Kinyume is made by taking the last syllable from the 
 end of a word and putting it at the beginning, so that 
 each instance is a specimen of the native idea as to 
 what letters belong to the final syllable. Some Swahili 
 are very ready at understanding and speaking this 
 enigmatical dialect. 
 
 At the head of each letter in the second part will 
 be found some observations on its use and pronun- 
 ciation.
 
 16 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 Swaliili nouns have two numbers, singular and plural, 
 (v^hicli are distinguished by their initial letters. Upon 
 the forms of the Substantives depend the forms of all 
 Adjectives, Pronouns, and Verbs governing or governed 
 by them. It is, therefore, necessary to divide them 
 into so many classes as there are different forms either 
 of Substantives or of dependent words, in order to be 
 able to lay down rules for the correct formation of 
 sentences. For this purpose Swahili Substantives may 
 be conveniently divided into eight classes. 
 
 I. Those beginning with Jf-, 'Jf-, Mu-, or Mw-, in 
 the singular, and which denote living beings. They 
 make their plural by changing M- &c. into Wa-. 
 
 Mtu, a man ; watu, people. 
 
 The singular prefix represents in all its forms the 
 syllable Mu-, which is itself very rarely heard. Before 
 a consonant it is almost always pronounced as a semi- 
 vowel m, with the u sound before rather than after it. 
 Before a and e the u becomes a consonant, and the 
 prefix appears as mw-. Before o and u the u is very
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 17 
 
 frequently dropped, and the m alone is heard. The 
 
 pn^.fix is treated as a distinct syllable when followed 
 
 by a consonant, but very rarely so when followed by 
 
 a vowel. 
 
 Mchawi, a wizard ; wacJiaivi, wizards. 
 
 Mjusl, a lizard ; wajusi, lizards. 
 
 Mwana, a son ; tcaana, sons. 
 
 Mwoga, or moga, a coward ; waoga, cowards. 
 
 Muumishi, or mumishij a cupper ; waumisM, cuppers. 
 
 When the plural prefix wa- is placed before a word 
 beginning with a-, the two a's run together, and are 
 seldom distinguishable by the ear alone. When wa- is 
 placed before a word beginning with e- or {-, the -a 
 flows into the other vowel and produces a long e sound. 
 
 Mwenzi, a companion ; u'enzi, companions. 
 Mtvivi, a thief; ivevi, thieves. 
 
 II. Substantives beginning with M-, 'M-, Mu-, or 
 
 Mw-, which do not denote living or animate beings. 
 They make their plural by changing M- &c. into Mi-. 
 Mti, a tree ; miti, trees. 
 
 The same observations apply to the singular prefix 
 in this class as in Class I. 
 
 Mfupa, a bone ; mifupa, bones. 
 Mwanzo, a beginning ; mianzo, beginnings, 
 Micemhe, a mango tree ; miembe, mango trees. 
 Mioiba, a thorn ; miiba, or miba, thorns. 
 Moto, a fire ; mioto, fires. 
 
 The names of trees belong to this class. 
 
 III. Those which do not change to form the plural. 
 
 Nyumha, a house ; nyiimba, houses.
 
 18 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The simple description of nouns of this class is that 
 they begin with n, followed by some other consonant. 
 It is probable that Ni- is the ground form of the prefix 
 of this class, since it always appears as ny- before a 
 vowel. The singular powers and antipathies of the 
 letter n- very much affect the distinctness of this class 
 of nouns. As n must be dropped before ch, f, h, k, p, «, 
 or /, nouns beginning with those letters may belong to 
 this class ;* and as n becomes m before 6, v, and i«, 
 nouns beginning with mh or mv may belong to it. There 
 is a further complication in Swahili, arising from the 
 fact that foreign words, except only foreign names of 
 persons and offices, whatever their first letters, are 
 correctly placed in this class. The popular instinct, 
 however, refuses this rule, and in the vulgar dialect 
 classes foreign words according to their initial letters, 
 regarding the first syllable as a mere prefix, and treat- 
 ing it accordingly (see also p. 20). In some cases words 
 are handled in this way even in polite Swahili ; thus the 
 Arabic Kitahu, a book, is very often made plural by 
 treating the hi- as a prefix, and saying Vitahu, for books. 
 
 Kamba, a rope ; kamha, ropes. 
 Mhegu, a seed ; mbegu, seeds. 
 Nyumha, a house ; nyumba, houses. 
 Meza, a table ; meza, tables. 
 Bunduki, a gun ; hunduki, guns. 
 Ndizi, a banana ; ndizi, bananas. 
 Njia, a road ; njia, roads. 
 
 • There is nothing to show whetlier nouns beginning with these 
 letters belong to this class or to the fifth ; but it is always safest in 
 cases of doubt to treat them as belonging to this class, unless some 
 gpecial largeness is intended to be intimated concerning them.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 19 
 
 IV. Those which begin with Ki- before a consonant 
 or Ch- before a vowel. They form their plural by- 
 changing Ki- into Vi' and Ch- into Vy-. 
 
 Kitu, a thing ; vitu, things. 
 Chombo^ a vessel ; vyortibo, vessels. 
 
 Substantives are made diminutives by being brought 
 into this class. 
 
 Mlinm, a mountain ; Kilima, a hill. 
 Bweta, a box ; kibweta, a little box. 
 
 If the word stripped of all prefixes is a monosyllable, 
 y»- must first be prefixed. 
 
 Mti. a tree ; hijiti, a shrub. 
 
 Mwiho, a spoon ; kijiko, a little spoon. 
 
 Words beginning with Ki- may be turned into 
 diminutives by inserting -ji- after the prefix. 
 
 Kitwa, a head ; kijiiica, a little head. 
 
 Kiboko, a hippopotamus ; kijiboko, a little hippopotamus. 
 
 In regard to animals, the use of the diminutive has 
 a depreciating effect. 
 
 Mbuzi, a goat ; hibuzi, a poor little goat 
 
 V. Those which make their plural by prefixing two-. 
 
 Kasha, a chest ; makasha, chests. 
 
 Nouns are generally brought into this class by re- 
 jecting all prefix in the singular. If, however, the 
 word itself begins with a vowel, j- is prefixed ; if it be 
 a monosyllable, ji- is prefixed. The J- oiji- is regularly 
 
 C 2
 
 20 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 omitted in the plural, but may be retained to avoid 
 ambiguity, where the regular word would have re- 
 sembled one formed from another root. 
 
 Jamho, an aifair ; mamho, affairs. 
 
 Jicho, an eye ; macho, eyes. 
 
 Jomho, a large vessel ; majombo, large vessels. 
 
 If the word b^gin with i- or e-, the -a of the plural 
 prefix coalesces with it and forms a long -e-; this 
 distinguishes dissyllables with j- prefixed from mono- 
 syllables with, ji- prefixed. 
 
 Jino, a tooth ; meno (not mano), teeth. 
 
 Foreign names of persons and offices belong to this 
 class. 
 
 Waziri, a vizir ; mawaziri, vizirs. 
 
 In the vulgar dialect of Zanzibar all foreign words 
 which have a first syllable that cannot be treated as a 
 jDrefix, are made to belong to this class, and ma- is 
 prefixed to form the plural (see p. 18). 
 
 Anything which is to be marked as peculiarly large 
 or important is so described by bringing the word into 
 this class. 
 
 MJvJio, a bag ; fulco, a very large bag. 
 
 Mtu, a man ; jitu, a very large man. 
 
 Nyumba, a house ; juniba, a large house. 
 
 If a word is already in this class, it may be described 
 as larger by prefixing ji-. 
 
 Matanga, sails ; majitanga, great sails.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 21 
 
 Maji, water, JSIafuta, oil, and other nouns in that 
 form are treated as plurals of this class. 
 
 VI. Those which begin with Z7- in the singular. 
 They make their plural by changing TJ- into Ny- before 
 a vowel, or N- before a consonant. 
 
 TJimho, a song; nyimho, songs. 
 
 Udevu, a hair of the beard ; ndevu, hairs of the beard. 
 
 This class is not a large one ; Dut the formation of 
 its plural is full of apparent irregularities produced by 
 the letter n. 
 
 1. All nouns of this class, which are in the singular 
 dissyllables only, retain the it- in the plural, and are 
 treated as beginning with a vowel. 
 
 Ufa, a crack ; nyufa, cracks. 
 UsOf a face ; nyuso, faces. 
 
 2. Words in which the U- is followed by d, g^j, or 2. 
 take N- in place of U-. 
 
 3. Words in which the U- is followed by I or r, take 
 JV-, but change the Z or r into d, 
 
 Ulimi, a tongue ; ndimi, tongues. 
 
 4. Words in which the U- is followed by h, v, or ic, 
 
 take n-, but change it into m-, and their first letter is 
 
 always h. 
 
 Uhau, a plank ; mhau, planks. 
 
 Uwingu, a heaven ; mhingu^ the heavens. 
 
 5. Words in which the U- is followed by Jc, jj or t.
 
 22 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 drop tlae TJ-, and give an explosive sound to tlie first 
 
 letter. 
 
 TJyepo, a wind ; 'p^e'po^ winds. 
 
 6. Words in which the U- is followed by ch, /, A, n, 
 or s, merely drop the TJ-. 
 
 U/unguo, a key ; fungtto, keys. 
 
 Nouns of this class are so few in Swahili that it is 
 scarcely worth while to notice these distinctions ; they 
 are, however, important as explaining what would 
 otherwise seem anomalies, and represent influences 
 which have a much larger field in other African 
 languages. 
 
 Abstract nouns generally belong to this class. 
 
 VII. The one word Mahali, place or places, which 
 requires special forms in all adjectives and pronouns. 
 
 VIII. The Infinitives of Verbs used as Substantives. 
 All Infinitives may be so used, and answer to the 
 English Verbal Substantives in -ing, 
 
 Kufa, to die = dying. 
 Kwiba, to steal = stealing. 
 
 All Substantives of both numbers may be put into 
 what may be called the locative case by adding ni. 
 This case has three great varieties of meaning, which 
 are marked by difi'erences in all dependent pronouns. 
 
 1. In, within, to or from within. 
 
 2. At, by, near, 
 
 3. To, from, at (of places far off).
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 23 
 
 Nyumhani mwangu, in my house. 
 Nyumhani pangu^ near my house. 
 Nyumhani hicangu, to my house. 
 
 Mtoni, by the river. 
 
 Njiani, on the road. 
 
 Vyomboni, in the vessela, 
 
 Kiticani, on the head. 
 
 Mhinguni, in heaven. 
 
 KuanguJcanif in falling, 
 
 ♦ 
 
 The possessive case is expressed by the use of the 
 Preposition -a, which see. The objective or accusative 
 is the same as the subjective or nominative. 
 
 In the following list of Substantives the plural form 
 is given in all caseo in which, if commonly used, it is 
 not the same as the singular.
 
 24 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 LIST OF SUBSTANTIVES 
 
 The letters in parentheses denote the several dialects : (A.) Kiamu, that of 
 Lamoo ; (M.) Kimvita, that of Mombas ; (Mer.) Kimerima, that of the main- 
 land opposite Zanzibar ; (N.) Kingozi, the poetical dialect ; (Ar.) Arabic, 
 
 A what-is-it, a thing the name of 
 which you do not know or can- 
 not recall, dude, x>l. madude. 
 
 Such-a-one, a person whose name is 
 not known or is immaterial, 
 fullani. 
 
 Abasement, unenyekeo. 
 Abhorrence, machukio. 
 Ability, uwezo. 
 Abridgment, muhtasari. 
 Abscess, tumbasi, nasur. 
 Abundance, wingi, ungi (M.), mari- 
 
 thawa. 
 Abyssinian, Habeshia, pi. Maba- 
 
 besbia. 
 Acceptance, ukubali. 
 Accident, tukio, pi. matukio. 
 Accounts, besabu. 
 
 Account book, daftari. 
 Accusation, matuvumu. 
 Accusation (before a judge), msbta- 
 
 ka, ])l- misbtaka. 
 Ache, maumivu, ucbungu. 
 Action, kitendo, pi. vitendo, amali. 
 Addition (in arithmetic) ^ jumla. 
 
 Address (of a letter), anwani. 
 Adornment, kipambo, pi. vipambo, 
 
 pambo, pi. mapambo. 
 Adultery, zaai, uzini, uzinzi. 
 Advantage (profit), fayida. 
 Adversity, mateso, sbidda. 
 Advice, sbauri, pi. mashuuri. 
 Adze, slioka la bapa, sezo. 
 Affair, jambo. 
 
 Affairs, mambo, sbugbuli, uli- 
 mweugu. 
 Affection, mapenzi, mapendo. 
 
 Mutual affection, inapendana 
 Affliction, teso, pi. mateso. 
 Age, umri. 
 
 Old age, uzee. 
 
 Extreme old age, ukongwe. 
 
 Equal in age, hirimu moja. 
 
 Former ages, zamani za kale. 
 Agent, wakili, pi. mawakili. 
 Agreement, maagano, makatibu, 
 
 mwafaka, mapatano, sbarti. 
 Aim, ebababa. 
 Air, bawa, hewa, upepo. 
 
 For change of air, kubadili bawa. 
 Almond, lozi, pi. malozi. 
 Alms, sadaka.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 25 
 
 Aloes, subiri, shibiri. 
 
 Aloes ivood, uudi. 
 
 Altar, mathbah, inathab.iliu. 
 
 Alum, shabbu. 
 
 Ambergris, ambari. 
 
 Amulet, talasimu, pi. matalasimu. 
 
 Amusement, mazumgumzo, mao- 
 
 ngezi. 
 Ancestors, babu, wazee. 
 Anchor, nanga, baura. 
 Ancle (see Anklets), kiwiko cha 
 
 mguu, ito la guu (A.). 
 Angel, malaika. 
 Anger, hasira, gbathabu. 
 Angle, pembe. 
 Angoxa, Ngoje. 
 Animal, nyama. 
 
 The young of a domestic animal, 
 ndama. 
 
 A young she-animal that has not 
 yet home, mtainba,^Z. mitamba. 
 
 Native animals. See under their 
 several names : — 
 
 Buku, a very large hind of rat. 
 
 Toi, a kind of wild goat. 
 
 Buga (?). 
 
 Ndezi (?). 
 
 Xjiri (?). 
 Anklets {see Ancle), mtali, pi. mitali, 
 
 furungu, pi. mafurungu. 
 Ansii-er, majibu, jawabu. 
 Antelo'pes. See Gazelle. 
 
 Bara, Heleohagus arundinaceus. 
 
 Dondoro, Dyker's antelope. 
 
 Koru, icater buck. 
 
 Kuguni, haartebeest. 
 
 Mpofu, pi. Wapofu, eland. 
 
 Nyumbo, wildebeest. 
 
 Pardhara. 
 
 Kulungu. 
 Antimony, wanja y^a. manga. 
 4?i<s,chungu,tiingu(M.,,sisiiiiizi(?). 
 
 Siafu, a large Thrown kind. 
 
 Maji a moto, a yellow kind ivhich 
 lives in trees. 
 
 Wliite ants, mchwa. 
 
 Ants in their flying stage, kiimbi- 
 kumbi. 
 
 Anthill, kisugulu, pi. visugulu. 
 Anus, mkunda, fupa. 
 Anvil, fuawe. 
 Ape, nyani. 
 
 Apostle, mtume, pi. mitume. 
 Appearance, umbo, pZ. maumbo. 
 Arab, Mwarabu. pi. "Waarabu. 
 Arab from Shelter, Mshihiri, pi. 
 
 Washihiri. 
 Arab from the Persian Gulf, Mslie- 
 mali, pi. Washemali, Tende 
 balua. 
 Arabia, Arabuni, Manga. 
 Arabic, Kiarabu. 
 Arbitrator, mpatanishi. 
 Arch, tao, pi. matao. 
 Areca nut, popoo. See Betd. 
 Arithmetic, hesabu. 
 
 Addition, jumla. 
 
 Subtraction, baki. 
 
 Multiplication, tharuba. 
 
 Division, mkasama. 
 
 Proportion, or division of profits. 
 Arm, mkono, pi. mikono. [uirari. 
 
 Under the arm, kwapani 
 Armpit, kwapa, pi. makwapa. 
 
 Perspiration of the armpit, 
 
 Arrangements, madaraka. 
 Arrival, kifiko, kikomo. 
 Arrogance, gbururi. 
 Arrow, mshale, pi. mishale, chembe, 
 
 pi. vyembe (N.). 
 Arrowroot, uwanga, kanji. 
 Artery, vein or nerve^ mshipa, p}. 
 
 inisbipa.
 
 26 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Artifice, kitimbi, pi. vitinibi. 
 Ascriptions of praise, ta;biih. 
 Ashes, jifu, pi. inajifu, ivu, pL 
 
 maivu (M.). 
 Ass, punda. 
 Assafcetida, mvuje. 
 Assembly, jamaa, jumaa, makutano, 
 
 makusanyiko. 
 Place of assembly, makusanyiko. 
 Asthma, pumu. 
 
 Astonishment, mataajabn, msnngao. 
 Astrologer, mnajimu. pi. wanajimu. 
 Astronomy, falaki, falak. 
 Attachment, wambiso. 
 Auction, mnada, pi. minada. 
 Auctioneer, dalali. 
 Auiit, sbangazi, pi. mashangazi. 
 Authority, nguvu, mamluka, hu- 
 
 kmnu. 
 Avarice, choyo, bakhili, tamaa. 
 Aid, uiiia, pi. nyuma. 
 Awning, chandalua. 
 Axe, shoka, pi. mashoka. 
 
 B. 
 
 Baby, mtoto mchanga, kitoto 
 
 kichanga, mabiika. 
 Bach, maun go, mgongo. 
 
 Bach of the head and nech, ki- 
 
 shogo. 
 Bachhone, uti wa maungo. 
 Badness, ubaya, uovu. 
 Bag, mfuko, j^^- mifuko, fuko, pi. 
 mafuko, kifuko, pi. vifuko. 
 Mkrba, pi. mikoba, a scrip. 
 Kiljcgoshi, pi. vibogoshi, o small 
 
 bag made of shin. 
 Matting bags. 
 Kikapu or Cldkapu, pi. vikapu. 
 Kapu, pi. makapu, very large. 
 Kanda, pjl. makanda, long and 
 narrow, broadest at tht bottom. 
 
 Junia, used for rice, &c., gunia. 
 Kigunni, used for dates, sugar, 
 
 &c. 
 Kifumbo, pi. vifumbo, very large 
 used for cloves. 
 Baggage, vyombo. 
 Bail, lazima. 
 
 Bait, chambo, pi. vyambo. 
 Bahing place for pottery, &c., joko. 
 Balances, niizani. 
 Baldness, upaa. 
 A shaved pla/ie on the head, kipaa, 
 pi. vipaa. 
 Ball, tufe. 
 
 India-rubber hall, mpira, pi. 
 
 mipira. 
 Any small round thing, donge, pi. 
 madonge. 
 Ballast, farumi. 
 Bamboo, 'mwanzi, pi. miwanzi. 
 Bananas, ndizi. 
 
 Banana tree, mgomba, pi. mi- 
 
 Bunchlets of fruit, tana, pi. 
 
 matana. 
 The fruit stalk, mkungu, pi. mi- 
 kungu. 
 Band {stripe), utepe, pi. tepe. 
 Band (of soldiers, &c.), kikosi, pL 
 
 vikosi. 
 Bandage, utambaa, pi. tambaa. 
 Bangles. See Anklets. 
 Bank (of earth, sand, &c.), fungu, 
 pi. mafungu. 
 Bank of a river, kando. 
 The opposite bank, ng'ambo. 
 Baobab. See Calabash. 
 Barber, kinyozi, pi. vinyozi. 
 Bargain, mwafaka, maafikano. 
 Bargaining, ubazazi. 
 Bark of a tree, gume {hard), ganda 
 (soft).
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 27 
 
 Barley, sliairi (Ar.). 
 
 Barque (a ship), merikebu ya mili- 
 
 ngote miwili na nuss. 
 Barrel, pipa, pi. mapipa. 
 Basin, bakuli, pi. mabakulL 
 A small hasin, kibaba. 
 A brass hasin, tasa, pi. matasa. 
 See Bawl. 
 Basket. See Bag. 
 Chikapu, pi. vikapn. 
 Pakacha, pi. mapakacha, made 
 of cocoa-nut leaves plaited to- 
 gether. 
 Dohani, a very tall narrow hashet 
 made of slips of wood supple- 
 mented hy cocoa-nut leaves. 
 Tunga, a round open hasket. 
 Ungo, pi. maungo, or uteo, pi. 
 teo (M.), a round flat basket 
 used for sifting. 
 Kiteo, pi. viteo, a very small one. 
 Kunguto, pi. makunguto, a 
 
 basket used as a colander. 
 Jamanda, j9?. majamanda, a round 
 basket of thick work, with a 
 raised lid. 
 Bat, popo. 
 
 Batchelor, msijana (?). 
 Bdth, birika, chakogea. 
 Bath room, choo, pi. vyoo. See 
 
 Privy. 
 Public baths, bamami. 
 Battle, mapigano. 
 Battlements, menomeno. 
 Bay, gbubba. 
 Beach, pwani, mpwa (M.). 
 Beads, ushanga, pi. s-baiiga. 
 
 Kondavi, pi. makondavi, a large 
 
 kind worn by women, 
 (rosary), tasbiih. 
 Beak, mdomo wa ndege. 
 A parrot's beak, mbaDgo. 
 
 Beam, mti, pi. miti, boriti, mbixnili, 
 
 pi. mihimili. 
 Beans, kuuude. 
 
 Chooko, a very small green kind. 
 Fiwe, grow on a climbing plant 
 
 icith a white flotcer. 
 Baazi, grow on a bush someihing 
 like a laburnum. 
 Beard, ndevu, madevu. 
 
 One hair of the beard, udevn. 
 TJie imperial, the tuft of hair on 
 the lower lip, kinwa mcbuzi, 
 kionda mtuzi (M.). 
 Beast, nyama. 
 Beauty, uzuri. 
 
 A beauty, kizuri, pi. vizuri, baiba. 
 Bed (for planting sweet potatoes), 
 
 tuta, pi. matuta. 
 Bedding, matandiko. 
 Bedstead, Mtanda, pi. vitanda. 
 The legs, tendegu, pi. matendegn. 
 TJie side pieces, mfumbati, pi. 
 
 mifumbati. 
 The end pieces, kitakizo, pi. vita- 
 
 kizo. 
 The head, mchago. 
 The space underneath^ mvungu 
 kitanda. 
 Bee, nyuki. 
 Beehive (a hollow piece of wood), 
 
 mzinga, pi. mizinga. 
 Beggar, mwombaji, pi. waombaji. 
 Begging, maomvi. 
 Beginning, mwanzo, pi. mianzo. 
 Start in speaking or doing, fell, 
 pi. mafeli. 
 Behaviour, mwenendo. 
 
 Good behaviour, kutenda vema. 
 17? behaviour, kutenda vibaya. 
 Bell, kengele. 
 
 Njuga, a small bell worn as an 
 ornament, a dog hell.
 
 28 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Bellowing, kivumi, vumi. 
 Bellows, mifuo, mivukuto. 
 Belly, matumbo. 
 Bend, pindo. 
 
 The arm stiffened in a bent form, 
 kigoslio cha mkono. 
 Bemhatooha bay, Mjanga. 
 Betel leaf, tambuu. It is chewed 
 with areca nut, lime, and to- 
 bacco folded up in it, and gives 
 its name to the ichole. 
 Beverage, kinywaji, pi. viny waji. 
 Bhang, bangi. 
 
 Biceps muscle, tafu ya mkono. 
 Bier, jeneza, jenaiza. 
 Bifurcation, panda. 
 Bile, nyongo. 
 Biliousness, safura (Ar.), marungu 
 
 (M. . 
 Bill. See Beak 
 (account), hesabu, barua. 
 Bill of sale, ankra. 
 (chopper), raundu, pZ. miundu ; 
 upamba, pi. pamba. 
 Bird, ndege, nyuni (M.). 
 
 Young of birds, kiuda, pi. ma- 
 
 kinda. 
 Birds of the air, ndege za anga. 
 Bird of ill omen, korofi, mkorofi. 
 Native birds. 
 Pugi, a very small hind of dove. 
 Korongo, crane. 
 Mbango, a bird with a hoohed 
 
 beak. 
 Ninga, a green dove. 
 Zawaridi, a Java sparrow. 
 Mbayuwayu, a swallow. 
 Bundi, an oicl. 
 
 Luanga — pungu — tendawala C?). 
 Birth, uzazi, uvyazi, kizazi, kivyazi. 
 Biscuit, biskwiti. 
 
 A very thin kind, kaki. 
 
 Bishop, askafu (Ar.). 
 
 A chess bishop, khumi. 
 Bit (a horse's), lijamu. 
 Bitterness, uchungu, nkali. 
 Blabber of secrets, payo, pi. mapayo. 
 Blacksmith, mfua chuma, pi. wafua 
 
 chuma, mhunzi (Mer.), pi 
 
 wabunzi. 
 Blackwood, sesemi. 
 Bladder, kibofu, pi, vibofu. 
 Blade, kengea. 
 
 Blade of grass, uchipuka, pi. cbi- 
 
 puka. 
 Blame, matuvunm. 
 Blanket, bushuti. 
 Blemish, ila, kipunguo. 
 Blessing, baraka, mbaraka, pi. mi- 
 
 baraka. 
 Blindness, upofu (loss of sight), 
 
 chongo (loss of one eye). 
 Blinders (used for camels when 
 
 grinding in mills), jamanda (of 
 
 basket work), kidoto (of cloth). 
 Blister, lengelenge, pi. malenge- 
 
 lenge. 
 A vesicular eruption of the skin. 
 Block. See Pulley. [uwati. 
 
 A block to dry skull caps ixpton, 
 
 faroma. 
 Blood, damn. 
 
 Blood-vessel, msbipa, pi. misbipa. 
 Blotch, waa, pi. mawaa. 
 Blowing and bellowing noise (often 
 
 made with a drum), vmni. 
 Blue vitriol, mrututu. 
 Board, ubau, pi. mbau. 
 
 Piece of board, kibau, pi. vibau. 
 Boat, masbua. 
 Body, mwili, pi. miili. 
 
 The human trunk, kiwiliwili. 
 
 A dead body, mayiti. 
 
 The body of soldiers, &c., jamiL
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 29 
 
 Boil, jipn, pi. majipu- 
 
 Bomb, kombora. 
 
 Bombay, Mombee. 
 
 Bone, mfupa, pi. mifupa, fapa, pi. 
 
 mafupa {vtry large). 
 Booh, chuo, pi. vyuo, kitabu, pi. 
 vitabu. 
 A sacred book, msabafu, pi. misa- 
 
 hafu. 
 An account book, daftari. 
 Booty, mateka, nyara. 
 Border (boundary), mpaka, pi. mi- 
 paka. 
 An edging icoven on to a piece of 
 cloth, taraza. 
 Bother, uthia, huja. 
 Bottle, chupa, pi. machupa, tupa 
 (M.), pi. matupa. 
 A long-necked bottle for sprinkling 
 
 scents, mrasbi, pi. mirashi. 
 A little bottle, a phial, kitupa, pi. 
 vitupa. 
 Bottom, chini. 
 Bough, kitawi, pi. vitawi. 
 Boundary, mpaka, pi. mipaka. 
 Bow, upindi, pi. pindi, uta, pi. 
 
 mata, or nyuta. 
 Bowl {wooden), fua. See Basin. 
 Bowsprit, mlingote wa maji. 
 Box, bweta, pi. mabweta, ndusi, 
 kisanduku, pi. visanduku. 
 Small, kibweta, pi. vibweta. 
 Large, kasba, pi. makasha, san- 
 
 duku. 
 Small metal box, kijaluba, pi. 
 
 vijaluba. 
 Small, long-shaped metal box, often 
 used to keep betel in, kijamanda, 
 pi. vijamanda. 
 Small paper box, kibumba, pi. 
 vibumba. 
 Boy, kijana, pi vijana. 
 
 Bracelet, kekee (flat). 
 
 Kikuku, pi. vikuku (round). 
 Kingaja, pi. vingaja (of beads). 
 'BsiUSigiii(ornamented with points). 
 Timbi. 
 Braid, kigwe, pi. vigwe. 
 Brains, bongo, mabongo. 
 Bran, chachu, makapi. 
 Husks of rice, kumvi. 
 Branch, tawi, pi. matawi, utanzu, 
 
 pi. tanzu. 
 Brand (apiece of wood partly burnt), 
 
 kinga, pi. vinga. 
 Brass, shaba, nuhas (Ar.). 
 Brass wire, mazoka (?). 
 Bravery, ushujaa, utha,hiti. 
 Brawler, mgomvi, pi. wagomvi. 
 Bread (loaf or cake), inkate. 
 Breadth, upana. 
 Break. See Crack, Notch. 
 Breakfast, cbakula cha subui, 
 kifungua kanwa, cba mslia 
 kanwa. 
 Breaking loind (upward), kiungulia, 
 pi. viungulia. 
 (downward), ^QX£i}o2i., pi. majamba, 
 Biasbuzi. 
 Breast, kifua, kidari, mtima. 
 
 Breasts, maziwa, sing. ziwa. 
 Breath, pumzi, nafusi, roho. 
 Bribe, rushwa. 
 Bride, bibi harusi. 
 Bridegroom, bwana barusi. 
 Bridle, batamu (halter, reins, &c.\ 
 
 lijamu (bit). 
 Brink, ukingo, mzingo. 
 Brook, kijito, pi. vijito. 
 Broom, ufagio, pi. fagio. 
 Brother, ndugu, ndugu mume, 
 kaka (Kihadimu). 
 Foster brother, ndiigii kunyonya. 
 Brother-in-law, shemcgi.
 
 30 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Husband's brother, mwamua. 
 Wife's brother, wifi. 
 Brow, kikomo cha uso, kipaji. 
 Bruise, vilio la damu, alama ya 
 
 pigo. 
 Brush (see Broom), burushi. 
 Brushwood, koko, makoko. 
 Bubble, povu, ^l. mapovu. 
 Bucket, ndoo. 
 BucMer, ngao. 
 Buffalo, nyati. 
 Bug, kunguni. 
 Building, jengo, pi. majengo. 
 Building materials, majengo. 
 Firm and good building, mtomo. 
 Bull, fahali,!??. mafahali, ng'oinbe 
 
 mume or ndume. 
 Bullet, poopoo, risasi ya bunduki. 
 Bulloch, maksai. 
 
 Bunch, tawi, pi. matawi, kitawi, pi. 
 vitawi, kichala, pi. vidiala. 
 The bunch is said to be of the 
 tree and not of the fruit. 
 Tawi la mtende, a bunch of dates. 
 Kichala cha mzabibu, a bunch of 
 grapes. See Bananas. 
 Bundle, peto, pi. mapeto, mzigo, pi. 
 mizigo. 
 In a clothf bimdo, furushi, ki- 
 
 furushi. 
 Of straw, mwenge, pi. mienge. 
 Of sticks, titi, pi. matiti. 
 Buoy, chilezo, pi. vilezo, tnlezo, pi. 
 
 milezo. 
 Burden, mzigo, pi. mizigo. 
 Burial-place, mazishi, maziko. 
 Burier (i.e. a special friend), mzishi, 
 
 pi. wazishi. 
 Bush, kijiti, pi. vijiti. 
 
 Bushes, koko, pi. makoko. 
 BuHness, shughuli, kazi. 
 Urgent business, amara. 
 
 A complicated business, visa 
 
 vingi. 
 His business, amri yake. 
 I have no business, &c., sina amri, 
 &c. 
 Butter, siagi. 
 
 Clarified butter (ghee), samlL 
 Buttermilk, mtindi. 
 Butterfly, kipepeo, pi. vipepeo. 
 Buttocks, tako, pi. matako. 
 Button, kifungo, pi. vifungo. 
 Button loop, kitanzi, pi. vitanzi. 
 Button by which the wooden clogs 
 are held on, msuruake, pi. mi- 
 suruake. 
 Buyer, mnunuzi, pi. wanunuzi. 
 
 C. 
 
 Cabin (side), kipenu. 
 
 Cable, amara. 
 
 Caffre corn, mtama. 
 
 Cage, kizimbi, pi. vizimbi, tundu, 
 
 pi. matmidu. 
 Cake, mkate, pi. mikate. 
 Cake of mtama meal, mkate wa 
 
 mofu. 
 Cake of tobacco, mkate wa tu- 
 
 mbako. 
 Bumunda, pi. mabiimunda, a sort 
 
 of dumpling or soft cake. 
 Kitumbua, pi. vitumbua, a cake 
 
 made like a fritter. 
 Ladu, a round ball made of 
 
 semsem seed, spice, and sugar. 
 Kinyunya, pi. vinyunya, a little 
 cake made to try the quality of 
 the flour. 
 Calabash, buyu, pi. mabuyu. 
 Inner part of the calabash fruity 
 
 ubuyu. 
 Calabash used to draw water, 
 kibuyu, vibuyu.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 31 
 
 Calabash tree or haohdb, mbuyu, 
 pi. mibuyu. 
 
 A pumpkin shell used to hold 
 liquids, dundu, pi. madundu. 
 CflZamtYy,masaibu, msiba,^}?. misiba. 
 Calico. See Cloth. 
 
 Fine, bafta. 
 Calf, ndama, ndama wa ng'ombe. 
 Call {calling), mwito, pi. ruiito. 
 
 (a cry), ukelele, iikeini. 
 
 Kikorombwe, a signal cry. 
 Calm, shwali. 
 Calumha root, kaomwa. 
 Camel, ngamia. 
 Camelopard, twiga. 
 Camphor, karafumayiti, kafuri. 
 Candle, tawafa, meshinaa. 
 Candlestick, kinara, pi. vinara. 
 Cannabis Indica, bangi. 
 Cannon, mzinga, pi. iiiiziuga. 
 Canoe, galawa (with outriggers , 
 mtumbwi, pi. mitumbwi (with- 
 out outriggers), hori, pi. mahori 
 (with raised head and stern). 
 Canter, mghad (of a horse). 
 
 Thelth {of an ass). 
 Cap, kofia. 
 
 A cap block, faroma. 
 
 A gun-cap, fataki. 
 Capacity, kadri. 
 Cape (headland), rasi. 
 Captaiih, nakhotha, naoza, kapitani. 
 Caravan, msafara, pi. misafara. 
 
 Caravan porter, mpagazi, pi. wa- 
 pagazi. 
 Carcase, mzoga, pi. mizoga. 
 Cards (playing), kaiata. 
 Cardamoms, iliki. 
 Care, tunza, pi. matunza. 
 
 (caution), hathari. 
 Cargo, shehena. 
 Carpenter, sermala, pi. masermala. 
 
 Carpet, zulia. 
 Carriage, gari, pi. magari. 
 A gun carriage, gurudumo la 
 
 mzinga. 
 Cartridge, kiass cha bunduki. 
 Carving, naksh, nakishi. 
 Case or paper box, kibumba, pi. 
 
 vibumba. 
 Cashew nut, korosbo, pi. makorosho 
 Immature nut, dunge. 
 Cashew apple, bibo, pi. mabibo, 
 
 kanju (M.), pi. makanju. 
 Cashew nut tree, mbibo, pi. mibibo, 
 
 mkanju (M.), pi. mikanju. 
 Cask, pipa, pi. mapipa. 
 Casket, kijaiuanda, pi. vijamanda. 
 Cassava, muhogo. 
 A piece of the dried root, kopa, pi. 
 
 makopa. 
 Castle, geieza, ngome. 
 
 A chess castle, fil (Ar. elephant). 
 Castor oil, mafuta ya mbarikit, 
 
 mafuta ya nyonyo (?), mafuta 
 
 ya mbono (?). 
 Castor oil plant, mbarika, pi. mi- 
 
 barika, mbono (?), pi. mibouo. 
 Cat, paka. 
 Catamite, haniti, hawa, hawara, 
 
 shoga (A.). 
 Cattle, ng'ombe, nyaraa. 
 
 Cattle fold, zizi, 2>l- mazizi. 
 Caudle made on the occasion of a 
 
 birth, of rice, sugar, and spice, 
 
 and given to visitors, fuka. 
 Caulking, khalfati. 
 Cause, sababu, kisa, asili, maana. 
 Cautery and the marks of it, pis' o. 
 Caution, hathari. [_pl. mapisho. 
 Cave, paaiigo, pi. mapaango. 
 Censer, a small vessel to burn inrenfe 
 
 in, chetezo, pi. vyetezo. mkebe, 
 
 pi, mikebe.
 
 32 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Centipede^ taandu. 
 Certainty, yakini, kite. 
 Chaff, kapi, pi. makapL 
 (0/ rice), kumvi. 
 
 (bran and crushed grains), wishwa. 
 Chain, mkufu, pi. mikufu, mnyo- 
 
 roro, pi. minyororo, silesile, 
 Door chain, riza. 
 Chair, kiti, pi. viti. 
 Chalk, chaki. 
 
 Chameleon, kinyonga, pi. vinyonga, 
 Chance, nasibu. [lumbwi (?). 
 
 Chandelier, thurea. 
 Change or changing, geuzi, pi. 
 
 mageuzi. 
 Chapter, sura, bah. 
 Character, sifa. 
 Characters, herufu. 
 Charcoal, makaa ya tniti. 
 Charm (talisman), talasimu, pi. ma- 
 
 talasimu. 
 Chatter, upiizi. 
 Chatterer, mpuzi, pi, wapuzi. 
 Cheat, ayari, mjanja, pi,, wajanja. 
 
 A great cheat, patiala. 
 Cheek (the part over the cheek-hone), 
 
 kitefute, pi. vitefute. 
 (The part over the teeth), chafu, 
 
 pi. machafu, tavu (A.), pi. 
 Cheese, jibini. [matavu. 
 
 Che$s^ sataranji. 
 Chest {of men), kifua, pi. vifua. 
 (of animals or men), kidari. 
 (a large box), kasha, pi. makasha, 
 
 sanduku. 
 Chicken, faranga, pi, mafaranga, 
 
 kifaranga, pi. vifaranga. 
 Chief, mfalme, pi. wafalme, jumbe, 
 
 pi. majumbe, munyi. 
 Chieftainship, ujumbe. 
 Child, mtoto, pi. watoto, kitoto, pl^ 
 
 vitoto, rawana, pi. waana^ 
 
 A child tvhich cuts its upper teeth 
 
 first, and is therefore considered 
 
 unlu'ky, kigego, pi. vigego. 
 Childhood, utoto. 
 Chimney, dohaan. 
 Chin, kidevu, pi. videvu, kievu 
 
 (A.), pi. vievu. 
 Ornament hanging from the veil 
 
 below the chin, jebu, pi. ma- 
 
 jebu. 
 Chisel, patasi, chembeu. 
 Juba, a mortice cMsel. 
 Uma, a small chisel. 
 Choice, hiari, Myari, ikhtiari, na- 
 
 tbari. 
 Your choice, upendavyo (as you 
 
 like). 
 Cholera, tauni, wabba, kipindu- 
 
 pindu. 
 Church, kanisa, pi. makauisa. 
 Cinders, makaa. 
 Cinnabar, zangefuri. 
 Cinnamon, mdalasini. 
 Cipher (figure of nought), sifuru, 
 
 zifuri. 
 Circle of a man's affairs, &c., uli- 
 
 mwengu wake. 
 Circumcision, tobara, kumbi 
 
 (Mer.) (?). 
 Circumference, kivimba, mzingo. 
 Circumstances, mambo. 
 
 A circumstance, jambo. 
 Cistern, birika. 
 
 Citron, balungi, pi. mabalungi. 
 Civet, zabadi. 
 Civet cat, I'ungo, ngawa (a larget 
 
 animal than the fungo). 
 Civilization, ungwana. 
 Civilized people, wangwana. 
 Clamp for burning lime, tanun. 
 Clap of thunder, radi. 
 Claret, divai.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 88 
 
 Class for study, darasa. 
 Claw, ukucha, p?. kucha. 
 
 (of a crab), gando, pi. magando. 
 Clay (?), udongo. 
 Clearness, weupe. 
 ClerJi, karani. 
 Clergyman, padre or padiri, pi. ma- 
 
 padixi, khatibu. 
 Cleverness, hekima. 
 Climate, tabia. 
 Clock, saa. 
 
 Wliat o'clock is it ? Saa ngapi ? 
 According to the native reckon- 
 ing, noon and midnight are at 
 the sixth hour, saa a sita; six 
 o^clock is saa a f/ienashara. 
 Clod, pumba, pi. mapumba. 
 Cloth (icoollen), joho. 
 {Cotton), nguo. 
 
 (American sheeting), amerikano. 
 (Blue calico), kauiki. 
 Cloth of gold, zari. 
 A loin cloth of about tico yards, 
 
 shuka, doti. 
 A loin cloth with a coloured border, 
 
 kikoi, pi. vikoi. 
 A turban doth, kitambi, pi. vi- 
 
 tambi. 
 A icoman's cloth, kisuto, pi. vi- 
 
 suto. 
 A cloth twisted info a kind of rope 
 used as a girdle, and to make 
 the turbans nwrn by the Hindis, 
 ukumbuu, pi. kumbuu. 
 Clothes, nguo, miguo, mavazi, mavao. 
 Cloud, wiugu, p)l- mawingu. 
 Rain cloud, ghubari, pA. maghu- 
 
 bari. 
 Broken scattered clouds, mavu- 
 ndevunde. 
 Cloreii, garofuu, karofuu. 
 Fruit-stalks, kikonyo,pZ. vikonyo. 
 
 Club, rungTi. 
 
 Coals, niakaa. 
 
 Coast, pwani. 
 
 Coat, joho (a long open coat of 
 
 broadcloth worn by the Arabs). 
 Cob of Indian corn, gunzi, pi. ma- 
 
 gunzi. 
 Cock,}ogoo,pl. majogoo, jogoi, jimbi. 
 A young cockerel, not yet able to 
 
 crow, pora. 
 A cock's comb, upanga. 
 A cock's wattles, ndefu. 
 Cockles, kombe za pwani (?). 
 Cockroach, mende, mukalalao (Ma- 
 
 lagazy). 
 Cocoa-nut, nazi. 
 
 Cocoa-nut tree, mnazi, pi. minazi. 
 Heart of the groicing shoot, used as 
 
 salad, &c., kichilema, sliaha. 
 Cloth-like envelope of young leaves^ 
 
 kilifu. 
 Leaf, kuti, pZ. makuti. 
 Midrib of leaf, uchukuti, jfjZ. 
 
 chukuti. 
 Leaflets, ukuti, pi. kuti. 
 Leaf plaited for making fences, 
 
 makuti ya kumba. 
 Half leaf plaited together, makuti 
 
 ya pande. 
 Leaflets made up for thatching, 
 
 makuti ya viungo. 
 Fart of a leaf plaited into a 
 basket, pakacha, pi. raapakaeha. 
 Woody flower sheath, kuram. 
 Bunch of nuts, tawi la mnazi. 
 Floicer and first forming of nuts, 
 
 upunga, pi. punga. 
 
 Small nuts, kidaka, pi. vidaka. 
 
 Half -grown nut, kitale, pi. vitale. 
 
 Full-grown nut before the nutty 
 
 part is formed, dafu, pi. 
 
 madafu. In this stage the shell
 
 34 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 is perfectly full of the milk or 
 
 juice (maji), and the nuts are 
 
 often gathered for drinhing. 
 Half -ripe nut, when the nutty part 
 
 is formed and the milk begins to 
 
 wabble in the shell, koroma, pi. 
 
 makoroma. 
 Ripe nut, nazi. 
 A nut which has grown fidl of a 
 
 white spongy substance icithout 
 
 any hollow or milk, joya, pi. 
 
 majoya. 
 A nut which has dried in the shell 
 
 so as to rattle in it without 
 
 f)eing spoilt, mbata. 
 The fibrous case of the nut, cocoa- 
 
 md fibre, makumbi. 
 Cocoa-nut fibre thoroughly cleaned, 
 
 usumba. 
 A stick stuck in the ground to rip 
 
 off the fibre, kifuo, pi. vifuo. 
 The shell, kifuu, pi. vifuu, ki- 
 
 fufu (M.). 
 Instrument for so-aping the fresh 
 
 nut for cooking, mbuzi ya ku- 
 
 kunia nazi. 
 Oily juice squeezed out of the 
 
 scraped cocoa-nut, tui. 
 A small bag to squeeze out the tui 
 
 in, kifumbu, pi. vifumbu. 
 The scraped nut after the tui has 
 
 been pressed out, chicha. 
 Copra,the nut dried and ready to be 
 
 pressed in the oil mill, nazi kavu. 
 Cocoa-nut oil, mafuta ya nazi. 
 Coffee, kahawa, {plant) nibuni. 
 Goff'ee berries, buni. 
 Coffee pot, mdila, pi. midila. 
 Coin (a coin), sarafu. See Dollar, 
 
 Rupee, &c. 
 Colander (in basket ivork), Ivunguto, 
 
 pi. liiukunguto. 
 
 Cold, baridi. 
 
 Baricli and upepo are often used 
 to mean wind or cold indiffer- 
 ently. 
 Cold in the head, mafua. 
 I have a cold in the head, siwezi 
 kamasi. 
 Collar-bone, mtulinga,|)L mitulinga. 
 Colour, rangi. 
 
 Colours are generally described by 
 reference to some known sub- 
 stance : rangi ya kahawa, coffee 
 colour, brown ; rangi ya majani, 
 leaf colour, green; rangi ya 
 makuti, colour of the dry cocoa- 
 nut leaves, grey. 
 Comb, kitana, pi. vitana, shannu, 
 pi. mashanuu (a large wooden 
 comb). 
 A cock's comb, upanga. 
 Comfort, faraja. 
 Comforter, mfariji, pi. wafariji. 
 Coming (arrival), kifiko, pi. vifiko. 
 {Mode of coming), majilio. 
 Coming down or out from, mshuko, 
 pi. mishuko. 
 Command, amri. 
 
 Commander, jemadari, pi. majema- 
 dari, mkuu wa asikari. 
 Second in command, akida. 
 Commission, agizo, pi. maagizo. 
 Comoro Islands, jMasiwa. 
 Great Comoro, Ngazidja. 
 Comoro men, Waugazidja. 
 Johanna, Anzwaui. 
 Mayotte, Maotwe. 
 Mohilla, Moalli. 
 Companion, mwenzi, pi. wenzi. 
 Company, jamaa. 
 Compass (mariner's), dira. 
 Completeness, itzima, ukamilifu, 
 utimilifu.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES, 
 
 35 
 
 Compliments, salaamu. 
 Composition (of a word), rakibyueo. 
 Cmnposition for a murder, money 
 
 paid to save ones life, dia. 
 Concealment, maficho. 
 Conclusion, mwisbo, hatima. 
 Concubine, suria, pi. masuria. 
 
 Born of a concubine, suriyama. 
 Condition (state), hali, jawabu. 
 (A thing necessarily implied)^ 
 
 kanuni, 
 Confidence, matumaini 
 Confidential servant, msiri, j??. wasiri. 
 Conscience, tbamiri, moyo. 
 Conspiracy, mapatano, mwafaka. 
 Constipation, kufunga choo. 
 Constitution, tabia. 
 Contentment, urathi. 
 Continent, merima. 
 Co'atinuance, maisha. 
 Contract, maagano, sharti. 
 Conversation, mazumgumzo, mao- 
 
 ngezi, usemi. 
 Convert, mwongofu, pi. waongofu. 
 Cooh, mpishi, pi. wapishi. 
 Cooked grain, especially rice, wall. 
 Cooking pot {metal), sufuria, pi. 
 
 masufuxia, kisufmia, pi. visu- 
 
 furia. 
 (earthen), nyungu, chungu, pi. 
 
 vyungu. mkuRgu, pi. mikungii. 
 (o pot to cook meat in ivith fat, to 
 
 hraze meat in), kaango, pi. ma- 
 
 kaango, ukaango, kikaango, pi. 
 
 vikaango. 
 A pot lid, mkungu wa kufunikia. 
 Three stones to set a pot on over 
 
 the fire, mafiga, sing, figa, 
 
 mafya, sing, jifya. 
 Cross pieces put in to keep the 
 
 meat from touching the bottom of 
 
 the pot and burning, nyalio. 
 
 Coolie, hamali, pi. mahamali 
 Copal, sandarusi. 
 Copper, sbaba, sufui'ia. 
 Coral (red), marijani ya fetbaluka 
 (marijani alone does not always 
 mean the true red coral). 
 Fresh coral for building, cut from 
 below high-water mark, matii 
 mbawi. 
 Cord, ugwe, ukambaa (M.), pi. 
 
 kambaa, kigwe, pi. vigwe. 
 Cork, kizibo, pi. vizibo. 
 Corn, nafaka (formerly used as 
 money). 
 Muhindi, Indian corn. 
 Mtama, millet (the most common 
 
 grain). 
 Mwere, very small grains growing 
 in an upright head something 
 like the flower of the bulrush. 
 Wimbi. 
 Kimanga. 
 Carrier, pembe. 
 
 Corner of a cloth, tamvTia, uta- 
 mvua. 
 Corpse, mzoga, pi. mizoga, mayiti. 
 Corpulence, unene. 
 Corruption, uovu, kioza. 
 Cosmetics. 
 Dalia, a yellow composition, 
 Yasi, a yellow powder from India, 
 Liwa, a fragrant wood from 
 
 Madagascar. 
 Kipaji. 
 Cotton, pamba. 
 Couch, kitanda, pi. vitanda. 
 Cough, kikohozi. 
 Council, baraza, diwani. 
 Councillor, diwani, pi. madiwani. 
 Counsel, shauri. 
 Countenance, uso, pi. nyuso. 
 Country, inclii, nti (M.). The narnea 
 
 D 2
 
 36 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 of countries are made from the 
 name of the people hy means of 
 the prefix U-. 
 Uuyika, the country of the Wa- 
 
 nyika. 
 Ugala, the country of the "Wagala. 
 Uzungu, the country of the Wa- 
 
 zungu, Europe. 
 In the country, masliamba. 
 A country dialect, lugha ya ki- 
 mashamba. 
 Courage, us-hujaa, uthahit, moyo. 
 Course (of a ship), majira. 
 Courtesy, jamala, adabu. 
 Courtyard (enclosure^ ua, pi. nyna, 
 uanda or uanja. 
 Court within a house, behewa,kati. 
 Cousin, mjukuu, pi. wajukuu. 
 Covenant, maagano, sharti. 
 Cover (a lid), kifmiiko. 
 
 A dish cover made of straw and 
 often profusely ornamented^ 
 kawa» 
 A hooTc cover, jalada. 
 Covetousness, tamaa, bakhili. 
 Cow, ng'ombe mke, pi. ng'ombe 
 
 wake. 
 Coward, mwoga, pi. waoga. 
 Cowardice, uoga. 
 Cowry, kauri, kete. 
 Crah. kaa. 
 
 Crack, ufa, pi. nyufa. 
 Cramp, kiharusi. 
 
 A cramp, gango, pi. magango. 
 Crayfish, kamba. 
 Cream, siagi. 
 Creed, imani. 
 Creek, hori. 
 
 Crest, sbungi (used also for a icay 
 of dressing the hair in two large 
 masses). 
 Crew, baharia. 
 
 Crime, taksiri. 
 
 Crocodile, mamba, mbnlu (?). 
 
 Crook, kota. 
 
 Crookedness, kombo. 
 
 A crooked thing, kikombo. 
 Cross, msalaba, pi. misalaba. 
 Cross roads, njia panda. 
 Crossing place, kivuko, pi. vivuko. 
 Croiv, kunguru. 
 
 Crowbar, mtaimbo, pi. mitaimbo. 
 Crowd, kundi, pi. makundi, ma- 
 kutano, matangamano, umaati. 
 Croicn, taji. 
 
 Crown of the head, upaa, utosi. 
 Crumbs, vidogo, sing, kidogo. 
 Crutch for oars, kilete, pi. vilete. 
 Cry, kilio, pi. vilio, ukelele, pi. 
 kelele, ukemi. 
 (^for help), yowe. 
 ( of joy), hoiboi, kigelegele. 
 Cucximber, tango, pi. mataiigo. 
 Cubit (from the tip of the middle 
 finger to the point of the elbow), 
 thiraa, mkono, pi. mikono. 
 (Jrom the point of the elbow to the 
 knuckles when the fist is closed)^ 
 tbiraa konde. 
 Cultivation, kilimo. 
 Cultivator, mkulima, pi. wakulima. 
 Cunning, cherevu, werevu. 
 Cup, kikombe, pi. vikombe. 
 Cupboard, sanduku. 
 Cupper, mumishi, pi. wamnishi 
 Cupping horn, chuku. 
 Curiosity (rarity ^, kioja, pi. vioja, 
 
 bedaya, tunu. 
 Curlew, sululu, kipila. 
 Current, mkondo wa maji. 
 Curry, mcbuzi, mtuzi (M.). 
 A small seed used in making it, 
 
 bizari. 
 An acid thing put into it, kiungo.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 87 
 
 Curse, laana, i^l. malaana. 
 Curtain, pazia, pi. mapazia. 
 Curve, kizingo. 
 Cushion, mto, pi. mito. 
 
 A large cushion, takla, pi. ma- 
 takia. 
 Cuaturd apple, topetope, mstofele, 
 
 konokono, matomoko. 
 Custom, desturi, mathehebu, ada. 
 Custom-house, fortha. 
 Customs' duties, ashur. 
 Cut, a short cut, njia ya kukata. 
 Cutting (breaking off), kato, pi. 
 
 makato. 
 Cuttle-fish, pweza. 
 
 Arms of the cuttle-fish, mnyiriri, 
 pi. minyiriri. 
 Cutwater of a dhow, hanamu. 
 Cypjher. See Cipjher. 
 Cynibals, matoazi, sing. toazL 
 
 Dagger, jambia (the curved dagger 
 generally v:orn). 
 
 Damascus, Sl.am. 
 
 Dance, mchezo, pi. michezo. 
 Names of dances, guugu, msapata, 
 hanzua, kitanga cha pepo, 
 soma. 
 
 Dandy, malidadi. 
 
 Mtongozi, pi. watongozi, a man 
 who dresses himself up) to attract 
 women. 
 
 Danger, hatari, kbofu, kicho. 
 
 Darkness, kiza, giza (these are only 
 tico ivays of pronouncing the 
 same word, hut the first is some- 
 times treated as though the ki- 
 were a prefix and it belonged to 
 the fourth class, xchile the second 
 is taken as belonging to the fifth ; 
 it is jprobably, however, most 
 
 correct to refer them both to the 
 
 fourth). 
 Dark saying, fumbo, pi. mafumbo, 
 
 maneno ya fuinba. 
 Darling, kipendi, ^Z. vipendi. 
 Dates, tende. 
 
 Date-tree, mtende, pi. mitende. 
 Daughter, binti, mtoto mke, mwaua, 
 
 kijana. 
 Daughter-in-law, mkwe, pi. wa- 
 
 kwe. 
 Dawn, alfajiri, kucha. 
 Day (of twenty-four hours, reckoned 
 
 from sunset to sunset), sikn. 
 (time of daylight), mchana, mtana 
 
 (M.). 
 All day, mchana kutwa. 
 Day labourer, kibarua, pi. vibarua 
 
 (so called from the ticket given 
 
 to workpeople, which they give 
 
 up again when paid). 
 Daylight, mcliaua, mtaua (11.). 
 Dazzle, kiwi. 
 Deal (icood), sunobari. 
 Death, kufa (dying), mauti, ufu, 
 
 mafu. 
 Debt, deni. 
 Deceit, hila, madanganya, udanga- 
 
 nifu, hadaa, uwongo. 
 Deck, sitatia, dari. 
 Deep ivater, kilindi, pi. vilindi. 
 
 Great depths, lindo, pi. malindo. 
 Defect, upuugufu, ila, kombo, ki- 
 
 puDguo, pi. vipunguo. 
 Deficiency, kipunguo, upungufu. 
 Defilement, ujusi. 
 Deliverance, wokovu. 
 Demand in marriage, poso, pi. 
 
 maposo. 
 Dependant, mfuasi, pi. wafuasi. 
 Depth, kweuda, chini, uketo. 
 Derision, mzaha, thihaka.
 
 38 
 
 SWAEILl HANDBOOK. 
 
 Design^ kusudi, jil. makusudi, nia. 
 Descent, msliuko, jjL mishuko. 
 Desert^ wangwa, jangwa, -pi. ma- 
 
 jangwa. 
 Desolation, ukiwa. 
 Destruction, kubaribika, kupotea. 
 Destructiveness, Tibaribivu, upotevu. 
 Detachment (of soldiers, &c.), kikosi, 
 
 pi. vikosi. 
 Device, bila, sbauri, pi. masbauri. 
 Devil, sbetani, pi. mashetani. 
 Devotee, mtaowa, pi. wataowa. 
 Dew, umande. 
 
 Dhow {native craft), chombo, pi. 
 vyombo ; when very Zar^e, jombo, 
 pi. majombo. 
 
 Kinds of dhows : — 
 
 Dau, p)^- madau, a small open 
 vessel sharp at the stern,ivith a square 
 matting sail. They belong to the 
 original inhabitants of Zanzibar, 
 ayid are chiefly employed in bringing 
 fireicood to the town. 
 
 Mtepe, pi. mitepe, a large open 
 vessel sharp at the stern, with a large 
 square matting sail ; the proio is 
 made to resemble a camels head, and 
 is ornamented with painting and 
 little streamers. The planhs are 
 sewn together. There is always a 
 ichite pennon at the masthead. These 
 vessels belong chiefly to Lamoo, and 
 the country near it. 
 
 Betela, the common dhow of Zan- 
 zilmr : it has a square stern, ivith a 
 low poop and a head much like those 
 of European boats. 
 
 Bagala, pZ. mabdgala, large dhows 
 ivitli very high square sterns and tall 
 poops, and long projecting prows. 
 The Indian dhows are mostly of this 
 class: tliey have very often a small 
 
 second mast rising from the poop 
 (mlingote wa kalmi). 
 
 Gbangi, they resemble the Ba- 
 galas except in not being so high in 
 the poop or so long in the prow. 
 
 Batili, a low vessel with a long 
 projecting prow, a sharp stem, and 
 high rudder-head. They have often 
 a flying poop and a second mast. 
 They belong to the piratical Arabs 
 from the Persian Gulf. 
 
 Bedeni, a dhow with a sharp stern 
 and high rudder-head, and a per- 
 pendicular cutwater ; there is often a 
 piece of board attached to it, making 
 a kind of head ; when this is absent 
 the vessel is an Awesia. Beiens 
 may easily be distinguished among 
 other dhows by their masts being 
 upright ; in all other dhows the masts 
 incline forward. They belong to the 
 coast of Arabia^ especially that on the 
 Lidian Ocean. 
 
 Dhow sail, duumi. 
 
 Prow, gubeti. 
 
 Poop, sbetri. 
 
 Quarter galleries, makanadili. 
 
 Joists of deck, darumeti. 
 
 Chunam for bottom, debeni. 
 
 Place for stoiving things likely to 
 be soon wanted, feuli. 
 Dialect, maneno, lugba. 
 
 Dialects andlanguages are usually 
 expressed by prefixing ki- to the 
 name of the place or people. 
 
 Kiunguja {for Maneno ya Kiu- 
 nguja ;, the dialect of Zanzibar 
 (Unguja). 
 
 Kimvita, the dialect of Mombas 
 (Mvita). 
 
 Kiamu, the dialect of Lamoo 
 (Amu).
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 39 
 
 Kigunya, the dialect of Siici, &c. 
 Kiarabu, Arabic. 
 Kigala, the Galla language. 
 Kimasliamba, a country dialect. 
 Kishenzi, the talk of some uncivil- 
 ized nation. 
 Kiungwana, a civilized language. 
 Kizungu, the languages spoken by 
 Europeans. 
 Diamond, almasi. 
 Diarrhoea, tumbo la knenenda. 
 Diet, maakuli. 
 Difference, tofanti, sivimoja. 
 Difficulty, shidda, ugumu, mashata. 
 Dinner (mid-day), chakula cha 
 
 mchana. 
 Direction (bidding), fundisho, pi. 
 mafundisbo, agizo, pi. maagizo. 
 Dirt, t'aka. 
 
 Disease, marathi, uweli, ugonjwa. 
 Disfigurement, lemaa. 
 Disgrace, aibu, ari, fetheba. 
 Disgust, macbukio. 
 Dish, sabani, kombe, pi. makombe, 
 mkungu wa kulia, buugu, 
 kitunga, pi. vitunga (the first 
 is the usual word for European 
 dishes). 
 An earthen dish to bake cakes on^ 
 waya. 
 Disorder (confusion), fujo. See 
 
 Disease. 
 Display, wonyesbo. 
 Disposal, amri. 
 
 To put at his disposal, knmwamria. 
 Dispute, masbiudano, tofauti. 
 Disquiet, fatbaa. 
 Dissipation, asherati, washerati, 
 
 usberati. 
 Distortion (by disease), lemaa. 
 Distress, sbidda, tbulli, utbia, msiba, 
 masbaka. 
 
 District of a tovm, mta, pi. mita. 
 For the districts of Zanzibar see 
 Part II., p. 330. 
 Disturbance (riot), fitina. 
 
 (trouble), kero. 
 Ditch, bandaki, sbimo, pi. masbimo. 
 Divine service, ibada ya Muungu. 
 Division (arithmetical), mkasama. 
 Divorce, talaka. 
 Dock for ships, gudi. 
 Doctrine, elimu, ilm, matbhab. 
 Document, kbati. 
 Dog, mbwa. 
 
 Very large, jibwa, pi. majibwa. 
 Bize, a wild hunting dog. 
 Mbwa wa koko, the houseless dogs 
 outside Zanzibar. 
 Doll, mtoto wa bandia. 
 Dollar, reale, rea. 
 
 Spanish Pillar dollar, reale ya 
 
 mizinga. 
 Black dollars, reale ya Sham. 
 American 20-dollar piece, reale ya 
 
 tbababu. 
 French silver 5-franc piece, reale 
 
 ya kifransa. 
 For the parts of a dollar see in the 
 section on Adjectives tinder 
 Numerals— fractions, p. 93. 
 Dome, zege. 
 
 Dominion, mamlaka, hukumu. 
 Donkey, punda. 
 
 Donkey from the mainland, kio- 
 ngwe, pi. viongwe. 
 Door, ml&ngo, pi. milango (vidgarly^ 
 mwaugo, pi. miango). 
 Leaf of door, ubau, pi. mbau. 
 Centre piece, mfaa. 
 Door-keeper, mgoja miango. 
 Door chain, riza. 
 
 Door frame, top and bottom pieces, 
 kizingiti, pi. viziugitL
 
 40 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 Side pieces, tnwimo, miimo. 
 Outer heading, upapi. 
 Dotage, mapiswa. 
 Doubt, shaka, pi. mashaka, tashwi- 
 
 shi, waswas. 
 Dove, hua. See Pigeon & Birds. 
 Dowry, paid hy the husband to the 
 
 teife^s friends, mahari. 
 Dragon-fly, kerini2:'ende. 
 Dragon's blood, maziwa (or macho), 
 
 ya watu wawili. 
 Dream, nJoto. 
 Dregs, chembe. 
 Dress, nguo, mavazi, mavao, nvao. 
 
 Slaves and, very poor men wear 
 generally an nguo only, that is, a 
 loin cloth of white or blue calico. 
 Women wear a kisuto, or long cloth 
 of blue, or printed, or coloured calico 
 trrapped tightly round the body 
 immediately under the arms, and on 
 the head an ukaya, a piece of blue 
 calico with two long ends ; it has a 
 string passing under the chin, to ichich 
 a silver ornament, jebu, is attached. 
 Well-dressed men icear a loin cloth 
 with a coloured border, kikoi, a long 
 shirt-Wee garment in white calico, 
 kanzu, a shawl, amazu, twisted 
 round the waist, a icaistcoat, kisibao, 
 and a long loose coat, jolio. On their 
 Jihads they wear a red or white sJcidl- 
 cap, kofia, and tivisted round it a 
 turban, kilemba. Their feet are 
 slipped into sandals, viatu. 
 
 ^Vomen wear trousers, soruali, a 
 kanzu of coloured materials and a 
 kona {cap) adorned with gold and 
 spangles, or more commonly a silk 
 hai^lcerchief, dusamali, folded and 
 fastened on the head so as to hide the 
 hair. Tliey also icear sometimes a 
 
 kisibao {embroidered icaistcoat), and 
 nearly always a mash, barakoa 
 Wfien they go out they throw over all 
 a large square of black silh, lebwani. 
 On their feet they carry wooden clogs 
 held by a button (msuruake) grasped 
 between the toes. 
 Dressing of calico, dondo. 
 Drill, keke. The iron is called 
 
 kekee ; the wood it is fixed in, 
 
 msukano ; the handle in which it 
 
 turns, jivu ; and the boio, uta. 
 Drink, kinwa {or kiny wa), pi. vinwa, 
 
 kinwaji, ^Z. vinwaji. 
 Drinker, mnywa, pi. wanywa 
 Dripping {fat cooked out of meat\ 
 
 uto wa nyama. 
 Drop, tone, pi. matone, kitone, pi. 
 
 vitone. 
 Droppings (dung), mavi. 
 Dropsy, istiska. 
 
 Drowsiness, leppe, leppe za uzingizi. 
 Drum, ngoma. 
 
 Chapuo, a small drum. 
 Ktimbwaya, a drum upon feet. 
 Msondo, a very tall drum, beaten 
 
 on special occasions. 
 The skin of a drum, or anything 
 
 stretched like it very tightly, ki- 
 
 wambo, pi. viwambo. 
 Drunkard, mlevi, pi. walevi. 
 Duck, bata, pi. niabata, 
 Duryan, finessi la kizungu. 
 Dust, vumbi, pi. (much dust) ma- 
 
 vumbL 
 Dust and sand on a road, tifutifu. 
 Duties. See Customs. 
 
 Duties of one's position, kiwango, 
 
 pi. viwango. 
 Dwarf, kibeti, pi. vibeti. 
 Dicelling, makao, makazi, makani, 
 Dye, laugL [masikaui.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 41 
 
 Mkasiri, o tree whose harh is used 
 to dye fisMug-nets and lines 
 blacJi. 
 
 Ungamo, a yellow dye used to dye 
 matting. 
 Dysentery, tumbo la kuhara damu. 
 
 E. 
 
 Eagerness (excessive haste), pupa. 
 Eagle (?) koho, firkomba, tai, pu- 
 ngu, kipanga (all these tcords 
 seem to denote some large bird of 
 prey). 
 Ear, sikio, pi. masikio. 
 Hole pierced in the lower lobe of 
 
 the ear, ndewe. 
 Ear ornaments, a large round 
 ornament in the lower lobe, 
 jassi, pi. majassi. 
 Ornaments in the upper part of 
 the ear, if dangling, kipuli, pi. 
 vipuli ; if shaped like a stud, 
 kipini, pi. vipini. 
 Ear-ring, pete ya masikio. 
 Ear of corn, suke, pi. masuke. 
 See Bunch, Cob. 
 Earnest money, arabuni, stakabathi. 
 Earth, inchi, udongo. 
 
 77te earth, inchi, ulimwengu, 
 Ease, raba. [dunia. 
 
 After pain, faraja. 
 East u'ind, matlaa. 
 Eaves, rachilizi, pi. micbilizi. 
 Eavesdropper, dukizi (or duzi), pi. 
 
 madukizi. 
 El)ony, mpingo. 
 Echo, mwangwi. 
 Edge (of a precipice), ukingo. 
 (Of a piece of cloth), pindo, pi. 
 mapindo. 
 Edging icoven into a piece of cloth, 
 taraza. 
 
 Efort, juhudi, bidii. 
 
 Effudon 'of blood), vilio (la damu), 
 
 pi. mavilio. 
 Egg, yayi, pi mayayi. 
 
 White of egg, ute wa yayi. 
 Yolk of an egg, kiini cha yayi. 
 Eggshell, ganda la yayi. 
 Empty eggshell, kaka. 
 Egypt, Misri, Masri, Massara. 
 Elbow, kisigino, pi. visigino, kivi, 
 
 pi. vivi. 
 Elder, mzee, pi. wazee, sbeki, pi. 
 
 mashekd. 
 Elegance, jamala. 
 Elepliant, tembo, ndovu. 
 Elephantiasis (leprosy), jethamu. 
 
 {Barbadoes leg), teeude. 
 Embarrassment, matata, uthia, ma- 
 
 shaka. 
 Embroidery, almaria. 
 (stitching), darizi. 
 (piping), kigwe, pi. vigwe, 
 Embroilment, matata. 
 Emetic, tapisbo,2>Z. matapisho, dawa 
 
 la kutapika. 
 Employment, kazi, utumwa. 
 Emidation, bidii. 
 Encampment (of a caravan), kituo, 
 
 pi. vituo. 
 Enclosure, uanja, ua, pi. nyua. 
 Enclosure made by a fence of 
 cocoa-nut leaves, ua wa nia- 
 kuti. 
 Enclosure made by a fence of 
 
 mtama stalks, ua wa mabua. 
 Enclosure with a stone fence, 
 kitalu, pi. vitalu. 
 End, mwisho, pi. miisho (finishing), 
 hatima, kikomo, pi. vikomo 
 (leaving off), 
 of a journey, kifiko, pi. vifiko, 
 of a piece of cloth, mialamu.
 
 42 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 End or corners of a turhan cloth, &c., 
 
 tamvua, kishungi, pi. visliungi. 
 Enemy, adui, pi. adui or maadui. 
 Engagement, shugliuli, utumwa. 
 Enigma, kitendawili, pi. vitenda- 
 
 wili. 
 Enmity, wadui, adawa, khusuma. 
 Entrails, matumbo. 
 Entrance^ kuingia, pakuingilia, 
 
 mlango. 
 Envy, hasidi, kijicho, kijito (M.). 
 Epilepsy, kifafa. 
 Equal [in age), hirimu, marika. 
 Equivalent, badala. 
 Error, kosa, makosa. 
 Eructation, kiungulia, pi. viungtilia. 
 Escape, wokovu, kuokoka. 
 
 (other course), buddi. 
 Esteem, mapendo, maafikano. 
 Estimate, maafikano. 
 Eternity, milele. 
 Eunuch, tawashi, maksai. 
 Euphorbia, mtupa, pi. mitupa. 
 Europe, Ulaya, Wilaya, Uznngu. 
 European (or any one loearing a 
 
 European dress), Mzuugu, pi. 
 
 Wazungu. 
 Eve, Hawa. 
 Evening, jioni. 
 Event {startling), shani. 
 Evil, uovu. 
 
 Exaltation, utukufu, athama. 
 Example, njfano, pi. mifano. 
 Excrement, mavi. 
 Expense, gbarama. 
 Extinguisher, mzima (a person), pi. 
 
 wazima, kizima (a thing), pi. 
 
 vizima. 
 Eye, jiclio, pL macho, jito (M.), pi. 
 
 mato. 
 Loss of an eye, chongo. 
 Eyebrow, nyushi, nshi (A.). 
 
 Eyelash or Eyelid, kope. 
 A stye in the eye, chochea. 
 
 F. 
 
 Fable, ngano. 
 Face, uso, pi. nyuso. 
 Faeces, mavi. 
 Faggot, tita, pi. matita. 
 Faith, imani. 
 Fall, maanguko. 
 Falsehood, uwongo. 
 Familiarity, mazoezo. 
 Family, jaraaa, ndugu. 
 Famine, njaa, ndaa (M.). 
 Fan, upepeo pi. pepeo, pepeo, pi. 
 mapepeo, kipepeo, pi. vipepeo. 
 Fare, naiili. 
 Fast, funga. 
 
 Fasting month, Ramathani. 
 Fat, sbaliamu, mafuta. 
 
 A piece of fat^ kipande kilicho- 
 nona. 
 
 Fat cooked out of meaty uto wa 
 nyama. 
 Fate, ajali. 
 Father, baba. 
 
 In speaking of one^s own father it 
 is polite to call Mm bwana. 
 
 Stepfather, baba wa kambo. 
 
 Father-in-law, mkwe. pi. wakwe. 
 Fathom, pima, pi. mapima. 
 Fatigue, utufu, ulegevu. 
 Failing, kinono, pi. vinono. 
 Fault, batiya, kosa, pi. makosa. 
 Favour, upendeleo. 
 
 A favour, fathili. 
 Favourite, kipendi, pi. vipendi, 
 
 mpenzi, pi. wapenzi. 
 Fear, khofu, uoga, kitisho, pL 
 
 vitisbo, kicho, pi. vicho. 
 Feast, karamu. 
 
 Feast day, siku kuu.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 43 
 
 Feather, unyoa, pZ. nyoa, nyoa (or 
 nyoja.% pi. manyoya. 
 A toing feather, ubawa,pZ. mbawa. 
 
 Feeder, mlishi, pi. walishi. 
 
 Fellow-servant, mjoli, pi. wajoli. 
 
 Fence, ua, pi. nyua. 
 
 Stone fence, kitalu, ^Z. vitalu. 
 
 Fenugreeli, watu. 
 
 Ferry, kiviiko, p\. vivuko. 
 
 Fetters, pingu. 
 
 Fever, lioma. 
 
 SicelUng of the glands of the groin 
 
 followed by fever, mtoki. 
 Dengue fever, kidinga popo. 
 
 Field, koonde, pi. makoonde, mgu- 
 nda (Yao). 
 
 Field labourer, mtuliina, pi. watu- 
 lima. 
 
 Fierceness, ukalL 
 
 Fig, tini. 
 
 Fig-tree, mtini, pi. mitini. 
 
 Fight, mapigano. 
 
 Figure of speech, mfano wa maneno. 
 
 Filagree icorh, temsi. 
 
 File, tupa. 
 
 Fillet, utepe, pi. tepe. 
 
 Filth, uchavu, janaba. 
 
 Fin, pezi, pi. mapezi. 
 
 Fine for a murder, dia. 
 
 Fineness, uzuri. 
 
 Finger, kidule, pi. vidole, kidole cha 
 mkono, chanda {^l.),pl. yyanda. 
 
 Fire, moto, pi. mioto. 
 
 Pieces of wood to get fire by twist- 
 ing, upekecho. 
 Firewood, kuni, one piece, ukuni. 
 A half-burnt piece of firewood, 
 
 kinga, pi. vinga. 
 Tlie act of pushing the icood further 
 into the fire, or an instrument for 
 doing so,kichocLeo,kitoteo (M.). 
 
 Fireplace, jiko, pi. meko, meko, 
 
 pi. mieko, hence Patchen, jikoni, 
 mekoni. 
 Three stones to set a pot over the 
 fire upon, jifya, pi. mafya, figa, 
 pi. mafiga. Jifya is the icord 
 most used in the town, figa that 
 used in the country. 
 Firefly, kimurimuri, pi. vimurimuri, 
 
 kimetimeti, pi. vimetimeti. 
 Firmament, anga (?). 
 Firmness, usimeme, nthahiti, (in 
 
 building) mtomo. 
 Fish, samaki. 
 
 Dagaa, very small, small fry. 
 Njombo, barred with black and 
 
 yellow. 
 Taa, a very large fiat fish. 
 Pono, a fish said to be nearly 
 
 always asleep. 
 Other hinds, Chafi, Chang^a, 
 Chewa, Kungu, Mchiimbuluri!, 
 jMkizo, Mwewe, Mzia, Nguni, 
 Nguva, Panzi, Pungii. The 
 varieties of fish are exceedingly 
 numerous. 
 Cliinusi, a kind of fish or evil 
 spirit never seen, but which is 
 supposed to seize men and hold 
 them under water until they are 
 droicned. 
 Fish-trap, dema, lema, ema. 
 Fish poison from a species of 
 Euphorbia, utiipa. 
 Fisherman, mvuvi, 2>l- wavuvi. 
 Fist, konde, pi. makonde. 
 Fits, kifufa. 
 Flag, bandera. 
 Flat (of a sword, &c.), bapa. 
 Flatterer, msifu, pi. wasifu, msifu- 
 mno. 
 Self-flatterer, mwajisifuni. 
 Flattery, kusifu.
 
 44 
 
 SWAEILI EANDBOOK. 
 
 Flavour^ lutlitha, taniu. 
 
 Flax, katani, kitaui. 
 
 Flea, kiroboto, 'pl. viroboto. 
 
 Flesh, nyama. 
 
 Fleshiness, mnofu. 
 
 Flint gun, bunduki ya gumegume. 
 
 Flood, gharika. 
 
 Floor, chini. 
 
 Chunammed floor, sakafu. 
 Upper floor or roof, deri. 
 Mower, ua, pl. maua. 
 Flue, vumbi, pl. {much) mavumbi. 
 
 A flue, dohaan. 
 Flute, filimbi, pl. mafilimbi. 
 Fly, iiizi, pl. mainzi. 
 Foam, povu. 
 
 Fog, umande, kungu, shemali. 
 Fold (of cloth), upindo. 
 
 Cattle-fold, zizi, pl. mazizi. 
 Foliage, majani. 
 
 Follower, mfuasi, pl. wafuasi, cho- 
 kora, pl. raacliokora (a hanger- 
 on). 
 Folly, upumbafu. 
 Fondness, mahaba. 
 Food, chakula, mukuli (Ar.), kande 
 (Mer.). 
 Food saved from an evening meal 
 to he eaten in the morning, wuli 
 wa niwikuu, bariyo (A.). 
 Bokoboko, a dish made of wheat 
 
 and meat. 
 Bumbwi, rice flour pounded up 
 
 tcith cocoa-nut. 
 Pilao, an Indian pillaw. 
 Birinzi. 
 Fool, mpumbafu, pl. wapumbafu. 
 Foot, mguu, pl. miguu, guu, j:>Z. 
 maguu, mjiguu, pl. mijiguu 
 (large), kijiguu, jjZ. vijiguu 
 (small). 
 Footprint, uayo, pl. nyayo. 
 
 Footing — fo make him pay his foot^ 
 ing, kumsliika bukali. 
 
 Forbidden thing, haraniu, marufuku. 
 
 Force, nguvu. 
 
 Ford, kivuko, pl. vivuko. 
 
 Forehead, paji la uso. 
 Brow, kikomo cha uso. 
 
 Foreigner, mgeni, pl. wageni, mja 
 na maji, pl. waja na maji (from 
 over seas). 
 
 Forelock, panja. 
 
 Foreskin, govi mbo. 
 
 Forest, mwitu, msitu. 
 
 Fork, kiuma, pl. viuma. 
 
 Forking of a road, tree, &c., panda. 
 
 Form {outward shape), umbo, pl. 
 maumbo. 
 
 Fort, gereza, ngome, busuni. 
 
 Fortune, bahati, nasibu. 
 
 Fortune-teller{by means of diagrams), 
 mpiga ramli, pl. wapiga ramli. 
 
 Foster brother or sister, ndugu 
 kuuyonya. 
 
 Foundation, msingi or msinji, pl. 
 misingi. 
 
 Fowls, k'uku. 
 
 Fo.x, mbwelia. 
 
 Fraud, hadaa, madanganya. 
 
 Freedom {from, slavery) huru, {per- 
 mission) ruksa, ruliusa. 
 
 Freight, nauli. 
 
 Friday, Jumaa. 
 
 Friend, rafiki,jpL rafiki or marafiki, 
 sahibu, jjZ. as'ljabu, ^ho>Ia 
 {amongst women, and in Zanzi- 
 bar only. See Catamite). 
 
 Fright, khofu, woga. 
 (a start), kituko. 
 
 Fringe, matamvua. 
 
 Frog, chula, pl. vyula. 
 
 Fruit, tuiida, pl. matunda, zao, pl, 
 •mazao.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 45 
 
 Bungu, pi. mabungu, about the 
 size of a medlar, with a thick 
 russet skin. 
 Mazu, a hind of banana. 
 Zambarau, like a large damson. 
 Chokoclioko, a red prickly skin, 
 a large kernel, and white pidp. 
 Kunazi, something like a sloe. 
 Kitoria, pi. vitoria. — Koma, pi. 
 makoma. — Fuu, pi. mafuu. 
 — Mtofaa. 
 Fruit which drops prematurely, 
 
 pooza, pi. mapooza. 
 Fruit-stalk, (of cloves) kikonyo, 
 pi. vikonyo, (of bananas) mku- 
 ngu, pi. mikungu. 
 Frying-pan, (metal) tawa, pi. 
 malawa, (earthen) kaango, pi. 
 makaango. 
 Fugitive, mkimbizi, pi. wakimbizi. 
 Fume, azma, fukizo. 
 Fun, mchezo, mzaha. 
 Funeral, kuzikani. 
 Furnace (for melting metal), kalibu. 
 Furniture, pambo la nyumba, 
 vyombo. 
 
 G. 
 Gain, fayida. 
 Gait, mwendo. 
 Galago, komba. 
 Galbanum, ubani. 
 Gall, safura. 
 
 Galla, Mgala, pi. "Wagala. 
 Game, (produce of hunting) mawi- 
 ndo, (amusement) mchezo, ma- 
 cbezo. 
 B^to, played on a board with thirty- 
 
 tico holes in it. 
 Muliyandimu, a game in which 
 one holds down his head, some 
 other knocks it, and he guesses 
 who struck him. 
 
 Tiabu, played hy throwing up 
 sticks, &c., and watching their 
 fall. 
 Dama, played on a board like 
 
 chess. 
 Tasa, a game of touch. 
 Tinge, a game consisting in follow- 
 ing the movements of a leader. 
 
 Garden, bustani, sbaniba. 
 
 Gate, mlango, pi. milango. 
 
 Gate of Paradise, kilango cha 
 jab a. 
 
 Gazelle, paa. 
 
 General, jemadari, pi. majemadari. 
 
 Generation, kizazi, pi. vizazi. 
 
 Generosity, ukarimu. 
 
 Genius, Jini, pi. Majini. 
 
 G^e7iiZe?na«,mng wana, jpZ. -wangwana. 
 
 Gentleness, upole. 
 
 Georgian woman, Jorjiya. 
 
 Gettings, pato, pi. mapato. 
 
 Ghee, samli. 
 
 Ghost, kivuli, pi. vivuli. 
 
 Ghoul, zimwi, pi. mazimwi. 
 
 Giddiness, masua, mbasua, kizu- 
 nguzungu. 
 
 Gift, zawadi (a keepsake), tunu (a 
 choice thing), basbishi (largess), 
 ada (customary gift), kilemba 
 (gift on the completion of a work 
 or to the bride^s father)^ wapo. 
 
 Ginger, tangawizi. 
 
 Giraffe, twiga. 
 
 Girder, mbimili, pi. mihimili. 
 
 Girdle, msbipi, pi. mishipi, masombo 
 (of cloth), maazrimu (a shawl), 
 kibobwe, pi. vibobwe (a piece 
 of cloth tied round the body 
 during hard ivork). 
 
 Girl, kijana, pi. vijana. 
 Slave girl, kijakazi, pi. vijakazL 
 
 Girth, kivimba.
 
 46 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Gizzard, firi^si. 
 
 Gladness, furaha. 
 Glance, natliiri. 
 Glare, anga. 
 Glass, kioo. 
 
 Looking-glass, kioo, pi. vioo. 
 
 Drinking -glass, bilauri. 
 Glitter, kimeta. 
 Glory, sifa, fakhari, utukufu. 
 Glue (or gum), embwe. 
 Glutton, mlafi, pi. walafi. 
 Goat, mbuzi. 
 
 A strong he-goat, bebera (Ar.). 
 Go-between, kijumbe, ^^Z. vijumbe. 
 GOD, MUUNGU, pi miungu. 
 Goitre, tezi. 
 Gold, thaliabu. 
 Goldsmith, mfua thahabu, pi. wafua 
 
 thahabu. 
 Good luck, ghanima, jaha. 
 Goodness, wema. 
 
 Goods, mali ^possessions'), vyombo 
 
 (utensils), bithaa (merchandise). 
 
 Goose, bata la Bukini, pi. mabata 
 
 ya Bukini. 
 Gonorrhoea, kisunono. 
 Gourd. See Pumpkin. 
 Gouty jongo. 
 
 Governor, wali, liwali, pi. maliwali. 
 Government, serkali, daulati. 
 
 An official, mtu wa serkali. 
 Grain. See Corn. 
 
 Cleaned grain, mchele. 
 
 Cooked grain, wali. 
 
 Grains of com, punje, chembe. 
 Grandchild, mjukwi, pi. wajukuu. 
 
 Great-grandcluld, kijukuu, pi. 
 vijukuu, kitukuu, pi. vitukuu, 
 kilembwe, pi. vilembwe. 
 
 Great-great-grandchild,kmmg'mak, 
 pi. viningina. 
 Grandfather, babu. 
 
 Grandmother, bibu 
 
 Great- grandmother, mzaa bibi. 
 Grammar, saruf. 
 Grapes, zabibu. 
 Gratitude, shukrani. 
 Grass, nyasi, majani, nyika. 
 
 grass cut for fodder, ukoka. 
 Grasshopper, panzi, pi. mapanzi. 
 Grave, kaburi, pi. makabm-i. 
 
 In the grave, ajter death, ahera, 
 kuziniu. 
 Greatness, ukubwa, ukuii, utukufu. 
 Greediness, choyo, rolio, tamaa. 
 Greij hairs, mvi. 
 Gridiron, uma wa kuokea nyama, 
 
 pi. nyuma za kuokea nyama. 
 Grief, sikitiko, kasarani, msiba, 
 huzuni, hamu, simauzi. 
 
 (for a loss), majonzi. 
 Grime (on a pot), masizi. 
 Grit (small stones), chaugarawi. 
 Groom, mchunga, pi. wacbunga, 
 
 mtunga (M.), pi. watunga. 
 Ground, chini, inchi. 
 Ground nuts, mjugu nyasa, (a hard 
 
 round kind) mjugu mawe. 
 Grudging person, hiaua. 
 Gruel, uji. 
 
 Guard, mlinzi, pi. walinzi. 
 Guava, mpera, pi. mapera. 
 
 Guava-tree, mpera, pi. mipera. 
 Guest, mgeni, pi. wageni. 
 Guide, rubani, kiongozi,pZ. viongozi, 
 
 mkuu genzi. 
 Guitar, kinanda, pi. vinanda 
 Guinea fowl, kanga. 
 
 (a crested kind), kororo. 
 Gum (birdlime, &c.), ulimbo. 
 
 Gum [of the teeth), ufizi, pi. fizi. 
 
 Gum Arabic, haba, sumugh. 
 
 Gum Amini or Copal, sandarusi. 
 Gun, bunduki.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 47 
 
 FJirii (7«r?,biindiiki ya gmnegume. 
 
 Gun-harrel, kasiba. 
 
 Nipple, kifa, pi. vifa. 
 
 Gun-cap, fataki. 
 
 Gun-lock, mtambo, pi. mitambo. 
 
 (cannon), mzinga, pi. mizinga. 
 
 Gun-carriage, gurudumo la 
 mzinga. 
 Gunpowder, baruti. 
 GiU, tumbo, pi. matumbo. 
 
 H. 
 
 H. The guttural Arabic h, ha ngoe. 
 The softer Arabic h, he mdawari. 
 Habits, mazoezo, mathehebu. 
 Hxmorrhoids, bawasir. 
 Haft, mpini, pi. mipini, kipini, pi. 
 
 vipini. 
 Hair, nyele {or nwele), sing, unyele. 
 (of the beard), ndevu, sing, udevu. 
 (of the body, especially of the 
 
 pubes), mavuzi, sing. vuzi. 
 (of the eyebrow), nyushi, sing. 
 
 unyushi. 
 (of the eyelash), kope, sing, ukope. 
 (of the hand and arm), malaika, 
 
 sing, laika. 
 (of an animal), singa. 
 Straight hair, nyele za singa. 
 Woolly hair, nyele za kipilipili. 
 Half, nusu. 
 
 A half orange, cocoa-nut, c&c.kizio, 
 pi. vizio. 
 Halyards, henza. 
 
 Ropes passing through the pulley 
 of the halyards, jarari. 
 Hammer, nyuudo. 
 
 Hand (or arm and hand), mkono, 
 pi. mikono. 
 Palm of the hand, kitanga cha 
 mkono, pi. vitanga vya mikono. 
 Front of the hand, kofi, pi. makofi. 
 
 Inside of the fingers, kikofi, pi. 
 vikofi. 
 Handful {that will lie on the hand), 
 ukufi, p)l- kufi. 
 (that which will lie on the two 
 
 hands), chopa, pi. machopa. 
 (that can be grasped in the hand), 
 konzi, pi. makonzi. 
 Handkerchief, leso. 
 Focket handkerchief, leso ya ku- 
 futia kamasi. 
 Handle (like a knife-handle), mpini, 
 pi. mipini, kipini, pi. vipini. 
 (projecting like that of a sauce- 
 pan), kono, mkono, pi. mikonct. 
 (bowed like that of a bucket), 
 utambo, pi. tambo. 
 Handwriting, khati, mwandiko. 
 Hanger-on, chokora, pi. machokora. 
 Happiness, furaha, fiirahani, raha. 
 Harbour, bandari, buudari. 
 Hardness, ugnmu. 
 Hare. See Rabbit. 
 Harm, mathara. 
 Harness, matandiko. 
 Harp, kinubi, pi. vinubi. 
 Harpoon, chusa, pi. vyusa. 
 Harvest, mavuno. 
 Haste, haraka, hima. 
 Hat, chapeo. 
 
 Hatchet, kishoka, pi. vishoka, kitoka 
 (M.), pi. vitoka, upamba, pi. 
 pamba. 
 Hatred, machnkio, buothu. 
 Hawk, mwewe. 
 Haicker, dalali. 
 
 Head, kitwa (or kichwa), pi. 
 vitwa. 
 A little head, kijitwa, pi. vijitwa. 
 Head of a ship, omo. 
 Head winds, pepo za omo. 
 Head cloth worn by ivomen. ukaya
 
 48 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK 
 
 (of blue calico), dusamali (0/ 
 
 silk). 
 Headship, ujumbe. 
 Healing things, mapoza. 
 Health, uzima, afia, hali {state). 
 Heap, fungu, pi mafungu, 
 
 chungu. 
 . of stones, boma. pi. maboma. 
 of wood and sticks, biwi, pi. 
 
 mabiwi, kichaka, pi. vichaka. 
 of earth, kisugulu, pi. visugiilu. 
 (a raised bed), tuta, jjL matiita. 
 Heart, moyo, pi. mioyo, or nyoyo, 
 
 mtima, pi. mitima. 
 Heat, moto, hari (sweat), harara 
 
 (prickly heat). 
 Heaven, mbingti, sing, uwingu, 
 
 samawati (Ar.)- 
 Heaviness {iveight), uzito. 
 
 (sorrow), hamu. 
 Hedge, ua, pi. nyua. 
 Hedge made in the sea for taking 
 
 fish, uzio, pi. nyuzio. 
 Heel, kifundo (or kisigino) cha 
 
 mguu. 
 Heifer, mtaniba^ pi. mitamba. 
 Heir, mrithi, pi. vfSinthi. 
 Help, msaada. 
 Hem, upindo. 
 
 Hemp. See Cannabis Indica. 
 Hempen rope, kamba ulayiti. 
 Hen, k'uku. 
 
 Laying hen, koo, pi. makoo. 
 Hen, full grown, but that has not 
 
 yet laid, t'embe. 
 Henna, liina. 
 
 Herd, kundi, pi. makundi. 
 Herdsman, mchunga, pi. wachimga, 
 
 mtunga (M.), pi. watunga. 
 Hero, shujaa, pi. mashujaa, faliali, 
 
 pi. mafahali. 
 Heroism, ushujaa. 
 
 Hesitation, msangao. 
 
 (in speaking), kubabaika. 
 
 Hickup, kwikwe. 
 
 Hidden thing, fumbo, pi. mafumbo. 
 
 Hide, ngozi. 
 
 Hill, kilima, pi. vilima. 
 
 A rocky hill, jabali, pi. maja- 
 bali. 
 
 Hilt, kipini, pi. vipini. 
 
 Hindrance, kizuizo, kizuio, kizuizi. 
 It is said that Dr. Krapf, being 
 on one occasion delayed from 
 day to day, in obedience to 
 superior orders, said to those 
 who delayed him: — Keslio oa 
 keslio ni madanganya, ao ni 
 makatazanya. " To-morrow 
 and to-morrow is deceiving or 
 forbidding ;" to ichich they re- 
 plied : — Si madanganya wala 
 8i makatazanya, ni raazuiza- 
 nya. " It is not deceiving, and 
 it is not forbidding, it is delay- 
 ing." 
 
 Hinge, patta, bawaba. 
 
 Hip, nyonga (?), tokono (A.). 
 
 Hippopotamus, kiboko, pi. vibf-ko,' 
 tomondo. 
 
 Hire, taja, ijara, ujira. 
 
 History, hadithi. 
 
 Hoarseness, kupwewa na sanii. 
 
 Hoe, jembe [or gembe), pi. ma- 
 jembe. 
 
 Hoeing-up time, mapalilo. 
 
 Hold (of a ship), ngama. 
 
 Hole, tundu, pi. matundu. 
 
 (through anything), kipenyo, pi. 
 
 vipenyo. 
 (dibbled for seeds or plants), ko- 
 
 rongo, pU makorongo. 
 Hole to give light and air, mwa- 
 ngaza, pi. miangaza.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES 
 
 49 
 
 Hole in the lower lobe oj the ear, 
 ndewe. 
 Holiness, utakatifu, matakatifu. 
 Hollow (of a tree), mvungu. 
 Hollowness, uvurungu. 
 Home, kwangu, kwako, kwake, 
 kwetu, kwenu, kwao, according 
 to the person whose home it is. 
 1 have some at home, iko kwaugu. 
 Honey, asali ya nyuki. 
 Honour, lieshima, ukarimu, utu- 
 
 kufu. 
 Hoof, ukwato, pi. kwato, kwata. 
 Hook (fish-hook), doana. 
 
 (used to steady work with), 
 kulabu. 
 Hope, matumaini. 
 Hordeolum, cliokea. 
 Horn, pembe, pi. pembe or ma- 
 pembe. 
 An antelope's horn used as a 
 trumpet, baragumu. See 
 
 Musical Instruments. 
 Horse, farasi, fras. 
 Host (army or multitude), jeshi, pi. 
 majeshi. 
 Host (entertainer), mwenyeji, pi. 
 wenyeji. 
 Hostility, wadui, adawa. 
 Hour, saa. 
 House, nyumba. 
 (large), jumba, pi. majumba. 
 (small), kijumba, pi. vijumba. 
 Household of slaves, kijoli. 
 Hum, mavumi. 
 Humility, unenyekeo. 
 Hump (of an ox), nundu. 
 
 {of a humpback), kigongo. 
 Hunger, iijaa, ndaa (M.). 
 Hundred, mia. 
 
 Two hundred, miteen. 
 Hunter, mwinda, pi. wawinda. 
 
 Hurry, haraka. 
 
 Husband, mume, pi. waiime. 
 
 Husk, ganda, pi. magauda. 
 
 Husk and bran of rice, kumvi. 
 
 Husk of the cocoa-nut, makumbi. 
 Hut, kibanda, pi. vibanda. 
 Hysena, fisi, pisi. 
 
 Spotted hysena, kingubwa. 
 Hydrocele, mshipa, pumbo, kito- 
 
 nga (?) 
 Hypocrite, mnafiki, pi. wanafiki. 
 
 I. 
 
 Ibo, Wibo. 
 
 Idiot, hayawani. 
 
 Idleness, uvivu. 
 
 Idolater, kafiri. pi. makafiri. 
 
 Ignorance, ujinga. 
 
 Image, sanamu. 
 
 Imperial. See Beard. 
 
 Imprecation, apizo, pi. maapizo. 
 
 Imprisonment, kifuugo. 
 
 Incense, buhmi, ubani, uvumha, 
 
 uudi. See Censer. 
 Income, pato. 
 Independence, iipweke. 
 Indian (heathen), Banyani, pi. IMa- 
 
 banyani. 
 Indian {Maliommedan), Muhindi, 
 
 pi. Waliiudi, 
 Indian rubber, mpira. 
 Indian corn, muhindi. See Maize. 
 Infection, kuambukiza. 
 Infidel, kafiri, pi. makafiri. 
 Infirmity, uthaifu. 
 Information, habari. 
 Ingenuity, uyuzi, umaheli. 
 Inheritance, \xr\th\. 
 Inheritor, mxiihi, pi. warii/ii. 
 Ink, vrino. 
 
 Inkstand, kidau cha wino. 
 Inlaid work, njumu.
 
 50 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 Innovation, mzuzi, pi. mizuzi. 
 Innovator, mzushi, pi. wazushi. 
 Insect, mdudu, jjI- wadudu. 
 
 Paange, gadfly. 
 
 Manyiga, hornet. 
 
 Dudu vule, a boring hornet. 
 
 Bunzi, pl. mabunzi, a stinging 
 
 fly- 
 
 Vunja jimgo, a mantis. 
 Boroshoa, a long-shaped black 
 
 insect found in dust-heaps. 
 Insolence (^self-sufficiency), kinaya. 
 Instruction, mafundisho. 
 Instruments (nautical), vipande vya 
 
 kupimia. 
 Insult, tukano, pl. matukano. 
 Intellect, akili {generally treated as 
 
 a plural noun of Class III.). 
 Intention, nia, kasidi. 
 Interpretation, tafsiri. 
 Interpreter, mkalimani, pl. wakali- 
 
 mani, posoro. 
 Intestines, matumbo. 
 
 Small intestines, change. 
 Interruption, kizuizo, pl. vizuizo. 
 Intoxicating thing, kileo, pl. viko. 
 Intoxication, kileo, kulewa. 
 Intruder, kizushi, pl. vizushi, fisadi 
 
 (one icho enters a house without 
 
 laivful purpose). 
 Invalid, mgonjvfa, pl. wagonjwa. 
 Iron, chuma. 
 
 A piece of iron, chuma, pl. vyuma. 
 Iron bar, mtaimbo, pl. mitaimbo. 
 Island, kisiwa, pl. vi&iwa. 
 Itch, upele, pele. 
 Itching, mnyeo. 
 Jvory, pembe. 
 
 a large tusk, buri. 
 
 J. 
 
 Jachal, mbwa wa luwitu. 
 
 Jachfruit, finesi, 'pl. mafinesi, 
 
 Jackfruit tret, mfinesi, pl. mi- 
 finesi. 
 Jar {for carrying waier), intungi, 
 pl. mitungi. 
 
 Jar (large), kasiki. 
 Jasmine, jasmini. 
 Jaiv, taya. 
 Jealousy, uwivu. 
 
 Jealous anger, gheiri. 
 
 To weep for jealousy, kulia ngoa 
 Jewel, johari. 
 Jin, jini, pl. majini. 
 Johanna, Anzwani. 
 Joint, kiungo, pl. viungo. 
 
 (in a cane), fundo, pl. mafundo. 
 
 (piece between two joints in a 
 cane), pingili. 
 Joist, boriti. 
 Joke, ubishi. 
 Journey, safari, mwendo. 
 
 Two days^ journey, mwendo wa 
 siku mbili. 
 Joy, furaha. 
 
 Judge, kathi, pl. makathi, mwa- 
 muzi, pl, waamuzi, mwamua, 
 pl. waamua. 
 Judgment, hukumn, maamuzi. 
 Jug, kopo, pl. makopo. 
 Juice, maji. 
 Justice, haki. 
 
 K. 
 
 Ktel, mkuku, ntako ' Mer.). 
 Kernel, kisa, pl. visa. 
 Kettle, kanderinya. 
 Key, ufanguo, pl. fungua 
 Kick, teke, pl. mateke. 
 Kidney, nso, figo (M.). 
 Kind, namna, ginsi, aina. 
 
 Kind, sort or style is expressed by 
 ki. prefixed to the place, thing^
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 51 
 
 or people. Kihindi, the Indian 
 sort. Kizimgu, the European 
 sort. 
 Viatu vya Kihindi, shoes like 
 
 those worn by the Indians. 
 Viazi vya ELizungu, sweet potatoes 
 oftheEuropean sort,i.e. potatoes. 
 Mavazi ya kifaume, robes of the 
 Mngly sort, royal robes. 
 Kindness, wema. 
 
 Ecery kindness, killa jambo la 
 
 wema. 
 A kindness, fathili. 
 Kindred, ndugu, jamaa. 
 
 Utani, the belonging to a kindred 
 
 race. 
 Mtani, pi. watani, a person of a 
 kindred race. 
 King, mfalme, pi. wafalme, malki, 
 maliki. 
 CJcess king, shah. 
 Kingdom, ufalme, ufalume, nfaume, 
 
 milld, mulki. 
 Kinsman, ndugu, jamaa. See 
 
 Kindred. 
 Kiss, busu. 
 
 Kitchen, jikoni, mekoni. 
 Kite (bird), mwewe. 
 
 (toy), tiara. 
 Knee, gote, pi. magote, ondo, pi. 
 
 maondo (A.). 
 Knife, kisu, pi. visu. 
 (large), jisu, pi. majisu. 
 Kotama, a curved knife used in 
 
 getting palm wine. 
 Shembea, a kind of curved knife. 
 Knight (chess), frasi. 
 Knot, fundo, pi. mafundo. 
 Knoicingness, ujuvi, ujuzi, werevu. 
 Knowledge, maarifa, elimu, hekima. 
 Koran, korani, furakanu, msahafu. 
 It is divided into thirty juzuu, 
 
 which together make a khitima 
 nzjma. 
 
 Labour, kazi. 
 
 Labour pains, utungu. 
 Lac (100,000), lakki. 
 Ladder, ngazi. 
 
 Ladle made out of a cocoa-r? m/, kata, 
 pi. makata (deep, used to dip 
 up water with) ; upawa, pi. 
 pawa (shallow, used for gravy, 
 curry, &c.). 
 Lady, bibi, mvrana mke wa kiu- 
 ngwana. 
 Lady of the house, mwana. 
 Ladylove, mchumba. 
 Lake, ziwa la maji, pi. maziwa. 
 Lamoo, Amu. 
 Lamp, taa. 
 
 Larnpstand, a piece of wood icith 
 
 tico flat pieces projecting at 
 
 right angles on which the lamp 
 
 is placed, mwango, pi. miango. 
 
 Lampwick, utambi, pi. tambi. 
 
 Land, inchi, nti ''M.). 
 
 Landing-place, diko, pi. madiko, 
 
 liko, pi. maliko. 
 Language, lugha, maneno. TJce 
 language of a place or nation 
 is expressed by the use of the 
 prefix ki-. Maneno ya Kiu- 
 nguja or Kiunguja,f7itJ languag( 
 of Zanzibar. Kinyamwezi, the 
 language of the Nyamwezi 
 tribe. See Dialect. 
 Filthy and insulting language, 
 matukano. 
 Languor, utepeteva. 
 Lantern, fanusi, kandili, pi. ma- 
 j kaudili. 
 
 1 Lappet, kishungi,^?. vishungi. 
 
 E 2
 
 52 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Largess, takarima, Lashishi. | 
 
 Lathe, keezo. 
 
 Laugh, cheko,^Z. macheko, kicheko, 
 
 pi. vicheko. 
 Law, slieria, hukurnn. 
 Lead, risasi, rusasi. 
 
 {for sounding), bildi. 
 Leader, kiongozi, pi. viongozi. 
 Leaf {of a tree), jaui, pi. majani. 
 (of a cocoa-nut tree^, kuti, pi. 
 
 makuti. 
 Leaf (of a hooh), ukurasa, pi. 
 kurasa. 
 Lean-to, kipenn, pi. vipenu. 
 Learning, elimu. 
 
 A man of learning, mwana wa 
 chuoni. 
 Leather, ngozi, ngovi. 
 Leave, mksa, ruhusa. 
 
 To tahe leave, kuaga. 
 Leaven, chachu, kamira. 
 Lee side, upande wa cliini. 
 Leech, mruba, pi. miruba, mdudu 
 
 afyonzaye damu. 
 Lefthandedness, shoto. 
 Leg (or foot), mgu.u,pl. miguu. 
 (of a native bedstead), tendegu, 
 
 pi. matendegu. 
 Loss of the use of the legs, kitewe, 
 kiwete. 
 Leg ring. See Anhlet. 
 Legend, hadithi. 
 Leisure (private time), faragha, 
 
 makini. 
 Lemon, limao, pi. malimao. 
 Length, mefu. 
 Leopard, chui, tui (M.). 
 Leprosy, ukoma, balanga, jethamu, 
 
 matana. 
 Letter, -svaraka, pi. nyaraka, barua, 
 kbati. 
 Letter (of the alphabet), henifu. 
 
 Lever, mvukuto, pi. mivukuto. 
 Liar, mwongo, pi. wawongo. 
 Liberality, ukarimu. 
 Licentiousness, washerati. 
 Licorice, sus. 
 Lid, kifumko,pZ. vifuniko, kibia, pL 
 
 vibia, mkungu wa kufunikia. 
 Lie, wongo, u won go. 
 Life, uzima (health), maisha (con- 
 tinuance), roho (soul). 
 Light, nuru, weupe, mwanga, pi. 
 mianga, anga, pi. maanga 
 (glare). 
 Lighthole, mwangaza, pi. mia- 
 
 ngaza. 
 Lights (of an animal), yavuyavu. 
 Lightning, umeme. 
 Like (similar thing), kifani, pL 
 
 vifani. 
 Likeness, mfano, pi. mifano, kifano 
 
 pi. vifano, sanamu, sura. 
 Lime, chokaa. 
 
 Lime (fruit), dimu. 
 Sweet lime, dimu tamu. 
 Limit, mpaka, pi. mipaka (boun- 
 dary), kinga (block), upoo 
 (what cannot be surpassed). 
 Line, mstari, pi. mistari (drawn), 
 safu (roic), ugwe (cord), sliairi 
 {line of verse). 
 Linen, kitani. 
 Lining of a kanzu round the throat, 
 
 kaba. 
 Lion, simba. 
 Lip, mdomo, mlomo, or mwomo, pi. 
 
 midomo, milomo, or miomo. 
 Lip-ring, ndonya. 
 Liquid, maji, kiowevu. 
 Lisp, kitembe. 
 Litter (carried by four men), 
 
 macbeva. 
 Little pieces, vidogo, sing, kidogo.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES, 
 
 53 
 
 Liver, ini, pi. maini. 
 Lizard, mjusi, pi. wajusi. 
 Large water lizard, kenge. 
 Kinds of lizards, mgurugum, pi. 
 
 waguruguru — gorong'ondwa — 
 
 kiuma mbuzi— mjumbakaka — 
 
 mjisikafiri. 
 Load; mzigo, pi. mizigo. 
 Loaf, mkate, pi. mikate. 
 Loan, maazimo, karatha. 
 Lock, kitasa, pi. vitasa (60a; lock), 
 
 komeo or gomeo (a native 
 
 wooden lock), kufuli,^Z. maku- 
 
 fuli {padlock). 
 Locust, mzige, pi. wazige, nzige. 
 Log, gogo, pi. magogo. 
 
 (nautical), batli. 
 Loin cloth, nguo, doti, kikoi, pi. 
 
 vikoi (with a striped border). 
 Loins, kiiino, pi. viuno. 
 Longing, uchu, tamaa, hawa. 
 Look, nathari. 
 
 Looking-glass, kioo, pi. vioo. 
 Loop, kitanzi, pi. vitanzi. 
 
 Loops to haul up a boat by, 
 
 kishwara. 
 Loss, hasara. 
 Jjots, kura. 
 Louse, chawa, tawa. 
 Love, shauko, mapenzi, habba, 
 
 mahabu, pendo, mapendo. 
 Luck, bahati, nasibu. 
 
 Messenger of ill luck, korofi. 
 Lukewarmness, uvuguvugu. 
 Lumbrici, change. 
 Lump, fun go, pi. mafungo, fumba, 
 
 pi. mafumba. 
 Lump [as in flour), kidonge, pi. 
 
 vidonge, vumbu, pi. mavumbu. 
 Lump (of meat), chinyango. 
 Lunacy, kichaa, soda. 
 Lunatic, mwenyi kichaa. 
 
 Lungs, pafu, pumu, yavuyavu (of 
 
 an animal). 
 Lust, hawa. 
 
 M. 
 
 Mace {spice), basbasi. 
 
 Machine, samaui, mtambo, pi. mi- 
 
 tambo. 
 Madagascar, Buki, Bukini. 
 Madness, wazimo, mahoka (country 
 
 dialect). 
 Magadoxa, IMkuchyo. 
 Magic, uchawi (black magic). 
 
 uganga (loliite magic). 
 Maggot (funza). 
 Magnesia (sulphate of), chumvi ya 
 
 haluli. 
 Maiden, mwana mwali. 
 Maize (plant), muhiudi. 
 half-groicn, matindi. 
 (corn), mahindi. 
 (corn cob), gunzi, 2)1. magunzi. 
 (young cob), ngara. 
 (parched corn), mbisi. 
 Majesty, enzi, ezi. 
 Malice, uovu. 
 Man (person), mtu, pjl. watu. 
 
 (male), mwanamume, pi. waa- 
 
 naume. 
 (human being), mwana Adamii, 
 
 bin Adamu (Ar.). 
 A very large man, jitu, pi. majitu. 
 A young man whose beard is 
 beginning to appear, mvulana, 
 pi. wavulana. 
 Man of the world, mtu mwerevu. 
 Mango, embe, embe (M.), pi. ma- 
 embe. Embe za dodo, large 
 mangoes. 
 Mango-tree, mwembe, pi. miembe. 
 Mangouste, mchiro, pi. wachiro. 
 Mangrove, mkoko, pi. mikoko.
 
 54 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Manner, ginsi. 
 
 An elegant manner, madaha. 
 Manners, destuii, matliehebu. 
 
 Good manners, adabu, tasfida. 
 3/anfzs, vuDJa jungo. 
 Manure, samadi. 
 Manuscript, mwandiko, pi. mia- 
 
 ndiko. 
 Mark, alama. 
 
 Marks made hy dragging anything 
 
 along, mkokoto, pi. mikokoto. 
 Tribal mark, nemba. See Spot, 
 Blotch. 
 Market, soko, pi, masoko. 
 Marriage, ndoa, mikaba. 
 (the ceremony), liarusi. 
 (intermarriage), kuoana. 
 Marrow, bongo. 
 Martyr, shabidi, pi. mashabidi. 
 Mask, barakoa. 
 Mason, mwasbi, pi. waashi. 
 
 Mason's trowel, mwiko, pi. miiko. 
 Mass, the mass of, jamii ya. 
 Mast, mlingote, pi. milingote, 
 mgote, pi. migote. 
 Small mizen-mast, mlingote wa 
 kalmi or galmi. 
 Master {of a house, or of slaves), 
 bwana. 
 Master {of a school), mwalimu, pi. 
 
 waalimu. 
 Masters son, bwana mdogo. 
 Master workman, fundi. 
 One's own master, mweza mwe- 
 nyewe. 
 Mat (coarse matting), jamvl, pi. 
 majamvi. 
 Sleeping mat, mkeka, j^Z. mikeka. 
 Sleeping mat made like a hag with 
 
 one side open, fumba. 
 Oval prayer mat, musala, pi. mi- 
 sala. 
 
 Bound mat on which food is laid 
 
 out, kitanga, pi. vitanga. 
 Strips of palm leaf for plaiting 
 
 fine mats, myaa, pi. miyaa. 
 Strips of palm leaf for plaiting 
 
 coarse mats, mwaa, pi. miwaa. 
 Narrow strips ready to he seicn 
 together to make coarse TnatSy 
 sbupatu, pi. masbupatu. 
 Strips for making fine mats, 
 
 iikiri, pi. kiri. 
 The thick edge of strips of 
 
 matting, ng'ong'o. 
 Busati, a sort of matting hrought 
 from Muscat. 
 Matchmaker, kijumbe, pi. vijumbe. 
 Matches, viberiti. 
 Matter (pus), usaba. 
 
 A matter, jambo, jawabu. 
 What is the matter ? Kuna nini? 
 What is the matter with you? 
 Una nini. 
 Mattress, godoro, pi. magodoro. 
 Mayotte, Maotwe. 
 Meal (food), cbakula. 
 
 First meal after a fast, futarL 
 Meal (flour), unga. 
 Meaning, maana. 
 Meanness, unyonge. 
 Means, njia. 
 Measles, cburuwa. 
 
 Measure, kadri, kiasi, cbeo, kipimo. 
 A measure, kipimo, pi. vipimo. 
 Measuring rod, line, &c., chenezo, 
 
 pi. vyenezo. 
 
 See Cubit, Fathom, Span, Weight. 
 
 The weights are used as measures 
 
 for such a capacity as would 
 
 contain that weight of millet 
 
 Bleat, nyama. [ (mtama). 
 
 Small pieces cooked on a skewer, 
 
 msbakiki, pi. misbakiki.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 55 
 
 Pieces cool-'d on two parallel 
 
 8ticJis, subana. 
 Meatiness, mnofu. 
 Meddler, pingamizi. 
 Mediator {peace-ma'ker\,vcis,Q\ph\i\\d^, 
 
 pi. waselehisha, msululiislia, 
 
 pi. wasuluhisha, mpatanislii, 
 
 pil. wapatanislii. 
 Medicine, dawa, pi. dawa or madawa. 
 (inedical knowledge), utabibu, 
 
 uganga. 
 Medicine man, mganga, pi. wa- 
 
 ganga. 
 Meehness, upole. 
 Melancholy, huzuni, hamu. 
 Memorandum (written), kliati. 
 Memorial, kumbukumbu, uku- 
 
 mbusho. 
 Memory, ukumbuka, ufahamiL 
 Menstruation, heth. 
 Mention, kumbukumbiL 
 Merchandise, bithaa. 
 Merchant, mfanyi biashara, pL vra.- 
 
 fanyi biashara, tajiii, pi. ma- 
 
 tajiri (a rich man)y taf/ibiii, 
 
 bazazi (huckster). 
 Mercury, zebakh. 
 Mercy, rebema, huruma. 
 Merit, ajara. 
 Merka, Marika. 
 Message, maneno, habaii. 
 Messenger, mjumbe, pi. wajumbe, 
 
 mtume, pi. watume, tume. 
 Metal, madini 
 Middle, kati. 
 
 Middle of a piece of cloth, mjL 
 Midge, usubi. 
 Midnight, usiku saa a sita. kati ya 
 
 usiku, usiku wa manane. 
 Midwife, mzalisha, pi. wazalisha. 
 Mildew, kawa. 
 Milk, maziwa. 
 
 Curdled milk, maziwa mabivu. 
 Buttermilk, mtindi. 
 Mill, diuu, pi. viuu. 
 Steam mill, kinu cha moshi. 
 Oil mill, kinu clia kushindikia. 
 Hand mill, mawe ya kusagia 
 {this last only is used for grind- 
 ing corn. Kinu is properly a 
 wooden mortar, and the common 
 oil mills consist of a lever turned 
 in a mortar by camels). 
 Millipede, jongoo. 
 Millet, mtama. 
 fully formed hut unripe, mtama 
 
 tete. 
 Millet stalks, mabua, sing. bua. 
 kinds of millet, kibakuli, kipaje. 
 3Iind, moyo (heart), akili (wits). 
 Mine, madini. [nia (intention). 
 
 Mint (herb), nana, fidina (?> 
 Minute, dakika. 
 
 Miracle, m.v,- ujiza., pi. miujiza, ajabu. 
 Miscarriage, kuharibu mimba. 
 Mischief, matbara, uharabu. 
 Miser, bakhili, choyo. 
 Misery, shidda, tbulli. 
 Misfortune, msiba, pi. misiba, taabu. 
 Missile, kimwondo, pi. zimwondo 
 {used to mean shooting stars, 
 because said to be cast at the 
 Jins by the angels). 
 Missionary, mpeekwa, pi. wa- 
 
 peekwa. 
 Mist, kungu, umande, sbemali 
 Mistake, kosa, makosa. 
 Mistress (of slaves), bibi. 
 
 {of the house), ^wana. It is 
 
 reckoned good manners in 
 
 Zanzibar to speak of one's own 
 
 mother as mwana. 
 
 Mistress (kept woman), kinyumba. 
 
 Mistress ^sweetheart), mchumba.
 
 56 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 Mizen-mast, mlingote wa kalmi or 
 
 galmi. 
 Mockery, usimanga. 
 Moderation, kadri, kiasL 
 Modesty, haya. 
 Moliilla, Moalli. 
 Mole, fuko (?). 
 Monibas, Mvita. 
 Monday, Juma a tatu. 
 Money, fetha. 
 Monfia, Mafya. 
 MonJcey, kima. 
 
 Tumbili, a small light-coloured 
 
 monkey. 
 Ngedere, a small black monkey. 
 Mbega, 'pl. wabega, a black 
 monkey with long ivhite hair on 
 the shoulders. 
 Monsoon [northerly winds), musimi. 
 Month, mwezi, pl. mie?!. 
 
 The months of the Arab year are 
 determined by the sight of the 
 moon, or by the lapse of thirty 
 full days. The months practi- 
 cally begin from the end of the 
 fasting month, and are called 
 Mfunguo wa mosi, — wa pili, — 
 wa tatu, — wa'nne, — wa tano, — 
 wa sita, — wa saba, — wa uane, 
 — wa kenda, Eajabu, Shaabani, 
 Ramatbani. See Time. 
 A month of less than thirty days, 
 
 mwezi mpungufu. 
 A m.onth of thirty full days, mwe- 
 zi mwangamu. 
 Monthly pay, mshaara. 
 Moon, mwezi. 
 
 Moonblindness, kiwi. 
 Moonlight, bala mwezi. 
 Morning, subui, assubui, ussubui. 
 
 Morning air, umande. 
 Morocco, Magharibi. 
 
 Morsel, kidogo, pl. vidogo. 
 Mortar for pounding and cleaning 
 grain, &c., kinu, pl. vinu. 
 Mortar for throwing shells, ko- 
 
 mbora. 
 Builder^s mortar, chokaa. 
 Platters used as mortar boards, 
 cliano, pl. vyano. 
 Mosque, meskiti, moskiti, mesjid. 
 Mosquito, imbu. 
 Moth, noondo. 
 
 Mother, mama. It is polite in Zan- 
 zibar to speak of one^s own 
 mother as mwana. 
 Step-mother, mama wa kambo. 
 Mother-in-law, mkwe, pl. w^akwe. 
 Mould, kalibu. 
 
 (mouldiness), ukungu, kawa. 
 Mound (of earth), kisugulu, pl. vi- 
 sugulu. 
 Mound {of stones), boma, pl. ma- 
 boma. 
 Mountain, mlima, pl. milima. 
 Mourning (grief), msiba. 
 
 To make a formal mourning, 
 
 kukaa matanga. 
 To finish a formal mourning^ 
 
 kuondoa matanga. 
 To live very privately during 
 mourning for a husband, ku- 
 kalia eda. 
 The feast with ivhich a mourning 
 concludes, hitimu. 
 3Ioustache, muomo, 2>l- miomo. 
 Mouth, kinwa, pl. vinwa, kanwa, pl. 
 
 makanwa. 
 Mucus (from the nose), kamasi. 
 
 (from the vagina), utoko. 
 Mud, tope ; much mud, matope. 
 
 Muddiness in water, vumbi. 
 Mule, nyumbu, bagliala. [riiba. 
 
 Multiplication (arithmetical), tha-
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 57 
 
 Multitude, makutaiio, kundi, pi. 
 umkundi, jeshi, pi. majeshi, 
 umaati. 
 Mummy, mumyani. 
 Mungoose, mcliiro, pi. wachiro. 
 Murderer, muuwaji, pi. wauwaji. 
 Muscle, tafu. 
 
 Mushroom, kioga, pi. vioga. 
 Music, ngoma. 
 
 Musical Instruments. See Drum. 
 Baragumu, a spiral antelope*s 
 
 horn'used as a trumpet. 
 Kayamba, a sort of rattle. 
 Kinanda, pi. vinanda, a stringed 
 instrument, used of European 
 instruments generally. 
 Kinubi, a harp. 
 Matoazi, sing, toazi, cymbals. 
 Mbui, a buffalo's horn played by 
 
 beating. 
 Paanda, a trumpet. 
 Upato, a plate of copper sounded 
 
 by beating. 
 Vugo, a large horn sounded by 
 
 beating. 
 Zeze, a three-stringed lute. 
 Zomari, a sort of clarionet. 
 Musk, mesiki, meski. 
 Mussel {shellfish), kijogoo, jpZ. vijo- 
 
 goo, kome, pi. makome. 
 Mustard, kharadali. 
 Myriad, kikwi, pi. vikwi or zikwi. 
 Myrrhf manemane. 
 
 N. 
 Nail {finger), l^kucha, pi. kucha. 
 
 (iron), msomari, pi. misomari. 
 Name, jina, pi. majina. 
 
 What is your name ? Jina lako 
 nani? 
 Namesake, somo, pi. masomo. 
 Nape of the neck, ukosi, kikosi. 
 
 Napkin, kitambaa, pi. vitambaa. 
 Table napkin, kitambaa cha 
 meza. 
 Narcotic, kileo, pi. vileo. 
 Nation, taifa, pi. mataifa. 
 Native, mzalia, pi. wazalia, kizao, 
 
 pi. vizao, kivyao, pi. vivyao. 
 Nature, asili, labia. 
 Nautical instruments, vipande vya 
 
 kupimia. 
 Navel, kitovu, pi. vitovu. 
 Necessaries (especially as supplied 
 by God^s providence), riziki, 
 ziriki (M.). 
 (usefid things), vifaa. 
 Necessity, farathi, lazima, ukwasefu. 
 Neck, shin go, pi. mashingo. See 
 
 Back, Nape. 
 Need, uhtaji, kutaka, matakwa. 
 Needle, sindano. 
 Neighbour, jirani. 
 Neighbourhood, upande wa, ki- 
 
 yambo (?). 
 Nest, tundu, pi. matundu. 
 
 (a laying place), kiota, pi. viota. 
 Net, mshipi, p)l- mishipi. 
 
 used to take gazelles, &c., wavu, 
 
 pi. nyavu, chavu, p/. vyavu. 
 Stake net, hedge made in the sea, 
 
 uzio, pi. nyuzio. 
 Bound casting net, kimia, pi. 
 
 vimia. 
 Seine made of European cordage, 
 
 jarifa (or jarife), pi. majarifa. 
 Seine made of cocoa-nut fibre, 
 
 juya, pi. majuya. 
 Fish trap made of basket work, 
 dema. 
 Nettle, kiwavi, pi. viwavi (used also 
 iV^ews, habari. [of sea-nettles). 
 
 Night, usiku. 
 
 All night, usiku kucha.
 
 58 
 
 8WAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 Four whole nights, siku nne usiku 
 
 kucha. 
 Four days and mghts, siku nne 
 mcliana na usiku. 
 Nightmare, jinamisi. 
 Nipple, chuchu ya ziwa, titi, 
 bubu (A.). 
 ef a gun, kifa, pi. vifa. 
 Nohody, si mtu. 
 
 There is nobody, hapana {or 
 hakuna) mtu. 
 Noise, sauti. 
 of voices, kelele, pi. makelele, 
 
 uthia. 
 See Bellow, Hoar, Hum, Cry. 
 Nonsense, upuzi, puo. 
 Noon, athuuri, jua kitwani. 
 Noose, tanzi, pi. nmtanzi. 
 North, kibula, kaskazini. 
 
 Northerly winds, kaskazi. 
 Nose, pua, yl. pua or mapua. 
 
 Nose ornament shaped like a stud, 
 
 kipini, pi. vipini. 
 Nose ring, azama. 
 Nostril, tundu ya pua, 'mwauzi wa 
 
 pua (?). 
 Notch, a place where a triangular 
 
 piece is hrolcen out, peugo. 
 Note, barua, khati. 
 Number, hesabu, kiwango. 
 Nurce, yaya (dry nurse), 'mlezi, pi. 
 walezi (of a child), muguzi, pi. 
 wauguzi (of a sick person). 
 Nut, kokwa, pi. makokwa. See 
 
 Ground, Casheiv, cfcc. 
 Nutmeg, kungumauga. 
 
 O. 
 
 Oar, kasia, pi. makasia. 
 
 Oath, uapo, pi. nyapo, kiapo, pi. 
 
 viapo, yamini. 
 Obedience, mutia. 
 
 Objections, makindano, makaiazo. 
 Occupation, shughuli. 
 (Esophagus, umio. 
 Offering, sadaka (gift), thabihu 
 
 (sacrifice), kafara (a sacrifice to 
 
 avert calamity ; it is buried or 
 
 thrown away). 
 Officer, akida, mkuu wa asikari. 
 Officiousness, futhuli, ufuthuli, 
 Offspring, mzao, pi. wazao. [ujuvi. 
 Oil, mafuta. 
 
 Castor-oil, mafuta ya mt)arika. 
 Semsem-oil, mafuta ya uta. 
 Ointment, marliamu. 
 Old age, uzee, ukongwe (extreme). 
 Old person, mzee, pi. wazee, ki- 
 
 kongwe, pi. vikongwe (ex- 
 tremely old). 
 Omelette, kiwanda, kimanda. 
 Omen, fali. 
 Omnipresence, eneo la Muungu (the 
 
 spread of God). 
 Onion, kitunguu, pi. vitunguu. 
 Open place, kiwanja, pi. viwanja, 
 
 wangwa, wanda. 
 piece of waste ground in a town, 
 
 uga. 
 Opinion, wasia. 
 Opium, afyuni. 
 Opportunity, nafasi. 
 Ophthalmia, weli wa macho. 
 Orange, chungwa, pi. machungwa, 
 
 chungwa la kizungu, danzi la 
 
 kizungu. 
 Bitter or wild oranges, danzi, pi. 
 
 madanzi. 
 Mandarin oranges, kangaja. 
 (a larger sort), cheuza, clienza za 
 
 kiajjemi. 
 Order. See Command. 
 
 {regularity, or a regular order), 
 
 taratibu.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES, 
 
 59 
 
 Ordeal, kiapn, pi. viapo. 
 Origin, asili, cbimbuko, mwanzo. 
 Ornament, pambo, jpl. mapambo, 
 kipambo, pi. vipambo. 
 Dalia, o yellow cosmetic. 
 Ndonya, lip-ring worn by the 
 
 Nyassa women. 
 Sarafu, a small gold plate worn 
 
 on the forehead. 
 Sliangwi, an ornament worn 
 
 between the shoulders. 
 Urembo, black lines painted upon 
 
 the face. 
 Uzuri, cosmetic applications. 
 Vidani, collars of gold or silver. 
 See Anklets, Bracelets^ Ear^ Nose. 
 Orphan, yatima. 
 Os coccygis, kifundugm 
 Ostrich, buni. 
 Otto of roses, bal waradL 
 Outlet, pakutokea. 
 Outrigger (of canoes), matengo. 
 Outskirts of a town, kiunga. 
 Oven, tanuu, tanuru. 
 Over-looker, msimamizi, pi. wasi- 
 mamizi, mwangalizi, pi. waa- 
 ngalizi. 
 Owl, bundi 
 Owner, mwenyewe. 
 Ox, ng'ombe or gnombe, maksai. 
 Oyster, cheza, kome (?), pi. ma- 
 kome, kombe za pwaiii. 
 
 P. 
 
 Pace, mwendo. 
 
 Package, packet, or parcel, robota, 
 
 gora (of cloth), peto, pi. ma- 
 
 peto. 
 Small packet, kipeto, pi. vipeto. 
 Pad of grass, &c., used to carry a 
 
 load on the head upon, generally 
 
 twisted into a ring, kata. 
 
 Pad used as a saddle for donkeys, 
 khorj. 
 Paddle, kafi, pi. makafi. 
 Padlock, kufuli. 
 Pail, udoo. 
 
 Pain, maumivu, uchungu, kuuma. 
 Paint, rangi. 
 
 Pair, jozi, jura, jeuzi, jauzi. 
 Palace, jumba. 
 Palanquin, machera. 
 Palate, kaaka, kaa ]a kinwa. 
 Palisading, zizi, kizizi. 
 Palm of the hand, kitanga cha 
 mkono, ^Z. vitanga vya mikono. 
 A sail-maker's palm, dofra', pi. 
 madofra. 
 Palm-tree. See Cocoa-nut, Date. 
 Leaf-stem of a palm-tree, upongoe, 
 
 pi. pongoe. 
 Mkoche, has an edible fruit. 
 Mlala, hyphasne, branching palm. 
 Mvuma, bo7-assus palm. 
 Palm-oil tree, mchikiclii, pi. michi- 
 kichi. 
 its fruit, cbikicbi, pi macbikichi. 
 the small nuts contained in the 
 fruit, kichikichi, pi. vicLikichi. 
 Palm-wine, tembo. 
 Spirit made from palm-wine, 
 
 zarambo. 
 Palm-wine syrup, asali ya tembo. 
 Palmar abscess, kaka. 
 Palpitation of the heart, kiherehere 
 
 cba moyo. 
 Panniers, shoi, shogL 
 Pap, ubabwa. 
 Papaw, papayi, pi. mapapayi. 
 
 Papaw-tree, mpapayi, pi. mipa- 
 Paper, karatasi. [payi. 
 
 Parable, metbili, methali, mtano, 
 
 pi. mifano. 
 Paradise, peponi.
 
 60 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 Gate of paradise, kilango cha 
 
 jaha. 
 Paralysis, kipooza, tiwo (?). 
 Paralytic, mwenyi kupooza. 
 Parched maize, mbisi. 
 Pardon, arathi, musama, masameho, 
 
 liisa. 
 Parent, mzaa, pi. wazaa, mzazi, pi. 
 
 wazazi, mzee, pi. wazee. 
 Part, fungu, pi. mafungu, sehemu, 
 
 upande, pi. paude, kisma. 
 Partner, msliarika, pi. washarika. 
 Partnership, usharika. 
 Partridge, kwale (?). 
 
 Kering'ende, the red-legged par- 
 tridge. 
 Party (faction), aria. 
 Pass, or passport, cheti, pi. vyeti. 
 Passage (by), pito, pi. kipito. 
 (through), kipenyo, pi. vipenyo. 
 A very narrow passage, kicbo- 
 
 choro, pi. vichoclioro. 
 Patch (in cloth), kiraka, pi. viraka 
 
 (in planMng), hasho. 
 Path, njia, pito, pi. mapito. 
 Patience, saburi, subiri, uvumilivu, 
 
 utulivu. 
 Pattern, namna. 
 
 (to work from) tielezo, pi. vielezo. 
 Pauper, kibapara, pi. vibapara (an 
 
 insulting epithet). 
 Pawn (chess), kitunda, pi. vitunda. 
 Pay, ijara, njia, faritha, mshabara 
 
 (monthly). 
 Pea, dengu {they are not grown in 
 
 Zanzibar, but are brought dry 
 
 from India). 
 A small pea-like bean^ chooko, 
 
 chiroko. 
 Peace, amani, salamu. 
 Peace-maker, mpatanlshi, msele- 
 
 hisha, msuluhisha. 
 
 Peacock, tausi. 
 
 Peak, kilele, pi. vilelo. 
 
 Pearl, lulu. 
 
 Pebble (very small), mbwe. 
 
 {or small piece of stone), kokoto, 
 pi. makokoto. 
 Peel, ganda, pi. maganda. 
 Peg, change, pi. vyaugo. 
 Pelvis, tokoni. 
 Pen, kalamu. 
 
 Beed pen, kalamu ya 'mwanzi. 
 Penis, mbo. 
 People, watu. 
 
 People of this world, walimwengu. 
 
 Other people's, -a watu. 
 
 People like us, kina sisi. 
 
 Abdailah*s people, kina Abdallah. 
 Pepper, pilipili manga. 
 
 Bed pepper, pilipili hoho. 
 Percussion cap, fataki. 
 Perfection, ukamilifu, utimilivu. 
 Perfumes, manukato. 
 Period (or point of time), kipindi, 
 
 pi. vipindi. 
 Perjury, aziir, zuli. 
 Permission, ruksa, ruhusa. 
 Persia, Ajjemi. 
 
 Persian Gulf, Babari il 'alL 
 Person, mtu. 
 
 A grown person, mtu mzima. See 
 Old, &c. 
 Perspiration, bari, jasho. 
 Pestilence, tauui, wabba. 
 Pestle, mchi (or mti), pi. micbi, 
 
 mtwango, pi. mitwango. 
 Phantom, kivuli, pi. vivulL 
 Phlegm, belgbamu. 
 Phthisis, ukohozi. 
 Physic, dawa, pi. dawa or madawa. 
 Physician, tabibu, mtabibu, pi. 
 watabibu, mganga. pi. wa- 
 gauga.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 61 
 
 Pice, pesa. p2. pesa or mapesa. 
 
 Pickle, acliari. 
 
 Picture, taswtra, sura, sauamu. 
 
 Piece, kipande, pZ. vipaude. 
 
 Piece of Madagascar grass cloth, 
 
 ramba, pi. maramba. 
 Piece let in hy way of patch (in 
 planking), basho. See Firewood. 
 
 Pig, nguruwe, nguuwe. 
 Jivi, a wild hog. 
 
 Pigeon, njiwa, udiwa (^L). 
 Tame pigeon, njiwa manga. 
 Wild pigeon, njiwa wa mwitu. 
 
 Pile of sticks, (fee, for burning, biwi, 
 pi. mabiwi. 
 
 Piles (hemorrhoids), bawasir. 
 
 Pilgrimage, haj. 
 
 Pill, kidonge, pi. vidonge. 
 
 Pillar, nguzo. 
 
 Pillow, mto, pi. mito. 
 
 Wooden head rest, msamilo, pi. 
 misamilo. 
 
 Pilot, rubani. 
 
 Pimple, kipele, pi. vipele, upele, pi. 
 pele {large), kiwe, ^Z. viwe {o, 
 small hind). 
 
 Pincers, koleo. 
 
 Pine-apple, nanasi, pi. mauanasi. 
 
 Pinna {shellfish), kaya,^Z. makaya, 
 panga, ^Z. mapauga. 
 
 Pipe (icater), nelli. 
 (clarionet), zomari. 
 (tobacco), kiko, pi. viko. The 
 native pipe consists of a bowl 
 (bora), a stem (digali) leading 
 from the bowl into a small vessel 
 of water, ichich last is properly 
 the kiko ; the stem from the kiko 
 to the mouth is the sbilamu. 
 The bubbling of the water ichen 
 it is being smoked is the malic 
 ya kiko. 
 
 Piping, kigwe, pi. vigwe. 
 
 Pirate, baramia. 
 
 Pistol, bastola. 
 
 Pit, shimo, pi. mashimo. 
 
 Pitch or Tary lamL 
 
 Pity, huruma. 
 
 Place, mabali, pahali. 
 
 Place may often be expressed by 
 
 the prefix pa-. 
 Panyamavu, a quiet place. 
 Pakutokea, a place to go out at. 
 Panginepo, elsewhere. 
 or by the use of penyi. 
 Penyi mti, the place where the 
 
 tree is, or was. 
 An open place, kiwanja, pi. 
 
 viwanja. 
 A clear space in a town, uga. 
 A place where offerings are made 
 to propitiate spirits supposed to 
 haunt it, mzimu, ^Z. mizimu. 
 Plague, tauni. 
 Plain, u wand a. 
 Plan, sbauri, pi. mashauri. 
 Plane, randa. 
 Plank, ubau, pi. mbau. 
 Planking, mbau. 
 
 A pkuik laid over the body before 
 
 the earth is filled in, kiuuza, pi. 
 
 Plant, mbegu, mbeyu. [viunzM, 
 
 A young plant, mcbe, pi. miciie, 
 
 cbipukizi, pi. vipukizi. 
 Upupu, cowitch. 
 Mbaruti, a thistle-like plant with 
 
 a yellow flower. 
 Nyinyoro, a bulbous plant throw- 
 ing up a head of redfloicers. 
 Yungiyungi, the blue water-lily. 
 Afu, the loild jasmine. 
 Kirukia, a parasite on fruit trees. 
 Mpuagati, a kind of cactus. 
 Plantains, ndizi.
 
 62 
 
 8WAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Flantation, shamba, pi. masliamba. 
 Plate, kisabani, pi. visahani. 
 
 A plate of metal, bamba, pi. ma- 
 bamba. 
 Platter of wood, chano, pi. vyano. 
 Pleasure, anasa, furaba. 
 
 Pleasing things, mapendezi. 
 Pledge, rahani, amani, kabathi. 
 Vleiades, kilimia. 
 Plenty, wingi, ungi (M.), mari- 
 
 thawa. 
 Plumb-line (a stone hung by a strip 
 
 of banana leaf), timazi. 
 Plug, nguruzi, zibo, pi. mazibo. 
 Plummet, cbubwi. 
 Pocket, mfuko, pi. mifuko. 
 
 Pocket-handkerchief, ieso. 
 Poem, masbairi, uteiizi {religious). 
 Poet, mtunga mashairi, pi. watunga 
 
 masbairi. 
 Poetry , masbairi. 
 
 One line of poetry, shairi. 
 Point, ncba. 
 Poison, sumu, ucbungu. 
 
 Fish poison, utupa. 
 Pole, mti, pi. miti. 
 for carrying burdens on, mpiko, 
 
 pi. mipiko. 
 for propelling a canoe, upondo,^?. 
 pondo. 
 Politeness, adabu. 
 7 Pomegranate, kamamanga. 
 "f Fomeloe, furungu, pi. mafurungu. 
 
 f^ond, ziwa, pi. maziwa. 
 ! Pool, ziwa, pZ. maziwa. 
 * Pool left by the retiring tide, 
 kidimbwi, pi. vidimbwi. 
 Poop, sbetri. 
 Poor free man, maskini ya Muu- 
 
 ngu. 
 Porcupine, nungu. 
 Pores, uweleo, matokeo ya bari. 
 
 Porpoise, pomboo. 
 
 Porridge, ugali, uji, fuka, hasida. 
 
 Porter, See Doorkeeper, 
 {carrier), bamali, pi. mahamalL 
 (in a caravan), mpagazi, pi. wa- 
 pagazi. 
 
 Port Durnford, Burikao. 
 
 Position in the world, cheo, kiwa 
 
 DgO. 
 
 Possessions, mali, milki. 
 Possessor, mwenyewe. 
 
 Possessor of, dc, mwenyi, &c., pi, 
 wenyi, &c. 
 Post, mti, pi. miti. 
 
 Bearing post, mbimili, pi. mibi- 
 mili. 
 Posterity, wazao. 
 Pot. See Cooking-pot, Censer. 
 
 A lobster-pot, dema. 
 Potash (nitrate of), sbura. 
 Potatoes, viazi vya kizungu. 
 
 Sweet potatoes, viazi, sing, kiazi. 
 Raised beds for planting viazi, 
 tuta, pi. matuta. 
 Potsherd (broken piece of pottery or 
 glass), kigai, pi. vigai, gai, pi. 
 magai (a large piece), kige- 
 renyeuza, pi. vigerenyenza (a 
 very small piece, a splinter). 
 Potter, mfinangi, pi. wafinangi, mfi- 
 nyanzi, wafinyanzi. 
 A place to bake potter's work, ]6k.o. 
 Poultry, k'uku. 
 Poverty, umasikini. 
 Powder, unga. 
 
 Gunpowder, barati. 
 Power, uwezo, nguvu, mamlaka, enzi. 
 Practice, mtaala, mazoezo. 
 Praise, sifa, bamdi. 
 Prattle, vijineno. 
 Prayer (worship), ibada. 
 (entreaty), kuomba.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 63 
 
 (pie prescribed forms), sala. TTie 
 regular Mohammedan times of 
 prayer are, Magaiibi, directly 
 after sunset ; Esha, an hour or 
 two later ; Alfajiri, before sun- 
 rise ; Athuuri, at noon ; Alasiri, 
 about half-way between noon 
 and sunset. 
 
 Preacher, mwenyi kukhutubu, or 
 kuayithi. 
 
 Precept, mafundisho. 
 
 Pregnancy, mimba. 
 
 Present {see Gift), zawadi. 
 
 Customary present, ada, kilemba. 
 Customary presents at a wedding : 
 to the bride's father, mahaii, 
 kilemba ; to the bride* s mother, 
 mkaja, ubeleko ; to the bride's 
 kungu, kiosba migim, kifunua 
 mlango; to the bride herself, 
 kipa mkono. 
 
 Press or Pressure, sbinikizo. 
 
 Prey, mawindo. 
 
 Price, kima, ^Tiamani. 
 
 Prickly heat, vipele vya bahara. 
 A medicament for it, liwa. 
 
 Pride, kibmi. 
 
 Priest, kahini, pi. makabini (used 
 in the sense of soothsayer). 
 {Christian), kasisi, padre or pa- 
 diri, pi. mapadiri. 
 
 Prison, kifungo, gereza. 
 
 Privacy, favagba. 
 
 Privy, cboo. 
 
 Proceeds, pato, pi. mapato. 
 
 Produce (fruit, seed, &g.), zao, pi. 
 mazao. 
 
 Profit, fayida, gbanima. 
 
 Progeny, mzao, pi. wazao. 
 
 Progress, kiendeleo. 
 
 Prohibition, makatazo. 
 
 Promise, abadi, wabadi. 
 
 Promissory note, awala. 
 Pronunciation, mata mko. 
 Prop, mbimili, pi. miiiimili, mate- 
 gemeo. 
 A prop to keep a vessel upright 
 when left by the tide, gadi. 
 Property, mali, milki. 
 Prophet, nabii, mtume, pi. mitiime. 
 Prosecution, mstaki, pi. mistaki. 
 Proselyte, mwongofu, pi. waongofu. 
 Prostitute, kababa, pi. makababa. 
 Protection, bami, bamaya. 
 
 Under British protection, fi ba- 
 mayat al Ingrez (Ar.). 
 Proverb, mfano wa maneuo. 
 Provision, madaraka. 
 Provisions, vjakula. 
 Provocation, ekerabi. 
 Prow, gubeti. 
 
 of a small vessel, kikono, pi 
 
 vikouo. 
 (head), omo. 
 Prudence, busara, fikira. 
 Pulley, kapi, ^Z. makapi, gofia. 
 Pulpit, munbara. 
 Pump, bomba. 
 Pumpkin, boga, pi. maboga. 
 plant, mboga, pi. miboga. 
 shell used to carry liquids in 
 
 dundu, pi. madundu. 
 Mumunye, pi. mamumuuye, 
 
 sort of vegetable marrow. 
 Tango, pi. matango, eaten raw 
 
 like cucumber. 
 Kitoma, pi. vitoma, a sma 
 
 round sort. 
 Tikiti, pi. matikiti, a round k nd 
 of water-melon. 
 Punch, keke. 
 
 Purchaser, mnunuzi, pi. wanunuzi. 
 Purgative, dawa la kiibara. 
 Purity, raasafi, utakatifu.
 
 64 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 kusudi, pi. makiisudi, 
 kasidi, nia. 
 Purse, kifuko cha kntilia fetha. 
 Push in the cheek, mdukuo. 
 Putridity, kioi:a. 
 Puttij, chaki. 
 Python, chatu. 
 
 Quail, tombo, tomboroko. 
 Quality, tabia, ginsi, jisi, aina. 
 Quantity, kiasi, kadiri, cheo 
 
 (rneasurement). 
 Quarrel, mateto, tofauti, uazar, 
 
 ugomvi. 
 Quarrelsomeness, ugomvi. 
 Quarter, robo. 
 
 Three-quarters of a dollar, kassa 
 robo. 
 
 Quarter of a town, mta, pi. mita. 
 Queen, malkia. 
 
 {_chess), kishi. 
 Question, maulizo, s-wali. 
 Quieting thing, kitulizo,_pZ. vitulizo. 
 Quietness, utulivu, makini, kimya. 
 Quiver, podo. 
 
 R. 
 
 Rahhit, sungura, kisungura, pi. 
 visungura, kitungule, pi. vitu- 
 ngule, kititi. 
 Race, mashindano. 
 Rafter, boriti (/or a stone roof), 
 kombamoyo, pi. makomba- 
 moyo ifor a thatched roof), 
 pao, pi. mapao {very thin). 
 Bag, kitambaa, pi. vitambaa, 
 
 utambaa, pi. tambaa. 
 Rain, mvua. 
 Rain cloud, ghubari, pi. maghu- 
 Rainy season, masika. [bari. 
 
 Lesser rains, mvua ya mwaka. 
 
 Rainbow, upindi ^va mvua, kisiki 
 
 cha mvua (M.). 
 Rammer for heating roofs, kipande, 
 
 pi. vipande. 
 Rampart, boma, sera. 
 Rank, daraja, cheo. 
 Ransom, kombozi, pi. makombnzi, 
 
 ukomboo, ukombozi, fidia, 
 
 ufidiwa, ukombolewa. 
 Rarity, t'unu, hedaya. 
 Rash (small pimples), vipele. 
 Bat, panya. 
 
 a very large kind, buku. 
 Rations, posho. 
 Rawness {of meat, &c.), ubichi. 
 
 (dulness), ujinga. 
 Razor, wembe. 
 
 Reason, maana, sababu, huja, akili. 
 Reasoning, huja. 
 Rebellion, maasi. 
 Recess, kidaka, pi. vidaka, kishu- 
 
 baka, pi. vishubaka (a pigeon- 
 
 hole). 
 Wall at the hack of a recess, raff. 
 Recommendation, maagizo. 
 Rectitude, adili. 
 
 Bed coral, marijani ya fethaluka. 
 Red Sea, Bahari ya Sham. 
 Redeemer, mkumbozi, j:»Z. wako- 
 
 mbozi. 
 Beed, unyasi, pi. nyasi, "mwanzi, pi. 
 
 miwanzi. 
 Reference, maregeo. 
 Refuge, makimbilio. 
 Regret, majutio. 
 Regularity, kaida. 
 Reign, ezi, enzi. 
 Rein, kigwe, pi. vigwe. 
 Rejoicing, furaha, ^hangwi. 
 Relations {relatives), akral.a, ndugu, 
 
 jamaa. 
 A near relative, karibu.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES, 
 
 65 
 
 Belaxation (loosening), ulegevu. 
 
 Religion, dini, dua. 
 
 Relish {something to he eaten with 
 
 rice or porridge), kitoweo. 
 Remainder, msazo, masazo, mabakia, 
 Remedy, dawa, niapoza. [baki. 
 
 Reminder, ukumbubho. 
 Remission (of sins), maghofira, ma- 
 
 ondoleo. 
 Remnant, mabakia. 
 Rent, ijara. 
 
 Eepentance, toba, majuto. 
 Representative, -wakili. 
 Reproaches, matayo. 
 Reprobate, baa, pi. mabaa. 
 Eeptile (?). 
 
 Kenge, a monitor (?), a very large 
 
 slender lizard. 
 P'ili, a large snake. 
 CLatu, a python. 
 See Snake, Crocodile, &c. 
 Request, haja, matakwa. 
 Residue. See Remainder. 
 A little left in ayar,t&c.,kisliinda. 
 pi. visMnda. 
 Resin, ulimbo. 
 
 Respiration, kutanafusi, kiishusha 
 Rest, raha, piunziko. [piimzi. 
 
 Resting-place, pumzikio, kituo, ptl. 
 
 zituo or vituo. 
 Restlessness, fatbaa. 
 Resurrection, ufufuo, ufufulio, ki- 
 yania (the general resurrection). 
 Resuscitation, (actively) kufufua, 
 kuhr.isba, (neuter) kufufuka, 
 kiihiiika. 
 Retainer, mfuasi, pi. wafuasi. 
 Ttetaliation kasasi, kisasi. 
 Return, maregeo, marejeo kuja 
 
 zao, &c. 
 Revenge majilipa. 
 Reverence, uneByekeo. 
 
 Reviling, masbutumu, mashutumio, 
 matayo. 
 Revival. See Resuscitation. 
 Reward, ijara, ujira, majazo, thai' 
 wabu (especially from God). 
 Reicard for finding a lost thing, 
 kiokosi, pi. viokosi. 
 Rheumatism, baridiyabis, uweli wa 
 
 Yiungo. 
 Rhinoceros, kifaru, pi. vifaru, pea. 
 Rib, iibatiu, pi. mbavu, kiwavu 
 
 cbana (A.). 
 Rice, growing, or yet in tlce husk, 
 mpunga. 
 cleaned from the husk, mcbele. 
 cooked, wali. 
 watery, and imperfectly cooked 
 
 mashendea. 
 cooked so that the grains are 
 dry and separate, pukute ya 
 wali. 
 scorched in the cooking iikoko, 
 
 utandu (A.). 
 left from overnigld to be eaten in 
 
 the morning, wali wa mwikuii. 
 Kinds of rice, sena, bungala, 
 sbindauo, garofuu, kapwai, ki- 
 fungo, madevu, mwanga, sifaia, 
 ucbiikwi. 
 Riches, mail, utajiri, ukwasi, 
 Rich man, tajiri, pi. matajiri, mwe- 
 nyi mali, mkwasi, p>l- wak^Ya&i. 
 Ridicule, mzaba, tbihaka. 
 Right, haki, wajib, adili. 
 Righteousness, haki. 
 Rind, ganda, pi. maganda. 
 Rind of a lemon, &c., after the 
 inside has been squeezed or 
 extracted, kaka. 
 Ring, pete, pi. pete or mapete. 
 Rings on the scabbard of a sword, 
 iicc. ukoa, pi. koa.
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Ring where the hlade enters the 
 
 haft, noleo, pi. manoleo. 
 Ear-rinrf, pete ya masikio. 
 Ring-ivorm, ehoa. 
 Eipple, viwimbi. 
 Rishy in trading, juku. 
 River, mio, pi. mito. 
 Road, njia. 
 
 Roar, ngurnmo, vumi. 
 Robber, mnyang'anyi, pi. wanya- 
 ng'anyi, haramia. 
 People who wander about at night, 
 robbing and committing violence^ 
 mrungura, mpakacha. 
 Rock, mwamba, pi. miamba. 
 
 A small rock, kijamba, pi. yi- 
 
 jamba. 
 in the sea, kipwa, pi. vipwa. 
 Rftlling of a ship, mramma. 
 Roof, dari, sakafu (stone roof or 
 floor), paa, pi. mapaa (thatched 
 roof). The thatched roofs con- 
 sist generally of a front and 
 back slope, kipaa cha mbele and 
 kipaa clia nyuma, and hips for 
 the ends, which are carried up 
 under and within the main 
 slopes ; these hips are called 
 visusi, sing, kisusi. 
 A lean-to, kipeuu, pi. vipenu. 
 The roof over a watching-place in 
 the fields, duugu, pi. madungu. 
 Rook (chess), fil. 
 Room (space), nafasi. 
 
 (apartment), chumba, pi. vyumba. 
 tJkumbi, hall or porch ; it is icithin 
 a stone house, but outside an 
 earthen one. 
 Sebule or sebula, parlour, recep- 
 tion room. 
 Orfa, drofa, or ghdrofa, an tipper 
 
 Ghala, a dark room on the ground- 
 floor, a store-room. 
 Root, shina, pi. mashina. 
 Rootlets, mizizi, mizi (M.). 
 Rope, kamba, ngole (Mer.). 
 
 Hempen rope, kamba, ulayiti. 
 Rosary (Mohammedan beads), tas- 
 
 biih. 
 Rose, waradi, waridi. 
 
 Otto of roses, hal waradi. 
 Rose-water, marashi mawaridi. 
 Rose apple, darabi, pi. madarabi. 
 Roundness, mviringo. 
 Row (line), safu. 
 Row (noise), uthia, kero. 
 Royalty, kifaume, ufaume. 
 Rubbish (from old buildings), fusi, 
 kifusi. 
 (small articles), takataka. 
 Rudder, shikio, sakani, msukani, pi. 
 
 misukani, usukani,^?. sukatii. 
 Ruddle, used by carpenters to mark 
 
 out their work, ngeu. 
 Rudeness, safihi. 
 Ruin or Ruins, maanguko. 
 Runaway (from a master, home, &c.), 
 mtoro, pi. watoro. 
 (from a fight, (fee), mkimbizi, pi. 
 wakimbizi. 
 Rupee, rupia. 
 Rupia or any similar skin disease, 
 
 buba. 
 Rust, kutu. 
 Rustling, mtakaso. 
 
 S. 
 
 Sabre, kitara, pi. vitara. 
 
 Sacrifice, sadaka (an offering), fidia 
 (giving up), thabibu (sacrific- 
 ing), mathabuba (the victim)^ 
 kafara (aw animal or thing 
 offered but not eaten).
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 67 
 
 Saddle, kiti cha frasi, matandiko, 
 seruji (an Arab saddle), khorj 
 (the pad used for a donJtey). 
 Sadness (see Grief), rammii. 
 Safety, salamu, salama. 
 Saffron, zafarani. 
 Sail, tanga, pi. matanga. 
 
 Dhow-sail, duumi. 
 
 Sail-cloth, kitali. 
 Sailor, baliaria. 
 Saint, 'walli. 
 Sake, ajili, iiiija, maana. 
 
 For my saJce, unipendavyo (as you 
 love me). 
 Sale (auction), mnada. 
 Salesman, dalali. 
 Saliva, mate. 
 
 Salt, chumvi, munyo (A.). 
 Saltpetre, shura. 
 Salute (fired), mizinga ya salamu. 
 
 (salutation), salamu. 
 Salvation, wokovu, suudi, njema. 
 Salver, sinia, pi. masinia. 
 Sanction, ithini. 
 Sayid, mchanga, mtanga (M.). 
 Sandals, viatu, sing, kiatu, viatu 
 vya ngozi. 
 
 strap of a sandal, gidam. 
 Sandalwood, liwa(?). 
 Sandfly, usubi. 
 Sap, maji. 
 
 Saturday, Juma a mosi. 
 Saucepan, sufuria. 
 Saviour, mwokozi, pi. waokozi. 
 Savour, luththa, tamu. 
 Scab, kigaga, pi. vigaga. 
 Scabbard, ala, pi. nyala. 
 
 The metal rings on a scabbard, 
 ukoa, pi. koa. 
 Scaffold (for building), jukwari. 
 Scales (of a fish), magamba, mamba 
 (31). 
 
 ; Scales (balances), raizani. 
 
 Scale pans, vitanga vya mizani. 
 Scar, kovu, pi. makovu. 
 Scarf (often worn round the waist), 
 
 deuli. 
 Scent, harufu, manuka, nukato. pi. 
 
 manukato, meski, marashi (a 
 
 scent for sprinkling). 
 Tibu, a hind of scent. 
 See Rose, Ambergris, Aloes icood. 
 School, chuoni. 
 Scissors, makasi. 
 Scoop. See Ladle. 
 Score (20), korja. 
 Scorn, tharau, thihaka. 
 Scorpion, nge. 
 Scraps left after eating, makombo, 
 
 sing, kombo. 
 Scrape (slide), para. 
 Scratch, mtai, pi. mitai. 
 Scream, kiowe, pi. viowe (cry for 
 
 help), kigelegele, pi. vigelegele 
 
 (a trilling scream raised a» a 
 
 <^ry of joy). 
 Screw, parafujo. 
 Scrip, mkoba, pi. mikoba. 
 Scrofulous and gangrenous sores, 
 
 mti. 
 Scrotum, pmnbo, mapumbu. 
 Scull, kitwa, pi. vitwa, fovn or 
 
 bupuru la kitwa. 
 Scum, povu, mapovu. 
 Sea, babari. 
 A sea, mawimbi, wimbi. 
 A seaman, mwana maji. 
 One from beyond seas, mja na 
 
 majL 
 Seaweed, mwanL 
 Seal, muhuri. 
 Seam, mshono, pi. raishono, baud 
 
 (tacked), upindo (a hem). 
 Season, wakati. 
 
 F 2
 
 68 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The principal seasons in Zanzibar 
 are: — Musimi, the time of the 
 northerly winds (kazkazi), that 
 is, December, Januarij, and 
 February. For March, April, 
 and May, the rainy season, 
 masika; after that, the cold 
 time, kipupwe ; then, about the 
 end of August, demani, or 
 mwaka. The southerly winds 
 (kusi) begin to drop in October, 
 and in the intervals between 
 them and the northerly winds 
 come the times of easterly and 
 westerly winds, malelezi or tanga 
 mbili. 
 
 Seasoning. See Relish. 
 
 Seat, kikao, makazi. 
 
 The stone or earth seat near a 
 door, baraza, kibaraza. 
 
 Secrecy, siri, faragha. 
 
 Secrets, mambo ya siri. 
 
 Secretary, mwandisbi,^Z. waandishi, 
 khatibu, karani. 
 Secretary of State, waziri, pi. 
 mawaziri. 
 
 Sect, matbhab, mathehebu. 
 
 Sediment, masbapo. 
 
 Seed, mbegu, mbeyu. 
 
 Seedling, mche, pi. micbe. 
 
 Self, moyo, nafsi, nafusi. 
 
 Self-content, kinaya. 
 
 Semen, sbabawa, manni. 
 
 Semsem, ufuta. 
 
 Semsem oil, mafuta ya uta. 
 What is left after the oil has been 
 pressed out, sbudu. 
 
 Senna, sanamaki. 
 
 Sense, akili. 
 
 Sentinel, mngoja, pi. wangoja. 
 
 Servant, mtumisbi, pi. watumisbi, 
 mtumwa, vl. waUimwa, iioker. 
 
 One who serves at table, mwa- 
 
 ndikaji, pi. waandikaji. 
 
 In a shamba there are generally 
 
 three chief servants. 1. Msi- 
 
 mamizi, generally a free man. 
 
 2. Nokoa, the chief slave. 3. 
 
 Kadamu, the second head slave. 
 
 Service, utumwa, budumu, bidima. 
 
 Setting-out, things set out or the place 
 
 for them, maandiko. 
 Shaddock, furungu, pi. mafurungu. 
 Shade, uvuli, vuli, mvuli, mvili, 
 
 kivuli, kitua. 
 Shadow, kivuli, pi. vivuli. 
 Shame (disgrace), aibu. 
 (modesty), baya. 
 (a thing causing confusion), ari, 
 
 fetbeba, bezaya. 
 having no shame, rajanja, pi. 
 wajanja. 
 Shape, kiasi, kalibu, namna. 
 Share, fungu, pi. mafungu, semebu. 
 
 kisma. 
 Sharing, usbarika. 
 SliarTc, papa. 
 Sharpness, ukali. 
 Shaving (of wood), usafi. 
 Shawl, sbali. 
 
 v)orn round the waist, mabazamu. 
 Sheaf, or bundle of cut rice, mganda, 
 
 pi. miganda. 
 Sheath, uo, pi. mauo, ala, pi. nyala. 
 Sheave (of a pulley), roda, koradani. 
 Shed, banda, pi. mabauda, kibanda, 
 
 pi. vibanda. 
 Sheep, kondoo. 
 Sheet, sbuka. 
 
 of a sail, demani. 
 of a book, gombo, pi. magombo. 
 of paper, ukurasa,pZ. kurasa. 
 Shelf, kibau, pi. vibau. 
 in a recess, rufuf.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 G9 
 
 Suso, pi. masuso, a kind of hang- 
 ing shelf. 
 Shell (sea shells\sheWe, pi. mashelle. 
 (husk), ganda, pi. maganda. 
 (empty shell), fuvu, pi. mafuvu, 
 bupuru, pi. mabupuru, kaka. 
 Shepherd, nilishi, pi. walishi, mchu- 
 
 nga.,pl. ^Yachunga. 
 SJierd. See Potsherd. 
 Shield, ngao. 
 
 Shin, muundi wa guu (A.). 
 Ship, merikebu, marikabu, jahasi. 
 3Ian-of-icar, manowari, merikebu 
 
 ya mizinga. 
 Merchant ship, merikequ ya taja, 
 Steam ship, merikebu ya dohaan, 
 
 merikebu ya moshi. 
 Ship belonging to the government, 
 
 merikebu ya serkali. 
 Full-rigged ship, merikebu ya 
 
 railingote mitatu. 
 Barque, merikebu ya milingote 
 
 miwili na nuss. 
 Native craft, chombo, pi. vyombo. 
 Shirt, kanzu. 
 Shivering, kitapo, kutetema, ku- 
 
 tetemeka. 
 Shoal (hank), fungu, pi. mafungu. 
 Sliock, shindo. 
 
 Shoe, kiatu cha kizungu or cha 
 
 kihindi, pi. viatu vya kizungu. 
 
 Shoemaker, mshoni viatu, pi. wa- 
 
 shoui viatu. 
 Shoot, chipukizi, uchipuka, pi. 
 chipuka. 
 A pointed shoot like that contain- 
 ing a spike of flower, kilele, pi. 
 vilele. 
 Shop, duka, pi. maduka. 
 
 Shops icith icarerooms, bokhari. 
 Sliot (small), marisaa. 
 Shot-helt, beti. 
 
 Shoulder, bega, ^jZ. mabega, fuzi, pL 
 mafuzi (A.). 
 Shoulder-blade, kombe la mkono. 
 Shout, ukelele, pi. kelele, kelele, pi. 
 
 makelele. 
 Shower, manyunyo. 
 Showing, wonyesho. 
 Shrewdness, werevu. 
 Shroud, saanda. 
 Shrub, kijiti, pi. vijiti. 
 See Thorn. 
 
 Mwango, pi. miwaugo (?). 
 Sick person, mgonjwa,pL magonjwa, 
 
 mweli, pi. waweli. 
 Sickness, ugonjwa, uweli, marathi. 
 Side, upande, pi. pande. 
 
 Side of tlie body, mbavu, mata- 
 
 mbavu. 
 The oflier side of a river, &r., 
 ngambo. 
 Siege, mazingiwa. 
 Sieve, kiyamba. 
 Siftings of rice after pounding, 
 
 wishwa. 
 Sighing, kuugua. 
 Sign, dalili. 
 Signal, ishara. 
 
 Ukonyezo, pi. konyezo, a sign 
 
 made by raising the eyebrows. 
 Kikorombwe, a kind of signal cry. 
 Silence, nyamavu, kimya 
 Silk, hariri. 
 Silliness, niapiswa, puo. 
 
 Silly talk, upuzi. 
 Silver, fetha. 
 Silversmith, mfua fetha, pi. wafua 
 
 fetha. 
 Simpleton, mjinga, ^Z. wajiuga. 
 Sin, thambi, pi. thambi or ma- 
 
 thambi, makosa, taksiri. 
 Singleness, upweke. 
 Sip, funda (?).
 
 70 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Sir ! Bwana ! 
 
 Sister, umbu, pi. maumbu, ndugu, 
 ndugu nike. 
 As a term of endearment, dada. 
 Foster-sister, ndugu kunyonya. 
 Sister-in-law, shemegi. 
 Sitter, nikaa,^3L wakaa. 
 Sitting, kikao, yl. vikao, kitako, pi. 
 
 vitako. 
 Size, ukuu, ukubwa, kiasi, kadiri, 
 
 clieo. 
 Skeleton, mzoga (?) 
 Skilful workman, mstadi, pi. wa- 
 
 stadL 
 Skilled or master-workman, fundi. 
 Skin, ngozi. 
 Sky, uwingu. 
 Slackness, ulegevu. 
 Slander, masingizio, fitiua (sowing 
 
 of discord). 
 Slaughter-house, matindo. 
 Slave, mtumwa, pi. watumwa, mu- 
 hadimu,pZ. wahadimu, mtwana, 
 pi. watwana. 
 A slave boy, kitwana, pi. vitwana. 
 A slave girl, kijakazi, pi. vijakazi. 
 A slave woman, mjakazi, pi. wa- 
 
 jakazi. 
 A concubine slave, suria, pi. ma- 
 
 suria. 
 A slave horn in the house or 
 
 country, mzalia, pi. -wazalia. 
 A runaway slave, mtoro, pi. wa- 
 
 toro. 
 A fellow slave, mjoli, p)l- wajoli. 
 A household of slaves, kijoli, pi. 
 
 vijoli. 
 Piece of land allotted to a slave 
 for his own use, koonde, pi. 
 makoonde. 
 Slavery, utumvra. 
 Sleep, uzingizi, zingizi 
 
 Sleeping place, malalo. 
 
 Things to sleep upon, malazi. 
 Sleeve, mkono, pi. mikono. 
 Sling, kombeo, pi. makombeo. 
 Slip of a tree, &c., mcbe, pi. miche. 
 
 A slip which has put forth leaves, 
 mche uliochanua. 
 
 One ichich has made a new shoot, 
 mche uliocbipuka. 
 Slipperiness, utelezL 
 Sloth, uvivu. 
 Slovenliness, fujofujo. 
 Smallness, udogo. 
 Small-pox, ndui. 
 Smell, harufu, manuka, azma. 
 Smith (worker in metal), mfua, pi. 
 
 wafua. See Blacksmith, &c. 
 Smoke, moshi, pi. mioslii. 
 Snail, koa, pi. makoa, konokono. 
 Snake, nyoka, joka, pi. majoka 
 (large). 
 
 Chatu, python. 
 
 P'ili, cohra (?). 
 Snare, sliabuka. 
 Sneezing, chafya. 
 Snoring, kukoroma. 
 Snuff, tumbako ya kunuka, or 
 
 kunusa. 
 Snuff-box, tabakelo. 
 Soap, sabuui. 
 Soda, magadi. 
 Solder, lihamu. 
 Soldier, asikari. 
 
 Sole {of the foot), uayo, pi. nyao. 
 Solitude, upekee, ukiwa. 
 Somauli Coast, Banada. 
 Somebody, mtu. 
 
 Some one else's, -a mwenyewe. 
 
 Child of somebody, i.e., of respect- 
 able parents, mtoto wa watu, 
 mwana wa watu. 
 Somersault, kitwangomba.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 71 
 
 Son, mwana, pi. waana, kijana, 
 mtoto mume. 
 Wadi Mohammed, Mohammed's 
 
 son. 
 Bin Abdallali (Ar.), Ahclallah's 
 
 son. 
 Haraisi wa Tani, Hamisi the son 
 
 of Tani {Othman i. 
 Son-in-law, mkwe, pi. wakwe. 
 Song, uimbo, pi. nyimbo. 
 Soot, kaa moshi, makaa ya mosM. 
 Soothing thing, kitulizo, pi. vitulizo. 
 Soothsayer, kahini, pi. makahini. 
 Sore, donda, pi. madonda, kidonda, 
 pi. viJonda, jeraha. 
 Sares in the leg, nyungunyungu, 
 mti. 
 Sorrow, kasarani, huzuni, sikitiko, 
 matukio. 
 Sorrow for a loss, majonzi. 
 Sorrow for something done, ma- 
 
 jutio. 
 Excessive sorrow, jitimai. 
 Sort (hind), ginsi, namna, aina. 
 The sort is often expressed by 
 the prefix ki-. Kizungu, the 
 European sort, Mfaume, the 
 hingly sort. 
 Soul, roho. 
 Sound, sauti. 
 Soundness, uzima. 
 Source, asili, chimbtiko. 
 Soiith, kusini, suheli. 
 Southerly wind, kusi. 
 Sovereign, mwenyi ezi, mwenyi 
 inchi, mwenyi mji. 
 (coin), robo Ingrezi. 
 Sovereignty, ezi. enzi. 
 Space, nafasi. 
 (of time), muda. 
 (open space), uwanda, uga. 
 Spade, jembe la kizungu. 
 
 Span, futuri, sliibiri, sliibri. 
 
 Spangles, puluki. 
 
 Sparh, checLi, pi. machechi 
 
 Sparkle, kimeta. 
 
 Speaker, mneni, pi. waneni, msemi, 
 pi. ■wasemi, msemaji, pi. wa- 
 semaji. 
 
 Speaking, kusema, kunema. 
 
 A dark obscure way of speaking, 
 
 kilinge cba maneno. 
 Ail enigmatical way of speaking, 
 in which the last syllable is 
 taken from the end, and made 
 to begin the word, kiuyume, 
 kinyuma. (See Appendix I.) 
 
 Spear, fumo, pi. mafumo (flat- 
 bladed) mkuke, pi. miknke, 
 (three-edged) sagai, pi. masagai. 
 
 Spectacles, miwani. 
 
 Speech (speaking), kunena. 
 (oration), mataguso, milumbe. 
 
 Spider, buibui. 
 
 Spinal column, uti wa maungo. 
 
 Spirits, mvinyo. 
 Evil spirit, pepo. 
 Kinds of spirits, jini, pi. majini, 
 milboi, mahoka, dungumaro, 
 kitamiri, kizuu, kizuka, koikoi, 
 mwana maua, &c. 
 
 Spit, uma, pi. nyuma. 
 
 Spittle, mate. 
 
 Spoil, mateka. 
 
 Spleen, wengo. 
 
 Splint, gango, pi. magango, banzi, 
 pi. mabanzi. 
 
 Splinter (of wood), kibanzi, pi. 
 vibanzL 
 (of glass or earthenware), kige-- 
 renyenza, pi. vigerenyenza. 
 
 Spoon, mwiko, pi. miiko, kijiko, pi. 
 vijiko a tea-spoon), mkaiashe, 
 pi. mikamshe (a wooden spoon).
 
 il 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Sp'irt, mchezo. mzaha. 
 
 ^2^01, waa, ^:)Z. mawaa, kij)aku, pi. 
 
 vipaku. 
 Spout ( from a roof), kopo la 
 
 nyumba, marizabu. 
 Sprain, kuteuka. 
 Spread, eneo. 
 
 Spreading a meal, maandiko. 
 Spring, mtambo, pi. mitambo, 
 
 of water, chemchem, jicho la maji. 
 SprinMe, manyunyo. 
 Sprinkler {for scents), mrashi, pi. 
 
 mirashi. 
 Spur of a cock, kipi, kipia, pZ. vipia. 
 Spy, mpelelezi, pi. wapelelezi, 
 
 mtumbiiizi (A.). 
 Square, mrabba. 
 Squint, Doakengeza. 
 Stable, banda la frasi, faja la frasi. 
 Staff, gongo, pi. magougo, mkongo- 
 
 jo, pi. inikongojo. 
 Stagnation, vilio, pi. mavilio. 
 Stain, waa, pi. mawaa. 
 Stairs, daraja, ngazi. 
 Upstairs, juu, darini.- 
 Down-stairs, chini. 
 Stalks, of mtama, bua, pi. mabua. 
 of a kind of millet cheiced like 
 
 sugar-cane, kota, pZ. makota. 
 of cloves, &c., kikonyo,2?Z. vikonyo. 
 >S^toZZ keeper, mcburuzi, pi. wa- 
 
 churuzi. 
 Stammering, kigugumizi. 
 Stamp, muhuri, chapa. 
 Staple, pete, p)l- mapete, tumbuu. 
 Star, iiyota. 
 
 Falling stars, nyota zikishiika. 
 Shooting stars, kimwoudo, pi. 
 vimwondo. 
 Starch, kanji, dondo. 
 Start (fright), kituko. 
 
 {beginning), fell, pi. mafeli. 
 
 Startling thing, mzungu, pi. mi- 
 zungu, 
 A thing to frighten people, kinya- 
 go, pi. vinyago. 
 State, hali. 
 Statue, sanamu. 
 Stealing, kwiba. 
 Steam, mvuke. 
 
 A steamship, merikebu ya moshi. 
 Steel, feleji, pua. 
 Steelyard, mizani. 
 Steersman, msliiki sbiki,o. 
 Stem of a tree, sliina, pi. mashina. 
 
 of mtama, bua, pi. mabua. 
 Step {stepping), batua. 
 
 {of stone, &c.), daraja. 
 Step-father, baba "wa kambo. 
 
 Step-mother, mama wa kambo. 
 /Sieu'arcZ, msimamizi, j3Z. wasimamizi. 
 Stick, fimbo, ufito, pi. fito {thin), 
 bakora (a walking-stick with a 
 handle bent at right angles). 
 A short heavy stick, kibarango, 
 pi. vibarango, mpweke, pi. mi- 
 pweke. 
 A staff, gongo, pi. magougo, 
 mkongojo, pi. mikongojo {an 
 old mail's staff). 
 Stillness, kimya. 
 
 Stirrup, kikuku cha kupandia frasi. 
 Stocks {for the feet), mkatale. 
 Stomach, tumbo. 
 
 Pit of the stomach, chembe cha 
 moyo (A.). 
 Stone, jiwe, pi. mawe or majiwe. 
 A stone house, nyumba ya mawe. 
 Small stones or pieces of stone, 
 
 kokoto, pi. makokoto. 
 Very small stones, not larger than 
 
 an egg, mbwe. 
 Very small grit, cbangarawi. 
 Fresh coral, matumbawi.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 73 
 
 Precious stones, kito, pi. vito, 
 johari. 
 
 Stones of fruit, kokwa, pi. ma- 
 kokwa. 
 Stooping, kiinamizi. 
 Stop (end), kikomo, kinga. 
 
 {stopping), kizuizo, kizuizi, kizuio. 
 Stoppage in the nose or icind-plpe, 
 mafua. 
 
 (stagnation), vilio, pi. mavilio. 
 Stopper, zibo, pi. mazibo, kizibo, pi. 
 
 vizibo. 
 Store (put hy), akiba. 
 
 Store-room, ghala. 
 Storm, tharuba, tufauu. 
 Story, hadithi, habari. See Tale. 
 Stoutness, unene. 
 Strainer, kunguto, pi. makunguto 
 
 (of basJcet-work). 
 Straits (distress), shidda. 
 
 (narrow seas), kilango cha babari. 
 Stratids of a cord, meno, ncba. 
 Stranger, mgeni, pi. wagenL 
 Strap, ukanda. 
 Stratagem, hila. 
 Stream, mto, pi. mito, kijito, pi. 
 
 vijito. 
 Strength, nguvu. 
 String, ugwe, uzi, katani. 
 
 String of heads, kigwe, pi. vigwe. 
 String-course, usbi. 
 Strip. See Mat. 
 Stripe (line), uzi, pi. nyuzi, mfuo, 
 
 pi. mifuo, utepe, pi. tepe. 
 Study, mtaala. 
 Stumble, kwao, pi. makwao. 
 Stumhling-Uock, kwao, pi. makwao. 
 Stump, shin a, pi. mashina. 
 Stupor, kurukwa na akili. 
 Stye in the eye, chokea. 
 Style (of writing), dibaji, a good 
 style. 
 
 Subject, rayia. 
 
 Substance, asili. 
 
 Subtlety, busara, werevu. 
 
 Subtraction (arithmetical), baki. 
 
 Suburbs, kiunga. 
 
 Sugar, sukari. 
 
 Sugar-cane, mua, pi. miwa. 
 
 Suit of clothes, kisua. 
 
 Sulpihate of copper, mrututu. 
 of magnesia, cbumvi ya haluli. 
 
 Sulphur, kiberiti. 
 
 Sultanship, usultani. 
 
 Sum, jurala. 
 
 Summary, muhtasari. 
 
 Summit, kilele, pi. vilele (used of 
 any sharp-pointed top or peak, 
 of the centre shoot of a cocoa- 
 nut tree as icell as of the peak 
 of a mountain). 
 
 Sun, jua, pi. majua. 
 
 The coming out of the sun after 
 rain, kianga. 
 
 Sunday, Juma a pilL 
 
 Sundries, takataka. 
 
 Sunset, maghaiibi, mangaribi 
 
 Supercargo, karani. 
 
 Superciliousness, kitongoton go. 
 
 Superintendent, mwangalizi, pi. wa- 
 angalizi, msiniamizi, pi. waoi- 
 mamizi. 
 
 Supper, cbakula cha jioni. 
 
 Suppuration, kutunga. 
 
 Surety, mthamini, thamin, thamana, 
 lazima. 
 
 Surf, mawimbi. 
 
 Swallow (bird), barawai, mbili- 
 wili (?), mbayuwayu (A.). 
 
 Sweat, hari, jasho, vukuto. 
 
 Sweetheart, mcbumba. 
 
 Sweet lime, dimu tamu. 
 
 Sweetness, tamu. 
 
 Sweet potatoes, viazi, sing, kiazi
 
 74 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Swindler, thalimu. 
 Sioing, pembea. 
 Swine, nguruwe, nguuwe. 
 Sioitch, ufito, pi. fito. 
 Sword, upanga, pi. panga. 
 
 curved sword, kitara, pi. vitara. 
 straight two-edged sword without 
 
 any guard, upauga wa feleji. 
 with a small cross hilt, upanga 
 
 wa imani. 
 Syphilis, sekeneko. kijaraha cha 
 
 mboni, tego (a virulent hind 
 
 supposed to he the result of a 
 
 charm). 
 Syria, Sham. 
 Syrup, asali. 
 
 T. 
 
 Table, meza. 
 
 Table-cloth, nguo ya meza. 
 
 Table - napkin, kitambaa cha 
 meza. 
 Tack of a sail, goshi. 
 Tacking {sewing), bandi. 
 Tail, mkia, pi. mikia. 
 Tailor, mshoni, pi. washoni. 
 Taking aicay, maondoleo. 
 Tale, hadithi, kisa, iigano. 
 Tale-bearer, mzuzi. 
 Talipes, kupinda ua mguu. 
 Talk, usemi, 
 
 Silly talk, upuzi. 
 Talker, msemaji, pi. wasemaji. 
 Tamarind, ukwaju. 
 
 Tamarind tree, mkwaju, pi, mi- 
 Tangle, matata. [kvvaju. 
 Tap, bilula. 
 Tajje, utepe, pi. tepe. 
 Tar, lami. 
 
 Tartar on the teeth, ukoga. 
 Taste, tumu, tamu, luththa, nyonda, 
 maondi, maonji. I 
 
 Taster, mwonja, pi. waonja, mwo- 
 
 nda (M.), pi- waonda, kionja, 
 
 pi. viouja, kiouda (M.^, pi. 
 
 vionda. 
 Tea, cljayi, cha. 
 Teacher, mwalimu, pi. waalimu, 
 
 mkufunzi, pi. wakufunzi. 
 Teaching, mafundisbo, elimu. 
 Teak, tnsaji. 
 
 Teapot, bull, pi. mabuli. 
 Tear, chozi, pi. machozi, tozi (M.), 
 
 pi. matozi. 
 Teazing, thihaka. 
 Tediousness, uchovu. 
 Telescope, durabiui. 
 Temper, tabia. 
 
 Temperance, tawassuf, kadiri. 
 Temple, hekalu (a great thing, the 
 
 temple at Jerusalem), bauiya 
 
 (a building, the temple at 
 
 Mecca). 
 Temptation, majaribu, nyonda. 
 Ten, kumi, pi. makumi. 
 
 a decade, mwongo, pi. miongo. 
 Tent, khema, hema. 
 Testicles, mapumbu, tamboa. 
 Testimony, ushahidi. 
 Thanks, sbukuru, usbukura, salamu, 
 
 ahsanta, marahaba. 
 Thatch, makuti (of cocoa-nut leaves). 
 Thin sticks used to tie the makuti 
 
 to, upau, pi. pan 
 See Cocoa-nut. 
 Theft, uizi. 
 Thicket, kicbaka, pi. vichaka, koko, 
 
 pi. makoko. 
 Thickness, uuene. 
 Tliief, mwivi, pi. wevi, mwibaji, j)?. 
 
 webaji. 
 Thieving, kwiba, uizi, wibaji. 
 Thigh, upaja, pi. paja, paja, pi. ma- 
 
 paja.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 75 
 
 Thimhle, subana. 
 Saihnaker's palm, dofra, pi. ma- 
 dofra. 
 Thing, kitu, pi. vitu (a thing of the 
 senses), neno, jambo, mambo 
 (things of the intellect). 
 I have do)ie nothing, sikufanya 
 
 neno. 
 I see nothing, sioni kitu. 
 A hind thing, jambo la wema. 
 Strange things, mambo mageni. 
 Third {a third part), theluth. 
 Thirst, kin. 
 
 Thorn, mwiba, pi. miiba or miba. 
 Mchongoma, pi. michongoma, o 
 
 thorny shrub used for hedges. 
 Mkwamba, pi. mikwamba, a 
 thorny shrub. 
 Thought, wazo, pi. mawazo, fikara, 
 
 thamiri, nia. 
 Thousand, elfu, pi. elfu or alafu. 
 a thousand or myriad, kikwi, pi. 
 
 zikwi or vikwi. 
 a hundred thousand, lakki. 
 Thread, uzi, pi. nyuzl, katanL 
 Threat, wogofya, tisho. 
 Throat, koo, pi. makoo. 
 Thumb, kidole cha gumba. 
 Thunder, radi (near), ngnrumo 
 
 (distant). 
 Thursday, Alhamisi. 
 TirJcet, kibarua, pi. vibarua. 
 TicJding or tingling, mnyeo, kiuye- 
 
 iiyefu. 
 Tichs, papasi {in houses], kupe {on 
 
 cattle). 
 Tide, maji kujaa na kupwa. 
 Spring tides, bamvua. 
 Neap tides, maji mafu. 
 Tiller, kana, gaua. 
 
 Tiller ropes, mijiari, sing, mjiari. 
 Timber^ miti, mibau. 
 
 Time, wakati, wakti, majira. 
 (sufficient), natasi. 
 (hour), saa. 
 {leisure), faragha. 
 (first, &c.), mara. 
 (fixed term), mohulla. 
 Times (age), zamani. 
 Space of time, muda. 
 Period of time, kipindL 
 A short time, kitambo. 
 Times, in multiplication, fi. 
 
 Six times eight, sita fi tlie- 
 manya. 
 
 Divisions of Time. 
 
 Til ere are two years in nse in 
 Zanzibar; that which is most com- 
 monly heard of is the Arab year of 
 twelve lunar months. It cannot be 
 more than about 355 days long, and 
 lias therefore no correspondence to 
 the seasons. The months are de- 
 termined by the sight of the new 
 moon, or by the expiration of thirty 
 days since the beginning of the 
 previous month. It happens some- 
 times that some of the coast towns 
 will begin their months a day before 
 or after what was taken as its first 
 day in Zanzibar. A gun is usually 
 fired from one of the ships when 
 the month begins. Practically the 
 Ramathan is treated as the first 
 montlj, and tlie rest are reckoned 
 from it; the word by which they 
 are denoted seems to mean not 
 fasting, as though the Ramathan 
 being the month of fasting, the rest 
 were the first, second, third, &c., 
 of not fasting, until the months of 
 Rajah and Shaaban, wliich have 
 both a special religious character
 
 76 • 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The following are the names of the 
 Arab months, with their Swahili 
 equivalents : 
 
 Aeab. 
 
 Moharram. 
 
 Safr. 
 
 Eabia al aowal. 
 
 Rabia al akhr. 
 
 Jemad al aowal. 
 
 Jemad al akhr. 
 
 Eajab. 
 
 Shaaban. 
 
 Eamathan, 
 
 Shaowal. 
 
 Th'il ka'ada. 
 
 Th'il hajjah. 
 
 Swahili. 
 
 Mfunguo a 'nne. 
 Mfunguo a tano. 
 Mfunguo a sita. 
 Mfunguo a saba. 
 Mfunguo a nane. 
 Mfunguo a kenda. 
 Rajabu. 
 Shaabani. 
 Ramatbani, 
 Mfunguo a mosi. 
 Mfunguo a pill. 
 Mfunguo a tatu. 
 
 The two great Mohammedan 
 feasts are held on the first of 
 Shaowal, when every one gives pre- 
 sents, and on the tenth of Th'il 
 hajjah, when every one is supposed 
 to slaughter some animal and feast 
 the poor. 
 
 The other year in use among the 
 Swahili is the Nautical and Agri- 
 cultural year ; it is roughly a solar 
 year, having 365 days. It is 
 reckoned to begin from the Sihu a 
 mwaTca (answering to the Persian 
 Nairuz), which now occurs towards 
 the end of August. The last day 
 of the old year is called Kigunzi, 
 and the days are reckoned by 
 decades, called miongo, sing, mwo- 
 ngo. Thus — Mwongo wa mia con- 
 sists of the days between 90 and 
 100. Mwongo wanyapi 9 asks which 
 decade it is. The SiJcu a mwaka is 
 kept as a great day, and formerly 
 had a number of special observances 
 connected with it. In the night or 
 
 early in the morning every one used 
 to bathe in the sea ; the women are 
 particularly careful to do so. TliL-y 
 afterwards fill a large pot with 
 grain and pulse, and cook them. 
 About noon they serve out to all 
 friends who come ; all the fires are 
 extinguished with water and lighted 
 again by rubbing wood. Formerly 
 no inquiry was made as to any one 
 killed or hurt on this day, and it is 
 still the custom to go armed and 
 to be on the guard against private 
 enemies. It used to be a favourite 
 amusement to throw any Indians 
 that could be caught into the sea, 
 and otherwise ill-use them, until 
 the British Government interfered 
 for their protection. The year is 
 called after the day of the week on 
 which it began ; thus, in 1865 it 
 began on Thursday and was 
 MwaJca Alhaniisi ; in 1866 on 
 Friday, and was Mivaha Juma, and 
 so on. 
 
 The seasons will be found briefly 
 mentioned under that word. 
 
 The week has been reconstructed 
 on the Arab week, retaining only 
 the Arab names of two days, Alha- 
 misi and Juma (Thursday and 
 Friday), which answer to our Satur- 
 day and Sunday for Mohammedan 
 religious purposes, and are the days 
 which slaves in the country are 
 generally allowed for their own 
 recreation or profit. Juma is so 
 named from the assembly held on 
 that day for public worship; the 
 Arab names of the rest are merely 
 those used by English Quakers, 
 first, second, third, &c.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 English. Arabic. Swahili. 
 
 Sunday. Al ahad. Juma a pili. 
 
 Monday. Ath tteneen. Juma a tatu. 
 
 Tuesday. Ath theluih. Juma a 'nne. 
 
 Wednesday. At robua'. Juma a tano. 
 
 Thursday. Al kbamis. Alhamisi. 
 
 Friday. Juma'. Juma. 
 
 Saturday. As sabt. Juma a mosi. 
 
 The day begins at sunset ; to-night 
 therefore in the mouth of a Swahili 
 means what an Englishman would 
 call last night. As the days are of 
 a very nearly uniform length there 
 is little practical incorrectness in 
 taking sunset as six o'clock in the 
 evening and reckoning the night 
 first and then the day from it, hour 
 by hour. Thus, seven, eight, and 
 nine are the first, second, and third 
 of the night (saa a hiuanza, a ^nli, 
 a tatu ya usiku). Midnight is the 
 sixth hour, saa a sita. Five in the 
 morning is the eleventh hour of the 
 night, saa a edhashara. Nine 
 o'clock in the morning is the third 
 hour of the day, saa a tatu. Twelve 
 at noon is the sixth hour, saa a sita, 
 and four and five the tenth and 
 eleventh hours, saa a Jcumi, saa a 
 edhashara. Sunset is determined 
 by observation, and a gun is fired, 
 and tha Sultan's flag hauled dox^Ti 
 to mark it. Dming the Bamathan a 
 gun is fired at half-past two in tlie 
 morning to warn every one of the 
 approach of morning, that they may 
 get their cooking and eating over 
 oefore dawn. This gun-fire is called 
 daahuu. 
 
 There is another way of marking 
 the time by reference chiefly to the 
 hours of prayer (see Frayer) ; the 
 following are the chief points 
 
 Magaribi, sunset. 
 
 Mslmko wa magaribi (coming out 
 
 jrom sunset prayers), about 
 
 half -past six. 
 Esha or Isha, from half-past six 
 
 to eight. 
 Mshuko wa esha, ahout half-an- 
 
 hour later. 
 Nuss ya usiku, midnight. 
 Karibu na alfajiri, between three 
 
 and four in the morning. 
 Alfajiri mkuu. rising of the morn- 
 ing star, about four. 
 Alfajiri mdogo, dawn. 
 Assubui, the morning, i.e., after 
 
 sunrise. 
 Mchana, the day from asoubui to 
 
 jioni. 
 Mafungulia ng'ombe (letting out 
 
 of cattle), about 8 a.m. 
 Mafungulia ng'ombe makuu, is 
 
 earlier, mafungulia ng'ombe 
 
 madogo, is later than eight 
 
 o'clock. 
 Jua kitwani, noon. 
 Athuuri or Azuuri, noon, and 
 
 thence till three o'clock. 
 Awali athuuri, between twelve and 
 
 one. 
 Alasu-i, about half -past three, or 
 
 from three to five. 
 Alasiri kasiri, about five, or thence 
 
 to half -past. 
 Jioni, evening, from about five o» 
 
 half -past till sunset. 
 
 Tin, bati. 
 
 Tiv ncha, nta (BI.). 
 Tithes, 2aka. 
 Tobacco, tumbako 
 To-day, leo.
 
 78 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Toe, kidole, pi. vidole, kidole cha 
 
 mguu. 
 Token, dalili, buruhani. 
 Tomh, kaburi, pi. makaburL 
 To-morrow, kesho. 
 
 the day after, kesho kutwa. 
 
 the day after that, mtondo. 
 
 after that, mtondo goo. 
 Tongrs, koleo, pi. makoleo. 
 Tongue, ulimi, pi. ndimi. 
 
 A piece of cloth, &c., to lie under 
 an opening, lisani. 
 Tool, samani. 
 
 Carpenter's tool for marhing lines, 
 mahati. 
 Tooth, jino, pi. meno. 
 
 cuspids, chonge. 
 
 Dirt on the teeth, ukoga. 
 
 He has lost a front tooth, ana 
 pengo. 
 
 Tooth stick or brush, msuaki, pi. 
 misuaki. 
 Top, juu. 
 
 {the toy), pia. 
 Torpor, utepetefu. 
 Tortoise, kobe. 
 Total, jumla. 
 
 Towel, kitambaa cha kufutia uso, &c. 
 Toiver, mnara, pA. minara. 
 Town, mji, pi. mijL 
 Trace, dalili 
 Track, nyayo. 
 Trade, biashara. 
 Trader, mfanyi biaishara. 
 Traitor, khaini. 
 Trap, mtego, 2^. mitego. 
 
 (with a spring), mtambo, pi. mi- 
 tambo. 
 Traveller, msafiri, pi. wasafirL 
 Tray, sinia, pi. masinia. 
 Treacle, asali ya mua. 
 Treasure, hazina, kanzi, khazaua. 
 
 Treatment, mwamale. 
 Tree, mti, pi. miti. 
 
 Mkadi, Pandanus. 
 
 Mtomondo, Barringtonia, 
 
 lSltondoo,Calophyllumino2yhyUnm. 
 Trench, handaki. 
 
 Trench for laying in foundations, 
 msinji, msingi. 
 Trial, majaribu. 
 Tribe, kabila, taifa, pi. mataifa. 
 
 (taifa is larger than kabila). 
 
 Of what tribe are you ? Mtu gani 
 wee? 
 Trick, Mia, cherevu, madanganya. 
 Trot, mashindo (of a horse), matiti 
 
 (of an ass). 
 Trouble, taabu, uthia. 
 Trousers, soruali. 
 
 Trowel (mason's), mvdko, pi. naiiko. 
 Trumpet, paanda. 
 
 Trunk, shina, pi, mashina, jiti, pZ, 
 majiti. 
 
 (cut down), gogo, pi. magogo. 
 
 (the human trunk), kiwiliwilL 
 Truth, kweli. 
 
 A truth teller, msemi kweli 
 Trying, maonji, majaribu. 
 Tub, pip a, pi. mapipa. 
 Tuesday, Juma a nne. 
 Turban, kilemba, pi. vilcmba. 
 
 A turban cloth, utambi, pi. tambi 
 
 ends of turban cloth, utamvua, pi. 
 tamvua, kishungi. 
 Turkey, bata la mzinga, pi. mabata 
 
 ya mzinga. 
 Turmeric, manjano. 
 Turn, zamu, pi. mazamu. 
 
 By turns, kwa zamu. 
 Turner, mkereza, pi. wakereza. 
 Turnery, zikerezwazo. 
 Turtle, kasa. 
 
 Hawkshead turtle, from ichich
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 79 
 
 tortoisesheU is oUaincd, ng'a- 
 
 mba, guauiba. 
 Turtle dove, hua.. 
 Twin, pacha. 
 Twist, pindi, pi. mapindi. 
 Type {for printing j, cLapa, jpZ. ma- 
 
 chapa. 
 
 U. 
 
 Udder, kiwele. 
 Ulcers, donda ndugu. 
 Umbrella, mwavuli, -pi. miaviili. 
 Native umbrella, dapo, pi. ma- 
 
 dapo. 
 Uncleanness, janaba, uchavu. 
 Uncle, mjomba, pi. wajomba, baba 
 
 mdogo (mother's brother)^ atnu 
 
 (father's brother). 
 Undergrowth, magugiL 
 Understanding, akili (pi.). 
 Underwood, makoko. 
 Unity, umoja. 
 Universe, ulimwengu. 
 Uproar, fujo,kelele, makelele, uthia, 
 
 kero. 
 Urine, mkojo. 
 Use, kutumia, kufaa. 
 
 (Jiabit), raazoezo. 
 Useful things, vifaa. 
 Usurer, mlariba, pi. walariba. 
 Usury, iriba. 
 Utensils, vyombo. 
 Uterus, mji. 
 Uvula, kimio. 
 
 V. 
 
 Vagabond, ban a kwao (homeless). 
 
 Vagina, kuma. 
 
 Valley, boonde, pi, boonde or ma- 
 
 boonde. 
 Value, kima, tha,ma.m. kadiii, kiasi, 
 
 upataji, uthani. 
 
 What is it worth ? Chapataje ? 
 Vapour, mvuke, fukizo. 
 Vapour bath, mvuke. 
 Vault, or vaulted place, kuba, kubba. 
 Vegetables, mboga. 
 Dcdoki, pi. madodoki, a long 
 
 many-angled seed pod. 
 Fijili or figili, a large white 
 
 radish. 
 Jimbi, pi. majimbi, a root very 
 much like a hyacinth root. 
 Vegetable marrow, mumunye, pi. 
 
 mamumunye. 
 Veil, utaji, shela. 
 Vengeaiice, kasasi. 
 Verses, masbairi. 
 Utenzi, religious verses. 
 Utumbuizo, verses sung at a dance. 
 Vesicular eruption on tJie shin, 
 
 uwati. 
 Vial, kitupa, pi. vitupa. 
 Vice, uovu, ufisadi, ufiski. 
 (the tool), jiiiwa, pi. majiliwa, 
 iriwa. 
 Vicegerent, kaimu, pi. makaimu, 
 
 nayibu, kalife. 
 Victim, mathabuha. 
 Victuals, vyakula. 
 Vigil, kesba, pi. makesha. 
 Village, mji, pi. miji, kijiji, pi. vijiji. 
 Vine, mzabibu, pi. mizabibu. 
 Vinegar, siki. 
 Violence, jeuli, nguvu. 
 Kwa nguvu, by violence. 
 Ana jeuri, he attacks people iootj- 
 tordy. 
 Virgin, bikiri, kizinda. 
 Viscera, matumbo. 
 Vizir, waziri, pi. mawaziri. 
 Vizir ship, u waziri. 
 Voice, sauti. 
 Vow, nathiri, nazirL
 
 80 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Voyage, safari 
 Vulture, tai. 
 
 W. 
 
 Wages, ujiva. 
 monthly, mshaliara. 
 sailors', halasa. 
 Wailing, maombolezo. 
 Waidcoat, kisibau, pi. visibau. 
 sleeved, cha mkouo. 
 sleeveless, kisicho mkono or cha 
 yikapa. 
 Walk, mwendo. 
 A icalh, matembezi. 
 to go for a walk, kwenda tembea. 
 Wall, uknta, _2:»?. kuta, kikuta, pi. 
 vikuta, kitalu, pil. vitalu (0/ an 
 enclosure), kiyambaza (mud 
 and stud). 
 Wall-plate, mbati, mwamba, pi. mi- 
 
 amba. 
 Wahiut, jozi. 
 Wandering about, mzunguko, pi. 
 
 mizunguko. 
 Want, uhtaji, upungufu, kipiinguo. 
 
 {"poverty), shidda, umasikiui. 
 War, vita, kondo (Mer.). 
 Wareroom, gbala. 
 
 Warehouse and shop, bokhari, 
 bohari. 
 Warmth moto, uharara. 
 
 Luheicarmness, uvuguvugu. 
 Wart, chiinjua. 
 Washerman, dobi. 
 Waste, upotevu, Tiharibivn. 
 Waster, mpotevu, pi. wapotevu, 
 
 mubaribivu, pi. wabaribivu. 
 Watch, saa. 
 
 (vigil), kesha, pi. makesha. 
 (time or place of icatching), ki- 
 
 ugojo. pi. vingojo. 
 (icatching -place), Undo. 
 
 Water, maji. 
 Fresh icater, maji matamu, majI 
 
 ya pepo. 
 Water-closet, choo, chiro. 
 Water cooler (earthen lottle), 
 guduwia, gudulia, kuzi (a 
 larger kind icith handles and 
 spout). 
 Water jar, mtungi, pi. mitungi. 
 Water melon, battikh. See 
 
 Pumpkin. 
 Water skin, kiriba. 
 Wave, wimbi, pi. mawimbi. 
 Way, njia. 
 
 the shortest way, njia ya kukata. 
 Weakness, uthaifu. 
 Wealth, mali mengi, titajiri, tikwasi. 
 Weapon, selaha, 7iiata (weapons, i.e., 
 
 lows and arrows). 
 Weather, wakati. 
 
 Weather side, upande goshini, 
 •upande wa juu. 
 Weaver, mfuma, pi. wafuma. 
 Wedding, harusi. 
 Wedge, kabari. 
 Wednesday, Juma a tano. 
 Weeds, magugu. 
 Kinds of weeds, kitawi, nidago, 
 gugu mwitu, mbarutL 
 TFeefc, jumaa. 
 
 Weight (see Measure), uthani. 
 How much does it weigh ? Yapata 
 
 kassi gani uthani wake ? 
 Native Weights : 
 Wakia, the weight of a silver 
 
 dollar, about one ounce. 
 Battel, sixteen wakia, about one 
 
 pound. 
 Kibaba, pi. vibaba, one rattel and 
 
 a half. 
 Mani, wo rattel and three- 
 quarters.
 
 SUBSTANTIVES. 
 
 81 
 
 Pishi, four vibaba, or six rattel. 
 Frasila, thirty-five rattel, or twelve 
 
 mani. 
 Farra ya mti, seventy-two rattel, 
 
 or twelve pishi. 
 Well, kisima, pi. visima. 
 Weeping, kilio. 
 West, maghribi. 
 
 West wind, umande. 
 Wet, rataba, maji. 
 Whale, nyamgmni, ngumi. 
 Wheat, ngano. 
 Wheel, gurudumu, pi. maguru- 
 
 dumu. 
 Wheeled carriage, gari, pi. ma- 
 
 gari. 
 Wietstone, kinoo, pi vinoo. 
 Whip, mjeledi, pi. mijeledi. 
 A plaited thong carried by over- 
 lookers and schoolmasters, ka- 
 
 mbaa, kikoto (M.). 
 Whirhcind, kisusuli, pepo za cha- 
 
 mchela. 
 Whistling, msonyo, miunsi. 
 White ants, mcbwa. 
 White of egg, ute wa yayi. 
 Whiteness, weupe. 
 Whitening, chaki. 
 Whitlow, mdudu. 
 Wich of a lamp, utambi, pi. 
 
 tambi. : 
 of a candle, kope, pi. makope. 
 Widow, mjani, mjaani, mke aliofi- 
 
 wa na mumewe. 
 Width, upana. 
 Wife, mke, pi. wake, mtumke, pi. 
 
 watuwake, mwanamke, pi. wa- 
 
 anaake. 
 Wilderness, bara, nyika, unyika. 
 Wild people, wasbenzi. 
 Wild aninuds, nyatna za niwitu, 
 
 nyama mbwayi, uyama wakali. 
 
 Will (mind), moyo, nia, kusudi. 
 
 (testament), wasio. 
 Wind, upepo, much icind, pepo. 
 See Cold, Whirhcind, Storm, East 
 
 West. 
 Northerly Winds, which hloic from 
 
 December to March, kaskazi. 
 Southerly winds, which blow from 
 
 April to Novfmber, kusi. 
 Head icinds, pepo za omo (also 
 
 stern icinds). 
 Wind on the beam, matanga kati. 
 Winding, kizingo, pi. viziugo. 
 
 of a stream, maghuba. 
 Windlass, duara. [dirisha. 
 
 Window, dirisha, pi. dirisha or ma- 
 Wine, mvinyo (strong wine), divai 
 Wing, bawa, pi. mabawa. [(claret). 
 A icing feather, ubawa, pi. mbawa. 
 Wink, kupepesa. 
 Wire, masango, uzi wa madini. 
 Wire-draicer's plate, chamburo. 
 Wisdom, hekima, busara, akiii. 
 Wit, ujuvi (?). 
 
 Witch, mchawi, pi. wachawi. 
 Witchcraft, ucLawi. 
 One who uses witchcraft against 
 another, wanga. 
 Witness, shahidi, pi. masliahidi. 
 
 (testimony), ushahidi. 
 Wits, akili. 
 
 Wizard, mchawi, pi. wachawi. 
 Woe, msiba. See Grief. 
 Woman, mwanamke, pi. waanaake 
 or waanawake. 
 A young woman, kijana,pZ. vijana. 
 A young woman who has not yet 
 left her father's house, one wliose 
 breasts are not yet flattened, 
 mwaBamwali. 
 A slave icoman, mjakazi, pL wa- 
 See Person, Old, Slave. [J£*kazi.
 
 82 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Womb, tumbo, matmnbo, mji. 
 Wonder, ajabu. 
 
 Wonders, mataajabu. 
 Wood, mti. See Fireicood, Timber. 
 
 A vjood, msitu wa miti. 
 
 A piece of wood, kijiti, pi. vijiti. 
 
 KlJTDS OF WOOD. 
 
 Finessi, the wood of the jack-fruit 
 
 tree ; it has a yellow colour. 
 Mche, a reddish wood much used 
 
 in Zanzibar. 
 Mkumavi, a red wood. 
 Msaji, teaJi. 
 Mtobwe, the wood of which the 
 
 best bakora are made. 
 Sesemi, Indian black wood. 
 Simbati, a kind of wood brought 
 
 from near Cape Delgado. 
 Sunobari, deal. 
 Wooden clogs, viatu vya mti. 
 The button which is grasped by 
 the toeSf msuruaki, pi. misu- 
 ruaki. 
 Woollen cloth, joho (broadcloth). 
 Tliich icoollen fabrics, blanketing, 
 bushuti. 
 Word, neno, pi. maneno. 
 Bad ivords, matukano. 
 Work, kazi. 
 
 Workman, mtenda kazi. 
 {skilled), fundi, 
 
 {skilful, a good hand), mstadi, pi. 
 wastadi. 
 Workshop, kiwanda, pi. viwanda, 
 
 kiwanja, pi. viwauja. 
 '^rld, ulimwengTi, dunia. 
 People of this world, walimwengn. 
 Worldly affairs, malimwengu. 
 Worm, nangonango, cbaugo, 
 
 mnio (?). 
 Worth, kima. See Value. 
 Wound, jeiaba, donda, pi. iiiadouda. 
 
 kionda, pi. vionda, kidonda, pi. 
 
 vidorida. 
 Wrath, gbathabu. 
 Wriggle, pindi, pi. mapindi. 
 Wrist, kiwiko cha mkono, kilimbili. 
 Writer, mwandislii, pi. waandishi, 
 
 akatabao, pi. wakatabao {icriter 
 
 of a letter). 
 Writings, maandiko, maandishi. 
 Writing-desk, dawati. 
 Wrong, thulumu, sivyo. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Yam, kiazi kikuu, i)l. viazi vikim. 
 
 A kind of yam like a hyacinth 
 root, jimbi, p)l. majimbi. 
 Yard {of a ship), foramali. 
 
 {an enclosure), uanda, uanja, ua. 
 Yawn, miayo. [pi. nyua. 
 
 Year {see Time), mwaka, pi. miaka. 
 
 Last year, mwaka jana. 
 
 The year before last, mwaka jiizL 
 Yesterday, jana. 
 
 The day before yesterday, juzi. 
 Yolk of an egg, kiini cha yayi. 
 Young of birds, kinda, pi. makinda. 
 
 See Chicken, d:c. 
 Youth, ujana, udogo, 
 
 A youth, kijaua, pi. vijana. 
 
 Z. 
 
 Zanzibar, Ungnja. 
 
 The language or dialect of Zanzi- 
 bar, Kiunguja. In Zanzibar, 
 Kiswahili is understood to mean 
 chiefly the language used on the 
 coast north of Mombas. 
 The original inhabitants of Zanzi- 
 bar, MubadimUj^Z. Wabadimu. 
 Their sultan is the Munyi 
 Zeal {effort), juhudi. [mkuu. 
 
 (jealousy), iiwivu. 
 Zebra, punda milia.
 
 t of 
 
 nge in the t ;ed in the eight following Classes. 
 
 angmg m- 
 ing heingSf 
 3 the first 
 ^ne vizir : 
 
 changing 
 
 ngi, many 
 
 I by changing ki- or ch- into vi-. Kitu 
 ^any things : vyombo vingi, many dhows. 
 j moja, one chest : makasha mengi, many 
 
 it, the u- is omitted in the plural. If 
 r into ny-. Ukucha mmoja, one claw : 
 •nyimbo nyingi, many songs, 
 ^ali pengi, many places, 
 ^tu, our dying. 
 
 t 
 
 stantives. ^ronouns begin with k- ; if it expresses 
 
 G 2
 
 Ca^jle of Concortis, 
 
 AdjectivcB and Pronouns are in Swahili made to agree with their Substantiv 
 with 1 
 
 by a 
 
 the first syllable. Swahili Substantives may be conveniently arranged in the eight following Classes. 
 
 I. Those which begin with m- and are the names of living beings. The plural is made by changing m- 
 into wa- Mtu innioja, one person : watu wengi, many people. The names of living beings, 
 whatever their form, may have their adjectives and pronouns in the forms proper to the first 
 class. Ng'ombe mmoja, one ox: ng'ombe wengi, many oxen. Waziri mmoja, one vizir: 
 mawaziri wengi, many vizirs. 
 II. Those which begin with m- and are not the names of living beings. The plural is made by changing 
 m- into mi-. Mti mraoja, one tree : miti miugi, many trees. 
 III. Those which do not change to form the plural. Nyumba mqja, one house : nyumba nyingi, many 
 
 IV. Those which begin with ki- or ch-. The plural is mad^ by changing ki- or oh- into vi-. Kitu 
 kimoja,onething:chombokimoja, one dhow. Vituvingi, many things: vyombovingi, many dhows. 
 V. Those which make their plural by prefixiug ma-. Kasha raoja, one chest : makasha mengi, many 
 chests. 
 VI. Those which begin with u-. If followed by a consonant, the u- is omitted in the plural. If 
 followed by a vowel, the plural is made by changing u- into ny-. Ukucha mmoja, one claw : 
 kucha nyingi, many claws. Uimbo mmoja, one song : nyimbo nyingi, many songa. 
 VII. The word mahali, place. Mahali pamoja, one place : mahali pengi, many places. 
 VIII. Verbs in the infinitive, used as Substantives. Kufa kwetu, our dying. 
 
 The Locative Case made by adding ■ 
 
 requires special forms, which are the same for all Substantives. When it implies motion to or distance f re 
 being within, they begin with m- ; if nearness only, with p-. 
 
 the thing named, the Pronouns begin with k- ; if it expresses 
 
 Nyumba Nyusiba 
 
 Fine 
 Good 
 Bad 
 
 Eow mamj f 
 
 All 
 
 Of 
 
 My 
 
 Thy 
 
 His, Iter, Hi 
 
 Our 
 
 Your 
 Their 
 
 This & these 
 
 Tonder 
 
 That mentioned before 
 
 Which ? 
 
 Where is or are ? 
 
 wazuri 
 wema 
 wabaya 
 
 wangu 
 wako 
 , \sake 
 
 huyu 
 yule 
 huyo 
 
 yupi 
 jni wapi 
 
 hawa 
 wale 
 hao 
 
 8, dr. there ^neoi) yupo 
 „ „ (within) yumo 
 
 This I 
 Who< 
 
 he, dc. dec. 
 I- which 
 
 udiye 
 aliye, ; 
 
 ye' 
 
 'mbaya 
 
 wangu 
 
 wako 
 
 wake 
 
 wetu 
 
 wenu 
 
 wao 
 
 huo 
 upi 
 
 upo 
 uko 
 umo 
 
 ndio 
 uUo 
 
 mibaya 
 mingapi 
 yote 
 
 ya 
 
 yangu 
 
 yako 
 
 yake 
 
 yetu 
 
 yenu 
 
 yao 
 
 hii 
 
 ile 
 hiyo 
 
 ipi 
 
 ndiyo 
 iliyo 
 
 yo 
 
 nzun 
 njema 
 mbaya 
 
 yote 
 
 ya 
 
 yangu 
 
 yako 
 
 yake 
 
 yetu 
 
 yenu 
 
 yao 
 
 hii 
 ile 
 hiyo 
 
 ipi 
 i wapi 
 
 ipo 
 iko 
 imo 
 
 ndiyo 
 iliyo 
 
 yo 
 
 nzuri 
 njema 
 mbaya 
 
 ngapi 
 
 zote 
 
 zangu 
 
 zako 
 
 zake 
 
 hizi 
 zUe 
 hizo 
 
 zipi 
 zi wapi 
 
 ndizo 
 zilizo 
 
 Be, she, it, they 
 Him, it, them 
 
 kizuri 
 chema 
 kibaya 
 
 chote 
 
 cha 
 
 ohangu 
 
 chako 
 
 chake 
 
 ohetu 
 
 chenu 
 
 chao 
 
 kile 
 hicho 
 
 kipi 
 ki wapi 
 
 kipo 
 kiko 
 kimo 
 
 ndicho 
 kilicho 
 cho 
 
 ki- ch- 
 -ki- 
 
 vizun 
 vyema 
 vibaya 
 
 vingapi 
 
 vyote 
 
 vyangu 
 
 vyako 
 
 vyake 
 
 vyetu 
 
 vj^enu 
 
 vyao 
 
 hivi 
 vile 
 hivyo 
 
 vipo 
 viko 
 vimo 
 
 ndivyo 
 vilivyo 
 vyo 
 
 zun 
 
 jema 
 baya 
 
 lote 
 
 la 
 
 langu 
 
 lako 
 
 lake 
 
 letu 
 
 lenu 
 
 lao 
 
 hili 
 lile 
 hilo 
 
 lipi 
 li wapi 
 
 lipo 
 liko 
 limo 
 
 ndilo 
 lililo 
 lo 
 
 ya 
 
 yangu 
 
 yako 
 
 yake 
 
 yetu 
 
 yenu 
 
 yao 
 
 haya 
 yale 
 
 yapi 
 ya wapi 
 
 yapo 
 yako 
 yamo 
 
 ndiyo 
 yaliyo 
 
 yo 
 ya- 
 
 -ya- 
 
 wako 
 wake 
 wetu 
 wenu 
 
 huu 
 nle 
 huo 
 
 upi 
 u wapi 
 
 nzun 
 
 njema 
 mbaya 
 
 ngapi 
 
 zangu 
 
 zako 
 
 zake 
 
 zetu 
 
 zenu 
 
 zao 
 
 hizi 
 zile 
 hizo 
 
 zipi 
 zi wapi 
 
 ziko 
 zimo 
 
 Mahali 
 
 -NI (« 
 
 pazuri 
 
 pema 
 pabaya 
 
 9 
 
 pa 
 
 pangu 
 
 pako 
 
 pake ' 
 
 petu 
 
 penu 
 
 pao 
 
 hapa 
 pale 
 hapo 
 
 papi 
 pa wapi 
 
 ndipo 
 palipo 
 po 
 
 pa- 
 -pa- 
 
 kuzuri 
 
 kwema 
 kubaya 
 
 kwangapi 
 
 kwote 
 
 kwa 
 
 kwangu 
 
 kwako 
 
 kwake 
 
 kwetu 
 
 kwenu 
 
 kwao 
 
 ndiko 
 kuliko 
 kwo 
 
 kote 
 
 kwa 
 
 kwangu 
 
 kwako 
 
 kwake 
 
 kwetu 
 
 kwenu 
 
 kwao 
 
 huku 
 kule 
 huko 
 
 ndiko 
 ko 
 
 mwangu 
 
 mwako 
 
 mwake 
 
 mwetu 
 
 mwenu 
 
 rawao 
 
 humu 
 
 mle 
 
 humo
 
 ( S3 ) 
 
 ADJECTIVES AND NUMERALS. 
 
 Adjectives. 
 
 Adjectives always follow the Substantives they 
 
 agree with. 
 
 Mtu micema^ a good man. 
 
 Regular Swahili Adjectives are made to agree with 
 the Substantives they qualify by prefixing to them the 
 initial syllables proper to the class of their Substan- 
 tives, in the singular or plural, as the case may be. 
 The minor rules laid down in regard to the prefixes of 
 Substantives are applicable to Adjectives and their 
 prefixes. The following instances will illustrate the 
 ordinary application of these rules : 
 
 Class I. M-tu 'm-haya, a bad man. 
 
 Wa-tu wa-haya, bad men. 
 M-tu mw-eupe, a white man. 
 Wa-tu w-eupe, white men. 
 
 Substantives of whatever class denoting living beings 
 
 may have their Adjectives in the forms proper to the 
 
 first class. 
 
 Mbuzi m-kuhwa, a large goat. 
 
 3Ibuzi wa-kuhwa, large goats 
 Mbuzi mic-ekundu, a red goat. 
 Mbuzi w-ekundu, red goats. 
 
 G 2
 
 84 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Waziri rmcema, a good vizir. 
 
 Mawaziri wema, good vizirs. 
 Kijana mwema, a good youth. 
 
 Vijana wema, good youths. 
 
 Class II. M-ti m-zuri, a fine tree. 
 
 Mi-ti mi-zuri, fine trees. 
 M-ti mw-ema, a good tree. 
 
 Mi-ti mi-ema, or m-ema, good trees. 
 Class IIL Ny-umha n-zuri, a fine house. 
 
 Ny-umba n-zuri, fine houses. 
 Ny-umba ny-eupe, a white house. 
 Ny-umba ny-eupe, white houses. 
 
 Class IV. Ki-tu ki-refu, a long thing. 
 
 Vi-tu vi-refu, long things. 
 Ki-tu ch-epesi, a light thing. 
 Vi-tu vy-epesi, light things. 
 
 Class V. Kasha zito, a heavy chest. 
 
 Ma-kasha ma-zito, heavy chests. 
 Kasha j-ehundu, a red chest. 
 
 Ma-kasha m-ekundu, red chests. 
 
 Class VL U-imho m-zuri, a beautiful song. 
 
 Ny-imho n-zuri, beautiful songs. 
 U-hau m-refu, a long plank. 
 M-hau n-defu, long planks. 
 
 Class VII. Mahali pa-pana, a broad place, or broad places. 
 Mahali p-eusi, a black place, or black places. 
 
 Class VIII. Ku-fa ku-zuri, a fine death. 
 
 Ku-fa kw-ema, a good death. 
 
 It will be seen at once from the above examples lio-w 
 to make the Adjective agree with its Substantive in 
 ordinary cases. The following rules must be remem- 
 bered in order to avoid mistakes : — 
 
 1. Adjectives beginning with a vowel require pre- 
 fixes which end in a consonant, wherever possible, as 
 in the above instances, miveu^e, mwekundu, mwema, 
 chepesi, hicema.
 
 ADJECTIVES AND NUMERALS. 85 
 
 2. Adjectives beginning with a vowel must have j- 
 prefixed when they are made to agree with nouns like 
 kasha, as in the instance given above of hasJia jekunduy 
 a red chest. Monosyllabic adjectives prefix ji, as in 
 kasha jipya, a new chest. 
 
 3. Prefixes ending in -a, when they are put before 
 adjectives beginning with e-, merge the a into the 
 first letter of the adjective, as in the instances, weupe, 
 wekundu, mekundu, peusi. This suppression of the a is 
 more noticeable in Adjectives than in Substantives, 
 and occurs even in the few Adjectives which begin 
 with -0- ; -a before i- coalesces with it and forms e. 
 
 Weusi = wa-eusi. Meupe = ma-eupe. 
 
 Pema = pa-ema. Mororo = ma-ororo. 
 
 Wengi — wa-ingi. 
 
 4. Adjectives beginning with a consonant are subject 
 to the same rules when n is to be prefixed as Substan- 
 tives of the third class and plurals of the sixth. The 
 rules are given at length under Class VI. of Substan- 
 tives. The following instances will show their appli- 
 cation to Adjectives : 
 
 Nyumba [ ndogo, ]ittle i 
 
 Mbau I ngeni, strange \ n prefixed, 
 
 Nyimbo I nzuri, fine ) 
 
 ndefu, long — r becomes d. 
 
 mhovu, rotten — n becomes m, 
 
 mhili, two — nw becomes mh. 
 
 huhwa, great ) 
 
 nene, thick 
 
 pana, broad 
 
 tamu, sweet 
 
 ehache, few 
 
 fu23i, short 
 
 ► n suppressed.
 
 86 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Besides tlie many apparent irregularities in tiiese 
 n formations, there are two or three really irregular 
 forms. These are ngema or njema (not nyema)^ good, 
 and 'mpya (not pya), new. 
 
 Adjectives beginning with a vowel are, like the cor- 
 responding Substantives, regularly formed by prefixing 
 ny-^ as in the instance given, nyeujpe, from -eupe, white. 
 
 Instances are given in the list of Adjectives where 
 there is likely to be any practical difficulty in knowing 
 what form to use. 
 
 -Ote^ all, and -enyi, or -inyi, having or with, are not 
 treated as Adjectives, but as Pronouns. Instances 
 illustrating their changes will be found under each. 
 On the other hand -ngapi, how many ? is treated as an 
 Adjective. 
 
 Irregular Adjectives. 
 
 Although Swahili is rich in Adjectives when com- 
 pared with other African languages of the same family, 
 it is very poor in comparison with English. The place 
 of the English Adjective is supplied — 
 
 1. By Arabic words which are used as Adjectives 
 but do not vary. 
 
 Rahisi, cheap. Laini, smooth. 
 
 2. By a verb expressing generally in the present 
 imperfect to become, and in the present perfect to bey 
 possessed of the quality denoted. 
 
 Fimho imenyoka, the stick is straight. 
 
 Flmho iUyonyoha, a straight stick. 
 Fimho imepotoka, the stick is crooked. 
 
 Fimho iliyopotoka, a crooked stick. 
 Mtungi umejaa, the jar is full. 
 
 Mtungi uliojaa, a full jar.
 
 ADJECTIVES AND NUMERALS. Si 
 
 3. By a Substantive connected with, the tiling quali- 
 
 lied by the particle -a, of. 
 
 Mtu wa choyo, a greedy person. 
 
 Mtu wa dkili, a man of understanding, a wise man. 
 
 If it is wished to predicate the quality of any person 
 or thing, the verb huioa na, to have, must be used. 
 
 Ana clioyo, he is greedy. 
 Kina taka, it is dirty. 
 
 4. By the use of the word -enyi or -inyi, which may 
 be translated by having or with. 
 
 Mtu micenyi afia, a healthy person. 
 Kitu chenyi mviringo, a round thing, 
 Kamba zenyi nguvu, strong ropes. 
 E)iihe yenyi maji, a juicy mango. 
 
 When -enyi is followed by a Yerb in the Infinitive, 
 it answers to our participle in -ing. 
 
 Mwenyi hupenda, loving. 
 
 5. By the use of Adjectival Substantives which 
 change only to form the plural. 
 
 Eipofu, bhnd, or a blind person, pi. Vipofu, blind, or bUnd people. 
 
 Where in English a special stress is laid upon the 
 Adjective, in Swahili the relative is inserted. 
 
 Jiwe huhiva, a large stone. 
 
 Jiice lililo kuhica, a large stone, literally, a stone that is large. 
 Mtu wa haki, a just man. 
 
 Mtu aliye wa haki, a. just man. 
 
 The Comparison of Ad.jectives. 
 
 There are not, properly speaking, any degrees of 
 comparison in Swahili.
 
 88 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The Comparative degree as it exists in Englisli is 
 represented in several ways. 
 
 1. By the use of kuliko, where there is, the idea heing 
 that when the two things are brought together one of 
 them is marked by the possession of the quality men- 
 tioned, whence it follows that it must possess it in a 
 more eminent degree than the other. 
 
 Saa Mi njema kuliko He, this watch is good (or the hest) where 
 
 that is, i.e., this watch is better than that. 
 Tamu kuliko asali, sweeter than honey. 
 
 2. By the use of zayidi ya, more than, or of punde, a 
 little more. 
 
 Unguja mji mkuhwa zayidi ya Mvita, Zanzibar is a large town 
 more than Mombas, i.e., Zanzibar is a larger town than 
 Mombas. 
 
 Kitu kirefu punde, somethiug a little longer. 
 
 3. By the use of hupita, to pass or surpass. 
 
 Salimu ampita Ahdallah, Salim is better than Abdallah. 
 Ndiyo tamu yapita asali, it is sweet, it passes honey, i.e., it is 
 sweeter than honey. 
 
 4. Comparison of one time with another may be ex- 
 pressed by the use of the Verbs kuzidi, to increase, 
 kupungua, to diminish. 
 
 Mti umezidi kuzaa, the tree has borne more fruit than it did 
 jDreviously. 
 
 The Superlative may be denoted by the use of the 
 Adjective in its simple form, in an absolute sense. 
 
 Mananasi mema ya wapi ? Where are the best pines ? 
 
 Ndiyo mema, these are the best. 
 
 Ni yupi alio mwema '? Who is the best of them ? 
 
 When this form is used of two only, it is more
 
 ADJECTIVES AND NUMERALS. 
 
 :9 
 
 correctly Englished by the Comparative than by the 
 Superlative. So conversely where the Comparative 
 forms are so used as to apply to many or all, they 
 must be translated by Superlatives. 
 
 Saa Mi njema hulllco zote, this watch is the best of all. 
 
 All awapita wote, Ali surpasses them all, or, is the best of all. 
 
 Numerals. 
 
 There are two sets of numerals in use in Zanzibar ; 
 one is properly Swahili, the other Arabic, but in a 
 Swahiliized form. 
 
 The numbers from one to ten are as follows : 
 
 English. 
 
 Swahili. 
 
 Arabic. 
 
 One 
 
 Most 
 
 Wahid 
 
 Two 
 
 Fill 
 
 rheneen 
 
 Three 
 
 Taiu 
 
 Thelatha 
 
 Four 
 
 'Nne 
 
 'Aroha 
 
 Five 
 
 Tano 
 
 Hamsi 
 
 Six 
 
 Sita 
 
 Sita 
 
 Seven 
 
 Saba 
 
 Saba 
 
 Eight 
 
 Nane 
 
 Themanya 
 
 Nine 
 
 Kenda 
 
 Tissa or Tissia 
 
 Ten 
 
 Kumi 
 
 'Ashara 
 
 It will be seen that for six and seven there are only 
 the Arabic names. The other Arabic numbers under 
 ten are not very commonly used, but for numbers above 
 ten the Arabic are more used than the purer Swahili. 
 
 English. 
 
 S v.- A HILL 
 
 Arabic. 
 
 Eleven 
 
 Kumi na moja 
 
 Edashara 
 
 Twelve 
 
 Kumi na mbili 
 
 Thenashara 
 
 Thirteen 
 
 Kumi na tatu 
 
 Thelathatanhara 
 
 Fourteen 
 
 Kumi na 'nne 
 
 Arobatashara 
 
 Fifteen 
 
 Kumi na tano 
 
 Hamstashara 
 
 Sixteen 
 
 Kumi na sita 
 
 Sitashara 
 
 Seventeen 
 
 Kumi na saba 
 
 Sabata!<hara
 
 90 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 English. 
 
 SWAHILI. 
 
 Arabic. 
 
 Eighteen 
 
 Kumi na nane 
 
 Tl\iemanyatashara 
 
 Nineteen 
 
 Kumi na henda 
 
 Tissatashara 
 
 Twenty 
 
 Maliumi mawili 
 
 Asharini or Ishrin 
 
 Thirty 
 
 Makumi matatu 
 
 Thelathini 
 
 Forty 
 
 Mahumi manne 
 
 Arohaini 
 
 Fifty 
 
 Makumi matano 
 
 Hamsini 
 
 Sixty 
 
 Makumi sita 
 
 Setlini 
 
 Seventy 
 
 Makumi saha 
 
 Sahwini 
 
 Eighty 
 
 Makumi manane 
 
 Themanini 
 
 Ninety 
 
 Makumi henda 
 
 Tissaini 
 
 The intermediate numbers are expressed in tlie pure 
 Swahili by adding na moja, na mbili, &c. Thus forty- 
 one is maJcumi manne na moja ; forty-Jive is maJcumi manne 
 na tano, and so on. In the Arabic, the smaller number 
 precedes the larger. Twenty-one is wdhid u ishrin, forty- 
 five is khdmsi u arohain. The mode of counting most 
 usual in Zanzibar is to employ the Arabic names for 
 the larger numbers, but to follow the Swahili order, 
 thus — 
 
 Twenty-one • 
 
 , Asharini na moja 
 
 Twenty-two 
 
 Ai^harini na mhili 
 
 Twenty-three 
 
 Asharini na tatu 
 
 Twenty -four , 
 
 Asharini na 'nne 
 
 Twenty-five 
 
 Asharini na tano 
 
 Twenty-six 
 
 Af-harini na sita 
 
 Twenty-seven 
 
 , Asharini na saba 
 
 Twenty-eight . 
 
 , Asharini na nane 
 
 Twenty-nine 
 
 Asharini na kenda 
 
 Thirty-one 
 
 , Thelathini na moja 
 
 &c. &c. 
 
 &G. &c. 
 
 There is no negro word in use for a hundred ; the 
 Arabic mia is universally employed, and for several 
 hundreds the numeral follows it, as mia tatu, three 
 hundred. If the Arabic numerals are used they pre- 
 cede the word mia, tlielatha mia = three hundred. The
 
 ADJECTIVES AND NUMERALS. 91 
 
 Arabic dual miteen is very commonly used to express 
 two hundred. 
 
 There is a SwaMli word for a thousand, Mliwi, "but it 
 is very rarely used except in poetry. The common 
 word is the Arabic elfu. This is used in the same way 
 as mia ; thus, elfu tatu is three thousand, elfu tano, five 
 thousand, &c. The Arabic dual elfeen, two thousand, 
 is more common than elfu mhili. If the Arabic nu- 
 merals are employed the small number comes first, the 
 plural form aldf is employed, and the final of the small 
 number is heard, thus tJieldthat aldf is three thousand, 
 Jchdmset aldf five thousand, and so on. 
 
 Lakhi is used for ten thousand, and the word milyon 
 is known, but is rarely employed, and perhaps never 
 with exactitude. 
 
 Fungate occurs for seven, as denoting the days spent by 
 the bridegroom in his bride's company after marriage. 
 
 Mwongo, plur. miongo, occurs for a ten or a decade, in 
 reckoning the nautical year. 
 
 Both these words occur in cognate African languages 
 as cardinal numbers. 
 
 When used in enumerating actual things, and not 
 in mere arithmetical computation, six of the Swahili 
 numbers are treated as regular Adjectives, the other 
 four remaining unchanged. The following table will 
 ehow the forms proper to each class of Substantives. 
 
 Mtu 
 
 Mti 
 
 Ntumba 
 
 Kith 
 
 1. mmoja 
 
 mmoja 
 
 moja 
 
 kimoja 
 
 Wattj 
 
 Mm 
 
 Ntoiba 
 
 ViTU 
 
 2. wawili 
 
 miwili 
 
 mbili 
 
 viwili 
 
 3. waiatu 
 
 mitatu 
 
 tatu 
 
 vitatu
 
 92 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Watu 
 
 MiTI 
 
 Nydmba 
 
 ViTU 
 
 4. wanne 
 
 minne 
 
 *nne 
 
 vinne 
 
 5. watano 
 
 niitano 
 
 tano 
 
 vitano 
 
 6. sita 
 
 sita 
 
 sita 
 
 sita 
 
 7. saba 
 
 saba 
 
 saba 
 
 saba 
 
 8. wanane 
 
 minane 
 
 nane 
 
 vinane 
 
 9. kenda 
 
 kenda 
 
 kenda 
 
 kenda 
 
 10 kumi 
 
 kiimi 
 
 kumi 
 
 kumi 
 
 Kasha 
 
 UlMBO 
 
 Mahali 
 
 KUFA 
 
 1. mqja 
 
 mmoja 
 
 pamoja 
 
 kumoja 
 
 Makasha 
 
 Nyimbo 
 
 Mahali 
 
 KUPA 
 
 2. mawili 
 
 mbili 
 
 pawili 
 
 kuwili 
 
 3. matatu 
 
 tatu 
 
 patatu 
 
 kutatu 
 
 4. manne 
 
 'nne 
 
 panne 
 
 kunne 
 
 5. matano 
 
 tano 
 
 patano 
 
 kutano 
 
 6. sita 
 
 sita 
 
 sita 
 
 sita 
 
 7. saba 
 
 saba 
 
 saba 
 
 saba 
 
 8. manane 
 
 nane 
 
 panane 
 
 kunane 
 
 9. keuda 
 
 kenda 
 
 kenda 
 
 kenda 
 
 10. kumi 
 
 kumi 
 
 kumi 
 
 kumi 
 
 The mimber always follows the Substantive. 
 One man, mtu mmoja. 
 If an adjective is employed, the numeral follows tlie 
 adjective, thus exactly reversing the English order. 
 Two good men, watu ivema wawili. 
 
 The Ordinal numbers are expressed by the use of the 
 variable particle -a. (See Prepositions.) 
 
 The third man, mtu wa tatu. 
 The fourth house, nyumha ya *nne. 
 The fifth chair, kiti cha tano. 
 
 The Ordinal numbers are : 
 
 First, -a mosi, or more com- Third, -a tatu. 
 
 monly -a liwanza. 
 Second, -a pili. 
 
 Fourth, -a 'nne. 
 Fifth, -a tano.
 
 ADJECTIVES AND NUMERALS. 93 
 
 Sixth, -a sita. Tenth, -a kumi. 
 
 Seventh, -a sahcu &c. &c. 
 
 Eighth, -a nane. Last, -a rmcisho. 
 Ninth, -a henda. 
 
 Once, twice, &c., are denoted by the use of marra, or 
 
 maray a time. 
 
 Once, mora, moja. 
 
 The first time, mara ya kicanza. 
 Twice, mara mhili. 
 
 The second time, mara ya pili. 
 How many times ? Mara ngapi ? 
 
 Often, viara nyingi. 
 
 Fractions may be expressed by the use offungu, a 
 
 part, as 
 
 Fungu In thelathini, a thirtieth. 
 
 The only fractions in common use are the parts of a 
 dollar, which are thus expressed in forms borrowed 
 from the Arabic : 
 
 One-sixteenth — Nusg ya tliemuni. 
 
 One-eighth — Them2ini. or Themni, or Ze'mni. 
 
 Three-sixteenths — Themuni na nuss ya themuni. 
 
 One-fifth — Zerenge. 
 
 One-quarter — Roho. 
 
 Five-sixteenths — Roho na nuss ya i\iemuni. 
 
 Three-eighths — Roho na ihemuni. 
 
 Seven-sixteenths — Roho na ihemuni na nuss ya themuni. 
 
 O ne-h alf — Nuss. 
 
 Nine-sixteenths — Nuss na nuss ya themuni. 
 
 Five-eighths — Nuss na themuni. 
 
 Eleven-sixteenths — Nuss na themuni na nuss ya themuni. 
 
 Three-quarters — Kassa roho [i.e., a dollar less by a quaiterj. 
 
 Thirteen-sixteenths— Xassa roho na nuss ya themuni. 
 
 Seven-eighths — Kassa themuni. 
 
 Fifteen-sixteenths— .Kassa nuss ya themuni. 
 
 Numbers treated as Substantives make their plurals 
 by prefixing ma,- : 
 
 Makumi maioili, tvi-o tens, i.e.. twenty. 
 Mamoja pia, all ones, i.e., all the same.
 
 94 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 Those words to which no hyphen is prefixed do not take any variable syllabi?. 
 
 A qualify for which one cannot find 
 a word, a sort of a, -nyanga- 
 lika. 
 
 Kitu kinyangalika gani? ^Vhat 
 sort of a kind of thing is this ? 
 
 Able, having ability for, or power 
 over, mweza. 
 
 Abortive {fruit, &c.), -pooza. 
 
 Active, -tendaji. 
 
 Adjacent. 
 
 Mpaka mmoja, having a common 
 
 boundary. 
 Kutangamana, to adjoin. 
 
 Alike, sawasawa, -moja. 
 
 Alive, hayi. 
 
 All, -ote, or -ot'e, varying as a pos- 
 sessive pronoun and not as an 
 adjective. 
 Class i. wote. 
 
 „ II. sing, mote, pi. yote. 
 
 » 
 
 in. 
 
 „ 
 
 yote, „ zote. 
 
 J» 
 
 IV. 
 
 »> 
 
 chote, „ vyote. 
 
 »> 
 
 V. 
 
 n 
 
 lote, „ yote. 
 
 »» 
 
 VI. 
 
 „ 
 
 wote, „ zote. 
 
 » 
 
 vn. 
 
 » 
 
 pote. 
 
 » 
 
 vni. 
 
 »» 
 
 kwote. 
 
 -ote has special forms after the 
 particles of time and place. 
 po pote, whensoever- 
 ko kote, whithersoever. 
 mo mote, whereinsoever. 
 Also after the first and second 
 persons plural. 
 sisi sote, we all. 
 ninyi nyote, you all. 
 Sote has the meaning of together. 
 
 tu sote, we are together. 
 Wote has the meaning of both, 
 sisi wote, both of us. 
 
 2. Pia, the whole, all of it or 
 them. 
 
 3. Jamii. 
 
 Jamil wa asikari, all the soldiers. 
 Almighty, mweza vyote. 
 Alternate, moja bado wa moja. 
 Ancient, -a kale, -a zamani, -a 
 
 kwanza. 
 Angular. 
 
 Kuwa na pembepembe, to have 
 
 corners. 
 Antique, -a kikale, of the old style. 
 Artful, -a vitimbi. 
 Aicake, macho. 
 
 He is aicake, yu macho.
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 05 
 
 B. 
 
 Bad, -bay a, maJdng mbaya ^c^th 
 nouns lilie nyumba or nyimbo. 
 -ovu or -bovu, mahing mbovu 
 u-ith nouns like nyumba or 
 nj'imbo. -ovn expresses rather 
 corruptness than mere badness. 
 Utterly had, baa. pi. mabaa. 
 Good for very little, thaifu. 
 Bare, -tupu, maMng tupu with nouns 
 like nyumba or nyimbo. 
 Bareheaded, kitwa kiwazi. 
 Barren, of land, kame. 
 of animals, tasa. 
 of persons, si mzazi. 
 Beautiful, -zuri. 
 Bent, of persons, kibiongo, pi. vibi- 
 
 ongo. 
 Best, bora (pre-eminent). 
 Bitter, -cbungTi ( -tungu (M.)), 
 making uchungu with nouns 
 like nyumba, nyimbo, or kasha. 
 Dawa ucbungu, bitter medicine. 
 Tuuda uchungu, bitter fruit. 
 Black, -eusi. Sometimes forms occur 
 as if from -usi, such as wausi 
 for weusi, mausi /or meusi, and 
 viusi for vyeusi or veusi. It 
 makes nyeusi with nouns like 
 nyumba or nyimbo, and jeusi 
 with nouns like kasba. 
 Blind, kipofu, pi. vipofu. 
 Blue, samawi (sky colour). 
 
 ilaji a bahari (sea-water colour). 
 Blunt, -vivu (see Idle). 
 
 Kisu bakipati, the knife is blunt. 
 Bold, -jasiri, sbujaa, pi. mashujaa. 
 Breeding (of animals), koo. 
 
 Koo la mbuzi, a breeding goat. 
 Broad, -pan a, making pana with 
 nouns like nyumba or nyimbo. 
 
 Careless, -zembe. 
 Castrated, maksai. 
 Certain, yakini. 
 
 A certain man, mtu miaoja. 
 Cheap, rakbisi, rahisi. 
 Checkered, marakaraka. 
 Chief, bora, -knu. See Great. 
 Choice, -teule, aali. 
 A choice thing, bedaya, tunu, 
 
 hikaya. 
 Civilized, -ngwana, -a kiungwana 
 
 (of the civilized sort). 
 Clear, safi, fasibi, -eupe (see White). 
 Clear, kweu, mbayani, tbahiri 
 
 (manifest), -wazi (see Open). 
 
 -eupe (see Wliite). 
 Clever, bodari, mahiri, -a akili. 
 Clumsy, -zito (see Heavy). 
 Coloured, -enyi rangi. 
 
 Of one uniform colour, -takatifu. 
 Comic, -cbekesbaji, -testeshi. 
 Common, vivi bivi, zizi bizi, &c., 
 
 yee kwa yee, &c. (see Pronouns), 
 A common thing, jazi. 
 Complete, kamili, -kamilifu, -timi- 
 
 livu. 
 Confident, -tumaini. 
 Confidential, -siri. 
 Consecrated, wakf. 
 Cool, wovisi. 
 Correct, sahibi, fasibi. 
 Countrified, -a kimajhamba. 
 Covetous, bakbili, -enyi choyo, -enyi 
 
 tamaa. 
 Crafty, -a hila, -erevu. 
 Crazy, mafuu. 
 Credible, mutaabir, -tabari. 
 Crooked, kombokombo, mshitbari. 
 Cross, -kali (see Fierce). 
 
 Cross roads, njia panda. 
 Cunning, -orevu, -a hila.
 
 96 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 D. 
 
 Damp, kimaji. 
 Daring, -jasiri. 
 Dark, -a giza (of darlcness), -eusi 
 
 (see Black). 
 Dead, -fu. 
 
 One whose mother is dead, j\ltu 
 
 aliofiwa Da mamaye. 
 Deaf, kiziwi, pi. viziwi. 
 Dear, ghali. 
 Deceased, mareliemu. 
 Deformed, kilema, pi. vilema. 
 Destructive, -harabu, -haribivu. 
 Devout, -taowa. 
 Different, -ingiue (see Other), mba- 
 
 limbali, ihtilafu. 
 Difficult, -gumu (see Hard), -zito 
 
 (see Heavy). 
 Disfigured by disease, -enyi lemaa. 
 Disobedient, aasi. 
 Distinct, mbalimbali. 
 Double, maradufu. 
 Dressed-up, -pambi. 
 Drunken, -levi. 
 Dry, -kavu, making kavu tcith nouns 
 
 like nyumba or nyimbo. 
 yabis. 
 Dull, -vivu. See Idle. 
 Dumb, bubu, pi. mabubu. 
 
 E. 
 
 Easy, -epesi. See Light. 
 
 Elder or Eldest, -kubwa. See Great. 
 
 Eloquent, -semaji, -semi. 
 
 Empty, -tupu. See Bare. 
 
 Equal, sawa, sawasawa, 
 
 Eternal, -a milele. 
 
 European, Ulayiti, -a Kizungu. 
 
 Even (level), sawasawa. 
 
 (not odd), kaniili. 
 Every, killa or kulla. It always 
 its substantive. 
 
 Killa mtu, every man. 
 
 Killa niendapo, whenever I gOf 
 or, every time I go. 
 Evident, thahiri, -wazi. See Open. 
 Extravagant, mubatharifu. 
 
 F. 
 
 Fat, -none. 
 Faithful, araini. 
 Feeble, thaifu. 
 Female, -ke. 
 
 On the female side, kukeni. 
 Few, haba, -chache, making chache 
 
 with nouns like nyumba or 
 
 nyimbo. 
 Fierce, -kali, making kali with 7wuns 
 
 like nyumba or nyimbo. 
 Filthy, -cliavu. 
 Final, tama. 
 Fine, -zuri. 
 Firm, imara (of things), thsibit (of 
 
 persons). 
 Fixed (certain), maalum. 
 Flat, sawasawa, pauapana. 
 Foolish, -pumbafu. 
 Foreign, -geni. 
 Forgetful, -sahau. 
 Forgiving, -samehe. 
 Former, -a kwauza. 
 Fortunate, beri, -enyi babati, -a 
 
 heri. 
 jPree, huru, -ngwana. 
 Fresh, -bichi. See Raic. 
 
 Fresh water, maji matamu, maji a 
 
 pepo. 
 Full, kujaa, to become full. 
 Full to the brink, fava, farafara. 
 Full of words, mwingi wa ma- 
 
 neno. 
 Full groiim, -pevu. 
 Future, mkabil.
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 97 
 
 G. • 
 
 Generous, kariiau, -paji. 
 
 Gentle, -anana. 
 
 Glorious, -tukufu, -enyi fakhari. 
 
 Gluttonous, -lafi. 
 
 Good, -ema, maldng njema or ngenia 
 with nouns like uyumba or ny- 
 imbo, and }&in.Q, with nouns like 
 kasha. 
 The idea of goodness may be ex- 
 pressed hy the suffix -to. 
 Mauuka, smells. 
 
 Manukato, good smells. 
 Kuweka, to put. 
 
 Kuwekato, to put properly. 
 
 Greedy, -enyi roho, -enyi tauiaa, 
 -enyi choyo. 
 
 Great, bora, -kuu and -kubwa or 
 -kuba, making kuu and kubwa 
 with nouns like nyumba or 
 nyimbo. Kuu is used preferably 
 of moral or figurative greatness. 
 Kubwa, of physical size. 
 Great, ichen applied to anything 
 not material, is usually rendered 
 hy -ingi. 
 
 Green, uhanikiwiti, rangi ya majani. 
 {Fresh, or unripe), -bichi. See 
 Baw. 
 
 H. 
 
 Handsome, -zuri. 
 
 Handy, -a mkono. 
 
 A handbook, chuo cha mkono. 
 
 Happy, -a heri, furahani. 
 
 Hard, -gumu. 
 
 Having, icith, being with, or who or 
 which has or have, -enyi or 
 -inyi. It varies like a possessive 
 pronoun, as in the following 
 examples : — 
 Class I. INItu mwenyi {or mwi- 
 nyi) mali, a rich man. 
 
 Watu wenyi mali, richyeople. 
 Class II. Mti mwenyi {or mwi- 
 nyi) kuzaa, a tree in bearing. 
 
 Miti yeuyi {or yinyi) kuzaa, 
 trees in bearing. 
 
 III. Nyumba yenyi {or yinyi) 
 dirisha, a house with windows. 
 
 Nyumba zenyi {or ziayi) 
 dirislia, houses with windows. 
 
 IV. Kikapu cbenyi {or kiuyi) 
 ngTivu, a strong basket. 
 
 Yikapu vinyi nguvu, strong 
 baskets. 
 
 V. Neno lenyi kweli, a true word. 
 
 Mabakuli yenyi may ay i, 
 basins with eggs in them. 
 
 VI. Upiudi wenyi nguvu, a 
 strong bow. 
 
 Pindi zenyi nguvu, strong 
 bows. 
 
 VII. Mahali penyi mtende, the 
 place where the date-tree stands 
 
 Healthy {of persons), -enyi Lifia,-zima 
 
 {of places, &c.), -a alia. 
 Heavy, -zito. 
 High, -refu. See Long, -kub-^a 
 
 See Great. 
 Hollow, -a uvurungu, -wazi. See 
 Open. 
 A hollow stone, jiwe la uvu- 
 rungu. 
 It sounds hollow, panalia wazi. 
 The hollow or open space in or 
 under anything, mvuugu. 
 Holy, -takatitu. 
 Hot, -a moto. 
 
 I am hot, nina hari. 
 Hot-tempered, hararii. 
 Human, -a mwana Adarau, -a biaa- 
 
 damu, -a mtu. 
 Humble, -nenyekevu. 
 Humpbacked, -enyi kignngo.
 
 98 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 I. 
 
 Idle, -Tivu. 
 
 Ignorant {like a simpleton), -jinga. 
 
 Ill-o'mened, -korofi. 
 
 Ill-tempered, -kali. See Fierce. 
 
 Immature, -changa. 
 
 Infirm, tbaifu. 
 
 Ingenious, -juzi. 
 
 Inquisitive, -pekuzi, -jasusi, -pele- 
 
 lezi. 
 Insignificant (mean), -nyonge. 
 
 {unimportant), khafifu. 
 Insipid, -dufu. 
 
 J. 
 
 Jealous, -wivu. 
 
 Juicy, -enyi maji. 
 
 Just, sawa, -a baki, -enyi hakL 
 
 Kind, -ema. See Good. 
 
 (doing kindnesses), -fathilL 
 Knowing, -erevu, -juzi. 
 
 L. 
 
 Languid, -tepetevu, -chovtL 
 Large,.-kub-wa or -kuba. See Great 
 
 (xc ell-grown), -kuza. 
 Laii-ful, halali. 
 
 Lawful to you, balili yako. 
 Laying (of birds), koo, 'pi- makoo. 
 
 Koo la k'uku a laying heu. 
 Lazy. See Idle. 
 Lee, -a damalini, -a cbini. 
 Left (hand, (fee), -a kusboto, -a kuke. 
 Level, sawa, sawasawa. 
 Liberal, karimu, -paji. 
 ''^dghi (not dark), -eupe. See White. 
 
 (not heavy), -epesi, making nyepesi 
 with nouns like nyumba or 
 nyimbo, and jepesi with nouns 
 like kasha. 
 
 (unimpoitant), khafifu. 
 
 Lined (of clothes), bitaua. 
 
 Little, -dogo, katiti (A.), -cbache 
 (few). 
 Little water, maji machacbe. 
 (Maji and other similar nouns 
 being treated as plurals, and 
 therefore requiring few and not 
 small as their adjective.) 
 Kidogo, pi. vidogo, is used as a 
 substantive for a little or a little 
 piece of anything. 
 
 Living, bayi, -zima. 
 
 Long, -refu, making ndefu with 
 nouns like nyumba or nyimbo. 
 
 Long-suffering, -vumilivu. 
 
 Lukewarm, -enyi uvuguvugu. 
 
 M. 
 
 Mad, -enyi wazimu, -enyi mahoka 
 
 (Country dialect). 
 Male, -ume, making mume or ndurae 
 (as from -lume) with nouns of 
 the second class. 
 On the male side, kuumeni. 
 Manifest, tbabiri, waziwazi, mba- 
 
 yani, -wazi. See Open. 
 Manly, -ume. See Male. 
 Bebera (a strong he-goat). 
 Fahali (a bull). 
 Many, -ingi or -ngi, making nyingi 
 with nouns like nyumba or 
 nyimbo, and jingi with nouns 
 like kasba. 
 Katbdwakatha. 
 Maternal (on the mother's side), -a 
 kukeni. 
 (motherly), -a mama. 
 Mean, -nyonge. 
 Merry, -cbekesbaji. 
 Middling, kadiri. 
 Mischievous, -barabu, -tundo- 
 j Moderate, kadiiL
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 99 
 
 Much, -ingi (see ilfan?/), tele. 
 MurderovSy kiuwaji, nduli. 
 
 N. 
 
 NaJced, -tupu, uchi. S'ee Bare. 
 
 Narrow, -eml >amba, maldng ny emba- 
 mba with nouns like nyumba or 
 nyimbo, and jembamba with 
 nouns like kasha. 
 
 Necessary (unavoidable), lazim, fa- 
 rathi. 
 (indispensable), kanuni. 
 
 New, -pya, making 'mpya with nouns 
 like nyumba or nyimbo, jipya 
 with nouns like kasha, and 
 pipya with nouns of place. 
 
 Noble, bora, -kuu. See Great. 
 
 Notable, mashuhur, mashur. 
 
 Nice, -ema (see Good), -tamu. See 
 
 Nipping(pressing closely and tightly), 
 -kazo. 
 
 O. 
 
 Obedient, tayi, -tii. 
 
 Obligatory, farathi. 
 
 Obstinate^ -kaidi, -shindani, -shi- 
 pavu. 
 
 Odd (not even), witini. 
 
 Officious, -futhuli, -juvi. 
 
 Old (of things), -kukuu, making 
 kukuu with nouns like nyumba 
 or nyimbo. Kukuu implies 
 being worn out. Where mere 
 antiquity is to be expressed see 
 Ancient, 
 (of persons), -zee. 
 Extremely old, -kongwe. 
 How old is hef Umri wake 
 apataje ? 
 
 One-eyed, -enyi chongo. 
 
 -a pekee, peke yake, »S:c. 
 Open, -wazi. 
 Other, -ingine or -ngine. 
 Class I. Mgine or mwingiae. 
 wangine. 
 
 II. Mwingine or mgine. 
 mingine. 
 
 III. Nyingine (sing, and pi > 
 
 IV. Kingine or chingine. 
 vingine. 
 
 V. Jingine. 
 maiigine or mengine. 
 
 VI. Mwingine or mgine. 
 nyingine. 
 
 Vn. Pangine or pingiue. 
 (The) other, -a pili. 
 Other people's, -a watu. 
 Another person's, -a mwenyewe. 
 (not the same) is expressed hy 
 
 adding the relative particle (see 
 
 p. 117). 
 panginepo, elseivhere, other places. 
 
 P. 
 
 Paternal (on the father*8 side), -a 
 kuxmieni. 
 
 (fatherly), -a baba. 
 Patient, -stahimili, -Vumilivu. 
 Perfect, kamili, -kamilifu, -timilifu. 
 Perverse, -potoe, -tundu. 
 Plain (evident), thahiri, -wazi. 
 Pleasant, -tamu (see Sweet), -a ku- 
 
 pendeza. 
 Plenty, tele. 
 Polite, -a adabu. 
 Poor, masikini, fukara, fakiri. 
 
 wretchedly poor, thalili. 
 
 utterly destitute, hohe hahe. 
 Printed, -a chapa. 
 Profane, -najisi. 
 Pure, safi, fasihi, -takatifu. 
 
 H 2
 
 J 00 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Q. 
 
 Quarrelsome, -gomvi. 
 Quick, -pesi. 
 
 Quiet, -tulivu (still), -nyamavu 
 {%ilent). 
 
 R. 
 
 Rare, nadira, -a tunu. 
 
 Baw, -bichi, making mbichi with 
 
 nouns like nyumba or nyimbo. 
 
 Bichi is used for raw, unripe, 
 
 underdone, fresh, or any state 
 
 which will or might change hy 
 
 keeping or cooking, 
 [inexperienced), -jinga. This word 
 
 is specially applied to newly 
 
 arrived slaves. 
 Beady, tayari. 
 
 (quick), -pesi, mahiri. 
 Bebellious, aasi. 
 Bed, -ekundu, making nyekundu 
 
 with nouns like nyumba or 
 
 nyimbo, and jekundu with 
 
 nouns like kasha. 
 Regular, -a kaida, taratibu. 
 Safu za kaida, regular rows. 
 Mtu taratibu, a person of regular 
 
 habits. 
 Bemarkable, mashuhur, mashur. 
 Bich, -enyi mail, -kwasi, tajiri, pi. 
 
 matajifi. 
 Hight (hand, (fee), -a kulia, -a 
 
 kuume, -a kuvuli. 
 Bipe, -bivu, making mbivu with 
 
 nouns like nyumba or nyimbo. 
 
 Bivu is used as the contradictory 
 
 of bichi. See Baw. 
 Rotten, -ovu or -bovn. See Bad. 
 Bough, kuparuza, to he rough and 
 
 grating. 
 Bound, -a mviringo. 
 Boyal, -a kifaume. 
 
 Safe, salama. 
 Same, moja, pi. mamnja. 
 Sanguine, -tumaini. 
 Satisfied or content, rathi. 
 
 Self-satisfied, -kinayi. 
 Savage, -kali (see Fierce), mbwai. 
 
 Very savage, nduli. 
 Second, -a pili. 
 
 A second in command, akida. 
 Secret, -a siri, ndani kwa ndani. 
 Separate, mbali. 
 Severe, -zito. See Heavy. 
 Shallow, [maji] haba, [maji] ma- 
 Sharp, -kali. See Fierce, [chache. 
 Short, -fupi, making fupi with nouns 
 
 like nyumba or nyimbo. 
 Shrewd, -erevu, -enyi busara. 
 Sick, -gonjwa, -weli. 
 Silent, -nyamavu. 
 
 A silent man, mtu wa kimya- 
 kimya. 
 Slim, -embamba. See Narrow. 
 Slender, -embamba. See Narrow. 
 Sleek, -nene. See Stout. 
 Slow, -vivu. See Idle. 
 Smooth, laini. 
 
 Soaked (with rain, (fee), chepechepe. 
 
 Soft, -ororo, making nyororo with 
 
 nouns like nyumba or nyimbo, 
 
 andpioro with nouns like kasha. 
 
 -anana, laini. 
 
 the soft, teketeke. 
 Solid, yabisi. 
 Some, baathi ya, akali ya. 
 
 Some — others — , wangine — wa- 
 ngine — . 
 Sound (healthy, living, entire), -ziina. 
 Sour, -kali. See Fierce. 
 Sjjotted, madoadoa, marakaraka. 
 Square, mrabba. 
 Steadfast, tMhit
 
 LIST OF ADJECTIVES. 
 
 101 
 
 Steep, -a kusimama. 
 
 Still, -anana, -tulivu (quiet), -nya- 
 
 mavu (silent), -zizima (very 
 
 still water, (fee). 
 Stout (plump, thick), -nene. 
 Strange (foreign, surprising), -geni. 
 (startling), mzungu, pi. mizungu. 
 Strong, hotiari, -enyi nguvu, -mne. 
 Sweet, -tamu, making tarau with 
 
 nouns like nyumba or nyimbo. 
 
 Tall, -refu. See Long. 
 
 A very tall man, -tambo. 
 Thick, -nene. 
 
 Thick syrup, asali nzito. See 
 
 Heavy. 
 Thievish, kijivi, pZ. vijivi, mwibaji, 
 
 pi. webaji. 
 Thin, -embamba (see Narrow),-ej^esi. 
 
 See Light. 
 Tiresome, -choru. 
 True, -a kweli, hakika yako, &c. (it 
 
 is true of you, (fee), yakini 
 
 (certainly). 
 Trustworthy, amini. 
 Truthful, -a kweli, -neni kwelL 
 
 Uncivilized, -a kishenzi. 
 
 Uncultivated, -gugu. 
 
 Underdone (half -cooked), -bichi. See 
 
 Raw. 
 Unhealthy, -welL 
 Unlawful, haramu. 
 Unripe, -bichi. See Raw. 
 Usual, -zoea. 
 
 We are used to him, tuna mazoea 
 
 naye. 
 
 Vain, ana makuu, he is vain. 
 Valuable, -a i/iamani. 
 Vigilant, macho. See Awake. 
 
 W. 
 
 Wasteful, -potevu. 
 Watery, chelema. 
 Weak, thaifii. 
 Wealthy. See Rich, 
 Weary, -chovu. 
 Weather, -agoshini, -a juu. 
 Well. See Healthy. 
 
 Well done (cooked), -bivu. See 
 
 Ripe, 
 Wet, majimaji, rataba. 
 Wldte, -eupe, making nyeupe with 
 
 nouns like nyumba or nyimbo, 
 
 and jeupe with nouns like 
 
 kasha. 
 Very white is expressed hy putting 
 
 a strong accent on the last 
 
 syllable, and sometimes raising 
 
 the voice on it into a sort of 
 
 falsetto. 
 Whole, -zima. See Sound. 
 
 pia, pia yote, zote, &c. 
 Wide, -pana. See Broad. 
 Wild (of plants), -gugu. 
 (of animals), -a mwitu 
 Willing, -epesi, -pesi. 
 Worn out, -kukuu (of things), -ko- 
 
 ngwe (of persons). See Old. 
 
 Yelloio, rangi ya manjano. 
 
 Young (immature), -changa, making 
 
 mchanga with nouns like 
 
 nyumba or nyimbo. 
 Younger, youngest, -dogo.
 
 102 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 PEONOUNS^ 
 
 Personal Pronouns. 
 
 The full forms of tlie Personal Pronouns are — 
 
 I, Mimi. We, Sisi or Swiswi. 
 
 Thou, Wewe. You, Nyinyi or Nwinyi, 
 
 He or she, Yeye. They, Wao. 
 
 The second and third persons singular are often con- 
 tracted into Wee and Yee. The second person singular 
 is always used where one person only is to be denoted. 
 
 There are no special forms for it and they when 
 referring to inanimate things. If any special emphasis 
 makes it necessary, the Demonstrative Pronouns 
 agreeing with the nouns referred to must be used. 
 Similarly, for lie or she and they, the Demonstrative 
 Pronouns proper to the first class may be used, when 
 any special emphasis is to be expressed. 
 
 The objective cases, me, thee, him, her, us, them, are 
 expressed by the same forms as those given above for 
 the subjective case, I, thou, &c. 
 
 The possessive case, of me, of thee, of him, &c., is
 
 PBONOUXS. 103 
 
 generally expressed by the Possessive Pronouns (which 
 see, p. 109); there is thus no distinction between of me 
 and mine, of thee and thine, &c. 
 
 Habari zangu, my news, or news of me. 
 
 The Possessive Pronouns proper to animate beings 
 may be used of inanimate things also ; -ake, its, and 
 -aOy their, being used for of it and of them, in reference 
 to all nouns of whatever class they may be. 
 
 The possessive case may be regarded as an instance 
 of the Personal Pronouns in a special form subjoined to 
 the variable preposition -a, of. 
 
 The Preposition na, with or and, is commonly joined 
 with short forms of the Personal Pronoun to express 
 and or with me, and or with you, &g. &c. 
 
 Nami, and or with me. Nasi or Naswi, and or with us 
 
 Nawe, and or with you. Nanyi or Nanioi, and or with you. 
 
 Naye, and or with him or her. Nao, and or with them. 
 
 Nao, Nayo, Nacho, Nalo, Napa, Nao, Nayo, Nazo, Navyo, Napo, 
 Nako, and or with it. and or with them. 
 
 The above forms may be used for either the objective 
 or subjective cases after and. Nami = and I or and me, 
 Nawe = and thou or and thee, &c. &c. 
 
 It will be seen that in referring to animate beings 
 the latter half of the full form of the Personal Pronoun 
 is suffixed to the na-, and in referring to inanimate 
 things the syllable suffixed is that which denotes the 
 relative (see Relative Pronouns, p. 117), a syllable 
 which occurs also as the final syllable of those Demon- 
 strative Pronouns which refer to a thing mentioned 
 before. 
 
 Other Prepositions, that is to say, hwa and katika, are
 
 104 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 constructed with, the full form of the Personal Pronoun 
 referring to animate beings, and with the Demonstra- 
 tive Pronouns, where necessary, referring to inanimate 
 things. This rule distinguishes the preposition hwa, 
 for, by, &c., from the form of the variable -a required 
 by substantives of the eighth class and sometimes by the 
 case in -ni. 
 
 Kwa mimi, for me. Kwangu, of me or my, to my [house]. 
 
 The prefixes used in conjugating the verb to mark 
 the subject and object may be regarded as shortened 
 forms of the Personal Pronouns. The objective and 
 subjective cases are denoted by slightly different forms. 
 
 It will be most convenient to take the prefixes de- 
 noting animate beings first, as they alone can be used 
 in the first and second person. The following are the 
 subjective or nominative forms : — 
 
 I, Ni- or N-. We, Tu- or Tw-. 
 
 Thou, U- or W-. You, 3Iu-, 'ill-, or Mw-. 
 
 He or she. A- (or Tu-). They, Fa-. 
 
 The rule for applying these prefixes is that the forms 
 ending with a vowel are used when they are to be im- 
 mediately followed by a consonant, and those ending 
 in a consonant are used before a vowel. In the third 
 person, both singular and plural, the vowel remains 
 unchanged before o or w, it coalesces with e and i 
 into an e, and merges into an a, so as to be no longer 
 distinguishable. Thus, where the verb or tense prefix 
 begins with a, the third person singular is apparently 
 without prefix and the third person plural is marked 
 only by a w-. Examples of and further observations on 
 these prefixes will be found under Verbs, as playing an
 
 PRONOUNS. 105 
 
 important part in their conjugation. The form yu- is 
 but seldom used for the third person singular, and 
 very rarely with any but monosyllabic verbs. 
 
 The syllables which stand for the objective or accu- 
 sative case of the Personal Pronouns denoting animate 
 beings, when they are connected with Verbs, are — 
 
 Me, -ni- or -w-. Us, -tu- or -tw-. 
 
 Thee, -ku- or -hio-. You, -wa-. 
 
 Him or her, -m- or -mw-. Them, -ica-. 
 
 The same rules as above app^y to the use of forms 
 ending in a consonant before a vowel, and forms ending 
 in a vowel before a consonant. 
 
 As the forms proper to the first class of Nouns denote 
 animate beings, there remain seven classes denoting 
 inanimate things, each of which has its appropriate 
 subjective and objective pronominal forms when con- 
 joined with a verb. The subjective pronominal prefixes 
 are — 
 
 Class II. 
 
 sing. 
 
 U- 
 
 arW- 
 
 plur. 
 
 I- 
 
 or Y-. 
 
 „ III. 
 
 
 I- 
 
 „ Y- 
 
 }> 
 
 Zi- 
 
 „ Z-. 
 
 „ IV. 
 
 
 Ki- 
 
 „ Ch- 
 
 »> 
 
 Vi- 
 
 „ Vy-, 
 
 » V. 
 
 
 Li- 
 
 „L- 
 
 it 
 
 Ya-. 
 
 
 „ VL 
 
 
 U- 
 
 „ w. 
 
 tt 
 
 Zi- 
 
 „ Z-. 
 
 „ VIL 
 
 
 Pa- 
 
 „P- 
 
 i> 
 
 Pa- 
 
 » P-. 
 
 „ VIII. 
 
 
 Ku- 
 
 „ Kw- 
 
 „ 
 
 Ku- 
 
 „ Kw- 
 
 Here also the forms ending in a vowel are used 
 before a consonant, and the forms ending in a conso- 
 nant are used before a vowel. Examples of their use 
 will be found in the sections on the conjugation of the 
 Verb. 
 
 Tliere, used as the subject of a verb, is expressed by 
 hi- or pa- employed as personal prefixes. Eu- is the 
 more indefinite of the two. One, they, or people used
 
 106 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 to denote what is customary, are expressed by the 
 prefix hu-. 
 
 The objective forms in reference to inanimate objects 
 are very similar to the subjectives. 
 
 Class II. 
 
 sing. 
 
 -u- 
 
 plur. 
 
 -i-. 
 
 » III. 
 
 j> 
 
 -i- 
 
 }} 
 
 -zi-. 
 
 „ IV. 
 
 
 -ki- 
 
 11 
 
 -vi-. 
 
 „ V. 
 
 
 -li- 
 
 »» 
 
 -ya-. 
 
 „ VI. 
 
 
 -u- 
 
 11 
 
 -zi-. 
 
 „ VII. 
 
 
 -pa- 
 
 11 
 
 -pa-. 
 
 „ vm. 
 
 
 -ku- 
 
 11 
 
 -ku-. 
 
 In these forms also w becomes w, and i y, before vowels. 
 
 The following examples will illustrate the use of the 
 objective syllables : they are parted off from the rest of 
 the word by hyphens. Instances are given of both 
 vowel and consonantal verbs. 
 
 Class I. A-ni-penda, he loves me. 
 
 A-n-amhia, he tells me. 
 A-ku-penda, he loves you. 
 
 A-kiv-amhia, he tells you. 
 Na-m-penda, I love him. 
 
 Na-mw-amhia, I tell him. 
 A-tu-penda, he loves us. 
 
 A-tw-mnhia, he tells us. 
 A-wa-penda, he loves you. 
 
 A-wa-amhia, he tells you. 
 A-wa-penda, he loves them. 
 
 A-wa-amhia, he tells them. 
 M II. A-u-penda, he likes it (mti, a tree). 
 
 A--'o-ona, he sees it. 
 A-i-penda, he likes them Qmiti, trees). 
 
 A-y-ona, he sees them. 
 y, III. A-i-penda^ he likes it (nyumba, a house). 
 
 A-y-ona, he sees it. 
 A-zi-penda, he likes them (nyvmha, houses). 
 
 A-zi-ona, he sees them.
 
 PE0N0UN8. 107 
 
 Class TV. A-ld-penda, he likes it (JHtu, a thing). 
 A-Jci-ona, he sees it. 
 A-vi-penda, he likes them (vitu, things). 
 A-vi-ona, he sees them. 
 „ V. A-li-x)enda, he likes it (kasha, a chest). 
 A-li-ona, he sees it. 
 A-ya-penda, he likes them (makasha, chests). 
 A-ya-ona, he sees them. 
 ff VI. A-u-penda, he likes it (uimho, a song). 
 A-iv-ona, he sees it (ubau, a plank). 
 A-zi-penda, he likes them (nyimho, songs). 
 A-zi-ona, he sees them (mhaii, planks). 
 „ VII. A-pa-penda, he likes it or them (place or places). 
 
 A-pa-ona, he sees it or them. 
 „ VIII. A-ku-penda, he likes it {kwiba, stealing). 
 A-ku-ona, he sees it. 
 
 In all cases tlie Pronominal Syllable representing the 
 subject is the first prefix, and therefore the first syllable 
 of the word ; and the syllable representing the object 
 is the last of the prefixes and immediately precedes the 
 
 verb. 
 
 A-takapo-ku-ona, when he shall see yon. 
 Wa-Upoki-m-penda, when they loved him. 
 A-ki-kw-ita, if he calls you. 
 
 It is quite allowable for the sake of emphasis to use 
 the full forms of the Personal Pronouns as well as the 
 subjective and objective syllables. 
 
 Mimi nakupenda wewe, I love you. 
 We%ve wanipenda mimi, you love me. 
 
 When 80 used, however, a very strong emphasis is 
 put upon the persons loving and loved, and unless such 
 an emphasis is intended the full forms ought not to be 
 used. The above phrases might be better tran^ilated 
 by — For myself I love you the best; and, It is you 
 who love me.
 
 108 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 In poetical Swahili an objective suffix is used as well 
 as the objective prefix. The syllables used as a suffix 
 are the same as those given before with na (see p. 103). 
 The suffixes are not used in the dialect of Zanzibar. 
 
 U-ni-hifathi-mi, do thou preserve me. (Both the -ni- and the 
 
 -mi represent the object of the verb.) 
 A7ca-zi-angusha-zo, and he threw them down. (Both the -zi- and 
 
 the-zo represent the object of the verb.) 
 Na-wa-amhia-ni, I tell you. 
 
 The use of the objective prefix implies a reference to 
 some ascertained object : it is therefore properly used 
 wherever in English the object would be expressed by 
 a Pronoun. Where in English the object would not be 
 expressed by a Pronoun, the objective prefix has the 
 effect of a definite article, and its omission that of an 
 indefinite article. 
 
 Natdka hununua nyumha (no objective prefix being used), I want 
 
 to buy a house. 
 Natdka huinunua nyumha (the objective prefix -i- being used), 
 
 I want to buy the house. 
 Naona mtUy I see somebody. 
 Namwona mtUy I see the man. 
 
 Where a Demonstrative Pronoun is used with the 
 object, the objective prefix must always be used. 
 
 Nataka kuinunua nyumha Mi, I want to buy this house. 
 Namwona mtu yule, I see that man yonder. 
 
 The objective prefix is used where anything about 
 the person or thing is about to be stated. 
 
 Na-m-jua aliko [I know of him where he is], I know where he is. 
 Nali-m-thania amekufa [I thought of him, he had died], I thought 
 
 he was dead. 
 Aka-m-kata kitwa [and he cut of him the head], and he cut off 
 
 his head.
 
 PBONOUNS. 109 
 
 Possessive Pronouns. 
 
 The Possessive Pronouns are always placed after the 
 Substantive denoting the thing possessed, and vary- 
 according to its Class and Number. 
 
 The unvarying parts of the Possessive Pronouns are : 
 
 My, -angu. Our, -etu. 
 
 Thy, -ako. Your, -enu. 
 
 His, her, or its, -ake. Their, -ao. 
 
 The same forms are used for its and their, of what- 
 ever class the thing possessing may be. 
 
 In many dialects of Swahili the form of the third 
 person singular is -akwe, and in some that of the second 
 is -ahwo. 
 
 The above forms may be used as enclitics, and fre- 
 quently are so with some common words, such as haba, 
 father, mama, mother, mwana, child, mwenzi, companion, 
 &c. When the final letter of the substantive is -a, -e, 
 or -2, it merges into the first letter of the possessive 
 suffix. 
 
 Micanangu, my child. 
 
 Mwenzangu, my companion, 
 Mwandko^ thy child. 
 
 Micenzako, thy companion. 
 Mwanahe, his or her child. 
 
 Micenzalce, his or her companion. 
 Micanetu, our child. 
 
 Micenzetu, our companion. 
 Micanenu, your child. 
 
 Mwenzenu, your companion. 
 Micanao, their child. 
 
 Mwenzao, their companion.
 
 110 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The initial letters proper to each class of Substan- 
 tives are : 
 
 Class I. sing, w- plur. w-. 
 
 ,, II- » w- „ y-. 
 
 „ III. „ y- „ Z-. 
 
 „ IV. „ ch- „ vy-, 
 
 Class V. sing. 1- plur. y-. 
 
 „ VI. „ w- „ Z-. 
 
 „ VII. „ p- „ P-. 
 
 „ VIII. „ kw- „ kw-. 
 
 Besides these forms proper to the several classes, 
 Substantives in the locative case in -ni require special 
 forms of the Possessive Pronouns according to the 
 meaning of the case. These forms are the same for 
 all Substantives, of whatever class or number they 
 may be. 
 
 1. When the case denotes being witJiin, or to, or from 
 within, the Possessive Pronouns must begin with mw-. 
 
 2. Where the case denotes mere nearness, and can be 
 translated at, by, or near, the Possessive Pronouns must 
 begin with p-. 
 
 3. For all other meanings the Possessive Pronouns 
 must begin with ho-. 
 
 The following instances will show how all these rules 
 
 are applied : — 
 
 Class I, Mtu wangu, my man. 
 
 Watu wdko, thy men. 
 Mhuzi waJce, his or her goat 
 
 Jifbuzi wetu, our goats. 
 Waziri wake, his vizir. 
 Mawaziri wake, his vizira. 
 „ II. Mti wenu, your tree. 
 
 Miti yao, their trees. 
 „ III. Nyumha yangu, my house. 
 Nyumbo zako, thy houses. 
 II IV. Kiti chake, his chair. 
 
 Viti vyetu, our chairs. 
 n V. Kasha lenu, your chest. 
 
 Makasha yao, their chests.
 
 PRONOUNS. Ill 
 
 Class VI. TJimho wangu, my song. 
 
 Nyimbo zako, thy sougs. 
 „ VII. Mahali pake, his, her, ar its place or places. 
 », VIII. Kufa kicetu, our dying. 
 
 1. Nyuwhani micenu, in your house or houses. 
 
 2. Nyumhani pao, near their house or houses. 
 
 3. Nyumhani kwangu, to my house. 
 
 All the Possessive Pronouns will be found in the 
 Table of Concords (p. 82), arranged under the classes 
 to which they are appropriate. The Personal Pronouns 
 may be added to give emphasis. 
 
 Kisu changu mimi, my own knife. 
 Vyangu mimi, they are mine. 
 
 The Possessive Pronoun is used for the preposition 
 -a, of, where it is intended to mark particularly the 
 person whose the thing is. 
 
 Km cha sultani, the sultan's chair, or a sultan's chair. 
 
 Kiti chake sultani, the sultan's own chair, or this sultan's chair. 
 
 There is another and short enclitic form for the 
 Possessive Pronouns of the second and third persons 
 singular, which is much used with some common 
 words, such as miime, husband, mice, wife, ndugu, brother 
 or sister, &c. They consist of -o for the second person 
 and -e for the third, with the appropriate initial letters 
 for each class as given above (p. 110). 
 
 Mumewe, her husband. 
 
 Mkewo, or rakeo, thy wife. 
 Mwenziwe, his companion. 
 
 Jinalo, thy name. 
 Shogaye, her friend. 
 
 It will be seen from the above tables that there is 
 absolutely nothing to distinguish the singular and 
 plural of Substantives in the form of the third class
 
 112 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 which denote animate beings, when joined with Pos- 
 sessive Pronouns. It is probably for this reason, and 
 to avoid ambignity, that they are frequently treated as 
 ordinary Substantives of that class. 
 
 Ndugu yangu, my brother. 
 
 Nduguye or Ndugu yoke, his brother. 
 Nduguzo or Ndugu zaho, thy brothers. 
 
 Mbuzi zetu, our goats. 
 
 Possessive Pronouns are sometimes used in English 
 where Personal Pronouns are used in Swahili. 
 
 Waka-m-funga miJcono nyuma [and they tied him hands behind], 
 
 and they tied his hands behind him. 
 Ali-m-kata Jcitwa [he cut him head], he cut off his head. 
 
 After verbs of coming and going Possessive Pronouns 
 beginning with z- (or in other dialects with vy- or th-) 
 are used somewhat as — his way, &c., were used in old 
 English. 
 
 Amehwenda zake, he has gone away, or he has gone off. 
 
 Twende zetu, let us be going. 
 
 Wamekuja zao, they have come home, or they have come away. 
 
 Eeflective Pronouns. 
 
 The Swahili verb is made reflective by prefixing -ji-f 
 as if it were a pronoun in the objective form. 
 
 Na-ji-penda, I love myself. 
 
 Self may be translated by the Arabic word, nefsi, 
 nafsi, or nafusi ; or by the word moyo, a heart, plur. 
 mioyo or nyoyo. 
 
 Nafsi yangu, or moyo wangu, myself. 
 Nafsi zetu, or nyoyo zetu, ourselves.
 
 PRONOUNS, 1V6 
 
 Itself, themselves, &c., may also be expressed by thc 
 word -enyewe with the proper prefix. 
 
 Class I. Mtu mwenyeice, the man himself. 
 
 Watu wenyeive, the people themselves. 
 Mhuzi mwenyeive, the goat itself. 
 
 Mhuzi wenyewe, the goats themselves. 
 Waziri mwenyeive, the vizir himself. 
 Mawaziri wenyeive, the vizirs themselves. 
 ft 11, Mti mwenyewe, the tree itself. 
 
 31iti yenyewe, the trees themselves. 
 
 III. Nyumha yenyewe, the house itself 
 Nyumba zenyewe, the houses themselves. 
 
 IV. Kitu chenyeice, the thing itself. 
 Vitu vyenyewe, the things themselves. 
 
 V, Kasha lenyewe, the chest itself. 
 
 Makasha yenyewe, the chests themselves. 
 VI. Uimho mwenyewe, the song itself. 
 
 Nyimho zenyewe, the songs themselves. 
 VII. Mahali penyeive, the place itself 
 
 Mwenyewe may be used for myself and thyself, as well 
 as for himself or herself 
 
 Wenyewe may be used for ourselves and yourselves, as 
 well as for themselves. 
 
 By myself, by ourselves, &c., are expressed by pehe 
 with the appropriate Possessive Pronoun. 
 
 Pehe yangu, by myself, or I only. 
 Pehe yetu, by ourselves, or we only. 
 
 Demonstrative Pronouns. 
 
 There are three Demonstrative Pronouns. 1 , denoting 
 objects at no great distance. 2, denoting objects pre- 
 viously mentioned. 3, denoting objects at a distance. 
 They have each forms proper to the several classes of 
 Substantives and to the three meanings of the case 
 in -m.
 
 114 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 1. This or that, these or those, of objects at no great 
 distance. 
 
 Class I. Mtu huyu, this man. 
 
 Watu Jiaica, these people. 
 Mbuzi huyu, this goat. 
 
 Mhuzi Jiawa, these goats. 
 Waziri huyu, this vizir. 
 
 Mawaziri hawa, these vizira, 
 „ II. MH huu, this tree. 
 
 Miti Mi, these trees. 
 „ III. Nyumha hizi, this house. 
 
 Nyumha hizi, these houses. 
 „ IV. Kitu hilii, this thing. 
 
 Vitu hivi, these things. 
 „ V. Kasha hili, this chest. 
 
 Mahasha haya, these chests. 
 „ VI. TJimbo huu, this song. 
 
 Nyimho hizi, these songs. 
 „ VII. Mahali hapa, this place. 
 „ VIII. Ku/a huliu, this dying. 
 
 1. Nyumhani humo (humu (?) ), here, in the house. 
 
 2. Nyumhani hapa, here, by the house. 
 
 3. Nyumhani huku, here, to the house. 
 
 It will be observed that the second syllable of each 
 of these Demonstratives is the pronominal syllable 
 given at p. 105, and that all begin with h-, followed by 
 the vowel of the pronominal syllable. 
 
 2. This or that, these or those, referring to something 
 
 mentioned before. Both the other forms can also be 
 
 used in this sense. 
 
 Class I. Mtu huyo, that man. 
 
 Watu hao, those people, 
 Mhuzi huyo, that gout. 
 Mhuzi hao, those goats. 
 31 II. Mti huo, that tree. 
 
 Miti hiyo, those trees. 
 ;; III. Nyumha hiyo, that iiouse. 
 
 Nyuinba hizo, those lior.aee.
 
 PBO NOUNS. 
 
 Class IV. Kitu hicho, that thing. 
 
 Vitu hivyo, those things. 
 ff V. Kasha hilo, that chest. 
 
 Mahasha hayo, those chests. 
 ,) VI. Uimbo huo, that song. 
 
 Nyimbo hizo, those songs. 
 „ VII. Maliali liapo, that place or those places. 
 „ VIII. Kufa huTio, that dying. 
 
 1. Nyumhani humo, in that house. 
 
 2. Nyumhani hapo, by that house. 
 
 3. Nyumhani hulco, to that house. 
 
 3. That and those or yonder, referring to things at a 
 distance. 
 
 Class L Mtu yule^ yonder man. 
 
 Watu icale, those people, 
 Mbuzi yule, that goat. 
 
 Mhuzi wale, those goats. 
 Mti ule, that tree. 
 
 Miti lie, those trees. 
 Nyumba He, that house. 
 
 Nyumba zile, those houses. 
 Kitu Idle or c7iz7e, tlial tLiiig. 
 
 Vitu vile, those things. 
 Kasha Ule, that chest. 
 
 Mahasha yale, those chests. 
 Uimbo ule, that song. 
 
 Nyimbo zile, those songs. 
 Mahali pale, that place or those places. 
 7iu/a Z;M?e, that dying. 
 Nyumhani mle, in that house. 
 Nyumhani pale, by that house. 
 Nyumhani hule, to that house. 
 
 n. 
 
 III. 
 
 IV. 
 
 VI. 
 
 vn. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 1. 
 
 2. 
 3. 
 
 It will be seen tliat these last Pronouns are made 
 hj adding -le to the second syllable of the first set of 
 Demonstratives. Sometimes the whole of the first form 
 is retained, making huyule, hawale, huule. Mile, hizile, 
 hiMle, hivile, hilile, hayale, hajpale, hukule. 
 
 I 2
 
 116 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 An increase of distance is denoted by a stress on the 
 
 final syllable. 
 
 Mtu yule, that man yonder. 
 Yulee, that one further off. 
 Yuleee, that one still further. 
 
 The more stress is laid on the final syllable, and the 
 more the voice rises into a falsetto, so much the greater 
 is the distance denoted. 
 
 When the substantive is mentioned the demonstra- 
 tive always follows it. 
 
 The demonstratives are frequently doubled, and then 
 have the meaning of just this, that very, &c. 
 
 Palepdle, just there. 
 
 Mti uleule, that very tree. 
 
 Maneno yaleyale, just those words. 
 
 With the first set of demonstratives the final or true 
 
 pronominal syllable is doubled and prefixed to the usual 
 
 form. 
 
 Fapahapa, just here. 
 
 ViviMvi, just these things. 
 Zizihizi, those very, &c. 
 Kukuhuku, just to this place. 
 
 These forms are also used to denote that there is 
 nothing special about what is mentioned. 
 Zizihizi, just these and no more. 
 
 Huyo is often used when people are chasing a man 
 or an animal. 
 
 Muyo ! Huyo 1 = There he is ! There he is ! 
 
 There are other forms which ought probably to be 
 regarded as demonstratives, as they have the force of. 
 This is it, and. This is not it.
 
 PBO NOUNS. 
 
 117 
 
 ndisi, it is we. 
 ndinyi, it is you. 
 ndio, it is they. 
 
 ndiyo, these are they. 
 
 ndizo. 
 
 ndivyo, 
 
 ndiyo. 
 
 ndizo. 
 
 Class I. ndimi, it is I. 
 
 ndiwe, it is thou. 
 ndiye, it is he. 
 
 II. ndioy this is it. 
 IIL ndiyo. 
 TV. ndicho. 
 V. ndilo. 
 VI. ndio. 
 VII. ndipo. 
 „ VIII. ndiko. 
 
 ndimo, it is here, or it is there. 
 
 ndipo. 
 
 ndiko. 
 
 The negative is made by substituting si- for ndi. 
 
 Siye, it is not he. Sicho, &c. &c., this is not it. 
 
 Both forms may be used interrogatively. 
 
 Ndiye ? Is it he ? Siye ? Is it not he ? 
 
 Other demonstratives may be used with these for the 
 sake of greater emphasis or clearness. 
 
 Relative Pronouns. 
 
 The Relative Pronouns have special forms appropriate 
 to the several classes of Substantives and the three 
 meanings of the -ni case. 
 
 Class I. Who and Whom, sing, ye or yee, plur. o or wo. 
 „ II. Which, sing, o or wo, plur. yo. 
 
 „ III. 
 „ IV. 
 V. 
 „ VI. 
 „ VII. 
 „ VIII. 
 
 1. WJierein 
 
 2. Whereat 
 
 3. Whereto 
 
 yo 
 
 , zo. 
 
 cho 
 
 > vyo. 
 
 lo 
 
 , yo. 
 
 or wo 
 
 , zo. 
 
 po 
 
 , po. 
 
 ko 
 
 , ko. 
 
 mo 
 
 
 po 
 
 
 ko. 

 
 118 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 These relatives occur most frequently in their 
 simple forms in connection with -ote, all. 
 
 yee yote, wo wote, whosoever or whomsoever. 
 
 too wote, yo yote, zo zote, clio chote, vyo vyote, lo lote,po pote, what' 
 
 soever. 
 vw mote, whereinsoever, inside everything. 
 po pote, wheresoever or whensoever. 
 ho Jiote, whithersoever or wheresoever. 
 
 When connected with the substantive verb, to be, 
 that verb is represented by the syllable -li-. 
 
 Class I. aliye, [he] who is. walio, [they] who are. 
 
 II. ulio, [it] which is. ihyo, [they] which are. 
 
 III. iliyo. ziUzo. 
 
 lY. kilicho. vilivyo. 
 
 V. lililo. yaliyo. 
 
 VI. ulio. ziUzo. 
 
 VII. palipo. palipo. 
 
 VIII. huliJco. huliko. 
 
 1. mulimo, wherein there is. 
 
 2. palipo, where there is. 
 
 3. huliko, where there is. 
 
 There is a disposition in Zanzibar to make -o the 
 general relative. Thus one very often hears alio for 
 aliye, Ulio for lililo, and ilio for iliyo. 
 
 When joined with the verb the syllable denoting the 
 relative follows the sign of the tense if there is one. 
 
 The relative may be joined with the verb to form the 
 present, or rather, an indefinite tense, without the use of 
 any sign of time whatever. It is made precisely as in 
 the examples given above of the use of the relative 
 with the verb, to be, only substituting the particular 
 verb for the syllable -li-. 
 
 [he] who loves, apendaye, 
 [they] who love, wapendao.
 
 PRONOUNS. 119 
 
 [the tree] wliich falls, uangukao. 
 
 [trees] which grow, imeayo. 
 [the house] which falls, yangukayo. 
 
 [houses] which fall, ziangukazo. 
 
 Where the relative is the object of the verb the same 
 form maybe used, only introducing the objective prefix 
 proper to the substantive referred to, and changing the 
 personal prefix. 
 
 [fruit] whicli I love, niUpendalo. -li- and -lo- being the syllables 
 appropriate to tunda, a fruit, and other nouns of the Fitth 
 Class. 
 
 When taken to pieces the word is seen to be, wi-, I, 
 -li-, it, -penda-, love, -Zo, which. 
 
 Relatives are rarely used in Swahili with any tenses 
 except the present imperfect (the -na- tense), the past 
 perfect (the -li- tense), and a peculiar form of the future 
 (the -taJca- tense). The following instances will show 
 the way in which the relative is expressed with these 
 several tenses both as subject and object. 
 
 Class I. [the man] who is coming, ana-ije-Tcuja. 
 
 „ who came, ali-ye-huja. 
 
 „ who will come, ataha-ye-Jiuja. 
 
 „ whom he is striking, ana-ye-rapiga. 
 
 ,, whom we loved, tuli-ye-mpenda. 
 
 [the men] who will beat us, icataTia-o-tupiga. 
 
 „ whom we will beat, tutaJca-o-icapiga. 
 
 [the ox] which is eating, ana-ye-kula. 
 
 „ which we shall eat, tutaka-ye-mla. 
 
 „ II. [the tree] which fell, uli-o-anguka. 
 
 ,, which he cut down, ali-o-ukata. 
 
 [the trees] which were visible, ili-yo-onekana. 
 
 „ which we saw, tuli-yo-ionu. 
 
 „ III [the house] which fell down, ili-yo-anguka. 
 
 „ which I bought, nili-yo^inunua.
 
 120 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Class III. [the houses] which fell down, zili-zo-anguka. 
 „ which I bought, mli-zo-zinunua. 
 
 „ IV. [the knife] which cut me, hili-dw-nikata. 
 „ which I took, nili-cho-hitwaa. 
 
 ,, which I gave you, nili-cho-Tiupa. 
 
 [the knives] which fell down, vili-vyo-anguha. 
 ,, which I gave you, nili-vyo-'kupa. 
 
 „ V. [the chest] which is unfastened, lili-lo-funguka. 
 „ which I unfastened, nili-lo-lifungua. 
 
 [the chests] which were carried, yali-yo-chukuUwa. 
 „ which they carried, wali-yo-yachukua. 
 
 „ VI. [the song] which pleased me, uli-o-nipendeza. 
 J, which I liked, nili-o^upenda. 
 
 [the letters, nyaraka] which I ^ioie,niU-zo-ziandilia. 
 „ which I sent to you, nili-zo-'kupelehea, 
 
 „ which reached me, zili-zo-niwasilia. 
 
 „ VII. [the place] which I live in, nina-po-paJcaa. 
 [the places] which I saw, nili-po-paona. 
 
 ■ The particles of place and time, mo, po, JcOj are treated 
 as relative particles. 
 
 alimo, where he is (within). 
 alipo, where he is (if near). 
 aliko, where he is (far of£}. 
 anapohwenda, when he is going. 
 anakohwenda, whither he is going. 
 aUmokwenda, wherein he went. 
 alipokwenda, when he went. 
 alikokwenda, whither he went. 
 
 There is one ambiguity which cannot be avoided 
 where both subject and object are of the same class. 
 Aliyempiga may mean, who beat him, or, whom he beat ; 
 kilichokikata may mean, which cut it, or, which it cut, 
 supposing kisu, a knife, to be one substantive, and kitUy 
 a thing, to be the other. 
 
 The negative is combined with the relative by the
 
 PRONOUNS. Vll 
 
 use of -si-. Tliere is but one negative tense, and it 
 embraces all times, past, present, and future. 
 
 asiye, [lie] who is not, who will not be, who was not. 
 usioanguha, [the tree] which falls not, which is not falling, which 
 
 did not fall, or, which will not fall. 
 nisichokupa, [the knife] which I did not give you, do not give 
 
 you, or, shall not give you. 
 
 "^Vliere tbe relative is used in Englisb with a prepo- 
 sition, the relative particle is sometimes joined with the 
 verb and also with the preposition ; but more commonl}-, 
 the force of the preposition being contained in that of 
 the Swahili verb, no special form is required. See 
 Derivative Yerbs, p. 157. 
 
 The man whom I went with, mtu nali-o-kicenda naye. 
 The man I went to, mtu nali-o-mwendea. 
 Where I came from, nili-po-toka. 
 Where I am going to, nina-Tco-Jcwenda. 
 
 As the Swahili has no proper word for to have, but 
 uses for it Jcuwa na, to be with, cases of double relatives 
 are very frequent where having is mentioned. 
 
 The knife I have, Msu nilicho nacho. 
 The houses you have, nyumha ulizo nazo. 
 The knife I had, Msu nilicliokuica nacho. 
 The houses you had, nyumha ulizokuwa nazo. 
 
 The relative is used in some cases in which it is not 
 employed in English. 
 
 Who went by ? Nani ali-ye-pita (who is he who passed) ? 
 
 He likes this fruit, tunda hili ndilo alipendalo (this fruit is it 
 
 which he likes). 
 The boy is going, kijana aendao. 
 Whosoever may come, yee yote atakayehuja. 
 
 There is another way of expressing the relative by
 
 122 SWAHILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 nieaus of amhaye or ambaye Jcivamha, thougli not used 
 in Zanzibar. When it is employed the final syllable of 
 amhaye changes according to the rules given above, 
 making amhao, amhazo, amhacho, amhavyo, &c. 
 
 Sometimes an English relative can be expressed by 
 the use of mwenyi, &c., having. 
 
 The man whose house it is, mtu mwenyi nyumha. 
 
 Interrogative and other Pronouns. 
 
 There are four Interrogatives which are not variable. 
 
 Nanif Who? I Nini^ What? 
 
 Lini ? When ? j Ga7ii ? What sort ? 
 
 Gani always follows the substantive it is connected 
 
 with. 
 
 Mtu gani ? What man ? What sort of man ? 
 Kitu gani ? What thing ? Wliat sort of thing ? 
 
 What? is sometimes expressed by the syllable -ni 
 suffixed to a verb. 
 
 Atapatani9 What will he get? 
 
 Amefanyani ? What has he done ? 
 
 Kunani? What is there ? What is the matter? 
 
 Kina nini ? WJiat has it ? What is the matter with it ? 
 
 Wanani ? What have they ? What are they at ? 
 
 What o'clock is it ? is rendered by Saa ngajpi ? How 
 many hours ? 
 
 The interrogative Which? is expressed by -jpi pre- 
 ceded by the appropriate syllable, which is the same as 
 that used as the subjective personal prefix to verbs. 
 It always follows the noun it refers to.
 
 
 PEO NOUNS. 
 
 
 Class I. TMii 
 
 cli [man] Yupi? 
 
 Lmen] Wapil 
 
 11. , 
 
 [tree] Upi? 
 
 [trees] Ipi? 
 
 » III. 
 
 , [house] Ipi ? 
 
 [houses] Zipi? 
 
 „ IV. , 
 
 , [thing] Kipi? 
 
 [things] Vipif 
 
 » V. , 
 
 , [chest?] Lipi? 
 
 [chests] Yapi? 
 
 „ vi. , 
 
 [song] Upi ? 
 
 [songs] Zipi? 
 
 „ vii. , 
 
 , [place] Pain? 
 
 [places] Fapil 
 
 123 
 
 The Interrogative, if followed by a verb, requires a 
 relative with it. 
 
 Mtu yupi apendaye Jcwenda ? "Wliich. [or what] man likes to go ? 
 Nyumha ipi ihupendezayo ? Which house do you like ? 
 
 Nani ? who ? is also generally followed by a relative. 
 
 ^ni aliopo mlangoni ? Who is at the door ? 
 
 It is, however, allowable to say nani yupo mlangoni, 
 which is a literal translation of the English. 
 The interrogative Where ? is wapi ? or aj)i 9 
 
 Wenda wapi ? Where are you going ? 
 
 When referring to a substantive icapi must always 
 be preceded by the syllable which is the proper sub- 
 jective personal prefix for that substantive. This prefix 
 very probably represents the substantive verb, and may 
 often be translated by is it ? or are tliey 1 
 Class 
 
 I. si 
 
 ig. Yu wapi ? plur 
 
 Wa wapi ? 
 
 11. 
 
 , U wapi ? „ 
 
 I wapi ? 
 
 III. 
 
 , I wapi ? „ 
 
 Zi wapi? 
 
 IV. 
 
 , Ki wapi ? „ 
 
 Vi wapi ? 
 
 V. 
 
 , Li wapi ? „ 
 
 Ya wapi ? 
 
 YI. 
 
 , U wapi ? „ 
 
 Zi wapi ? 
 
 VII. 
 
 „ Pa wapi ? „ 
 
 Pa wapi ? 
 
 A fuller form to represent where is it f or tchere are 
 they f is made by adding -ko to the personal prefix. 
 Yuho wapif Where is he ? Ziho wapi ? Where are they ?
 
 124 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The noun referred to follows this interrogative. 
 I ivapi merikebu ? Where is the ship ? 
 
 How ? is expressed by the syllable -je suffixed to the 
 verb. 
 Nitakipataje f How shall I get it ? 
 Chalifanywaje ? How was it made ? 
 Ulipendaje^ ao kupika, ao hicJii ? How do you like it, cooked or 
 
 raw? 
 Asemaje ? [How does he talk ?] What does he say ? 
 TJrefu wake yapataje ? How long is it ? 
 Umri wake apataje ? How old is he ? 
 Kwenda chini kwake chapataje [kisima']9 How deep is it [a 
 
 well] ? 
 
 The use of hupata, to get, in these phrases must be 
 noticed. There is no direct way of attaching the hoio f 
 to the adjective ; they say therefore, " His age, how 
 gets he it?" 
 
 How many ? is expressed by -ngajpij which is treated 
 
 as an adjective. 
 
 How many people ? Watu wangapi ? 
 How many goats ? Mbuzi wangapi or ngapi f 
 How many trees ? Miti mingapi ? 
 How many houses ? Nyumha ngapi9 
 How many chairs ? Viti vingapi 9 
 How many chests ? Makasha mangapi ? 
 How many planks ? Mhau ngapi ? 
 How many places ? Mdhali pangapi ? 
 
 How ? is in some cases expressed by the use of other 
 phrases. 
 
 How long ago ? Tangu lini ? [since when ?] 
 
 How much? Kadri gani, or Kiassi gani^ [what quantity ?] 
 
 How often? Marra ngapi ? [how many times ?] 
 
 The exclamatory What ! is rendered by the inter- 
 rogative pronoun in -pi. 
 
 Furaha ipi ! What joy I
 
 ( 125 ) 
 
 VEEBS. 
 
 Regular Swahili verbs always end in -a, as, Tcupenda, 
 to love, hu/piga, to beat. 
 
 Verbs derived from the Arabic may end in -e, -i, or -w, 
 as, kusamehe, to pardon, husajiri, to travel, huharihu, to 
 destroy. Verbs in this form do not change the final 
 vowel, where verbs in -a regularly do so. 
 
 The simplest form of the verb is used in Swahili, 
 as in English, for the second person singular of the 
 imperative. 
 
 Feudal Lovel Figal Strike! 
 
 Samehe! Pardon! Safiri ! Travel! 
 
 Haribu ! Destroy ! 
 
 The second person plural imperative is made by 
 adding -ni. All the other tenses and moods are made 
 by prefixing syllables to the simple form, except that 
 verbs in -a change -a into -e in the present subjunctive, 
 and into -i in the present negative, and a -«;- is inserted 
 to mark the passive. 
 
 There is a negative as well as an affirmative con- 
 jugation, in which the tenses and persons are also dis- 
 tinguished by prefixes. 
 
 The various prefixes form in pronunciation or^ word
 
 126 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 with the verb, and when taken to pieces denote its 
 person, number, tense, mood, subject, and object. 
 
 Amekwambia = A-me-kw-ambia = He-has-you-tell = He has told 
 
 you. 
 Waliponipenda = Wa-li-po-ni-penda = They-did-when-me-love 
 
 = When they loved me. 
 Nitakachokupa = Ni-taka-cho-ku-pa = I-shall-which-you-give-to 
 
 = Which I shall give to you. 
 Ningalimwona = Ni-ngali-mw-ona = I-should-have-him-see = I 
 
 should have seen him. 
 
 The syllables used as prefixes have not the same 
 meaning standing separately as they have when com- 
 bined with the verb in their proper order; for this 
 reason, therefore, as well as to show the proper pro- 
 nunciation, they with the verb must all be written as 
 one word. 
 
 Lists of the several prefixes will be found at the end 
 of the preliminary observations to the second part of 
 this handbook (p. 237). The personal prefixes will be 
 found described under Pronouns (p. 104), and seen 
 arranged under their appropriate classes of Substantives 
 in the Table of Concords, p. 82. 
 
 Indefinite Tenses. 
 
 1. Customary actions are expressed by prefixing hu- 
 to the verb. In this form there is no distinction of 
 number, person, or time. 
 
 Hu-enda, one goes, they go, everybody goes, he used to go. 
 Hu-penda, one likes, they like, one would like. 
 
 2. The relative may be joined with the verb without 
 any sign of time. The personal prefix only is put 
 before the verb, and the relative sign suffixed to it.
 
 VERBS, 
 
 127 
 
 Sing. Class I. Ni-penda-ije, [I] who love. 
 
 U-penda-ye, [tliou] who lovest. 
 
 A-penda-ye, [he] who loves. 
 „ n. U-anguha-o, which falls. 
 
 „ III. I-anguJ:a-yo, 
 
 „ IV, Ki-anguka-clio^ 
 
 „ V. Li-anguka-lo, 
 
 „ VI. U-anguka-o, 
 
 „ VII. F-anguka-po, where falls. 
 „ Vni. Kw-anguka-ko, whither falls. 
 
 Flur, „ I. Tu-penda-o, [we] who love. 
 
 M-penda-o, [you] who love. 
 Wa-penda-o, [they] who love. 
 „ n. I-anguka-yo, or, Y-anguka-yo, which fall, 
 
 „ in. Zi-anguka-zo, 
 
 „ IV. Vy-anguka-vyo, 
 
 „ V. Y-anguka-yo, 
 
 „ VI. Zi-anguka-zo, 
 
 The relative may represent the object of the verb, 
 but in that case the objective sign (pp. 105-6) ought to 
 be inserted between the personal prefix and the verb. 
 
 Sing. 
 
 Plur. 
 
 Class I. Ni-m-penda-ye, [he or she] whom I love. 
 Ni-ku-penda-ye, [thou] „ „ „ 
 
 Ni-wa-penda-o, [you or they] ,, „ „ 
 II. Ni-u-peuda-o [it] which I love. 
 III. Ni-i-penda-yo, 
 rV. Ni-ki-penda-chOf 
 V. Ni-li-p>enda-lOy 
 VI. Ni-u-penda-o, 
 Vn. Ni-pa-penda-po, 
 VIII. Ni-ku-penda-ko, 
 
 n. Ni-i-penda-yo, [those] which I love. 
 III. Ki-zi-penda-zo, 
 rV. Ni-vl-penda-oyo, 
 V. Ni-ya-penda-yo, 
 VI. Ni-zi-penda-zo, 
 
 3. The negative form, expressing Who, or which does
 
 128 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 not, is made by the personal prefix, tlio syllable -ei- 
 [not] and the relative sign, followed by the verb. 
 
 Sing. Class I. Ni-si-ye-penda, [I] who love not. 
 
 U-si-ye-penda, [thou] who lovest not. 
 
 A-si-ye-penda, [he or she] who loves not 
 „ n. TJ-si-o-anguka, which falls not. 
 
 „ m. I-si-yo-anguJca, 
 
 „ rV. Ki-si-cho-angulca, 
 
 „ V. Li-si-lo-anguka, 
 
 „ VI. TJ-si-o-anguka^ 
 
 „ VII. Pa-si-po-anguka, where falls not. 
 
 Ku-si-ko-anguka, whither falls not, 
 
 Mu-si-mo-anguka, wherein falls not. 
 Plur. „ I. Tu-si-o-penda, [we] who love not. 
 
 M-si-o-penda, [you]. 
 
 Wa-si-o-penda, [they]. 
 „ n. I-si-yo-anguka, which fall not. 
 
 „ in, Zi-si-zo-anguka, 
 
 „ rV. Vi-si-vyo-anguka, 
 
 „ V. Ya-si-yo-anguka, 
 
 „ VI. Zi-si-zo-anguka. 
 
 Where the relative is the object of the verb, it is 
 
 expressed as in the affirmative tenses, by the form of 
 
 the relative particle and the insertion of the objective 
 
 prefix. 
 
 Ni-si-zo-zi-penda, which I do not like. 
 
 This negative tense may be applied with equal pro- 
 priety to past, present, or future time, amounting in 
 effect to a negative of the relation at the time and under 
 the circumstances implied in the context. 
 
 The application of the relative to the definite affir- 
 mative tenses is explained under Pronouns (p. 119). 
 
 The difference between — which I like — and — I who 
 like it — is to be found in the form of the relative 
 particle.
 
 VERBS. 129 
 
 INyumha] nili-yo-ipenda, [the house] which I liked. 
 nili-ye-ipenda, I who liked it 
 
 lEitu] niU-cho-ldpenda^ [the thing] which I liked, 
 nili-ye-Jiipenda, I who liked it. 
 
 Definite Tenses. 
 
 The important part of each tense is the tense prefix. 
 It is preceded by the personal sign of the subject, and 
 may be followed directly by the verb. If any signs of 
 relation are used they are suffixed to the tense prefix, 
 and the objective prefix (if any) must always imme- 
 diately precede the verb. The tense prefix is the same 
 for all persons and both numbers. The personal prefix 
 is the same for all tenses, except the slight changes 
 dependent upon the question whether the first letter of 
 the tense prefix is a vowel or not. 
 
 In order therefore to construct the proper form of 
 verb, it is necessary first to ascertain the proper personal 
 prefix, next the proper tense prefix, then the particles 
 of relation and objective prefix, if they are required, 
 and then to finish with the verb. Thus, to say, A house 
 has fallen down. A house is nyumba, a word of the third 
 class ; the proper personal prefix for a singular noun of 
 the third class is -^, the tense prefix for the present 
 perfect is -me-, the verb to fall is leu - anguha (the Jcu- 
 being the sign of the infinitive : we have therefore — 
 
 Nyumha imeanguka = a house has fallen down. 
 
 If we wished to say. Six houses have fallen down ; we 
 find that nyumha being of the third class keeps the same 
 form in the plural ; sita is six, and must follow its noun ; 
 the subjective prefix proper to plural nouns in the third 
 
 K
 
 130 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 class is zi-; the tense prefix and tlie verb remain the 
 same. 
 
 Nyumha sita zimeanguka, six houses have fallen down. 
 
 To take one more complicated example, I saw the 
 knife, which yon gave him. The personal prefix for 
 the first person is ni- or n-, the tense prefix of the past 
 perfect is -ali-, to see is Jcu-ona, knife is Icisu, a substantive 
 of the fourth class. As some particular knife is intended 
 we must use the objective prefix, and that for a singular 
 substantive of the fourth class is -hi-. As the tense 
 prefix begins with a vowel we must use the personal 
 prefix which ends in a consonant. We have therefore — 
 
 NaliJciona hisu = I saw the knife. 
 
 * Which you gave him.' The relative referring to a 
 
 singular noun of the fourth class is -cho-. It must 
 
 follow the tense prefix, which is -ali-^ as before, for the 
 
 past perfect. The sign of the second person singular 
 
 is u- or 10- ; the verb, to give to, is hu-joa. The object 
 
 of the verb is Jiim, the objective prefix for nouns of the 
 
 first class is -mu- or -m-. Putting these together we 
 
 have, 
 
 Which you gave him, walichompa. 
 
 And the whole sentence, 
 
 I saw the knife which you gave him, nalikiona Jcisu walichompa. 
 
 It must not be forgotten that Jcu- and pa- may be 
 used for there in an impersonal sense. 
 
 Kuliktiva or Palilcuim, there was or there were. 
 KnliaiJi'ga, S:c., and ti.cre struck, &c
 
 VERBS, 
 
 131 
 
 Indicative Tenses. — Present. 
 
 There are in the language of Zanzibar two Presents, 
 one Indefinite and one Imperfect. 
 
 1. The Indefinite Present answers to our common 
 English present, I come, I love, &c. It is made by 
 prefixing -a- to the verb. 
 
 JV- y 
 
 
 ' I love. 
 
 TT- 
 
 
 Thou lovest. 
 
 — 
 
 
 He or she 
 
 r-, r-, Ch; L-, TF-, P-, Kw- 
 Tw- 
 
 . a-penda < 
 
 loves. 
 It loves. 
 
 Mw- 
 
 
 We love. 
 
 W- 
 
 
 You love. 
 
 \Z.,Vy.,T.,Z. J 
 
 
 ^ They love. 
 
 2. The Present Imperfect answers to our tense with 
 am, I am coming, I am loving, &o. It is made by pre- 
 fixing -na- to the verb. 
 
 I-, 
 Pa- 
 Tu- 
 'M- 
 
 Ku- 
 
 fl am 
 
 Thou art 
 
 He, she, 
 
 y na-penda \ or it is i. loving. 
 
 We are 
 
 You are 
 
 \ They are 
 
 Wa-, I-, Zi; Vi-, Ta-, Zv- 
 
 In the first person the ni- is often contracted into 'w-, 
 and sometimes altogether omitted. This tense used 
 after another verb may be translated by an English 
 present participle., 
 
 Namwona^ or Nalimwona anahuja, I see him, or, I saw him 
 
 coming. 
 
 In the dialect of Mombas this -na- tense is used of 
 past time. In Zanzibar it is the more usual form of 
 the present. 
 
 K 2
 
 132 
 
 8WAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Present Perfect. 
 
 The Present Perfect is made by the prefix -me- : it 
 denotes an action complete at the time of speaking, and 
 therefore answers to the English tense with have. 
 
 Tne-penda 
 
 I have 
 Thou hast 
 He or she has 
 It has 
 We have 
 You have 
 iThey have 
 
 ■ loved. 
 
 In verhs denoting a state or the possession of a 
 quality the present has the meaning of to enter upon, 
 to acquire, or to become, what the verb denotes. The 
 -me- tense must then be translated by to have, or to be, 
 &c. (p. 86). 
 
 Inajaa, it is getting full. 
 
 Imejaa, it is full. 
 Inapasuka, it is being torn. 
 
 Imepasuha, it is torn. 
 Inapotea, it is becoming lost. 
 
 Imepotea, it is lost. 
 Anavaa, he is putting on. 
 
 Amevaa, he has put on, therefore, he wears. 
 
 When the -me- tense occurs in a narrative, it denotes 
 an action complete at the time referred to, and must 
 generally be translated by had. 
 
 Nihamwona ameufungua mlango, and I saw that he had 
 unfastened the door. 
 
 The -me tense may sometimes be translated as a pas
 
 VERBS. 
 
 133 
 
 participle, signifying a state arrived at at the time of 
 speaking or at the time referred to. 
 
 Yu hayi ao amekufa ? Is he alive or dead ? 
 Zalikuwa zimepotea, they were lost. 
 
 In this sense it may be used to form compound tenses, 
 somewhat as the past participle is in English. 
 
 In some dialects of Swahili the prefix is pronounced 
 -mor rather than -we-. See the end of Appendix II. 
 
 Past Perfect. 
 
 The Past Perfect tense is made by the prefix -li- or 
 -all- : it denotes an action complete in past time. It 
 must sometimes be translated in English by the tense 
 ■vNdth had, but more commonly it represents the indefinite 
 past, which usually ends in -ed. 
 
 N- ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 W- 
 
 
 TT-, T-, Ch-, L- 
 
 
 P-, Kw- 
 
 ) ali- \ 
 
 
 Tw- 
 
 
 
 Mw 
 
 
 
 I '^ 
 
 
 W- 
 
 
 
 Thou 
 
 
 r-, Z-, Vy, Y- J 
 
 
 
 He or she 
 
 
 
 
 penda It 
 
 loved. 
 
 m- 1 
 
 
 We 
 
 
 u- 
 
 
 You 
 
 
 A- 
 
 
 ^They 
 
 
 Z7-, I-, Ki' 
 
 
 
 Li; Pa-, Eu- 
 
 li- . 
 
 
 Tu- 
 
 
 M- 
 
 
 Wa- 
 
 
 I-,Zi-, Vi; Ya-. 
 
 
 When it is 
 
 intendec 
 
 1 to deu 
 
 Ote the 
 
 iction as a
 
 134 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 continuous one, the syllable -hi- may be inserted after 
 the tense prefix. 
 
 N-ali-M-mpenda, I loved him [not once but continuously]. 
 W-ali-pa'pendana, when they loved one another. 
 W-ali-po-hi-pendana, while they loved one another. 
 
 Narrative Past. 
 
 In telling a story it is usual to begin with one verb 
 in the -li- tense, and then to put all that follow in a 
 tense made by the prefijs -ha-. This tense includes in 
 itself the power of the conjunction and. It can never 
 properly stand at the beginning of a narrative, but no 
 other past tense can properly be used for any verb 
 except the first. It may occasionally be used after 
 another verb, where the time being indefinite would 
 in English be represented by a present. 
 
 m- 
 
 
 
 u- 
 
 
 'And I 
 
 A- 
 
 
 And thou 
 
 U-, I-, Ei- 
 
 
 And he or she 
 
 Li-, Pa-, Ku- 
 
 ' Tia-penda 
 
 And it 
 
 Tu- 
 
 
 And we 
 
 M- 
 
 
 And you 
 
 Wa- 
 
 
 And they 
 
 I;Zi-, Vi; Ya-\ 
 
 
 
 loved. 
 
 Niha- is frequently contracted into Ha-. 
 
 Hamwona = Nikamwona = And I saw him. 
 
 The -ha- of this tense is often pronounced -hi- in rapid 
 or careless talking.
 
 VERBS. 
 
 135 
 
 Future. 
 The Future Tense is made by the prefix -ta- 
 
 m- 
 
 
 
 u- 
 
 
 'l shall 
 
 A- 
 
 
 Thou wilt 
 
 U-, I-, Ki- 
 
 
 He or she will 
 
 Li; Pa-, Ku- 
 
 ta-penda 
 
 It will 
 
 Tu- 
 
 
 We shall 
 
 M- 
 
 
 You will 
 
 Wa- 
 
 
 They wUl 
 
 I-, Zi; Vi; Ya-^ 
 
 
 
 love. 
 
 In the first person the prefix Ni- is often omitted. 
 Tapenda = Nitapenda — I shall love. 
 
 When particles of relation are introduced the prefix 
 'ta- is very rarely used ; the tense prefix stands almost 
 always as -taka-. 
 
 Atdkayekujoy [he] who will come. 
 
 With particles of relation the difi'erence between the 
 present, indefinite, and future times is much more care- 
 fully observed in Swahili than in English. 
 
 Nilalapo, when I sleep, i.e., in the case of my sleeping. 
 
 Ninapolala, when I sleep, i.e., at the time when I am sleeping. 
 
 Nitakapolala, when I sleep, i.e., when I shall be sleeping. 
 
 Mtu aendaye, the man who goes (at any time). 
 
 Mtu anayekwenda, the man who is going (now). 
 
 Mtu atdkayekwenda, the man who goes (at some future time). 
 
 Thus, if it is intended to send a man somewhere and 
 pay him afterwards for his trouble, where it might be 
 said in English — Tell the man who goes that I will 
 pay him when he comes back — the Swahili verbs must 
 all be in the future, Micamhie yule ataJcayekwenda hwamba
 
 136 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 ataJcaporudi nitamlipia. Where it is tHe fact and not 
 the time, person, or thing, that is the important element 
 of the idea, it is better not to use the particles of rela- 
 tion, but to employ the -M- tense, which see. 
 
 Conditional Tenses. 
 
 There are four tenses which may be called Con- 
 ditional. The first, made with -hi-j expresses a state of 
 things as supposed to be existing. The second, made 
 with -japo-, expresses a state of things supposed as 
 possible. The other two refer to contingencies ; one of 
 them, made with -nge- or -^ga-, expresses what would 
 now be happening, and the contingency on which it 
 would depend regarded as existing; the other, made 
 with -ngali-, expresses what would have happened, and 
 the contingency on which it would have depended 
 regarded as no longer existing. 
 
 Actual Conditional or Participial Tense. 
 
 This tense is made with the prefix -Tci-, and may be 
 translated by the English present participle, or by as, 
 if, when, since, though, or any other words by which 
 the idea of a state of things can be introduced and con- 
 nected with the rest of the sentence. 
 Ni- 
 
 I lovinc 
 
 U' 
 
 
 I 
 
 A- 
 
 
 Thou 
 
 U-, J-, Ki- 
 
 
 He or she 
 
 Li-, Pa-, Ku- 
 
 ki-penda 
 
 It 
 
 Tu- 
 
 
 We 
 
 M- 
 
 
 You 
 
 Wa- 
 
 
 .They 
 
 I- Zi' Vi- Ya 
 

 
 VERBS. 137 
 
 Tlie prefix Niki- may be contracted into Si-. 
 
 Hifukuza - Nihifukuza = As I was driving. 
 
 Yiewed as a present participle, the -M- tense can be 
 nsed to form compound tenses, especially a past im- 
 perfect. 
 
 Alikuwa dkiogdlea, he was swimming about. 
 
 The following are a few examples of the use of this 
 tense : — 
 
 NitafuraM niJciJcuonay [seeing you I shall rejoice] I shall be 
 
 glad to see you. 
 AJcija Ahddllah mwamhia, [Abdallah coming, tell him] Tell 
 
 Abdallah when he comes. 
 Nikiica nacho, [I having it] If I have it — when I have it — if 1 
 
 should have it — in case of my having it — since I have it, 
 Alipotea aMzunguka Jcwa siku mbili, [He was lost wandering 
 
 for two days] He lost his way and wandered about for two 
 
 Majivuno yaMwa mengi, [Puffings up being many] Much self- 
 exaltation. 
 
 Cfpepo uJiiwa moto Jiutanua, [Air being hot] Air expands when 
 it becomes heated. 
 
 AMsema hu-eli, hasadiJcuci, [Telling the truth, he is not believed] 
 K he should tell the truth, he would not be believed. 
 
 In this instance the use of the -hi- tense and of the 
 negative present are both remarkable. It will be seen, 
 however, upon examination, that there is no real con- 
 tingency in such a sentence as this. It affirms a fact 
 in a state of things, not a contingency upon a supposed 
 state of things ; it is not his telling the truth which 
 prevents his being believed. 
 
 A corresponding past tense may be made by the -Zi- 
 tense with the relative particle -po-. 
 
 Wali;popenda, when they loved, being that they then Icved.
 
 138 
 
 8WAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 ijapo-penda^ even if ' 
 
 love. 
 
 Possible Conditional. 
 This tense is made by the prefix -japo-^ and puts a 
 case ; it generally implies that the case is an extreme 
 or unlikely one. It may be translated by even if. 
 Ni- 
 U- 
 A- 
 V-, J-, Ki- 
 Li-, Pa-, Kxir 
 Tw 
 M- 
 Wa- 
 I-, Zi-, F^-, Ya- 
 
 The prefix seems to be formed from huja, to come, 
 
 and -j9o, the particle denoting when or where ; so that 
 
 ujapo may be translated, When you come, and so with 
 
 the other persons ; this will give the force of the tense. 
 
 WajapoJcupiga, when they come to beating you, i.e., even if 
 they beat yon. 
 
 Japo with the personal signs may be used alone in 
 the sense of — even if. 
 
 Ujapo huJcioni, even if you do not see it. 
 
 Present Contingent. 
 
 This tense is formed by the prefix -nge- or -nga-, and 
 
 puts a condition and its results as present. It necessarily 
 
 implies that neither are in existence. 
 
 Ni- ^ 
 
 I should, or if I did 
 
 Thou wouldest, or if thou 
 
 didst 
 He, she, or it would, or if \ Jq^q 
 
 he, she, or it did 
 We should, or if we did 
 You would, or if you did 
 . They would, or if they did ) 
 
 u- 
 
 
 A- 
 
 
 U-, I-, Ei- 
 
 
 Li-, Pa-, Ku- ^ nge-penda ( 
 
 Tw 
 
 
 M- 
 
 
 Wa- 
 
 
 I-, Zi-, Vi; Fa- 

 
 VERBS. 
 
 139 
 
 The -nga- form is used with monosyllabic verbs — 
 angawa — though he be, or he would be. 
 
 The two branches of the contingency cannot in 
 English be represented by the same tense, as they are 
 in Swahili. The pair would stand in English, (1) If I 
 did— (2) I should, &c. (1) If it were— (2) it would 
 be, &c. Or they might stand, (1) Though I did — 
 (2) yet I should, &c. 
 
 The second branch is sometimes represented in 
 English by a past tense ; sometimes both are. 
 
 Kama ungekuwa na ahili, mali yaTco ungedumu nayo, [If you 
 were with wits, your property you would continue with itj 
 If you were a man of understanding, your property would 
 be (or would have been) yours still. 
 
 Past Contingent. 
 This tense is made with the prefix -ngali-. It sup- 
 poses something at a past time, and concludes that 
 something else would then have happened, also at a 
 past time. It represents the English — If this had 
 happened, that would have happened. It supposes that 
 neither condition nor contingency did ever in fact 
 occur. In English a past tense is often used to express 
 a present contingency, but the Swahili seem to dis- 
 tinguish them more carefully. 
 
 Had I, or I should have 
 Hadst thou, or thou 
 
 wouldest have 
 Had he, she, or it, or he, 
 she, or it would have 
 ngali-penda j Had we, or we should ] loved, 
 have 
 Had you, or you would 
 
 have 
 Had they, or they would 
 have 
 
 u- 
 
 A- 
 J-, Ki- 
 ; Pa-, Kip- 
 
 Tu- 
 rn- 
 
 Wa- 
 Zi; Vi; Ya-J
 
 140 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 There is always an accent on tlie personal prefix and 
 
 none on the tense prefix, thus ungalihuja, dngaliona^ &c. 
 
 Kama ungalihuwapo hapa, ndugu yangu angaliponay If you 
 had been here, my brother would have got well. 
 
 The Imperative. 
 
 It has been mentioned above that the simplest form 
 
 of the verb may be used for the Imperative as in 
 
 English. The fijial letter of verbs in -a is frequently 
 
 changed into e-. The plural is made by adding -ni. 
 
 Penda, or Pende^ love thou. Pendant, or Pendent, love ye. 
 
 Twaa, or Twos, take thou. Twaani, or Twaeni, take ye. 
 
 Sifu, praise thou. Sifuni, praise ye. 
 
 Fikiri, consider thou. Fikirini, consider ye. 
 
 The form ending in -e is the more commonly used in 
 Zanzibar. The other persons are supplied by the use 
 of the Subjunctive. 
 
 Ka- may be prefixed to the Imperative to connect it 
 with a preceding verb. 
 
 Kajijicheni, and hide yourselves. 
 
 The Subjunctive. 
 The Subjunctive is made by prefixing the personal 
 sign, and when the verb ends in -a changing that 
 letter into -e. It may be translated into a variety of 
 English forms. It may be used as an imperative or 
 jussive, and is the only form that can be so used in the 
 first and third persons. 
 
 Nipende, let me love. 
 When used with an interrogative it may be translated 
 — am I to — is he to, &c. 
 
 Ni/anyeje ? What am I to do ? 
 
 i^
 
 VERBS, 
 
 141 
 
 It is tlie proper form to express purpose or object — that 
 I may, &c. — and must be used in many cases where in 
 1^ English the infinitive is employed. 
 
 Mwamhie dkusayidiey tell Mm to help you, or speak to hira 
 that he may help you. 
 
 Where no purpose is impKed the infinitive is used as 
 in English. 
 
 I want to sleep, natdka Jculala, 
 
 The* force of the conjunction and may be expressed 
 by inserting -lea- after the personal prefix. And is used 
 in English in many cases where the second action is 
 more or less the object with which the first is to be 
 done, as in — try and find, &c. In such cases -ha- must 
 not be used, but only the subjunctive in its simple 
 form. 
 
 mav love. 
 
 Verbs which end in -i, -e, or -w, keep the same final 
 letter in the subjunctive. 
 
 Ni- 
 
 
 
 U- 
 
 
 rl 
 
 A-, U-, J- 
 
 
 thou 
 
 Ki-, Li; Pa- 
 
 
 he or she 
 
 Ku- 
 
 , pende. That 
 
 it 
 
 Tu- 
 
 
 we 
 
 M- 
 
 
 you 
 
 Wa-,I-,Zi- 
 
 
 Jhey 
 
 Ft-, Ta- 
 
 
 
 The Infinitive, 
 
 The Infinitive is made in all cases by prefixing -ku. 
 
 Ku-penda, to love. 
 Ku-onay to see.
 
 l^Z 8WAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The -M- becomes -w- before a, e, and «, and often 
 
 disappears before o, 
 
 Kw-amhia, to telL 
 Kw-enda, to go. 
 Kw-isha, to finish. 
 K-oga, to bathe. . 
 
 The Infinitive may always be used to express the 
 action denoted by the verb. 
 
 Kwenda, going, 
 
 Kufa, dying. 
 
 Kupendana, mutual loving. 
 
 [There are two idiomatic uses of the Infijiitive Mood, 
 which are common, and may be mentioned here, the 
 one a logical, the other a grammatical, contrivance. 
 
 Any finite form of a verb may be preceded by the 
 infinitive of the same verb, the effect being rather to 
 particularize and give prominence to the idea conveyed 
 by the verb, than to emphasize the mode of an action. 
 
 Thus Jcufa utaJcufa, as to dying, you will die. Dying, 
 that is what will happen to you. Not, you will 
 certainly die. 
 
 Again, when any finite form of the verb, and espe- 
 cially a long form, would be closely followed by another 
 verb in the same form, connected with the former verb 
 by (at most) the simple copula * na,' the second verb 
 may be put in the infinitive mood. By this device the 
 cumbrous repetition of a series of personal and other 
 prefixes in a number of successive verbs is neatly 
 avoided. 
 
 Thus, " anayeahudiwa na kutuhuzwa" for anayetuhuzwa, 
 " who is worshipped and glorified." — A. C. M.J
 
 VERBS. 143 
 
 Participles. 
 
 There are properly no Participles in SwaMli. The 
 present participle in -ing may be represented by the 
 -ana- tense of an incomplete action, by the -hi- tense 
 of a state of continued action, or by the use of the 
 relative. 
 
 The man sitting yonder, mtu akaaye kule. 
 
 The past participle may be represented by the -me- 
 tense of a completed action, or by the relative when 
 used adjectivally. 
 
 NimeJiiona kisu Tcilicliopotea, I have found the lost knife. 
 
 The Negative Conjugation. 
 
 All Swahili verbs may be employed with negative 
 prefixes to denote the reverse of their affirmative 
 meaning. It must be observed that the negative forms 
 do not simply deny the affirmative forms but rather 
 reverse them. 
 
 Napenda Tcwenda, I like going. 
 Nataha Jcwenda, I want to go. 
 Sipendi kicenda, I dislike going, 
 Sitaki kicenda, I want not to go. 
 
 In English I do not want is not so strong as I do not 
 like, but in Swahili sitald is stronger than sipendi. 
 
 The negative tenses are formed by negative personal 
 prefixes, which, except in the first person singular, are 
 made from the affirmative forms by prefixing lia-. 
 
 For the negative combined with the relative, see 
 p. 120.
 
 144 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 Thou 
 
 
 
 He or she 
 
 love not 
 
 pendi It 
 
 or 
 
 
 We 
 
 do uot love. 
 
 
 You 
 
 
 
 VThey J 
 
 
 Negative Present. 
 In this tense verbs ending in -a cliange fhat letter 
 into 'i ; other final letters remain unchanged. 
 
 Si- 
 Hu- 
 Ha-, Hau; Hai- 
 HaM-, Hall; Hajpa- 
 Sahu- 
 
 Hatu- 
 Ham- 
 Hawa-, Hai-, Hazi- 
 Havi; Haya- 
 
 This tense is a more general negative than the 
 English do not tense. It is used for both past and 
 future wherever the negative depends upon some cause 
 which is not affected by the time referred to. 
 
 The -i of si- in this and other tenses often disappears 
 
 before a vowel. 
 
 Sogopi, I do not fear. 
 
 Negative Past. 
 There is one negative form referring to past time 
 generally ; it is made by the negative prefixes followed 
 by -hu- 
 
 Si- 
 
 
 
 
 Hu- 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 Ea-, Hau-, Hai- 
 
 
 Thou 
 
 
 Hahi-, Hali- 
 
 
 He or she 
 
 did not love 
 
 Hapa-, Hakvr \ ]iu-penda \ 
 
 It 
 
 or 
 
 Hatu- 
 
 
 We 
 
 have not lovfd. 
 
 Ham- 
 
 
 You 
 
 
 Hawa-, Hai-, Hazi- 
 
 
 .They 
 
 
 Havi; Haya' 
 
 
 In a few rare instances negative prefixes may be 
 
 [lowed by -me- or -li-. 
 
 Simehuica mwo 
 
 ngoi Hav 
 
 e I not becoE 
 
 ae a liar?
 
 VERBS, 
 
 145 
 
 The not yet Tense. 
 There is a negative tense made by the use of the 
 negative prefixes followed by -ja-, which is a sort of 
 negative present perfect, denying the action up to the 
 time of speaking. 
 
 Si- 
 
 Hu' (I 
 
 Ha-, Hau-, Hai- Thou 
 
 Eaki-, Halt- He or she 
 
 Hapa-, Hahu- jja-penda I I^ ^^^ve not yet loved. 
 
 Hatu- We 
 
 Ham- You 
 
 Hawa-, Hai; Hazi- They 
 
 Havi-, Haya- J 
 
 The word hado is often used with this tense where 
 
 it is intended rather to imply that what has not yet 
 
 happened will some day come to pass. 
 
 Hajaja, he is not yet come, he is not come even now. 
 Hajaja hado, he is not come, at least not yet. 
 
 The -a- of -ja- coalesces with i and e into a long -e- 
 
 sound. 
 
 Hajesha = Hajaisha = He has not yet finished. 
 
 Negative Future. 
 The negative future is made from the affirmative 
 future by merely using negative instead of affirmative 
 personal prefixes. 
 
 Si- 
 
 Hu- 
 Ha-, Hau-, Hai- 
 HaM-, Hali- 
 Hapa-, Hahw- 
 
 Hatu- 
 
 Ham- 
 Hawa-, Hai; Hazi- 
 Havi-, Haya- 
 
 ta-penda 
 
 I shall not 1 
 Thou wilt not 
 He, she, or it 
 
 will not 
 We shall not 
 You will not 
 They will not 
 
 love.
 
 146 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Conditional Tenses. 
 
 The case of not being or not doing is put by a tenwe 
 
 formed by tlie affirmative prefixes followed by -sipo- ; 
 
 it may be translated by tbe present participle with a 
 
 negative, or by as, if, when, though, since, or any other 
 
 word by which the case of not being, liaving, or doing, 
 
 may be introduced. 
 
 Ni- 
 
 U- 
 
 A-, U-, I-, Ki- 
 
 JA-y Pa-, Ku- 
 
 Tw 
 
 M- 
 
 Wa-, I-, Zi-, Vi- 
 
 Ya 
 
 This tense may be also used to translate an English 
 affirmative preceded by except or unless. 
 
 AsiiJojua, unless he knows. 
 Asi^okuwa Ahdalldh, except Abdallah. 
 
 sipo-penda ( 
 
 not loving. 
 
 Contingent Tenses. 
 The negative contingent tenses, present and past, 
 are made from the affirmative forms by merely using 
 negative instead of affirmative personal prefixes. 
 
 Did I or I should "^ 
 
 Si- 
 
 Hu- 
 Ha-. Hau-, Hai- 
 Haki-, Hali- 
 Bapa-, Baku- nge-penda \ 
 
 Batu- 
 
 Bam- 
 Hawa-, Bai-, Hazi- 
 Havi-^ Baya- 
 
 Didst thou or 
 
 Thou 
 
 wouldest 
 
 
 Did he, she, 
 
 or it. 
 
 or He, she. 
 
 or it 
 
 would 
 
 
 Did we or 
 
 We 
 
 should 
 
 
 Did you or 
 
 you 
 
 would 
 
 
 Did they or 
 
 They 
 
 . would 
 
 . 
 
 not love.
 
 VERBS. 
 
 147 
 
 Si- 
 
 Eu- 
 Ha-, Hau-, Hai- 
 HaJii-, Hali- 
 Hapa-, Hahu- 
 
 Eatu- 
 
 Eam- 
 Eaiva-, Eai- 
 Eazi; Eavi- 
 Eaya- 
 
 ngali-penda\ 
 
 Had I or I should 
 
 have 
 Hadst thou or Thou 
 
 wouldest have 
 Had he, she, or it, 
 
 or He, she, or it 
 
 would have 
 Had we or We should 
 
 have 
 Had you or You 
 
 would have 
 Had they or They 
 
 would have 
 
 not loved. 
 
 Negative Imperative. 
 
 The negative imperative is made by the iTse of si 
 (not), with the affirmative forms. 
 
 Si penda, love not. 
 Si sifu, praise not. 
 
 Si pendent, love ye not. 
 Si sifuni, praise ye not. 
 
 The negative subjunctive is more often used in this 
 sense than the imperative form. 
 
 Negative Subjunctive. 
 
 The negative subjunctive is made from the affirma- 
 tive form by inserting -si- between the affirmative 
 personal prefix and the verb. 
 
 not love. 
 
 Ni- -s 
 
 
 
 
 U- 
 
 
 
 I may 
 
 A-, U-, J- 
 
 
 
 thou mayest 
 
 Ki; Li; 
 
 
 
 he, she, or 
 
 Fa-, Ku- 
 
 si-pende, 
 
 That 
 
 it may 
 
 Tu- 
 
 
 
 we may 
 
 M- 
 
 
 
 you may 
 
 Wa-, I-, Zi- 
 
 
 
 they may 
 
 F*-, Ya- 
 
 
 
 
 L 2
 
 148 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The -i of -si- often disappears before a vowel. 
 asende, that he may not go. 
 
 The negative subjunctive may be Englished in 
 several different ways. It may be used as above of a 
 purpose not to do, or it may be used of a purpose to do 
 which fails. 
 
 Ahamtafuta asimwone, he looked for him, but did not see him 
 or, without seeing him. 
 
 This form is commonly used for the negative 
 imperative. 
 
 Nisende, let me not go. Usende, don't go. 
 
 A form of subjunctive connected with the not yet 
 tense is made by the use of -sije- with the affirmative 
 prefixes. 
 
 not have already 
 loved. 
 
 Ni- 
 
 
 
 U- 
 
 A-, U-, I- 
 Ki; Li- 
 
 
 I may 
 
 thou mayest 
 he, she, or it 
 
 Fa-, Ku-, 
 Tu- 
 
 sije-penda, That 
 
 may 
 we may 
 
 M- 
 
 Wa-, I-, Zi- 
 Vi; Va- 
 
 
 you may 
 they may 
 
 This tense may often be translated by before. 
 Utampata asijelala, you will catch him before he goes to sleep. 
 
 -sije with the personal prefixes may be used as a 
 complete word followed by the -Jca- tense. 
 
 Nisije nikafa, that I may not be already dead, or, that I may Dot 
 die before, &c.
 
 VEBB8. 149 
 
 Negative Infinitive. 
 
 The negative infinitive is made by the use of hitoa 
 (to put out), often contracted into huto- and used as a 
 prefix. 
 
 Kutoa kupenda, or Eutopenda, not to love, or not loving, to 
 dislike, or disliking. 
 
 The Passive Voice. 
 
 The Passive is made from the Active by merely 
 inserting -w- before the final vowel. 
 
 Napenda, I love. Napendwa^ I am loved. 
 
 Sipendi, I do not love. Sipendwi, I am not loved. 
 
 Nimependa, I have loved. Nimependwa, I have been loved. 
 
 Kupenda^ to love. Kupendwa, to be loved. 
 
 Verbs ending in two vowels often use the passive of 
 their applied form. See pp. 151, 161. 
 
 The Passive is used in a sort of impersonal way to 
 denote what is intended to be done. 
 
 3Iaji yamekwenda kuletwa, some one has gone to get water. 
 Fesa zimekwenda kuvunjwa^ some one has gone to get pice in 
 exchange for silver. 
 
 Auxiliary and Irregular Verbs. 
 
 As the Auxiliary verbs are mostly also irregular, it 
 will be best to speak of their irregularities first, and 
 afterwards of their use in making compound tenses. 
 
 Monosyllabic verbs and most dissyllabic words be- 
 ginning with a vowel, retain the hu- of the infinitive 
 in those tenses in which the tense prefix ends in a
 
 150 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 syllable incapable of bearing the accent. These tense 
 jDrefixes are -na-, -ame-, -ali-, -ta-, -jajpo-^ -^^6-, -ngali-j 
 and -sije-. The other prefixes, -a-, -ha-, -hi-, -nga-, -hu-, 
 -ja-, -si-, are capable of bearing the accent, and the hu- 
 is not retained when they are used. The personal 
 signs, both subjective and objective, can bear the 
 accent, the relative signs cannot. 
 
 Thus, from huja, to come, we have : — 
 
 Naja, I come. NinaJcuja, I am coming. 
 
 Nikaja, and I came. Nimehuja, I have come. 
 
 NiMja, I coming. Nalikuja, I came, 
 
 Siji, I come not. Nitakuja, I shall come. 
 
 Sikuja, I did not come. Nijapokuja, even if I come. 
 
 Sijaja, I am not yet come. Ningekuja, I should come. 
 
 Nisije, let me not come. Ningalikiija, I should have come. 
 
 Nisijehuja, before I cor^e. 
 
 Nije, let me not come. Nisipokuja, when I come not. 
 
 Ajaye, he who comes. AUyehuja, he who came. 
 Nijaye, I who come. 
 
 It is shown that this irregularity depends upon the 
 
 power of certain syllables to support the accent by 
 
 the changes which occur when an objective prefix is 
 
 inserted. 
 
 Amekula, he has eaten. 
 Amemla, he has eaten him. 
 
 The verb hupa, to give to, is peculiar in always re- 
 quiring an objective prefix, and therefore never having 
 occasion to be irregular. 
 
 With dissyllables beginning with a vowel it is gene- 
 rally indifi'erent whether the hu- is retained or not. 
 
 Amekwisha or Ameisha, he has finished. 
 Amekwanza or Ameanza, he has begun.
 
 VERBS, 151 
 
 Many verbs occur witli or without a to-, wliich seems 
 
 to be a relic of tbe -ku-. 
 
 Kuiva or Kuwiva, to ripen. 
 Kuaza or Kuwaza, to consider. 
 
 The word kuja, to come, stands alone in having an 
 irregular imperative. 
 
 Njoo, come. Njooni, come ye. 
 
 Monosyllabic verbs and some dissyllables make their 
 passives in a more or less irregular way. The follow- 
 ing is a list of the monosyllabic verbs with their 
 passives : — 
 
 Kucha, to fear. Kuchica, to be feared. 
 
 Kula, to eat. KuUica, to be eaten. 
 
 Kujiywa, to drink. Kunyweica, to be drunk. 
 
 Kupa, to give to. Kupaioa or Kupewa, to receive. 
 
 Kucha is used in the dialect of Lamoo for to fear, the 
 word used at Zanzibar being huogopa. Kucha means 
 at Zanzibar to rise (of the sun), and huchwa (or, in the 
 dialect of Mombas, hutwa^ means to set. The other 
 monosyllabic verbs, kufa, to die, Icuja, to come, Jcunya, 
 to fall like rain, huwa, to be, being neuters, do not 
 make a passive. 
 
 Two dissyllabic verbs make their passive by merely 
 
 adding -iva to the active form. 
 
 Kuua, to kill. Kuuaica, to be killed. 
 
 Kufua, to beat. Kufuawa, to be beaten. 
 
 Verbs ending in two vowels often insert an -I- in 
 making their passive. See under Applied Forms, pp. 
 158-159. 
 
 Kuzaa, to bear. Kuzaica or Kuzaliica, to be born. 
 
 KuJcomhoa, to ransom. Kuhomholewa, to be ransomed. 
 
 Kufungua, to open. Kujunguliwa, to be opened.
 
 152 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The origin of this use lies probahly in the difficulty 
 of pronouncing distinctly the regular passive forms. 
 Verbs ending in -e make their passive in -ewa. 
 
 Kusamehe, to pardon. Kusamehewa, to be pardoned. 
 
 Verbs ending in -i make their passives in -iwa. 
 
 Kukiri, to confess. Kuhiriwa, to be confessed. 
 
 Verbs in -u generally make their passive in -iwa. 
 
 Kuhartbu, to destroy. Kuharibiwa, to be destroyed. 
 
 Where the -u is preceded by a vowel the passive is 
 made in -uliwa. 
 
 Kusahau, to forget. Kusdhauliwa, to be forgotten. 
 
 The verb huwa, to be, has several peculiarities. The 
 Present tense is very seldom used in its regular form. 
 For the Present tense ni (or, in the negative, si) may 
 be used for all persons and both numbers, or the per- 
 sonal prefix appropriate to the subject of the verb may 
 stand alone. Ni is apparently preferred where being 
 is the important part of the idea ; the personal prefix 
 is used where the being of that particular thing is 
 intended specially to be noticed. Tu (not A) is used 
 for he or she is. 
 
 Si hiceli, ni kusifu tu, it is not true, it is only flattery. 
 Tu, tayari, we are ready. 
 
 When joined with a relative the regular form has 
 the meaning of who may he. 
 
 Awaye yote, whoever it be. 
 
 Where no stress is intended to be laid on the heing^ 
 the verb to be, when joined with a relative pronoun, is
 
 VERBS. 153 
 
 represented by the syllable -li-. See Eelatives, p. 118. 
 Li is used, tbough but rarely, with tbe personal signs 
 to form a tense ■with the meaning — continuing to be. 
 A narative past is also fonned with it in the sense of — 
 I have continued to be. 
 
 Nili Jiali ya Jcuwajuu yahe, I being on his back, 
 Nikali nikipotea, and I go on wandering. 
 
 In many cases where the verb to he is used in English 
 merely to connect the parts of the sentence it is in 
 Swahili omitted altogether. 
 
 Kwa nini weye Ttutoa JcuoneJcana Mzi siku nyingi^ why [have] 
 you [been] invisible, i.e.. Why have you kept out of sight so 
 long? 
 
 Yupi mkuu icao^ who [is] their chief? 
 
 Nyama ya hifaro ngumu mno, rhinoceros meat [is] very tough. 
 
 The Present Perfect has the meaning of has become. 
 
 Manenoye yamekuwa uicongo, his words are become false. 
 The Past Perfect must be used to translate was and 
 
 were. 
 
 Nilipokuwa Sultani, when I was Sultan. 
 
 The English Jias or have been must be translated by 
 a present. 
 
 Nipo hapa siku nyingi, I have been here many days. 
 The Imperative is used with an i prefixed. 
 Iwe, be thou. Iweniy be ye.* 
 
 In the negative present and with relatives si is used 
 as ni and -li- are in the affirmative tense. The regular 
 forms are also used, though but rarely. 
 
 * The subjunctive forms uice, mice are commonly preferred in 
 Zanzibar.— A. C. M.
 
 154 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The verb to he is used in English sometimes to 
 denote existence viewed as an ultimate fact, sometimes 
 to denote existence in place and time, sometimes to 
 denote existence as the possessor of certain qualities, 
 or the doer or sufferer of certain acts. In Swahili these 
 three uses are distinguished by the employment of 
 different forms. 
 
 The simple form of the verb is used only to denote 
 existence as the possessor of qualities, or the doer or 
 sufferer of acts. 
 
 Existence merely in place and time, whether the 
 place and time are in English expressed or no, is 
 denoted in Swahili by the addition to the verb of -po, 
 -mo, or -ho, as the case may be. See Relatives, p. 120. 
 
 He is at my liouse, Yuho kwangu. 
 He is here, Yupo liapa. 
 He is in the house, Yumo nyumhani. 
 When he was liere, AJipokuivajm hapa. 
 Where are they ? Ziho wapi ? 
 
 Existence viewed as a fact in itself is denoted by the 
 addition of na to the verb, being the same form as is 
 used for the verb to have. Na is joined to the personal 
 prefixes to make the present tense, in all other tenses 
 it is treated as a separate word, and has generally the 
 appropriate relative sign suffixed to it. 
 
 Kuna mtu, there is a man. 
 KuUkuwa na mtu, there was a man. 
 Zinazo, they are. 
 Zilikuwa nazo, they were. 
 
 In Swahili there is properly no verb to have. They 
 employ for it kuwa na, to be with.
 
 YEBBS, 155 
 
 Nina, I have. 
 NaUkuwa na, I had. 
 Nitaliuwa na, I shall have. 
 Niwe na, that I may Lave. 
 
 Where the oLjective prefix would be used with an 
 
 ordinary verb, the appropriate relative particle must 
 
 be suffixed to the na as well as to the tense prefix, 
 
 Kinazo, I have them. 
 Aliyehuwa nazo, who had them. 
 Alizokuica nazo, which he had* 
 
 Auxiliary Verbs. 
 
 The Verbs used as Auxiliaries are, huica, to be, hitoa, 
 to take out, hija, to come, hvislia, to come to an end. 
 
 Can is represented by the appropriate tenses of 
 
 kuweza, to be able. Must is expressed by sharti, of 
 
 necessity, or by the negative tenses of huwa na huddij 
 
 to have an escape from. 
 
 Sina huddi, I must. 
 
 Asiwe na huddi, that he may be obliged. 
 
 After huwa na huddi either the infinitive or subjunc- 
 tive may be employed. 
 
 Ought may be represented by the tenses of Jcupasa, to 
 
 concem, or, to come to concern. Should is expressed 
 
 in the same way when it implies obligation, and by the 
 
 contingent tenses when it expresses a contingency. 
 
 Imenipasa Tcwenda, it concerns me to go, i.e., I onght to go. 
 Imenipasa nisende, it concerns me that I go not, i.e., I ought not 
 to go. 
 
 Kupasa is also used as follows : — 
 
 Haihunipasa mimi, it is no business of mine. 
 Imekupasani ? What have you to do with it ? 
 Amenipasa mimi, he is a connection of mine.
 
 156 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 May and miglit may be represented by Jcuweza wbere 
 they imply power, by halali, lawful, where they imply 
 lawfulness, and by the subjunctive where they imply a 
 purpose. 
 
 The use of Tcuja as an auxiliary has been mentioned 
 under the -japo-, ~ja-, and -sije- tenses, pp. 138, 145, 148. 
 
 Kutoa is used to convey a negation in cases where 
 the regular negative tenses cannot conveniently be 
 used. 
 
 With the infinitive it is frequently contracted into 
 -to-, and used as a mere formative. 
 
 Kutoa Jiiija, or Kuto'kuja, not to come. 
 Kutoa kupenda, or Kutopenda, not to love. 
 
 The meaning of these negative infinitives may be 
 given as, putting out coming, barring coming, coming 
 not happening. A transitive form may be made by the 
 use of hutoslia, to make to go out. 
 
 Kutosha humwuliza, to exclude asking him. 
 
 In many cases kutoa may be translated by, to forbear, 
 or, to neglect. 
 
 Ametoa huja, he has neglected coming, he has not come. 
 Nikitoa huja, if I forbear from coming, or, so long as I do not 
 come. 
 
 The negative tenses do not furnish a true present 
 perfect. The past, hahuja, is, he did not come; the 
 present, haji, implies rather that he never will, that 
 coming is not to be predicated of him at all. The 
 difference between nisipoJcuja and nikitoa kuja is repre- 
 sented in English by that between, if I come not, and, 
 while I come not. In all cases the use of toa connects
 
 VERBS 157 
 
 tlie negation with the tense only ; the negative tenses 
 imply that the opposite of the verb might be affirmed. 
 KwisJia may often be translated by already. 
 
 Amekwisha huja, he has already come. 
 NimeJcwisha kula, I have done eating. 
 
 It is used to strengthen the present perfect, convey- 
 ing the meaning that something is not merely done, 
 but fully done and over. 
 
 A somewhat similar effect is produced on the present 
 by using katiJca kwisha, 
 
 Ni katika kwisha kula, I am finishing eating, I am just leaving 
 off, I have very nearly done. 
 
 Kuwa, to be, is used in Swahili very much as it is in 
 English, the -hi- and -me- tenses of the principal verb 
 being used as present and past participles. 
 
 NUi nikienday I continuing to be going. 
 Nikali nikienda, and I am still going. 
 Nikiwa nikienda, I being going, while going. 
 Nikiwa nimekwenda, I being gone, having gone. 
 Nikiwa nimekivisha kwenda, having already gone 
 Nalikuwa nikienda, I was going. 
 Nalikuwa nimekwenda, I was gone, I had gone. 
 Nalikuwa nimekwisha kwenda, I had already gone. 
 Nitakuwa nikienda, I shall be in the act of going. 
 Nitakuwa nimekwenda, I shall be gone. 
 Nitakuica nimekwisha kwenda, I shall have already gone. 
 Nitakuwa niliokioenda, I shall be who has gone, I shall have 
 gone, I shall have gone to or been at. 
 
 Kuwa na, to have, is not used as an auxiliary. 
 
 Derivative Verbs. 
 
 There are four derivative forms which may be con- 
 structed out of any Swahili verb, where in English
 
 158 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 we must use either anotlier verb or some compound 
 expression. 
 
 1. Wliat may be called tbe applied form is used in 
 cases where in English a preposition would be em- 
 ployed to connect the verb with its object. By the use 
 of this form verbs which have things for their objects 
 may be made to apply to persons. 
 
 This form is made by inserting i or e before the final 
 -a of the simple verb. I is used when the vowel of the 
 preceding syllable is a, ^, or u. E is used when the 
 vowel of the preceding syllable is e or o. 
 
 Kufanya, to make. Kufanyia, to make for. 
 
 Kuleta, to bring. Kuletea, to bring for. 
 
 Kusikitiha, to be sorry. Kusikitikia, to be sorry for, to pity 
 
 Kuoha, to bake. Kuokea, to bake for. 
 
 Kuanguka, to fall down. Kuangukia, to fall down to. 
 
 Where the simple verb ends in two vowels the sup- 
 pressed I appears in the applied form. 
 
 Kuzaa, to bear. Kuzalia, to bear to. 
 
 Kukwea, to climb. Kukwelea, to climb for. 
 
 Kusikia, to hear. Kusikilia, to listen to. 
 
 Kxikomhoa, to redeem. Kukombolea, to redeem for, 
 
 Kununua, to buy. KununuUa, to buy for. 
 
 The following is a list of the monosyllabic verbs 
 with their applied forms : — 
 
 Kucha, to fear. Kuchelea, to fear for. 
 
 Kufa, to die. Kufia, to die to. 
 
 Kuja, to come. Kujia, to come to. 
 
 Kula, to eat. Kulia, to eat with. 
 
 Kumja, to fall (like rain). Kunyea, to fall upon. 
 
 Kunywa, to drink. Kunywea, to drink with. 
 
 Kuwa, to be. Kuwia, to be to. 
 
 Kuza, to sell, makes Kuliza, to sell to.
 
 VEBBS, 159 
 
 Kiipa, to give to, having already an applied meaning, 
 has no applied form. There is a difficulty in expressing 
 what would have been the meaning of the simple form. 
 Kutoa is used for to give, in the sense of parting with. 
 Such expressions as, which was given you, must be 
 rendered by a change of person — uliopewa^ which you 
 had given to you, or, which you received. Which he 
 gave me, is very commonly rendered niliopeica naije. 
 
 Verbs ending in -i and -u make their applied forms 
 
 in -ia. 
 
 Kufasiri, to explain, Kufasiria, to explain to. 
 
 Kuharibu, to destroy. Kuliarihia, to destroy for. 
 
 The great paucity of prepositions in Swahili brings 
 the applied forms of verbs into constant use. The 
 only difficulty in their application lies in the exact 
 discrimination of the meaning of the simple word. 
 Many Swahili verbs imply in their simple form what 
 can only be expressed in English by the use of a pre- 
 position. Whenever a really good dictionary shall have 
 been compiled it will supply all the necessary informa- 
 tion. The applied form may be rendered by inserting 
 any preposition which vdM suit the context. Thus, 
 knsJiuhudia is, to bear witness about, for, or against, as 
 the case may be, and Jcunenea^ which means to speak 
 about, may have to be translated by, to recommend, or 
 to decry, to scold, or to describe. The simple word 
 nena has in itself the force of to mention, so that it is 
 not necessary to use the applied form as a translation 
 of to speak of, where it means no more than to 
 mention. 
 
 Sometimes the shape of the word will be a useful
 
 160 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 reminder to foreigners of its exact meanino: : thus, 
 kupotea, which may be roughly translated to lose, is in 
 the shape of an applied form, and really is one, its 
 exact meaning being, to become lost to. If, therefore, 
 we want to say, I have lost my knife, the construction 
 must be altered into, my knife has become lost to me 
 (kisu chancju Jcimenipotea), the subject and object having 
 to change places. 
 
 Where in English a preposition connected with the 
 verb can stand by itself at the end of the sentence, the 
 applied form must be used in Swahili. 
 
 A knife to cut with, Msu cha Jcttjcatia. 
 
 Stones to grind wheat with, mawe ye Jcusagia ngano. 
 
 A place to come out at, maliali pa Jcutohea. 
 
 A bag to put money in, mfuko wa hutilia fetha. 
 
 In these sentences the use of the possessive particle 
 -a for the English to, denoting a purpose or employ- 
 ment, must be observed and remembered. This particle 
 turns what follows into a sort of adjective in this, as 
 in all other cases in which it is followed by a word 
 which is capable of denoting a quality. It is somewhat 
 like the English expressions, a man of sense, a huilding 
 of great solidity, &c. 
 
 When an applied form is followed by rrihali it conveys 
 the idea that as a consequence of the action denoted by 
 the simple verb something is put out of the way, or 
 got rid of. 
 
 Afile, or Ajie mbaJi, that he may die out of our way. 
 Tumwulie mhali, let us kill him and done with it. 
 Potelea mhali, perish out of my way = go and be hanged. 
 
 The passive of the applied form has a meaning which
 
 VERBS. 161 
 
 it requires some attention to remember and apply 
 rightly, though it is strictly according to the rule that 
 the object of the active becomes the subject of the 
 passive voice. 
 
 Kuletea, to bring to. Kuhtewa, to have brought to one, 
 
 Kufanyia, to make for. Kufanyiwa, to have made for oiie. 
 
 It is often difficult in English to express this passive 
 without using an altogether different word. What 
 suggests- itself at first to an English ear, that the 
 passive of to bring to would be to he brought to, is wrong, 
 and must be carefully avoided. Sometimes a change 
 of prepositions will suffice to render the passive cor- 
 rectly ; hupa may be translated to present to, and then 
 kupewa is not to be presented to, but to be presented with. 
 
 Passives made in -liiva and -lewa are used as the 
 passives of both the simple and the applied form, 
 Kufunguliwa may be used as the passive of kufungua, 
 meaning, to be unfastened, or as the passive of hufun- 
 gulia, meaning then, to have unfastened for one. It 
 can never mean, to be unfastened for. If it is necessary 
 to express a passive in that form it must be done by 
 changing the construction. 
 
 A cry was made at him, dlipigiwa uJcelele [he had made at him 
 
 aery] 
 The door was opened for him, alifunguliwa mlango [he had 
 
 opened for him the door]. 
 
 2. The Causative form is made by changing the final 
 •a into -sha or -za. 
 
 Kupungua, to grow less. Kupunguza, to make to grow Jess. 
 Kuzidi, to grow greater. Kuzidisha, to make greater.
 
 1G2 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 When the final -a is preceded hy a consonant the 
 general rule is to use the applied form as the basis of 
 the causative. 
 
 Kupenda, to like. Kupendeza, to please. 
 
 Kufanya, to make. Kufanyiza, to cause to make. 
 
 Kupanda, to go up. Kicpaudisha, to make to go up. 
 
 Verbs which end in the simple form in -ta end in 
 the causative form in -sa, 
 
 Kutakata, to be clean. KutaJcasa, to make clean. 
 
 Verbs which end in -ha may be turned into causa- 
 tives by changing -ka into -sha. 
 
 Kuivaka, to be on fire. Kuwashay to set on fire. 
 
 Kulainika, to be soft. Kulainisha, to make soft. 
 
 Kutolta, to go out. Kutosha, to make to go out. 
 
 Kushulca, to go down. Kushusha, to let down. 
 
 The causatives of verbs ending in -e, -«, or -u are 
 constructed on the applied form. 
 
 Kulcaribu, to come near. Kuliaribuha^ to make to come near. 
 
 3. The Neuter, or quasi passive form is made by 
 changing the final -a into -ha, 
 
 Kufungua, to unfasten. Kufunguka, to be unfastened. 
 
 Kiwkoa, to save. KuoJcoka, to be saved. 
 
 Where the final -a is preceded by a consonant the 
 neuter is constructed from the applied form. 
 
 Kuvunja, to break. Kuvunjiha, to be broken. 
 
 Kuhata, to cut. KnJcatika, to be cut.
 
 VERBS. 163 
 
 Cansatives in -sha may be turned into neuters by 
 changing -sha into -ha. 
 
 Kustusha, to startle. KustuTca, to be startled. 
 
 Verbs in -e, -i, and -u, construct their neuters on the 
 applied forms. 
 
 Kusamehe, to forgive. KusameheJca, to be forgiven. 
 
 Kufasiri, to explain. Kufasirika, to be explained. 
 
 Kuliaribu, to destroy. Kuharihika, to be destroyed. 
 
 The -ha form is used (like the English passive) to 
 denote what is generally done or doable. 
 
 Kulika, to be eaten, or, to be eatable. 
 
 4. Eeciproeal forms are made by changing -a into 
 -ana. 
 
 Kupenda, to love. Kupendana, to love one another. 
 KupigUj to beat. Eupigana, to beat one another, to fight. 
 
 Verbs in -e, -i, and -u construct their reciprocals 
 upon the applied forms. 
 
 Kuharihu, to come near. Kuliarihiana, to come near to one 
 another. 
 
 The reciprocal form of the -ha foi-m may be translated 
 by to be to be, &c. 
 
 Kupafihana, to be to be got. 
 
 Kujulikana, to be to be known, to be knowable 
 
 Kuoekana, to be to be seen, to be visible. 
 
 The derived forms are conjugated and treated in 
 every way as though they were original words, and 
 other derived forms may be made froia them to any 
 extent that may be required. 
 
 M 2
 
 164 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 The applied form of an applied form generally sig- 
 nifies to do a thing to or for a person for a purpose. 
 Doubling the verb gives an idea of thoroughness. 
 
 Kukata, to cut. 
 Kutafuta, to seek. 
 KuclwfuM, to be in a mess. 
 
 KupasuJia, to be torn. 
 
 KukatilM, to be cut 
 
 Enl:ataTiata, to cut up. 
 Kutafutatafuta, to seek all about. 
 Kiichafukachafuha, to be all in a 
 
 mess. 
 Kiqjasukapasuha, to be torn to 
 
 shreds. 
 Kukatihakatikay to be all cut 
 
 about
 
 ( 165 ) 
 
 LIST OF VEBBS. 
 
 As it is necessary to put to before the English Verb to make the Infinitive, 
 so it is necessary to prefix ku- to make the Infinitive in Swahili. Before 
 Monosyllabic Verbs the kxi- bears the accent, and is retained in several o'f 
 the tenses. See p. 149. 
 
 Abase, thili. 
 
 Ahhor, chukia. 
 
 be Able, weza. 
 
 Abolish, batili, tangua, ondosha. 
 
 Abound with, jaa. 
 
 Absorb, nwa, pass, nwewa. 
 
 Abstain from, epuka, epushwa {to 
 
 be kept from). 
 Abuse (by words), tukana. 
 Accept, kubali, takabali, pokea (re- 
 ceive). 
 
 he acceptable or accepted, kuba- 
 lika. 
 Accompany, fuatana na, andamana. 
 
 (part of the way), sindikiza, adi. 
 Accuse, tuhumu, shtaki. 
 Accustom, zoeza. 
 
 become accustom^, zoea. 
 Ache, uma. 
 
 My head aches, kitwa chauma or 
 kinaniuma. 
 Achnowledge, ungama, kubali, kirL 
 Acquiesce, nyamaa, rithia. 
 Acquit, acba. 
 
 be acquitted, toka. 
 
 Act, tenda. 
 
 Adapt, fanya. 
 
 Add to, ongeza, zidisha. 
 
 Add up, jumlisha. 
 Adjoin, tangamana. 
 Adjourn, akirisha. 
 
 stand over, akiri. 
 be Adjudged, fetiwa. 
 Adjure, apisba. 
 Admire, penda. 
 
 I admire him, ameni'^'^Tideza. 
 Admit, ingiza, acba kuiugia. 
 Adorn, pamba. 
 
 Adorn oneself, fanya uzurL 
 Adulterate, gbosbi. 
 commit Adultery, zini, zinga. 
 Advance, eudelea mbele. 
 
 Advance money to a trader, ko- 
 pesba, 
 be Adverse, gomba, teta. 
 Advise, pa shauri. 
 Adze, cbonga. 
 Affect to be, jifanya, jiona. 
 Afflict, tesa. 
 
 be Afraid, ogopa, cha (A.). 
 Agitate, siikasaka.
 
 166 
 
 SWAEILI RAND BOOK. 
 
 Agree (come to an agreement), pat an a, 
 afikana, tuliliana, lekezanya, 
 tuzanya (A.), 
 (7)i3 mutually satisfied), rathiana. 
 (he alike), elekea, lingana. 
 Aim, twaa shabalia. 
 Alarm, ogofisha. ogofya, tisha. 
 be alarmed [ku-]wa na kliofu, 
 itigiwa Da khofu. 
 Alienate, farakisha. 
 
 he alienated, farakana. 
 Allege a defect in, umbua. 
 Allot amongst many, awaza. 
 Allow, acha, pa ruksa, ruhusu. 
 Alter, (neut.) badili, badilika, geuka. 
 
 (act.) geuza, badili. 
 Amaze, ajaabisha. 
 
 he amazed, tosliea. 
 Amend, fanyiza, tengeneza. 
 
 (of a person reforming), tulia. 
 Amuse, zumgumza. 
 Anchor, tia nanga. 
 A7iger, tia hasira, ghathabisha. 
 he Angry, [ku-]wa ua hasira, glia- 
 
 thabika. 
 he Angular, [ku-]wa na pembe- 
 
 pembe. 
 Announce, hubiri. 
 Annoy, sumbua, sumbusha, taa- 
 
 bisha, hatiki (A.). 
 Amiul, tangua, batili, ghairi. 
 
 be Annulled, tanguka. 
 Answer, jibu. 
 
 Answer when cdled, itika, itikia. 
 Anticipate for, onea. 
 he Anxious, taharuki, taabika. 
 make Anxious, taharakisha, taa- 
 bisha. 
 Apostatize (become an infidel), ku- 
 
 furu. 
 Appear, onekana (Ijecome visible), 
 tokea (coifie out to). 
 
 Apply oneself to, tenda. 
 
 Appoint, nasibu, aini, chagua o» 
 
 teua (select). 
 Approach, karibia, jongea. 
 
 Approach one another, karibiana. 
 Bring near, jongeza, karibi&ha. 
 Approve, kubali, penda, rathi. 
 Argue, jadiliana, shindana (dispute 
 
 together). 
 Arise, ondoka. 
 Arm, pa selaha. 
 
 Arm oneself, twaa selaha. 
 Arrange, panga, andika, pangisha, 
 
 ratibu, fanya. 
 be Arrogant, ghurika. 
 Arrive, fika, wasili. 
 
 arrive at one's destination, koma. 
 m,ake to arrive, fikisha, wasilisha. 
 reach a person, fikia, wasilia. 
 Ascend, paa, kwea, panda. 
 Ascertain, hakiki, uyuzi. 
 he ascertained, kinika. 
 he Ashamed, ona haya, tahayari. 
 make ashamed, tia haya, tahaya- 
 rislia. 
 Ask, uliza, iiza, saili. 
 Ask for, taka. 
 
 Make inquiries on behalf of any- 
 one, ulizia, iiuzia, sail i a. 
 Ask how one does, uliza hali. 
 Ask in marriage, posa. 
 Assemble, (act.) kusanya, kutanisha. 
 (neut.) kutana, kusanyika, kusa- 
 nyana. 
 Assent, kubali, itikiza, afikana, ra- 
 thiana. 
 Assert, sema. 
 
 He asserts that he saw a ship, 
 
 kamma aliona jahasi. 
 He asxerts that he walked on the 
 waU^r. kamma alikwenda mtoni 
 kwa mguu.
 
 LIST OF VEBBS. 
 
 107 
 
 Astonish, ajabisha, taajabisha. 
 
 be astonished, tosliea, sliangaa, 
 taajabika, toshewa, btaajabu. 
 Astound, shangaza. 
 Atone for, setiri. 
 
 Attach, gandamia, gandamiza, am- 
 bisa. 
 
 be attached, ambatana (of things), 
 ambisana (of people). 
 Attack, shambulia. 
 
 Attach people wantonly, [ku-]wa 
 na jeuri. 
 Attend (wait upon), ngojea, fuata. 
 
 Attend to, sikia, pulika (A.), si- 
 kilia. 
 
 not to attend, ghafalika. 
 
 refuse to attend, jipurukusba. 
 be Audible, sikiliana, sikizana. 
 Avail, faa. 
 Avoid, epuka. 
 
 get out of the way of, epa. 
 
 be avoidable, epeka, epukika. 
 Avow, kubali. 
 Awake (neut.), amka. 
 
 waken (act), amsha. 
 
 B. 
 
 Backbite, cbongeleza. 
 Betray, khini. 
 Bake, oka. 
 
 (pottery), tomea, chomea. 
 Bale out water, vuta luaji, teka 
 
 maji. 
 Banish, fukuza (drive away), ondo- 
 
 sha (make to go aicay), haiuisha 
 
 or tamisha (M.) or gurisba (A.). 
 
 (to make to remove). 
 Bar (a door), pingia. 
 Bargain, fanya ubazazi. 
 Bark (like a dog), lia. 
 Barter, badili, awithL 
 
 Batter (bruise\ chiibuapbubna. 
 be battered {like an old coppet 
 pot), cbubukachubuka. 
 Bathe, oga. 
 
 Be, wa. See Irregular Verbs, p. 1 o2. 
 (to stay), kaa, 
 be on one's guard, [ku-]wa na 
 
 bathari. 
 be off one's guard, tagbafali. 
 Bear (fruit, children, &c.), zaa, 
 vyaa. 
 (carry), cbukua, bimili. 
 (toUrate), vumilia, stabimili. 
 bear icith another person, chuku- 
 
 liana. 
 Bear with me, niwie ratbi. 
 bear witness, sbubudu. 
 
 about, for or against, sbubiidia. 
 Beat, piga, puta, menya (Kiyao). 
 Beat up together, funda. 
 Beat to pieces, pouda. 
 Beat a roof or floor, pigilia. 
 be well beaten, putika. 
 be beaten upon (as a wreck by the 
 
 waves), fuawa. 
 
 See Conquer, Thresh. 
 
 Beckon to, pungia nguo. 
 
 The usual sign to beckon a person 
 to come is to icave a cloth up 
 and down. 
 Become (befitting), sulibi. 
 Nimekuwa, I am become. 
 Simekiiwa, am I not become. 
 The act of becoming is generally 
 expressed by the present tense of 
 the verb expressing the being in 
 the state or possessing the quality. 
 Become a fool, pumbazika. 
 Beg, omba, bembeleza. 
 (entreat), sihi, nasibi. 
 I beg of you, tafatliaL 
 Btgd. zaa.
 
 168 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Brgin, anza. 
 
 Begin upon, anziliza, 
 
 Btgin a icorJc, maliki. 
 Behave, tenda. 
 
 Behave well, tenda vema. 
 
 Behave ill. tenda vibaya. 
 
 Behave like an invalid, jigo- 
 njweza. 
 Belch, ongulia. 
 
 Belch out, kokomoka. 
 Believe, sadiki. 
 
 Believe in, amiiii. 
 Bend, (act.) pinda, (neut.) pindana. 
 
 Bend round, (act.) peta, (neut.) 
 petatia, peteniana. 
 
 ^end down,(act.) inamisha,(?ieM<.) 
 inama. 
 Benumb, faganza. 
 Bequeath, wasia, achia. 
 Besiege, husuru (Ar.). 
 Bet, shindania. 
 Beware, angalia, [ku-]wa na ha- 
 
 thari. 
 Bewilder, tekea. 
 
 Bewitch, fanyia uchawi, loga (Mer.). 
 Bicker, papuriana. 
 Bid. See Command. 
 
 Make a first hid, risimu. 
 Bind, funga. 
 
 Bind hooks, jelidi. 
 
 Bind oneself, fanya sharti. 
 
 Bind round (as when a stick is 
 sprung), ganga. 
 Bite, uma. 
 Blah, payuka. 
 
 Blame, laumu, tia hatiyani, nenae 
 (scold), patiliza (visit upon)^ 
 karipia (call out at). 
 Blaze, waka. 
 Bleed, toka damu. 
 
 (copiously), churuzika damu, tu2a 
 damu (M.). 
 
 Bless, bariki (see Copulate), barikit^ 
 
 jalia. 
 Blind, povua. 
 
 become blind, povuka. 
 Block, kingamisha, pinga. 
 Blossom,iosi maua (put forth flowers\ 
 
 funuka (to open). 
 Blow (as the wind), vuma, vuvia. 
 
 (with the mouth), puzia, puliza. 
 
 (a horn, &c.), piga zomari, &c. 
 
 (the nose), futa kamasi. 
 
 (bellows), vukuta. 
 Bloio away, peperusha. 
 Blunder, kosa. 
 Blunt. 
 
 The knife is blunt, kisu hakipati, 
 kisu ni kivivu (A,). 
 Blurt out, kokomoka. 
 Blush, geuka (change colour). 
 
 put to the blush, hizika. 
 Boast, jisifu, jigamba, tamba. 
 Boil (bubble up), che'mka, tutuma. 
 
 cook by boiling, tokosa. 
 
 be cooked by boiling, tokota. 
 
 be well boiled, tokoseka. 
 
 boil over, furika. 
 Bore through, zua, pekecha (med 
 also of boring with talk). 
 
 with an awl, didimikia. 
 Border, pakana. 
 be Born, zawa, vyawa, zaliwa, vya- 
 
 liwa, pathiwa. 
 Borrow, azimwa, kirithi. 
 Bother, sumbua, hatika (A.). 
 Boio, (act.) inamisba, (neut.) inama. 
 Box the ears, piga kofi. 
 Braise, kaanga. 
 Bray (like an ass), lia 
 
 pound in a mortar, pen da. 
 
 clean corn by pounding, twanga. 
 Break, vunja, vunda (M.), (neut.) 
 vunjika, katika.
 
 LIST OF VEBBS. 
 
 169 
 
 [Break'] through, toboa. 
 
 into fragments, setaseta. 
 
 by bending, ekua. 
 to be sprung, ekuka. 
 
 off the cobs of Indian com, goboa, 
 konyoa, 
 
 down the branches of a tree, kwa- 
 niia, pass, krwauyiika. 
 
 wind, Jamba, ongulia. 
 Breathe, pumua, puzia, tanafusi. 
 
 inspire, paaza, pumzi. 
 
 expire, shush a pumzi. 
 
 hard, kokota roho, tweta (panf). 
 
 breathe oneself (rest), pumzika. 
 Breed, zaa, lia (M.). 
 be Brilliant, ng'ara. 
 Bring, leta. 
 
 to or for, letea. 
 
 Bring up, lea. 
 
 Bring together, pambana. 
 
 Bring near, jougeza. 
 
 Bring to an agreement, pataui.slia. 
 
 Bring to life again, fufua, huisha. 
 
 Bring another! Na ije ngine ! 
 Brighten (act.), katua 
 
 be bright, katuka (polished),ug' si,ra, 
 (glistening). 
 Bruise, chubua. 
 
 be bruised, chubuka. 
 
 (batter), chubuachubua. 
 Brush (clean), sugua. 
 
 Brush off, epua. 
 Bubble up, che'mka, tutuma. 
 Bud, chupuza (spring), chanua (put 
 
 forth leaves), mea (grow). 
 Build, jenga. 
 
 in stone, aka. 
 
 to point by putting in small 
 stones, tomea. 
 
 (ships), unda. 
 Bully, onea. 
 be a Burden to, lemea. 
 
 Burn, waka (to be on fire), teketea 
 (to be consumed), washa (to set 
 on fire), teketeza (to consume), 
 choma or chomea (to apply fire 
 to), onguza (to produce a feeling 
 of burning, to scorch). 
 
 Burrow, fukuafukiia. 
 
 Burst, pasuka, tumbuka. 
 
 Burst out, bubujika. 
 
 Burst into tears, bubujika ma- 
 chozi. 
 
 Bury, zika. 
 
 Buy, nunua, zabuni. 
 Purchase for, nunulia. 
 Buy back, komboa. 
 
 Buzz, like a bee, vuma. 
 
 C. 
 Cackle, like a hen, tetea. 
 Call, ita, nena, taja (name), amkua 
 (invite), lingana (A.). 
 Call out to, pigia ukelele, pigia 
 
 ukemi Qler,). 
 Call for help, piga yowe. 
 Call to prayers, athini. 
 become Callous, faganza. 
 Calm, tuliza. 
 
 be very calm, zizima. 
 Can (kuweza, to be able). 
 Siwezi, I cannot, 
 Xaweza, I can. 
 Canter (of a horse), kwenka kwa 
 mghad; (of a donkey) kwenu'a 
 krwa thelth. 
 Capitulate, selimu, sellim. 
 Care (take care), angalia [ku-]wa 
 na hathari. 
 take care of, tunza. 
 consider, waza, tafakari. 
 be careless, [ku]wa mzembe, 
 I don't care, iiaithuru, mamoja 
 pia.
 
 170 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Carry, chukua. 
 
 for, chukiilia. 
 
 on a pole over the shoulder, chu- 
 kua mpikoni. 
 
 on the head or shoulders, pagaa. 
 
 a child on the hack, beba. 
 
 astride on the hip or hack, eleka. 
 in front or on the lap, pakata. 
 
 in a hundle or faggot, titika. 
 
 off as spoil, teka. 
 
 as cargo, pakia. 
 
 on freight, takabathi. 
 Carve wood, &c., kata nakshi, 
 
 chora (adorn with carving), 
 
 he carved, nakishiwa. 
 Cast, tupa. 
 
 upon or at, tupia. 
 
 a glance, tupa natbiri. 
 
 one's eyes, tupa macho. 
 
 (in a mould), ita. 
 
 off all shame, jipujua. 
 
 cast lots, piga or fanya kura. 
 Castrate, hasi. 
 Catch, daka, nyaka. 
 
 in a trap, nasa, tega. 
 
 fish, vua samaki. 
 
 put something to catch rain-water, 
 kinga mvua. 
 
 (see one who thinks himself unseen), 
 fathebi, gundua. 
 
 he in time to meet with, diriki. 
 Caulk, kalafati. 
 Cave in, pomoka. 
 Cease, koma. 
 
 make to cease, komesha. 
 
 talking, nyamaza. 
 
 (of pain), nyamaza. 
 Cense, fukiza (uudi, &c.). 
 he Certain about, kinika, tasawari. 
 Change, (act.) geusha, geuza, badili, 
 badilisha, (neut.) geuka, baJi- 
 lika. 
 
 he changeable, badilibadili, ba« 
 
 dilika. 
 change one^s mind about, gbairi. 
 change (a piece of money), vunja. 
 Charge (direct), agiza, sisitiza (M.). 
 Chase, win da, wiuga. 
 
 away, fukuza. 
 Chastise, atbibiL 
 Chatter, puza. 
 
 (of the teeth), tetemeka. 
 Cheapen, rakbisisha. 
 Cheat, danganya, hadaa, gbusubu. 
 he cheated, danganyika, hadaika. 
 Cheer, ondolea, huzuni. 
 Cheiv, tafuna. 
 
 Chirrup (as to a bird), fionya. Both 
 woid and thing are used in 
 Zanzibar to express contempt. 
 Choke (throttle), kaba, sama. 
 
 choke oneself with drink or spittle, 
 
 palia na mate, &c., &c. 
 irritate the throat, kereketa. 
 Choose, chagua, teua, khitari, penda, 
 toa (send). 
 as you choose, ikhtiari yako, upe- 
 nd a vyo. 
 Chop, chanja (cut up), chiuja or 
 (M.) tinda (cut), tema (slash), 
 chonga or tonga (cut to a point), 
 katakata (chop up small). 
 Circulate (intelligence), tangaza. 
 Circumcise, tahiri. 
 Claim, dai. 
 
 Cla}) the hands, piga makofi. 
 Clasp in the hand, shikana, kamara. 
 in the arms, kumbatia, kumba- 
 tiana. 
 Claw, papura. 
 
 Clean, takasa, fanya safi, safisha. 
 he clean, takata, safika, takasika. 
 clean corn by poxiuding, twaiiga. 
 clean a second time, pwaya.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 [Chaii] he quite clear of husks and 
 dirt, pwayika. 
 
 cotton, cloves, &c., chambiia. 
 
 cocoa-nuts from the husk, fua. 
 
 by scraping, paa. 
 
 cleanse hy ceremonial ablutions, 
 tohara. 
 
 clean out from within a shell, 
 komba. 
 
 clean out a man {get all his 
 money), komba. 
 
 be cleaned out (l)se all one's 
 money), kombekf.. 
 Cleanse. See Clean. 
 Clear. See Clean. 
 
 the sky is clear,Mw'mgu. umetakata. 
 
 (riiake clear or plain), eleza, yuza, 
 fafauua, fafaimlia. 
 
 (be clear), elea, fafanuka, fafanu- 
 kia. 
 
 ground in a forest, fieka mwitu. 
 Cleave, (split), pasua, chensa. 
 
 cleave to, gandama, ambatana. 
 Click, alika, (act.) alisha. 
 Climb, panda, kwea. 
 
 a tree, paraga. 
 Cling, ambata. 
 
 together, guiana, ambatana, fu- 
 ngamana, shikamana. 
 Clip, kata. 
 Close the eyes, &c., fuinba. 
 
 the fist, fumbata. 
 
 a door, shindika. 
 
 a hook, funika. 
 Clothe, vika. 
 Coagulate, gandamana. 
 Coax into, shawi:<lii. 
 Cock (a gun), panza mtambo. 
 Coddle, engaenga. 
 Cohabit with, ingiliza. 
 Cold. See Cool. 
 
 be very cold, zizima. 
 
 I have a cold in the head, siwezi 
 
 kamasi. 
 Collect, kusanya, jamaa, (neut.) ku« 
 
 sauyika, kutaua. 
 Comb, chana, chaiiia. 
 Come, ja, imp. njoo, pi. njooni. 
 by, for, to, &c., jia. 
 to a person on a business, jilia. 
 (arrive), fika, wasili. 
 out, toka. 
 in, ingia. 
 
 upon (meet with), knta. 
 n-ear, karibu, karibia, jongea, fi- 
 
 kilia. 
 Come near ! or Come in ! Karib ! 
 Come no further ! Koma usije ! 
 close to, wasili, wasilia. 
 together. See Assemble, 
 to life again, fufuka, hui. buika. 
 to an 671(7, isha, koma, tekeza. 
 he fully come (of time), wadia. 
 come to light, funuka, fumbuka. 
 come to nothing (of plants, fruity 
 
 &c.), fifia, pooza. 
 come apart, katika. 
 come out in a rash, tutuka, tutu- 
 
 mka, tutusika. 
 Comfort, fariji, tulizia roho (calm 
 
 the soul), ondolea huzimi (tak6 
 
 away grief). 
 Phrases used hy way of comfort- 
 ing .— 
 
 Slmkuru Mimngu, thank God. 
 
 Hemdi Mimngu, praise God. 
 
 Itoe buzimi, put aicay sorrow. 
 
 Usiwe na huzuni, don't grieve, 
 be comforted, farajika, shukura 
 
 Muuugu, pendezewa, tawakaii 
 
 (trust in God and take courage), 
 be Comfortable, tengenea. 
 
 I cannot be comfortable in the 
 
 house, nyumba hainiweki.
 
 172 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Command, a'mru, ambia (tell). 
 Commission, agiza. [amrisha. 
 
 Commit. See Adultery. 
 Compare, angalia kwamba ni sawa, 
 pambanisha (bring together), 
 pambanua (distinguish), linga- 
 nisha (match), fafanisha (make 
 like). 
 Compel, juburu, lazimisha. 
 Complete, timiza, timiliza, khati- 
 misha, maliza (finish), 
 complete one's education, hitimu. 
 he complete^ timia, timilia, isha 
 (end). 
 Comprehend. See Understand. 
 jua (know). 
 kutana (take in), 
 he comprehended in, ingia. 
 Conceal, setiri, ficha. 
 
 he concealed, stirika. 
 Concern, pasa. 
 Conciliate, patanisha. 
 Condemn, laani (damn). 
 Amefetiwa kuuawa, he was ad- 
 judged to he killed. 
 Imempasa kuuawa, he ought to he 
 killed. 
 Condescend, nenyekea. 
 Condole, iiaua (Join in a formal 
 
 mourning). 
 Conduct, peleka, leta, chukua. 
 Confess, kiri, ungama, lalama. 
 he Confident, turaaini. 
 
 have confidence, staamani. 
 Confide in, amini, tumania. 
 Confound, changanya (mix), batili 
 (annul), 
 he in Confusion, fathaika (of 
 persons), chafuka (of things). 
 Confuse, changanisha. 
 put into confusion, fatbehi, 
 hecome confused, fathaika. 
 
 Congeal, gandamana. 
 Congratulate, furahisha, shangilia. 
 Connect, fungamaua (tie together), 
 
 ungana, ungamana. 
 Conquer, shinda. 
 Consecrate, fanya wakf. 
 Consent, kubali, rithia, penda, ra- 
 
 thiana. 
 Consider, fikiri, tafakari, waza. 
 Console (see Comfort), tuliza, tulizia 
 
 roho. 
 Conspire, wafikana. 
 Construct, jenga, jenzi. 
 Consult, taka sbauri (ask advice), 
 
 fanya shaiiri (consult together). 
 Consume, la, teketeza (by fire), 
 he consumed, isha, lika, teketea 
 
 (hyfire). 
 Contain, chukua (contain as a hag 
 
 does rice), 
 he contained in, ingia, [ku-]\vamo, 
 
 'mna (it is contained in it). 
 Contend with, shindaua na, husumu. 
 Content, rithika. 
 
 he content, [ku-]wa rathi, kinayi 
 Continue, dumu, kaa, shinda (stay 
 
 at work, &c.). 
 make to continue, dumisha. 
 Contract, punguza (lessen), fupiza 
 
 (shorten), fanya ndogo (make 
 
 small), kaza (press together). 
 Contract, fanya sharti (make a con- 
 tract), fanya ubazazi (malce a 
 
 bargain). 
 Contradict, kanya wasa. 
 Control, a^/iabitisha, zuia. 
 Converse, zumgumza. 
 Convert, geuza, fanya. 
 Mwenyiezi Muungu amemwo- 
 
 ngoa, God has turned him from 
 
 Ms evil way. 
 to he converted, ongoka.
 
 LIST OF VEEBS. 
 
 173 
 
 Convince, f^ubutisba, tumainisha. 
 
 become convinced, tumaini. 
 Cook, pika, audaa. 
 
 cook with fat, kaanga, 
 
 cook without fat, oka. 
 
 cook muhogo cut into small pieces, 
 pwaza. 
 
 to become cooked enough, iva. 
 Cool, (neut.) poa, poroa, (^act.) poza 
 (to cool by pouring backward 
 and forward), zimua (cool hot 
 water by pouring in cold). 
 Copulate, jami, tomba (vulgar). 
 
 for the first time, baviki. 
 Copy, nakili, fanya nakl. 
 
 copy from, twaa ya. 
 Correct, sahihi, sahihisha, rudi. 
 Correspond (write to one another), 
 
 andikiana. 
 Corrupt, haribu. 
 
 go bad, oza, haribika. 
 Cost, wakifu, simama. 
 
 cost to, wakifia, simamiei. 
 Cough, kohoa. 
 
 Count, hesabu, wanga (]\Ier.), ha- 
 Cover, fuuika, setiri. [zibu. 
 
 as with a flood, funizika. 
 
 cover, with leaves, put into embers, 
 &c.), vumbika. 
 
 be covered, stirika. 
 Covet, tamani. 
 Crack, tia ufa. 
 
 as the earth does in dry weather, 
 atuka. 
 
 become cracked, ufa. 
 Crash, fanya kishindo. 
 Craicl, tambaa. 
 be Crazy, zulu. 
 Crease, kunjia. 
 
 be creased, kunjika. 
 Create, umba. 
 
 be created, hulukiwa. 
 
 Creep, tambaa. 
 
 Crinlde up, finyana. 
 
 be Crooked, potoka, komboka. 
 
 Cross (lie across), pandana. 
 
 (cross a river), vuka, kweuda 
 ng'ainbo ya pili. 
 
 (cross a room), kwenda upande 
 wa pili. 
 
 get cross, vima. 
 
 be cross at having anything to do, 
 kimwa. 
 Crow, wika. 
 
 Crucify, sulibi, sulibisha. 
 Cruize, viiijari. 
 
 Crumble, (act.) fikicha, (neut.) fu- 
 Crush, seta, ponda. [jika. 
 
 crush and bruise one another, 
 pondekana. 
 
 crush up, setaseta. 
 
 crush in, (act.) bonyesha, (neut.) 
 bonyeka. 
 Cry, lia. 
 
 cry about, lilia. 
 
 cry out at, pigia, ukelele, karipia. 
 
 cry for help, piga yowe. 
 
 cry for mercy, lalama. 
 Cultivate, lima. 
 Cup, umika. 
 Curdle, gandamana. 
 
 curdled milk, maziwa mabiYU. 
 Cure, ponya, poza, ponyesha. 
 
 make better, fanya ashekali. 
 
 be cured, poa, pona. 
 
 cure fish, &c., ng'onda. 
 Curse, laaui, tukana. 
 Cut, kata. 
 
 cut obliquely, kata hanamu. 
 
 vut for, cut out for, katia. 
 
 cut up, chanja, chenga 
 
 cut to shreds, pasukapasuka. 
 
 be cut off from one another, ti- 
 ndikiana.
 
 174 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Dab, chachaga. 
 Damage, baribu. 
 Damn, laani, laanisha. 
 Dance, cheza. 
 
 dance for joy, randa. 
 Dare, fftubutu, weza, jasirisha. 
 Darken, tia giza. 
 Darn, tililia. 
 Dash, cbupia. 
 Daub, paka. 
 Dawn. 
 
 kuna kweupe, to be grey dawn. 
 
 pambazuka or pambauka, become 
 ligld. 
 Dazzle, choma. 
 
 the eyes are dazzled, macho yame- 
 fanya kiwi. 
 Deal in (trade in), fanya biashara 
 ya, &c. 
 
 Deal cards, gawa karata. 
 Decay, haribika, oza. 
 Decease, faviki. 
 Deceive, danganya, padaa. 
 
 deceive by promises, ongofya. 
 
 be deceived, hadaika. 
 Decide, kata maneno. 
 Deck out, hamba. 
 Declare, thihirisba, yuza. 
 Decoy, patia or twalia kwa che- 
 
 revu. 
 Decrease, pungua, punguza, pu- 
 
 nguka. 
 Dedicate, fanya or wekea wakf. 
 Defeat, vunja, kimbiza (put to 
 flight). 
 
 to be defeated, vunjika, kimbia. 
 Defend, linda. 
 
 guard oneself, kinga. 
 Deflower, bikiri, vunja ungo. 
 Defraud, thalimu. 
 Deign, kubaii, nenyekea. 
 
 Delay, (neut.) kawia, kawa, fawiti 
 
 (act.) weka, kawisha. 
 be Delirious, papayuka. 
 Deliver, okoa, viia, toa. 
 
 be delivered, vuka, okoka. 
 Demand, taka. 
 
 demand in marriage, posa. 
 Demolish, vunja, haribu. 
 Deny, kana, kanisha. 
 
 deny to a person, nyima, hinl 
 
 (refuse), kataa. 
 
 deny all credence to, katalia. 
 Depart, ondoka, toka, enda zangu, 
 zako, &c. 
 
 Depart from me! Ondoka mbele 
 yangu ! 
 
 depart from (be alienated from\ 
 farakana. 
 Depend upon, [ku-]"wa na. 
 
 Kunaye, depending upon Mm. 
 
 fungamana na, be connected with. 
 
 fuata, be a dependant. 
 
 tuDgikwa, hang from. 
 Depose, uzulu, uzulia. 
 Depreciate (act), khashifu, umbua. 
 Deprive of, twalia. 
 Deride, cheka, chekea, kufuru, 
 
 fanyizia mzaha. 
 Descend, shuka. 
 
 Describe, andika, fafanulia (by liken- 
 ing), pambanulia (by distin' 
 Desert, acha, hujuru. \jguishing. 
 Deserve, stahili. 
 
 deserve ivell of, fathili. 
 Desire, taka, ipa, tamani (long for), 
 
 penda (like). 
 Desolate, vunja, haribu. 
 Despair, kata tamaa. 
 Despise, tweza, tharau (pass. Iha- 
 
 rauliwa), hakirisha. 
 Destroy, haribu, vunja. 
 
 be destroyed, haiibika, vunjika.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 175 
 
 Detain, kawislia, weka. 
 
 Deter, kataza, zuia. 
 
 Determine, yakinia, azimu, kaza. 
 
 determine a matter, kata maneno. 
 Devise, fanya shauri. 
 Die, fa, fakiri, ondoka katika uli- 
 mwengu, toweka (A.), tekeza. 
 make to die, fislia. 
 lose by death, fiwa na. 
 Dig, chimba. 
 
 dig out or away, chimbua. 
 fiiktia, cut a small hole fit to 
 receive a post. 
 Dignify, tukuza. 
 
 become dignified, or be raised to 
 dignity, tukuka. 
 Dilute, tia maji. 
 Dim, tia giza. 
 
 Diminish, (neut.) pungna, punguka, 
 
 tilifika, (^act.), punguza, tilifi- 
 
 Dip, chovya. [sha. 
 
 dip and leave in, choveka. 
 Direct, agiza {commission), ambia 
 (tell), amuru (order), fundisha 
 (instruct), vusha (put into the 
 right way). 
 Disagree, gombana, tetana. 
 Disappear, toweka. 
 
 (as a scar, &c.), fifia. 
 Disarrange, chafua. 
 Discharge from an obligation, feleti. 
 Discover, vumbua. 
 Discriminate, pambanua. 
 Disemboicel, tumbua, tumbuza. 
 Disgrace, aibislia, hizika. 
 
 be disgraced, aibika. 
 Disgust, chukiza. 
 
 be disgusted, chukiwa. 
 Dish up, pakua. 
 
 Tf7tew you idsh a meal to be served 
 you should say, not pakua, but 
 lete cLakula. 
 
 Dislocate, teuka. 
 Disquiet, fatljaisha. 
 
 be disquieted, fatliaika. 
 Dismiss, likiza, ondoa. 
 be dismissed, tolewa. 
 Disobey, asL 
 
 Disorder (put things in disorder), 
 chafua. 
 put an army in disorder, fathaislia. 
 be in disorder or dishabille, clia- 
 
 fuka. 
 be all in disorder, chafukachafuka. 
 Dissipate, tampanyatapauya. 
 Distinguish, pambanua. 
 Distort, popotoa. 
 
 Distress (put in low spirits), kefya- 
 kefya. 
 he in distress, thii. 
 Distribute, gawanya. 
 Disturb. 
 
 DonH disturb yourself! Starehe! 
 Disunite, farakislia. 
 
 be disunited, epukana, farakia-.ia. 
 acbana. 
 Dive, zama. 
 Divide, tenga, gawa, gawanya, kata, 
 
 hussu. 
 Divorce, acha, tokana, tangua udoa. 
 Do, fanya, tenda. 
 
 I have done nothing, sikufanyu 
 
 neno. 
 He has done nothing at all, haku- 
 
 fanya lo lote. 
 be done ar doable, tendeka. 
 do (be of use), faa. 
 
 It won't do, haifai. 
 do anything slowly and carefully, 
 
 kototeza. 
 do wanton violence, husudu, fanya 
 
 jeuri, 
 he done (finished), isba. 
 be done (coohtd), iva.
 
 ITG 
 
 SWAHILl HANDBOOK. 
 
 Bote, piswa. 
 Double, rudufya. 
 
 Dovht, fdixxya. tashwishi [ku-]wa na 
 shaka. 
 
 There is no doubt, hapana shaka. 
 Doze, sinzia. 
 
 wake up suddenly from a doze, 
 zinduka, ziudukana. 
 Drag, kokota, burura (JwmI along). 
 
 drag out of one^s hand, chopoa, 
 kopoa. 
 Drain out, cliurukiza, churuzika. 
 Draw, vuta. 
 
 Draw water, teka maji. 
 
 Draw together, kunyata. 
 
 Draw near, karibu, karibia, kari- 
 biana. 
 
 Draw a line, piga mstari. 
 
 Draw out nails, &c., kongoa. 
 
 Draw breath, taiiafusi. 
 
 Draw in the breath, paaza pumzi. 
 
 Draw up the earth round growing 
 crops, palilia. 
 
 Draw the end of the loin cloth 
 between the legs and tuck it in, 
 piga uwinda. 
 Dread, ogopa, ogopa muo. 
 Dream, ota. 
 Dress, vika. 
 
 Dress in, vaa, jitia. 
 
 Dress up, pamba, jipotoa. 
 
 Dress ship, pamba inerikebu. 
 
 Dress vegetables for the market, 
 chambua. 
 Drift, chukuliwa. 
 
 Drink, nwa, or ny wa ; pass, nwewa. 
 Drip, tona. 
 Drive, ongoza (lead, conduct), cbu- 
 
 nga (as a shepherd), fukuza 
 
 (drive away), fukuzia (drive away 
 
 from), kimbizia (make to run 
 
 away from). 
 
 Drop (doivn), (neut.) anguka, (act.) 
 angusha. 
 into, (neut.) tumbukia, (act.) tiim- 
 
 bukiza. 
 (like leaves in autumn), pukutika. 
 (fall in drops), tona. 
 drop from, little by little, dondoka. 
 Drown (act.) tosa, (neut.) tota, fa 
 
 maji. 
 he Drunken, lewa. 
 
 Dry, (neut.) kauka, nyauka, (act.) 
 kausha. 
 become dry hy tvater leaving it, 
 
 pwa, pwea, pwewa. 
 be left high and dry, pweleka. 
 put out to dry, auika. 
 dry or cure fish, ng'onda. 
 Dupe, danganya. 
 Dust, futa vumbi. 
 Dwell, kaa, kaa kitako, keti (M.). 
 Dwindle, kunjana, pimguka, anga- 
 
 mia (go down in the world). 
 Dye, tia rangi. 
 
 kutona hina, to lay on henna so 
 as to dye the part red. 
 
 E. 
 
 Earn, pata. 
 
 Ease, fariji, sterehisha. 
 become easy, farajika. 
 Ease oneself, kunya. 
 Eat, la. 
 
 in, with, for, &c., lia. 
 
 be eaten or eatable, lika. 
 
 have eat&n enough, shiba. 
 
 eat at the expense of each one in 
 
 turn, la kikoa. 
 eat where each contributes some- 
 thing to the feast, la kwa ku- 
 chaiiga. 
 eat all the food away from others, 
 ima.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 Ill 
 
 Ametuirna, he has eaten it all up 
 
 before ice came, 
 overeat oneself, vimbiwa. 
 make a person eat too much, 
 
 vimbisha. 
 eat without hounds, papia. 
 eat over voraciously, la kwa pupa. 
 Ebb, pwa. 
 be Eclipsed, patwa. 
 Educate, funda, fundisba, alimisha, 
 
 adibu, or tia adabu (teach good 
 
 manners), lea (bring up). 
 Elongate, ongeza urefu. 
 Embalm, tia madawa asioze. 
 Embarh, panda (go on board), ta- 
 
 hassa (go on board with the 
 
 intention of sailing). 
 Embrace, pambaja, kumbatia, ku- 
 
 mbatiana. 
 Embroil, tia matata. 
 Emerge, zuka. 
 
 Employ, tuma (send about), tumia 
 ■ (make use of), tumika (be 
 
 employed). 
 Empty out, mwaga, mwaya. 
 Enable, wezesba, jalia. 
 Encamp, tua (put down loads). 
 Encourage, tia moyo, ^/iMbutislia. 
 End, (neut.) isba, koma, (act.) mali- 
 
 za, komesha, kbatimisha. 
 Endow with, wekea wakf. 
 Endure, ishi (last), vumilia (bear 
 
 with), stabimili. 
 Enervate, tboofisha. 
 Engage, afikana, twaa, fanya sharti. 
 Engender, zaa, vyaa. 
 Enjoy, furahi, ona raba, furabiwa na. 
 Enlarge, ongcza, zidisba. 
 Enlist (act.), tia asikari. 
 be Enough, tosba, toshelea. 
 It is enough, bassi. 
 have had enough food, sbiba. 
 
 Enquire, uliza (ash), huji (enqu ? 
 
 fn/o), bakiki (make sttre about), 
 
 ulizia (enquire on account of). 
 Enrage, ghatbabisba. 
 
 be enraged, gbatbabika. 
 Enrich, pa utajiii. 
 Enslave, tia utumwanL 
 Ensnare, tega. 
 Entangle, tia matata. 
 Enter, ingia. 
 Entice, vuta kwa cberevu, twaa kwa 
 
 werevu. 
 Entreat, omba, sibi, nasibi. 
 Entrust, wekea amana, amini mtu 
 
 na kitu. 
 be equal to (an undertaking, &c.), 
 
 weza. 
 Equalize, sawanisba, sawazisba, 
 
 faiiya sawasawa, linganisba (by 
 
 measurement). 
 Erect, simikisba. 
 Err, kosa, kwenda bapa na bapa 
 
 (wander). 
 Escape, okoka (Jbe delivered), pona 
 
 (to get well), vuka (to get across), 
 
 kimbia (run away), fiatuka (to 
 
 escape as a spring, to get free). 
 Establish, tengezeka (?). 
 Estimate, kadiri, kisi. 
 Evaporate, nwewa. 
 Exalt, inua (lift), tukuza, atbiraisha. 
 be exalted (great), tukuka, athi- 
 
 mika. 
 Examine, onja (taste), tafiti, fatiislii, 
 
 sa}dli (by questions). 
 Exceed, pita. 
 Excel, pita. 
 Except, toa, tosba. 
 Exchange, ba lili. 
 Excite, tabarrakisba, fitini. 
 
 be excited, bangaika. 
 Excuse, utburu. samebe (pardon). 
 N
 
 178 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Exercise, zoea. 
 
 exercise auihority over, hukumu. 
 Exert oneself, fanya juhudi, jitahidi. 
 E.rhort, onya, nabihisba. 
 Exorcise by music, &c., punga. 
 Expand, tanua, kunjua (unfold), 
 
 zidi (increase), I'unuka or 
 
 kunduka (become open). 
 Expect, ngoja, ngojea, tumaiui. 
 Expel, toa, fukuza. 
 
 expel an evil spirit by music, &c., 
 
 punga pepo. 
 Expend upon, be at the expense of, 
 
 gbaiimia. 
 Explain, eleza, pambanua, fasiri, 
 
 tafsiri, fumbulia, pambanulia 
 
 (explain to), tambulisha (make 
 
 to recognise). 
 Explode, pasuka (burst), waka 
 
 (blaze). 
 Explore, fatiislii, jasisi, angalia. 
 Export, toa. 
 Express, tbahiri, baini. 
 
 (press out), kamua. 
 Extend, (act.) nyosha, (neut.) fika 
 
 (reach to), kunjuka, euea (be 
 
 spread over). 
 Exterminate, ng'oa pia yote (root up 
 
 utterly). 
 Extinguish, zima, zimia. 
 
 to go out, zimika. 
 Extort, pokonya. 
 Exiol, sifu. 
 Extricate from, toa na, namua 
 
 (Mer.). 
 Exult, furahi. 
 
 F. 
 
 Fade, fa, kaiika, fifia (pine away), 
 pukutika (wither and drop), 
 thoofika (groio weak and thin). 
 
 Fail, punguka. 
 
 Faint, zimia roho. 
 Fall, anguka. 
 fall like rain, nya. 
 
 cause rain to fall, nyesha, 
 fall into, tumbukia. 
 let fall into, tumbukiza. 
 fall flat on the ground, lala incliL 
 fall in (cave in), pomoka. 
 fall short, punguka, tindika (A,), 
 fall sick, ugua, 
 Falter, shangbaa, sita. 
 Fan, pepea. 
 Fancy, kumbuka, fikiri. 
 
 fancy oneself, jiona. 
 Fast, funga. 
 break a fast, or eat after a fa sty 
 futuru. 
 Fasten, funga. 
 Fatten (get fat), nona (of animals), 
 
 nenepa (of men). 
 Fatigue, chosha, taabisba. 
 
 be fatigued, choka, taabika. 
 Favour, pendelea. 
 Fear, ogopa, cha (A.), [kii-Jwa na 
 khofu. 
 be fearless, peketeka. 
 Feast, kerimu. 
 Feed, lis ha. 
 
 cause to be fed, lishisba. 
 put morsels into a friend's mouth, 
 rai. 
 Feel, ona (perceive), papasa (touch). 
 Feign, ji fanya. 
 Fell, kata. 
 Fence, fanya ua. 
 Fend off a boat, tanua mashua. 
 Ferment, cbacha. 
 
 Ferry over, vusha, vukisha, abirisha. 
 Fetch, leta. 
 Fight, pigana. 
 set on to fight, piganisha, pigani- 
 shaua.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 179 
 
 Fill, jaza. 
 fill in [a hole], fukia. 
 beconi* full, jaa. The passive is 
 
 used for heiny filled with some 
 
 extraneous substance. Mtungi 
 
 umejaa maji, the jar is full of 
 
 water, hut, maji yamejawa na 
 
 dudu, the water is full of 
 
 insects. 
 he half full (by remaining), shi- 
 
 nda, maji yashinda ya mtungi, 
 
 the jar is half full of water. 
 Jill up, jaliza. 
 fill with food, shibisha. 
 to be full, to have had enough, 
 
 sMba. 
 Find, ona, zumbua, vumbua, pata, 
 
 kuta. 
 be to be found, ziunbukana, pati- 
 
 kana. 
 find out in a trick, fathehi, 
 
 gundua. 
 he found out, fetheheka. 
 find fault with, tia liatiyani. 
 Finish, (act.) maliza, (neut.) isha, 
 
 koma. 
 finish off, tengeneza, tengeleza. 
 finish ajmirney, koma. 
 finish a scholar, bitimisha. 
 Fire (set on fire), tia moto, wasba 
 
 moto. 
 (apply fire to in any icay), choma. 
 a gun, &c., piga buuduki, &c. 
 Fish, vua samaki. 
 
 fii^h a spar, &c., ganga, tia gango. 
 Fit, faa (do well). 
 Ni kiassi changu kama nalika- 
 
 tiwa mimi, it fits as though it 
 
 had been made for me. 
 Fix, kaza. 
 
 fix the eyes upon, kodolea. 
 Flame, Avaka, toa ndimi za moto. 
 
 Flap, piga 
 
 maJce a sail flap by going too near 
 the wind, pigiza tauga. 
 Flash (lighten), piga umeme. 
 Flatten, tandaza. 
 Flatter, sifu, sifu mno, jipendekeza 
 
 (ingratiate oneself with). 
 Flavour, to get the right flavour 
 Flay, chuna, tuna (M.). [kolea^ 
 
 lose the skin, chunika, tunika ( M. ). 
 Flee, kimbia. 
 
 he Flexible, pindana, [ku-]wa laini. 
 Flicker, sinzia. 
 Flinch, jikunja, ruka. 
 Fling, tupa. 
 Float, elea, ogolea. 
 Flog, piga. 
 
 J'ZoofZ, gharikisba,furika,tawanyika, 
 funikiza. 
 
 he flooded, gliariki. 
 Flourish, sitawi, fana, fanikiwa. 
 
 malie to flourish, sitawisha. 
 Flow, pita (flow by), toka (flow 
 out), bubujika (to burst and 
 bubble out). 
 Flower, toa mana. 
 Hurry, zulisha. 
 Flutter, papatika. 
 Fly, ruka. 
 
 fly off, punika. 
 Fold, kunja. 
 
 fold together, kimjana. 
 
 fold in the arms, kiunbatisL 
 Folloto, fuata, andama (M.). 
 
 follow a pattern, oleza. 
 become Foolish, pumbazika. 
 Forbid, gombeza, kataza. 
 Force (see Compjel), tia nguvu. la- 
 zimisba. 
 
 He was forced to ao, alikwenda 
 kwa nguvu. 
 
 Force open, pepefua. 
 
 xN 2
 
 180 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Foretell, agua, ial3iri, bashiri. 
 
 How has this year been iwedicted 
 o/? Mwaka huu umeaguli- 
 waje ? 
 Forfeit, lazimishwa. 
 
 he forfeited hy, potea. 
 Forge iron, &c., fua chuma, &c. 
 
 weld on a new point or edge, tam- 
 buza. 
 Forget, sahau. 
 
 he forgotten, sahauliwa. 
 Forgive, samehe, acbilia, mwafa. 
 
 Forgive me, niwie ratbi. 
 Forsake, acha. 
 
 Fortify, tia boma {put a rampart). 
 Foster, lea, lisba. 
 
 Free {from slavery), weka or acba 
 burn. 
 
 {from prison), acba, fungiia. 
 
 he set free {from prison), tokana. 
 Freeze, ganda, gandamana. 
 Freight. 
 
 pay freight for, takabatbisba. 
 
 carry on freight, takabatbi. 
 Frighten, ogofya, tia kbofu, ogo- 
 fisba, khofisba, tisba. 
 
 hecome frightened, ingiwa Da 
 kbofu. 
 
 startle, stusba, kutusba. 
 Front, kabili, lekea. 
 
 put in front of, lekeza. 
 Froivn, kunja uso, kunja vipaji. 
 
 He has a frowning face, uso una- 
 kunjamana. 
 Frustrate, batili, vunja. 
 Fry, kaanga. 
 Fulfil, timiza, timib'za. 
 
 fulfil a promise, fikiliza abadi 
 Furl sails, kunja matanga. 
 Furnish a house, paniLa uyumba. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gain, pata, pata fayida. 
 
 Gallop, piga mbio. 
 
 Gape, piga nyayo, funua kinwa. 
 
 Garble copal, &c., cbagua sanda- 
 
 rusi, &c. 
 Gather {fruit), cbuma 
 into a heap, zoa. 
 together {act.), kusanya, kutani- 
 
 sba, jamaa, jamiisba. 
 together {neuL), kusanyika, kuta- 
 
 nika. 
 upi into a small space, finyana. 
 oneself up for an e^orf , jitutumua. 
 little by little, lumbika. 
 up one's courage, piga moyo 
 konde. 
 Geld, basi. 
 be Genial {good-humoured and 
 
 merry), cbanga'mka. 
 Get, pata. 
 get better, pona. 
 get a little better, [ku-]wa asbe- 
 
 kali. 
 get drunh, lewa, jilevya. 
 get dry, kauka. 
 get fire by working one stick 
 
 against another, pekecba 
 get for, patia. 
 
 get foul of one another, pambana. 
 get goods on credit in order to 
 
 trade with them, kopa. 
 get into, ingia. 
 get into a well, a scrape, &c., {act.) 
 
 tumbukiza, {neut.) tumbukia. 
 get into a passion {neut.), ingiwa 
 
 na gbatbabu or hasira. 
 get into a quarrel {act), vumbilia 
 
 vita. 
 get {seeds'] into the ground, vu- 
 
 nibikia, 
 get mouldy, fanya ukungu.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 181 
 
 get out, toka. 
 
 get out of the icay, jitenga. 
 Out of the icay ! Similla ! 
 get out of one's sight, tokomea. 
 get palm wine, gema. 
 get ripe, iva. 
 
 get thin and watery, poroa. 
 get through, (neut.) penya, (act.) 
 
 penyesha. 
 get up, ondoka. 
 
 rise to (a person), ondokea. 
 get up or upon, panda. 
 get loell, pona, poa. 
 he Giddy, levyalevya. 
 Gild, chovya. 
 Give (a thing), toa. 
 (to a person), pa, ptass. pewa, to 
 
 receive, 
 give a complaint to, ambukiza. 
 give a taste, an inlding, or a little 
 
 specimen, dokeza. 
 give back, rudisha. 
 give into the hand, kabithi. 
 give leave to, pa ruksa or ruhusa, 
 
 rukhusu. 
 give light to, tia mwangaza. 
 give mutual gifts, pana. 
 give presents to, tuuza, tunukia. 
 give rations to, posba. 
 give room or space, naiisisba. 
 give to drink to, nywtsha. 
 give to eat to, lisba. 
 give trouble, taabislia, fanya inda, 
 
 sumbua. 
 give way under one, bonyea. 
 Give way (row) ! Vuta ! 
 Glance, nathiri, tupa macho or na- 
 tbari (cast the eyes or a glance). 
 Glare at, ng'arisa. 
 Gleam, mulika, ng'ara. 
 Glide, tii-irika, teleza. 
 Glisten, zagaa. 
 
 Glitter, metameta, mekameka, me* 
 
 rimeta, mulika. 
 Glorify, tukuza, sifu. 
 Glow, ng'ara. 
 Gnaw, guguna. 
 Go, enda, enenda. 
 you can go, ruksa. 
 go after or for, endea. 
 
 (follow), fuata. 
 go alongside, pambana. 
 go ashore (of a ship), panda. 
 he left high and dry, pweleka, 
 pwe-^a na maji. 
 go ashore (of a person), shuka. 
 go away, enda zangu, zako, zake, 
 zetu, zenu, zao, according to 
 the person. 
 toka ondoka. 
 go away from, acha, toka. 
 go hack, rudi, regea. 
 go hackward, endelea njnima. 
 go had, oza. 
 go hefore, tangulia. 
 go hefore a judge, enda kwa 
 
 kathi. 
 go hehind, fuata. 
 go hy, pita. 
 
 go crooked, patoa, potoka. 
 go forward, endelea mbele. 
 go free, toka. 
 go into, ingia. 
 go marketing, enda sokoni. 
 go of (like a spring), fiatuka. 
 go on (not to stop), fuliza, luza, 
 
 fululiza. 
 go on (with a work), shinda. 
 go on hoard, panda. 
 go on hoard in order to sail, ta- 
 
 go on uoith hy turns, pokezana. 
 go out, toka. 
 
 (like a candle), zimika.
 
 182 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 He has gone out for the day, 
 amekwenda sliinda. 
 go over, viika. 
 go past, pita. 
 go quicTdy down a steep place, 
 
 tele'mka. 
 go running, enda mbio. 
 go to expense about or upon, gha- 
 
 rimia. 
 go to meet, laki. 
 go to meet icith shouting and joy, 
 
 shangilia. 
 go to law with, teta. 
 go up (neut.), paa. 
 (act.) kwca, panda. 
 be Good of its hind, fana. 
 Gore, piga pembe. 
 Govern, tawala, miliki. 
 Grant to, pa, jalia, ruzuku. 
 Grapple, kamatana, shikana. 
 Grasp, shika, fumbata. 
 Grate, paruga, pamza. 
 Graze, paruga, kwaruza. 
 
 graze one another, paruzana. 
 
 become Great (of a person , tukuka. 
 
 become great to or hard for, kulia. 
 
 be Greedy, [ku-]wa na rolio or 
 
 choyo, fanya tamaa (6e greedy 
 
 for). 
 
 Greet, salimu, salimia, amkua, ba- 
 
 rikia. 
 Grieve, (act.) sikitisha, tia huztmi. 
 
 (neut.) sikitika, ingiwa na huzimi. 
 Grin, toa meno. 
 Grind, saga. 
 
 grind coarsely, paaza. 
 Groan, ugua. 
 
 groan at, zomea. 
 Gro^pe, papasa. 
 
 Grow, ota, (o/_pZa7i<s),kua (tobecome 
 large), mea (of plants, to grow 
 or he growaUe). 
 
 What is to be groivn here ? Kili- 
 mo cha nini ? 
 
 grow to its full size, pea. 
 
 become full-groicn, pevuka, komaa. 
 
 grow up quichly, vnvumka. 
 
 not to grow (of seeds), fifia. 
 
 grow large enough to bear fruit, 
 auka. 
 
 grow fat, nenepa (of persons), 
 nona (of animals). 
 
 grow thin and lean, konda. 
 
 groiv larger, kua, kitbiri. 
 
 grow less, pungua, tilifika, 
 
 make to grow large, kuza. 
 Growl, ngurnma. 
 Grudge, bini. 
 
 grudge at, hnsudu. 
 Grumble, nung'unika. 
 Grunt, guna. 
 Guarantee payment of a debt, ba- 
 
 a residt, tadariki. [will. 
 
 Guard, linda, tunza, bami, ngojea. 
 
 guard oneself against a blow, 
 kinga. 
 Guess, babatisba, kisi, thani. 
 Guide, onyesba njia (show the way), 
 
 peleka (tahe). 
 Crulp, gugumiza. 
 
 gulp down, ak'ia. » 
 
 Halt, tna (put down burdens), si- 
 mama (stand), sita (go lame, or 
 to stop), cbecbemea {to put one 
 foot only flat on the ground). 
 
 Hammer, gongomea (hammer in), 
 fua pass, fuawa (beat as with a 
 sledge-hammer). 
 
 Hang, angika (as against a wall), 
 tungika (be suspended), tu- 
 ndika, aliki. 
 (strangle), nyonga, songa.
 
 LIST OF VEBBS. 
 
 183 
 
 Happen, tiikia. 
 
 Which happened to him, Idlicho- 
 mpata. 
 Harass, surabua, uthi, utliia, clio- 
 koza, siimbusha. 
 be harassed, sumbuka, uthika. 
 Harm, thuru, liasara. 
 
 No harm 1 Haithuru ! 
 Harpoon, paga. 
 Hasten, (act.) harakisha, himiza. 
 
 (iieut.~) fanya hima, liaraka. 
 Hatch, ongua, zaliwa, onguliwa (he 
 hatched), angua (break the 
 shell). 
 Hate, chukia, buothu, zira (M.). 
 Have, [ku-]wa na (see p. loi). 
 (possess), miliki. 
 on hoard, pakia. 
 power over, weza. 
 in one's debt, wia. 
 To have things done for one, is 
 expressed hy the passive of the 
 applied form (see p. 161). 
 Hatch about, tembeza. 
 Heal, poza. 
 
 he healed, poa, pona, ongoka. 
 Heap tip, kusanya, fanya fungtu 
 Hear, sikia, pulika (A.). 
 
 hear one another, sikilizana, pu- 
 
 likana. 
 he to he heard, sikilikana. 
 Hearhen, sikiliza, pulika. 
 Heat (get hot), pata moto. See 
 
 Warm. 
 Heave the log, tia batli. 
 he Heavy. See Wrigh doicn. 
 Help, sayidia, aimi. 
 Hem, knnga. 
 
 Hesitate, shangaa, sita, ingiwa na 
 shaka (get into doubt), 
 in spealdng, babaika. 
 Hide, ficha, settiri, sita (A.). 
 
 You have hid the cap from me, 
 
 umenifieha kofia. 
 You have hid my cap, umenifi- 
 cbia kofia. 
 Hinder, zuia, pinga, fawiti. 
 Hint, dokeza. 
 
 Hire, ajiri, panga (to rent). 
 Hit, piga, pata. 
 
 tcith a spear or arrow, furaa. 
 Hoard, weka, weka akiba. 
 be Hoarse, pwelewa sauti. 
 
 I am hoarse, sauti imenipwea. 
 Hoe, lima. 
 hoe up, palia. 
 
 oause to he hoed, palililiza. 
 Hoist, tweka. 
 
 Hold, sbika, kamata, fumbata 
 (grasp), zuia (hold in), zuilia 
 (hold off from), 
 hold in the mouth, vuata. 
 hold one's clothes or hands be- 
 tween one's knees, fiata. 
 hold a public audience, or council, 
 
 barizl. 
 hold up (not to rain), anuka. 
 hold in contempt. See Scorn. 
 Hollow out, fukua. 
 Honour, heshimu, pa heshima, 
 
 jali. 
 Hop, rukaruka. 
 
 Hope, taraja, tumaini (feel con- 
 fident). 
 I hope, robo yatumai. 
 Humble, tbili, bakiri. 
 
 he humble, nenyekea. 
 Hunger, [ku-]wa na njaa. 
 
 be ravenously hungry, rapa, lapa. 
 I am very hungry, njaa iuauiu- 
 ma. 
 Hunt, winda, winga. saka. 
 Hvrry, liaraka, bimiza. 
 Hurt, luna, umia, umiza.
 
 184 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Eush {Indian ^>rn), menya, ambua 
 (M.). 
 (cocoa-nuts), fua. 
 (or shell), papatua. 
 
 he III or unicell. Illness is expressed 
 by the use of the negative present 
 of the verb kuweza, to be able. 
 Siwe2i, I am ill. Hawezi, he is 
 ill, &c. Nalikuwa siwezi, I 
 was ill. Alikuwa hawezi, he 
 was ill, &c. 
 I have been ill for two monihsi 
 siwezi yapata miezi miwili. 
 
 Imitate, oleza, iga, fuata. 
 
 Immerse, zamisha, chofya. 
 
 Implore, pembeleza. 
 
 he Impossible, toa kufanyika. 
 It is impossible, haiyamkini. 
 
 Imprecate against, apiza. 
 
 Imprison, tia gerezani, funga. 
 
 Improve, tengeleza, sililii, sitawisha. 
 
 recline, (neut.) inama, (act.) ina- 
 misha. 
 incline to (like), penda. 
 
 Increase, (act.) ongeza, zidislia. 
 (neut.) ongezeka, zidi, kitliiri. 
 
 be Indebted to, wiwa na. 
 
 Indulge in, zoeza, jizoeza. 
 
 Infect, ambukiza. 
 
 Inform, arifu, hubiri, pa habari. 
 In letter-writing arifu is alicays 
 employed, on other occasions 
 kupata or kuwa na habari is 
 generally used for to be in- 
 formed, and ambia (tell) for to 
 inform. 
 
 Ingratiate oneself, jipendekeza. 
 
 Inhabit, kaa, keti. 
 
 Inherit, xiihi. 
 
 Injure, hasira, hasiri, hasirisha 
 be injured, hasirika. 
 
 Innovate, zua. 
 
 be Inquisitive, tafiti. 
 
 Inspect, kagiia. 
 
 Instruct, fundislia, funza, elemisha. 
 
 Insult, shitumu, tukana, chokoza. 
 
 Intend, kusudia (purpose), azimu or 
 azimia, or yakinia (resolve), 
 nia, or ania, or nuia (Jiave in 
 one's mind). 
 
 Inter, zika. 
 
 Intercede for, ombea. 
 
 Interpret, fasiri, tafsiri. 
 
 Interrupt, znia, kutiza, hanikiza, 
 uthia (bother). 
 
 Intoxicate, levya. 
 
 become intoxicated, lewa. 
 
 Intrude, fumania. 
 
 Going into another person's house 
 for an unlaivful purpose (ku- 
 fisidi), or without lawful pmr- 
 pose (ku-fumaniana), bars by 
 the law of Zanzibar any claim 
 on the part of the intruder in 
 respect of any assault or injury 
 ivhile there. 
 
 Inundate, gharikisha, furika (swell\ 
 tawanyika (spread). 
 
 Invade, shambulia. 
 
 Invent, buni, zumbua. 
 
 Invite, ita, alika. 
 
 invite to come in, karibisha. 
 
 Irrigate, tia maji, nywesha. 
 
 Irritate, tia hasira, ghathabisha, 
 kasirisha, chokoza. 
 
 Itch, — cause to itch, nyea. 
 I itch, imeninyea. 
 
 J. 
 
 Jam, kwamisha. 
 
 become jammed, kwama, sakama.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 185 
 
 Jar the teeth, like grit in food, 
 
 kwaza meno. 
 Jerk, kutua. 
 Jest, fanya ubishi or mzaha, thi- 
 
 haki. 
 Join, (act.) unga, (7iez(f.)iinganana. 
 Judge, hukumu, hukumia, amua. 
 
 The original meaning of amua 
 
 is to separate, and it is used of 
 
 separating two persons who have 
 
 been fighting. 
 Jumble together different languages 
 
 or dialects, goteza. 
 Jump, ruka. 
 
 K. 
 
 Keep, weka or cheleza {put away), 
 tunza {tahe care of), linda 
 {guard), bifatbi {preserve), sbi- 
 ka {hold), fuga Qieep animals), 
 weka or kawisba (delay). 
 
 be kept gossiping, piizika. 
 
 be kept tame or in a cage, fugika. 
 
 It cannot be kept, i.e., it icill 
 either run away or die, hafu- 
 giki. 
 
 keep aicake, {neut.) kesba, {act.) 
 kesbeza. 
 
 keep from, epusba, zuilia. 
 
 keep in order {a person), rudi. 
 
 be kept, or capable of being kept, 
 in order, rudika. 
 
 keep on at. sbinda. 
 
 Keep your distance ! Koma usije ! 
 Kick, piga teke. 
 
 Kill, iia. pass, uawa, waga {Mer.), 
 fisba {to cause to die). 
 
 kill with, &c., ulia. 
 
 kill for food, cbinja, tinda (M.). 
 be Kind, tenda mema. 
 
 do a kindness to, fatbili. 
 Kindle, wasba, tia muto. 
 
 Kiss, busn. 
 
 lift to the lips and kiss, sogeza. 
 Knead, kanda. 
 Kneel, piga magote. 
 Knit the brows, kunja vipaji. 
 Knock, gonga, gota, piga. 
 
 at a door, or to cry Hodi ! if the 
 
 door be open, bisba. 
 
 Knoio, jua. Kujua is often used in 
 
 the sense of to know of, about, 
 
 how, &c. 
 
 I know where he is, namjua aliko 
 
 (J know of him, ivhere he is). 
 I know how to speak the language 
 of Zanzibar, najua kusema kiu- 
 nguja. 
 I can dc blacksmith^ s work, najua 
 
 kufua cbuma. 
 {to recognize), tambua. 
 be knowable, julikana. 
 make to know, julisba, juvisha. 
 become known, tangaa. 
 know what to do, tanababL 
 
 L. 
 
 Lace in the rope or matting across a 
 native bedstead, tanda, wamba. 
 Lacerate, papura. 
 
 be lacerated, papurika. 
 be Lame, tegea, cbecbemea, tetea, 
 kwenda cbopi, tagaa {icalk icith 
 the legs far apart). 
 Land, {neut.) sbuka, {act.) shusba. 
 Last, isbi. 
 Laugh, cbeka. 
 
 laugh at, cbekelea. 
 Launch, sbua, pass, shuliwa. 
 Lay, tia, weka. 
 
 lay a icager, pinga, sbindania. 
 
 lay by, weka akiba. 
 
 lay doion, laza.
 
 186 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 lay eggs, atamia, or zaa, or nya 
 mayayi. 
 
 lay hold of, sbika. 
 
 lay open, funua, weka wazi. 
 
 lay out, andika, tandika, toa. 
 
 lay out money, gharimu, gbarimia. 
 
 lay the beams of a roof, ikiza. 
 
 lay the table, andika meza. 
 
 lay ujjon the table, weka mezani. 
 
 lay to anyone's charge, tuhumu. 
 
 lay iqjon some one else, kumbisha. 
 he Lazy, [ku-]wa mvivu. 
 
 to be cross at having anything to 
 do, kimwa. 
 Lead, ongoa, ongoza, peleka, fikisha 
 {mahe to arrive). 
 
 lead astray, kosesha. 
 
 lead devotions, somesha. 
 LeaTi, vuja, fu'mka (to open at the 
 
 seams). 
 Lean upon, tegemea, egemea. 
 
 lean upon a staff, jigongojea. 
 
 become lean, koiida. 
 
 make lean or thin, kondesha. 
 Leap, ruka. 
 Learn, jifunza, pata kujua. 
 
 learn manners, taadabu. 
 Leave, acha, ata (M.), toka. 
 
 leave by death, fia. 
 
 leave to (bequeath), achia. 
 
 leave go of, aeha. 
 
 Leave off! Wacha! Bass! 
 Koma! 
 
 leave off fasting, fungua. 
 
 leave till fit or ready, limbika. 
 
 leave (cause to remain), saza. 
 be left (remain), saa, salia, baki. 
 
 ash leave, taka, ruksa. 
 
 give leave, nihusu, pa ruksa. 
 
 give leave about, amria. 
 
 take leave of, aga. 
 take letive of one another, agana. 
 
 Leaven, chacba. 
 Lead, azima, kiritlii. 
 Lengthen, ongeza urefu, 
 
 make long, fanya mrefu. 
 Lessen, (act.) punguza, (neut.) pu- 
 
 nguka. 
 Ljet (2)ermit),aGha, pa ruksa, kubali, 
 kubalisba. 
 
 let alone, acha. 
 
 let a house, pangislia nyumba. 
 
 let down, shusha, tua. 
 
 let down a bucket, puliza ndoo. 
 
 let free a spring, fiatua, fiatusba. 
 
 let go an anchor, puliza. 
 
 let loose, fungua. 
 
 let on hire, ajirisba. 
 
 let water, vuja. 
 Level, fanya sawasawa, tandaza, 
 tengeneza. 
 
 be level ivith, lingana na. 
 
 make level with, linga, linga- 
 nisha. 
 
 level a gun at, lekeza bunduki. 
 be Liberal to, kerimu. 
 Liberate, fungua, yass. funguliwa. 
 
 from slavery, weka, or acba huru. 
 Lick, ramba. 
 Lie (tell lies), sema uwongo 
 
 (to be), kaa, [ku-]wako. 
 
 lie across, kingama. 
 
 a tree lies across the road, mti 
 umekingama njiani. 
 
 lie across one another, pandana. 
 
 lie doicn, jinyosha, jilaza, lala, 
 tandawaa. 
 
 lie heavy on, lemea. 
 
 lie on the face, wama, fuama (M.). 
 
 lie on the side, jiinika. 
 
 lie on the back, lala kwa tani, 
 
 lie in wait for, otea. 
 Lift, inua, tweka. 
 
 lift up the voice, paliza sautL
 
 LIST OF VEBBS. 
 
 187 
 
 Light, washa. tia moto. 
 
 he light, angaza. 
 
 show a light, miilika. 
 Lighten (lightening), piga umeme. 
 Like, penda. 
 
 he an object of liking, tamauika. 
 Liken, fafanisJia. 
 Limit. 
 
 reach its limit, pea. 
 Linger, kawia, kawilia. 
 Lis2J, [ku-]wa ua kitemlte. 
 Listen, sikiliza, pulikiza. 
 
 listen secretly, dukiza. 
 
 Live, kaa (sta^j or he), isLi (continue), 
 
 [ku-]wa hayi (he alive), [kil-] 
 
 wako ulimwenguui (be in this 
 
 Load, chukuza. ^world). 
 
 a person, twika. 
 
 a ship, pakia. 
 
 a gun, sumiii, shindilia. 
 
 he laden iciih, pakia (of a ship), 
 chukua (carry). 
 Lock, funga. 
 
 with a native lock, gomea. 
 Loiter, kawilia. 
 Loll, tandawaa. 
 Long for, tamani. 
 Look, tazama. 
 
 look out, or look carefully, angalia. 
 
 Look out I Angalia ! Jiponye ! 
 
 look out for, tazamia. 
 
 look for, tafuta. 
 
 look after, tunza. 
 
 look over a propeiiy, aua. 
 
 look up to see what is going on, 
 tahamaka. 
 Loose, fungua. 
 
 he loose, regea. 
 Loosen, regeza. 
 Lose (money), pata hasara. 
 
 potea (to he lost to). [nipotea. 
 
 I have lost my knife, kisu kirne 
 
 lose hy having taken from one, 
 twaliwa. 
 
 lose hy death, fiwa na. 
 
 lose one's senses, rukwa na akili. 
 Love, peuda, asliiiki. 
 
 he loved hy, kora. 
 iLoicer, shusha, tua. 
 Lull, pembeza, tumbuiza. 
 Lurk for, otea. 
 Lust after, tamanL 
 
 M. 
 
 Magnify, kuza, tiikuza. 
 
 magnify oneself, jiiapa. 
 Make, fanya, fanyiza. 
 
 make to do or he. See p. 162. 
 
 make a floor or roof, sakifn. 
 
 make a pen, chonga kalamu. 
 
 make a sign to, a<liiiia. 
 
 make a will, wasia. 
 
 make another love one, pendeleza. 
 
 make hrilliant, ng'aza. 
 
 make cheap, rakldsisha. 
 
 make clear, tMliirisha, eleza, weka 
 
 uazi. 
 make confident and hopeful, tu- 
 
 mainiiha. 
 make crazy, zulisha. 
 mahe dear, ghalisha. 
 make delirious, papayuza. 
 make equal, like, &c., sawanisha, 
 
 sawazisha. 
 make for, fanyia. 
 make [clothes] for, katia [ngun]. 
 make game of, tbiliaki, fanyizia 
 
 mzaha. 
 make haste, lanya hima, euda 
 
 bima. 
 make ill, gonjVeza. 
 make into a ring, peta. 
 make lawful, lialilioha.
 
 188 
 
 BWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 make ligM of a matter, jipuru- 
 kusha. 
 
 mahe like, oleza. 
 
 make metal things, fua, fulia. 
 
 make over talkative, payuza. 
 
 mMke pastry, andaa, andalia. 
 
 make peace 'between, suluhisha. 
 
 make plain, thahiri, eleza, tliihi- 
 risha, weka wazi. 
 
 make pottery, finyanga. 
 
 make raw, chubua. 
 
 make room for, nafisisha. 
 
 make sorry, sikitisha. 
 
 m^ke sure, hakiki. 
 
 make to agree, isatanisha. 
 
 make to he at peace, suluhisha. 
 
 make to enter, ingiza. 
 
 make to go up, pandisha, kweza. 
 
 make to grow lean, kondesba. 
 
 make to hear or understand, sikiza. 
 
 make to weep, liza, lizana. 
 
 make unlawful, harimu, hara- 
 misha. 
 
 make up afire, chochea moto. 
 
 make up one's mind, tanababi, 
 
 make verses, tunga masbaiii. 
 
 make water, kojoa. 
 
 m.ake weak, thoofisha. 
 
 make well, ponya, ponyesha. 
 
 Bon't make a noise ! Tulia ! 
 Manage, amili, fanya. 
 Mark, tia alama. 
 
 }Iarry, oa (of the hushand), olewa 
 {of the wife), oana (0/ the 
 couple), oza (of the parents). 
 
 ask in marriage, posa. 
 Master, ghelibu, shinda. 
 
 he master of, weza, tamalaki. 
 Match, lingana 
 
 make to match, linga, linganisha. 
 
 he a match for, weza. 
 Mean, taka, nia, kusudia. 
 
 j Measure, pima, twaa cheo. 
 
 measure together, enenza. 
 Mediate hetween, selehisha. 
 Meditate, tafakari, waza. 
 Meet, onaua, kutana, kutanika, ku* 
 sanyika. 
 
 meet with, kuta. 
 
 go to meet, laki. 
 2Ielt, (neut.) yeyuka, ayika, (act.) 
 
 yeyusha. 
 Mend, fanya, fanyiza. 
 
 (sew up), shonea. 
 
 (darn), tililia. 
 
 (hind up), ganga. 
 3Iensfruate, [ku]wa na heth. 
 Mention, nena, taja. 
 Mess. 
 
 he all in a mess, chafukachafuka. 
 
 make a mess of one's work, boro- 
 ngaboronga. 
 Mercy (have or shoio), rehemu. 
 Mildew, fanya kawa. 
 Milk, kama. 
 
 Mind, tunza (take care of), angalia 
 (take care), kumbuka (hear in 
 mind). 
 
 Never mind, haithuru, usitie 
 shuguli. 
 
 I don't mind, mamoja pia. 
 Mingle, changauya. 
 
 he mingled, changanyika. 
 Miscarry, haiibu miniba. 
 Miss, kosa. 
 
 (to go near to without touching), 
 ambaa. 
 
 (not to go direct to), epea. 
 
 to he missed (not found), kosekana. 
 Mislead, poteza, kosesha. 
 Mistake, kosa. 
 Mix, changanya. 
 
 mix up hy knocking and heating^
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 189 
 
 Mock^ iga, thihaki, koraaza, kufuru. 
 he Moderate, [ku-]wa kadiri. 
 Molest, sumbua, chokoza, liasirisha. 
 Mould (cast in a mould), ita, fanya 
 kwa kalibu. 
 groiv mouldy, fanya ukungu. 
 Moulder, fujika, furijika, haribika. 
 (go info lumps like spoilt flour), 
 fanya madonge. 
 Mount, panda, kwea. 
 Mourn (in a formal manner), kaa 
 matanga. 
 join in a formal mourning, 
 hana. 
 Move, (neut.) jongea, (act.) jongeza. 
 Move into the shade, jongea 
 
 mvulini. 
 (as a carpet does when a mouse is 
 
 under it), furukuta. 
 (shake), tukusa, tiki^a, siikasuka. 
 (change place of dxcelling), liama, 
 
 tama (M.), gura (A.). 
 cause to remove, hamisha, tamisha, 
 gurisha. 
 Multiply, (act.) zidisha, ongeza, 
 
 (neut.) zidi, ongezeka. 
 Murder, ua, pass. nawa. 
 Murmur, nung'unika. 
 Must, lazimu, sharti, hana buddi 
 
 See p. 155. 
 Mutilate, kata. 
 
 N.' 
 Name, taja, nena, ita, pa jina (give 
 
 a name to). 
 Need, taka, ihtaji, ihtajia. 
 Negleot, gliafilika (not to attend to), 
 
 achilia (leave undone). 
 Nibble, tafuna. 
 Nod, sinzia (f?02;e),asLiria kwa twaka 
 
 (as a signal). 
 Notice, ona, angalia, nathiri. 
 
 notice a defect, toa kombo. 
 
 take no notice, taghafali. 
 Nourish, lisha. 
 Nurse (a child), lea, lisha. 
 
 (a sick person), uguza. 
 
 Obey, tii, fuata, sikia, tumikia. 
 Object to, kind ana, shindana, Indi- 
 ana. 
 Oblige (compel), lazimisha, juburu, 
 juzia. 
 he obligatory upon, lazimu. 
 hold under an obligation to do, 
 
 &c., juzu. 
 (by kindness),fa.thi[i, tendca zeu;a. 
 Observe, angalia. 
 Obstruct, kataza, pinga. 
 Obtain, pata. 
 
 O'-cupy (keep cnjaged), fawiti. 
 Offend, chukiza, tia ghaiii, tia 
 hasira. 
 be easily offended, [ku-]wa na 
 
 chuki. 
 not to be offended, ku-wa rathi. 
 don't be offended with me, niwie 
 
 rathi, kunrathi. 
 I am not at all offended, rathi 
 Sana. 
 Offer to, tolea, jongeleza (bring near 
 to), 
 offer for sale by auction, tembeza. 
 make a first bid, rissimu. 
 Omit, acha. 
 Ooze, tiririka. 
 ooze out, vujia, tokeza, tokea. 
 (act.) funua (uncover), fungiia 
 (unfasten), panna (make wide), 
 fumbua (unclose the eyes, &c.), 
 sindua (set open a door), pepe- 
 tua (force open), 
 (neut.) [ku-]«a wazi (to lie clear).
 
 190 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 funuka or kimduka (to open 
 like a flower), panuka {become 
 wide), fuuguka (to get un- 
 fastened). 
 Oppose^ gomba, khalifu,kataza, teta, 
 shindania, ingia kati. 
 he opposite, lekea, kabili, elekea, 
 
 elekeana, kabilia. 
 put opposite, lekeza, kabilisha, 
 elekeza. 
 Oppress, onea, lemea, thelimu. 
 Order, amuru, amrisha, ambia, 
 agiza (commission), 
 arrange in order, panga, tunga. 
 put into good order, fanyiza, 
 tengeneza, ganga. 
 Ought. See p. 155. 
 
 ihtajia, taka, pasa. 
 Overbear, by loud talking, &c., pa- 
 
 mbanya, pambanyiza. 
 Overburden, lemea. 
 he Overcast, tanda [wingu]. 
 Overeat oneself, vimbika, vimbiwa. 
 Overfeed, vimbisha. 
 Overflow, miminika, tawanyika, 
 
 ghariki, furika. 
 Oversee, simamia, angalia. 
 Overturn, pindua. 
 
 he overturned, pinduka. 
 Overtake, pata. 
 Overwhelm, gharikisba. 
 Owe, wiwa. 
 I owe him, aniwia. 
 to have in one's debt, wia. 
 Own, miliki (possess), kiri (confess), 
 ungaina (acknowledge). 
 
 Pack up, fanga. 
 
 Paddle, vuta kwa kafi or kapi. 
 
 Pain, uma, umia. 
 
 Paint, tia raugi 
 Pant, tweta. 
 Paralyse, poozesha, 
 
 be paralysed or paralytic, pooza. 
 Pare, ambua. 
 
 Pardon, samehe, afu, gbofira, gho 
 firia. 
 
 Forgive me, nipe hisa yangu. 
 
 Ask mutual pardon and so take a 
 last farewell, takana buriauL 
 Parry, bekua. 
 Part out, gawa, gawanya. 
 Pais, pita, pisha. 
 
 make to pass, pitisha. 
 
 pass going in opposite directions^ 
 pish ana. 
 
 pa$s through, penya. 
 
 pass over (a river), vuka. 
 (a fault), achilia. 
 
 pass close to without touching ^ 
 ambaa, 
 
 be passable, endeka. 
 Pasture, chunga, lisha. 
 Patch (thatch, &c.), chomelea. 
 be Patient, vumilia, subiri. 
 Paw [the ground'], parapara. 
 Pay, lipa. 
 
 pay to, lipia. 
 
 cause to be paid, lipiza. 
 
 pay freight for, takabathisha. 
 Peck, dona, dondoa. 
 Peel, ambua, puna. 
 Peep, chungulia, tungulia (M.). 
 Pelt, tupia. 
 Penetrate, penya. 
 Perceive, ona, sikia, fahamu. 
 Perfect, kamilisba. 
 
 he perfect, kamilika. See Com- 
 plete. 
 Perforate, zua, zua tundu. 
 Perform a promise, fikiliza ahadi. 
 
 ablutions^ toliara.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 191 
 
 devotions, sali. 
 a vow, ondoa nathiri. 
 Perish, fa, potea, potelea, haribika. 
 Perjure oneself, apa uwongo, shu- 
 
 hudia zuli or aziir. 
 Permit, ruhusu, pa ruksa, acha. 
 Perpetuate, dumisha. 
 Perplex, tia matata, eliatiganvisha. 
 become perplexed, ingia matata, 
 tanganyika. 
 Persecute, fukuza, thulumu. 
 Persevere, dumu, dumia, dawamu. 
 Perspire, taka baii. 
 Persuade, shawishi, kinaisba, pa 
 
 shauri. 
 Pick {as with a knife point), 
 cbokora. 
 (gather), cbuma. 
 stalks, &c., from cloves, &c., cba- 
 
 mbua. 
 pick out (select), cbagua, teua. 
 pick up, okota. 
 pick up hit hy bit, dondoa, lum- 
 
 bika. 
 pick holes in one another's cha- 
 racter, papu liana. 
 Pickle, fanya acbari. 
 Pierce, zua, peuyeslia, penya. 
 Pile up [plates, <fcc.], andikanya. 
 Pinch, finya. 
 
 be pinched up, finyaua. 
 Pine away, fifia. 
 
 Pity, burumia, sikitikia, rebemu. 
 Place, weka. 
 
 an arrow on the string, a knife in 
 
 the belt, &c., pacbika. 
 TJtere is no place for me in the 
 house, nyumba bainiweki. 
 riait^ suka, sokota. 
 Planey piga randa. 
 Plant, panda. 
 Plaster, kandika. 
 
 prepare a icallfor the ichite plaster 
 by smoothing it and tapping in 
 small stones, tomea. 
 
 put on a plaster, bandika. 
 Play, cbeza, laabu. 
 
 play the fool, peketeka. 
 
 play upon an instrument^ piga 
 zomari, &c. 
 Please, pendeza, furabisba. 
 
 (like), penda. 
 
 as you please, upendavyo. 
 
 Please I Tafatbali ! 
 
 be pleased, pendezewa. 
 
 make pleasing, pendekeza. 
 Pledge, weka rabaui. 
 Pluck, cbuma (gather), nyakua 
 (snatch), nyonyoa (pick off 
 feathers). 
 
 pluck up a courage, piga moyo 
 Plug up, ziba. [konde. 
 
 Plunder, teka, twaa nyara. 
 Point, cbonga ; fanya 'ncba. 
 
 p)oint out, onyesba, aiuisba. 
 Poison, pa sumu. 
 Poke, cboma. 
 Polish, katua. 
 
 Ponder, fikiii, waza, tafakari. 
 Possess, miliki, [ku-]wa na. 
 
 (of an evil spirit), pagaa. 
 
 be possessed by an evil spirit^ 
 pagawa na pepo. 
 be Possible, Piu-]\va yamkini, weze- 
 
 kana, fanyika, teudeka. 
 Postpone, akiiiblia. 
 make Pottery, finyanga 
 Pound, ponda, funda. 
 
 clean corn by pounding, twanga. 
 Pour, mimina. 
 
 pour away, mwaga, mwaya. 
 have Power over, weza. 
 Practise, jizoeza, taala. 
 
 practise witchcraft, I'anya uchawL
 
 192 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Praise^ sifu, hemidi. 
 
 praise oneself, jisifu, jigamba. 
 Prate, puza. 
 
 Pray, omba, sal: {'perform the fixed 
 devotions), abudu (worship). 
 
 pray for, taka (ash for), ombea 
 (intercede for). 
 Preach, klmtubu, ayitbi. 
 Precede, tangulia. 
 he Precipitous, cbongoka. 
 Predict, agua, basbiri, tabiri. 
 Prefer, penda, kbitari, stahiba. 
 he Pregnant, cbukua mimba, bamili. 
 Prepare, weka tayari, 
 
 food, andaa, and alia. 
 Present to, tunikia, pa. 
 
 make presents to, pukusa, pa 
 basbisbi, tunza. 
 Preserve, bifathi, afu. 
 
 he preserved, bifatbika, 
 Press, kaza, sbindilia, siuikiza. 
 
 press out, kamua. 
 
 press upon, kandamiza. 
 
 press heavily upon, lemea. 
 
 press with the teeth, vuata. 
 
 make an impression (as with the 
 fingers), bonyesba. 
 
 press and crush food for invalids 
 or children, vinyavinya. 
 
 press against one another, like 
 sheep in a flock, songanaso- 
 ngana. 
 Pretend to he, jifanya. 
 Prevent, zuia, kataza. 
 Prick, cboma. 
 Pride oneself, jisifu. 
 Print, piga cbapa. 
 Prize up, tekua. 
 Proceed, enenda, fuliza. 
 Proclaim, tangaza, bubiri, nadi, 
 Procure for, patia. [_eleza. 
 
 he procurable, patikana. 
 
 Profess, ungaraa. 
 
 Profit, pata fayida, fayidi, cbiima. 
 
 tuma (M.). 
 Prognosticate, basbiri. 
 
 hy the stars, piga falaki. 
 Prohibit, kataza, gombeza. 
 Project, tokeza, tukiza. 
 Prolong, ongeza urefu, tuiliza, en- 
 
 deleza. 
 Promise, abidi, toa aliadi. 
 
 give a promise to, pa abadi. 
 Pronounce, ta'mka. 
 Prop up, tegemeza, sbikiza. 
 he propped, tegemea. 
 prop up a vessel to prevent its 
 falling over when left hy the 
 tide, gada. 
 Propose, nena, toa sbauri. 
 Prosecute, sbtaki. 
 Prosper, fanikiwa, sitawi, kibali, 
 
 jaliwa. 
 Prostrate oneself, sujudu. 
 before, to, &c., sujudia. 
 Protect, bami, linda, Mfathi, kinga 
 
 (ward off). 
 Prove, thubutiiiha,. 
 
 he proved, thuhntu. 
 Provide, weka akiba. 
 Provoke, kiribi, kirihisha, tia liasira, 
 
 gbathabisba. 
 Prune, cbeDga, feka. 
 Pry, dadisi, fatiishi. 
 Puff, puliza. 
 
 he puffed up, tuna, fura, jetea, 
 jivuna. 
 Pull, vuta. 
 pull out, ng'oa. 
 he pulled out, ng'oka. 
 Moyo unaning'oka, my heart has 
 jumped into my throat, used of 
 a person tnuch startled, 
 pidl out feathers, nyonyoa.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 193 
 
 puU out of ones hand, chopoa. 
 
 pull up [roots'], ngoa. 
 Vump, piga bomba. 
 Punish, atbibu, atbibisba, tesa 
 (afflict), sumbusba (give annoy- 
 ance to), patiliza (visit upon). 
 Purify, takasa, safisba. 
 
 by ceremonial ablutions, tobara. 
 
 be purified, safika, takasika. 
 Purpose, kusudia, ania. 
 Pursue, fuata (folloio), winda 
 (chase), fukuza (drive away), 
 tafuta (seek for). 
 Push, sukuma. 
 
 push against, kuinba. 
 
 push aside, piga kikumbo, 
 
 push off upon, kumbisba. 
 Put, tia, weka. 
 
 put across [a river'], vusba. 
 
 put a pot on the fire, teleka. 
 
 put an end to, komesba, gbairi. 
 
 put aicay, weka. 
 
 put down, tua. 
 
 put forth leaves, cbanua. 
 
 put in a line, panga. 
 
 put in order, tunga. 
 
 put in under anything, vumbika. 
 
 put into, tia. 
 
 Tia motoni, put it in the fire. 
 Tia moto, set it on fire. 
 
 put into the right way, vusba. 
 
 put off, akirisba. 
 
 put off upon another, sukumiza. 
 
 put on [clothes], vaa. 
 
 put on his guard, tabatbirisba. 
 
 put on a turban by winding the 
 doth round the head, piga 
 Mlemba. 
 
 put out, toa. 
 
 put out [fire], zima, zimia. 
 
 put out of joint, sbtusba, sbtua. 
 
 put ready for use, sogezea. 
 
 put ropes to a native bedstead 
 tanda wamba. 
 
 put to (shut), sbindika. 
 
 put to flight, kinibiza. 
 
 put to rights, tengeneza, tengeleza 
 
 p^it to straits, tbiiki. 
 
 put through, penyesba. 
 Putrify, oza. 
 Puzzle, tatanisba. 
 
 be puzzled, tatana, tatazaua. 
 
 Q. 
 
 Quake, tetemeka, tetema. 
 Quarrel, gombana, nenana, nazi- 
 yana. 
 
 with, teta, gomba. 
 Quarry [stone], cbimba, vunja. 
 Quell, tuliza. 
 Quench, zima. 
 Quicken, bimiza (make quicker). 
 
 be quick enough (be in time), 
 diriki. 
 Quiet, tuliza. 
 
 become quiet, tulia, nyamaz.i, 
 tulika. 
 Quit, acba, toka. 
 Quiver, tetema. 
 
 Race, sbindania. 
 Rain, nya. 
 
 It rains, mvua inakunya, mvua 
 
 yanya (M.). 
 cause it to rain, nyesha. 
 leave off raining, anuka. 
 Raise, inua (lift), paaza (make to 
 rise), tweka, kweza, pandisha, 
 imisba. 
 raise the eyebrows by way of Bigi^ 
 konyeza.
 
 J 94 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 raise the eyebrows hj way of con- 
 tempt, kuuia. 
 Ua7ige together, pangana. 
 Bansoin. komboa, fidi (of the price), 
 
 fidia (of the person). 
 Rap with the knuckles, piga konzi. 
 be made Baiv, chubuka. 
 Eeach. See Stretch. 
 
 (arrive at), fika, wasili, pata. 
 
 reach a person, fikia, wasilia. 
 
 cause to reach, fikisha, wasilisha. 
 
 put within his reach, [raw-]eiieza. 
 
 reach its limit, pea. 
 Read, soma, fyoma (M.). 
 
 teach to read, somesha. 
 Reap, vuna. 
 
 (break off the heads of Indian 
 corn), goboa. 
 Rear [a child'], lea. 
 Reason, tefua. 
 Rebel, asi, khalifu, taghi. 
 Rebuke, nenea, laumu, law an a. 
 Rebut, dakuliza. 
 Receive, pokea, pewa, twaa. 
 
 (accept), kubali, takabali. 
 
 receive for some one else, pokelea. 
 
 receive a stranger, karibisha. 
 Reckon, hesabu, wanga. 
 Recite, karirisha. 
 Becline, jinyosha, tandawaa, pu- 
 
 mzika. 
 Recognize, tambua, tambulia, fafa- 
 nua. 
 
 be recognizable, tambulikaua. 
 Recollect, kumbuka, fahji.nm. 
 Recommend, neuea, agiza, arifu, 
 
 peleka. 
 Reconcile, patanisha, selehidia. 
 Redeem, koml^oa, fidia. 
 Reduce, punguza. 
 Reef a sail, punguza tanga. 
 Refer to, itgea. 
 
 Reflect (think), kumbuka, waza, 
 
 fikiri. 
 Reform, silihi, silihisha, saliilii, 
 
 sahihisha. 
 Refresh, burudisha, sterehisha, ta- 
 
 biiradu. 
 Refuse, kataza, kataa, iza. 
 refuse to, nyima, hini. 
 refuse to believe, katalia. 
 Refute, batili. 
 Regret, juta, sikitika. 
 Rehearse, karirisha. 
 Reign, miliki, tawala. 
 Reject, kataa, kania. 
 Rejoice, (neut.) furahi, furahiwa. 
 rejoice in, furahia. 
 make to rejoice, furahisha. 
 shout and triumph, shangilia. 
 Relate, hadithia, nena, toa, pa. 
 Relax, regeza. 
 
 be relaxed, regea. 
 Release, acha, likiza. 
 
 from an obligation, feleti. 
 Relish, ona tamu, ona luththa. 
 Rdrj upon, fungamana, jetea. 
 Remain (stay), kaa, kaa kitako, 
 keti (M.). 
 be left, saa, salia, baki. 
 remain awake, kesha. 
 remain quiet, starehe. 
 to remain as he wishes, kumkalia 
 tamu. 
 Remedy, poza. 
 Remember, kumbuka, faharau. 
 
 remember against, patiliza. 
 Remind, kumbusha, fahamisha. 
 Remit [^sins], ghofiri. 
 
 remit to, ghofiria, ondolea. 
 Remove, ondoa, tenga, ondolea. 
 
 from an office, uzulu. 
 Rend, rarua, pasua. 
 
 be rent to pieces, pasukapasuka.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 195 
 
 Renounce, acha, kana. 
 
 Rent, panga (hire), pangisba (let). 
 
 Repair, fanyiza, fauya. 
 
 Repay, lipiza. 
 
 Repent, tiibu. 
 
 repent of, tubia. 
 Reply, jibu (give an answer), itika 
 
 (answer when called). 
 Repay, regeza, lipa. 
 Reproach, sbutumu, kamia, taya. 
 Request, taka. 
 Rescue, toa kunako hatari, toa 
 
 mnamo hatari, okoa. 
 Resemble, fanana na. 
 
 make to resemble, fananisha. 
 Resent, fanya gbathabu, ingiwa na 
 
 ghathabu. 
 Resign, jiuzulu, jitoa katika. 
 Resist, khalifu. 
 Resolve, yakinia, azimu. 
 Rest (neut.) pumzika, tulia, starehe. 
 
 (act.) pumzisha. 
 
 He never rests, hana zituo. 
 
 I cannot rest in the house, nyumba 
 hainiweki. 
 Restore, rudisha, rejeza. 
 Restrain, zuia. 
 Resuscitate, fufua, huisha. 
 Retaliate, twaa kasasi, lipia sawa, 
 
 jilipiza. 
 Retire (go back), endelea nyuma. 
 Return, (neut.) rudi, regea. 
 
 (act.) rudisha, regesha. 
 Reveal, funua. 
 
 Revenge, nahma, lipia maovu, toa 
 kasasi. 
 
 revenge oneself, jilipiza (or lipia) 
 kasasi. 
 Reverence, nenyekea. 
 Reverse, pindua. 
 Revile, shutumu. 
 Revive, (neut.) fufuka, hui, buika. 
 
 Revive, as a plant in water, chuj)uza. 
 
 (act.) fufua, huisha. 
 Revolt (disgust), kinaisha. 
 
 revolt at, kinai. 
 Reward, jazi, jazih'a, lipia, fathili 
 Ride upon, panda. 
 Ridicule, fanyizia mzaha, thil.aki. 
 Ring a bell, piga kengele. 
 Rip, pasua. 
 Ripen, iva. 
 Rise (ascend), paa. 
 
 (get up), ondoka. 
 
 (stand up), simama, inuka. 
 
 (rise to, or out of respect for\ 
 ondokea. 
 
 (come to the top of the water), 
 zuka. 
 
 (of the sun), [ku-]cha. 
 Roar, lia, nguruma, fanya kishiiido 
 
 (make a crash). 
 Roast, oka. 
 Rob, ibia (steal from), nyang'anya. 
 
 (take by force), poka. 
 Rock, pembeza. 
 Roll, (act.) fingirislia. 
 
 (neut.) fingirika. 
 
 (of a river, time., ({-c), pitsu 
 Root out, ng''oa. 
 Rot, oza. 
 
 be Rough, paruga, paruza. 
 be Round, viringa. 
 
 (spherical), viringana. 
 Rouse from sleep, ainsha. 
 Row, vuta makasia. 
 
 be in rows, pangana. 
 
 put in a row, panga. 
 Rub, sugua. 
 
 the skin off, chubua, tuna, 
 
 rub to pieces, fikicha. 
 
 rub in ointment, &c., j)aka. 
 Ruin, angamisha, potezii, vuna 
 korofisha. 
 
 2
 
 196 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 he ruined, angainia, tilifu, filisika 
 (he sold up). 
 Bule, tawala. 
 
 rule a line, paga mstari. 
 Ruminate, teuka. 
 Bun, piga mbio, rukhuthu. 
 run a risk, hatirisha. 
 run against, fulia. 
 run away, kimbia. 
 mahe to run away, kimbiza. 
 run away from a master, home, 
 
 &c., toroka. 
 run ashore, panda, tekeza. 
 run down, like water, or like a 
 person down a steep place, te- 
 leni'ka. 
 run down with blood, churuzLka 
 
 damu. 
 run hard, kaza mbio. 
 run over, furika. 
 run icith a shuffiing noise like a 
 
 rat, gugurusha. 
 run (in sewing), piga bandi. 
 Rush along, enda kassi. 
 Tiust (neuL), ingia kutu. 
 Rustle, piga mtakaso. 
 
 S. 
 Salute, salimu, sulimu, amkua, 
 amkia, salimia. 
 fire a salute, piga mizinga ya 
 salamu. 
 Salve, bandika. 
 Sanction, toa ithini. 
 Satisfy, rithika. 
 
 be satisfied or content, [ku-]wa 
 
 rathi. 
 satisfy with food, shibisha. 
 he satisfied, shiba. 
 he never satisfied, nyeta. 
 be self-satisfied, kinai. 
 he enough, tosha. 
 
 he of use to, fa a. 
 
 satisfy lust, timia ngoa. 
 Save, okoa, ponya, vuslia. 
 
 he saved, okoka, pona, vuka. 
 
 (put away), weka. 
 Saiv, kata kwa msumeno, kereza. 
 Say, sema. 
 
 say to, ambia. 
 Scald, onguza, unguza. 
 
 he scalded, ungua. 
 Scare, fukuza, tia khofu. 
 
 scare hirds from corn, &c., linda 
 ndege. 
 Scatter, tawanya, tapauya (M.),- 
 farakisha. 
 
 he scattered, tawanyika. 
 
 scatter about, tawanyatawauya, 
 tapanyatapanya (M.). 
 Scent (put scent to), sioga. 
 
 smell out, nukiza. 
 Scold, fanyizia ukali, nenea, laumii, 
 
 karipia. 
 Scoop up, wangua. 
 Scorch, unguza, onguza. 
 
 he scorched, ungua, ungulia. 
 Scorn, tharau, tweza, pcketeka. 
 Scour, sugua. 
 Scrape, kuna. 
 
 scrape along, kwaruza. 
 
 scrape for, with, &c., kunia. 
 
 scrape into a coarse meal, ]>aaza. 
 
 scrape off, puna. 
 
 scrape off hark, dirt, scales, &c.^ 
 to clean by scraping, paa. 
 
 scrape on the ground, para. 
 
 scrape out, komba. 
 
 scrape up, kwangua. 
 Scratch, kuna, kunyua. 
 
 (make a scratch), piga mtai 
 
 scratch deeply, papura. 
 
 scratch like a hen, pekua. 
 Scream, piga kiowe, piga yowe.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 19: 
 
 Scrubs sugua. 
 
 Search for, tafuta, tefua. 
 
 search all about, tafutatafuta. 
 Seal, tia muhuri. 
 Seduce women, tongoza. 
 See, ona. 
 
 he seen, or visible, onekaiia. 
 see any one off, safirisha, 
 Seelc, taka. 
 seek advice, taka shauri. 
 seek out, huji. 
 seel:, for, tafuta, zengea. 
 seek out for, look out for, tafutia. 
 Seem. 
 It seems to me, naiona, 
 seem sweet to, kora. 
 Seize, kamata, guia, shika. 
 seize for debt, filisi. 
 go quietly and secretly up to any- 
 thing in order to seize it sud- 
 denly, nyemelea. 
 Select, chagiia, teua. 
 Sell, uza. The u- of this word is 
 very unimportant, it is generally 
 merged in the -u of ku-, the 
 sign of the infinitive, ivhich is 
 retained in most of the tenses, 
 sell to, liza. 
 
 he ordinarily sold, uzanya. 
 Send, peleka, leta. 
 
 to a person, pelekea, letea. 
 
 cause to reach a person, wasi- 
 
 lisha. 
 send away, ondosha, toa. 
 send hack, rudisha, rejeza. 
 send upon some business, tuma. 
 Separate, tenga, weka mbali. 
 
 (leave one another), achana, ataua 
 
 (M.)j tokana. 
 (alienate), farakisha. 
 become alienated, farakana, ta- 
 ngiikana. 
 
 separate people xcho are fighting, 
 
 amua. 
 (distinguish), pambanua. 
 he cut off from one another, like 
 
 friends separated by great dis- 
 tances, tindikiana. 
 be Serene, [ku-]wa saff, tiiliks 
 
 kunduka. 
 Moyo wake umekunduka, hi 
 
 heart is at peace. 
 Serve, tumikia, hudumia. 
 he a servant, tumika. 
 serve for, faa kwa. 
 Set, weka. 
 
 (plant), panda. 
 
 (of the sun), chwa, twa (M.). 
 
 The sun is not yet set, jua hali- 
 
 jachwa. 
 set a dog on one, tomesha mbwa. 
 set a trap, tega. 
 set aside, tangua, ondoa. 
 set fire to, tia moto, washa, knka 
 
 choma. 
 set in order, panga, tunga. 
 set on to fight, piganisha, pigani- 
 
 shana. 
 set open \a door'], sindua. 
 set out on a journey, safiri, shika 
 
 njia. 
 set the teeth on edge, tia gauzi la 
 
 meno. 
 set up (put upicards), panza. 
 (make to stand), simikisha. 
 set wide apart, panulia. 
 Settle, (neut.) tuana. 
 
 settle an affair, kata ma»eno. 
 settle down, tulia. 
 settle in one's mind, yakinia. 
 Seiv, shona. 
 
 sew through a mattress to confine 
 
 the stiiffing, tona godoro. 
 Shade, tia uvuli.
 
 198 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Shake, (act.) tikisa. 
 
 (neut.) tikitika. 
 
 shake of, epua, kupua. 
 
 shake out, kung'uta, kumunta 
 (Mer.). 
 become Shallow, pun^uka. 
 Shame, tia haya, tahayaiisha. 
 
 he put to shame, fetheheka, aibika. 
 Shampoo, kanda. 
 Shape, umba. 
 Share, gawanya. 
 
 part out in shares, gawa, hussu. 
 
 he partners in, shariki, sharikiana. 
 Sliarpen on a stone, noa. 
 Shave, nyoa. 
 
 shave round the head, leaving hair 
 on the crown only, kata denge. 
 
 shave all save one long tuft, kata 
 Shed, pukutika. [kinjunjm-i. 
 
 Shell, papatua. 
 
 shell heans, &c., pua baazi, &c. 
 
 shell nuts, &c., hy heating, banja, 
 meuya. 
 Shelter, tia kivuli. 
 Shift a hurden from one to another, 
 pokezanya. 
 
 shift over a sail to the other side, 
 kisi tanga. 
 Shine, ng'ara, zagaa, mekameka. 
 Shiver (neut.), tapatapa, tetema, 
 
 tetemeka, tapa. 
 Shoot [with a gun'], piga [kwa 
 bunduki]. 
 
 (as a plant), chupuka, cbupuza. 
 Shorten, fupiza. 
 
 he short and small, kundaa. 
 
 fall short, punguka, tindika (A.), 
 Shout, piga kelele. 
 Shove out of the way, piga kikumbo. 
 Show, onyesha, onya. 
 
 show a light, mulika. 
 
 show one's teeth, toa meno. 
 
 become Shrewd and knoiving, ere* 
 make Shrewd, erevusha. [vuk;*. 
 
 Shriek, piga kiyowe. 
 Shrink (become smaller), pungua. 
 (from something), jikunja. 
 shrink up, jikunyata, fingana. 
 Shrivel (neut.), nyauka, finyana, 
 
 kunjana. 
 Shrug the shoulders, inua mabega. 
 Shudder, tetemeka. 
 Shun, epuka. 
 Shuffle along, gugurusha. 
 
 shuffle cards, tanganya karata. 
 Shut (put to), shindika, 
 (fasten), funga. 
 (close), fumba. 
 shut against, fungisha. 
 he Sick or ill, ugua, [ku-]wa mwoli, 
 [ku-]wa hawezi, &c. See III 
 and Vomit. 
 He feels sick or sea-sick, moyo 
 wamcbafuka, moyo umemwelea 
 (M.), ana ng'onga (A,). 
 Sift, cbunga (by shaking), peta or 
 pepeta (hy tossing), pepua 
 (separate large and small, ichole 
 and broken grains). Sifting is 
 always done by tossing and 
 shaking in a round fiat basket. 
 Sigh, ugua, kokota roho (draw 
 
 breath with an effort). 
 Silence, nyamazisba. 
 become silent, nyamaza. 
 continue silent, nyamaa. 
 be Silly, piswa. 
 Sin, fanya thambi, kosa. 
 Sing, imba, tumbuiza (lull). 
 Sink (act.), zamisha, tosa (drown), 
 didimisha (i^ito a solid sub- 
 stance), 
 (neut.), zama, tota (drown), didi- 
 mia (sink into a solid substance).
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 199 
 
 Sip, nywa funcla (? to take in by 
 
 gulps). 
 Bit, kaa, kaa kitako, keti (M.). 
 Take a seat, kaa kitako. 
 sit like a lien, atamia. 
 Sldii, chuna, tuna (M.). 
 Slander, singizia, Utiiii, amba, thu- 
 
 mu. 
 Slap, piga kofi. 
 
 Slash, tema. j 
 
 Slaughter, chinja (to kill hy cutting \ 
 the throat), tinda (M.). It is 
 not lawful to eat any meat that 
 has not been so killed. 
 Sleep, lala. 
 
 Sleep well ! Lala unono ! 
 doze, sinzia. 
 
 I am sleepy, ninao uzingizL 
 be slept upon, lalika. 
 Slide, teleza. 
 Sling, tupa kwa kombeo. 
 Slip, teleza. 
 
 It is slippery, pana utelezi. 
 
 slip down a steep place, poromoka, 
 
 telem'ka. 
 slip away grain by grain lijce 
 
 sand or corn, dondoka. 
 slip} off, or out of one's hand, d;c., 
 chopoka, ponyoka. 
 Slit, pasua. 
 Slope, iiiaraa. 
 be Sluggish, pumbaa. 
 Smart, waka. 
 
 make to smart, nyonyota. 
 Smear on, paka. 
 
 Smell (emit a smell), uuka, nusa. 
 I smell amherg^-is, inaninuka 
 ambari (ambergris makes a 
 smell to me). 
 Bo you not smell it 9 Huisikii 
 ikinuka? (Do you not perceive 
 it making a smell ?) 
 
 Smell at, nukiza. 
 
 Smile, tabassam, clieka, kuuj^ 
 
 midomo. 
 Smoke, toka moshi. 
 
 smoke tobacco, vuta tumbako. 
 
 smoke (meat, &c.), piga mvixke. 
 Smoothe, lainisha. 
 Smoulder, vivia. 
 Smuggle, iba ushuru. 
 Siiap, alika (neut.), alisha (act.). 
 Snare, tega. 
 Snarl, toa meno. 
 Snatch, nyakua, pokonya. 
 Sneeze, chafya, shamua, enda or 
 
 piga chatya. 
 Snore, koroma, piga misouo (make 
 
 a ichistling sound). 
 Snort, piga pua. 
 Snub, kemea. 
 Soak, "woweka. 
 Sob, ingia na shake la kulia. 
 Sober, levusha. 
 
 become sober, levuka. 
 Soften, lainisha. 
 Solve, wathaisha, weka wazi 
 
 eleza. 
 Soothe, tuliza, pembeza, tumljuizu. 
 be Sorry, sikitika, kasiiika (be 
 vexed), juta (regret). 
 
 I am sorry for it, sioni vema. 
 Sound, pima naaji. 
 
 It sounds hollow, panalia wazi. 
 Sow seeds, panda, yaa (A.). 
 
 sow discord, fitini. 
 Sparkle, merimeta, mekameka, me- 
 
 metuka (A.). 
 Speak, nena, sema (say), tamka 
 (pronounce), ambia (say to). 
 
 speak about, at, for, or against, 
 nenea. 
 
 speak against, amba. 
 
 speak distinctly, pambazua.
 
 200 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Speak out ! Sema sana ! 
 
 inaJce a speech, tagusa, lumba. 
 
 speak Arabic, sema Kiarabu. 
 
 speak a jumble of different lan- 
 guages or dialects, goteza. 
 
 not to speak, nyamaa. 
 Spell, endeleza. 
 Spends tuniin, kharij. 
 
 spend upon or about, harijia, glia- 
 rimia. 
 
 spend time, ongea. 
 Spill, mwaga, mimina. 
 
 he spilt, mimiiiika. 
 Spin, sokota. 
 Spit, tenia mate. 
 Splash, (joict.) rushia. 
 
 (neut.) rukia, tawanya. 
 Sptlice [a rope'], unga. 
 
 [a spar], ganga. 
 Split, {act.) pasua. 
 
 split up, (neut.) pasnkapasuka. 
 
 split down (branches), (act.) 
 kwanua. 
 
 he split down, as when any one has 
 been trying to climh up by them, 
 kwanuka. 
 Spoil, haribu, vunja. 
 
 (neut.), haribika, oza. 
 Sport with, laabu. 
 Spout out, rxika. 
 
 The whale spouts, nyamgumi 
 anatoa moshi. 
 Sprain, shtusha mshipa, teuka. 
 
 he sprained, shtuka mshipa. 
 Spread, (neut.) enea, farishi. 
 
 (act.) eneza. [ka. 
 
 he opened and spread over, kunju- 
 
 spread a cloth or a bed, taudika. 
 
 spread out, tanda. 
 
 spread [neios], tangaza. 
 
 (become known), tangaa. 
 Sp'inlde, nyuuyiza. 
 
 Sprout, mea, cliupuka, tokoza (show 
 itself), cbanua (put forth 
 leaves). 
 Spy out, peleleza. 
 Squabble, bishana, gombana. 
 Squander, fuja, tapanyatapanya. 
 Squeak, lia. 
 Squeeze, kamua. 
 
 (grasp), fumbata. 
 
 squeeze together (act), songa. 
 
 (neut.) songaua. 
 
 squeeze oneself into a hedge or 
 against a wall to let others pass^ 
 jibanza. 
 Squint, [ku-]wa na makengeza. 
 Stab, choma. 
 Stagger, pepa. 
 
 be staggered, toshea, shangaa. 
 
 (astonish), shangaza. 
 Stain, tia waa, tia madoadoa (spot). 
 Stalk {_an animal], nyemelea. 
 Stammer, [ku-]\va na kigugumizi. 
 Stamp, piga cbapa. 
 Stand, simama, kaa. 
 
 up or still, simama (of persons). 
 
 make to stand, simamisba, simiki- 
 sha. 
 
 stand aghast, ghumiwa. 
 
 stand by, simamia. 
 
 stand in the way of, kindana. 
 
 stand over, akiri. 
 
 stand staring, sbangaa. 
 Stare at, kodolea. 
 Start (he startled), sbtuka, gutuka. 
 
 (set out), ondoka, safiri. 
 
 start out of the way, kwepa. 
 Startle, shtua, atusba, kutusha. 
 Starve, (neut.) fa kwa njaa. 
 
 (act.) fisha kwa njaa. 
 Stay, kaa, kaa kitako, keti (M.). 
 
 He stayed all day, alishinda 
 kutwa.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 201 
 
 (ti-aif), ngoja, subiri. 
 (loiter), kawia, ka^ilia. 
 (remain over long), hajirika. 
 (sto'p) (act), zuia. 
 be Steady, tungamaua, tulia. 
 Steal, iba, jepa (A.). 
 
 steal from, ibia. 
 Steep, choveka, owamisha. 
 
 he steeped, owama. 
 Steer, shika shikio. 
 
 Steer northwards, shika majira ya 
 
 jaa. 
 [a vessel], andika. 
 Step over, kiiika, kia. 
 Stick, (neut.) shika, gandama, a- 
 mbata. 
 (act.) ambatiza, ganda. 
 stick together, ambatana, ganda- 
 
 mana, giiiana (Mer.). 
 stick fast, kwama, sakuma. 
 stick into [the emhers to he roasted^, 
 
 vumbika. 
 stick out, (neut.) tokeza. 
 (act.) benua. 
 Stifle, zuia pumuzi. 
 Still, tuliza, nyamazisha. 
 
 he very still, ziziuia. 
 Stimulate, taharrakisha. 
 Sting, tuna. 
 
 Stink, nuka, nuka vibaya. 
 Stir, boruga, vuruga, kologa. 
 stir up and knock about, tibua. 
 stir up, turn over, and press 
 
 together, songa. 
 
 stir up (fire, strife, &c.), choche- 
 
 Stoop, iuama. [lezea. 
 
 Stop, (act.) zuia (hold in), komesha 
 
 (make to cease), kingtimislia 
 
 (block). 
 
 (neut.) simama (stand), koma 
 
 (leave off), 
 stop and stagnate, vilia. 
 
 stop short of its purpose or per- 
 fection, via. 
 stop up, ziba. 
 Store up, weka akiba. 
 Stow, pakiza. 
 Straddle (icalk with the legs far 
 
 apart), tagaa. 
 Straighten, nyosha. 
 
 be straight, nyoka. 
 Strangle, nyonga, songa. 
 Strain (a liquid), chuja, tuja (IM.). 
 See Sprain, popotoa. 
 (make a violent effort), kakamuka. 
 Stray, potea, zunguka. 
 Strengthen, tia nguvu. 
 Stretch, nyosha. 
 
 stretch up to reach anything, chu- 
 
 chumia. 
 stretch one's legs, kunjua miguu. 
 stretch the threads for weaving, 
 
 tenda nguo. 
 stretch across an opening (act.), 
 tanda, wamba. 
 Streic, mwagia, nyunyiza. 
 Strike, piga. 
 
 strike on the ground, piga na nchi. 
 strike the foot against anything, 
 
 kwaa. 
 strike with the hoof, piga kwata. 
 strike out (in writing), futa. 
 strike a sore place, tonesha. 
 String (beads, &c.), tunga. 
 Strip off, ambua, pua, menya, 
 babua. 
 \ (branches, leaves, &c.), pagua. 
 I Strive with, shindana na, teta, hu- 
 i sumu. 
 
 1 (make an effort), fanya bidii or 
 
 juhudi. 
 I strive for breath, tweta, 
 i Stroke, papasa. 
 1 Stroll about, zungukazunjruka.
 
 202 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 he Strong and well-knit, pirtkuna, 
 
 kakawana. 
 Struggle^ fanya juhudi. 
 Study, taali. 
 
 meet in a class for study, durusi. 
 Stumble, jikwaa. 
 
 make to stumble, kwaza. 
 Stun. 
 
 he stunned, potea na akili, rukwa 
 na akili. 
 Stunt, viza. 
 
 he stunted, via. 
 Stutter, [ku-]wa na kigugumizi, 
 
 babaika. 
 Subdue, tiibha, shinda. 
 Submit to, tii, fuata. 
 Sv/iceed {follow), ja mahali pake. 
 Such a one succeeded Mm, baada 
 
 yake alikuja na fullani. 
 (prosper), fanikiwa, kibali. 
 succeed in doing, pata kufanya. 
 Such, nyonya, aniwa (M.), fyonda, 
 fyonza. 
 suck up, nwa. 
 suck out, sonda. 
 
 I have sucked him dry {got all the 
 information, &c., I can out of 
 him), nimemzua. 
 Suckle, nyonyesha, amwislia (M.). 
 Sue for {at law), dai. 
 Suffer, teswa, taabika, umwa. 
 
 what he suffered, mambo yalio- 
 
 mpata. 
 suffer loss, pata hasara. 
 Suffice, toslia, tosheleza, kifu. 
 Suggest, nasiha. 
 
 Suit, faa (fee of use to), lingana 
 {match), wafiki {be suitable to). 
 Sum up, jumlislia. 
 Superintend, simamia, angalia. 
 Supply, awini, ruzuku {used es- 
 pecially of God). 
 
 supply a trader with goods on 
 credit, kopesha. 
 Support, tegemeza, himili, chiikua. 
 he supports his parents, awacliu- 
 kua wazee wake. 
 Suppose, thani {think), thania {think 
 
 of), kisi {guess). 
 Supjpurate, toa uzaha. 
 become Surety, thaminL 
 Surpass, pita. 
 
 Surprize, tosliea, taajabisha. 
 he surpjrized, taajabu, toshewa, 
 {come upon suddenly), fumania, 
 gundua. 
 Surrender, sellira. 
 Surround, zunguka, tandama (?), 
 
 duru. 
 Survey, aua. 
 
 Survive, [ku-]wa hayi baada ya. 
 Suspect, thania, tuhumu. ingiashuka. 
 Sicagger, taniba, wayawaya. 
 Swallow, mtza. 
 Sway, punga. 
 
 sway about, like a drunken man, 
 
 lewalewa, umbaumba. 
 sway backwards and forwards, 
 
 tangatanga. 
 sway like a tree loaded with fruit, 
 
 wayawaya. 
 sway about in the wind, ynmba. 
 Swear, apa. 
 
 swear at, apiza. 
 make to swear, afya, apish a. 
 Sweat, toka hari, fanya jasho. 
 Sweep, fagia, pea (M.). 
 sweep together, zoa. 
 sweep away all there is, kumba. 
 Swell, fura, vimba, tuna, vuna. 
 rise into little swellings, tutuka, 
 tutumka, tutusika. 
 Swim {of a man), ogolea. 
 i {float), elea.
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 203 
 
 moyo unaelea (M.), I feel dis- 
 turbed in my inside. 
 
 (make to float), eleza. 
 Swindle, punja. 
 Swing. See Sway (neuL), ning'inia. 
 
 (act.'), uing'iniza, bembesha. 
 
 swing the arms, which is reckoned 
 an elegance in a woman's car- 
 riage, punga mikono. 
 
 swing round the head in dancing, 
 linga. 
 
 T. 
 
 Ta/:-k (in sewing), piga bandi. 
 
 (in sailing), pindua kwa gosliini. 
 Take, twaa. 
 (receive), pokea, pewa. 
 (to a person), pelekea. 
 (to a place), peleka, clmkiia, fikiza. 
 take a portion from the dish in 
 
 eating, mega, ambua. 
 take a piece in chess, la. 
 take a walk, tembea, enda tembea. 
 take across, vua, vukisha, vusha. 
 take as spoil, teka. 
 take away, ondosha, toa. 
 take away from a person, twalia. 
 take away from, or off from, epua, 
 
 okoa. 
 take au-ay the desire of anything 
 
 more, kinaisha, 
 take by force, nyang'anya. 
 take care, angalia. 
 take care of, tunza. 
 taice civet from the ngawa, zabidi. 
 taJce courage, tawakali, piga moyo 
 
 konde. 
 take down, angua. 
 take leave of, aga, agana na. 
 take off (clothes), vua. 
 
 (the fire), ipua. 
 take one's due, jilipizt,. 
 
 take one's revenge, jilipiza kisasi. 
 
 take out, opoa, ondosha, toa. 
 
 take out of a trap, namua (Mer.). 
 
 take out of the sun or rain, anua. 
 
 take out of the pot, pakua. 
 
 take suddenly and violently, poka. 
 
 take the responsibility, tadariki. 
 
 take to pieces, kongoa. 
 
 take up, tweka. 
 
 take up a little at a time., chota, 
 
 dokoa. 
 take upon oneself the obligations 
 
 of another, hawili. 
 Talk, nena, sema, jizuragiimza. 
 talk about, to, of, at, for, or against, 
 
 nenea. 
 talk against one another, nenana. 
 talk a person over into doing or 
 
 telling something, nyenya. 
 talk and murmur in one's sleep, 
 
 weweseka. 
 talk English, &c., sema Kiingrezi, 
 
 &c. 
 talk nonsense, puza, puzika. 
 talk scandal about, amba, izara. 
 talk through the nose, semeapuani, 
 
 [ku-]wa na king'ong'o. 
 Tangle, tia matata, tatanisha. 
 be tangled, tatana, tatazana. 
 Tap, gota, gonga, chapa. 
 Tarry, kawa, kaa. 
 Taste, onda, onja, thuku, limbuka 
 
 (taste a new crop, &c., for the 
 
 first time). 
 Tax, fanya ushuiu (?). 
 Teach, fundisha, funza, ftmda, ele- 
 
 mislia (instruct), jnyja, juvislia 
 
 or julisha (make to know). 
 Tear, rarua, babua, papua, papura. 
 be torn, raruka, babuka, papuka. 
 tear down [brauches, &c.J, kwa- 
 
 nua.
 
 204 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 he torn down and hrolcen, kwa- 
 
 nyuka. 
 Teaze, chokoza, kefyakefya. 
 Tell, arabia. 
 tell a tale, hadithi, hadithia, nena 
 
 or toa hadithi. 
 tell tales about, chongeleza. 
 Tempt, jaribu (try), shawishi (per- 
 suade). 
 Tend to, lekea. 
 Tend (sheep, &c.\ chunga, tunga 
 
 (M.), lisha. 
 Terrify, ogofya, tisha, khofisha. 
 Testify, shuhudu, shuhudia, sema 
 
 ushuhuda. 
 Tether, funga. 
 Thank, ambia asanti, shukuru (very 
 
 seldom used except of God). 
 Thank you, assant, marahaba 
 
 (this last is the proper answer 
 
 to a slave's salutation). 
 Thatch, vimba, ezeka. 
 Think (consider), aza, fikiri, tafa- 
 
 kari, kumbuka. 
 (suppose), thaui, thania. 
 think oneself, jiona. 
 think oneself a man, jipevua. 
 think of, tia maanani, kumbuka 
 
 (remember), nia, ania, or nuia 
 
 (have in one^s mind). 
 Thirst, ona kiu (feel thirst), [ku-] 
 
 wa na kiu (have thirst). 
 Threaten, ogofya, ogofisha, khofisha, 
 
 kamia (?). 
 Thresh, piga, pura (heat out corn), 
 
 fikicha kwa miguu (tread out), 
 
 fikicha kwa mikono (ruh out). 
 Thrill, tetema. 
 Thrive, sitawi, fanikiwa (of persons 
 
 only) 
 Throb, puma. 
 Tfirottle, kaba. 
 
 Throio, tupa. 
 
 throw a rider, rusha. 
 
 throw a stone, &c., vurumis^ia. 
 
 throw about, tawanya, ta|jai)ya 
 (M.), chafua, tefua (M.). 
 
 throw at, tupia. 
 
 throw away, tupa. 
 
 throw down, angusha. 
 
 throw overboard, tosa. 
 
 throw up, or off, rusha. 
 
 throw a burden off the shoulder, 
 &c., bwaga. 
 Thunder, [ku-]wa na ugurumo (dis- 
 tant), piga radi (near). 
 Thwart, halifu. 
 
 Tickle in the ribs, tekenya, shtua. 
 Tie, funga. 
 
 tie a knot, piga fun do. 
 
 tie up into a bundle or faggot, 
 tita. 
 Tighten, (act.) kaza, tia kassi, (neut.) 
 
 kazana, kazika. 
 Tingle, ona kinyenyefu. 
 Tip off the head, shoulder, &c., 
 
 bwaga. 
 he Tipsy, lewa, jilevya. 
 
 make tipsy, levya. 
 Tire, chosha, taajazi. 
 
 become tired, choka. 
 
 be tiresome, refuse to he pleaded. 
 Toast, oka. [deka. 
 
 be Together. 
 
 We are Together, tu sote. 
 Tolerate, stahimili, vumiha. 
 Torment, athibu, uthi, athibisha. 
 Toss, rusha. 
 
 Totter, tetemeka (tremble), pepe- 
 suka (be shaken), kongoja 
 (totter in ones walk). 
 Touch, gusa. 
 
 touch gently, papasa. 
 
 touch up, tengeneza.
 
 LIST OF VERBS, 
 
 205 
 
 Tout for custom, &c., sapa. 
 Toic, fungasa. 
 Track, fuata nyayo. 
 Trade, fauya biashara. 
 
 trade in a small way, hee}) a stall, 
 churuza. 
 Train up, adibu, lea. 
 Trample, finyanga, kanyaga. 
 Transcribe, nakili. 
 Transform, geuza, badilL 
 be Transparent, ng'ara. 
 Transgress, tagbi, baiifu. 
 Translate, tatsiri, fasii-i, geuza. 
 Trap, tega. 
 Travail (of a woman), sLikwa na 
 
 utuijgu. 
 Travel, safiri. 
 
 Tread, kanyaga, vioga (M.), finya- 
 nga (trample). 
 Treat, tendea. 
 
 he treats me badly, hunitendea 
 vibaya. 
 
 he treats me icell, hunitendea zema. 
 Tremble, tetema, tetemeka, tapatapa. 
 TricMe, tiriiika. 
 Trim, tengeneza. 
 
 trim vegetables, &c..for sale, cha- 
 
 irim (sail), rausi. [mbua. 
 
 Triumph, shinda, fanya shangwi. 
 Trot, enda masbindo (of a horse), 
 
 enda matiti (of an ass). 
 Trouble, taabisha, sumbua. 
 
 be troubled, taabika, sumbuka, 
 shugbulika. 
 
 be troubled in mind, fathaika. 
 Trust in, amini, jetea, tumania. 
 
 entrust to, aminisha, vreka, amini. 
 
 (have confidence), tumaini. 
 
 trust in God and take courage, 
 tawakali. 
 Try, jaribu. onja (taste). 
 
 try hard, jitahidi, fanya biJiL 
 
 Tuck into the girdle, d-c, futika. 
 Tumble, anguka, pomoka. 
 
 tumbukia (fall into). 
 Turn or turn into, (act.) geuza, geua. 
 (neut.) turn, turn into, turn itself, 
 
 geuka. 
 turn over, or the other way, 
 pindua (act.), pinduka (neut.). 
 turn round something else, zu- 
 nguka (neut.), zungusba (act.). 
 He turned round, aligeuka. 
 The river turns, mto unazunguka. 
 The ship turned, meiikebu ilipi- 
 nduka. 
 turn (prevent its going on in the 
 
 same direction), pinga. 
 turn aside (neut.), potoa, potoka. 
 turn bottom upicards, fudikiza. 
 turn in a lathe, kereza. 
 turn out well for, fanikia. 
 Ticeak, nyukua. 
 
 Twist, (act.) nyonga, songa, popotoa. 
 (neut.) potoka. 
 
 [a rope"] sokota, suka, pakasa 
 (Mer.). 
 
 U. 
 
 Unclose, fumbua. 
 
 be Uncomfortable, taabika, sumbuka, 
 
 toa kuona raha. 
 Uncover, funua. 
 Unfasten, fungua. 
 Understand, sikia, jua, fafanua, 
 
 tambua (recognize). 
 I understand, yameniclea, yame- 
 
 nitulilia. 
 make to understand, sikiza. 
 to be rnutiially intelligible, maJce 
 
 one another understand, siki- 
 
 zana. 
 Undertake, thamaiui, jilazimisha 
 
 tadariki.
 
 206 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Undervalue, rakhisisha. 
 Undo (unfasten), fungua. 
 
 untie a knot, fimdua. 
 
 (ruin), poteza. 
 Undress, vua nguo. 
 Unfold, kunjua. 
 Unite, unga, ungaiia. 
 Unpick or Unrip, fumua. 
 
 become unsewn, fumuka. 
 Unroof, ondoa sakafu (take off a 
 stone roof), ezua paa, or zu- 
 mbua paa (A.), (take off thatch). 
 Unsew, fumua. 
 
 come unsewn, fumuka. 
 Unthatch, ezua, zumbua (^A.) 
 Untie, fungua. 
 
 a knot, fundua. 
 Upbraid, nenea, tuhumu, taya. 
 Upset, pindua. 
 Urge, sukuma, kaza. 
 Urinate, kojoa. 
 Z7.se (make use of), tumia. 
 
 To have been used for something, 
 kiilikuwa na kitu. 
 
 he of use, faa. 
 
 he of use to one another, faana. 
 
 use bad language to, tukana. 
 
 use words well and correctly, 
 sarifu. 
 Use (accustom), zoeza. 
 
 become used to, zoea. 
 Utter, tamka. 
 
 V. 
 
 Value, tia kima (put a price upon), 
 penda (like). 
 he valuable, faa, faa sana, [kii-] 
 wa na manfaa. 
 Vanish, toweka, toa kuonekana, 
 potea, tokoiiira (get out of one s 
 sight). 
 Go and hide yourself! Tokomea ! 
 
 Venture, hatirisha, f^ubutu. 
 Vex, kasirisha. 
 
 be vexed, kasirika, chukiwa. 
 be Visible, ouekana. 
 Visit, enda kuangalia, kutazama, 
 or kuzuru, jia (come to), endea 
 (go to). 
 
 he visited, jiwa. 
 
 visit upon, patiliza. 
 Vomit, tapika, kokomoka (Ijelch out). 
 
 make to vomit, tapisha. 
 Void, taugua, batili. 
 
 be made void, tanguka. 
 Vow, weka nathiii (make a voic), 
 perform a vow, ondoa natliiri. 
 
 W. 
 
 Wail, omboleza. 
 
 Wait, or wait for, ngoja, saburi, 
 subiri. 
 
 Wait a bit, ngoja kwanza. 
 
 icait upon, ngojea. 
 Waive, (neut.) a'mka. 
 
 (act.) amsha. 
 
 remain awake, kesha, angaza. 
 
 he awake, [ku-]\va macbo. 
 
 wake up suddenly with a start, 
 zinduka, zindukana. 
 Wale, alia. 
 Walk, enda, enda kwa miguu. 
 
 (of a horse or ass), enda delki. 
 
 walk about, tembelea. 
 
 take a icalk, tembea. 
 
 walk up and down, enda masia. 
 
 icalk lame, chechea, enda chopi. 
 Wander, zunguka, potea. 
 
 in mind, papayuka. 
 Want (need), taka, ihtajia, ihtaji. 
 
 (icish to have), taka, ipa. 
 
 be icanting, ibtajiwa, pungnka. 
 Ward off, kinga (receive on some- 
 thing), bekua (knock off again)
 
 LIST OF VERBS. 
 
 207 
 
 Warm up, kanga moto, pasha moto. 
 Warn, onya, ambia, nasi, batlia- 
 
 lisha (put on ones guard). 
 Warp, Lenuka (as wood does in 
 Wash, osha. [drying), 
 
 wash clothes, fua; by dahbing 
 
 gently only, cliachaga. 
 oneself, nawa. 
 
 wash one's hands, nawa mikono. 
 Waste, (act.) tilifu, tilifislia, fuja, 
 thii. haribu, tawanya, tapanya 
 (M.). 
 (neut.) pungua, tilifika. 
 Watch, (act.) vizia, ngojea, angalla. 
 keep watches, ngojea kwa zamu. 
 watch over, linda. 
 (not to sleep), kesha, angaza. 
 Water, tia maji, nyweslia majL 
 
 make water, kojoa. 
 Wave, (act.) punga. 
 
 (neut.) tangatanga. 
 Waver, shangaa. 
 Waylay, otea. 
 Weaken, thoofisha, toa nguvu. 
 
 become weak, thoofika. 
 be Weaned, acha ziwa (leave the 
 
 breast), shishwa. 
 Wear, — the past tenses of kuvaa, 
 to put on, are used to express 
 wearing. 
 He wears, amevaa. 
 He wore, alivaa. 
 Wear away, (neut) lika, pungua, 
 punguka. 
 (act.) la, punguza. 
 Wear out, (neut.) chakaa (by age or 
 use). 
 He wore out my patience, alinonde- 
 lea saburi. 
 Wear ship, pindua kwa damalini. 
 Weary, chosha. 
 become Weary, cboka. 
 
 Weave, fuma. 
 tenda nguo, to stretch the threads 
 
 ready for weaving. 
 tarizi, weave a border on to a piece 
 of cloth. This is the only kind 
 of weaving done in Zanzibar. 
 Weed (hoe up weeds), boruga, pali- 
 Weep, lia. [Ha. 
 
 weep together, lizana. 
 burst into tears, bubujika macbozi. 
 Weigh, pima. 
 
 weigh down, lemea, topeza. 
 Weld on a piece of steel or iron, 
 
 tambuza. 
 Wet, tia maji, chofya majini (dip in 
 
 water). 
 Whet, noa. 
 Whisper, nong'ona, uong'onezana, 
 
 nong'onia. 
 Wliistle, piga mbinda, niiunzi, mi- 
 sono, or miao. Most, if not all, 
 of these refer to an involitntary 
 whistling sound ; to whistle 
 voluntarily is regarded in Zan- 
 zibar as profane. 
 Widen, panua (act.), panuka (pass.). 
 Will, taka, penda. 
 If God will, insballab, Muuiigu 
 akinijalia (if God gives me the 
 power). 
 Win, pata. 
 
 W^ind (neut), zongazonga, zungu- 
 kazunguka. 
 icind thread, kunja uzi. 
 Wink, kopesa, pepesa, pesa. 
 Kukonyesba, to raise the eyebrows : 
 this is a sign used ds winking 
 is in England. 
 Wipe, futa, paugusa. 
 
 wipe the nose, futa kamasL 
 Wish, taka, penda 
 1 Wither, nyauka, fa, fifia.
 
 208 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 Withhold from, nyiraa, bini. 
 Witness, oua (see). 
 
 bear witness, shuhudu. 
 
 witness about, for or against, sbu- 
 Imdia. 
 Wonder, taajabu, staajabu. 
 Work, fanya kazi, tenda kazi. 
 
 work in metal, fua. 
 
 {ferment), cbacba. 
 Worry, sumbua, sumbusba. 
 Worship, abudu, abudia. 
 he Worth, pata kima {get a price'). 
 
 What is it worth ? Cbapataje ? 
 Wound, umiza. 
 
 he wounded, jerubi. 
 
 wound hy striking or piercing un- 
 awares, vuaza. 
 
 Wrap, kunja. 
 Wreck, vunja. 
 
 he wrecked, vunja, vunjika. 
 
 go on shore, panda. 
 
 he on shore, pweleka. 
 Wrestle, pigana kwa mbavu. 
 Wriggle, nyonganyonga. 
 Wring, sonjoa, kamua, popotoa. 
 Wrinkle, nyeuka. 
 
 become wrinkled, kunjana. 
 Writhe (like a ivounded snake\ 
 Write, andika. [fingirika 
 
 Wrong, tbulumu. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Yaicn, enda, or piga miayo, funua 
 kiuwa.
 
 C 209 ) 
 
 ADYEEBS, 
 PEEPOSITIOXS AND CONJUNCTIONS. 
 
 Adverbs. 
 Adverbs in Swaliili follow the words they qualify. 
 Sema sana, speak out. Njema sana, very good. 
 
 Adjectives may be used as Adverbs by prefixing vi- 
 
 or vy-. 
 
 Eunuha vihaya, to smell badly. 
 
 Verbs in the Infinitive and Substantives generally 
 may be made to serve as Adverbs by the use of the 
 Preposition liwa. 
 
 Kwa uicongo, falsely. Kica Tiujua, knowingly. 
 
 Many English Adverbs may be translated by sana 
 (very), which intensifies the action or quality expressed 
 by the word to which it is subjoined. 
 
 Vuta sana I Pull hard ! 
 Shiha sana 1 Hold tight I 
 Enda sana ! Go fast I 
 
 Prepositions. 
 
 There are in Swahili very few Prepositions. Indeed 
 there are scarcely more than four, na, ya, kwa, and hatika, 
 
 p
 
 210 SWAETLI HANDBOOK. 
 
 KatiJca has tlie same force as the case in -ni, it denotes 
 locality in nearly every form in which locality can 
 require to be expressed. Kiva denotes instrumentality 
 and object. Na is and or with, and hy of the agent after 
 a passive Verb ; in this last sense ni is used at Mombas 
 and in other dialects. Ta, or rather -a with a variable 
 initial letter, denotes possession ; it is treated as a pos- 
 sessive pronoun, and changes its first letter according 
 to the class of the noun which precedes it, that is of the 
 person or thing possessed ; it can very nearly always 
 be translated by of. Its forms appropriate to each class 
 of substantives are : — 
 
 Class 
 
 See p. 209 in original. 
 
 Many of our Prepositions are exjjressed by a Xoun or 
 Adverb followed by -a. Many others are expressed by 
 Verbs in their simple or applied forms (p. 159). Some 
 can scarcely be expressed at all. The Preposition from 
 seems to be almost wholly wanting in Swahili. It is 
 sometimes implied in the Verb, as in kutoka, to come or 
 go from, or to come or go out of, but generally it is 
 marked only by katika or the case in -ni, which denote 
 merely the locality in which the action commenced. 
 From, of time, may be translated by tangu, or by toka, 
 or tokea, which do not seem to be used of space or deri- 
 vation, but to be b^t translated by siiice or heginning 
 from. 
 
 I. 
 
 sing, wa, 
 
 pliir. ica. 
 
 Class V. sing. 7a, plur. ya. 
 
 11. 
 
 „ v:a. 
 
 „ ya. 
 
 „ VI. ,, ica, „ za. 
 
 III. 
 
 „ ya, 
 
 „ za. 
 
 „ VII. „ pa, „ j:>a. 
 
 IV. 
 
 „ cha. 
 
 „ vya. 
 
 „ Vin. „ kwa, „ kica.
 
 CONJUNCTIONS. 211 
 
 Until to, as far as, of time and space, are frequently- 
 translated by hatta, and (less elegantly) by mpaka, 
 followed by a substantive. 
 
 Conjunctions. 
 
 Conjunctions are often dispensed with by the use of 
 the tenses witli -ka-. And, hut, or any other mere con- 
 nective in a narrative, is unnecessary where the -ka- 
 tense is employed, as in all ordinary cases it must be. 
 The Imperative and Subjunctive may also have -ka- 
 prefixed with the force of the Conjunction and, 
 
 Katupa I And throw it away. 
 
 Enenda sokoni kcdeta ndizi ! Go to the market and fetcli some 
 
 bananas. 
 Vone, uhasadiki, that you may see and believe. 
 
 If and other Conjunctions introducing a state are 
 generally expressed by using the -ki- tense of the Verb 
 (see Verbs, p. 136). 
 
 In order that is generally expressed only by putting 
 the Verb which expresses the purpose into the sub- 
 junctive. 
 
 P 2
 
 212 
 
 BWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 LIST OF ADVEEBS, PREPOSITIONS, AND 
 CONJUNCTIONS. 
 
 A. 
 
 About, (near) karibu na, kama 
 (in the neighbourhood of),u 
 
 Above, (adv.) juu. 
 (prep.) juu ya. 
 Abundantly, tele, sana. 
 After, (adv.) nyuma, baada. 
 (prep.) nyuma ya, baada ya. 
 Nyuma is more correctly used of 
 
 place, and baada, of time. 
 After this, akiisba Qie finishing), 
 akaisba (and he finished). 
 Afterwards, nyumaye, baada yake, 
 baadaye, tena, kiisha, halafu, 
 pindi. 
 Again., mara ya pili, tena. 
 Against, juu ya. Against is com- 
 monly expressed by the use of 
 the applied form of the verb. 
 Ago. 
 
 long ago, zamani za kale, zamani, 
 
 kwanza. 
 How long ago ? Tangu lini ? 
 ten days arjo, leo siku kumi, kwa 
 siku kumi, tangu siku kiuni. 
 
 Alike, sawasawa, ginsi moja, ma- 
 
 moja. 
 Almost, karibu na. 
 Alone, peke yake, &c. (by himself, 
 
 &c.), tu (only). Tu always 
 
 follows the word or phrase 
 
 qualified by it. 
 Along, kandokando ya. 
 
 along with, pamoja na. 
 Alongside, mbavuni. 
 Aloud, kwa sauti kubwa. 
 Already, mbele (before), sasa (norc). 
 He is already gone aicay, ame- 
 
 kwisha kwenda zake (p. 155). 
 Also, na, tena. Na always precedes 
 
 what it is connected loith. 
 Although, kwamba, ikiwa. 
 Altogether, pia yote, kabisa. 
 Always, sikuzote, dayima, abadan, 
 
 kipindi, milele (for ever). 
 Amidst, katikati ya. 
 Among, katika. 
 
 among themselves, wao kwa wao. 
 Anciently, zamani za kale, kwanza 
 And, na. 
 
 And he, and 1, &c. See p. 103.
 
 ADVERBS, PREPOSITIONS, &c. 
 
 21 
 
 And is very often ex-pressed by the 
 use of the -ka- tense. See p. 134 
 and p. 141. 
 
 And folloived by a negative must 
 be translated by wala. 
 
 And so, and then, &c., bassi. 
 Any is expressed by using the word 
 absolutely. 
 
 Anywhere, po pote. 
 
 1 don't see anything, sioni kitu. 
 
 Anything whatever, kitu cho chote. 
 Apart, mbali. 
 
 Around, pande zote, mzingo wa. 
 As (ivhen, or if), -■po-,-ki-. Seep. 136. 
 
 (as if), kama, kana, kwamba. 
 
 (like), -vyo, -vyo-, added to or 
 inserted in the verb. 
 
 As you please, upendavyo. 
 
 As it ivas formerly, yalivyokuwa 
 kwanza. 
 
 As followed by as is generally 
 omitted. 
 
 As big as a house, kubwa kama 
 nyumba. 
 
 As it stands, slielabela. 
 A-<hore, pwaui. 
 
 go ashore, panda (of a ship), shu- 
 ka (of a person). 
 
 be ashore (of a ship), pwelewa. 
 Aside, kando. 
 
 At, kwa, katika ; case in -ni, folloived 
 by pronouns in p-, when it de- 
 notes nearness only, but by pro- 
 nouns in kw- when it is inde- 
 terminite. 
 
 At first, awali, kwanza. 
 
 At home, kwangu, kwako, kwake, 
 kwetu, kwenu, kwao, nyumbani. 
 
 He is not at home, hako. Hayuko 
 is commonly used by slaves in 
 Zanzibar, but is wholly incorrect. 
 
 At last, mwisho, hatima, hutta. 
 
 At length, hatta, hatima. 
 
 At night, iisiku. 
 
 At once, mara, mara moja. 
 
 At the top, juu. 
 
 At the bottom, chini. 
 
 go away, enda zangu, zako, &c., 
 
 according to the person going, 
 come away, ja zake, &c. 
 He is away, hako. 
 
 B. 
 
 Bach, nyuma. 
 
 He went bach, alirudi nyuma. 
 upon the bach, kwa tani, chali. 
 Backwards, kingaligali (M.j, 
 Because, kwa sababu. 
 
 because of, kwa sababu ya, kwa 
 ajili ya, kwani (for). 
 Before, (adv.) mbele, kwanza. 
 (prep.) mbele ya or za, kabla ya. 
 Kabla is used preferably of time , 
 mbele of place. 
 To go before, tangulia. 
 Before he goes to sleep, asijelala. 
 Before I die, kabla sijafa. 
 Behind, (adv.) nyuma. 
 
 (prep.) nyuma ya. 
 Below, (adv.) chini. 
 (prep.) chini ya. 
 Beside, kando la, kandokando ya, 
 
 zayidi ya (more than). 
 Besides, tena, zayidi ; na (also), pre- 
 ceding the thing mentioned. 
 Better, afathali, heri or kheiri. 
 You had better go, afathali uene- 
 
 nde, u heri uenende. 
 Afathali is preferably, heri means 
 it would be a good thing. 
 Between, katikati ya, beina. 
 Beyond, (adv.) kwa kuko. 
 (prep.) zayidiya, juu ya.
 
 214 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 beyond (of place), upande wa 
 pili wa. 
 
 Both — and — , na — na, 
 
 Both of them, wote wawili, zote 
 mbili, &c., &c. 
 
 But, lakini, wallakini (andhowever), 
 illakini (^except however), ilia, 
 ball. In many cases but may 
 he best translated by the use of 
 the -ka- tense of the verb. 
 
 By (after a passive verb), na, ui 
 
 (M). 
 (of an instrument), kwa. 
 (near) katika), case in -mfolloived 
 
 by pronouns in p-. 
 
 Certainly, yakini, hakika, hapana 
 
 shaka. 
 You certainly, &c., Hakika yako, 
 
 &c. 
 ChohefuU, tobtob. 
 Constantly, abadan, dayima. 
 Crookedly, kombokombo, misliithari. 
 
 D. 
 
 JJa ily, killa siku, siku kwa siku. 
 Directly. See Now. 
 Distinctly, kiada. 
 Down, cliini. 
 During, wakati wa. 
 
 Dv/ring his journey, alipokuwa 
 akisafixi, akiwa akisaliri. 
 
 E. 
 
 Early, mapema. 
 
 Easily, upesi. 
 
 Either — or — , ao — ao — , ama — 
 
 ama — . 
 EUeichere, panginepo. 
 Entirely, pia, kabisa, yote, pia yote. 
 Ere, kabla ya, mbele ya. See Before. 
 
 Even, hatta. 
 
 Even if, -japo. See p. 138. 
 Ever, sikuzote, dayima, kipmdi. 
 
 for ever, milele. 
 Everyichere, mahali pote. 
 Exactly, halisi, kbassa, bawaba. 
 Exceedingly, 'mno subjoined to the 
 
 word qualified, saiia. 
 Except, ilia, ela (M.). Except may 
 
 often be expressed by the use 
 
 of the tense with -sipo. See 
 
 p. 146. 
 except by, billa. 
 Excessively, 'mno subjoined to the 
 
 word qualified, ciiapa, chapara, 
 
 P. 
 
 Far or far off, mbali. 
 First, kwauza, mbele. 
 
 to go first, kutangulia. 
 Fluently, kama maji. 
 For, (conj.) kwani. 
 
 (prep.) kwa. For is generally 
 expressed by the use of the ap- 
 plied form of the verb. 
 
 (in the place of), mahali pa. 
 
 for the space of, muda wa. 
 
 for the salce of, kwa ajili ya. 
 
 for my sake, unipendavyo (as you 
 love me). 
 Formerly, kwanza., zamani. 
 Forth, 'nje. 
 
 to go forth, kutokar 
 Forward, mbele. 
 
 go forward, endelea mbele. 
 Forwards (upon the face), fulifuli, 
 fudifudi, kwa kufahamia (M.). 
 Frequently, mara nyingi. 
 From, katika, case in -ni. 
 
 from among, miongoni mwa. 
 
 from time to time, mara kwa mara. 
 
 (since), tangu, toka, tokea.
 
 ADVERBS, PREPOSITIONS, &c. 
 
 215 
 
 I had it from (of) the SheiM, 
 nalipokea ya Sheikh. 
 Further, ten a. 
 Further on, mbcle. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gently, polepole, taratibu, tahafifu. 
 
 Gladly, furalia. 
 
 Gratis, burre, attia, bilashi. 
 
 H. 
 
 Hard, kassi. 
 
 to work hard, kutenda kazi sana. 
 to run hard, kaza mbio. 
 Eustily, hima, kwa haraka. 
 Here, hapa, huku. 
 He is here, yupo. 
 I am here, mimi hapa. 
 Here and there, hapa na hapa. 
 Hereafter, baadaye. 
 Hither, hatta hapa, hapa. 
 
 Hither and thither, kuku na 
 huku. 
 Hitherto, liatta leo, hatta sasa. 
 How"? -je suhjoined to the verb. 
 Seep. 123. 
 kamaipi? Kwaje? 
 How is it ? Ginsi gani ? 
 Hoio often ? Mara iigapi ? 
 How much ? Kassi gani ? Kadri 
 gani? 
 How, ginsi with -vyo- joined with 
 the verb ; ginsi is often omitted. 
 How he was, &c., ginsi alivyo- 
 kuwa, &c. 
 However, lakiui. 
 
 Tf, kana, kwaniba, kama; -ki- or 
 -po- inserted in the verb. See j 
 pp. 13d, 146. 1 
 
 Immediately, mara, mara moja. 
 
 noio immediately, sasa hivi. 
 In, katika, case in -ni followed by 
 pronouns in m-. 
 in the shoulder, ya bega. 
 in front, pambele, mbele. 
 [J] i7i going, nikienda, nikiwa 
 
 nikienda. 
 m good time, at its proper time, 
 
 tahafifu. 
 in heaps, chungu chuugu. 
 in order that, ilh. See p. 141, 
 in place of, mahali pa. 
 in the middle, katinakati. kati, 
 
 katikati. 
 in the middle of, kati ya, katikati 
 in the morning, assubui. [ya. 
 
 Indeed, kusema kweli. 
 
 great indeed, kubwa sana. 
 Inside, ndani. 
 
 inside of, ndani ya, case in -ni 
 
 followed by pronouns in m-. 
 He is inside, yumo ndani. 
 Into, katika, case in -ni followed by 
 pronouns in m-. 
 
 J. 
 
 Just, see p. 116, halisi. 
 
 Tliat is just it, ndiyo yalio. 
 
 Lastly, kwa rawisho, mwisho. 
 
 at last, hatima, mwisho. 
 Late, kasiri. 
 Less, duDi. 
 
 to become less, kupungua. 
 
 Less by, kassa. 
 Like, kama, methili, hesabu j 
 
 People like us, kina sisi. 
 Little, kidogo. 
 
 a little more, punde. 
 
 a little longer, -refu punde.
 
 216 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 M. 
 
 Merely, tn, bassi. Both words foUoio 
 the word or phrase they qualify. 
 Moderately, kadiri. 
 More, zayidi. 
 
 more than, zayidi ya. 
 a little more, punde. 
 Moreover, tena, na. 
 Much more, or much less, sembuse, 
 seuze. 
 
 N. 
 
 Near (adv.'^, karibu. 
 
 Near to, karibu na, karibu ya. 
 
 Nearly, karibu na or ya, kadri ya. 
 
 Necessarily, of necessity, kanuni la- 
 zim, ukwasefu. 
 
 Neither — nor — , wala — wala — . 
 
 Never, kabisa (icith a negative pre- 
 ceding), kamwi (IVI.). 
 
 Next, -a pill yake, kiisha. 
 next to, -a pili ya. 
 
 No, ahaa, hahaa, la, siyo, bakuna, 
 hapana, bamna. These last 
 three words mean, tbere is not, 
 or tbere is none. 
 No, by no means, hasba. 
 
 Nor, wala. 
 
 Not,s\. See Negative Tenses of Verhs, 
 p. 143. 
 
 Not only — , hut also — ; si — bassi, 
 — lakini tena ; si — tu, ilia — . 
 
 Not yet, bado, asitasa, baitassa, &c. 
 (M.). These words are used to 
 denote incompleteness, whatever 
 the subject referred to may be. 
 Not yet may generally be ex- 
 pressed by the negative tense 
 with -ja- (seep. 145), after which 
 tense bado is generally added. 
 
 Now, sasa, leo (to-day), wakati buu 
 {at this time), zamani bizi {in 
 
 these times), zamani zetu (in our 
 times), siku bizi (in these days). 
 Now directly, sasa bivi. 
 
 O. 
 
 Obliquely, banamu. 
 Of, -a, icith a first letter varying 
 according to the class of the 
 preceding word, that is of the 
 thing possessed. 
 I. Mtu wa Ali, Alt's man. 
 Watu wa Ali, AH's people. 
 Mbuzi wa Ali, All's goat. 
 Mbuzi wa Ali, Ali's goats. 
 II. Mnazi wa Ali, All's cocoa- 
 nut tree. 
 Minazi ya Ali, Ali's cocoa- 
 nut trees. 
 m. Nyumba ya Ali, Ali's house. 
 Nyumba za Ali, Ali's 
 houses. 
 IV. Kisu cba Ali, Ali's knife. 
 
 Visu vya Ali, Alt's Ttnives. 
 V. Kasba la Ali, Ali's chest. 
 Makasba ya Ali, All's 
 chests. 
 VI. Uimbo wa Ali, AKs song. 
 
 Nyimbo za Ali.AKs songs. 
 vn. Mabali pa Ali, Ali's place. 
 VIII. Kufa kwa Ali, Ali's dying. 
 
 1. Nyumbani mwa Ali, in Ali's 
 
 house. 
 
 2. Nyumbani pa Ali, by Alis 
 
 house. 
 
 3. Nyumbani kwa Ali, to Ali's 
 
 house. 
 Ya is sometimes pronounced a. 
 
 saa a sita, twelve o'clock. 
 
 Where it is intended to mark specia II y 
 
 the individuality of the possessor 
 
 the possessive pronoun may he 
 
 u^ed instead of the preposition -a.
 
 ADVEEBS, PREPOSITIONS, &c. 
 
 217 
 
 Kiti chake Sultani, means the 
 chair in which no one hut the 
 Sultan sits, or the Sultan's own 
 chair. 
 Of is included in some words ichich 
 are therefore not followed hy -a. 
 Kina Abdallah, Ahdallah's people, 
 
 or people like Abdallah. 
 Wadi Mohammed, Mohammed's 
 
 son. 
 Binti Mohammed, Mohammed's 
 
 daughter. 
 In, some common phrases -a is 
 omitted apparently for shortness 
 only. 
 Often, mara nyingi. 
 On, juu ya, the case in -ni. 
 Put it on the table, weka mezani. 
 Put it on the top of the table, weka 
 
 juu ya meza. 
 on both sides, pande mbilL 
 on every side, kotekote. 
 on foot, kwa miguu. 
 on one side, onesidedly, pogo. 
 on pwrpose, makusudi. 
 on the part of, miougoni mwa. 
 Once, mara moja. 
 
 at once, mara moja, mara. 
 once only, mara moja tu. 
 Only, peke yake, &c. (by itself, 
 alone), tu, bassi, both following 
 the word or phrase qualified. 
 Orderly, taratibu. 
 Out, nje. 
 out and out, tama. 
 SpeaTi out, sema saua. 
 Outside, nje, kwa nje. 
 
 •outside of, nje ya. 
 Outwardly, kwa nje. 
 Over, juu ya (0/ place)^ zayidi ya 
 (of quantify). Over in the sense 
 of excess may be expressed by 
 
 kupita, to pass ; and in the sense 
 of finished, by kuisha, to come 
 to an end. 
 Tlie battle is over, mapigano ya- 
 mekwisha. 
 
 Patiently, stahimili. 
 
 Perhaps, labuda, hwenda, kwenda, 
 kwa nasibu, inshallah. 
 
 Perpetually, dayima, abadan. 
 
 Possibly, labuda, yamkini (it is pos- 
 sible), kwa yamkini (by possi- 
 bility). 
 
 Presently, halafu. 
 
 Properly, vema, halisi, bawaba. 
 -to, u^sed as an enclitic subjoined 
 
 to verbs and substantives. 
 Amejiwekato, he has placed him- 
 self properly. 
 
 Quickly, hima, himahima, kwa ha- 
 
 raka, upesi, mbio (running). 
 Quietly, taratibu, polepole. 
 Quite, kabisa, pia halisi. 
 
 R. 
 
 Bather, zayidi (jnore), afathali (pre- 
 ferably), 
 much rather, sembuse, seuze. 
 
 S. 
 
 Secretly, kwa siri,ndani kwa ndani. 
 Side by side, kandnkando. 
 Silently, kimyakimva. 
 Since, tangu, toka, tokea. 
 Slowly, polepole, taratibu, kiada. 
 So, ichen folloiced ly as is generally 
 omitted, ichen standing alone it
 
 218 
 
 SWAHILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 may he expressed hy ginsi, and 
 -vyo inserted in the verb. 
 He is 7iot so tall as you are, si 
 
 mrefu kama wewe. 
 I did not know he was so tall, si- 
 
 kumjua ginsi alivyo mrefu. 
 So far as, hatta. 
 Smnetimes, niara, mara kwa mara. 
 Sometimes he laughs, sometimes he 
 cries, mara hucheka, mara hulia. 
 Soon, sa.sa hivi (immediately), upesi 
 (quicldy), bado kidogo (yet a 
 little), karibu (near). 
 Still, ten a, hatta leo. 
 Strongly, kwa nguvu. 
 Suddenly, ghafala, mara moja, tha- 
 ruba moja. 
 
 T. 
 
 Tliat (how that), kwamba, ya kwa- 
 
 mba. 
 (in order that), illi. See p. 141. 
 Then, is often expressed by the use of 
 
 the -ka- tense, or by the verbs 
 
 kwisba, to finish, or, kwenda, 
 
 to go. 
 Akiisha akatoka, having finished 
 
 this, he went out = then he went 
 
 out. 
 Akaenda akamkamata, and he 
 
 went and seized him = then he 
 
 seized Mm. 
 (after this), baadaye, baada yake, 
 
 nyumaye, nyuma yake. 
 (then it was), ndipo. 
 (in those days), zamani zile, siku 
 
 zile. 
 (at that time), wakati ule. 
 There, pale, huko, kule. Pale 
 
 points to ichat is nearest, kule 
 
 to what is farthest off. 
 Therefore, kwa sababu hii. 
 
 Tliough, kwamba ; the -ki- tense, 
 p. 136, ivhen the case is put as 
 an existing one ; the -nge- tense, 
 p. 138, ivhere the case is put as 
 not existing. 
 
 Tliough he is, akiwa. 
 
 Though he be, angawa. 
 
 (even if), -japo, i). 138. 
 Thus (in this way), hivi, hivyo. 
 
 just thus, vivi hivi, vivyo hivyo. 
 
 (in the same way), vivyo. 
 Till, hatta, mpaka wa. 
 To (as the sign of the infinitive), 
 ku- ; the u becomes w before a, e, 
 or i, and is often omitted before 
 o and u. 
 
 Kwisha = ku-isha, to finish. 
 
 Kwenda = ku-enda, to go. 
 
 Knga = ku-oga, to bathe. 
 
 To before a verb where it expresses 
 the purpose or the object aimed 
 at, is expressed by the use of the 
 subjunctive. 
 
 I stood up to look, nalisimaiua 
 nione. 
 
 Tell him to help you, mwamljia 
 akusayidie. 
 
 I leant him to go, namtaka aende. 
 
 J want to go, nataka kwenda. 
 (In such cases as this the verb 
 in the infinitive is used as a 
 substantive.) 
 
 (unto) w generally contained in 
 the verb, kupa = to give to (not 
 to give). If not contained in 
 the meaning of the original verb, 
 it may he expressed by the use of 
 the applied form. In the few 
 cases in which to cannot be 
 brought into the meaning of the 
 verb, it must he rendered by 
 kwa.
 
 ADVEBBS, FBEFOSITIONS, <&c. 
 
 219 
 
 (as far as), hatta. 
 (to the house of), kwa. 
 Together, pamoja, wote. 
 
 When joined icith persons together 
 is expressed hy forms of -ote, 
 all 
 
 twende sote, let us go together. 
 mwende nyote, go together. 
 wende wote, let them go together, 
 both together, wote, wote wawili. 
 Topsy-turvy, Mtwakitwa, vitwav - 
 
 twa. 
 Totally, kabisa, pia. 
 Truly, kweli, hakika, yakini, inna. 
 Twice over, kuwili. 
 
 u. 
 
 Unawares, ghafala. 
 
 Under, chini ya. 
 
 Until, hatta. 
 
 Up, juu. 
 
 Upon, juu ya, case in -ni. See On. 
 
 Upicards, juu. 
 
 Utterly, kabita. pia yote, tikitiki. 
 
 Vainly, burre. 
 
 Very, sana. Sana ahcays foUon\< 
 
 the word qualified hy it. 
 Vigorously, kwa nguvu, sana. 
 Violently, kwa nguvu, kassi. 
 
 W. 
 
 Well, vema, sana, -to. See Properly. 
 
 What ■? See p. 122. 
 
 What do you icant 1 "Wataka nini '■ 
 What tree is it ? Mti gani huu ? 
 What man ? Mtu yupi ? 
 
 What = that which. See Relatives, 
 p. 117. 
 
 When ■? Lini ? 
 
 When (if, as soon as, &c.), the -ki 
 ten!ie,p. IciG. 
 
 (at the time ichen), -po, treated as 
 
 a relative particle and joined 
 
 with the verb, p. 119. 
 (during the time), wakati wa. 
 ichen it rains, wakati wa mvua. 
 When the harvest comes, wakati 
 
 wa kuvuna, [wa]vunapo. 
 (even if), -japo, p. 138. 
 Whenever, wakati wote, killa -po. 
 
 Whenever I go, killa nendapo. 
 Where ? Wapi, api, p. 123. 
 WTipre are you going'? Wenda 
 
 wapi? 
 Wlitvt, po, ko, mo, treated as relative 
 
 particles and joined with the 
 
 verb. Po implies nearness, and 
 
 mo the being inside. 
 1 don't know ichere he is, simjui 
 
 alipo. 
 I don't know ichere I am going, 
 
 sijui ninapokwenda. 
 1 donH know ichere I came from, 
 
 sijui ninakotoka. 
 Where the tree is (or icas), penyi 
 
 mti. 
 IMierever, po pote, ko kote, mo mote. 
 W?ierever I go, killa nendako. 
 Wherever I enter, killa ningiamo. 
 Wherever I am, killa nilipo. 
 Wherefore, kwa sababu hii or hiyo. 
 Whether — or — , ao — ao — . 
 Whether it be, licha. 
 (if), kwamba. 
 While, maadam, maazal. 
 While, is generally expressed by 
 
 the use of -ki- prefixed to the 
 
 verb, p. 136. 
 While it is yet early, kungali na 
 
 mapema bado. 
 Why 7 Mbona? Kwani? Kwa 
 
 nini ? Ya nini ? Kwa sababu 
 
 gani ? Giusi or Gissi gaiii ?
 
 220 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 With, na, pamoja na. 
 (^as an instrument), kwa. 
 (containing, having), -enyi See 
 p. 97. 
 Within, ndani. 
 Without, nje. 
 
 Without Qprep.), pasipo {where there 
 is not). 
 Without is generally expressed ty 
 the -sipo- tense (p. 146). It 
 may he represented hy a simple 
 negative. 
 Se is without shame, hana haya 
 
 = he has no shame. 
 Without, followed in English hy 
 the participial or verbal in -ing, 
 may he rendered hy the negative 
 subjunctive of the verb. 
 Without seeing him, asimwone. 
 Without there being, paslwe. 
 Wonderfully, ajib, ajabu. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Yearly, mwaka kwa mwaka. 
 Yes, aee, eee, naam, vema, njema, 
 yakini, ndio, kweli. 
 
 Ewaa or Ee wallah are often used 
 hy slaves or inferiors to expret's 
 a willing assent. 
 
 Inshallah is used as a promise to 
 do something. 
 
 Lebeka or Labeka, cojitracted 
 into lebek, ebbe or even be. is 
 used hy inferiors as an ansioer 
 when called. Superiors or 
 equals generally v^e naam,. tlie 
 Arabic yes. 
 
 Ndiyo yalio, that is just it. 
 Yonder, kule, kulee, p. 115, 116. 
 
 Zigzag, upogoupogo.
 
 ( 221 ) 
 
 INTERJECTIONS. 
 
 There are in Swahili, as in all langnages, some 
 Bcarcely articulate Interjections, and many of the natives, 
 especially of the lower class, use a great deal of action, 
 often joined with half-articulate exclamatory sounds, 
 to illustrate and enforce their meaning. The following 
 are the most usual Interjections, and those which can 
 best be written. The words used for Yes and No are 
 given in the preceding list, pp. 216 and 220. 
 
 The ordinary salutations are in practice a sort of 
 Interjections, not being very easily explained under 
 any other head. 
 
 A slave addressing a superior says Sikamoo or Nasika- 
 moo, for nashiJca miguu, I embrace your feet. The 
 superior replies MaraJiaha, thank you, or welome, the 
 word being originally an Arabic form of congratulation 
 and well-wishing. 
 
 Equals very commonly say when they meet Jambo or 
 Tamho, to which the reply is Jambo or Jambo sana. There 
 is a playful or very affectionate way of continuing the 
 dialogue thus — Jambo. Jambo. Jambo sana. Jambo sana. 
 Sana sana. Sana sana. Kama lulu (like pearls). Kama
 
 222 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 marijani (like coral), &c., &c. The more correct expres- 
 sions are — Su jamho ? Are you well ? and the answer, 
 Si jamho, I am well. It is difficult to explain these 
 phrases intelligibly. Hu jamho ? is literally, Are you 
 not a matter or affair? or still more strictly, Are you 
 not a word ? The meaning is very nearly that of the 
 English, Is nothing the matter with you ? Sometimes 
 Ha jamho is used to express, He is well, or Ha jamho 
 kidogo, He is not very ill, or He is a little better. One 
 may ask, U hali gani f What state are you in ? i.e.. How 
 are you ? to which a proper reply is, Njema, hemd il Hlahi^ 
 Good, praise be to God. The Arabic Sahalkheir, Good 
 morning, and MasaWieir, Good afternoon, are often 
 heard. The more elegant forms are Suhalik Allah hilh- 
 heir and MasaTc Allah hilklieir. It is not usual to inquire 
 about the health of a wife or of the women of a house- 
 hold, unless among very intimate friends, or for some 
 special reason. When necessary, one should say, Hu- 
 jamho mjumhani ? or U hali gani nyumhani ? How are 
 you in the house, i.e.. How are your household, or 
 those in your house ? It is proper, if you are asked 
 how you are, always to answer, well, for the sake of 
 the omen ; and similarly if you are asked Hahari gani ? 
 What news? to answer Njema, good, and then after- 
 wards to give a true account of the matter. 
 
 In Swahili Interjections a final h is often distinctly 
 heard. It requires much practice to enable a European 
 to make this sound properly.
 
 LIST OF INTEEJECTIONS. 
 
 Ah! An exclamation of mingled 
 grief and surprize. The final 
 h must be distinctly sounded. 
 
 Ahsdnt or asanti, thank you. Ah- 
 sdnt is an Arabic word mean- 
 ing, You have done well. It is 
 sometimes used profusely by 
 way of mere compliment. 
 
 Amina. Amen, used at the end of 
 a prayer. 
 
 Ati ! Look you ! I say 1 It is 
 used generally as a means of 
 calling attention to what has 
 been said, or is about to be said. 
 It is a sort of vocal note of 
 admiration. 
 
 B. 
 
 Bassi! or Bass! That will do! 
 Enough ! Stop ! No more ! 
 
 C. 
 
 Chub! An exclamation of impa- 
 tience and contempt; the ch 
 is the sound most heard, the 
 vowel being very short and in- 
 significant. 
 
 E. 
 
 Ee! 01 The interjeftion of in- 
 vocation. 
 
 Ewe ! plur. Enyi ! You there ! A 
 rather contemptuous way of 
 demanding attention. It is 
 used for Hi I I say ! and any 
 exclamation merely meant to 
 attract notice. It must not be 
 used to a superior and rarely 
 only to an equal. It is custo- 
 mary to call to them Bwana ! 
 i.e., Master ! The answers 
 will be found in the previous 
 list, p. 220, under the word 
 Yes. 
 
 Haya! An exclamation borrowed 
 from the Arabic ; it means, 
 give your attention to this, go 
 on with it. It is used where 
 we say, Come along 1 Look 
 sharp ! Be quick ! Go on I 
 If it has been proposed to do 
 anything, Haya ! means, I^et 
 us set about it. Haya! is 
 commonly used by a master oi
 
 224 
 
 SWAEILI HANDBOOK, 
 
 overlooker to hasten men about 
 their work. 
 
 Eima ! Quick I Be quick ! Make 
 haste 1 Often doubled, Hima 
 hima I 
 
 Eddil with a great stress on the 
 0. It is not right to enter any 
 house or room (not your own) 
 without first crying Eddi ! and 
 waiting for some one to come, 
 or at least to answer, Kdrih^ 
 Come in ! 
 
 J. 
 
 Je! or Ye! Hnllo! What now! 
 Well ! What is it ? 
 
 K 
 
 Jf '/iJ^<-^rihd i.e., come near I It is used 
 to mvite people into a house, 
 to join a party, or to sit down 
 and put themselves at their 
 ease. Kdrib^ may generally 
 be translated, Come and sit 
 with us ! and a common answer 
 is, NimekcLa kitaho, I am set 
 down. 
 
 Kefulel An exclamation of con- 
 tempt. 
 
 Kua heri ! Good-bye ! Farewell ! 
 Sometimes a plural is made, 
 Kudherini, though it seems to 
 be an incorrect form. 
 
 Sometimes a special friend 
 adds, Ya Inionana, as much as 
 to say, May we soon meet again. 
 
 Kuvibe I What I What then ! An 
 expression of surprize, espe- 
 cially used when things turn 
 out not to be as they were 
 represented to be. 
 
 L. 
 
 Laitil Oh that! Would that! 
 An exclamation of regret, a 
 wish that things had been 
 otherwise. 
 
 Looo I An exclamation of surprize ; 
 the o is more dwelt upon in 
 proportion to the amount of 
 surprize. 
 
 M. 
 
 Marahaha! Thank you I It is 
 well ! used by way of acknow- 
 ledging a gift or a compliment. 
 
 Miye ! Me I I ! I am the one ! 
 
 Mwenyewe 1 You did it yourself I 
 
 Ole! An exclamation foreboding 
 evil. Woe ! Ole wenu ! Woe 
 unto you ! Ole wangu ? Woe 
 is me I 
 
 S. 
 
 Saa ! You I I say ! It is put 
 after a word to give emphasis 
 to it. NJoo saa 1 Come on, do ! 
 
 Salaam I Peace ! IT ail ! It is 
 used as a salutation by the 
 Indians. The regular Arabic 
 Salaam aleikum! Peace be 
 with you ! and the answer, TFa 
 aleik salaam! And with yon 
 peace ! is not very commonly 
 heard. Salaam is often used 
 in the sense of compliments : 
 Salaam Bihi! With the mis- 
 tress' compliments, — said in 
 presenting anything. 
 
 Similla! Out of the way! Ori- 
 ginally, as it is said, Bismillah, 
 In the name of God. It is now
 
 LIST OF INTERJECTIONS, 
 
 225 
 
 th e common cry by which people 
 are warned of something com- 
 ing. Similla punda! Make 
 way for a donkey ! Similla 
 vhau ! Take care of the plank ! 
 Two servants frequently go 
 before a great man to clear the 
 way for him, and call out to 
 any one in the road, Similla ! 
 Similla ! 
 
 A plural Similleni ! is some- 
 times made as though it were 
 the imperative of a verb. The 
 more correct phrase for Get out 
 of the way I is Jitenge 1 
 Starehe I Don't disturb yourself I 
 When a new-comer enters, the 
 rest rise to do him honour, 
 which he tries to prevent by 
 saying, iStorei^ / Starehe i It 
 
 is properly used to deprecate 
 any trouble or disturbance on 
 the speaker's account. 
 
 Tender 
 
 T. 
 
 Go on I 
 
 Let us go ! 
 
 Probably theimperative of hu- 
 tenda, to do or to be employed 
 about. 
 Tutu 1 Don't touch 1 Used to a 
 child meddling with what he 
 had better leave alone. 
 
 V. 
 
 Vema ! Very well ! So be it J 
 That wni do I 
 
 Weye ! You ! 
 It's you I 
 
 W; 
 
 You are the onel
 
 226 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 rOEMATIO:^T OF WOEDS. 
 
 The formation and introduction of new words go on 
 BO freely in Swahili, that no guide to the language 
 would be complete without a section on the subject. 
 
 Foreign words are adopted in a shape as nearly like 
 their own as the rules in regard to Swahili syllables will 
 allow. At first indeed a word may be used in its crude 
 original shape, but it soon has vowels introduced into, 
 and subjoined to it, so as to bring it into a regular form. 
 Arabic words seldom present great difficulties when 
 once the gutturals have been toned down. Thus Jchdhar 
 (news) softens into hahdri, wakt (time) becomes first 
 wdkti and then ivaMti, Jcahr or gahr (a grave) is softened 
 and expanded into hahuri. It is seldom that an Arabic 
 word presents so much difficulty as did these three. 
 Portuguese has furnished some words, as TcasJia (caxa), a 
 large box ; meza, a table ; mvinyo (vinho), wine. French 
 gives a few, as hweta (boite) a box; divai (du vin) 
 claret. An instance of English adaptation occurs in 
 manowari, which is the current designation of an Englisb 
 man-of-war.
 
 FORMATION OF WORDS 227 
 
 Verbs. 
 
 Some rales have been given at tlie end of tlie section 
 on Verbs for tbe formation of several derived forms 
 (p. 157). Verbs in tbe causative and neuter forms may 
 be made from other parts of speech, especially from 
 foreign Adjectives, by changing their final syllable 
 into -isha or -esha, -ika or -eka, as though they had been 
 originally Verbs. 
 
 Ghali, dear. KughalisTia, to make dear. 
 Laini, smooth. Kulainisha, to make smooth. 
 Kulainika^ to be made smooth. 
 
 Beside those formations which are in daily use, it is 
 a great help to the understanding of the language to 
 bear in mind the traces of formations not now ordinarily 
 employed. In regard to Verbs it is a constant rule that 
 those ending in -ua reverse the meaning of similar verbs 
 ending in -a only. 
 
 Kufunga, to fasten. Kufungua, to unfasten. 
 
 Kufuka, to fill in a hole. Kufukua, to clear out a hole. 
 
 Several verbs show traces of a rule, which prevails in 
 some other African languages, that the change of -a into 
 -ya gives the Verb a causative meaning. 
 
 Kupona, to get well. Euponya, to cure. 
 Kiiogopa, to fear. Kuogofya, to frighten. 
 
 There are many questions about the form of Verbs 
 which need much more investigation. What is the rule 
 by which some causatives are made in -sJia and some in 
 -za f Has the -sJia termination the effect of to make to 
 be, and -za that of to make to do f What is the explana- 
 tion of the apparently neuter form of some active Verbs, 
 
 q2
 
 228 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 sucli as hifuniha, to cover ? "What is tlie effect of tlie 
 terminations -7na and -ta, as in huungama and hufumhata f 
 "What dialect did they originate in? Wliat are the 
 rules for the termination -anya, which seems to be 
 common in the most northerly SwahiK ? 
 
 It has heen sho^vn in the section on verbs how some 
 * tenses are formed by the nse of an auxiliary, and some 
 by a tense prefix which has no independent meaning. 
 An example of the transition between the two is sup- 
 plied by the three forms of the negative infinitive : 1. 
 kutoa hujpenda ; 2. hutoa penda; 3. Icutopenda. In the 
 first form both words have a substantial independence ; 
 in the second the principal verb, penda, is already 
 drawn out of its proper form, and depends for its 
 meaning upon the first verb, toa, as upon a prefix ; in 
 the third it has swallowed up the final of the first verb 
 and appropriated its prefix leu-. The form of the future 
 prefix which is used with relatives points to taJca as the 
 original form, and the verb hutaka is so like our own 
 word to will that one can hardly be wrong in supposing 
 that in both cases the change from a verb expressing 
 volition to a mere sign of tense expressing futurity has 
 proceeded in a similar manner. Now, if the tense pre- 
 fijxes were ever independent words, the principal verb 
 must have been in the infinitive ; and, if so, the presence 
 of the Im- before monosyllabic verbs, wherever the accent 
 requires it, is fully explained ; it was dropped wherever 
 it served no purpose, and retained where it was con- 
 venient to retain it. The original independence of the 
 tense prefix and of the principal verb would also go to 
 account for the way in which the objective prefix clings
 
 FOBMATION OF WOBDS, 229 
 
 to tlie principal verb; it would then have originally 
 followed the leu-, and so been severed by it from all the 
 other prefixes. The only cases in which the natives 
 separate the prefixes from the verbs in writing seem to 
 be where a particle of relation is joined with the -ria-, 
 -U-, and -taka- prefixes, and in the j)ast conditional or 
 -ngali- tense. It is curions to have in snch a word as 
 atakayehuja the same letters exactly used to form a 
 tense prefix and to express an independent verb. Ata- 
 haye huja means, who desires to come, atakayehuja, who 
 will come, in the sense of a simple future. 
 
 Adjectives. 
 
 Adjectives are made from Verbs in correct Swahili by 
 
 substituting -vu or -fu for the final -a. AVhere the final 
 
 is preceded by a consonant the Adjective is made from 
 
 the applied form. 
 
 Kunyamaa, to remain silent. -nyamavu, silent. 
 Kuharihu, to destroy. -harihifa, desiruetive. 
 
 Verbs that end in -ka chano;e this into -vu in makino- 
 the Adjective. 
 
 Kueliolca, to become tired, -chovii, tired. 
 
 These forms do not now appear to be freely made or 
 
 used in the common dialect of Zanzibar. A somewhat 
 
 similar meaning may be expressed by the use of the 
 
 variable Preposition -a followed by the Infinitive of the 
 
 Verb. 
 
 Substantives. 
 
 Substantives may be freely made by prefixing to the 
 simple form of the Verb the initial letters proper to the 
 first, or to the fourth class, according to whether it is
 
 230 SWASILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 a living being or a thing which does what the Verb 
 expresses. It must be observed, that this form is so 
 purely verbal that it takes an object after it just as a 
 Verb would. 
 
 Mfanya hiashara, a trade maker, i.e., a merchant. 
 Vifaa, things which are of service, necessaries. 
 Kifungua mlango, the door opener. 
 
 The final letter is sometimes changed into -i, and the 
 word ceases to govern an object. 
 
 Msemi, a speaker. 
 
 Where the final -a is preceded by a -h- it becomes -v-, 
 
 Kvnba, to steal. Mwivi, a thief. 
 
 Kugoniha, to quarrel. Mgomvi, a quarrelsome person. 
 
 Where the above rules would produce a common 
 word with another meaning, the hu of the Infinitive is 
 retained. 
 
 Kulima, to cultivate. Mliulima, a cultivator. 
 
 Mlima, a mountain. 
 
 There are a few traces of a formation of verbals by 
 changing the last letter into -e, as in -teule, chosen, from 
 hiteull]a, to choose. 
 
 The habitual doer of an action may be denoted by 
 adding -ji to the simple form of the Verb and prefixing 
 the initial letters proper to the first Class. 
 
 Kuomba, to beg. Mwomhaji, a beggar, 
 
 Kuiba, to steal. Mwibaji, an habitual thief. 
 
 Another way of denoting a person who does what the 
 Verb expresses is formed by changing the final letter 
 into -si J -shi, or -zi, and employing the usual j)refixes.
 
 FORMATION OF WOUDS. 231 
 
 When the Yerb ends in -lea the -ka becomes slii ; where 
 the Yerb ends in -ta the -ta becomes -si. 
 
 Kuohoa, to save. MicoTiozi, a saviour. 
 
 Kununua, to buy. Mnunuzi, a purchaser. 
 
 Kuaha, to build (in stone). MwasM, a mason. 
 
 Kufuata, to follow. Mfuasi, a follower. 
 
 The result of the action denoted by the Yerb may be 
 expressed by changing the final -a into -o and using 
 some appropriate prefix. 
 
 Kuzaa, to bear. Mazao, fruit, produce. 
 
 Kutenda, to do. Kitendo, an action. 
 
 Kwenda, to go. Mwendo, a journey, or gouig. 
 
 Of the Substantival prefixes those of the fourth (Ki-) 
 Class are most often used. 
 
 The same forms especially in the fifth Class are used 
 to express the place where an action is generally done. 
 
 KiLohx, to bake. Joko, a baking place. 
 
 KukusanyiJca, to he SLSsemhled. MaJciisanyiho,a. gathering place, 
 
 or an assembly. 
 
 Words of similar meaning are also made by the termi- 
 nations -zi -shi, -si. See above. 
 
 Mavao, or Mavazi, dress, garments. 
 Kizao, or Kizazi, birth, a generation. 
 Pendo, or Penzi, love. 
 
 Where the Yerb and Substantive are both borrowed 
 from the Arabic, it is useful to remember that the Sub- 
 stantive has generally a where some other vowel occurs 
 in the Yerb. 
 
 Kuahudu, to worship. Ibada, worship. 
 
 Kusafiri, to traveL Safari, a journey.
 
 232 SWAEILI HANDBOOK. 
 
 Sometimes both, tlie Arabic and the Swabili forms 
 occur. 
 
 Kujibu, to answer. Jawahu and majihu, an answer. 
 
 Verbs joined witb relatives, or with tbe particles of 
 place or time, may be treated as Substantives. 
 
 WendaJio Jcote, whithersoever thou goest. 
 Killa nendapo, every time I go. 
 Zikerezwazo, turnery, turned goods. 
 
 Substantives of place may be made from Adjectives 
 by putting them into the form required by JSIahali, 
 place (Class VII.). 
 
 Panyamavu, a quiet place. 
 
 The place where something is may be expressed by 
 
 penyi. 
 
 Penyi mtende, where the date tree is, or was. 
 
 The place for doing anything may be expressed by 
 joa followed by the Infinitive of the Verb. 
 
 Fdkutokea, a place to go out at, an outlet. 
 
 Abstract Substantives are ordinarily formed by means 
 of the prefix U- or W-, 
 
 Karimu, generous. Wtarimu, generosity. 
 
 -eupe, white. Weupe, whiteness. 
 
 Mioizi, a thief. Uizi, thievishness. 
 
 3Iuuaji, a murder. Uuaji, murders. 
 
 Waziri, a vizier. TJicaziri^ viziership. 
 
 An instance in which both Arabic and Swahili forms 
 are used occurs in the word for enmity. 
 
 Adui, an enemy. Wadui or Adawa, enmity. 
 
 Kations, their country and language, are regularly
 
 FORMATION OF WORDS. 233 
 
 expressed by tlie prefixes of tlie first, sixth, and fourtli 
 Classes. 
 
 Mgala, a Galla. Ugala, Galla land. Kigala, the Galla 
 
 language. 
 Mzungu, a European, Uzungu, the native country of the 
 
 Europeans. Kizungu, the language which Europeans 
 
 speak. 
 
 It is to be observed that the JJ- form would also 
 express the being a Galla, European, &c., and that the 
 Ki- form denotes the sort or kind of anything, not of 
 language only. It is seldom used absolutely except of 
 the language, but when preceded by -a (of) its true 
 meaning becomes evident. 
 
 Mavao ya Kizungu, European dress. 
 Viazi vya Kizungu, potatoes. 
 
 The Ki- form may be made from other substantives. 
 
 Mavao ya kifaume, royal robes (form mfaume, a king, and 
 ufaume, kingdom or kingsliip). 
 
 The formation of Adverbs and Prepositions has been 
 described in the section on the smaller parts of speech.
 
 ( 234 ) 
 
 
 k 3 
 
 i2;5's;^ss^E^ot>Kg;^H^w;^;=) 
 
 ma 
 
 
 o 
 
 A A 
 
 s: c3 s C^ .O .O .O .C" .O ct :; .O s 
 
 v.^ v^^ v_/ v,^ ^^ \_^ s_/ v.^ \„/ v^/ \w^ s_y s,^ 
 
 ^^^^^]z,^^';5,^^^;^i4 
 
 III 
 
 i <^ i .A 
 
 i ^ 
 
 >-i o ^; 
 
 
 i ^S'ii'i'^i^ \ i S^> S SS 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 (a 
 
 g ^ g ^ 12; 1^ i5 ■>! 
 
 i .i< . ^ i 
 
 H^ ;z; K W W C> 
 
 ^Sg^liS^ l^^;i!^£t!l 
 
 s* ^ ,e ^ .S ^ .g ^ .s ^ .g ^ -5 -S 
 
 a a > 
 ^ a HH 
 
 ^* d H Ci 
 
 > ? = a
 
 ( 235 } 
 
 Table of the Preposition -a (of) 
 in four Languages. 
 
 S-wAHiLi. Shambala. NTAsm'Ezi. Tao. 
 
 L 
 
 Sing. 
 
 Wa 
 
 Ywa 
 
 Wa 
 
 Jwa 
 
 
 Plur. 
 
 Wa 
 
 Wa 
 
 Wa 
 
 Wa 
 
 II. 
 
 Sing. 
 
 Wa 
 
 W'a 
 
 Gwa 
 
 Wa 
 
 
 Flur. 
 
 Ya 
 
 Ya 
 
 Ya 
 
 Ja 
 
 III. 
 
 Sing. 
 
 Ya 
 
 Ya 
 
 Ya 
 
 Ja 
 
 
 Plur. 
 
 Za 
 
 Za 
 
 Za 
 
 Sya 
 
 IV. 
 
 Sing. 
 
 • Cha 
 
 Kya 
 
 Cha 
 
 Cha 
 
 
 Plur. 
 
 Vya 
 
 Vya 
 
 Fya 
 
 Ya 
 
 V. 
 
 Sing. 
 
 La 
 
 Ja 
 
 Lya 
 
 Lya 
 
 
 Plur. 
 
 Ya 
 
 Ya 
 
 Ga 
 
 Ga 
 
 VI. 
 
 Sing. 
 
 Wa 
 
 Lwa 
 
 Lwa 
 
 Lwa 
 
 
 Plur. 
 
 Za 
 
 Za 
 
 Za 
 
 Sya 
 
 VIL 
 
 
 Pa 
 
 Ha 
 
 
 Pa 
 
 VIIL 
 
 
 Kwa 
 
 Kwa 
 
 Kwa 
 
 Kwa 
 
 (IX.) 
 
 Sing. 
 
 
 Ka 
 
 Ka 
 
 Ka 
 
 
 Plur, 
 
 
 Vya(?) 
 
 Twa 
 
 Twa 
 
 END OF PABTI.
 
 HANDBOOK OF THE SWAHILI LANGUAGE 
 
 AS SPOKEN AT ZANZIBAR. 
 
 Part II. 
 6WAHILI-ENGLISH VOCABULARY.
 
 239 
 
 PEELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 In using the following Vocabulary it is necessary to remember that 
 Swahili words change very much at the beginning and not often at 
 the end. 
 
 In searching for the meaning of a word, which is not to be found 
 exactly as written, it is well to examine first the final syllable, so as to 
 correct, or remove, any termination or enclitic which may be attached 
 to it. These are as follow : — 
 
 1. The passive of the verb is made by changing -a into -wa. Verbs 
 ending in two consecutive vowels frequently use as their passive the 
 passive of the applied form which ends in -liwa or -lewa. 
 
 Kupenda, to love. Kupendwa, to be loved. 
 
 Kufungua, to unfasten. Kufunguliwa, to be unfastened. 
 
 Kuzaa, to hear. Kuzaliwa, to be born. 
 
 Kukomboa, to buy back. Kuhombolewa, to be bought back. 
 
 2. Verbs ending in -a change the -a ii^to -e in the subjunctive and 
 imperative, and into -* in the negative present. 
 
 Pende, love thou. 
 Apende, that he may love. 
 Hapendi, he does not love. 
 
 The change of the final vowel distinguishes hapendi, he does not 
 love, from hapenda, a contracted form of nikapenda, and I loved. 
 
 3. The plural of the imperative is made by adding -ni to the 
 singular. 
 
 Pendani or Pendent, love ye, 
 Sifuni, praise ye. 
 Fikirini, consider ye. 
 
 B 2
 
 240 PBELIMINAEY OBSERVATIONS, 
 
 4. Substantives form the locative case by adding -ni, 
 
 Nyumhani micangu, inside my house. 
 Nyumhani hwangu, to or at my house. 
 Nyumhani pangu, by or near ray house. All from Nyumha. 
 
 5. -ni may stand for nini ? What ? 
 
 Watakani ? What do you want ? 
 
 6. Je? How? is subjoined to the verb expressing the action in- 
 quired about. 
 
 Asemaje f How does he speak ? i.e., What does he say ? 
 
 7. mno, exceedingly, always follows the word it qualifies, and may 
 be treated as an enclitic. 
 
 8. -to, which, however, rarely occurs in the dialect of Zanzibar, 
 denotes goodness and fitness. 
 
 Kuwelia, to place. Kmcehato, to place properly. 
 Manuka, smells. Manukato, scents. 
 
 9. The relative signs and the particles denoting time and place are 
 &ubjoined to the verb when there is no tense prefix, otherwise they 
 follow the tense prefix. 
 
 Tulala-po, when we sleep. 
 Tuna-po-lala, while we are sleeping. 
 
 The particles denoting time and place are, 
 
 -po, when or where. 
 -ko, whither or whence. 
 -mo, wherein. ^ 
 
 These preceded only by the personal prefix imply the substantive 
 verb to he. 
 
 Yupo, he is there, not far off. 
 
 Zipo, &c., &c., they are there, not far ofi", &c., &c. 
 Tuko, he is there, far off. 
 
 Ziko, &G., (fee, they are there, far off, &c., &c. 
 Yiimo, he is there inside. 
 
 Zimo, (fee, (fee, they are there inside, &c., &c. 
 
 The relative signs are, -clio, -lo, -o, -po, -vyo, -wo, -ye, -yo, -zo. 
 Those syllables with na prefixed have the meaning of and, or icith 
 hinij her, it, or them.
 
 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 241 
 
 10. The possessive pronouns may be used in enclitic forms. 
 
 Thy, or your, may be expressed by subjoining, according to the 
 class of the substantive, -cho, -lo, -o, -pn -vyo, -ivo, -yo, or -zo. 
 
 His, hers, or its, may be expressed by subjoining -che, -e, -le, -pe, 
 rye, -we, -ye, or -ze. 
 Other enclitic forms of the possessive pronouns are,— 
 
 'Tigu, or -angu, my. -etu, our. 
 
 -ko, or -alio, thy. -enu, your. 
 
 -he, or -ake, his, &c. -ax), their. 
 
 The final letter of the substantive generally merges into the initial 
 of the pronoun. 
 
 Mwanangu, my child. Mwanetu, our child. 
 
 Mwanako, thy child. Mwanenu, your child. 
 
 Mwanake, his child. Mwanao, their child. 
 
 11. New verbs may always be formed when wanted by changing the 
 final vowel into -ia or -ea, -lia or -lea, to make the applied form ; into 
 -za or -sha, -iza or -eza, -isha or -esha, to make a causative form ; into 
 -ana, to make a reciprocal form ; and into -ha, -iha, or -eka, to make a 
 neuter or quasi-passive form. 
 
 12. In old and poetical Swahili the object of the verb is sufiixed as 
 well as prefixed, as in TJ-ni-hifathi-mi, Do thou preserve me; where 
 both the ni and the mi denote the object of the verb. 
 
 The syllables thus used are -cho, -lo, -ni, -nyi, -o, -po, -81, -vyo, -we, 
 -ICO, -ye, -yo, -zo. 
 
 Having cleared the word of all adventitious terminations it wil 
 probably be found at once ; if not, look for the first syllable, and so 
 on, taking syllable by syllable until the word, its number, person, and 
 tense, will all have been explained. It must, however, be borne in 
 mind that nouns in u- or w- generally drop the initial letter in the 
 plural and frequently substitute for it n- or ny-. 
 
 Verbs and adjectives are here indexed under the first letter of the 
 simplest form, or of that to which the prefixes are joined. 
 
 Kupenda will be found as Penda Jcu-, to love. 
 Mahaya will be found as -haya, bad. 
 
 Words wliicli may be used as adjectives or as substantives, but from 
 their nature can liardly be applied to any but animate beings, will be 
 found under m- or mw-, &f they can very rarely in the singular take 
 any other prefix.
 
 242 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 Substantives are indexed by the prefix with which they are generally 
 used. It must be remembered, however, that the use of particular 
 prefixes may be nearly always varied to suit any particular shade ot:' 
 meaning, so that if the word is not to be found under one, it may 
 happen that its meaning can be found under some other. 
 
 Where no plural is mentioned, it is to be understood that the plural, 
 if used at all, is in the same form as the singular. 
 
 The following table of prefixes may be found useful. The use rif 
 each will be explained in the Vocabulary. 
 
 SUBSTAN-nVAL PREFIXES. 
 
 Ch- 
 
 Ki- 
 
 Ma- 
 
 Mw- 
 
 U- 
 
 W- 
 
 J- 
 
 Ku- 
 
 Mi- 
 
 N- 
 
 Vi- 
 
 Wa- 
 
 Ji- 
 
 M- 
 
 Mu- 
 
 Ny- 
 
 Vy- 
 
 
 Adjectival 
 
 PREFIXES. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ch- 
 
 Ku- 
 
 'M- 
 
 Mu- 
 
 Ny. 
 
 Vi- 
 
 J- 
 
 Kw- 
 
 Ma- 
 
 Mw- 
 
 P- 
 
 Vy. 
 
 Ki- 
 
 M- 
 
 Mi- 
 
 N- 
 
 Pa- 
 
 Wa- 
 
 Pronominal 
 
 PREFIXES. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ch- 
 
 Ku- 
 
 Li- 
 
 Mw- 
 
 Vi- 
 
 Y- 
 
 I- 
 
 Kw- 
 
 M- 
 
 Pa- 
 
 w- 
 
 Z- 
 
 Ki- 
 
 L- 
 
 Mu- 
 
 U- 
 
 Wa- 
 
 Zi- 
 
 Verbal prefixes. 
 
 1. Personal or subjective prefixes, which take precedence of all 
 others. 
 
 A- *Ki- *Mw- Si- *Vv- Yu- 
 
 *Ch- 
 
 *Ku- 
 
 N- 
 
 *Tu- 
 
 *\V- *Z- 
 
 Ha- 
 
 *L- 
 
 Ni- 
 
 *Tw- 
 
 *\Va- *Zi- 
 
 Hu- 
 
 *Li- 
 
 *Pa- 
 
 *U- 
 
 *Y- 
 
 *I- 
 
 *M- 
 
 *P- 
 
 *Vi- 
 
 *Ya- 
 
 2. Tense 
 
 prefixes which 
 
 precede all except 
 
 the signs of person, 
 
 -a- 
 
 -japo- 
 
 -ku- 
 
 -na- 
 
 -si- -ta- 
 
 -ali- 
 
 -ka- 
 
 -li- 
 
 -ngali- 
 
 -sije- -taka- 
 
 -ja- 
 
 -ki- 
 
 -me- 
 
 -nge- 
 
 -sipo- 
 
 • The<^p may all be preceded by Ha, to form negative tenses in the indicative mood, 
 and personal prefixes followed by -si- make negative subjunctives.
 
 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 2i3 
 
 o. Particles of place, time, and relation, which follow the teuse 
 prufix, or, if there is no tense prefix, are subjoined to the verb. 
 
 -cho 
 
 -mo 
 
 -wo 
 
 -ko 
 
 -o 
 
 -ye 
 
 -kwo 
 
 -po 
 
 -yo 
 
 -lo 
 
 -vyo 
 
 -zo 
 
 ses. which always immedi 
 
 lately 
 
 -i- 
 
 -mw- 
 
 -u- 
 
 -ki- 
 
 -n- 
 
 -vi- 
 
 -ku- 
 
 -ni- 
 
 -wa- 
 
 -li- 
 
 -pa- 
 
 -ya- 
 
 -m- 
 
 -tu- 
 
 -zi- 
 
 A suppressed i or r always exists between two consecutive vowels. 
 It is often heard in the Merima dialect, and frequently appears where 
 otherwise three or more vowels would follow one another. However, 
 the more classical the Swahili, the less tolerant it is in any case of an 
 I between vowels, or even as an initial letter. 
 
 Tieee = keleJe. ete = lete. 
 
 TJie following letters are interchanged ; 
 
 I and r, s and sh, and vulgarly M and chi, and th and z. 
 
 Zanzibar ch = t (M.). 
 a (M.). 
 kh(Ar.). 
 
 d (M.), y (A.) (N.). 
 ch (Ozi.). 
 z(A.). 
 V (Mer.), th (Patta and Ozi.), j (vulgar). 
 
 The letters enclosed in parentheses denote the various dialects. 
 (M.) = Mombas (kimvita). (Mer.) = Southern Coast dialeit 
 
 (kimerima). 
 (A.) = Lamoo (kiamu). (Ar.) = Arabic. 
 
 (N.) = Poetical Swahili (kingozi). 
 
 „ 
 
 e 
 
 J» 
 
 h 
 
 >» 
 
 J 
 
 »* 
 
 t 
 
 »> 
 
 V 
 
 »? 
 
 z
 
 SWAHILI-ENGLISH VOCABULARY. 
 
 The sound of a in Swahili re- 
 sembles that of a in the English 
 word "father." It is, perhaps, — 
 except when doubled — somewhat 
 sharper and lighter. 
 
 "When the final a of any prefix — 
 except the negative prefix ha — is 
 brought by composition to precede 
 immediately eitherr e or i,it coalesces 
 with them and produces the sound 
 of a long e. 
 
 Aka-enda is pronounced aJcenda. 
 
 Akawa-ita is pronounced akaweta. 
 
 A and u have a tendency to 
 coalesce into an o sound. 
 
 Arabic substantives incorporated 
 into Swahili have often been made 
 by changing -i- in the verb into -o- 
 in the substantive. 
 
 Kubarizi, to hold a public 
 audience. Baraza, a public 
 audience. 
 
 Kusafiri, to traveL Safari, a 
 journey. 
 
 A occurs in some dialects where e 
 is used in Zanzibar. See E. 
 
 A-NG 
 
 A = t/a, of. 
 
 -a with a varying initial letter, 
 
 of. -a is used in such phrases 
 
 as the following for in : TJnitie 
 
 wa macho, put it in my eyes. 
 
 Akamchoma ya kitovu, and he 
 
 stabbed him in the navel. 
 A-, the sign of the third person 
 singular prefixed to verbs when 
 governed by substantives which 
 denote animate beings — he, she, 
 or it. 
 
 Where the tense prefix begins with 
 a, one of the a's disappears. 
 
 The following are instances of the 
 way in which this a occurs. 
 
 A-penda (for a-a-penda), he loves. 
 
 A-na-penda, he is loving. 
 
 A-m-penda, he has loved. 
 
 A-li-penda (for a-ali-penda), he 
 loved. 
 
 A-ka-penda, and he loved. 
 
 A-ta-penda, he will love. 
 
 A-ki-penda, he being in the con- 
 dition of loving. 
 
 A-nge-penda, he would love.
 
 246 
 
 A-NG 
 
 AHI 
 
 A-ngali-penda, he would have 
 
 loved. 
 A-japo-penda, even if he loves. 
 A-sipo-penda, he not loving. 
 A-pende, let him, or that he may 
 
 love. 
 A-si-pende, let him not, or that 
 he may not love, or without his 
 loving. 
 -0-, the sign of the present in- 
 definite; it follows the prefix 
 denoting the person of the 
 subject or nominative, and 
 precedes that denoting the 
 object or accusative. 
 N-a-m-penda, I love him (I do 
 him love). 
 Aali, choice, good. 
 Aasi, disobedient, rebellious. 
 Abadan, or dbadi, always, constantly. 
 Ahiri ku-, to pass over, go across (a 
 Ahhia, passengers. [river, &c.). 
 
 Ahirisha hu-, to put across, to ferry 
 
 over. 
 Ahudia ku-, to give worship to. 
 Abudisha ku-, to cause to worship. 
 Abudu ku-, to worship. 
 Acha ku-, to leave, leave alone, let 
 
 be, let go, allow, acquit, divorce. 
 Achana ku-, to leave one another, to, 
 
 separate. 
 Achari, pickle, a relish made of 
 
 lemon-juice and red pepper. 
 Achia ku-, to leave to or for, to be- 
 queath to. 
 Acliilia ku; to pass over what a 
 person has done, to forgive, to 
 neglect. 
 Ada, a custom, especially a customary 
 
 gift. 
 Adabu, good manners, politeness. 
 Kutia adabu, to make polite, to 
 teach good manners. 
 
 Adamu, Adam. 
 
 Mwana Adamu, or Bin Adamu, a 
 human being, a man. 
 Adawa, enmity. 
 Adi ku-, to accompany a person part 
 
 of his way. 
 Adibu ku-, to educate, to teach 
 
 manners. 
 Adili, right, right conduct. 
 Adiliku-, to learn to behave rightly. 
 AdiUsha ku-, to teach to behave 
 
 rightly. 
 Adui, plur. Adui or maadui, an 
 Aee, Yes, [enemy. 
 
 Afa, plur. maafa, an enemy. 
 Afathali, rather, better of the two, 
 
 best, preferably. 
 Afia, health, good health. 
 Afikana ku-, to come to an agree- 
 ment, agree. 
 Afiuni, opium. 
 Afu, wild jasmine. 
 Afu ku; to save, to deliver, to par- 
 don, to preserve. Also, to get 
 Afya. See Afia, health. [well. 
 
 Afya ku-, to make to swear. 
 Aga ku-, to take leave of, to agree 
 
 with. 
 Agana ku-, to take leave of one 
 
 another, to make an agreement. 
 Agga ku-, to be lost, to perish. 
 Agiza ku-, to commission, direct, 
 
 give in charge, appoint to. 
 Agizo, plur. maagizo, commissioni 
 
 charge. 
 Agua ku-, to predict. 
 Agulia ku-, to predict ofc 
 Ahaal No! 
 Ahadi (vulgarlyioafcodt), a promise, 
 
 promises. 
 Ahadiana ku-, to promise mutually, 
 
 agree. 
 Ahili, family, relations.
 
 AHE 
 
 AL 
 
 21' 
 
 Ahera, in the grave.under the earth, 
 after death, at the end of the 
 world. [Ar. akhr, the other.] 
 
 Ahidi ku-, to promise. 
 
 Ahsdnt, or Ahsanti, or Asanti, 
 thanks ! thank you ! 
 
 Aihiha ku-, to be disgraced, to be 
 put to shame. 
 
 Aihisha ku-, to disgrace, to put to 
 shame. 
 
 Aihu, a disgrace, a reproach. 
 
 Aina, kind. 
 
 Aini ku-, to appoint. 
 
 Ainisha ku-, to show, point out. 
 
 Aitiwalo, pronounced Etiwalo, what 
 he is wanted (or called) tor, a- 
 itiica-lo. 
 
 Ajabisha ku-, to astonish, amaza 
 
 AJabu, a wonderful thing, wonder- 
 fully. 
 
 Ajali, fate, death. 
 
 Kusalimika ajali, to be altogether 
 come to an end (to be saluted 
 by its fate;. 
 
 Ajara, merit. 
 
 Ajib ! or 'Ajah ! Wonderful ! Won- 
 derfully. 
 
 Ajili, or djili, sake, cause. 
 
 Kica ajili ya, because of, for the 
 sake of. 
 
 Ajiri ku; to hire. 
 
 Ajirisha ku-, to cause to hire, to let 
 on hire. 
 
 ^Ajjemi, Persian. 
 
 Aka ku-, to build in stone, to do 
 mason's work. 
 
 Akali, some few, some. 
 Akali ya icatu, ya vitu, &c., some 
 few men, things, &c. 
 
 •ake, or -akice, his, her, or its, of 
 him, &c. 
 •ake yeye, his own. 
 
 Akenda, for Akaenda, and he went. 
 
 Akhera = Ahera. 
 Akhtilaf, to quarrel. 
 
 Atafanya akJitilaf, she will scold. 
 Akia ku-, to build for. 
 Ak'ia ku-, to swallow, gulp down. 
 Akiha, store, a thing laid by. 
 
 Kuweka akiha, to lay up, to put 
 by. 
 Akida, an oflBcer, a second in com- 
 mand. 
 Akida wa asikari, an army officer. 
 Akidi ku-, to suffice. 
 Akiisha or Akisha, then, he having 
 
 finished this business. 
 Akika, a funeral feast for a child. 
 Akili, intelligence, wits, under- 
 standing (generally treated as a 
 plural noun). 
 Akina, you — addressed to young or 
 inferior persons. Akina hwana 
 young sirs. Akina bibi, my 
 young ladies. 
 Akiri ku-, to stand over, to remain 
 
 behind. 
 Akirisha ku-, to adjourn, put off, 
 
 make to stand over. 
 ako, thy, your, of thee. 
 -ako weice, your own. 
 Akraba, relations. 
 
 Akraba ya kuumeni, paternal 
 
 relations. 
 Akraba ya kukeni, maternal 
 relations. 
 Al, the Arabic article the. It is 
 retained in many words derived 
 from the Arabic, as Alf ajiri for 
 Al Fajr, the dawn. Sometimes 
 its form is varied, as Liwali for 
 Al Wali, the governor. 
 In Arabic phrases the definite 
 article prefixed to the second of 
 two nouns is the sign of the 
 possessive case, as Eayiat al
 
 248 
 
 ALA 
 
 AMB 
 
 Ingre'z, a subject of the Englisli, 
 i.e., a British subject. 
 Ala, plur. maala or nyala, a sheath, 
 
 a scabbard. 
 ^Alaka, a tusk of ivory. 
 Alafu, thousands, 
 Alama, a mark, marks. 
 Alasiri, one of the Mohammedan 
 hours of prayer, about half-past 
 
 3 P.M., afternoon. 
 Albunseyidi (Ar.), of the sons of 
 
 princes. 
 
 Alf = Elfu, a thousand. 
 
 Alfajiri, the dawn, the earliest Mo- 
 hammedan hour of prayer, about 
 
 4 A.M. A stress on the second 
 syllable denotes very early dawn. 
 
 Alfia. 
 
 Kofia alfia, a chiefs cap. 
 Alhamisi, Thursday. 
 -all- or -li-, the sign of that past 
 tense which denotes an action 
 complete in past time. 
 'li or -li- sometimes stands for 
 the verb to fee, as in a-li-ye, he 
 who is, or merely, who. A-li, 
 he is, or, he being. Nika-li, 
 and I am. 
 Alia ku; to make a mark by striking, 
 
 to wale. 
 Alifu, Alif, the first Arabic letter, 
 
 the alphabet. 
 Alika ku-, to invite, to call, to call 
 invited guests to a wedding, to 
 inform, to split, to click, to give 
 a crack, to snap. 
 Alikwa ku-, to go through a certain 
 course of medicine, consisting 
 chiefly of various fumigations and 
 a very strict regimen. 
 Aliki ku-, to hang. 
 Aliko, where he is, or was. 
 Alimisha ku-, to instruct. 
 
 Aliomo, wherein he is, or was. 
 Alisa, a dancing place, a house of 
 
 amusement. 
 Alisha ku-, to cause to snap. 
 
 Kualisha mtambo wa hunduki, to 
 click the lock of a gun. 
 AllaTi (Ar.), God, more reverently, 
 
 Allah td'ala, God the most high. 
 Allah Allah, without delay or pre- 
 tence. 
 Allah hilkheir, may God make it 
 
 good. A common answer to the 
 
 usual morning and afternoon 
 
 salutations. 
 Ahnaria, embroidery. 
 Almasi, a diamond. 
 Ama — ama, either — or. 
 
 Ama siyo ? Isn't it so ? 
 Amali, an act, a thing done. 
 Amali, a kind of amulet. 
 Amama (Ar.), a turban ? 
 Amana, a pledge, a thing entrusted, 
 
 a deposit, a present sent by another 
 
 person. 
 Amani, peace. 
 Amara, urgent business. 
 Amara (ya nanga), a cable. 
 Amba ku-, to speak against, to talk 
 
 scandal, to speak, to say. 
 Amba. See Ambaye. 
 Ambaa ku-, to go near to without 
 
 touching, not to reach, to leave 
 Ambari, ambergris. [unhurt. 
 
 Ambata ku-, to attach, to stick. 
 Ambatana ku-, to cleave together, 
 
 to be mutually attached. 
 Ambatiza ku-, to make to stick. 
 Ambaye or Ambaye kwamba, who. 
 
 The final syllable is variable, 
 
 making amhazo, amhayo, &c., 
 
 which. 
 Ambaza ku-, to cause to pass near 
 
 without touching.
 
 AMB 
 
 AND 
 
 249 
 
 Anibia hu-, to tell, to say to. 
 
 Pass. Kuamhiwa, to be told, to 
 have said to one. 
 Amhika ku-, to put (or be put ?) 
 
 firmly together. 
 Amhilika ku-, to be spoken to. 
 Ambisana ku-, to be cemented to- 
 gether, to stick together. 
 Amhisha ku-, to make to hold to- 
 gether. 
 Amhua ku-, to peel, to husk, to take 
 
 a morsel in eating. 
 Amhukiza ku-, to give a complaint 
 
 to, infect. 
 Amdelhan, a silky kind of stuff. 
 Amerikano, American sheeting, best 
 cotton cloth used in trading in 
 the interior. 
 
 Njia, &c., ya Amerikano, the best 
 ArtiiU ku-, to manage. [way, &c. 
 Amina, Amen. 
 Arnini ku-, to believe in, trust. 
 
 Kuamini mtu na kitu, to trust a 
 man with something, to entrust 
 something to some one. 
 Amirii, or Aminifu, trustworthy, 
 
 faithful. 
 Aminisha ku-, to entrust to, have 
 
 perfect confidence in. 
 Amiri, plur. maamiri, an emir, an 
 Amka ku-, to awake. [oflacer. 
 
 Amkia ku-, to salute. 
 Amkua ku-, to invite, summon (?). 
 Amravn, a dipping line, made fast 
 
 to the foremost yard-arm. 
 Amri, order, command. 
 
 Amri ya Muungu, a matter in 
 God's hands. 
 
 Sina amri, &c., I have no busi- 
 ness, &c. 
 Amria ku-, to put a thing at one's 
 
 disposal, to give leave concerning 
 
 something. 
 
 Amrisha ku-, to cause to be ordered, 
 
 order. 
 Amru ku-, to order, command. 
 Awsha ku-, to waken, cause to 
 
 awake, rouse. 
 Amu, Lamoo. 
 
 Kiamu, the dialect of Lamoo, ot 
 I the Lamoo kind. 
 
 Amu, fatlier's brother. 
 I Amua ku-, to judge, to separate two 
 j people who are fighting. 
 
 Passive, Kuamuliwa, to bejudged. 
 Amuka ku- = Amka ku-. 
 Amuru ku- = Amru ku-. 
 Amusha ku- = Amsha ku-. 
 Arnica ku-, to suck (M.). 
 Amwisha ku-, to suckle (M ). 
 Ana, he has. 
 Anakotoka, whence he is coming, 
 
 where he comes from. 
 -anana, gentle, soft. 
 
 Upepo mwanana, a soft breeze. 
 
 Maji manana, clear, quiet water. 
 Anapokicenda, whither he is going. 
 Anapolala, while he is sleeping. 
 Anasa, pleasure. 
 Andaa ku-, to prepare for cooking, 
 
 to make pastry, &c. 
 Andalia ku-, to prepare for, to make 
 
 made dishes for. 
 Andama ku-, to follow (M.). 
 
 M'wezi umeandama, the month is 
 
 up — the new moon has begun. 
 
 Andamana ku-, to accompany (M.). 
 
 Andika ku-, to put in order, to lay 
 
 out, to describe, to write, to steer 
 
 a vessel. 
 Andikanya ku-, to put things one 
 
 upon another, as plates in a pile. 
 Andikia ku-, to write, to lay out, 
 
 &c., for or on account of. 
 Andikiwa ku-, to be written, laid 
 
 out, &c., for.
 
 250 
 
 AND 
 
 ASH 
 
 Andikiana ku-, to write to one 
 
 another, to correspond. 
 Anfu, knowing, ingenioua. 
 Anga, a great liglit, the firmament. 
 
 Ndege za anga, birds of the air. 
 Anga hu-y to jump or dance about 
 
 liko a wizard. 
 Angaika ku-, to be in a great bustle. 
 Angalia ku-, to look attentively, 
 
 regard, take notice, observe, be 
 
 careful, beware of. 
 Angama ku-, to be caught in falling 
 
 (as by the boughs of a tree). 
 Angamia ku-, to be ruined, to fall, 
 come to poverty. 
 
 utaangamia mwituni, you will be 
 lost in the jungle. 
 Angamisha ku-, to ruin. 
 Angaza ku-, to be light, to be bright, 
 to remain awake, to keep watch, 
 
 Kutia mwangaza, to give light to. 
 Angia ku-, to bewitch by dancing 
 
 and jumping about. 
 Angika ku-, to hang up, to bang 
 
 against a wall. 
 'angu, my, of me. 
 
 -angu mimi, my own. 
 Angua ku-, to take down, to hatch 
 Anguka ku-, to fall down. [eggs. 
 Angukia ku-, to fall down to, or 
 
 before. 
 Angusha ku-, to make to fall down, 
 
 throw down. 
 Ania ku-, to purpose, think of doing. 
 Anika ku-, to spread out to dry. 
 Ankra, a bill of sale. 
 Anua ku-, to take out of the sun or 
 
 rain. 
 Anuka ku-, to leave off raining. 
 Anwani, the address of a letter. 
 Anza ku; to begin. 
 
 The ku- is frequently retained, as 
 Alikwanza for Alianza. 
 
 Anziliza ku-, to make a beginning. 
 Anzwani, Johanna. 
 Ao, or. 
 
 Ao — ao, either — or. 
 -ao, their, of them. 
 Apa ku-, to swear. 
 Apendalo, what he likes. 
 Api'? where? 
 
 The a sometimes is so run into 
 
 the final a of the preceding 
 
 word as to be scarcely separable 
 
 from it. 
 
 Apia ku-, to swear to, or about. 
 
 Apisha ku-, to make to swear, to 
 
 adjure. 
 Apiza ku-, to swear at, to imprecate 
 
 against, to wish bad luck to. 
 Apizo, plur.waoptzo.an imprecation. 
 Arabuni, Arabia, in Arabia. 
 Arabuni, earnest money. 
 Arathi, pardon. 
 Arba'a, four. 
 'Ari, a thing to make one blush a 
 
 disgraceful thing. 
 Aria, following, party, faction. 
 Ariaa, lower ! let out the rope ! 
 Arifu, knowing, ingenious. 
 Arifu ku-, to inform. 
 Arohaini, forty. 
 Arohatashara, fourteen. 
 Asa ku-, to forbid. 
 Asali, syrup. 
 
 Asali ya nyuki, honey. 
 
 Asali ya mua, the boiled juice of 
 the sugar-cane, treacle. 
 
 Asali ya temho, fresh palm wine 
 boiled into a syrup. 
 ' Ashara,_ten. 
 Asharini, twenty. 
 
 Ashekali, better in health during 
 sickness. 
 
 Kiiica ashekali, to improve. 
 Kufanya ashekali, to mnke better
 
 ASH 
 
 AZM 
 
 251 
 
 Aaherati, dissipation, a dissipated 
 person. 
 
 Ashiiki ku-, to love, to love ex- 
 ceedingly. 
 
 AsMria ku-, to make a sign to. 
 
 Jo-hur, customs duties. 
 
 Asi ku-, to neglect one's duty to, to 
 rebel, to be disobedient. 
 Kuasi mkewe, to quariel with his 
 wife, and not do his duty by 
 her. 
 
 Asikari, plur. asikari, or waasikari, 
 a soldier. 
 Kutia asikari, to enlist. 
 
 Asili, origin, nature, source. 
 
 Asisha ku-, to cause to leave, to 
 cause to cease. 
 
 Asitasa, not yet. 
 
 Assubui, in the morning. 
 
 Asusa, that which assuages bitter- 
 ness or pain, takes away an un- 
 pleasant taste. Also Azuza. 
 
 Ata. Atana, Atia, Atilia, (M.) = 
 Acha, Achana, &c. 
 
 Atamia ku-, to sit on eggs, to hatch 
 
 Afamisha ku-, to put under a sitting 
 
 Atgul, average. [hen. 
 
 Athahatisha ku-, to control. 
 
 Atliama, highness. 
 
 Mwenyi athama, the Most High. 
 
 Athari = Hathari. 
 
 Athibu ku-, to chastise, to punish. 
 
 Athibisha ku-, to punish. 
 
 Athima = Atliama. 
 
 Avhimika ku-, to be exalted. 
 
 Athini ku-, to call to public prayers. 
 
 Athuuri, noon, one of the Moham- 
 medan hours of prayer. 
 
 Ati I look you ! I say ! 
 
 AiUm, a fragrant herb used in the 
 composition of kikuba. 
 
 Attia, gratuitously, for nothing. 
 
 Atuka ku-, to crack as the earth 
 
 does in very dry weather. 
 Aua ku-, to make a survey of, to go 
 
 over and look at. 
 Auka ku-, to grow large enough to 
 
 bear fruit. 
 Auni ku-, to help. 
 Avya ku-, to produce, to spend, to 
 
 give away. 
 Awa ku-, to go out or away (Mer.). 
 Awala, a promissory note. 
 Awali or Aowali, first, almost* 
 
 nearly. 
 Awaza ku-, to dispose, to allot to 
 
 each his share. 
 Awesia, a kind of dhow like a bechni 
 
 (which see), without any prow or 
 
 head, with merely a perpendicular 
 
 cutwater. 
 Awini ku-y to help, to supply. 
 Amthi ku-, to barter. 
 Ayari, a cheat. 
 Ayari,-^. pulley, the stay of a dhow's 
 
 mast. 
 Ayasi, a sort of grass. 
 
 Ayasi ya shaba, brass wire. 
 Ayika ku-, to dissolve, to melt. 
 Ayithi ku-, to preach. 
 Aza ku- = Waza ku-, to ponder, 
 
 think. 
 Azama, a nose ring. 
 Azirna, a charm used to bring back 
 
 a runaway slave and to drive 
 
 away evil spirits. 
 Azima ku-, to lend. 
 
 Azimica ku-, to borrow. 
 Azimia ku-y to make an azima 
 
 against. 
 Azimia ku-, to resolve. 
 Azimu ku-, to resolve (generally 
 
 pronounced dzimu). 
 Azizi, a rarity, a curiosity. 
 Azma, scent, fume.
 
 252 
 
 AZU 
 
 B AJ 
 
 Azur, perjury. 
 Azuza. See Asusa. 
 
 B. 
 
 B has the same sound as in 
 English. 
 
 N changes into m before &, as 
 mhaya for n-haya^ bad. 
 mhwa for n-hwa, a dog or dogs. 
 Nw also becomes mh. 
 
 mhingu for n-ivingu, the heavens. 
 J5a, a shortened form of bwana. 
 Baa, evil 
 Baa, plur. mahaa, a worthless 
 
 person, an utter reprobate. 
 Baada, afterwards. 
 
 Baada ya, after (used preferably 
 
 of time). 
 Baadaye, or baada yoke, after it, 
 then, afterwards. 
 BaatM, some. 
 
 Baathi ya watu, some persons. 
 Baazi, a sort of pea growing on a 
 small tree somewhat resembling 
 laburnum. 
 Bah (Ar.), a gate, chapter. 
 
 Bab Ulaya, goods for the Euro- 
 pean market. 
 Bab Kachi, goods for the Cutch 
 trade. 
 Bab il amana, something entrusted, 
 
 lent to one. 
 Baha, father. 
 Baba mdogo, mother's brother. 
 Baba wa hambo, stepfather. 
 
 Baba wa waana, } , 
 
 „ , ' f an owl. 
 
 Baba wa watoto, 3 
 
 Babaika ku-, to hesitate in speaking, 
 to stutter, to talk in one's sleep. 
 
 Babata ku-, to pat, to tap, to flatten 
 out. 
 
 Bahu. erandfathpr, ancestors. 
 
 Babua ku-, to strip off. 
 
 Babuka ku-, to tear, to become torn. 
 
 Badala or Badali, a thing given in 
 
 exchange for something else, an 
 
 equivalent. 
 Badani. See Kansu. 
 Badili ku-, to change, exchange, 
 
 alter, become changed. . 
 Badilika ku-, to be changed, to be 
 
 changeable. 
 Bado, not yet, used generally to 
 express that the matter in ques- 
 tion is as yet incomplete. 
 
 Bado kidogo, soon. 
 Bafe, a kind of snake. 
 Bafta, a sort of fine calico. 
 Bagala or Bdgala, a buggalo, a 
 
 large kind of dhow square in the 
 
 stern, with a high poop and a 
 
 very long prow. Most of the 
 
 Indian trading dhows are of this 
 
 build ; they have generally a 
 
 small mizen-mast. 
 Bdghala, a mule. 
 Bagua ku-, to separate. 
 Baguka ku-, to be separate. 
 Bagukana ku-, to be in hostility, to 
 
 be on two sides. 
 Bahari, sea. 
 
 Bahari iVali, the Persian Gulf. 
 
 Bahari ya Sham, the Ked Sea. 
 Baharia, a sailor, sailors, the crew. 
 Bdhasha, a square bag or pocket 
 
 with a three-cornered flap to tie 
 
 over the opening, frequently 
 
 used to keep books in. 
 BahatioT Bakhti, luck, good fortune. 
 
 Bakhti mtu, that depends on the 
 Bahatisha ku-, to guess. [person. 
 Baini, &c. See Bayini, &c. 
 
 Baini ya, between. 
 Bajia, small cakes of ground begins 
 and pepper.
 
 BAJ 
 
 BAO 
 
 253 
 
 Bajuni = Mgunya. 
 
 Bakaku, to dispute, to argue. 
 
 Bakhili, a miser, covetous, miserly. 
 
 Bakhti. See Bahati. 
 
 Baki, the remainder, what is left. 
 
 Baki (in arithmetic), subtraction. 
 
 Baki ku; to remain, to be over, to 
 be left. 
 
 Bakora, a walking stick with the 
 top bent at right angles to the 
 stem. The best are made of a 
 white, straight-grained wood 
 (mtobwe), which will bend nearly 
 double like a piece of lead without 
 breaking or returning. 
 
 Baksha, a packet, of clothes, &c. 
 
 Bakuli, plur. mahakuli, a basin. 
 
 Bakwia few-, to snatch out of the hand. 
 
 Balaa, sorrow. 
 
 Balamwezi, moonlight, moonshine. 
 
 Balanga, leprosy. 
 
 Balasi, a large kind of water jar. 
 
 Bali, but. 
 
 BaligM, a boy who is a virgin, a youth. 
 
 Balungi, plur. mahalungi, a citron. 
 
 Bamha, plur. mahamha, a plate, a 
 flat thin piece. 
 
 Bamho, an instrument like a cheese- 
 taster thrust into a bag to draw 
 out some of its contents for ex- 
 amination. 
 Mabamho, large mats for beating 
 out mtama upon. 
 
 Bamvua, spring-tides. 
 
 Bana ku-, to squeeze, press as in a 
 vice. 
 
 Banada, the Somauli coast. 
 
 Banajiri or Banagiri, a kind of 
 bracelet ornamented with points 
 or blunt spikes, much worn in 
 Zanzibar. 
 
 Bancla, plur. wa6an(^a, a large shed. 
 Banda lafrasi, a stable. 
 
 Bandari, a harbour. 
 
 Bandera, a flag, red stufl" the colour 
 
 of the Arab flag. 
 Bandi, a seam. 
 
 Kupiga handi (in sewing), to 
 tack, to run, to baste. 
 Bandia. 
 
 Mtoto wa handia, a doll. 
 Bandika ku-, to put on a plaster or 
 
 any medicament. 
 Bandua ku-, to strip off, to peel off. 
 Banduka ku-, to peel off, to come 
 
 out of its shell, to be peeled. 
 Bangi, bhang, Indian hemp. 
 Banika ku-, to roast on a spit over 
 
 the fire. 
 Baniya, a temple, a building, 
 
 especially that at Mecca. 
 Ban] a ku-, to crack nuts, &c., tx3 
 break off the shell or husk by 
 beating. 
 Banyani, plur. mabanyani, used in 
 Zanzibar as a general name for 
 tbe heathen Indians who come 
 as traders from Cutch. 
 Banza. 
 
 Kujihanza, to squeeze oneself 
 
 against a wall or into a hedge 
 
 to allow some one else to pass. 
 
 Banzi, plur. mahanzi, a small thin 
 
 piece of wood, a splint. 
 Bao, the tiller of a small craft (A.). 
 Bao, a game in carJ-playing. 
 Mahao sita = Mvumo. 
 Kutia hao, to mark, in card-play- 
 mg. 
 Bao or Bao la komwe, a board with 
 thirty-two small holes, each 
 about the size of a teacup, for 
 playing a very favourite game 
 also called bao, with komwe, or 
 with pebbles. The holes are 
 sometimes merely scooped out
 
 254 
 
 BAP 
 
 BAT 
 
 in the ground, and any small 
 things used to play with. 
 Kucheza hao, to play at the above 
 game. 
 Bapa, the flat of a sword, &c. 
 Kupiga hapa, to strike with the 
 flat of a sword. 
 J3ara, a species of antelope (Helgo- 
 
 bagus arundinaceus). 
 Bara or Barra, wild country, coast. 
 The Arabic name, Ze'njibarr, is 
 compounded of this word and 
 ZenjoT Zanj\ a negro : hence the 
 Zanguebar and Zanzibar of our 
 maps mean only the negro 
 coast. The Swahili name for 
 Zanzibar is invariably Unguja. 
 Barr Faris, the piece of Persian 
 
 coast belonging to Oman. 
 Barr Sicdhil, the Swahili coast. 
 Baraba, proper, just, exactly. 
 Barahara, a broad open road. 
 Barafu, ice. 
 
 Baragumo, a spiral horn used as a 
 musical instrument ; it is blown 
 through a hole at tiie small end. 
 Barai, an after brace carried on tbe 
 lee side to steady the yard of a 
 dhow. 
 Bar alia, a blessing. Also common 
 
 as a proper name. 
 Baralioa, a mask reaching down to 
 the mouth, universally worn by 
 the women of Oman and Zan- 
 zibar of the upper class. 
 Barasi, a disease. 
 BarathuU, an idiot, dupe, simpleton. 
 
 Also harazuli- 
 Barawai, a swallow. 
 Baraza, a stone seat or bench table, 
 either outside the house or in 
 the hall, or both, where the 
 master sits in public and receives 
 
 his friends ; hence the durbar, or 
 public audience held by the 
 sultan, and the council then held. 
 Baricli, cold, wind. 
 
 Maji ya baricli, fresh water. 
 Baridiyahis, rheumatism. 
 Bariki Jiu-, to bless. 
 
 N.B. — Young people are said in 
 Zanzibar to bariJd, when they 
 first have connection with the 
 opposite sex. Girls are though t 
 old enough between nine and 
 ten. 
 Barikia hu-, to give a blessing to, 
 
 to greet. 
 Bariyo (A.), what is left from the 
 evening meal to be eaten in tbe 
 morning. 
 Barizi ku-, to sit in baraza, to hold 
 
 a public reception. 
 Barra. See Bara. 
 Barua or Bdrua, a summons from a 
 
 judge, a bill, a letter. 
 Baruti, gunpowder. 
 Barzuli, a fool. 
 Basbasi, mace, the inner husk of 
 
 the nutmeg. 
 Bashire kheri ! may it be lucky ! 
 Bashiri ku-, to prognosticate, to 
 
 foretell by signs. 
 BasMshi or Bakhshishi, a gift, a 
 
 largess. 
 Basiri ku-, to foresee. 
 Bass or Bassi, enough, it will do. 
 When it begins a sentence it 
 means — well, and so, and then. 
 When it follows a word or phrase 
 it means — just this and no more. 
 Bastola, a pistol. 
 Bata, plur. mdbata, a duck. 
 Bata la bukini, a goose. 
 Bata la mzinga, a turkey. 
 Batela, the common dhow of Zan-
 
 BAT 
 
 BIA 
 
 255 
 
 zibar ; it ha^. a square stern and 
 an ordinary boat-like head. 
 
 Bafi, tin, block tin. 
 
 Batil. See Betili. 
 
 Batili liu-, to annul, to abolish, to 
 reduce to nothing. 
 
 Batli, the log (nautical). 
 
 Batohato, plur. ma-, various colours 
 and marks on an animal. 
 
 Bau, a wizard's fortune-telling 
 board. 
 Kupiga bau, to divine. 
 
 Baura, a European anchor. 
 
 Bavuni, alongside, at the side. 
 
 Bawa, plur. mahaica, the wing of a 
 bird. Also, the scales of a fish. 
 
 Baicaha, a hinge. 
 
 ^awa&i/, a house-porter, door-keeper. 
 
 Baicasir, haemorrhoids. 
 
 -baya, bad. It makes mhaya with 
 nouns like nyumha. 
 
 Bayini ku-, to recognize, to know. 
 
 Bayinilai ku-, to be notorious, to be 
 well known. 
 
 Bayinisha ku-, to distinguish be- 
 tween, separate distinctly. 
 
 Bazazi, a trader, especially a cheat- 
 ing, over-sharp trader, a huck- 
 ster. 
 
 Beta ku; to carry (a child) on the 
 back in a cloth. 
 
 Behera, a he-goat given to covering, 
 strong, manly. 
 
 Bedari, the fixed lower pulley for 
 hoisting a dhow sail and yard, 
 bitts to which and through which 
 thejirar* are passed and secured. 
 
 Bedeni, a kind of dhow with a per- 
 pendicular cutwater, or merely a 
 piece of board by way of prow, a 
 sharp stern, and high rudder head. 
 The mast of a bedeni is per- 
 pendicular; in other dhows it 
 
 I bends forward. They come from 
 j the Arab coast. 
 
 Bee, a bargain, a trade, transaction. 
 
 Beek, for Lebeka. 
 
 Bega, plur. mabega, the shoulder. 
 
 Behewa, the inner court in a stone 
 house. All large houses in Zanzi- 
 bar are built round an inner 
 court 
 
 Beina, between. 
 
 Beina yaho nini ? what do you know 
 about it ? Compare Bayini. 
 
 Bekua ku-, to parry, to knock off a 
 blow. 
 
 Belghamu, phlegm. 
 
 Bembe, food and confectionery 
 cooked by a woman for her lover, 
 and sent to him during the 
 Ramathan. 
 
 Bembeleza ku-, to beg. 
 
 Bembesha ku-, to swing. 
 
 Bembeza ku- \ to beg, to caress, to 
 
 Bembeleza ku- j pat. 
 
 Benua ku-, to put forward, to stick 
 out. 
 Kubenua kidari, to walk with the 
 chest thrown forward. 
 
 Benuka ku-, to warp. 
 
 Kubenuka kiko kioa kiko, to warp 
 and twist this way and that. 
 
 Besa, vulgar Arabic for -pesa. Bes- 
 teen = Pesa mbili. 
 
 Besera, canopy of a bedstead. 
 
 BeteJa = Batela. 
 
 Beti, a pouch for shot or cartridges. 
 
 Beti (Ar.), a house, a line in verses. 
 
 Betili or Batil, a dhow vrith a ver\ 
 long prow, and a sharp stern 
 with a high rudder head. They 
 generally belong to the Shemali. 
 or Persian Gulf Arabs. 
 
 Beyana, legible, clear. 
 
 Bia. 
 
 8 2
 
 256 
 
 BIA 
 
 BOM 
 
 Kula hia, to subscribe to a meal 
 in common, to go shares in a 
 meal. 
 
 Biashara, trade, commerce. 
 Kufanya Mashara, to trade. 
 Mfanyi hiasJiara, a trader, a mer- 
 chant. 
 
 Bibi, grandmother. It is used as a 
 title answering to my lady, and 
 for the mistress of slaves. 
 
 Bibo, plur. mdbibo, a cashew apple. 
 
 -UcM, fresh, green, unripe, raw, 
 under-done. It makes mhicJii 
 with nouns like myumba. 
 
 Bidii, effort to surpass, emulation. 
 
 BiJcira, a virgin. 
 
 Bikiri ku-, to deflower. 
 
 Bilashi, gratis, for nothing. 
 
 Bilauri, a drinking glass. 
 
 Bildi, the lead (nautical). 
 
 Bilisi = Iblis, the devil. 
 
 Billa, except by. 
 
 Bilula, a tap. 
 
 Birna, insurance. 
 
 Bima ku-, to insure against acci- 
 dents. 
 
 Binadamu, a human being (a son 
 of Adam). 
 
 Bindo, the loin-cloth held up to 
 receive or carry things, a bundle 
 in a cloth. 
 Kukinga bindo, to hold up the 
 loin-cloth to receive things. 
 
 Bingica, shrewd, knowing. ' 
 
 Binti, daughter. Women in Zan- 
 zibar are generally mentioned by 
 their father's name only, as, Binti 
 Mohammed, Mohammed's daugh- 
 ter. 
 
 Birika,-p\.ur. mabirika,Q. large vessel 
 for holding water, a cistern. 
 
 Birinzi, a dish composed of meat, 
 rice, pepper, &c. 
 
 Bisha ku, to knock or cry Hodi I at 
 a door tro attract the attention of 
 the people within. It is held 
 very wrong to go beyond the 
 entrance hall of a house unless 
 invited in. 
 
 Bisha ku-, to work in sailing. Also, 
 to make boards. 
 
 Bishana ku-, to squabble, to quarrel. 
 
 Bishara, a sign, a good sign. 
 
 Bisho, tacking, working to the wind- 
 ward. 
 Upepo wa hisho, a foul wind. 
 
 Bisi, parched Indian corn. 
 
 Bitana, lined, double, used of clothes 
 wherever there are two thick- 
 nesses. 
 
 Bithaa, goods, merchandise. 
 
 -Nvu or -wivu, ripe, well done. It 
 makes mbivu with nouns like 
 
 Biioi, plur. mabiici, heaps of garden 
 
 rubbish, leaves, wood, &c. 
 Bizari, a small seed used in making 
 
 curry. 
 Bize, a wild hunting dog. 
 Bizima, a buckle. 
 
 -bofu or -ovu, rotten, bad, malicious. 
 Boga, plur. maboga, a pumpkin. 
 
 Boga is used as a general word 
 for edible vegetables. 
 Bogi = Pombe. 
 Bogoaku-, to strip off leaves, to tear 
 
 apart, to chop away wood in 
 
 making a point ? 
 Bohari or Bokhari, a storehouse, a 
 
 house with a shop and warerooms. 
 Boko, a buffalo (?). 
 Bokoboko, a kind of food made of 
 
 wheat, meat, &c. 
 Bokwa, jack fruit [Tumbatu]. 
 Boma, plur. maboma, a heap of 
 
 stones, a rampart.
 
 BOM 
 
 BUN 
 
 257 
 
 Bomha, a pump. 
 
 Bomhoromoka, plur. ma-. See Boro- 
 moka. 
 
 Bomoa ku-, to make a hole through, 
 to break down. 
 
 Bomoka ku-, to have a hole broken 
 through it, to be broken down. 
 
 Bongo, plur. mabongo, brains, mar- 
 row. 
 
 Bonth, a bridge, a pier. From the 
 French pout. 
 
 Bonyea ku-, to give way, to crush 
 in. 
 
 Bonyesha ku-, to press so as to sink 
 in, to make an impression with 
 the fingers. 
 
 Bonyeza ku-, to examine by feeling 
 and pressing. See Tomasa. 
 
 Boonde, a valley., a hollow place. 
 
 Bora, great, very great, noble, best, 
 most. 
 
 Bori, the bowl of a native pipe. 
 
 Boriti, a rafter, thick poles cut in 
 the mangrove swamps and laid 
 flat to support the stone roofs. 
 
 Borohoa, a dish made of pounded 
 pulse with flavourings. 
 
 Boromoka ku-, to fall down a preci- 
 pice. 
 
 Boromoka, plur. ma-, precipices, pre- 
 cipitous places. Also homhoro- 
 moka, plur. ma-. 
 
 Borongahoronga ku-, to make a mess 
 of one's work. 
 
 Boroshoa, a long-shaped black in- 
 sect found in dunghills. 
 
 Boruga ku-, to stir, tocut up weeds. 
 
 -bovu or -ovu, rotten, bad. 
 
 Boza, a narcotic made by mixing 
 bhang with flour and honey. 
 
 Bozibozi, idle, dull. 
 
 Brdmini, an agent (working for two 
 per cent, commission.) 
 
 ^Ma,plur. mahua,the stem of millet. 
 Buba, rupia, applied to various skin 
 
 diseases. 
 Buhu, (A.), a teat. 
 Buhu, plur. mahuhu, dumb. 
 Buhujika ku-, to bubble out, burst 
 forth. 
 
 Kuhubujika machozi,to burst into 
 tears. 
 Bubur 01.), dumb. 
 Buddi, escape, other course. 
 
 Sina buddi, I have no escape, ie., 
 I must. 
 Bueta, a box. Also bweta. (From 
 
 the French, boite.) 
 Buga, a hare (?). 
 Bughuthu ku-, to hate. 
 BuTiuri, incense. 
 Buihui, a spider. 
 Buki or Bukini, Madagascar. 
 Buki, a kidney. 
 Buku, a very large kind of rat. 
 Bull, plur. mabuli, a teapot. 
 Bumbuazi, perplexity, idiotcy. 
 
 Kupigwa na bumbuazi, to become 
 
 confused and abashed, so as not 
 
 to be able to go on with one's 
 
 business. 
 
 Bumbici, rice flour pounded up with 
 
 scraped cocoa-nut. 
 Bumia, sternpost. 
 Bumunda,j)lu.T, mabumunda, a sort 
 
 of soft cake or dumpling. 
 Bundi, a native bird, an owl. Owls 
 
 are thought very unlucky. 
 Bunduki, a gun, a musket. 
 Bungala, a kind of rice. 
 Bungo, plur. mabungo, a kind of 
 
 fruit something like a medlar. 
 Bungu, plur. mabungu, a dish. 
 Bungu la kupozea uji, a saucer to 
 
 cool gruel in. 
 Buni, raw coffee, coffee-berries.
 
 258 
 
 BUN 
 
 Buni, an ostrich. 
 
 Buni, (At.), sons, the sons of. 
 
 Buni ku-, to begin, to be the first to 
 
 do a thing, to invent. 
 Bunju, a poisonous fish. 
 Bunzi, plur. mabunzi, a stinging 
 
 fly. 
 Buothu Jcu; to hate. 
 Biqmru, plur. mahupuru, an empty 
 shell. 
 
 Bupuru la Mtwa, a skull. 
 Burangenif of two colours, neither 
 
 black nor white ; also painted of 
 
 different colours, as a dhow with 
 
 a white sti'ipe. 
 Buratangiy a whirring kite. 
 Burdu. 
 
 MarasM ya Burdu, eau-de- 
 Cologne. 
 Buri, large-sized tusks of ivory. 
 Bnriani, a final farewell, asking 
 a general forgiveness. 
 
 Kutahana buriani, to ask mutual 
 pardon and so take a last fare- 
 well. 
 Biirikao, Port Durnford. 
 Burre, for nothing, gratis, in vain, 
 
 for no good. 
 Buruda, a book of the prayers used 
 
 over a dying person. 
 Burudika ku-, to be refreshed. 
 Burudisha hu-, to cool, to refresh. 
 Buruga ku-, to mix up, to knock 
 
 together. 
 Buruhani, token, evidence. 
 Buruji, battlements. 
 Burura ku-, to drag, to haul along. 
 Busaraj prudence, subtlety, astute- 
 ness. 
 Busati, a kind of matting made at 
 
 Muscat. 
 BushasM, a thin sort of stuff. 
 Buihu, tow, a gun-wad. 
 
 Bushuti, woollen stuff, blanket, 
 
 Bustani, a garden. 
 
 Busu, a kiss. 
 
 Busu ku-, to kiss. 
 
 Buu, plur. mabuu, maggots in meat 
 
 (M.). 
 Buyu, plur. mabuyu,a calabash, the 
 fruit of the baobab tree, used 
 to draw water with. 
 Buzz, plur. mabuzi, a very large 
 
 goat. 
 Bivaga ku-, to throw down what 
 one has been carrying; to tip 
 off one's head, &c.; to rest by 
 throwing down one's burden. 
 Kubivaga nazi, to throw down 
 cocoa-nuts. 
 Btcana, master of slaves, master of 
 the house, lord, sir, used politely 
 in speaking of one's own father. 
 Bwana mdogo, master's son. 
 Bwanda — Givanda. 
 Bicara. 
 
 Reale ya bicara, c dollar under 
 full weight, a 5-franc piece. 
 Bweta. See Bueta. 
 
 C. 
 
 Cis required only in writing the 
 sound of the English ch or of the 
 Italian c before i and e. 
 
 In the dialect of Zanzibar ch 
 frequently stands for the t of more 
 northern Swahili, as — 
 
 CJiupa, a bottle (Zanzibar) = 
 Tupa (Mombas). 
 
 Kucheka, to laugh (Zanz.) = 
 Kuteka (Momb.). 
 
 CM, in the vulgar dialect, and 
 amongst the slaves in Zanzibar, 
 stands for ki in the more correct 
 language. Several of the tribes in
 
 CH A 
 
 2.7) 
 
 the interior follow the same rule as 
 the Italian in always pronouncing 
 the same root letter ch before i and 
 e, and k before a and o. 
 
 Thus slaves commonly say, Cliitu 
 chidogo, a little thing, for Kitu Ju- 
 dogo. 
 
 As a rule, in all Swahili where 
 the preformative hi has to be pre- 
 fixed to an adjective or pronoun or 
 tense prefix beginning with a vowel, 
 it becomes c/i, thus — 
 
 Kisu chanau, my knife, not Kisu 
 Mangu. 
 
 Kisu chakata, the knife cuts, not 
 Kisu kiakata, 
 
 Kitu chema cho chote, every good 
 thing whatsoever, not Kitu 
 kiema kio Mote. 
 
 Where ch represents ki, as the 
 initial sound of a substantive, the 
 plural is made by cLangiug ch into 
 vy. 
 
 CJwmho, a vessel, F^/omfto, vessels. 
 
 But where ch stands for t, the 
 plural is made by prefixing ma. 
 
 3Iachu2M, bottles. 
 
 Machungica, oianges. 
 
 The Arabs confound in their 
 pronunciation ch with sh, though 
 the sounds are in Swahili perfectly 
 distinct. 
 
 It would perhaps be an improve- 
 ment to write all c/i's wliich repre- 
 sent ki by a simple c, which has 
 been used for this sound in Sechuaua, 
 and to write all c/i's which repre- 
 sent t by ty, which has been used 
 for this sound in writing Zulu. But 
 both are here represented by ch, 
 because at least in the infancy of 
 our studies it is puzzling to have 
 two siguB for one sound, and neither 
 
 way of writing might be quite satis- 
 factory in all cases. 
 
 There is little doubt that the 
 northern t becomes ch by the addi- 
 tion of a i/ sound, as the same sort 
 of change takes place with d, whicli 
 becomes dy or j, and sometimes 
 with n, making it ny or the Spanish 
 ri. The same sort of change in 
 English vulgarizes nature into 
 nachur, and Indian into Injun. 
 
 Ch- = hi-, whicli see. 
 Ch-, a prefix required by sub- 
 stantives beginning with ki- or 
 ch- representing ki-, in all pro- 
 nouns and adjectives beginning 
 with a vowel, and in tenses of 
 the verb where the tense prefix 
 begins with a vowel. 
 Cha, of. 
 Many quasi-substantives may be 
 made by prefixing cha to a 
 verb, kitu being understood, as 
 chakula (a thing), of eating, 
 food. 
 Cha or Chayi, tea. 
 Cha ku; to fear [A.] (the ku- bears 
 the accent, and is retained in the 
 usual tenses). 
 Cha ku; to dawn, to rise [of the sun] 
 the ku- bears the accent, and 
 is retained in the usual tenses. 
 Kumekucha, the dawn (it has 
 
 dawned). 
 Kunakucha, the dawning. 
 Usiku kucha, all night till dawn, 
 all night long. See Chwa. 
 Chaanzu, the beginning of a piece 
 
 of iikiri. 
 Chacha ku-y to ferment, leaven, 
 
 work. 
 Chachaga ku-^ to wash clothes by
 
 260 
 
 -CHA 
 
 CHA 
 
 dabbing them gently on a stone 
 
 or board, not to beat them so hard 
 
 as is implied in the more common 
 
 word kufua. 
 -chache, few, little, not many or 
 
 much. It makes chache with 
 
 nouns like myumha. 
 Chachia hu-, to come with a press, 
 
 to come much at once, to burdt 
 
 upon one. 
 Chachu, bran, leaven, ferment. 
 Chafi, a kind of fish. 
 Chafi. 
 
 Chafi cha mguu, calf of the leg = 
 tafu. 
 Chafu, plur. machafu, the cheek, 
 
 especially that part which is over 
 
 the teeth. 
 Chafua leu-, to put in disorder, 
 
 disarrange. 
 Chafuha hu-, to be in disorder, in 
 dishabille. 
 
 Moyo umechafuha, (I) feel sick. 
 Chafukachafuka ku-, to be all in a 
 
 mess, to be all tumbled about 
 
 and in confusion. 
 Chafuo, a poisonous horse-fly. 
 Chafya ku-, or kupiga chafya, or 
 
 kwenda chafya, to sneeze. 
 Chagaa = Tagaa. 
 Chago, land crabs. 
 Chago, the place where the head is 
 
 laid (on a kitanda, etc.). 
 Chagua, kii-, to pick out, select, 
 
 garble. 
 Chai, or Chayi, tea. 
 Chakaa ku-, to become worn out, 
 
 to become good for nothing 
 
 through age or use. 
 Chake, or chakice, his, her, its. See 
 
 -ake. 
 Cliaki, chalk, whitening, putty. 
 ChOfko, thy. See -ako. 
 
 Chakogea = [Kitu'] cha ku-ogea, a 
 thing to bathe in, a bath. 
 
 Chakula, something to eat, food, a 
 meal. 
 Chahula cha suhui, breakfast. 
 Chakula cha mchana, dinner. 
 Chakula chajioni, supper, which 
 
 is the chief meal of the day. 
 Plur. vyakula, victuals. 
 
 Chale, a cut or gash made for orna- 
 ment. 
 
 Chali, backward, on his back. 
 
 Chama, a club, guild, band of 
 people. 
 Waana chama, members of it. 
 
 Chamha chajicho, a white film over 
 the eye. 
 
 Chamho, plur. vyamho, a bait. 
 
 Chambua ku-, to dress, clean, pick 
 over, as to pluck off the outer 
 leaves of vegetables when sending 
 them to market, to pick the 
 sticks and dii-t out of cotton, to 
 pick cloves off their stalks, 
 &c. 
 
 ChamhuUa ku-, to clean up, to dress 
 up work or things. 
 
 Chamhuro, a plate for wire drawing. 
 
 Chamchela. 
 Pepo za chamchela, a whirlwind. 
 
 Cha'msha kanwa (something to 
 wake the mouth), something 
 eaten first thing in the morning. 
 
 Cliana = Tana. 
 
 Chana ku-, to comb. 
 
 Chanda, plur. vyanda (M.), a finger, 
 a toe. 
 
 Chandalua, an awning, a mosquito 
 net. 
 
 -changa, young, immature. 
 
 Changa ku-, to sift away chaff and 
 husks. 
 Kula kwa kuchanga, a feast
 
 CH A 
 
 CHE 
 
 261 
 
 where each contributes some- 
 thing to the entertainment. 
 Changa'nika Jcu-, to be genial, to be 
 
 hearty and pleasant. 
 Changamusha ku-, to cheer up. 
 Changanya Jcu-, to mix. 
 Changanyika ku-, to be mixed. 
 CJianganyisha ku-, to perplex. 
 Changarawi, girt,little white stones 
 
 like those in coarse sand. 
 Chango, plur. vyango, a peg to hang 
 
 things upon. 
 Chango, small intestines, round 
 
 worms. 
 CJiangu, a kind of fish. 
 Changu, a tribal mark (?). 
 Changu, my. See -angu. 
 Chant = Tani, on the back, back- 
 ward. 
 Chania ku-, to comb for, &c. 
 CJianikiwiti, green. 
 Chanja ku-, to cut up [firewood, &c.]. 
 Chanjiwa ku-, ndui, to be cut for 
 
 small-pox, to be vaccinated. 
 Chano, plur. vyano, a large wooden 
 
 platter, a mortar-board. 
 Clianua ku-, to put forth leaves. 
 Chao, their. See -ao. ■ 
 Chapa, plur. machapa, a stamp, 
 -a chapa, printed. [type, 
 
 Kupiga chapa, to print. 
 Chapa ku-, to beat, to stamp. 
 Chapachapa, wet through, all 
 dripping. 
 Chapeo, a hat. From the French 
 
 chapeau (?). 
 Chappa or Chappara, excessively. 
 Chapuo, a sort of small drum. 
 Chatu, a python, a crocodile (?). 
 Chavu, plui-. vyavu, a net. 
 •chavu, filthy, unwashed. 
 Chaica, a louse. 
 Cliayi, tea. 
 
 Chaza, an oyster. 
 
 Chazo, a sucker fish. 
 
 Cheche, a small box (such as a 
 
 lucifer-box). 
 C/iec?2e, a brownmangouste. Also = 
 
 chechi. 
 Cheche, a spark. 
 Chechea ku-, to walk lame. 
 Chechele, an absent person, one who 
 
 goes far beyond where he in- 
 tended to stop through inattention. 
 Chechemea ku-, to be lame. Also, 
 
 to reach up, stretch up to. 
 Chechi, plur. machechi, a spark. 
 Chegua ku-, to choose. 
 Cheka ku-, to laugh, to laugh at. 
 Chekelea ku-, to laugh at, because of. 
 Cheko, plur. macheko, a laugh, '^ a 
 
 loud laugh. 
 CJielea ku-, to fear for, about, &c. 
 Chelema, watery. 
 
 Chelewa ku, to be overtaken by 
 something through thought- 
 lessness, to wake up and find 
 it broad daylight, to be struck 
 foolish, to be dumbfounded. 
 Also, to be too late. 
 
 Sikukawia wala sikucheleica, I 
 
 did not delay, and I was not late. 
 
 Cheleza kvr, to keep, to put on one 
 
 side, to put ofi". 
 Chelezea ku-, to keep or put aside 
 CJielezo = Chilezo. [for. 
 
 Chembe, a grain, grains. 
 C7t(?TO&e,plur. vyembe (N.), an arrow, 
 
 the head of an arrow oraharpoon. 
 Chemhe cha moyo (A.), the pit of 
 
 the stomach. 
 Chemhen, a chisel. 
 Cliemchem, a spring of water. 
 CJie'mka ku-, to boil, to bubble up. 
 Chenezo, plur. vyenezo, a measuring 
 
 rod, line, &c.
 
 262 
 
 CHE 
 
 CHI 
 
 Chenga hu-, to cleave, to cut wood, 
 
 to prune. 
 Clienge clienge^ small broken bits. 
 CJienja = Chenza. 
 Chenu, your. See -enu. 
 Chenyi, havii\g, with. See -enyi. 
 Chenza, a large kind of mandarin 
 orange. 
 
 Chenza za kiajjemi, Persian, i.e., 
 good chenzas. 
 Cheo, plur. vyeo, measurement, 
 
 measure, length, breadth, &c., 
 
 position in the world, station. 
 Chepechepe, wet, soaked with rain, 
 
 wetted. 
 Chepulm Itu- = Chipulia. 
 Gierawi, a well-known mangrove 
 
 swamp in the island of Zanzibar. 
 Cheree, a grindstone. 
 Cherevu, cunning, subtlety. 
 Cherhhana, machine. 
 
 Cherlihana cha Tcushona, a sewing 
 Cheruwa, measles. [machine. 
 
 Chetezo, plur. vyefezo, a censer, a 
 
 pot to fume incense in. 
 Cheti, plur. vyeti, a pass, a passport. 
 Chetu, our. See -etu. 
 Chewa, a kind of fish. 
 Cheza Im-, to play, to dance. 
 
 Kucheza gwaridi, to be drilled 
 in European fashion. 
 
 Kucheza komari, to play for 
 Cheza, a kind of oyster. [money. 
 Cheza hu-, to play with. 
 
 Kuchezea unyago, to deflower a 
 virgin (?). 
 Chi = Ki: 
 Chicha, the scraped cocoa- nut after 
 
 the oil has been squeezed out. 
 
 It is sometimes used to rub on 
 
 the hands to clean them of grime, 
 
 but is generally thrown away as 
 
 refuse. 
 
 Chichiri, a bribe. 
 
 Chilcapo = Kihnpu^ a basket. 
 
 Chikichi, plur. machikichi, the fruit 
 of the palm-oil tree. 
 Kichikichi, plur. vichikichi, the 
 small nuts contained in the 
 fruit of the palm-oil tree. 
 
 Chllezo, plur. vilezo, a buoy. 
 
 Cliimha ku-, to dig (M. timha). 
 
 Chimbia ku-, to dig for (M. timbia). 
 
 Chimbia ku- = Kimbia ku-y to run 
 away. 
 
 Chimbua ku-, to dig out or away. 
 
 Chimbuko, origin, first beginning, 
 source. 
 
 Chini, down, bottom, below. 
 Yuko chini, he is down stairs. 
 Chini 7ja, under, below. 
 *Chinja ku-, to cut, to slaughter 
 animals by cutting the throat, 
 which is the only manner allowed 
 by the Mohammedan law, hence 
 generally to kill for food (M. 
 liutinda). 
 
 Chinki,3i small yellow bird kept in 
 cages. 
 
 Chinusi, a kind of water sprite, 
 which is said to seize men when 
 swimming, and hold them un- 
 der water till they are dead, (?) 
 cramp. 
 
 Chinyango, a lump of meat. 
 
 Chipuka, &c. = Chupuka, &c. 
 
 Chipukizi, a shoot, a young plant. 
 See Tepukuzi. 
 Chipukizi ndio mti, children will 
 be men in time. 
 
 Chiriki, a small yellow bird often 
 kept in cages. 
 
 Chiro, chironi = Choo, chooni. 
 
 Chiroko = Cliooko, a kind of pulse. 
 
 Chiti = Cheti, a note of hand, a rote 
 of any kind.
 
 CHO 
 
 CHO 
 
 263 
 
 Cho, -cko, -cJio-, v.'hich. 
 Che chote, whatsoever. 
 
 Ckoa, ringrorm. 
 
 Ch^jcha Till; to poke out from, out 
 of a hole. 
 
 Cliochea hu-, to make up a fire, to 
 turn up a lamp. 
 
 Cliochelezca Jcu-, to stir up and in- 
 crease discord, to add fuel to the 
 fire. 
 
 Cliofya Tiu-. See Chovya. 
 
 Choka JiU; to become tired. 
 Nimeclwha, I am tired. 
 
 Chohaa, lime. 
 
 Cholcea, a stye in the eye, hordeolum. 
 
 Chokoa hu-, to clear out, to free 
 from dirt, enlarge a small hole. 
 
 ChoJcochoko, a kind of fruit with a 
 red prickly rind, white pulp, and 
 a large kernel. 
 
 Chokora ku-, to pick (with a knife, 
 &c.). 
 
 Chokora, plur. machokora, a hanger- 
 on, a follower, a dependant. 
 
 Chokoza ku-, to teaze, to irritate. 
 
 Chole, a place on the island of Zan- 
 zibar famous for cocoa-nuts ; also, 
 the chief town of Monfia. 
 
 Glioma ku-, to stab, to stick, to 
 prick, to dazzle. Vulgarly in 
 Zanzibar — to use fire to in any 
 way, to burn, to roast, to parch, 
 to fire, to apply cautery, to bake 
 pottery. 
 
 Clwmho, plur. vyomho, a vessel, a 
 pot, a dhow. 
 Vyomho is used for household 
 utensils, things used in a 
 house, goods. 
 
 Chomea ku-. See Choma ku-. 
 
 Chomeka ku-, to be stuck into, to be 
 set on fire. 
 
 Chomelea ku-, to take out a bad 
 
 piece of cloth, thatch, &c., and 
 
 put in a new one. 
 Chomoza ku-, to be hot. 
 I Chonga ku-, to cut, to adze, to hollow 
 out, to cut to a point. 
 
 Kuchonga kalamu, to make a pen. 
 Chonge, canine teeth, cuspids. 
 Chongea ku-, to cut for, or with. 
 Chongea ku-, to do a mischief to, to 
 
 get (a person) into trouble, to 
 
 inform against. 
 Giongeleza ku-, to carry tales, to 
 
 backbite. 
 Chongo, loss of an eye. 
 
 Kuica na chongo, to have lost an 
 eye. 
 
 Mwenyi chongo, a one-eyed person. 
 Chongoka ku-, to be precipitous. 
 Choo, plur. vyoo, a privy, the bath- 
 room, which always contains one. 
 Chooko, a small kind of pea, very 
 
 much resembling the seeds of 
 
 the everlasting pea of English 
 
 gardens. 
 Cliopa, plur. machopa, such a quan- 
 tity as can be carried in the two 
 
 hands. 
 Chopi. 
 
 Kwenda chopi, to walk lame in 
 such a manner as tliat the lame 
 side is raised at every step. 
 Chopoa ku-, to drag out of one's 
 
 hand. 
 Chopoka ku-, to slip out of the hand. 
 Chora ku-, to carve, to adorn with 
 
 carving, to draw on a wall. 
 Chorochoro, scratclies, marks. 
 Clioropoka ku-, to slip out of one's 
 
 hand. 
 Gwveka ku-, to put into water, to 
 
 steep. 
 Chovya ku-, to dip, to gild. 
 Chosha ku-, to tire, to make tired.
 
 264 
 
 CHO 
 
 CHU 
 
 CJiosi = Kisoze. 
 
 Chota Jcu; to make up a little at a 
 
 Chote, all. See -ote. [time. 
 
 Chovu, weary, tired. 
 
 Choyo, greediness, avarice. 
 
 Micenyi clioyo, a miser. 
 Chozi, plur. machozi, a tear, a tear- 
 drop. 
 Chub ! sht ! nonsense ! 
 Cliuhua hu; to take the skin oflf, to 
 
 bruise. 
 Chubuachuhua liu-, to bruise about, 
 
 to batter. 
 Chuhuha ku-, to be raw, to be 
 
 bruised. 
 CJmhiin, a plummet. 
 Chucliu ya ziica, a teat. 
 Chuchumia ku-, to stretch up to 
 
 reach something. 
 Chui, a leopard, leopards. 
 Chuja ku-, to strain. 
 Chujuka ku-, to have tlie colour 
 
 washed out. 
 Cliuki, the being easily disgusted 
 or offended. 
 
 Ana chuki huyu, he is easily put 
 out. 
 Chukia ku-, to be disgusted at, to 
 
 abhor, to hate, not to bear. 
 Chukiwa ku-, to be offended. 
 Chukiza ku-, to disgust, to offend. 
 Chukizisha ku-, to make to offend. 
 Chuku, a cupping horn. 
 CJiukua ku-, to carry, to carry 
 off, to bear, to support, to sus- 
 tain. 
 
 Kuchukua mimha, to be pregnant. 
 Chukulia ku-, to carry for a person. 
 
 Pass, kucliukulhca, to be carried 
 for, to have carried for one, to 
 be borne, to drift. 
 Ckukuliana ku-, to bear with one 
 
 another. 
 
 CJiukuza ku-, to make, to carry, to 
 
 load. 
 Cliula or Chura, plur. vyula, a frog. 
 Cliuma, plur. vyuma, iron, a piece 
 
 of iron. 
 Chuma ku-, to pluck, to gather^ to 
 
 make profit. 
 Chumha, plur, vyumba, a room. 
 Chumvi, salt. 
 
 Chumvi ya haluU, sulphate of 
 Cliuna ku, to flay. [magnesia. 
 
 Chunga ku-, to pasture, to tend 
 
 animals. 
 Cliunga ku-, to sift. 
 Chungu, plur. vyungu, an earthen 
 
 cooking pot. 
 CJiungu, ante, 
 Chungu, sl heap. 
 
 Chungu chungu, in heaps. 
 -chungu, bitter (uchungu, the 
 
 quality of bitterness). 
 CJiungulia ku-, to peep. 
 Chungiva, plur. machungwa, an 
 orange. 
 
 CJmngwa la kizungu, a sweet 
 
 orange. 
 
 Chunika ku-, to lose the skin, to be 
 
 Chunjua, a wart. [flayed. 
 
 Chunuka ku-, to love exceedingly, to 
 
 long for. 
 Chunuzi = Cliinusi. 
 CJiunyu, an incrustation of salt, as 
 
 upon a person after bathing in 
 
 salt water. 
 Chuo, plur. vyuo, a book. 
 
 Chuoni, school, 
 
 Mwana wa chuoni, a scholar, 
 learned man. 
 Cliupa, plur. machupa, a bottle, 
 Chupia ku; to dash. 
 Chupuka ku- or Chipuka ku-. to 
 
 sprout, become sprouted, to shoot, 
 
 to spring.
 
 CHU 
 
 DAM 
 
 265 
 
 Chupuza Im-, or Chipuza hu-, to 
 sprout, to throw out sprouts, to 
 shoot, to spring. 
 Churuhiza ku-, to drain out. 
 Chururika hu- = Churuziha hu-. 
 Churuica, measles. 
 Churuza ku-, to keep a stall, to 
 
 trade in a small way. 
 Churuzika ku-, to run down with. 
 Kuchuruzika damu, to bleed 
 freely. 
 Chussa, plur. vyussa, a harpoon. 
 Chuuza = Churuza. 
 Chwa ku-, to set (of the sun). The 
 ku- bears the accent and is re- 
 tained in the usual tenses. 
 Mchana kucliwa, or kutwa, all 
 day till sunset, all day long. 
 
 D. 
 
 D has the same sound as in 
 English. It occurs as an inital 
 letter chiefly in words derived from 
 the Arabic. 
 
 L ox r and t become d after an 
 n. Befu, long, makes kamha ndefu, 
 a long rope, not nrefu. 
 
 Kanitafutia, and seek out for me, 
 when pronoimced quickly becomes 
 Kandaftia. 
 
 D in the dialect of Mombas be- 
 comes j or dy in that of Zanzibar. 
 
 *Ndoo I Come (Momb.). Njoo! 
 (Zanz.) 
 
 See C and J. 
 
 Data, a small tin box. Also, a fool. 
 
 Dacha ku, to drop. 
 
 Vada, sister, a term of endearment 
 
 among women. 
 D si ku-, to pry into things, to 
 
 ask impertinent and unnecessary 
 questions. . 
 
 Dafina, a hidden treasure. 
 
 Daftari, an account book. 
 
 Dafu, plur. madafu, a cocoa-nut 
 fully grown before it begins to 
 ripen, in which state it supplies a 
 very favourite drink. When the 
 shell has begun to harden and 
 the nutty part to thicken, it ceases 
 to be a Dafu and becomes a 
 Koroma. 
 
 Dagaa, a kind of very small fish 
 like whitebait. 
 
 Daggla, a short coat. 
 
 Dai ku-, to claim, to sue for at 
 law. 
 
 Daka ku-, to catch, to get hold of. 
 
 DaJiika, a minute, minutes. 
 
 Daku, the midnight meal during 
 the Eamathan. A gun is fired 
 from one of the ships at Zanzibar 
 about 2 A.M., to give notice that 
 the time for eating is drawing to 
 a close. The name is said to be 
 derived from the saying : — 
 
 " Leni upesi, kesho kuna ndaa Tcuu." 
 " Eat quickly, to-morrow there will be 
 great hunger." 
 
 Dakidiza ku-, to contradict, to deny 
 
 formally, to rebut. 
 Dalali, a salesman, a hawker, an 
 
 auctioneer. 
 Dalia, a yellow composition much 
 
 used as a cosmetic : it is said to 
 
 give softness and a sweet smell 
 
 to the skin. 
 Dal ill, a sign, a token. 
 
 Hatta dalili, anything at all, even 
 a trace. 
 Dama, a game played on a board 
 
 like chess. 
 Damani = Demani.
 
 266 
 
 DAM 
 
 DEU 
 
 Damu, blood. 
 
 Danga ku-^ to take up carefully, as 
 they take up a little water left 
 at the bottom of a dipping place 
 to avoid making it muddy. 
 
 Danganika ku-, to be cheated. 
 
 Danganikia ku-, to put to coufusion. 
 
 Danganisha ku-, to confuse. 
 
 Danganya ku-, to cheat, to humbug, 
 to impose upon. 
 
 Danzi, plur madanzi, a bitter, 
 scarcely eatable sort of orange. 
 The Danzi is reputed to be the 
 original orange of Zanzibar. The 
 name is sometimes applied to 
 all kinds of oranges, and sweet 
 oranges are called madanzi ya 
 Kizungu, European (Portuguese) 
 oranges. 
 
 Dao. See Dau. 
 
 Dapo, plur. madapo, a native 
 umbrella. 
 
 Darabi, plur. madarahi, a rose 
 apple. 
 
 Daraja, a step, a degree, a rank, a 
 staircase, a bridge, a league. 
 
 Darasa,a class for reading, a regular 
 meeting for learning. 
 
 Dari, a roof, an upper floor. 
 
 Darini, up-stairs, or, on the roof. 
 
 Darizi, embroidery, quilting. See 
 also Kanzu. 
 
 Darumeti, part of a dhow, inner 
 planking. 
 
 Dasili, a detergent powder made 
 of the dried and powdered leaves 
 of the mkunazi. 
 
 Dasturi. See Desturi. 
 
 Dau, plur. madau, a native boat 
 sharp at both ends, with a square 
 mat sail. They are the vessels 
 of the original inhabitants of 
 Zanzibar, and chiefly bring fire- 
 
 wood to the town from the south 
 
 end of the island. 
 Daulati, the government. 
 Daica, plur. datoa or madawa, n 
 medicine. 
 
 Daiva ya kuhara, a purgative. 
 
 Dawa ya kutapika, an emetic. 
 Dawamu ku-, to persevere. 
 Dawati, a writing desk. 
 Dayima, always, perpetually. 
 Dayimara = Dayima. 
 Dehe, tin can. See Daha. 
 Deheni, lime and fat for chunam- 
 
 ming the bottoms of native craft. 
 Deheni ku-. to chunam the bottom 
 
 of a dhow. 
 Deka ku-, to refuse to be pleased, 
 
 to be perverse, to be teazing. 
 Delhi, a donkey's walk. 
 
 Kwenda delki, to walk (of a 
 donkey). 
 Dema, a kind of fish-trap. 
 Demani, the sheet of a sail. 
 Demani, the season of gentle 
 
 southerly winds, beginning about 
 
 the end of August. It is applied 
 
 less correctly to the whole season 
 
 of southerly winds from April to 
 
 the end of October. 
 Dendaro, a sort of dance. 
 
 Kukata denge, to shave the hair 
 
 except on the crown of the head. 
 
 Den^M, peas, split peas. They are 
 
 not grown in Zanzibar, but are 
 
 brought dry from India. 
 Deni, debt, a debt, debts. 
 Deraye (?), armour. 
 Desturi, a so it of bowsprit, to carry 
 
 forward the tack of a dhow-sail. 
 Desturi, custom, customs. 
 Deidi, a silk scarf worn round the 
 
 waist.
 
 DE V 
 
 DUA 
 
 267 
 
 Devai, claret, light wine. 
 
 Dia, composition for a man's life, 
 tine paid by a murderer. 
 
 Dibaji, elegance of composition, a 
 good style. 
 
 Didimia hu-, to sink. 
 
 Didimihia hu-, to bore with an awl, 
 &c. 
 
 Didimisha ku-, to sink, to cause to 
 sink. 
 
 Digali, part of a native pipe, being 
 the stem which leads from the 
 bowl into a vessel of water 
 through which the smoke is 
 drawn. 
 
 Diko, plur. madiJco, a landing-place. 
 
 Dimu, a lime. 
 
 Dimu tamu, a sweet lime. 
 
 Dim, religion, worship. 
 
 J)ira, the mariner's compass. 
 
 Dirihi ku-, to succeed in one's pur- 
 pose by being quick, to be quick 
 enough to catch a person, to be 
 in time. 
 
 Dirisha, plur. madirisha, a window. 
 
 Diwani, plur. madiwani, a council- 
 lor, a title of honour among the 
 coast people. 
 
 Doana, a hook. 
 
 Dohi, a washerman. 
 
 Doda ku-, to drop. 
 
 Dodo. See Emhe. 
 
 Dodoki, plur. madodohi, a long 
 slender fruit eaten as a vege- 
 table. 
 
 Dodoa ku-, to take up a little at a 
 time. 
 
 Dofra, plur. madofra, a sailmaker's 
 palm. 
 
 -dogo, little, small, young, younger. 
 
 Dohaan, Dokhaan, or Dohani, a 
 chimney. 
 Marikebu ya dohaan, a steamship. 
 
 I Hence Dohani, or Dokhani, a sort 
 
 : of tall basket in which fruit 
 
 is brought on men's heads to 
 
 market. The foundation is 
 
 made of sticks about two feet 
 
 long, loosely tied together, 
 
 which are supplemented with 
 
 plaited cocoa-nut leaves, until 
 
 the whole becomes perhaps six 
 
 feet high and fifteen to twenty 
 
 inches in diameter. These 
 
 dohani are often decked with 
 
 flowers and green leaves. 
 
 Dokaa ku-, to nibble. 
 
 Dokem ku-, to give a little part of 
 
 anything, to give a hint. 
 Dokra, a cent. 
 Domo. 
 Eupiga domo, to tell a person in 
 confidence. 
 Dona ku-, to peck. 
 Donda, plur. madonda, large sores. 
 Donda ndugu, malignant ulcers. 
 Dondo, pi. madondo, a tiger cowry . 
 Used to smooth down seams with. 
 Dondo, stsLich, the dressing of calico. 
 Dondoa ku-, to pick up small frag- 
 ments, to pick up rice, &c., to 
 pick up bit by bit. 
 Dondoka ku-, to drop from little by 
 little. 
 Mbegu zimenidondoka, the seeds 
 dropped from my band one by 
 one. 
 Dondoro, Dyker's antelope. 
 Donea ku-, to flatter like a bird. 
 Donge, plur. madonge, a small round 
 
 thing, a ball. 
 Donoa ku-, to peck, to sting. 
 Doti, a loin-cloth, a piece of cloth a 
 
 little less than two yards long. 
 Doya ku-, to go as a spy, 
 Dua, worship, theology.
 
 268 
 
 DUA 
 
 Duaruy a windlass, anything round. 
 
 Dude, plur. madude, a what-is-it ? 
 
 a thing of which you don't know 
 
 or have forgotten the name. 
 
 Dudu, plur. madudu, an insect, 
 
 insects. 
 Duduvuhj a kind of hornet which 
 
 bores in wood. 
 -dufu, insipid, tasteless. 
 Dulca, plur. maduka, a shop. 
 DuMza hu-, to listen secretly. 
 Bukizi, plur. madukizi, an eaves- 
 dropper, a tale-bearer. 
 Dumhuza, a plant having big yellow 
 
 flowers with dark centres. 
 Dumia hu-, to persevere. 
 Bumisha ku-y to make to continue. 
 Dumu, a jar (?). 
 
 Dumu ku-j to continue, to persevere. 
 Dun, a fine. 
 Dundu, plur. madundu, a large 
 
 pumpkin shell used to hold 
 
 liquids. 
 Dunge, the green skin of the ca- 
 shew nut, an immature cashew 
 
 nut. 
 Dungu, plur. madungu, the roof 
 
 over the little stages for watching 
 
 corn, &c. 
 Dumgumaro, a kind of spirit, also 
 
 the drum, &c., proper for expelling 
 Duni, below, less. [him. 
 
 Dunia, the world, this world. 
 Durabini, a telescope, an eyegl iss. 
 Kupiga durabini, to use a glass, 
 
 telescope. 
 Duru hu-, to surround. 
 Durusi hu-, to meet in a regular 
 
 class for study. 
 Dusamali, a striped silk scarf or 
 
 handkerchief worn upon the head 
 
 by women. 
 Duumi, a dhow sail. 
 
 Duzi, plur. maduzi, one who de- 
 lights to find out and proclaim 
 secrets and private matters. 
 
 E. 
 
 E has a sound between those of a 
 in gate and of ai in chair. 
 
 In the dialect of Zanzibar it is 
 often substituted for the a of more 
 northern Swahili, especially as re- 
 presenting the Arabic /ei'/ia. 
 
 Merikehu, a ship, is in the 
 Mombas dialect Marihahu, and in 
 the Arabic Markah. 
 
 The sound of e often arises from 
 the fusion of the final a of a prefix 
 with an e or i which follows it, as — 
 
 Akenda for A-ha-enda, and he 
 went. 
 
 Akaweta for A-ka-wa-ita, and he 
 called them. 
 
 Some of the cases in which e in 
 the Zanzibar dialect stands for a in 
 northern Swahili may be explained 
 by the substitution at Zanzibar of 
 in for a mere 'n, as in the word for 
 " land " or country," which is ^nfi 
 at Mombas, with so mere an 'n that 
 the vowel of the preceding word may 
 be run into it, as in the saying — 
 
 " Mvunddnti, mwandnti." 
 "A country can be ruined only by its own 
 children." 
 
 Whereas in Zanzibar, besides the 
 usual change of t into ch, the first 
 syllable has generally a distinct * 
 eound, and may be better written 
 incM. 
 
 Thus at Mombas the root of the 
 adjective " many " seems to be ngi, 
 making the substantive " plenty," or 
 " a large quantity," ungi, and with
 
 EBB 
 
 END 
 
 269 
 
 the proper prefix "many people," 
 ica-ngi. But in Zanzibar " plenty " 
 is lo-ingi, and "many people" wengi, 
 as if tca-ingi. 
 
 Ehhe, for Leheha. 
 
 Ebv.! Eehol well then! come then! 
 
 Eda. 
 
 Ku halia eda, to remain in ex- 
 treme privacy and qniet for five 
 months, as is usual by way of 
 mourniug for a husband. 
 
 Edashara, eleven. 
 
 Ee! 0! 
 
 Ee Waa ! or Ee Wallah I the common 
 answer of slaves and Inferiors 
 when called to do something, a 
 strong assent. 
 
 Eema (M.) = Dema, a kind of fish- 
 trap. 
 
 Egemea hu-., to lean. 
 
 Ehee! Yea \ 
 
 Ekerald, a provocation, an irritating 
 word or thing. 
 
 Ehua ku-, to break by bending. 
 
 Ekuka ku', to be sprung, to be 
 broken. 
 
 -ekundu, red. It makes jekundu 
 with nouns like kasha, and 
 ny ekundu with nouns like ny- 
 
 Ela (M.), except. [umha. 
 
 Elafu, thousands. 
 
 Elea ku-, to float, to become clear. 
 Moyo vximwelea, he feels sick (M.) 
 Yamekuelea ? Do you under- 
 stand ? Have they (my words) 
 become clear to you ? 
 
 Eleka ku-, to carry a child astride 
 on the hip or back. 
 
 Elekea ku-, to be right, to agree, to 
 be opposite to. 
 
 Eltkeana ku-, to be opposite to one 
 another. 
 
 Elemisha ku-, to teach, instruct. 
 Eleza ku-, to make to float, to swim 
 a boat, to make clear, to explain. 
 Elfeen or Elfain, two thousand. 
 Elfu, a thousand. 
 Elimisha ku-, to instruct, to make 
 
 learned. 
 Elimu, or e'Umu-, learning, doctrine. 
 -ema, good, kind. It makes jema 
 with nouns like kasha, Sindnjenia 
 or ngema with nouns like nyumha. 
 -emlamha, narrow, thin, slim. It 
 m^ikes jembamha with noims like 
 kasha,and nyemhamba with nouns 
 like nyumha. 
 Euibe, a mango. In Mombas the 
 plural is Maembe, in Zanzibar it 
 is Embe. 
 Embe dodo, or Embe za dodo, a 
 very large kind of mango, bO 
 named from a plantation in 
 Pemba, where they fiist grew. 
 Enibe kinoo, a small kind of 
 mango which is very sweet. 
 Embioe, glue, gum. 
 
 Embice la ubuyu, a kind of paste 
 made from the fruit of the 
 calabash tree. 
 Enda kiv-, to go. The kic- is re- 
 tained in the usual tenses. 
 Kivenda is often used merely to 
 carry on the narration without 
 any distinct meaning of going. 
 Sometimes it is employed as 
 an auxiliary, nearly as we say 
 in English, he is going to do 
 it. Sometimes it expresses 
 an action merely, as Etcenda 
 chafya, to sneeze. Kioenda and 
 Kupiga used in this way can- 
 not be exactly translated. 
 Kicenda kica mguu, to walk. 
 Kicenda temhea, to go for a walk.
 
 270 
 
 END 
 
 ESH 
 
 Kwenda mghad, &c., to go canter- 
 ing, &c. 
 Kwenda zangu, zaJco, zake, &c., in 
 other dialects, vyangu, vyake, 
 &c., and thangu, tliake, &c., to 
 go away, to go, to go one's way, 
 to depart. 
 Imekwenda tivaliwar, they have 
 gone to fetch it. 
 Fndea kw-, to go for, to, or after. 
 Endeka kw-, to be passable, to be 
 capable of being gone upon, to 
 be gone upon. 
 Endelea kio-, to go either forward 
 or backward. 
 Kwendelea mhele, to advance. 
 Kwendelea nyuma, to retire. 
 Endeleza ku-, to spell, to prolong. 
 Enea ku-, to spread, to become 
 
 known. 
 Enenda ku-, to go, mostly in the 
 sense of to go on, to proceed, to 
 go forward. 
 Enenza ku-, to measure together, to 
 
 try which exceeds the other. 
 Eneo, the spread, the extent covered. 
 Eneo la Muungu, God's omni- 
 presence. 
 Eneza ku-, to spread, to cause to 
 spread, to cause to reach. 
 Muungu amemweneza killa mtu 
 riziki zake, God has put within 
 the reach of every man what 
 is necessary for him. 
 Enga ku-, to split mahogo for 
 
 cooking. 
 Engaenga ku-, to coddle, to tend 
 
 over carefully. 
 Engua ku-, to skim. 
 -enu, your, of you. 
 
 -enu ninyi, your own. 
 Emji or Enyie, You there! You 
 there, I say 1 
 
 -enyi, having, possessing, with. It 
 
 makes mwenyi, loenyi, yenyi, 
 
 zenyi, lenyi, chenyi, vyenyi, and 
 
 penyi, which see. 
 Enza ku-, to ask news of a person. 
 Enzi, or Ezi, sovereignty, dominion, 
 majesty. 
 
 Mwenyi ezi, the sovereign, he who 
 is supreme. See Ezi. 
 Epa ku-, to endeavour to avoid (a 
 
 stone, stroke, &c.) 
 Epea ku-, not to go direct to, to 
 
 miss a mark, not to shoot straight 
 
 (of a gun). 
 Epeka ku-, to be avoidable, to be 
 
 what can be got out of the way of. 
 -epesi, light, not heavy, easy, quick, 
 
 willing. It makes jepesi with 
 
 nouns like kasha, and mjepesi 
 
 with nouns like nyumba. 
 Epua ku-, to brush or shake off, to 
 
 take away. 
 Epuka ku-, to be kept from, to avoid, 
 
 to abstain from. 
 Epukana ku-, to be disunited. 
 Epukika ku-, to be evitable. 
 
 Haiepukiki, it is inevitable. 
 Epusha ku-, to make to avoid, tc 
 keep from. 
 
 Epusliv-a ku-, to be kept from, to 
 be forbidden something. 
 -erevu, subtle, shrewd, cunning. 
 Erevuka ku-, to become shrewd, to 
 
 get to know the ways of the 
 
 world, to grow sharp. 
 Erevusha ku-, to make sharp and 
 
 knowing. 
 Eria ku-, to ease off, let down. See 
 
 Ariaa. 
 Eslia, the latest Mohammedan hour 
 
 of prayer, which may be said to 
 
 be from half-past 6 to about 
 
 8 P.M.
 
 ESS 
 
 FAH 
 
 271 
 
 Esse (?), a screw. 
 -etu, our, of us. 
 
 -etu sisi, our own. 
 Eua ku-, to sprinkle with Wivtor 
 after praying by way of charm 
 against a disease. 
 ■eupe, white, clear, clean, light- 
 coloured. It makes jeupe with 
 nouns like kasha, and nyeupe with 
 nouns like nyumba. 
 -eupee, very white. 
 -eusi, black, dark-coloured. It 
 makes jeusi with nouns like 
 kasha, and nyeusi with nouns like 
 nyumba. 
 Eicaa = Ee Waa. 
 Ewe.' You there ! Hi ! I say, you ! 
 
 plur. Enyi. 
 Eza ku; to measure. 
 Ezeka ku-, to thatch, to cover with 
 
 thatch. 
 Ezi = Enzi, sovereignty. 
 
 Mwenyi ezi Muungu, or Mn-enye- 
 ztmngu. Almighty God, God 
 the Lord, representing in Swa- 
 hili the AllaJi taala, God the 
 Most High, of the Arabic. 
 Ezua ku-, to uncover. 
 
 Kuezua ixia, to strip a roof. 
 
 P. 
 
 F has the same sound as in 
 English. 
 
 jPand V are confounded by the 
 Arabs, though in Swahili perfectly 
 distinct, thus : — 
 
 Ku-faa means — to be profitable to. 
 
 Ku-vaa means — to put on. 
 
 There is, however, in some cases 
 a little indistinctness, as in the 
 common termination ifu or ivu; the 
 
 right letter is probably in all cases 
 a V. 
 
 The Arabs in talking Swahili 
 turn p's into fs, and say funda for 
 puncla, a donkey ; and conversely, 
 some slaves from inland tribes turn 
 /'s intop's. P, however, does some- 
 times become / before a y sound, 
 as kuogopa, to fear, kuogofya, to 
 frighten. 
 
 There is a curious fy sound used 
 in some dialects of Swahili, which 
 is rarely heard in Zanzibar. 
 
 Fa ku-, to die, perish, cease, fade 
 away. The ku- bears the ac- 
 cent, and is retained in the usual 
 tenses. 
 Faa ku-, to be of use to, to avail, 
 to be worth something, 
 Haifai, it is of no use, it won't do. 
 Faana ku-, to be of use to one an- 
 other, to help one another. 
 Fafanisha ku-, to liken. 
 Fajanua ku-, to recognize, to under- 
 stand. 
 Fafanuka ku-, to become clear. 
 Fa/anukia ku-, to be clear to. 
 Fafanulia ku-, to make clear to. 
 Faganzi ku-, to become callous. 
 Mguu u-angu umenifaganzi, my 
 foot is asleep. 
 Fagia ku-, to sweep. 
 Fahali, plur. mafahali, a bull, used 
 of men in the sense of manly. 
 Fahamia. [strong. 
 
 Kica kufdhamia (M.), on the face, 
 forward. 
 Fahamisha ku-, to make to under- 
 stand, to remind. 
 Fahamu ku-, to understand, to re- 
 member. 
 Fahari = Fakhari, glory. 
 
 T 2
 
 272 
 
 F AJ 
 
 FAT 
 
 Kufanya fahari, to live beyond 
 one's means and station. 
 Faja lafrasi, a stable. 
 Fakefa, generous,a generous person. 
 FaJchari, glory. 
 Fakiri, poor, a poor person. 
 Fala ku; (Mer.) = Faa ku-. 
 Falaki, or fdlak, astronomy. 
 
 Kupiga falaki, to prognosticate 
 by the stars. 
 Fall, an omen, omens. 
 Fana ku-, to be very good of its 
 
 kind, to become like (?). 
 Fanana ku-, to become like, to 
 
 resemble. 
 Fananisha ku-, to make to resemble. 
 Fanikia ku-, to turn out well for, 
 
 Kufanikiwa, to prosper. 
 Fanusi, a lantern. 
 Famja ku-, to make, to do, to adapt, 
 to mend. 
 Kujifanya, to make one's self, to 
 
 pretend to be. 
 Kufanya kura, to cast lots. 
 Kufanya shauri, to take counsel. 
 Fanyia ku-, to do or make for or to. 
 Nikufanyieje'? What am I to do 
 with you ? 
 Fanyika ku-, to be made or done, 
 
 makable or doable. 
 Fanyiza ku-, to amend, to mend. 
 Fanyizika ku-, to be very good, to 
 
 be well done. 
 Far a or Far afar a, brimful, full to 
 
 the brink. 
 Faragha, privacy, secrecy, leisure. 
 Faraja, comfort, ease after pain. 
 Farajika ku-, to be comforted, to 
 
 be eased. 
 Farakana ku-, to be alienated. 
 Farakiana ku-, to be alienated in 
 
 regard to one another. 
 Farakisha ku-, to alienate. 
 
 Faranga, pi. mafaranga, a chicken, 
 
 a young fowl. 
 Farasi or Frasi, a horse, in Arabic 
 
 a mare. 
 Fariji ku-, to comfort, to console. 
 Fariki ku-, to become separated, to 
 
 decease. 
 Fdrine, a kind of rice and milk 
 
 gruel. 
 FarisM ku-, to spread. 
 Faritha, pay. 
 
 Faroma, a block to put caps on 
 after washing them, to prevent 
 their shrinking. 
 Farrathi, necessity, obligation, obli- 
 gatory. 
 Farratld, a place one habitually 
 goes to. 
 The th of this word is the Eng- 
 lish til in that, the ih of the 
 preceding word is a little 
 thicker. 
 Farumi, ballast. 
 FasMfaski, nonsense. 
 FasMni, the sternpost of a dhow. 
 FasiJii, correct, clean, pure. 
 Fasili, spreading. 
 
 Huna dsili, icala fasili, you have 
 neither root nor branches, i.e., 
 neither good birth nor great 
 connections. 
 Fasiri ku-, to explain, to interpret. 
 Fasiria ku-, to explain to, to inter- 
 pret to. 
 Fataki, a percussion cap, a gun cap. 
 Fathaa, restlessness, disquiet. 
 Fathaika ku-, to be troubled, dis- 
 quieted, thrown into confusion. 
 Fathali = AfathaU, preferably. 
 Fafhali = Fathili. 
 
 FatheJii ku-, to put to confusion, 
 to find out a person in a trick, 
 &c.
 
 FAT 
 
 FIK 
 
 273 
 
 Fathili, a favour, a kindness, kind- 
 nesses. 
 Fathili ku-, to do a kindness, to 
 
 deserve well. 
 Fatiha, a Mohammedan form of 
 
 prayer. 
 Fatiishi Itu-, to pry, to be over 
 
 curious. 
 Fauluku'jto getpast,to getthrough, 
 
 to weather. 
 Fawiti Jcu; to delay, to occupy, to 
 
 hinder. 
 Faijida, profit, gain, advantage, 
 
 interest. 
 Fayidi ku-, to get profit. 
 Fayiti ku-, to delay. 
 Fayitika ku-, to be delayed. 
 Fazaa, trouble, confusion, anxiety. 
 FeJca ku- = Fieka ku-, to clear 
 
 forest lands. 
 Felefele, an inferior kind of millet. 
 Feleji or Felegi, a choice kind of 
 steel. 
 
 Upanga ica feleji, a long straight 
 two-edged sword, used by the 
 Arabs. 
 Feleti ku-, to discharge, to release 
 
 from an obligation, to release. 
 Feli, plur. mafeli, a beginning of 
 
 speaking or doing. 
 Fereji, a channel, a drain. 
 Ferusaji = Forsadi. 
 Fetha, silver, money. 
 Fethaluka. Manjani ya fethaluka, 
 
 the true red coral. 
 Fetheha, a disgraceful thing, a 
 
 shame. 
 Ff.theheka ku-, to be found out in a 
 
 disgraceful thing, to be put to 
 
 shame. 
 Fetiu-a ku-, to be condemned or 
 
 adjudged to [a punishment]. 
 Fetwa ku-, to give judgment on 
 
 a question of Mohammedan 
 
 law. 
 Feuli, the place in a dhow where 
 
 they stow tilings which may be 
 
 wanted quickly. 
 Fi, by. 
 
 Sahafi saha, seven times seven. 
 Fia ku; to leave behind, to die to. 
 
 Pass. Kufiwa na, to lose by 
 
 death. 
 Fiata ku-, to liold one's hands oi 
 
 one's clothes between one's legs. 
 Fiatika ku-, to be kept back, to be 
 
 delayed. 
 Fiatua ku-, to allow a spring to 
 
 escape, to let off. 
 Fiatuka ku-, to escape (as a spring) 
 Ficha ku-, to hide. 
 
 Kunificlia kofia-, to hide a cap 
 from me. 
 
 Kunificliia kofia, to hide my cap. 
 Fidi ku-, to ransom (of the piice 
 
 paid). 
 Fidia, a ransom, a sacrifice (giving 
 
 up). 
 Fidia ku-, to ransom (of the person 
 
 paying). 
 Fidina, mint (?). 
 Fieka ku-, to clear. 
 
 Kufieka micitu, to clear ground 
 in a forest. 
 Fifia ku-, to disappear, to cease to 
 
 be visible (as a scar or a mark ; 
 
 it does not imply motion), to 
 
 pine away, (of seeds) not to 
 
 come up. 
 Figa, plur. mafiga, the three stones 
 
 used to set a pot over the fire 
 
 upon. See Jifya. 
 Figao, a movable fireplace. 
 Figili, a kind of large white radish. 
 Figo, kidney (M.). 
 Fika ku-, to arrive, to reach, to come.
 
 274 
 
 FIK 
 
 FOR 
 
 Fikara, thought. 
 
 Filda ku', to reach a person. 
 
 Fikicha ku-, to crumble, to rub to 
 pieces, to rub hard, to thresh 
 corn. (Used also obscenely). 
 
 Fikilia ku-, to come to a person on 
 business of his, to arrive and 
 return without delay. 
 
 Fikiliza ku-, to cause to arrive for. 
 Kufikiliza ahadi, to fulfil a pro- 
 mise. 
 
 Fikisha ku-, to make to arrive, to 
 lead, to take. 
 
 Fikira, thought, consideration. 
 
 Fikiri ku-, to consider, to ponder. 
 
 Fil, a chess castle or rook (in 
 Arabic, an elephant). 
 
 Fila ku- = Fia ku-. 
 Afile mhali, that he may die out 
 of the way. 
 
 Filimhi, a flute. 
 
 Filisi ku-, to take away a man's 
 property, to seize for debt. 
 
 Filisika ku-, to come to want, to 
 have been sold up, to have run 
 through all one's money. 
 
 Fimho, a stick. 
 
 Finessi, plur. mafinessi, a jack fruit. 
 Finessi la kizungu, a duryan. 
 
 Fingirika ku-, to roll along, to be 
 rolled, to writhe like a wounded 
 snake. 
 
 Fingirisha ku-, to roll, to make to 
 
 Finya ku-, to pinch. [roll. 
 
 Finyana ku-, to be pinched to- 
 gether, to be gathered up small. 
 
 Finyanga ku-, to do potter's work, 
 to make pots, to tread and 
 trample. 
 
 Fianya ku-, to chirp, to make a 
 chirruping noise with the mouth, 
 to do so by way of showing con- 
 tempt. 
 
 Fira ku-, to commit sodomy. 
 Fir ana ku-, to commit sodomy to- 
 gether. 
 Firigisi, the gizzard. 
 Firinglii = Firigisi. 
 Firkomba, an eagle (?). 
 Firuzi, a turquoise. 
 Fisadi, one who enters other peo- 
 ple's houses for a wrongful pur- 
 FisJia ku-, to cause to die. [pose. 
 Fid, a hysena. 
 
 Fisidi ku-, to enter other people's 
 
 ]iouses for a wrongful purpose, 
 
 to commit an offence in another 
 
 man's house. 
 
 Fitliuli = Futhuli, officious, over 
 
 talkative. 
 Fitina, slander, sowing of discord, 
 
 a disturbance. 
 Fitini ku-, to slander, to sow dis- 
 cord. 
 Fitiri, alms and presents given at 
 
 the end of the Ramathan. 
 Flto (plur. of ujito), long slender 
 
 sticks. 
 Fiwa ku-, to be died to, to lose by 
 death. 
 Mwanamke aliofiica rta mumewe, 
 a widow. 
 Fiwe, a sort of bean growing on a 
 climbing plant with a white 
 Fojofu. [flower. 
 
 Kufa fofofu, to die outright 
 Fola, a gift expected from those 
 who first touch a new-born baby, 
 paying your footing. 
 Foramali, a ship's yard. 
 Formash. 
 
 Dawati ya formash, a workbox. 
 Forsadi, a small kind of edible 
 
 fruit, mulberries. 
 Fortha, a custom-liouse. 
 
 Forthani, at the custom-house.
 
 FRA 
 
 FUM 
 
 275 
 
 Fras, Frasi, or Farasi, a horse, a 
 mare. 
 
 Frasi, a chess knight. 
 
 •fu, dead. 
 
 Maji mafu, neap tides. 
 
 Fua, a wooden bowl. 
 
 Fua ku-, to beat (?), to wash clothes, 
 to clear the husk from cocoa- 
 nuts, to work in metal, to make 
 things in metal. 
 Kufua chuma, to be a blacksmith. 
 Kufuafetha, to be a silversmith. 
 Kufua thahabu, to be a goldsmith. 
 Kufua Msu, &c., to forge a knife, 
 &c. 
 
 Fuama hu-, to lie on the face 
 (Momb.). 
 
 Fuata }cu-, to follow, to imitate, to 
 obey. 
 
 Fuatana hu-, to accompany, to go 
 with. 
 
 Fuatanisha hu-, to make to accom- 
 pany. 
 
 Fuau-a hu-, to lie on the side and 
 be beaten by the waves, as when 
 a vessel goes ashore broadside on. 
 Pass, of fua (?). 
 
 Fuawe, an anvil. 
 
 Fucha = Futa. 
 
 Fudifudi, on the face (of falling or 
 lying). 
 
 Fudihiza hu-, to turn bottom up- 
 wards, to turn cards backs upper- 
 most. 
 
 Fufua hu-, to cause to revive, to 
 resuscitate. 
 
 Fufuha hu-, to revive, to come to 
 life again. 
 
 Fufuliza hu-, to cause to come to 
 life again for some one. 
 
 Fufumonye, in the kitchen (Pemba). 
 
 Fuga hu-, to keep animals either 
 tame or in captivity. 
 
 Fugika hu-, to be capable of being 
 kept, to be capable of domesti- 
 cation, not to die in captivity. 
 
 Fuja hu; to waste, to squander, to 
 leak. See Vuja. 
 
 Fiijiha hu-, to moulder, waste away. 
 
 Fujo, disorder, uproar. 
 
 Fiijofujo, slovenliness, laziness. 
 
 Fuha, a kind of thin porridge. 
 
 Fuhu hu-, to fill in a small hole. 
 
 Fuha moshi hu-, to throw out smoke, 
 to fume. See Vuhe. 
 
 Fuhara, very poor. 
 
 Fichia hu; to fill up a small hole. 
 
 Fuhiza hu-, to cense, to put the 
 fuming incense -pot under a per- 
 son's beard and into his clothes, 
 by way of doing him honour. 
 
 Fuhizo, vapour, fumes. 
 
 Fuho (?), a mole. 
 
 Fuho, plur. mafuho, a large bag. 
 
 Fuhua hu-, to dig a small narrow 
 hole, such as those to receive the 
 posts of houses ; to dig into a 
 grave so as to get at the body ; to 
 dig out, to dig up. 
 
 Fuhuafuhua hu-, to burrow. 
 
 Fuhuta hu-, to blow with bellows. 
 
 Fuhuza hu-, to drive away, to chase. 
 
 Fuhuzana hu-, to chase one another. 
 
 Fuhuzia hu-, to drive away from. 
 
 lulia hu-, to work in metal for, to 
 make things in metal for. 
 
 Fid {full, on the face, forwards. 
 
 Fidiza hu-, to go on, not to stop ; 
 also, to blow upon, to kindle. 
 
 Fullani, such a one, such and such 
 men or things. 
 
 Fululiza hu-, not to stop or delay 
 to go on fast. 
 
 Fuma hu-, to weave. 
 
 Fuma hu-, to hit with a spear, to 
 shoot with arrows.
 
 276 
 
 FUM 
 
 FUN 
 
 Fnmania ku-, to come suddenly 
 upon, to surprise, intrude. 
 
 Fumaniana ku-, to intrude into 
 people's bouses without reason- 
 able cause. Those who do so 
 have no remedy if they are beaten 
 or wounJed. 
 
 Fumatiti, au owl (?). 
 
 Fumha ku-, to close, to shut (used 
 of the eyes, the mouth, the 
 hand, &e.). 
 Maneno ya fumha, a dark saying. 
 Makuti ya fumha, cocoa-nut 
 leaves plaited for making en- 
 closures . 
 
 Fumha, a lump. 
 
 Fumha, a kind of sleeping mat, 
 which is doubled and sewn to- 
 gether at the ends, so as to make 
 a large shallow bag. The sleeper 
 gets inside, and draws the loose 
 edge under him, so as to be com- 
 pletely shut in. 
 
 jP?^?w6ato/i;M-, to close til e fist, to grasp. 
 
 Fumhatika ku-, to be grasped. 
 
 Fumhia ku-, to talk darkly. 
 
 Fumho, plur. mafumho, a dark say- 
 ing, a hidden thing. 
 
 Famhua ku-, to unclose, to open the 
 eyes, &c. 
 
 Fumhuka ku-, to come to light. 
 
 Fumhulia ku-, to lay open to, to 
 explain. 
 
 Fumi, a kind of fish. 
 
 Fu'mka ku-, to become unsewn, to 
 open at the seams, to leak (of a 
 boat). 
 
 Fumo, plur. mafumo, a flat-bladed 
 spear. 
 
 Fumo, a chief (Kingozi and Nyassa). 
 
 Fumua ku-, to unrip, to unpick. 
 Kufumua moto, to draw out the 
 pieces of wood from a fire. 
 
 Fumuka ku- = Fu'mka ku-. 
 
 Funda, a large mouthful making 
 the cheeks swell out, a sip (?), 
 a draw at a pipe. 
 Kupiga funda, to take large 
 mouthfuls one by one. 
 
 Funda ku-, to beat up, to mis by 
 beating, to pound. 
 
 Funda ku-, to teach. 
 
 Fundi, a skilled workman, a master 
 workman, a teacher of any handi- 
 craft. 
 
 Fundinha ku-, to teach, to instruct. 
 Kujifundisha, to learn. 
 
 FundisJio, plur. mafunduho,ir.stvuc- 
 tion, direction, teaching. 
 
 Fundo, plur. mafundo, a knot. 
 Kupiga fungo, to tie a knot 
 
 Fundua ku-, to untie. 
 
 Funga, a civet cat. 
 
 Funga ku-, to fasten, to tie, to bind, 
 to imprison, to fast. 
 Kufunga choo, to become consti- 
 pated. 
 
 Fungamana ku-, to cling together, 
 to connect, to tie together, to rely 
 upon. 
 
 Fungana ku-, to bind, to stick 
 together. 
 
 Fungasa ku-, to tow. 
 
 Fungate, a period of seven days 
 after the completion of the wed- 
 ding, during which the bride's 
 father sends food to the bride- 
 groom and his friends. 
 
 Fungisha ku-, to shut against. 
 
 Fungo, a civet cat. 
 
 Fungu, plur. mafungic, a bank, a 
 shoal, a heap, a part, a week. 
 
 Fungua. See Mfunguo. 
 
 Fungua ku-, to unfasten, to open, 
 to let loose, to leave off fast- 
 ing.
 
 FUN 
 
 FYU 
 
 277 
 
 Funguka 7cu-, to become unfastened, 
 
 to be unfastenable. 
 Funguliwa ku-., to have unfastened 
 
 for one, to be unfastened. 
 Funguo (plur. of Ufunguo), keys. 
 Funguza Jcu-, to present with food 
 
 during the Eamathan. 
 Funika ku-, to cover (as with a lid), 
 
 to close a book. 
 Funikika ku-, to become covered. 
 Funikiza ku-, to cover (as with a 
 
 flood). 
 Funo, a kind of animal. 
 Funua ku-, to lay open, to uncover, 
 to open a book, to unpick sew- 
 ing, to show cards. 
 
 Kufunua macho, to open one's 
 eyes. 
 Funuka ku-, to become opened, to 
 
 open like a flower, &,c. 
 Funza, a maggot. 
 Funza ku-, to teach. 
 
 Kvjifunza, to learn. 
 Fupa, plur. mafupa, a large bone, 
 
 the anus (?). 
 •fupi, short. It makes fupi with 
 
 nouns like nyumba. 
 Fupiza ku-, to shorten. 
 Fura ku-, to swell, to be pufled up 
 
 from the eflects of a blow only. 
 Furaha, gladness, joy, pleasure, 
 
 gladly. 
 Furahani, with gladness, liappiness. 
 Fur alii ku-, to rejoice, to be glad. 
 Furalda ku-, to rejoice in. 
 Furahisha ku-, to make glad. 
 Furahiwa ku-, to be made glad, to 
 
 be rejoiced. 
 Furijika ku-, to moulder away. 
 Furika ku-, to run over, to boil 
 
 over, to inundate. 
 Furukuta ku-, to move, as of some- 
 thing moving under a carpet. 
 
 Furumi, ballast. 
 
 Furungu, plur. mafurungu, a large 
 
 citron, a shaddock, a kind of 
 
 anklet. 
 Furushi, a bundle tied up in a 
 
 cloth. 
 Fusfus or Fussus, precious stones. 
 Fnsi, rubbish. 
 Futa ku-, to wipe. 
 
 Kufuta kamasi, to blow the nose. 
 Futa ku-, to draw a svfOTd(=vuta9). 
 Futari, the first food taken after a 
 
 fast. 
 Futi, plur. mafuti, the knee (A.) 
 Futhuli, oflSciousness. 
 Futika ku-, to tuck into the girdle 
 
 or loin-cloth. 
 Futua ku-, to open out a bundle, 
 
 take out what was tucked in. 
 Futuka ku-, to get cross or angry. 
 Futukia ku-, to get cross with. 
 Futuri, a span. 
 Futuru ku-, to eat at the end of a 
 
 fast, to break a fast. 
 Fuu, plur. mafuu, a small black 
 
 fruit. 
 Fuvu, plur. mafuvu, an empty shell. 
 
 Fuvu la kitiva, a skull. 
 Fuza leu-, to go on, not to stop. 
 Fuzi, plur. mafuzi, a shoulder 
 
 (A.). 
 Ficata ku- = Fuata ku-. 
 Fyoa ku-, to answer abusively. 
 Fijolea ku-, to answer a person with 
 
 abuse and bad language. 
 Fijonda ku- or Fyonja ku-, to suck 
 
 out. 
 Fyonya ku-, to chirrup. See 
 
 Fiomja. 
 Fyonza ku-, to suck. 
 Fyoma ku-, to read (M.). 
 Fyuka ku-, to go off, to drop, to 
 
 escape like a spring.
 
 278 
 
 GAA 
 
 GAR 
 
 G. 
 
 G is always to be pronounced 
 hard, as in *'gate." Much con- 
 fusion arises from the way in which 
 the Arabic letters jim and kaaf or 
 qaf are pronounced by different 
 Arabs. Jim is properly an Englisli 
 _;, and is so used by the Swahili, 
 and qaf is properly a guttural k, 
 but most Arabs in Zanzibar pro- 
 nounce either jim or qaf as a hard 
 g. This must be remembered in 
 writing or looking for many Swahili 
 words. 
 
 The Arabic GJiain is retained in 
 many Swahili words borrowed from 
 the Arabic, and a similar sound 
 occurs in African languages also. 
 It is here written gli. Most Euro- 
 peans think it has sometliing of an 
 r sound, but this is a mistake ; it is 
 a hard grating gr, made wholly in the 
 throat. It resembles the Dutch g, 
 and the German g approaches it. 
 SeeiV. 
 
 Gaagaa ku-, to turn over restlessly, 
 
 to roll like a donkey. 
 Gahri. See Kahuri. 
 Gadi, a woodea prop to keep a 
 
 vessel from falling over when 
 
 left by the tide. 
 Gaclimu ku-, to put gadi. 
 Gaga, plur. magaga, rubbish, dirt. 
 (?a^, plur. magai, a large piece of 
 
 potsherd. 
 Galme. See Kalme, the small mizen 
 
 mast of a dhow. 
 Galawa, a canoe, a small canoe 
 
 hollowed out of the trunk of a 
 tree, and have two long poles 
 tied across, to the end of which 
 pieces of wood pointed at both 
 ends are attached, which serve 
 to prevent the canoe upsetting. 
 These outriggers are called 
 matengo. See Mtumbwi. 
 
 Gamha. See Jigamha. 
 
 Gana, the tiller, the rudder handle. 
 
 Ganda, plur. maganda, husk, rind, 
 shell, hard bark. 
 Ganda la tatu, the three of cards. 
 
 Ganda ku-, to stick, to freeze. 
 
 Gandama ku-, to cleave, to stick. 
 
 Gandamana ku-, to cleave to- 
 gether, to coagulate, to curdle, to 
 freeze. 
 
 Gandamia ku-, to stick to, to cleave 
 to. 
 
 Gando, plur. magando, the claw of 
 a crab. 
 
 Ganga ku-, to bind round, as when 
 a stick is sprung to bind it 
 round with string, to splice, to 
 mend, to cure. 
 
 Gauge, a soft white limestone. 
 
 Gango, plur. magango, a cramp, a 
 splint, something which holds 
 other things together in their 
 riglit place. 
 
 Gani! What? What sort of? 
 Ihe name of the thing queried 
 about always precedes the word 
 gani. 
 
 Ganzi. 
 Imekufa ganzi, it has lost all 
 
 feeling. See Faganzi. 
 Kutia ganzi la meno, to set the 
 teeth on edge. 
 
 Gari, plur. magari, a carriage, a 
 wheeled vehicle. 
 
 Garofuu, cloves. Also, a kind of rice.
 
 G AU 
 
 GHU 
 
 279 
 
 Gauza, Gauha, etc. See Geuza, 
 
 Geuka, etc. 
 Gaica ku, to divide, to part out. 
 
 Kugaica harata, to deal cards. 
 Gaicanya hu-, to divide, to share. 
 Gaya ku', to change one's mind, 
 
 to vacillate. 
 Gayami, a post with a cleat at the 
 
 side of the poop, to fasten the 
 
 sheet of a dhow sail to. 
 Gayogayo, a flat fish, (?) a sole. 
 Gema ku-, to get palm wine. They 
 
 cut the immature flowering shoot 
 
 and hang something under to 
 
 catch what flows from the wound, 
 
 which is the temho, or palm wine. 
 
 The cutting is renewed from 
 
 time to time to keep up the 
 
 flow. 
 Gerribe, plur. mageiribe, a hoe. See 
 
 Jembe. 
 -geni, foreign, strange. 
 Genzi. 
 
 Mkuu genzi, one who knows the 
 roads well, a guide. 
 Gereza, a fort, a prison. 
 Geua kvr, to turn, to change (Mer.). 
 Geuha ku-, to become changed, to 
 
 turn, to change. 
 Geuza ku- or Geusha ku- (?), to 
 
 cause to change, to turn, to 
 
 change. 
 Geuzi, plur. mageuzi, a change, 
 
 changes. 
 Ghdfalu, suddenly. 
 GhafaUka ku-, to be imprudent, not 
 
 to attend to, to neglect. 
 Ghdfula = ghdfala. 
 Ghairi ku-, to annul, change one's 
 mind as to, put an end to. 
 
 Kutia ghairi, to offend, to irri- 
 tate. 
 Ghala, a wareroom, a store place, 
 
 especially the rooms on the 
 ground-floor of Zanzibar houses, 
 which have generally no win- 
 dows, but merely a few small 
 round holes (jniangazd) near 
 the ceiling. 
 
 Ghali, dear. 
 
 Ghalirae. See Galme, Kalme 
 
 Ghalisha ku-, to make dear. 
 
 Ghangi, a kind of dhow resembling 
 a bagala, except that it has not 
 so long a prow. 
 
 Ghanima, good luck, profit. 
 
 Gharama, expense, payment to a 
 native chief by a caravan. 
 
 Gharika, a flood, the flood. 
 
 Ghariki ku-, to be flooded, to be 
 covered with water. 
 
 GJiarikisTia ku-, to flood, to over- 
 whelm. 
 
 Gliarimia ku-, to go to expense 
 about, to be at the expense of. 
 
 Ghasi, a measure of about a yard. 
 
 Ghasi, rebellion. 
 
 Ghasi ku-, to bother, worry. 
 
 Ghasia, bother, coming and going, 
 want of privacy. 
 
 Ghathabika ku-, to be enraged, to 
 be angry. 
 
 Ghathalisha ku , to enrage, to make 
 angry. 
 
 Ghathahu, anger. 
 
 Ghelihu ku-, to master. 
 
 Gheiri, jealousy, jealous anger. 
 
 Ghiana, an aggravating person. 
 
 Ghofira, plur. maghofira, pardon. 
 
 Gliofiri ku; to forgive sins ; used of 
 God only. 
 
 Gliofiria ku-, to forgive a person. 
 
 Ghdrofa, an upper room. 
 
 Glioshi ku-, to adulterate. 
 Ghuha (?), a sheltered place, a 
 screen.
 
 280 
 
 GHU 
 
 GUM 
 
 Ghubarij plur. maghubari, a rain 
 
 cloud. 
 Ghubha, a bay. 
 Ghumiwa ku-, to be startled, to 
 
 stand aghast. 
 GhuriJca ku-, to be arrogant. 
 Ghururi, arrogance. 
 Ghushi ku- = Glioshi hu-, to adul- 
 terate. 
 Ghusuhu ku; to cheat, to swindle. 
 Gidam, the strap of a sandal, 
 
 passing between the toes. 
 Ginsi, sort, kind. 
 
 Ginsi ilivyokuioa njema, &c., it 
 was so good, &c. 
 
 Crinsi gani ? or Gissi gani ? 
 Why ? How is it ? 
 Giza or Kiza, darkness. 
 Gnamha or Ng'amba, a hawk's-head 
 
 turtle. 
 Gnomhe or Ng'omhe, an ox, cattle. 
 Goa. See Coo. 
 Gohoa ku; to break off the cobs of 
 
 Indian corn. 
 Godoro, plur. magodoro, a mattress. 
 Gofia, a pulley. 
 Gogo, plur. magogo, a log of timber, 
 
 the trunk of a tree when felled. 
 Gomba ku-, to be adverse to, to 
 
 oppose, to quarrel with. 
 Gombana ku-,to squabble, to quarrel. 
 Gombeza ku-, to forbid. 
 Gombo, plur. magombo, a sheet of a 
 
 book. 
 Gome, plur. magome, bark of a tree. 
 Gomea ku-, to fasten with a native 
 
 lock. 
 Gomeo, a native lock. 
 Gonga ku-, to knock. 
 Gonjweza ku-, to make ill. 
 
 Kujigonjweza, to make oneself 
 out an invalid, to behave like a 
 sick man. 
 
 Gongo, plur. magongo, a large 
 
 stick. 
 Gongojea ku-. 
 
 Kujigongojea, to prop oneself with 
 a staff, to drag oneself along by 
 the help of a stick. 
 Gongomea ku-, to hammer in. 
 Goo. See Mtondo goo. 
 Gora, a piece of cloth, a package of 
 
 cloth. See Jura. 
 Gorong'ondwa, a kind of lizard. 
 GosM, the tack of a sail. 
 
 Upande wa gosTiini, the weather 
 side. 
 
 Eupindua kwa gosliini, to tack. 
 Gota ku-, to tap, to knock. 
 Gote, plur. magote, the knee. 
 
 Kupiga magote, to kneel. 
 Goteza ku-, to jumble together 
 
 different dialects or languages. 
 Govi mho, uncircumcised. 
 Gubeti, prow of a dhow. 
 Gubiti, barley-sugar (?). 
 Gudi, a dock for ships. 
 Gudulla or Guduwia, a water-cooler, 
 
 a porous water-bottle. 
 Gugu, plur. magugu, undergrowth, 
 weeds. 
 
 Gu^u mwitu, a weed resembling 
 corn. 
 -gugu, wild, uncultivated. 
 Gugumiza ku-, to gulp, to swallow 
 
 with a gulping sound. 
 Guguna ku-, to gnaw. 
 Gugurusha ku-, to run with a 
 
 shuffling noise like a rat, to drag 
 
 along with a scraping noise. 
 Guia ku-, to seize (Mer.). 
 Guiana ku-, to cling together. 
 Gulegule, a dolphin. 
 Gumba. 
 
 Kidole cha gumba, the thumb. 
 Gumegume.
 
 -GUM 
 
 HA 
 
 281 
 
 Bunduld ya gtimegume, a flint gun. 
 
 -gumu, hard, difficult. 
 
 Guna hu-, to grunt, to make a dis- 
 satisfied noise. 
 
 Gundua hu-, to see one who thinks 
 himself unseen, to discover un- 
 awares, to catch. 
 
 Gunga ku-, (1) to warn against 
 doing something, (2) to refuse 
 temptation. 
 
 Gungu, a kind of dance. 
 
 Gungu la hufunda, danced by a 
 
 single couple. 
 Gungu la kukwaa, danced by two 
 couples. » 
 
 Gunia, a kind of matting bag. 
 
 Gunzi, plur. magunzi, a cob of 
 Indian com. 
 
 Gura hu-, to change one's place of 
 residence (A.). 
 
 Gurisha hu-, to make to remove, to 
 banish (A.). 
 
 Guru. 
 Suhari guru, half -made sugar. 
 
 Gurudumo, plur. magurudumo, a 
 wheel. 
 Gurudumo la mzinga, a gun- 
 carriage. 
 
 Guruguru, a large kind of burrow- 
 ing lizard. 
 
 Gusa hu^, to touch. 
 
 Gutuha hu-, to start, to be startled. 
 
 Guu, plur. maguu, leg (A.). 
 
 Gwa hu-, to fall [Tumbatu]. 
 
 Gwanda, a very short hanzu. 
 
 Gwia hu- = Guia hu-. 
 
 Giciana hu- = Guiana hu-. 
 
 H. 
 
 H has the same sound as in the 
 English word " hate." 
 There are in Arabic two distinct 
 
 ft's, one wholly made in the throat, 
 the other somewhat lighter than the 
 English h. In Swahili there is only 
 one h sound, which is used for both. 
 
 The Arabic hli is pronounced as 
 a simple h in all words whicli are 
 thoroughly incorporated into Swa- 
 hili. The hli is used by Arabs and 
 in words imperfectly assindlatod. 
 Some people regard it as a mark of 
 good education to give the proper 
 Arabic sounds to all words of Arabic 
 origin. 
 
 In Arabic a syllable often ends 
 with h, which is then strongly pro- 
 nounced ; but in Swahili the h is 
 generally transposed so as to pre- 
 cede the vowel. 
 
 Kuilttimu, to finish one's educa- 
 tion = Kuliitimu. 
 
 H-, sign of the negative in tlie 
 second and third persons sin- 
 gular. 
 
 H-upendi, thou lovest not. 
 
 H-apendi, he lovest not. 
 Ha-, sign of the third person sin- 
 gular negative when referring 
 to animate beings, and of the 
 negative when prefixed to 
 the affirmative prefixes in the 
 plural, and in the third person 
 singular when not referring to 
 animate beings. 
 
 Ha-tupendi, we love not. 
 
 Ha-mpendi, you love not. 
 
 Ha-icapendi, they love not 
 
 Ha-ifai, it is of no use. 
 
 The final a of this ha- never 
 coalesces with the following 
 letter. 
 Ha-, a contraction for niha. 
 
 Hamicona, and I saw him.
 
 282 
 
 H AB 
 
 HAL 
 
 The third person singular present 
 negative is distinguished by 
 the final i. 
 Hamiconi, he dors not see him. 
 Haha, little, few, shallow. 
 Habahi, my lord. 
 
 Bahari, news, information, message, 
 story. 
 Hdbari zangu zUizonipata, an ac- 
 count of what had happened to 
 me. 
 HabusMa. plur. mdhdbushia, an 
 Abyssinian. Many Galla women 
 are called Abyssinians, and the 
 name is sometimes used for a con- 
 cubine of whatever race. 
 Hadaa, deceit, cheating. 
 Hadaa ku-, to cheat. 
 Eadaika ku-, to be cheated, to be 
 
 taken in. 
 Hadidi, the semicircular ornament 
 to which Arab women attach the 
 plaits of their hair. 
 Hadimu, a servant, slave. See Mu- 
 
 hadimu. 
 HaditM, a tale, a story, especially 
 one bearing upon Mohammedan 
 tradition. 
 Hadithia ku-, to relate to. 
 Hafifu, light, insignificant. 
 Hafithika ku- = Hifatliika Icu-, to 
 
 be preserved. 
 Hahithawahetha (Ar.), these and 
 
 these. 
 Saiba, a beauty, not beauty gene- 
 rally, but one good point. 
 Hai-, sign of third person singular 
 negative agreeing with nouns 
 which do not change to form 
 the plural. 
 Sign of the third person plural 
 negative agreeing with nouns 
 in mi'. 
 
 Hai = Hayi, alive. 
 Haina, it is not, there is not. 
 Haitassa, not yet. 
 
 Haithuru, it does not harm, it is of 
 no consequence, never mind, it 
 would be as well. 
 Haj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. 
 Haja, a request. 
 
 nana haja, he is good for no pur- 
 pose, he has no occasion. 
 Hajiri ku-, to go to live elsewhere. 
 Eajirika ku-. to remain overlong, 
 
 delay. 
 Hakali. 
 
 KumsJiika hakali, to require a 
 stranger who goes upon work- 
 men's work to pay for his in- 
 trusion, to make him pay his 
 footing. 
 Haki-, sign of the third person 
 singular negative, agreeing with 
 nouns in ki- or ch-. 
 Haki, justice, right, righteousness. 
 Haldka, true, certain, certainly. 
 Hakika yako, it is true of thee, 
 thou certainly. 
 Hakiki ku-, to make sure, to ascer- 
 tain, to prove. 
 Hakiri ku-, to humble. 
 Hakirisha ku-, to despise. 
 Hako, he is not there. 
 Baku-, sign of the third person 
 
 negative indefinite. 
 Baku-, sign of the third person 
 singular of the negative past, 
 referring to animate beings. 
 This form is distinguished from 
 the preceding by the final lettei 
 of the verb, which is -i in the 
 indefinite and -a in the past tense. 
 Bakuna, there is not, it exists not, 
 
 no. 
 Bal wdradi, otto of roses.
 
 HAL 
 
 HAP 
 
 283 
 
 Halaf bilkithih, perjury. 
 JSalafu, afterwards, presently. 
 Halali, lawful. 
 Halasa, sailors' wages. 
 Halt, state, condition, health. 
 U halt gani ? How are you ? 
 Wa halt gani ? How are they ? 
 Amehuica hali ya hicanza, he is 
 reduced to his former condition, 
 he is as he used to be. 
 It is also used as a kind of con- 
 junction, being, i^ it be, when 
 it is, supposing, so it was. 
 Hali for Aliali, family, connections. 
 Hali; sign of the third person 
 singular negative, agreeing with 
 nouns which make their plural in 
 ma-. 
 Halilisha Tiu-, to make lawful. 
 Halili yaJio, at your disposal. 
 Halisi or Hdlisi, exactly, without 
 
 defect or variation. 
 Halua, a sweetmeat made of ghee, 
 honey, eggs, arrowroot (?), and 
 spice. 
 Haluli. 
 
 Chumvi ya Tialuli, sulpliate of 
 magnesia. 
 Ha'm-, sign of the second person 
 
 plural negative. 
 HUma ku; to change houses, to ' 
 
 move. 
 Hamali, plur. mahamali, a porter, 
 
 a coolie. 
 Hamami, a public bath. There are 
 
 now public baths in Zanzibar. 
 Hamaya, protection. 
 
 Fi hamayat al Ingrez, under 
 British protection. 
 Hamdi, praise. 
 Hami, protection. 
 Hami ku-, to protect. 
 Hamili ku-, to be pregnant. 
 
 Hamira, leaven, made by mixing 
 flour and water and leaving it to 
 turn sour. 
 Hamisha ku-, to cause to remove, to 
 cause to change one's place of 
 residence, to banish. 
 Ha^mna, there is not inside, no ! 
 Hamo, he is not inside. 
 Hamsi, five. 
 Hamsini, fifty. 
 Hamstashara, fifteen. 
 Hamu, grief, heaviness. 
 Hamivimhi ? Don't you sing ? 
 Hana, he has not. 
 Eana ku-, to mourn with, to join 
 
 in a formal mourning. 
 Hana kicao, he has no home, a 
 
 vagabond. 
 Hanamu, obliquely. 
 Hanamu, the cutwater of a dhow. 
 Handaki, a dry ditch, a trench. 
 Hangaika ku-, to be excited. 
 Hangoe, the guttural Arabic h, tlie 
 
 hha. See Mdaicari. 
 Hanikiza ku-, to interrupt people, 
 to talk so loud and long as to 
 prevent other people from doing 
 anything. 
 Hanisi, a man sexually impotent. 
 Haniti, a catamite, a sodomite. 
 Hanzua, a kind of dance. 
 Hao, or Haico, these or those before 
 mentioned, referring to animate 
 beings. 
 Hapa-, sign of the third person 
 negative, agreeing with mdhali, 
 place or places. 
 Hapa, here, this place, in this place. 
 Hajyana, there is not, no ! 
 
 Havana refers rather to a par- 
 ticular place, Hakuna is gene- 
 ral. 
 Hapo, here, this or that time.
 
 284 
 
 HAR 
 
 HAT 
 
 Tangu hapo, once upon a time. 
 Hapo hale, in old times. 
 Tokea hapo, ever so long. 
 Toka hapo I get away ! get out of 
 this! 
 Hara Jcu-, to be purged. 
 
 Harisha ku-, to act as a drastic 
 purgative. 
 Haraka, haste. 
 Haraka ku-, to make haste. 
 Harakisha ku-, to hasten. 
 Haramia, a pirate, a robber. 
 Haramu, unlawful, prohibited. 
 Harara, prickly heat, heat, hot 
 
 temper. 
 Harara, quick-tempered. 
 Hararii, hot-tempered. 
 Hari, heat, perspiration. 
 
 Kutoka hari, to perspire. 
 Harihika ku-y to be destroyed, to 
 
 spoil. 
 Harihu ku-, to destroy, to spoil. 
 
 Kuharibu mimba, to miscarry. 
 Harijia ku-, to spend money, to lay 
 out money, to provide (a feast), 
 &c. 
 Harimisha ku-, to make or declare 
 
 unlawful. 
 Harimu ku- = Harimisha ku-. 
 Earioe, a cry raised on seeing a 
 
 dhow come in sight (M.). 
 Hariri, silk. 
 
 Harufu, Harufi, or Herufu, a letter 
 of the alphabet, letters, cha- 
 racters. 
 Harufu, a scent, a smell of any kind. 
 Earusi, a wedding; vulgarly, the 
 bride. 
 Bwana harusi, the bridegroom. 
 Bibi harusi, the bride. 
 Hasai = Maksai, castrated. 
 Hasara, loss. 
 
 Kupata hasara, to lose. 
 
 Hasara ku-, to spoil a thing so that 
 
 its value is gone. 
 Hasha, not at all, not by any means, 
 
 a very strong negative. 
 Hasho, a patch in planking, a piece 
 
 let in. 
 Hasi ku- or Khasi ku-, to geld, to 
 
 castrate. 
 Hasibu ku-, to count. 
 Hasida, a kind of porridge. 
 Hasidi, envy. 
 Hasira, anger. 
 
 Kuica na hasira, to be angry. 
 Kutia hasira, to make angry. 
 Hasira ku-, to injure. 
 Hasiri ku-, to vex, to do harm 
 
 to. 
 Hasirika ku-, to be injured, to be 
 
 grieved. 
 Hasirisha ku-, to injure. 
 Hassa, exactly. 
 Hata. See Hafta. 
 Hatamu, a bridle. 
 Hatari, danger, fear. 
 Hathari, caution, care. 
 
 Kuwa na hathari, to beware, to 
 
 be on one's guard. 
 Kufanya hathari, to become care- 
 ful, to become anxious. 
 Hdtif, an angel. 
 Hatiki ku-, to bother, to annoy 
 
 (A.). 
 Hatima = Khatima, end, conclusion, 
 
 at last. 
 Hatirisha ku-, to venture, to run 
 
 the risk. 
 Hatiya = Khatiya, fault. ' 
 
 Kutia hatiyani, to find fault with. 
 Mioenyi hatiya nami, who has 
 done me wrong. 
 Hatta, until, so far as, to, at length, 
 when a certain time had ar- 
 rived. It is used to introduce
 
 HAT 
 
 HER 
 
 285 
 
 the time when something fresh 
 happened. 
 Hatta siku moja, one day. 
 Eatta assuhui, in the morning, 
 
 but in the morning. 
 Hatta baada ya mwezi kupita, and 
 when a month had passed. 
 Hattia, for nothing. 
 Hattiya — Hatiya. 
 Haiu; sign of the first person plural 
 
 negative. 
 Hatua, a step, steps. 
 Eau-, sign of the third person 
 singular negative agreeing with 
 nouns in m- or miv-, not denoting 
 animate beings, or withthose in u-. 
 Havi-, sign of the third person 
 plural negative agreeing with 
 plural nouns in vi- or vy-. 
 Eawa-, sign of the third person 
 
 plural negative. 
 Eaw<i-, Eve. 
 Eawa. these, referring to animate 
 
 beings. 
 Eawa or Eewa, air. 
 Eawa or Eawat, longing, lust, 
 loving. 
 Usifanye hawa nafsi, don't be 
 partial, don't show favour. 
 Eatoa or Eawara, a catamite, a 
 
 paramour. 
 Eaicala, transfer of a debt, bill of 
 
 exchange. 
 Eawezi, he is ill. See Weza Jcu-. 
 Eawi, he is not. 
 
 Eavnli Itu-, to take upon oneself 
 what was due from another, to 
 guarantee a debt, &c. 
 Eaya-, sign of the third person 
 plural negative agreeing with 
 plural nouns in ma-. 
 11 ay a, these, referring to a plural 
 substantive in ma-. 
 
 Eaya, shame, modesty. 
 
 Eana hay a, he is shameless. 
 Kuona haya, to feel ashamed, to 
 
 be bashful. 
 Kutia haya, to abash, to make 
 ashamed. 
 
 Eaya ! Work away I Be quick ! 
 Come along ! 
 
 Eayale, those, those things. 
 
 Eayamkini, it is impossible. 
 
 Eayaicani, a man without his 
 proper senses, an idiot. 
 
 Eayi, plur. icahayi (?), alive. 
 
 Eayo, these or those before men- 
 tioned, referring to plural sub- 
 stantives in ma-. 
 
 Eaynko, vulgarly used in Zanzibar 
 for hako, he is not there. 
 
 Eazi-, sign of the third person 
 plural negative agreeing with 
 nouns which do not change to 
 form the plural, or with those 
 which begin in the singular with 
 
 M-. 
 
 Eazibu ku- = Eesahu ku-. 
 
 Hazina, a treasure. 
 
 Eazitassa, not yet. 
 
 Eedaya, a choice thing, a tale. 
 
 Eejazi, the Eejaz in Arabia. 
 
 Eekalu, the temple at Jerusalem, a 
 great or famous thing. 
 
 Hekima, wisdom, cleverness. 
 
 Eehimiza ku-, to make a man under- 
 stand, to put him in possession of 
 knowledge. 
 
 Eemidi ku-, or Eamidi ku-, to praise. 
 
 Eenza, halyards. 
 
 Eenzarani, cane-work. 
 
 Eeri = Kheiri, happy, fortunate, it 
 is well. 
 Ni heri, I had better, it will be 
 
 well for me. 
 Kua heri, good bye.
 
 2^(5 
 
 HER 
 
 HIY 
 
 3Itu wa heri, a fortunate man. 
 Heria, a cry raised on first seeing a 
 
 dhow coming. Compare Hariowe. 
 Herimu = Marika. 
 Hero, a wooden platter. 
 Herufu or Harufu, a letter of the 
 
 alphabet. 
 Hesahu, accounts, an account. 
 TIesahu ku-, to count, to reckon. 
 Hpshima, honour. 
 Reshimu ku-, to honour. 
 Ileth, menstruation, rat uses. 
 
 Kuwa na hdh, to menstruate. 
 Hetima. [ancestors. 
 
 Kusoma hetima, to pray fur one's 
 Hewa or Haica, air. 
 Hezaya, a shame, a thing causing 
 
 confusion. 
 Hi; for Niki-. See -ki-. 
 Hiana, a grudging person, one who 
 
 withhokls things. Compare 
 
 Ghiana. 
 Hiari, choice. 
 
 Hiha, property left after death. 
 Hi'dima, service. 
 Hifathi ku-, to preserve, to keep. 
 Hifathika ku-, to be preserved. 
 Hifukuza = Nikifukuza. 
 Hii, this, referring to singular 
 
 nouns which do not change to 
 
 form the plural ; these, referring 
 
 to plural nouns in mi-. 
 Hiile, that, those. 
 Hikaya = Hedaya, a wonderful 
 
 thing. 
 Hiki, this, referring to singular 
 
 nouns in ki- or ch-. 
 Hikile, that, yonder. 
 Hila. a device, a stratagem, a deceit. 
 
 Mtu wa hila, a crafty man. 
 Hili, this, referring to singular 
 
 nouns which make their plural 
 
 in ma-. 
 
 Hilo, this or that before mentioned, 
 referring to singular nouns which 
 make their plural in ma-. 
 
 Hima, haste, hastily, quickly. 
 
 Eimahima ! be quick ! 
 
 Himili ku-, to bear, to support. 
 
 Himiza ku-, to hasten. 
 
 Hina, henna, a very favourite red 
 dye, used by women to dye the 
 palms of their hands and the soles 
 of their feet, often used to dye 
 white donkeys, &c., a pale red 
 brown. 
 
 Hini ku-, to refuse to give, to with- 
 hold. 
 
 Hirizi, a written charm worn on the 
 side. 
 
 Hirimu, an equal in age. 
 
 Hirimu mqja, of the same age 
 
 Hisa, pardon. 
 
 Nipe hisa yangu, pardon me. 
 
 Hitari ku-y to prefer, choose. See 
 Ikhtiari. 
 
 Hitima, the feast which concludes 
 a formal mourning. 
 
 Eitimu ku-, to finish one's learning, 
 to leave off school, to know one's 
 trade. 
 
 Hitimisha ku-, to finish a scholar, to 
 bring to the end of his learning of 
 whatever kind. 
 
 Hivi, thus, these, referring to plural 
 nouns in vi- or vy-. 
 
 Hivile, those. 
 
 Hivyo, after which manner, these 
 mentioned before, referring to 
 plural nouns in vi- or vy-. 
 
 Hiyari, choice. 
 
 Hiyo, this mentioned before, re- 
 ferring to singular nouns which 
 do not change to form the plural ; 
 these mentioned before, referring 
 to^lural nouns in vii- or in //m-.
 
 HIZ 
 
 HU J 
 
 287 
 
 Hizi, these, referring to plural 
 nouns which do not change to 
 form the plural, or which begin 
 in the singular with u- or w-. 
 Siku hizi, some days ago, some 
 days hence, now. 
 Hizi ku; to trei^t with contumely, to 
 
 groan at, to cry out against. 
 Hizile, those. 
 
 Hizika hu-, to be put to the blush. 
 Hobe I now go on, be ofiF. 
 Eicenda hohe, to go wherever it 
 may be. 
 Hohu, grandchild. 
 Hodnri, strong. 
 
 Eodi! a cry made by way of 
 inquiry whether any one is within. 
 No one ought to enter a house 
 until he has received an answer. 
 Hogera ku-, to perform a particular 
 washing customary after cir- 
 cumcision. 
 Eogo, plur. mahogo, a very large 
 
 root of cassava. 
 Hohe hake, a phrase used to denote 
 extreme poverty and destitution. 
 Hoho. 
 
 PUipili Twho, red pepper. 
 Mkate wa hoho, a cake made with 
 fresh palm-oil. 
 Hoja = Hiija. 
 Homu, fuver. 
 
 Hongo, a present demanded by a 
 local chief for liberty to pass 
 through his country. 
 Hongjia, a Comoro dance. 
 Horari, clever (?). 
 Hari^ or Khori, a creek, a small arm 
 
 of the sea. 
 Hori, plur. mahori, a kind of canoe 
 
 with a raised head and stem. 
 Hu; a quasi-personal prefix de- 
 noting a customary action. It 
 
 applies to all persons and both 
 numbers. 
 Huhijihu, it is in the habit of 
 
 answering me. 
 Hnenda, he, &c., commonly goes. 
 Husenia, they say. 
 Hu- = h-u-, the negative prefix of 
 the second person singular. 
 This form is distinguished from 
 the preceding by the ttrmina- 
 tiou of the verb. 
 Hnenda, people go. 
 Huendi, you do not go. 
 Hua, a dove. They are said to cry. 
 Mama akafa, Baha akafa, nime- 
 salia mimi, tu, tu, tu, tu, tu, My 
 mother is dead, my father is 
 dead, I am left alone — lone— lent- 
 — lone. Another cry of the same 
 class of birds is explained a^;, 
 Knku mfupa mtupu, mimi nyama 
 tele tele tele, A fowl is bare 
 bones. I am meat plenty, plenty, 
 plenty. 
 Huhha, love, afiection. 
 Hubiri, to announce, to give news. 
 Hudumia ku-, to serve. 
 Hudumu, service. 
 Hui ku-, to revive, to come to life 
 
 again. 
 Huika ku-, to be brcnight to life 
 
 again, to live again. 
 HuUha ku-, to revive, bring to life 
 
 again, resuscitate. 
 Huja or hoja, sake, account, con- 
 cernment, reasoning. 
 Kina huja nyingi, it is full of 
 
 bother, it is troublesome. 
 Hakina huja, it is all clear, it is 
 plain sailing. 
 Hujambo ? Are you weH ? 
 Euji ku-, to inquire into, seek out, 
 Hiijuru ku-, to desert. 
 
 u 2
 
 288 
 
 HUK 
 
 Huho, there, at a distance. 
 
 Iluko na huko, hither and thither. 
 Euhu, here, there, near. 
 
 Huhu na huku, this way and 
 that. 
 HvJmmu, judgment, authority, law. 
 Hukumu ku-, to act as judge, to 
 
 have supreme authority over. 
 Huhumia ku-, to judge, to exercise 
 
 authority upon. 
 Hulukiwa ku, to be created, to be 
 
 a creature. 
 Humuma, plur. 7na-, a man who 
 
 knows no religion. 
 Hundi, a draft, a bill of exchange. 
 Huo, this or that before mentioned, 
 
 referring to singular nouns in 
 
 u- or W-, or which make their 
 
 plural in mi-. 
 Hum, free, not a slave. 
 
 Kuweha or Kuacha hum, to set 
 free from slavery. 
 Hum, plur. mahuru, a freed man. 
 
 Mahuru wa Balyozi, or Baruzi, 
 slaves freed by the British 
 consulate. 
 Hum, diamonds in cards. 
 Huruma, pity. 
 Hurumia ku-, to pity, to have pity 
 
 upon. 
 Hussu ku-, to divide into shares, to 
 
 put each one's share separate. 
 Ev^udu ku-, to do wanton violence, 
 
 to grudge at, to envy. 
 Eusumu ku-, to strive, to contend 
 
 with. 
 Eusuni, a fort. 
 Eusuru ku-, to besiege. 
 Euthuria ku-, to be present. 
 Euu, this, referring to nouns in 
 
 the singular which make their 
 
 plural in mi-, or to singular nouns 
 
 beginning with u- or to~. 
 
 Euule, that. 
 
 Euyo, this or that before mentioned, 
 
 referring to an animate being. 
 
 In chasing a man or animal, any 
 
 one who sees him cries out, 
 
 Euyo! huyo ! huyo I Here he is ! 
 
 Euyu, this, this person, this one, 
 referring to an animate being. 
 
 Euyule, that. 
 
 Euzuni, grief, heaviness. 
 
 Ewenda, perhaps. 
 
 I is pronounced like ee in feel. 
 
 I before a vowel generally be- 
 comes y. It is in many cases im- 
 material whether i or y be written, 
 but where the accent would other- 
 wise fall upon it, its consonantal 
 character becomes obvious. 
 
 An unaccented i is often inter- 
 changed with a short u sound. 
 Thus the word for lead may be pro- 
 nounced either risasi or rusasi. 
 
 N has generally an i sound im- 
 plied in it. It is sometimes ex- 
 pressed following the n, as in the 
 prefix ni. The final i of ni- disap- 
 pears in rapid pronunciation, and in 
 the first person of the future, as n 
 cannot coalesce with t, both letters 
 are often omitted. When n is fol- 
 lowed by a vowel, or by d, g, j, 
 or z, the e sound is lost. When n 
 is followed by other consonants it 
 eitlier disappears altogether or the 
 i sound is more or less distinctly 
 prefixed, so as to make the n a syl- 
 lable by itself. The i sound is more 
 distinct iu the dialect of Zanzibar 
 than in more northern Swahili. 
 ' Where i follows the final o of a
 
 IMI 
 
 289 
 
 prefix (except the negative prefix 
 ha) it coalesces with a into the 
 sound of a long e. 
 
 1, is or was, governed by a singular 
 noun of the class which does 
 not change to form the plural; 
 are or were, governed, by a 
 plural noun in mi-. 
 
 J-, or before a vowel, y-, the personal 
 prefix used with verbs whose 
 subject is a singular noun of 
 the class which does not change 
 to form the plural, or a plural 
 in mi; it or they. 
 
 -«'-, the prefix representing the ob- 
 ject of the verb when it is a 
 singular noun of the class which 
 does not change to form the 
 plural, or a plural noun in mi-. 
 
 -*-, the reflective prefix in King'ozi 
 (and in Nyamwezi), self. 
 
 Iha Jew- (the kw- is frequently re- 
 tained in the usual tenses), to 
 steal, to take surreptitiously. 
 
 Ibada, worship. 
 
 Ibia kw; to rob, to steal from. 
 
 Idadi. 
 
 Hayana idadi, there is no count- 
 ing them. 
 
 Idili = Adili, right conduct. 
 
 Idili ku; to learn right conduct. 
 
 Idilisha ku-j to teach right con- 
 duct. 
 
 Iftahi, bringer of luck. 
 
 Iga ku; to mock, to imitate (M. 
 igiza). 
 
 Ih: See Hi: 
 
 Ihtah'di ku; to strive. 
 
 Ih'taji ku; to be wanting. 
 
 Ih'tajia /cm-, to want, to be wanting to. 
 
 Ih'tUafu, different. Also a fault, 
 difference. 
 
 IWUmu ku; to finish learning, to 
 
 complete one's education. 
 Ijara, pay, hire, rent. 
 Ijaza, a reward. 
 Ijaza ku; to grant permission for 
 
 worship. 
 HMiari, choice. 
 Tkhtiari ku-, to wish. 
 Ikiza ku; to lay the beams of a 
 roof. 
 
 Kuku ya kuikiza, a fowl cooked 
 with eggs. 
 Iko, there is, it is there. 
 Ila, a defect, a blemish. 
 He, that yonder, referring to a 
 
 singular noun of the class which 
 
 does not change to form its 
 
 plural; those yonder, referring 
 
 to a plural noun in mi-. 
 Hi = mi. 
 Hiki, cardamoms. 
 Hioko, which is, or was there. 
 Hiopandana, the composition of a 
 
 word. 
 Hizi, a small round thing held 
 
 to be a great charm against 
 
 lions. 
 Hia, except, unless, but. 
 Hlakini, but 
 Bli. in order that. 
 Hmu, learning. 
 Ima — ima, either— or. 
 Lna ku-, to stand up {Eing'ozi and 
 Yao). 
 
 Njia ya kwima, a straight road. 
 Ima ku-, to eat up food provided 
 for other people. 
 
 Ametuima, he has eaten our share 
 as well as his own. 
 Imani, faith. 
 Imara, firm. 
 Imha kw-, to sing. 
 Imbu, mosquito, mosquitoes.
 
 290 
 
 I MI 
 
 ITA 
 
 Imulia hu-i to set up, to make to 
 
 stand. 
 Tmnia. 
 
 Wa imma, to a certainty. 
 Ina, it has, they have. 
 Inama hu-, to bow, to stoop, to bend 
 
 down, to slope. 
 InarrdslM few-, to make to bend 
 
 down, to bow. 
 Inang'aro^ it is briu:ht. See nffaa. 
 Inchi, land, country, earth. 
 Inda. 
 
 Kufanya inda, to give trouble. 
 
 Liga Icu; to scare away birds. 
 
 -iitrji, many, much. It makes jingi 
 
 with nouns like kasha, and 
 
 nyingi with nouns like nyumha. 
 
 Ingia Jm-, to enter, to go or come 
 
 into. 
 Ingilia ku-, to go or come into, for, 
 
 or to. 
 Ingiliza ku-, to cohabit with. 
 ingine, other, different. It makes 
 mgine or mminrjine with nouns 
 like mtu and mti ; jingine witli 
 nouns like kasha ; ngine or nyi- 
 ngine with nouns like nyumha; 
 and piTi^ine or pangiiie with 
 nouns of place. 
 Wangine — wangin€,some — others. 
 Iiigiza ku-, to make or allow to enter. 
 Ini, plur. tnaini, the liver. 
 Inika ku-, to hang down, to lay upon 
 
 its side. See Jiinika. 
 Initm, truly. 
 
 InshaUah, if God will, perhaps. It 
 is used as a general promise to do 
 as one is asked to do. 
 Inta = Nta. 
 
 Inua ku-, to lift, to lift up. 
 ImJca ku; to be lifted, to become 
 
 raised. 
 Inya, mother (A.). 
 
 -inyi = -enyi,h.d^\mg,vfith.. It makes 
 mwinyi, wenyi, yinyi, zinyi, linyi, 
 kinyi, vinyi, and penyi. 
 Inzi, plur. mainzi, a fly. 
 Jpa ku-, to want, desire to have. 
 Kuipa roho mbele, to long ff)r 
 everything one sees, to havu 
 unrestrained desires. 
 Ipi. 
 
 Kupiga ipi, to slap (,X.). 
 Ipi^ what? 
 
 Kama ipA ? how ? 
 Ipua kw; to take off the fire. 
 Iriba, usury. 
 Iriwa, a vice (the tool). 
 Isha kw, to finish, to come to an 
 end. The kw- is retained in 
 the usual tenses, but sometimea 
 the w is dropped, as ameMsha 
 for amekwisha, he has done. 
 Kwisha is commonly used as an 
 auxiliary : thus, Amekwisha 
 kuja, he has come already. 
 Alipokwisha kuja, when he 
 had come. 
 Akaisha, or Akesha, after that, 
 when he had done this. 
 Ishara, a sign, signal. 
 Ishi ku-, to last, to endure, to live. 
 Isimu or Ismu, name, especially the 
 name of God. 
 Ma ismak (Ar.)? What is your 
 name? 
 Istara, a curtain. 
 Isfiska, dropsy. 
 
 Ita kw-, to call, to call to, to name, 
 to invite. The kw- is fre- 
 quently retained. 
 Rwitwa, to be called, is sometimes 
 constructed as if it were ku- 
 icitiva. 
 Ita ku-, to cast in a mould. 
 Italassi, satin.
 
 ITH 
 
 JAA 
 
 291 
 
 Itiiini, sanction. 
 
 Kutoa ithini, to sanction. 
 Ithneen, two. 
 
 Itia Jiu-, to call for some purpose. 
 Itika hu-, to answer when called. 
 Itikia ZcM-, to reply to, to answer a 
 
 person when called to. 
 Itikiza ku-, to assent to. 
 Ito la gvM (A.), the ankle. 
 Iva ku- or Wiva ku-, to become ripe, 
 
 to become completely cooked, to 
 
 get done. The ku- is frequently 
 
 retained. 
 Ivu, plur. maivu, ash, ashes (M.). 
 Iioapi ? where is it ? 
 Iza ku-, to refuse. 
 Izara ku-, to tell scandal about, to 
 
 make things public about a 
 
 person improperly. 
 
 /. The correct pronunciation of 
 this letter, and especially that of 
 the Mombas dialect, is a very pecu- 
 liar one. The most prominent saund 
 is that of ^ but it is preceded by 
 anoth«- resembling d. The French 
 di is perhaps the nearest European 
 representative. The Swahili write 
 it by the Arabic jim, which is ex- 
 actly an English j. 
 
 In the more northern dialects and 
 in the old ix>etieal Swahili the J is 
 represented by a pure y, 
 
 Moya = moja, one. 
 
 Mayi = maji, water. 
 
 A d in the dialect of Mombas 
 very commonly becomes a J in that 
 of Zanzibar. 
 
 Ndia (M.), a road, Njia (Zanz,). 
 
 Kutinda (M.), to slaughter ; Ku- 
 chinja (Zanz.). 
 
 Many words which are properly 
 
 spelt with a z are vulgarly pro- 
 nounced with a j in Zanzibar, as, 
 
 Kanju, for kanzu. 
 
 Chenja, for chenza. 
 
 This is only carrying to excess the 
 rule that a 2 in the neighbouring 
 mainland languages becomes a j 
 in Swahili. 
 
 The Arabs and some Swahili 
 confuse J with g. Thus the late 
 ruler of Zanzibar was often spoken 
 of as Bicana Magtdi, his proper title 
 being Seyid Mdjid. 
 
 J-, a prefix applied to substantives 
 and adjectives in the singular of 
 the class which make their plural 
 in ma-f when they begin with a 
 vowel. Seejt-. 
 ■Ja, like. 
 
 Ja ku- (l^e ku- carries tl^e accent 
 and is retained in the usual 
 tenses), to come. The impera- 
 tive is irregular, Njoo, come. 
 Njooni, come ye. 
 Ja is used to form several tenses. 
 
 1. With -^o- added, meaning even 
 if; iva-JapO'kupiga, even if they 
 beat you. 
 
 2. With negative prefixes mean- 
 ing not yet ; ha-ja-ja, he is not 
 yet come. 
 
 3. With negative pn-fix and sub- 
 junctive form. An-je-lala, be- 
 fore he goes to shep, or that he 
 may not have already gone to 
 sleep. 
 
 Jaa ku; to become full, to fill, to 
 
 abound with. 
 Maji yanajaa, the tide is coming 
 
 in. 
 Mtungi umejaa maji, the jar is 
 
 full of water. 
 See Jawa ku-.
 
 292 
 
 JAA 
 
 JAS 
 
 Jaa. 
 
 Sliika mdjira ya jaa, steer north- 
 wards. 
 Jaa, a dust heap. 
 Jahali, plur. majahali, a rocky hill. 
 
 Also see Kama. 
 Jabari, absolute ruler, a title of God. 
 Jadiliana hu-, to argue with. 
 Jaha, good luck, unexpected good 
 fortune. 
 
 KilarKjo cha jaha, the gate of 
 Paradise. 
 Jahazi, a vessel, a ship. 
 Jahili hu-, to dare, not to fear. 
 Jalada, the c^)ver of a bound book. 
 Jali ku', to give honour to. 
 Jalia hu-, to bless, to enable, to 
 grant to. 
 
 Muungu aJdiiijalia, God willing. 
 Jaliwa hu-, to be enabled, to have 
 
 power, &c., given one. 
 Jaliza ku; to fill up, used of vessels 
 
 which have already something in 
 
 them. 
 Jamaa, family, assembly, gathering, 
 
 society, company. 
 Jamaa hu-, to collect together, 
 
 gather. 
 Jamaat (Hind.), a council of elders. 
 Jamala, courtesy, good manners, 
 
 elegance. 
 Jamanda, plur. majamanda, a solid 
 
 kind of round b;i.-ket with a lid. 
 Jamba, breaking of wind down- 
 wards. 
 Jamba hu-, to break wind down- 
 wards. 
 Jambia, plur. mojambia, a curved 
 
 dagger always woru by Bluscat 
 
 Arabs. 
 Jambo, plur. mambo (from huamba,) 
 a word {?), a matter, a circum- 
 stance, a thing, an affair. 
 
 Ahanitenda hilla jambo la leema, 
 and he showed me all possible 
 kindness. 
 Jambo for si jambo, hu jamho, ha 
 jambo, &c., I am well, are you 
 well? lie is well, &c., &c. 
 
 Jambo Sana, I am very well, are 
 you very well ? &c. 
 Jami hu-, to copulate, to have con- 
 nection with. 
 Jamil, many, a good collection, the 
 
 mass, the company of, the body of. 
 Jamiisha hu-, to gather. 
 Jamvi, plur. majamvi, a coarse kind 
 
 of matting used to cover floors. 
 Jana, yesterday. 
 
 Mwaha jana, last year. 
 Janna, paradise. 
 Janaba, filth, uncleanness. 
 Janga, punishment. 
 Jangiva, plur. majangwa, a large 
 
 desert, 
 Jani, plur. majani, a leaf. Majani 
 
 is commonly used for any grass 
 
 or herbage. 
 Janvia = Jambia. 
 -jaj)o-y sign of a tense signifying 
 even if. 
 
 Vjapofiha, even if you arrive. 
 Jarari, the ropes passing through 
 
 the pulley attached to a dhow's 
 
 halyards. 
 Jarihu hu-, to try. 
 Jarifa, plur. majarifa, a seine or 
 
 drag-net made of European cord- 
 age. See Juya. 
 Jasho, sweat. 
 
 Kufanya jasho, to sweat. 
 Jasirisha hu-, to dare. 
 Jasisi hu-, to explore. 
 Jasmini or Jasmin, jasmine. The 
 
 flowers are sold in the streets of 
 
 Zanzibar for their scent.
 
 J AS 
 
 JIB 
 
 293 
 
 Jassi, pliir. majassi, the ornament 
 in the lobe of the ear. It is 
 generally a silver plate about an 
 inch and a half across. 
 Jalhari, take care ! 
 Jaioa, a coarse kind of Indian 
 earthenware. 
 Kihomhe cha Jaiva, a cup of coarse 
 Indian ware. 
 Jawn A-W-, to be filled with, to be 
 full of : used of something 
 which ought not, or could not 
 be expected to be there. 
 JUaji yamejaica dudu, the water 
 is full of insects ; but mtungi 
 urnejaa niaji, the jar is full of 
 water. 
 JoAmhu, an answer, a condition, a 
 
 matter. 
 Jmcahir (Ar.), jewels. 
 Jaza ku; to fill. 
 Jazi, a common thing, a thing which 
 
 is abundant. 
 Jazi hu-, to supply, to maintain. 
 Jazilia hu-, to reward. 
 /e/ Hullo! Well! What now I 
 
 -je ? how ? 
 Jebu, an ornament worn by women, 
 
 hanging under the chin. 
 Jekundu, red. See -ekundu. 
 Jdidi JtU; to bind books. 
 Jema, good. See -ema. 
 Jemadari, plur. majemadari, a com- 
 manding officer, a general. 
 Jemhamba, narrow, thin. See 
 
 -embamha. 
 Jembe, plur. majembe, a hoe. 
 Jembe la kizungu, a spade. 
 Jenaiza or Jeneza, a bier. 
 Jenga ku-, to construct, to build. 
 Jengea ku-, to build for, or on ac- 
 count of. 
 Jerigo, plur. majengo, a building. 
 
 Majengo, building materials. 
 
 Jenzi ku-, to construct. 
 
 Jepa ku- (A.), to steal. 
 
 Jepesi, light, not heavy. See -epesi. 
 
 Jeraha, a wound. 
 
 Jenbu ku- = Jaribu ku-, to try. 
 
 Jeruhi ku-, to be wounded. 
 
 Jeshi, plur. majeshi, a host, a great 
 company. 
 
 Jetea ku-, to be puffed up, to be 
 over proud, to rely upon, to 
 trust in, 
 
 Jethamu, a leprosy in which the 
 fingers and toes drop off, ele- 
 phantiasis (?). 
 
 Jeuli or Jeuri, violence. 
 
 AnajeuU, he attacks people wan- 
 tonly. 
 
 Jeupe, white. See -eupe. 
 
 Jeusi, black. See eu^i. 
 
 Ji-, a syllable prefixed to substan- 
 tives which make their plural 
 in ma-, if they would otherwise 
 be of one syllable only. This 
 syllable is sometimes inserted 
 after a prefix to give the idea 
 of largeness, or to prevent con- 
 fusion with some other word. Be- 
 fore a vowel it becomes j- only. 
 
 -ji-, an infix giving a reflective 
 meaning to the verb. 
 Kupenda, to love. 
 Kujipenda, to love oneself. 
 
 Kuponya, to save. 
 Jiponye, save yourself, look out I 
 
 Jia ku-, to come for, by, to. 
 NJia uUyoJia, the road you came 
 by. 
 
 Jibini, cheese. 
 
 Jibiica ku, to receive an answer, be 
 answered. 
 
 Jibu ku-, to answer, to give an 
 answer.
 
 294 
 
 JIB 
 
 JON 
 
 Jibwa, ^lnT.majihwa,a.n exceedingly 
 
 large dog. 
 Jicho, plur. macho, the eye. 
 
 Jicho la maji, a spring of water. 
 Jifu, plur. majifu, ashes. 
 Jifya, plur. mafya^ one of three 
 
 stones to support a pot over the 
 
 fire. Mafya is the usual word 
 
 in the town, mafiga is commonly 
 
 used in the country. 
 Jigamba ku-, to boast, to praise one- 
 self. 
 Jiiniha Jcu-, to lie on the side. 
 Jiko, plur. melco, a fireplace, one of 
 the stones to rest a pot on (?). 
 
 Jikoni, in the kitchen, among the 
 ashes. 
 Jilia Uu-, to come to a person on 
 
 some business. 
 JUiwa, plur. majUiwa, a vice (the 
 
 tool). 
 JimM, a cock. 
 Jimbi, Allocasia edulis. Both 
 
 leaves and root are eaten : (a sort 
 
 of Arum). 
 Jimbo, plur. majimho, a place a part 
 
 of the country (Old Swahili). 
 Jimbo. 
 
 Kuosha na jimbo, to wash a new- 
 born child with water and 
 medieine. 
 Jina, plur. majina, a name. 
 Jina lako nanif what is your 
 
 name? 
 Jina la hupangwa^ a nickname. 
 Jinamisi, nightmare. 
 Jingi, much. See -ingi. 
 Jingine, other. See -ingine. 
 Jini, plur. majmi, jins, spirits, genii. 
 Ji)M, plur. meno, a tooth, a twist or 
 strand of rope, or tobacco, &c. 
 Kamba ya meno matatu, a cord of 
 three strands. 
 
 Jioni, evening. 
 
 Jtpu, plur. majipu, a boil. 
 
 Jipotoa leu-, to dress oneself up 
 excessively. 
 
 Jipya, new. See -pya. 
 
 Jirani, a neighbour, neighbours, 
 
 Jlsi, quality. 
 
 Jisu, plur. majisu, a very large 
 knife. 
 
 Jitenga ku-, to get out of the way. 
 
 Jiti, plur. majiti, a tree trunk. 
 
 Jiiimai, excessive sorrow. 
 
 Jito, plur. mato = Jicho, the eye (M.). 
 
 Jitu, plur. matu or majitu, a great 
 large man, a savage. 
 
 Jituza ku-, to make oneself mean or 
 low. See Tuza. 
 
 Jivari, purchase (of a dhow hal- 
 yards). 
 
 Jivi, a wild hog. 
 
 Jivu = Jifu. 
 
 Jiwa ku-, to be visited. 
 
 Jiwe, plur. mawe, a stone, a piece 
 
 of stone. Plur. majiwe, of very 
 
 large pieces of stone. 
 
 Jiice la manga, a piece of freestone. 
 
 Nyumba ya mawe, a stone house. 
 
 Jodari, a kind of fish. 
 
 Jogoi ■=■ Jogoo. 
 
 Jogoo, plur. majogoo, a cock. 
 
 Johari, a jewel. 
 
 Joho, woollen cloth, a long loose 
 coat worn by the Arabs. 
 
 Joka, plur. majoka, a very large 
 snake. 
 
 Joko, a place to bake pots in. 
 
 Jokum, charge, responsibility. 
 
 Jombo, plur. majombo, an exceed- 
 ingly large vessel. 
 Jongea ku-, to approach, come near 
 to, move. 
 Jongea mvulini, move into the 
 Bhade.
 
 J ox 
 
 JTTZ 
 
 295 
 
 Jongeleza hu-, to briug near to, to 
 
 offer. 
 Jongeza hu-, to bring near, move 
 
 towards, move. 
 Jongo, gout. 
 
 Jongoe, a large kind of fish. 
 Jongoo, a millepede. 
 Jorjiya, a Georgian, the most valued 
 
 and whitest of female slaves. 
 JororOy soft. See -ororo. 
 Josh, a voyage, a cruize. 
 
 = GosH Luff! 
 Jotqjoto. 
 
 Eupata jotojoto, to grow warm. 
 Joy a, plur. majoya, a cocoa-nut 
 
 which is filled with a white 
 
 spongy substance instead of tlie 
 
 usual nut and juice. They are 
 
 prized for eating. 
 Jozi, Jeozi, or Jauzi, a pair, a pack 
 
 of cards. 
 Jozi, a walnut. 
 Jua, plur. majtia, the sun. 
 
 Jua Tcitwani, noon. 
 Jim hu-, to know how, to under- 
 stand, to know about, to know. 
 
 Namjua aliko, I know where he is. 
 
 Najua Jciunguja, I understand the 
 language of Zanzibar. 
 
 Najua hufua chuma, I know how 
 to work in iron. 
 Juba, a mortice chisel. 
 JubuTU hu-, to compel. 
 Jugo, ground nuts. 
 JvJittdi, an effort, efforts. 
 
 Kufanya juhudi, to exert oneself. 
 Juju, plur. majuju, a fool. 
 Juku^ risk, a word used by traders. 
 Jukioari, a scaffold, scaffolding. 
 JuUa hu-, to know about, see to. 
 Jtdisha hu-, to make to know. 
 Juma, Friday, a week. 
 
 Juma a most, Saturday. 
 
 Juma a pUi, Sunday. 
 
 Juma a tatu, Monday. 
 
 Juma a 'nne, Tuesday. 
 
 Juma a tano, Wednesday. 
 Juma, small brass nails used for 
 
 ornamentation. 
 Jumaa, an assembly. 
 Jumha, plur. majumha, a large house. 
 Jumhe, plur. majumbe, a chief, a 
 
 head-man, a prince, a sultan. 
 Jumla, the sum, the total, addition 
 
 (in arithmetic). 
 Jumlisha hu-, to add up, sum up, 
 
 put together. 
 Junta, a kind of matting bag. See 
 
 Gunia. 
 Jura, a pair; a length of calico, 
 
 about thirty-five yards. 
 Jusi. 
 
 Haijusi, it is unfitting. 
 Jut Kdsam (Hind.), pu-rjury. 
 Juta hu-, to be sorry for, to regret. 
 Juu, up, the top, on the top. 
 
 Yuho juu, he is up-stairs. 
 
 Juu ya, upon, above, over, on the 
 top of, against. 
 Juvisha hu-, to make to know, to 
 
 teach. 
 Juvya hu-, to make to know. 
 Juya, plur. majuya, a seine or drag- 
 net made of cocoa-nut fibre rope. 
 Juza, obligation, kindness. 
 Juza hu-, to make to know. 
 Juzi, the day before yesterday. 
 
 Mwaha juzi, the year before last. 
 
 Juzijuzi, a few days ago. 
 Juzia hu-, to compel, to have power 
 
 to compel. 
 Juzu, necessity. 
 
 Jambo la juzu, a necessary thing. 
 Juzu hu-, to oblige, to hold bound, 
 
 to have under an obligation to do 
 
 something.
 
 296 
 
 JUZ 
 
 KAB 
 
 Juzuu, a section of the Koran. 
 There are in all thirty, which are 
 often written out separately. All 
 the Juzuu together are Khitima 
 
 E. 
 
 K is pronounced as in English. 
 
 The Arabs have two fe's, one, the 
 Itef or Itaf^ a little lighter than the 
 English h; and one, the kahf or 
 qaf, made wliolly in the throat, and 
 confounded by many Arabs with a 
 hard g. There is a curious calch in 
 the throat between the preceding 
 vowel and the qaf, very hard to 
 explain, but easy enough to imi- 
 tate. Although the correct pronun- 
 ciation of these two A;'s is an ele- 
 gance, it is not necessary nor very 
 commonly observed in speaking 
 Swahili. 
 
 Ki is very commonly pronounced 
 chi in Zanzibar, especially by slaves 
 of the Nyassa and Yao tribes. 
 
 Kh, the Arabic hha, occurs only 
 in words borrowed from the Arabic, 
 and subsides into a simple h so soon 
 as the word is thoroughly natu- 
 ralized. 
 
 Khahari or Hahari, news. 
 
 Kheiri or Heri, well, good, for- 
 tunate. 
 
 Ka-, -ha-, a syllable prefixed to or 
 inserted in the imperative and 
 subjunctive of verbs, with the 
 force of the conjunction " and." 
 'ha-i the sign of a past tense, used 
 in carrying on a narration ; it 
 includes the force of the con- 
 junction " and." 
 
 Akamwambia, and he said to 
 him. 
 
 Nika- is often contracted into ?ia-. 
 Kaa ku-, to sit, to dwell, to stay, ta 
 live, to be, to stand, to remain, 
 to continue, to live in, or ai 
 
 Knkaa kitako, to sit down, to re- 
 main quietly. 
 Kaa, plur. makaa, a piece of char- 
 coal. 
 
 Makaa, coals, charcoal, embers. 
 
 Kaa la Tiioshi or Makaa ya mmhi, 
 soot. 
 Kaa, a crab. 
 
 Kaa makoko, small mud crabs 
 with one large claw. 
 
 Kaa la kinwa, the palate. 
 Kaaka or Kaakaa, the palate. 
 Kaanga ku-, to fry, to braze, to cook 
 
 with fat. 
 Kaango, plur. makaango, an earthen 
 
 pot to cook meat in. 
 Kaba ku-, to choke, to throttle, 
 Kaha la kanzu, a sort of lining round 
 
 the neck and a short way down 
 
 the front of a kanzu, put in to 
 
 strengthen it. 
 Kahari, a wedge. 
 Kdbibu, narrow. 
 Kabila, a tribe, a subdivision lees 
 
 than taifa. 
 Kabili ku-, to be before, to be op- 
 posite. 
 Kabilisha ku-, to put opposite, to set 
 
 before. 
 Kabisa, utterly, altogether, quite. 
 Kabitlii ku-, to give into the hand. 
 Kabla, before, antecedently. 
 
 Kabla ya, before (especially of 
 time). 
 Kahuli, acceptance. 
 Kabuli, pillaw. 
 Kaburi, plur. tnakahuri (pronounced *
 
 KAD 
 
 KAL 
 
 297 
 
 by many Arabs Gabri), a grave, 
 
 t^c^^aaamu, a servant, the lowest of 
 the three chief men usually set 
 over the slaves on a plantation. 
 On the Zambezi the man who 
 stands at the head of the canoe 
 to look out for shoals is called 
 Kadamo. 
 
 Kacliri or Kadri, measure, modera- 
 tion, capacity, middling, mode- 
 rate, about, nearly, moderately. 
 Kadri gani ? how much ? 
 
 Kadiri ya, as, whilst. 
 
 Kadiri ku-, to estimate, 
 
 Kadri = Kadiri. 
 
 Kafara, an offering to avert evil, a 
 sacrifice of an animal or thing to 
 be afterwards buried or tiirown 
 away, a charm made of bread, 
 sugar-cane, &c., thrown down in 
 a cross-way. Any one who takes 
 it is supposed to carry away the 
 disease, misfortune, &c. 
 
 Kafi, plur. mdkafi, a paddle. 
 
 Kafiri, plur. makafiri^ an infidel, an 
 idolater, one who is not a Moham- 
 medan. 
 
 Kafuri, camphor. 
 
 Kaga hu-, to put up a charm to 
 protect something. 
 
 Kago, plur, mago, a charm to pro- 
 tect what it is fastened to. 
 
 Kagua ku-, to go over and inspect. 
 
 Kahaba, plur. viakahaba, a prosti- 
 tute. 
 
 Kahawa, coffee. 
 
 Kahini, plur. moMliini, a priest, a 
 soothsayer. 
 
 Kai hu-, to fall down to, embrace 
 the knees. 
 
 Kaida, regularity. 
 Fa kaida, regular. 
 
 -kaidi, obstinate. 
 
 Kaimu, plur. makaimu, a vice- 
 gerent, a representative. 
 Kaka, a lemon after it has been 
 
 squeezed, the rind of a lemon, 
 
 the shell of an egg, &c. 
 Kaka, a brother {Kihadvmtt, see 
 
 Muhadimu^. 
 Kaka, a disease with swelling of 
 
 the hand and opening into sores. 
 Kakakaka, very many. 
 Kakamia, hard of heart. 
 Kakamia ku, to be longsuflfering, 
 
 slow to be affected. 
 Kakamuka ku-, to make an effort, 
 
 to strain (as at stool, or in 
 
 travail). 
 Kakawana ku-, to be strong, capable 
 
 of great exertion, well-knit and 
 
 firm in all the muscles. 
 Kaki, a very thin kind of biscuit or 
 
 cake. 
 Kalafati ku-, to caulk. 
 Kalamika ku-, to prevaricate in 
 
 giving evidence (?), to cry from 
 
 pain caused by medicine (?). 
 Kala'mka ku-, to be sharp, to have 
 
 one's eyes open. 
 Kala'mkia ku-, to outdo, to be too 
 
 sharp for. 
 Kalamu, a pen. The pens for 
 writing Arabic are made of 
 reed, and the nibs are cut 
 obliquely. 
 
 Kalamu ya micanzi, a reed pen. 
 Kalamuzi, cunning, crafty. 
 Kalasia, little brass pots. 
 Kale, old time, formerly. 
 
 -a kale, old, of old time. 
 
 Zamani za kale, old times. 
 
 Hapo kale, once upon a time. 
 Kalfati or Kalafati, caulking. 
 'kali, sour, sharp, keen, savage,
 
 298 
 
 K AL 
 
 KAN 
 
 cross, severe, fierce. It makes 
 "kali with nouns like nyumba, 
 Jua Italic a hot sun. 
 
 Kalia ku-, to remain for. 
 Ku'mkalia tamu, to remain as he 
 would wish. 
 
 Kalibu, a mould, a furnace. 
 
 Kama, Kamma, Eana, or Kwamha, 
 as, as if, like, if, supposing. 
 
 Kama hu-, to milk, to squeeze. 
 
 Kamamanga, a pomegrauate. 
 
 Kamali, a game played by chucking 
 pice into a hole. If only one 
 goes in they say " Maliza," and 
 the player throws a flat stuue on 
 the one that is out. 
 
 Kamasi, mucus from the nose. 
 Kufuta Icamasi, to blow the nose. 
 Siwezi kamasi, I have a cold in 
 my head. 
 
 Kamoia ku-, to lay hold of, take, 
 seize, clasp. 
 
 Kamatana ku-, to grapple, to seize 
 one another. 
 
 Kamati, balls of wheat-flour lea- 
 vened with temho. 
 
 Kamba, a crayfish. 
 
 Kamba, rope. 
 Kamha ulayiti, European or 
 hempen rope. 
 
 Kambaa, plur. of u^camhaa, cord, 
 string (M.). 
 Kambaa, a plaited thong or wliip 
 kept by sohoolmasters and 
 overlookers in Zanzibar. 
 
 Kambali, plur. makambali, a cat- 
 fish living in fresh water. 
 
 Kawbarau, a forebrace carried to 
 the weather side to steady the 
 yard of a dhow. 
 
 Kambi, plur. makambi, f\ circular 
 encampment, a place where a 
 caravan has hutted itself in. 
 
 Kambo. 
 
 Baba tea kambo, stepfather. 
 Mama tea kambo, stepmother. 
 
 Kame, quite dried up, utterly 
 barren. 
 
 Kami, a bulbous plant with large 
 head of red flowers. 
 
 Kamia ku-, to reproach. 
 
 Kujikamia, to reproach oneself. 
 
 Kamili, perfect, complete. 
 
 -kamilifu, perfect, wanting nothing. 
 
 KamiUka ku-, to be perfect. 
 
 Kamilisha ku-, to make perfect. 
 
 Kamua ku-, to press, to press 
 out. 
 
 Kamusi, an Arabic lexicon. 
 
 Kamice (M.), not at all, never. 
 
 Kamici = Kamioe. 
 
 Kana, a tiller. 
 
 Kana, if, as. See Karaa. 
 
 Kana ku-, to deny. 
 
 Kanda, plur. makanda, a long nar- 
 row matting bag, broader at the 
 bottom than at the mouth. 
 
 Kanda ku-, to knead dough, to 
 knead the limbs, to shampoo. 
 
 Kandamiza ku-, to press upon. 
 
 Kande, food (Mer.). 
 
 Kanderinija, a kettle. 
 
 Kandika ku-, to plaster. 
 
 Kandili, plur. makandili, a lantern. 
 
 Kan.do, side, aside. 
 
 Kando ya or Kandokando ya, 
 beside, along by the side. 
 
 Kanga, a guinea fowl. 
 
 Kanga, a dry stem after the cocoa- 
 nuts have been taken olF. 
 
 Kanga ku-. 
 
 Kukanga moto, to warm. 
 
 Kangaja, a small mandarin orange. 
 
 Kania ku-, to deny a person. 
 
 Kaniki, dark blue calico. 
 
 Kanisa, plur. makanisa, a church.
 
 KAN 
 
 EAR 
 
 299 
 
 Kanisha Jcu-, to deny, to make to 
 
 deny. 
 Kanji, starch, arrowroot. 
 Kanju, plur. maJcanju, a cashew 
 
 apple (M,). 
 Kanju, vulgarly used for Kanzu. 
 Kanuni, a thing implied, a neces- 
 sary condition, of necessity. 
 Kamca, plur. maJianva, the mouth. 
 Kanya ku-, to contradict. 
 Kanijaga hu-, to tr^ad, to tread 
 
 upon, trample on. 
 Kanyassa leu-, to scold. 
 Kanzi, a treasure. 
 
 Kanzu, a long shirt-like garment 
 worn both by men and women 
 in Zanzibar. Men's kanzus 
 are white or of a brown yellow 
 colour, with ornamental work 
 in red and white silk round 
 the neck and down the bieast; 
 they reach to the heels. Wo- 
 men's kanzus are generally 
 shorter, and are made of every 
 variety of stuff, frequently of 
 satin or brocade, but are always 
 bound with red. 
 Parts of a Kanzu (men's) : 
 Tao la kanzu, hotbnn hem. 
 Magongp nene, seams. 
 Badani, front and back pieces. 
 
 Also Kiino. 
 Taharizi, side pieces. 
 Sijafu, pieces turned in at the 
 wrists, to receive the darizi. 
 ' Viku-apa, gores. 
 
 Lisani, flap under the opening 
 
 in front. 
 Jabaliy red line across the back. 
 MhaUxn-i, lining at the back of 
 
 the darizi in front. 
 Kanha. lining of the neck and 
 shoulders. 
 
 Shada, tassel at t]:e neck. 
 Kitanzi, loop opposite the tassel 
 
 in front. 
 Kazi ya shingo, the elaborately 
 worked border round the 
 neck, including — 
 Tiki, red sewing over of the 
 
 edge of the neck. 
 Mrera, lines of red round 
 
 the neck. 
 Viboko, small zigzag orna- 
 ment in the middle of the 
 neck-border. 
 Vinara, small spots forming 
 the outer edge of the 
 border. 
 Darizi, lines of silk worked 
 round the wrists and down 
 the front. 
 JMjuzi (Ar. shararaji), orna- 
 ment at the bottom of the 
 strip of embroidery in front. 
 Mkia wa mjuzi, line of silk 
 running up the front from the 
 mjuzi. 
 Vipaji, or viguu, four little 
 projections on the sides of 
 the mjazi. 
 Kanzu ya ziki, worked with white 
 cotton round the neck instead of 
 red silk. 
 Kaoleni, one whose words are not 
 to be trusted, a double-tongued 
 man. 
 Kaomwa, calumba root. 
 Kapi, plur. makapi, a pulley. 
 Kapi, plur. makapi, bran, husks. 
 Kapiana ku- (mikoiw), to shake 
 
 hands. 
 Kapu, plur. makapu^ a large basket 
 
 or matting bag. 
 Kapicai, a kind of rice. 
 Karafati ku- — Kalafafi.
 
 300 
 
 EAR 
 
 KAT 
 
 Karafu mayiti, camphor. 
 
 Karama, a special gift of God, an 
 
 answer to a holy man's prayer, 
 
 an honour. 
 Karamu, a feast. 
 Karani, a secretary, a clerk, a 
 
 supercargo. 
 Karani, tucks. 
 Karara, the woody flow^er-sheath of 
 
 the cocoa-nut tree. 
 Karata, playiiig-Ccirds. 
 Karatha, a loan of money. 
 Karatasi, paper. 
 
 Karib, near, come near, come in, 
 Earibia hu-, to approach, to draw 
 
 near to. 
 Karibiana hvr, to be near to one 
 
 another. 
 Karibisha, to make to come near, to 
 
 invite in. 
 Karihu^ near, a near relative. 
 
 Karihu na or ya, near to, near. 
 Karimu, liberal, generous. 
 Karipia Jcu-, to cry out at, scold. 
 Karirislia ku-, to recite. 
 Kasa, a turtle. 
 Kasarani, sorrow, grief. 
 Kasasi, retaliation, revenge, ven- 
 geance. 
 Kasha, plur. malcasha, a chest, a 
 
 large box. 
 Kashifu hu-, to depreciate. 
 Kashmir, the ace of spades. 
 Kasia, plur. mahasia, an oar. 
 
 Kuvuta makasia, to row. 
 Kasiba, a gun barrel. 
 Kasidi, intention, purpose. 
 Kasifa, inquisitiveness. 
 Kasifu ku-, to be inquisitive. 
 Kasiki, a large earthen jar for ghee. 
 Kasvoiele, the juice of grated cocoa- 
 nut before water is put to it. 
 
 Tui la }casimde. See Tui. 
 
 Tui la kupopoloa, the same after 
 mixing with water, and strain- 
 ing again. 
 Kasiri, towards the end, late. 
 Kasirika ku-, to become vexed. 
 Kasirisha ku-, to vex. 
 Kasiri ku-, to hurt, vex. 
 Kaskazi, the northerly wind which 
 blows from December till 
 March. 
 Kaskazvni, in a northerly direc- 
 tion. 
 Kasoro, less by. 
 Kassa, less by. 
 
 Kassa robo, three-quarters of a 
 dollar. 
 Kassi. See Ktassi. 
 Kasi, hard, with violence. 
 Kwenda kassi, to rush along, 
 Kutia kassi, to tighten. 
 Kasumba, a preparation of opium. 
 Kataa ku-, to refuse. 
 Kata, plur. makata, a ladle made of 
 a cocoa-nut, only about a third of 
 the shell being removed. A kata 
 holds from a quarter to half a pint, 
 Kata, a ring of grass or leaves put 
 on tlie head under a water-pot or 
 other burden. 
 Kata ku-, to cut, clip, divide. 
 Kujikata, to cut oneself. 
 Kukata hananu, to cut obliquely. 
 Kukata maneno, to settle an affair, 
 
 to decide. 
 Kukata nakshi, to ornament with 
 
 carving, to carve. 
 Kukata tamaa, to despair. 
 Njia ya kukata, a short cut, the 
 nearest way. 
 Kdtaba ku-, to write. 
 Katakata ku-, to chop up. 
 Katalia ku-, to deny all credence, 
 to refuse to be convinced.
 
 KAT 
 
 KAZ 
 
 301 
 
 Kulani, flax, thread, string, cotton- 
 thread. 
 Kataza ku-, to prohibit, to deter. 
 Kathdlika, in like manner. 
 Kathdicahatha, many, many more. 
 Watu hathaicahatha, such an] 
 such people. 
 Kathi, plur. mahathi, a judge, a 
 
 cadi. 
 Kati, inside, middle, the court 
 
 within a house. 
 Katia }:u-, to cut for. 
 
 Kukaiiwa, to have cut, or cut out 
 
 for one. 
 Ni hiasi cJiangu hama nalihatiica 
 mimi, it fits as though I had 
 been measured for it. 
 Kafilca, among, at, from, in, about. 
 Eatiha implies nearness at least 
 at the beginning of the action ; 
 it has very nearly the same 
 meaning as the case in -ni. 
 Katika safari mle, during that 
 journey. 
 Katika ku-, to come apart, to be cut, 
 
 to break, to be decided. 
 Katikati, in the midst. 
 
 Katikati ya, &c., in the midst of, 
 between. 
 Katili, a murderous, bloodthirsty 
 
 person, an infidel. 
 Katinakati, in the middle. 
 Katiti (A.), little. 
 Kaiiza ku-, to put a stop to, to 
 
 break ofi", to interrupt. 
 Kato, plur. maJcato, a cutting, a 
 
 breaking ofi". 
 Katu, a kind of gum chewed with 
 
 betel. 
 Katua ku-, to polish, to brighten. 
 Kaiuka ku-, to be polished, to be 
 
 bright, 
 Kauka ku-, to get dry, to dry. 
 
 Sauti imekauka, I am hoarse. 
 Kauli, a word. 
 Kauri, a cowry. 
 
 Kausha ku-, to make dry, to dry. 
 -kavu, dry. It makes kavu with 
 
 nouns like nyumha. 
 Kaica, a conical dish-cover of 
 plaited straw, often ornamented 
 with spangles, &c. 
 Kava, mildew, spots of mould. 
 Kufanya kawa, to get mildewed 
 or mouldy. 
 Kawa ku-, to be delayed, to tarry, 
 
 to be a long while. 
 Kawadi (a term of reproach), a bad 
 
 man. 
 Kawaida, necessity, custom. 
 Kawe, a pebble, a small stone (M.), 
 Kau-ia ku-, to delay. 
 Kaicilia ku-, to loiter about a busi- 
 ness. 
 Kaicisha ku-, to keep, to delay, to 
 
 cause to stay. 
 Kaya, plur. makaya, a pinna, a kind 
 
 of shell-fish. 
 Kayamba, a sieve, a sort of rattle. 
 Kaza ku-, to fix, to tighten, (of 
 clothes) to fit tightly, to go 
 hard at anything. 
 Kukaza kicimha, to sing louder. 
 Kukaza mhio, to run hard. 
 Kazana ku-, to fix one another, to 
 tigliten together, to hold together 
 tightly, to be robust. 
 Kazi, work, labour, employment, 
 business. 
 Ndio kazi yake, that is what he 
 
 always does. 
 Kazi mhi si mtezo rmvema? Is 
 not poor work (as good as) good 
 play (mhi for n-ici) ? 
 Kazika ku-, to become tight, to 
 become fixed.
 
 302 
 
 -KAZ 
 
 KHE 
 
 -kazo, nippins:, pressing tight. 
 
 -he, female, f :i mine, the weaker. 
 
 Kee = Kelele (N.). 
 
 Keezo, a lathe, a machine for turn- 
 ing. 
 
 Kefule ! an exclamation of con- 
 tempt. 
 
 Kefyakefya Tcu-, to teaze, to put in 
 low spirits. 
 
 Kehe, a drill. The carpenters in 
 Zanzibar always use drills, which 
 are much better suited to the 
 native woods than gimlets are. 
 The iron is called kelcee, the wood 
 in which it is fixed msulcano, the 
 handle in which it turns Jivu, 
 and the bow by which it is turned 
 Uta. 
 
 Kehee, a kind of silver bracelet. 
 
 Kelele, plur. mahtlde, noise, uproar, 
 shouting. 
 
 Kein (Ar.), How much? How many? 
 
 Keniea Ttu-, to rebuke, to snub, to 
 scold. 
 
 Kenda = Kioenda and Eaenda, 
 
 Kenda, nine. 
 
 Ya Icenda, ninth. 
 
 Kendain ? for Incenda wapi, going 
 where, i.e., where are you going ? 
 
 Kenge, a large water-lizard with 
 slender body and long limbs and 
 tail. 
 
 Kengea, the blade of a sword, knife, 
 &c. 
 
 Kengele, a bell. 
 Eupiga kengele, to ring a bell, 
 
 Kera ku-, to worry, to nag at. 
 
 Kerani = Karard. 
 
 Kereketa ku, to irritate the throat, 
 to choke. 
 
 Kereza ku-, to saw, to turn, to cut 
 a tree half through, and lay it 
 down, so as to make a fence. 
 
 Kerimu ku-, to feast, to be liberal to. 
 
 Kcring'ende, a dragon-fly, the red- 
 legged partridge. 
 
 Kero, trouble, disturbance, uproar. 
 
 Kesha, a watch, a vigil. 
 
 Kesha ku-, to watch, to remain 
 awake, not to sleep. 
 
 Kesheza ku-, to make, to watch, to 
 keep awake. 
 
 Kesho, to-morrow. 
 
 KesTio kutwa or kuchwa, the day 
 after to-morrow. 
 
 Kete, a cowry. 
 
 Keti ku-, to sit down, stay, live (M.). 
 
 Khahari, news, information. 
 
 Khadaa, fraud. 
 
 Khafifu, light, unimportant. 
 
 Kliaini, a traitor. 
 
 Klicilds, the end, there is no more. 
 
 KJidlifu ku- or Halifu ku-, to resist, 
 oppose, rebel against. 
 
 KJialisi ku-, to deliver. 
 
 Khami, a chess bishop. 
 
 Khamsi, five. 
 
 Khamsini, fifty. 
 
 Khamstasliara, fifteen. 
 
 Kharadali, mustard. 
 
 KJidrij ku-, to spend. 
 
 Kliashifu ku- = Kaslnfu ku-, 
 
 Khatari, danger. 
 
 Kliati, a note, letter, document, 
 memorandum, writing, hand- 
 writing. 
 
 Khatihu, flzx. makhatibu, a secre- 
 tary, a preacher. 
 
 Ehatima, end, completion. 
 
 Kliatimisha ku-, to bring to an end, 
 complete. 
 
 Ehatiya, fault. See Ratiya. 
 
 Khazana, a treasure. 
 
 Khema, a tent. 
 
 Eheiri = Heri, well, fortunate. 
 trappy, good.
 
 KHI 
 
 KIA 
 
 303 
 
 Mtu wa Wieiri, a happy man. 
 Kwa Mieiri, for good. 
 Ni kheiri, I had better. 
 Khini Jcu-, to betray. 
 Ehitari leu-, to choose. 
 Khitima nzima, a complete copy of 
 
 the Koran. See Juzuu. 
 Khofisha hu-, to frighten. 
 Khofu, fear, danger. 
 
 Kuwa na hliofu, i to become 
 Kuingiwa na hhofu, S afraid. 
 Kutla hhofu, to frighten. 
 Khorj, a pad used as a saddle for 
 
 donkeys. 
 Khoshi (?), paint, colour. 
 Khuhiri hu-, to inform, give news. 
 Khusumu, enmity. 
 EJiutuhu hu-, to preach. 
 Khuzurungi or Huthurungi, a stuff 
 of a brown yellow colour, of which 
 the best men's kanzus are made. 
 Ki-, a prefix forming a diminutive. 
 It becomes ch- before a vowel, 
 and in the plural it becomest-i- 
 and vy-, or in other dialects zi- 
 or thi: 
 Ki- as a prefix also means (es- 
 pecially if prefixed to proper 
 names), such a sort ; and when 
 used alone, words of such a 
 sort, i.e. such a language. 
 Mavazi ya hifaume, royal robes. 
 Viazi vya hizungu, European 
 
 potatoes. 
 Kiarabu, Arabic. 
 Kiyao, the Yao language. 
 Ki- or ch-, the adjectival and pro- 
 nominal prefix proper to words 
 agreeing with substantives of the 
 above forms. 
 Ki- or ch-, the personal prefix of 
 verbs having substantives of the 
 above form as their subject. 
 
 hi-, the objective prefix of verbs 
 having substantives of the above 
 form as their object. 
 hi-, the sign of that tense which 
 expresses a state of things, 
 being that, which may be trans- 
 lated by the help of the words, 
 if, supposing, when, while, or 
 be treated as a present parti- 
 ciple in -ing. 
 Niki- may be contracted into hi-. 
 Alikuwa ahiogolea, he was bath- 
 ing. 
 Ahija, if he comes, or when he 
 
 comes. 
 The syllable -hi- is inserted in 
 the past perfect tense to de- 
 note a continuing action or 
 state. 
 Walipo-hi-pendana, when or while 
 they loved one another. 
 Kia, plur. via, a piece of wood, a 
 
 kind of latch, a bar. 
 Kia hu-, to step over. 
 Kiada, slowly, distinctly. 
 Kialio, plur. vialio, cross pieces 
 put in a cooking pot to prevent 
 the meat touching the bottom 
 and burning. 
 Kianga, the coming out of the sun 
 
 after rain. 
 Kiapo, plur. viapo, an ordeal, au 
 
 oath. 
 Kiarabu, Arabic. 
 
 Ya hiarabu, Arabian. 
 Kiasi — Kiassi. 
 Kiass cha bunduhi, a cartrid£'e. 
 Kiassi, measure, moderation. 
 
 Kiassi gani i or Kassi gani ? How 
 
 much ? 
 
 Kiatu, plur. viatu, a shoe, a sandal. 
 
 Viatu vya mti, a sort of tall 
 
 wooden clog worn in the house.
 
 104 
 
 KI A 
 
 KIC 
 
 and especially by women. They 
 are held on by grasping a sort 
 of button (msitruaJci) between 
 the great and second toe. 
 Kiazi, plur. viazi, a sweet potato. 
 
 Kiazi Tiikiiu, plur. viazi vihuu, a 
 yam. 
 
 Kiazi sena, with white skin. 
 
 Kiazi Mndoro, with red skin. 
 K'ha haluli, a knot of malcuti to 
 
 light a pipe with. 
 KilKiha, a measure, about a pint 
 
 basin full, a pint basin, about a 
 
 pound and a half. 
 Kibakuli, a kind of mtama. 
 Kibali hu-, to prosper. 
 Kibanda, plur. vibanda, a hut, a 
 
 hovel, a shed. 
 Kibanzi, plur. vibanzi, a splinter, a 
 
 very small piece of wood. 
 Kihao, plur. vibao, a shelf, a small 
 
 piece of plank. In Tumbatu a 
 
 chair is called kibao, 
 Kibapara, a pauper, a destitute 
 
 person (an insulting epithet). 
 Kibarango, a short heavy stick. 
 Kibaraza, plur. vibaraza, a small 
 
 stone seat. 
 Kibarua, plur. vibarua, a note, a 
 
 ticket. Kibarua is now used 
 
 in Zanzibar to denote a person 
 
 hired by the day, from the 
 
 custom of giving such persons a 
 
 ticket, to be delivered up when 
 
 they are paid. 
 Kiberiti, sulphur. 
 
 Viberiti, matches. 
 Kibeti, a dwarf. 
 
 Kuku kibeti, a bantam. 
 Kibia, plur. vibia, an earthen pot-lid. 
 Kibiongo, plur. vibiongo, a person 
 
 bent by age or iufirmity. 
 Kihohwe, plur. vibobwe, a piece of 
 
 cloth tied round the loins during 
 hard work. 
 
 Kibofu, plur. vibofu, a bladder. 
 
 Kihogoshi, plur. vibogoshi, a small 
 skin bag. 
 
 Kiboko, plur. viboko, a hippo- 
 potamus. See also Kanzu. 
 
 Kibiia, a small iish. 
 
 Kibueta, plur. vibueta, a box. 
 
 Kibula, the kebla, the point to 
 which men turn when they pray. 
 Among the Mohammedans the 
 kibula is the directiun in which 
 Mecca lies, which is in Zanzibar 
 nearly north. Hence kibula is 
 sometimes used to mean the 
 north. 
 
 Kibula ku; to point towards, to be 
 opposite to. 
 
 Kibumba, plur. vibumba, a small 
 paper box or case of anything. 
 
 Kiburi, pride. 
 
 Kiburipembe, a native bird. 
 
 Kichaa, lunacy. 
 
 Mwenyi kichaa, a lunatic. 
 
 Kichaka, plur. vichaka, a thicket, a 
 heap of wood or sticks. 
 
 Kichala, plur. vichala, a bunch. 
 Kichala clia mzabibu, a bunch of 
 grapes. 
 
 Kiclieko, plur. viclieko, a laugh, a 
 giggle. 
 
 Kicliikichi, plur. vicMkicM, the 
 small nuts contained in the fruit 
 of the palm-oil tree. 
 
 Kichilema, plur. vichilema, the 
 heart of the growing part of 
 the cocoa-nut tree, which is 
 eaten as a salad, and in various 
 ways. 
 
 Kicho, plur. vicJio, fear, a fear. 
 
 Kicliocheo, the act of pushing wood 
 further into the fire, an instru-
 
 KIC 
 
 KIP 
 
 305 
 
 ment for doing it, exciting words ' 
 
 to stir up a quarrel. 
 KichocliorOy plur. vichoclioro, a very 
 
 narrow passage, such as is gene- 
 rally left between the houses in 
 
 Zanzibar. 
 Kichicay plur. vichwa, for Kitiva, the 
 
 bead. 
 Kidaha, plur. vidaJca, a recess in 
 
 the wall. 
 Kidaha, plur. vidaJca, a cocoa-nut 
 
 when just formed. 
 Kidaka tonge, the uvula. 
 Kidanga, a very small fruit, before 
 
 it gets any taste. 
 Kidariy the chest : h'dari is used of 
 
 both men and animals, hifua of 
 
 men only. 
 Kidau^ plur. vidau, a small vessel. 
 
 Kidau cha wino, an inkstand. 
 Kidevu, plur. videvu, the chin. 
 Kidimbwi, plur. vidimbwi, a pool 
 
 left on the beach by the falling 
 
 tide. 
 Kidinga popo, the dengue fever. 
 Kidogo, plur. vidogo, a little, a very 
 
 little, a little piece, a morsel, a 
 
 crumb. 
 Kidoko. 
 
 Kupiga h'doko, to click with the 
 tongue. 
 Kidole, plur. vidole, a finger, a toe. 
 
 Kidole elm gumha, tlie thumb. 
 Kidonda, plur. vidonda, a sore, a 
 
 small sore, a wound. 
 Kidonge, plur. vidonge, a very small 
 
 round thing, a lump in flour, a pill. 
 Kidoto, plur. vidoio, a small piece of 
 
 cloth tied over a camel's eyes 
 
 while turning an oil press. 
 KielezOj plur. videzo, a pattern, 
 
 something to make something 
 
 elstJ clear. 
 
 Kievu (A.) = Kidevu. 
 
 Eiendelezo, progr(;ss. 
 
 Kifa, plur. vifa, the nipple of a gun. 
 
 Kifa uwongo, the sensitive plant. 
 
 Kifafa, epilepsy, fits. 
 
 Kifafa, plur. vifafa, sparks and 
 
 crackling of damp firewood. 
 Kifani, plur. vifani, the like, a 
 
 similar tliing. 
 Kifano, plur. vifuno, a likeness. 
 Kifaranga, plur. vifaranga, a 
 
 chick, a very small chicken. 
 Eifaru, plur. vifaru, a rhinoceros, 
 
 a small rhinoceros. 
 Eifaume, royalty, a royal sort. 
 
 Ya kifaume, royal. 
 Eifiko, plur. vifiko, arrival, point of 
 
 arrival, end of journey. 
 Eifu ku-, to suffice. 
 Eifu ndugu, the os coccygis, the 
 
 bone which the Mohammedans 
 
 say never decays. 
 Ei'fua, plur. vifua, the chest, the 
 
 bosom. 
 Eifufu, plur. vifufu, the shell of the 
 
 cocoa-nut (M.). 
 Eifako, plur. vifulu), a little bag, a 
 pocket, a purse. 
 
 Eifuko cha kutUia fetha, a purse. 
 Eifumbu, plur. vifumhu, a small 
 
 round basket or bag for squeezing 
 
 scraped cocoa-nut in to get out 
 
 the tui. 
 Eifunibo, plur. vifumho, a very large 
 
 kind of matting bag. 
 Eifundo cha mguu, the ankle. 
 Eifando cha mkono, the wrist. 
 Eifungo, plur. vifungo, anything 
 
 which fastens, a button, prison, 
 
 imprisonment, a kind of rice. 
 Eifnngua, an unfastener, an opener. 
 
 Eifungua kanica, early food, 
 breakfast.
 
 306 
 
 KIF 
 
 K IJ 
 
 Kifungua mlango, a present made 
 by the bridegroom to the Tiungu 
 of the bride before she allows 
 him to enter the bride's room, 
 on the occasion of his first 
 visit to her. 
 Kifuniko, plur. vifuniko, a lid, a 
 
 cover. 
 Kifuo, plur. vifuo, a stick stuck in 
 the ground to rip the husk off 
 cocoa-nuts with. 
 KifurusM, something tied up in the 
 
 corner of a cloth 
 Kifusi, rubbish, rubbish from old 
 
 buildings. 
 Kifuu^ plur. vifuu, a cocoa-nut 
 
 shell. 
 Kigaga, plur. vigaga, a scab. 
 Kigai, plur. vigai, a piece of broken 
 
 pottery or glass, a potsherd. 
 Kiganda cha pili, the two of cards. 
 Eigaogao, the Pemba name for a 
 chameleon, meaning changeable. 
 Kigego = Kijego. 
 
 Kigeren]ienza, plur. vigerenyenza, a 
 very small piece of broken pottery 
 or glass, a splinter. 
 Kigelegele, plur. vigelegele, a shrill 
 trilling scream much used as a 
 sign of joy, especially on the 
 occasion of a birth. 
 Kigogo, a little block of wood. 
 Kigogo cha Jcushonea, a small 
 oblong piece of wood used by 
 shoemakers. 
 Kigongo, the hump of a humpbacked 
 person. 
 Mwenyi kigongo, a humpback. 
 Kigono, plur. vigono (Yao), a sleep- 
 ing place. 
 Kigosho, a bend. 
 
 Kigosho cha mhono, an arm that 
 cannot be straightened. 
 
 Kigugumizi, stammering, a stammer- 
 
 Kigulu, lame. 
 
 Kigunni, plur. vigunni, an oblong 
 
 matting bag of the kind in which 
 
 dates are brought to Zanzibar. 
 Kigunzi, the day before the SiJm a 
 
 mwaka. 
 Rig we, plur. vigwe, a plaited cord. 
 
 reins, a string of beads, a piping 
 
 on the edge of a dress. 
 Eiharusif cramp. 
 Kiherehere (cha moijo), trepidation, 
 
 palpitation (of the heart). 
 Eihindi, the Indian sort, an Indian 
 language. 
 
 Ya hihindi, Indian. 
 Eihoro, sorrow at a loss, fright, 
 
 homesickness. 
 Eiini, kernel, the heart of wood. 
 
 Eiini cha yayi, the yolk of an 
 
 Eiinimacho, a conjuror. 
 
 Eiisha or Eisha, afterwards, next, 
 
 this being ended. 
 Eijakazi, plur. vijaJcazi, a slave girl. 
 Eijamanda, plur. vijamanda, a 
 
 small long-shaped box commonly 
 
 used to carry betel and areca- 
 
 nut in. 
 Eijana, plur. vijana, a youth, a 
 
 young man, a complimentary 
 
 epithet, a boy or girl, a son or 
 
 daughter. 
 Eijaluha, plur. vijaluha, a small 
 
 metal box. 
 Eijamha, plur. vijamba. a small rock. 
 Eijaraha, plur. vijaraha, a small 
 wound. 
 
 Eijaraha cha hooni, sores on the 
 penis, syphilis. 
 Eijego, plur. vijego, a child which 
 
 cuts its upper teeth first. They 
 
 are reckoned unlucky, and among
 
 KIJ 
 
 KIK 
 
 107 
 
 the wikler tribes are often killed. 
 
 Applied by way of abuse to bad 
 
 children. 
 Kijibokoy plur. vijlhoko, a little 
 
 hippopotamus. 
 Kijicho, envy, an envious glance. 
 Kijiguu, plur. vijiguu, a little leg. 
 Eijifco, plur. vijiko, a small spoon, 
 
 a spoon. 
 Kijiti, plur. vijiti, a little tree, a 
 
 bush, a shrub, a small pole, a 
 
 piece of wood. 
 Kijito, plur. vijitOy a small stream, 
 
 a brook. 
 Kijito (M.) = Kijiclio, 
 Kijitioa or Kijichwa, plur. vijitica, 
 
 a little head. 
 Kijici, thievish. 
 Kijogoo, plur. rijogoa, a mussel, a 
 
 kind of shell-fi:ih. 
 Kijoli, the slaves belonging to (me 
 
 master. 
 Kijomha, Swahili (M.). 
 Kijongo = Kigongo^ a humpback. 
 Kijuhuu, plur. vijuhuu, a great- 
 grandchild. 
 Kijumhe^ plur. vijumhey a go- 
 between, a match-maker. 
 Kijurriba, plur. vijumba^ a little 
 
 house, a hovel. 
 Kikaango, plur. rihaango, a sma'l 
 
 earthen pot for cooking with oil 
 
 or fat. 
 KiTxdka, over-haste. 
 Kikale, old style, the antique. 
 
 Fa kikale, of the ancient kind, 
 antique, of old times. 
 Kikao, plur. vikao, a seat, sitting, 
 
 dwelling-place. 
 Kikapu, plur. vilaipiL, a basket, a 
 
 matting bag. 
 Kikaramha, a very old person (dis- 
 respectful). 
 
 Kikisa ku-f to understand half of 
 what is saiil. 
 Haiti hii yanik.kisa, I know some 
 of the words, but not all. 
 
 Kiko, plur. viko, a tobacco pipe, a 
 pi|.e. The native pipes consist 
 of a vessel half full of water with 
 two stems, one leading to the 
 bowl and one to the mouthpiece : 
 the water vess> 1 is properly the 
 kiko. See hori, digali, malio, and 
 shilamu. 
 
 KikocL, plur. vikoa. 
 
 Kula kikoa. to eat at the expense 
 of each one in turn. 
 
 Kikoii, the inside of the fingers. 
 
 Kikohozi, a cough. 
 
 Kikoi, plur. vikoi, a white loin- 
 cloth with coloured stripes near 
 the border. 
 
 Eikombe, plur. vikomhe, a cup. 
 
 Kikomho, a little crooked thing. 
 
 Kikomo, plur. vikomo, end, end of 
 journey, arrival. 
 Kikomo cha hso, the brow, es- 
 P' cially if prominent. 
 
 Kikondoo. See Kondoo. 
 
 Kikongice, plur. rikongice, an ex- 
 tremely old person, a feeble old 
 w<3man. 
 
 Kikono, plur. vikono, the prow of a 
 small native vessel. 
 
 Kikonyo, plur. vikonyo, flower and 
 fruit stalks, the stalks of cloves. 
 
 Kikoromhice, a cry made into the 
 hand by way of signal, a call. 
 
 Kikod or Ukosi, the nape of the neck. 
 
 Kikoto, plur. vikoto (M.), a plaited 
 thong or whip carried by an 
 overlooker and used in schools. 
 
 Kikozi, plur. vikozi, a detachment, 
 a band, company, division. 
 
 Kikuba, plur. vikuha, a small packet
 
 308 
 
 KIK 
 
 KIM 
 
 of aromatic leaves, &c., worn in 
 the dress by women. It is com- 
 posed of reliani, sprinkled with 
 dalia, and tied up with a strip of 
 the mlcadi. 
 KJhuJcu, plur. viliuhu, a bracelet, an 
 arm ring. 
 Kiliuku dm hupandia frasi, a 
 stirrup. 
 KiJninazi (?), labia (obscene). 
 Kif:mnbo. 
 Kupiga hilcumlo, to push aside, 
 to shove out of the way. 
 Kilcuta, plur. vilmta, a small stone 
 
 wall. 
 Kihwapa, the perspiration from the 
 
 armpit. ^*ee also Kanzu. 
 Kikwi, plur. vikm', a thousand, ten 
 
 thousand. 
 Kilango, a narrow entrance. 
 Kilango cha hahari, straits. 
 Kilango cha jaha, the gate of 
 Paradise. 
 Kile, that, yonder. 
 KiJeji, a round ilat wheaten cake. 
 KiJele, plur. vilele, a peak, a sum- 
 mit, a pointed top, a pointed 
 shoot in a tree or plant. 
 Kilema, plur. vilema, a deformed 
 person. 
 Si vema Ituclicha Idlema, it is 
 wrong to laugh at one who is 
 deformed. 
 Kilemha, plur. vilemba, a turban, a 
 customary present at the comple- 
 tion of a job and on many other 
 occasions. 
 Kilemhwe, a great-grandson. 
 Kileo, plur. vileo, iiitoxicatio.n, an 
 
 intoxicating thing. 
 Kilete, plur. vilete, metal rowlocks, 
 
 crutches. 
 ViZerw = Kidevu. 
 
 Kilifu, plur. vilifu, the cloth-like 
 
 envelope of the young cocoa-nut 
 
 leaves. 
 Kiliina, plur. vilima, a hill, arising 
 
 ground, a mound of tarth. 
 Kilimhili, the wrist. 
 Kilimia, the Pleiades (?). 
 Jiz7mo, cultivation, the crop planterl. 
 
 Kilimo cha nini? what is the 
 crop to be ? 
 Kilindi^ plur. vilindi, the deeps, 
 
 deep water, 
 Kilinga popo (?), rheumatism. 
 Kilinge cha maneno, cha uganga, 
 
 speaking in a dark munner not 
 
 generally understood. 
 Kilio, plur. vilio, a cry, weeping. 
 Kiliza hu-, to chink money. 
 Killa or Kulla, every. 
 
 Killa nendapo, wherever I go, or, 
 every time I go. 
 Kiluthu, velvet. 
 Kima, a monkey. 
 Kima, price, measure. 
 Kimaji, damp, 
 Kiinanda, an omeleite. 
 Kiinandu, the piece of wood put on 
 
 behind the sill and lintel of a 
 
 door to receive the pivots on 
 
 which it turns. 
 Kimanga, a small kind of grain. 
 Kimanga, of the Arab sort. See 
 
 Manga. 
 Kimango. 
 
 Chut himango, a full-grown leo- 
 pard. 
 Kimashamha, belonging to the 
 country, a country dialect. 
 
 Ya Mynashamba, countrified. 
 Kimhaumhati, a chameleon. 
 Kinibia hu-, to run away, to flee. 
 Kimhiza hu-, to make to run away, 
 
 to put to flight.
 
 KIM 
 
 KIN 
 
 309 
 
 Kimhizia Jcu-, to make to run away 
 from. 
 
 Kimerima. See Mer'^ma. 
 
 Kimeta, a sparkling:, a glitter. 
 
 Kimetimeti, plur. viinetimeti, a fire- 
 fly. 
 
 Kimia, plur. vimia, a circular cast- 
 ing-net. 
 
 Kimio, the uvula, an enlarged 
 uvula. 
 
 Kimo, it is or wns inside. 
 
 Kimoja, one. See Moja. 
 
 Kimporoto, nonsense. 
 
 Kimurimuri, plur. vimurimuri, a 
 fire-fly. 
 
 Kimvunga, a hurricane. 
 
 Kiimca ku-, to be tired, disgusted, 
 to be cross at having anything to 
 do. 
 
 Kimicondo, plur. vimifondn, a mis- 
 sile, a shooting star, because they 
 are said to be thrown by the 
 angels at the Jins. 
 
 Kiniya, silence, perfect stillness. 
 Mtu wa Idmyahimyaf a still man. 
 
 Kina. 
 
 Kina sisi, people like us. 
 Mahasha liaya ya kina AhfJallah, 
 these chests belong to Abdal- 
 lah's people. 
 
 Kina, plur. vina, a verse, the final 
 syllable of the lines, which is the 
 same throughout the poem. 
 
 Kinai ku-, to be content without, 
 to withhold oneself from desiring, 
 to be self-satisfied, to revolt at, 
 to nauseate. 
 
 Kinaisha ku-, to revolt, to make 
 unable to eat any more, to take 
 away the desire of. 
 Kinamizi or Kiinamizi, stooping to 
 
 one's work. 
 Kinanda, plur. vinanda, a stringed 
 
 instrument, applied to nearly all 
 European instruments. 
 Kinara, plur. vinara, a little tower, 
 
 a candlestick. See also Kanzu. 
 Kinaya, self-content, insolence. 
 Kinayi ku- = Kinai ku-. 
 Kinda, plur. makinda, a very young 
 
 bird, the young of birds. 
 Kindana ku-, to object to, to stand 
 
 in the way of. 
 Kinena, the abdomen. 
 Kinga, plur. vinga, a brand, a half- 
 burnt piece of firewood. 
 Kinga, a stop, a limit put to a 
 
 thing. 
 Kinga Jcu-, to put something to catch 
 something, to guard oneself, to 
 ward a blow. 
 Kukinga mvua, to put something 
 to catch the rainwater. 
 Kingaja, plur. vingaja, a bracelet nf 
 
 beads. 
 Kingalingali, on the back (of falling 
 
 or lying). 
 Kingama ku-, to lie across. 
 
 Mti umekingama njiani, a tree 
 lies across the road. 
 Kingamisha ku-, to block, to step, 
 
 to spoil. 
 Kinge, too little. 
 
 Chakula kinge, too little food. 
 Kingojo, a watch, time or place of 
 
 watching. 
 Kingozi, the old language of Me- 
 linda, the poetical dialect, difii- 
 cult and ill-understood language. 
 Kingubwa, the spotted liyaena. 
 Kinika ku-, to be certain or ascer- 
 tained about a person. 
 Kinjunjuri. 
 
 Kukata kinjunjuri, to shave all 
 the hair except one long tuft. 
 Kinono, plur. vinono^ a futliug.
 
 310 
 
 KIN 
 
 KIP 
 
 Kinoo, plur. vinoo, a whetstone. [ 
 Kirioo. 
 
 Emhe kinoo, a small yellow kind 
 
 of mango. 
 
 Kinu, plur. vinu, a wooden mortar 
 
 for pounding and for cleaning 
 
 corn, an oil-mill, a mill. 
 
 Kinu cha hushindikia, a mill for 
 
 pressing oil. 
 Kinu cha moshi, a steam mill. 
 Kinuhi, plur. vinuhi, a harp. 
 
 Ya Kinuhi, Nubian. 
 Kinwa = Kinywa. 
 Kinwa, plur. vinwa, a mouth. 
 Kinica mchuzi, the imperial, the 
 
 place where the imperial grows. 
 Kinyaa^ filth, dung. 
 Kinyago, plur. vinyago, a thing to 
 frighten people, such as a mock 
 ghost, &c., &c. 
 Kinyegere^ a small animal, a skunk. 
 Kinyemiy pleasant, good. 
 Kinyenyefu, a tickling, a tingling. 
 Kinyezi. See Kinyaa. 
 Kinyi, having. See -inyi. 
 Kinyonga, plur. vinyonga, a chame- 
 leon. 
 Kinyozi, plur. vinyozi, a barber, a 
 
 shaver. 
 Kinyuma = Kinyume. 
 Kinyume, afterwards. 
 Kinyume, going back, shifting, 
 alteration, an enigmatic way of 
 speaking, in which the last syl- 
 lable is put first. See Appendix I. 
 Kinyumha, a kept mistress. 
 Kinyunya, plur. vinyunya, a kind 
 of cake, a little cake made to try 
 the quality of the flour. 
 Kingwa, plur. vinywa^ a drink, a 
 
 beverage. 
 Kinywaji, plur. vlnyivaji, a beve- 
 rage, a Ubual beverage. 
 
 Kinza ku-, to contradict, deny. 
 Kiogaj plur. vioga, a mushroom. 
 Kiohosi, plur. violcosi, a reward for 
 finding a lost thing and returniug 
 it to the owner. 
 Kioja, plur. vioja, a curiosity. 
 Kionda, a taster. 
 
 Kionda mtuzi. the imperial, the 
 place where the imperial grows 
 (M.). 
 Kiongozi, plur. viongozi, a leader, a 
 
 guide, a caravan guide. 
 Kiongwe, plur. viongwe, a donkey 
 from the mainland ; they are re- 
 puted very hard to manage. 
 Kioo, plur. vioo, glass, a glass, a 
 looking-glns!^, a piece of glass, — 
 a fish-hook (M.). 
 Kiopoo, a pole or other instrument 
 to get things out of a well, &c., 
 with. 
 Kiosha miguu, a present made by 
 the bridegroom to the kungu of 
 the bride on the occasion of his 
 first visit. 
 Kiota, plur. viota^ a hen's nest, a 
 
 laying place, a bird's nest. 
 Koto = Kiota. 
 Kio7i;e. 
 Kupiga kiowe, to scream, cry for 
 help. 
 Kiowevu, a liquid. 
 Kioza, putridity. 
 
 lupa mkono, a present made by the 
 
 iDridegroom to the bride when he 
 
 first sees her face. 
 
 Kipaa, plur. vipaa, a thatched roof, 
 
 the long sides of a roof. 
 
 Kipaa cha mbele, the front slope 
 
 of the roof. 
 Kipaa cha nyuma, the back slope 
 of the roof. 
 Kipaje, a kind of mtama.
 
 KIP 
 
 KIR 
 
 Kipaji, a kind of cosmetic. See 
 
 also Kanzu. 
 KipaJiu, plur. vipaku, a spot or 
 
 mark of a different colour. 
 Kipamho, adornment. 
 Kipande, plur. vipande, a piece, an 
 instrument, a small rammer for 
 beating roofs. 
 
 Vipande vya Jcupimia, nautical 
 instruments. 
 
 Kipande hilichonona, a piece of 
 fat. 
 Kipanga, a large bird of prey, a 
 
 horse-fly. 
 Kipangozi, a sluggish incurable 
 
 sore on a horse or ass. 
 Eipara, plur. vipara, a shaved place 
 
 on the head. 
 Kipele, plur. vipele^ a pimple. 
 Kipendi, a darling, a favourite. 
 Kipenu, plur. vipenu, a lean-to, the 
 
 side cabins of a ship. 
 Kipenyo, a small place where some- 
 thing passes through. 
 Kipepeo, plur. vipepeo, a fan for 
 
 blowing the fire, a butterfly. 
 Kipeto, plur. vijjeto, a [acket. 
 Kipi or Kipia, a cock's spur. 
 Kipigi, a rainbow (?). 
 Kipila, a curlew. 
 Kipilipili. 
 
 Nyele za Mpilipili, woolly hair. 
 Kipindi^ a time, a period of time, an 
 hour. 
 
 Kipindi chote, at every period. 
 
 Kipindi cha atJdhuuri, the hour 
 of noon. 
 Kipinda. 
 
 Kufa Ttipinda, to die a natural 
 death, as cattle, &c. 
 Kipindupindu, cholera. 
 Kipingwa, plur. vipingwa, a bar. 
 Kipinij plur. vipini, a hilt, a haft, 
 
 a handle of the same kind as a 
 knife handle, a stud-shaped orna- 
 ment worn by women in the nose, 
 and sometimes in the ears also. 
 
 Kipimo, plur. vipimo, a measure. 
 
 Kipofu, plur. vipofuy a blind per- 
 son. 
 
 Kipolepole, a butterfly. 
 
 Kiponza, paralysis. 
 
 Kipulcuba, dropped early, cast fruit, 
 etc. 
 
 Kipukute, Kipukuse = Kipukvba. 
 Ndizi kipukute, little bananas. 
 
 Kipuli, plur. vipuli, a dangling 
 ornament worn by women in the 
 ear; they are often little silver 
 crescents, five or six round the 
 outer circumference of each ear. 
 
 Kipungvx), plur. vipunguo, defect, 
 deficiency. 
 
 Kipupwe, the cold season (June and 
 July). 
 
 Kipwa, plur. vipwa, rocks in the sea. 
 
 Kiraka, plur. viraka, a patch. 
 
 Kiri ku-, to confess, accept, acknow- 
 ledge, assert. 
 
 Kirtba, plur. viriba, a water-skin. 
 
 Kirihi ku-, to provoke. 
 
 Kirihika ku-, to be provoked, to be 
 offended. 
 
 Kirihisha ku-, to make ofi'ended, to 
 aggravate. 
 
 Kirimha, a cage for wild animals, 
 a meat-safe. 
 
 Kirimu ku-, to feast. 
 
 Kirithi hu-, to borrow, specially to 
 borrow money. 
 
 Kiroboto, plur. tirdboto, a flea. The 
 Hathramaut soldiers are nick- 
 named Tirdboto, and their song 
 as they march is parodied by, 
 Kiroboto, Kiroboto, tia motOj tia 
 moto.
 
 312 
 
 KIR 
 
 KIS 
 
 Kirukavjia, a kind of mouse found 
 
 in Zanzibar. 
 Kirukia, a kind of parasite growing 
 
 on fruit trees. 
 Kiruu, blind rage. 
 Kisa, plur. visa, a cause, a reason, 
 a short tale. 
 Visa vingi, many affairs, a com- 
 plicated business. 
 Kisa cha JcohOy kernel of a stone. 
 Kisaga, a measure equal to two 
 
 Eihahas. 
 Kisafiani, plur. visahani, a plate, a 
 
 small dith. 
 KisanduTiu, plur. visanduhu, a small 
 
 chest, a box. 
 Kisarani, a greedy fellow, a miser. 
 Kisasi, revenge, retaliation. 
 Kislmda, a tailless kite. 
 Kishaha, plur. vi<ha]:a, a thicket. 
 Kisheda, a bunch of grapes, a paper 
 
 fluttering in the air like a kite. 
 Kishenzi, of the wild people. 
 Lugha ya Idslienzi, a language of 
 the interior. 
 Kishi, a chess-queen. 
 Kishigino = Kisigino. 
 Kishinda, a small residue left in a 
 place or inside something, as 
 in a water-jar less than half 
 full. 
 Vishinda vingapi umetia ? How 
 many portions (of grain) have 
 you put (in the mortar, to bu 
 cleaned) ? 
 Kishindo, noise, sliock. 
 Kishogo, the back of the liead and 
 neck. 
 Alcupaye hisliogo si mwcnzin, one 
 who turns his bac'c upon you 
 is not your friend. 
 Kishwara, a loop of rope to haul by 
 in dragging a vessel into or out 
 
 of the water, a loop in the side of 
 
 a dhow to pass an oar through 
 
 for rowing. 
 Klsi Im-, to guess. 
 Kuliisi tanga, to shift over a sail 
 
 to the opposite side. 
 Kisi, Keep her away ! 
 Kisilao, plur. risihao, a waistcoat 
 with or without sleeves; tiiey 
 are very commonly worn in 
 Zanzibar. 
 
 Kidbao cha miliono, a sleeved 
 waistcoat. 
 
 Kisibao cha vihapa or vikwapa, a 
 sleeveless waistcoat. 
 Kisibu (?), a nickname. 
 Kisigino or Kishigino, the elbow. 
 
 Kisigino cha mguu, the heel. 
 Kisiki, plur visiki, a log. Used in 
 
 slang language for a prostitute. 
 Kisiki cha mvua, a rainbow (M.). 
 Kisima, plur. visima, a well. 
 Kisirni (obscene), the clitoris. 
 Kisitiri, a screen, screen-wall, 
 
 parapet. 
 Kisiiva, plur. visiwa, an island. 
 Kisiyangu [Tumbatu] = Kizingiti. 
 Kisimso. 
 
 Kisiwiso cha choo chauma, consti- 
 pation. 
 Kishoka, plur. vishoka, a hatchet, a 
 
 small axe. 
 Kishuhaka, plur. vishuhaka, a small 
 
 recess, a pigeon-hole. 
 Kishungi, plur. vishungi, the ends of 
 
 the turban cloth, lappets. 
 Kisma, a part. 
 Kisombo, a paste made of beans, 
 
 mcihogo, &c, 
 Kisongo, plur. visongn, a piece of 
 
 wood to twist cord or rope with. 
 Kisoze, a very small bird witli back 
 
 blue, and breast yellow.
 
 KIS 
 
 KIT 
 
 313 
 
 Kf'su, pliir. visH, a knife. 
 
 Ki^ua, a suit of clothes. 
 
 Kisugulu, plur. visngulu, a mound 
 of eartlj, an ant-hill. 
 
 Kisuiigura, plur. visungura, a little 
 rabbit or hare (?). 
 
 Kfsunono, gonorrhoea. 
 
 Kisiiiiono cha damu, ■with passing 
 
 blood. 
 Kisunono cha uzaha, with passing 
 
 matter. 
 Kisunono cha mhojo, with constant 
 micturition. 
 
 KisusuU, a whirlwind (?) a boy's 
 kite (?). 
 
 Kisusi, plur. visusi, the hip of a 
 roof. The main roof starts from 
 the long front and back walls, 
 and is called the paa ; small 
 roofs start from the end walls, 
 and are carried to the ridge under 
 and within the 'paa : these are 
 the visusi. 
 
 Kisuto = Kisutu. 
 
 Kisutu, plur. visutu, a large piece 
 of printed calico, often forming 
 a woman's whole dress, a cover- 
 lid. 
 
 Kiswa = Kisa. 
 
 Kitahu, plur. vitahu, a book. 
 
 KitagaUfa, a small matting bag for 
 halua, &c. 
 
 Kitakizo, plur. vltaJdzo, the head 
 and foot-pieces of a bedstead. 
 
 Kitalco, sitting. 
 Kuliaa kitako, to sit down, to re- 
 main in one locality. 
 
 Kitale, plur. vitale, a cocoa-nut just 
 beginning to grow. 
 
 Kitali, sailcloth. 
 
 Kitalu, a stone fence, a wall. 
 
 Kitamhaa^ plur. vitambaay a small 
 piece of cloth a rag. 
 
 Kitnmhaa cha kufutia mkono, a 
 
 towel. 
 Kitamhaachameza, Q.tah\eua.Y>kin. 
 Kitamhi cha kilemha, a piece of stuff 
 
 for making a turban. 
 Kitamho, a short time. 
 Kitamiri, a kind of evil spirit. 
 Kitana, plur. vitana, a small comb. 
 Kitanda, plur. vitanda, a bedstead, 
 
 a couch. 
 Kitanga, plur. vitanga, a round mat 
 used to lay out food upon. 
 Kitanga cha mkono, the palm of 
 
 the hand. 
 Kitanga cha mzani, a scale pan. 
 Kitanga cha pepo, the name of a 
 dance. 
 Kitani, flax, linen, string. 
 Kitanzi, plur. titanzi, a loop, a 
 
 button-loop. 
 Kitaoica, the kind proper for a 
 devotee. 
 Amevaa nguo za kitaoica, he is 
 dressed like a devotee. 
 Kitapo, plur. vitapo, a shivering, a 
 
 shiver. 
 Kitata, plur. vitara, a. curved aword. 
 Kitara, an open shed in a village, 
 where people sit to talk and trans- 
 act business. 
 Kitasa, a box lock, a lock. 
 Kitatangi, a cheat. Also a very 
 bri;j:ht-coloured sea-fish with 
 spines, a sea-porcupine. 
 Kitawi, a kind of weed. 
 Kitaici, plur. vitaici, a branch, a 
 
 bough, a bunch. 
 Kite, feeling sure, certainty, faith- 
 fully (?), affection. 
 Kana kite haye, he has no affec- 
 tion. 
 Kupiga kite, to cry or groan from 
 inward pain.
 
 314 
 
 KIT 
 
 KIT 
 
 Kiteflefu, soLbing before or after 
 
 crying. 
 Kitefute, the clieek, the part of the 
 
 face over the cheek-bone. 
 KHeJcu, a tosser. 
 Kitembe, a lisp. 
 Kitemhwi, a thread of flax or fine 
 
 Kitendawili, plur. vitendawili, an 
 enigma. The propounder says 
 KitendawiH; the rest answer 
 Tega; he then propounds his 
 enigma. 
 Kitendo, plur. vitendo, an action. 
 Kitengenya, a small bird spotted 
 
 with white, yellow, and red. 
 Klleo, plur. viteo, a small sifting 
 
 basket. 
 Klteso, a vase. 
 
 Kitewe, loss of the use of the legs. 
 Klthiri ku-^ to grow large, in- 
 crease. 
 TJmeldthiri kuzaa, it has borne 
 more than before. 
 Kiti, plur. viti, a cliair, a seat. 
 
 Kiti chafrasi, a saddle. 
 Kitimhi, plur. vitimbi, an artifice, 
 
 an artful trick. 
 Kitinda mimba, the last child a 
 
 woman will bear; 
 Kitindi. See Vitindi. 
 Kitisho, plur. vitisho, fear, a terrify- 
 ing thing. 
 Kititi, plur. vUiti, a hare, a rabbit, 
 
 a little thing (M.). 
 Kititi, to the full, entirely, alto- 
 
 irether, all at once. 
 Kititi cha hahari, the depths of the 
 
 soa. 
 Kititia, a child's windmill. 
 Kitiwanga, chicken-pox. The 
 natives say an epidemic of Jiiti- { 
 icanga, always precedes one of 
 
 small-pox. Also titiwanga, and 
 peihaps tete ya 'kicanga. 
 Kito, plur vito. a precious stone. 
 Kitolca (M.) = Kishoha, 
 Kitoma, plur. vitoma, a small round 
 
 pumpkin. 
 Kitoma, orchitis. 
 Kitone. plur. vitone, a drop. 
 Kitonga, hydrocele (?). 
 Kitongoji, a village. 
 Kitongotongo. 
 
 Kutjzama kitongofnngo, to glance 
 at contemptuously with half- 
 shut eyes. 
 Kitoria, a kind of edible fruit. 
 Kitofeo (M.) = Kichocheo. 
 Kitoto, plur. vitdto, a little child. 
 Kifovu, plur. vitnvu, the navel. 
 Kitoweo, plur. vitoweo, a relish, a 
 something to be eaten with the 
 rice or other vegetable food, such 
 as meat, fish, curry, &c. 
 Eitu, plur. vitu, a thing, especially 
 a tangible thing. 
 Si kitu, nothing, worthless. 
 Kitua, p^ur. vitua, the shade of a 
 
 tree, &c. 
 Kituko, startledness, fright. 
 Kitukuu, plur. vitukuuy a great 
 
 grandchild. 
 Kitulizo, plur. vitulizo, a soothing, 
 
 quieting thing. 
 Kitumhva. ydur. vitumhua, a sort <^f 
 cake or fritter made in Zanzibar. 
 Kitunda^ plur. vitunda, a chess 
 
 pawn. 
 Kitundwi, a water-jar [TumbatuJ. 
 Kitunga, plur. vitunga, a small 
 
 round basket. 
 Kitungu (?) a small round earthen 
 
 dish. 
 Kitungule, plur. vitungule, a hare or 
 rabbit (?).
 
 KIT 
 
 KIW 
 
 Kitunguu, plur. vitunguu, an onion. 
 
 Kitunguu somu, garlic. 
 
 Kitungica, a small bird like a 
 
 sparrow. 
 Eituo, plur. vituo, an encampment, 
 a resting-place, a putting down. 
 
 Sana hituo, he is always gadding 
 about. 
 Kitupa, plur. vitupa, a little bottle, 
 
 a vial. 
 Kitutia. 
 
 £ahari ya Mtidia, a boiling sea, 
 deep and rough. 
 Kitica, plur. vitwa, the head. 
 Kiticangomba, a somersault. 
 KitwaMtwa, topsy-turvy. 
 Kitwana, plur. vitu-ana, a slave boy. 
 Kiu, thirst. 
 
 Kuwa na Mn, to be thirsty. 
 
 Kuona Mu, to feel thirst. 
 Kiua, plur. viua, an eyelet hole. 
 Kiuha Jiu-, to step over. 
 KiuTiia = Kiruhia. 
 ^Kiuma, plur. viuma, a fork. 
 Kiuma mhuzi, a small dark-coloured 
 
 lizard. 
 Kiumbe, plur. viumhe, a creature, 
 
 created thing. 
 Kiumhizi, a peculiar way of beating 
 
 the drum ; the people sing the 
 
 while, Sheitani ndoo tupigane 
 
 fimho. 
 Kiunga, plur. viunga, a suburb, the 
 outskirts of a town. 
 
 Kiungani, near the town, in the 
 suburbs. 
 Kiungo, plur. viungo, a joint, — an 
 
 acid thing put into the mchuzi. 
 Kiunguja, the language of Zanzibar. 
 Kiungicana, the free or gentlemanly 
 sort. 
 
 Ta kiungicana, civilized, cour- 
 teo.s, becouiiag a free man. 
 
 Mwanamke tea Jciungwana, a lady. 
 
 KiunguHa, plur. viungulia, an eruc- 
 tation, a breaking of wind. 
 
 Kiuno, plur. viuno, the loins. 
 
 Kiunza, plur. viunza, the plank laid 
 
 over the body before the grave / / 
 
 is filled in. (Coffins are never P^^t-'^'*^ 
 used.) "~ 
 
 Eluwaji, murderous, deadly. 
 
 Eivi, the elbow. 
 
 Kivimha, plur. vivimha, the girth of 
 a tree, the circumference. 
 
 Kivimbi, a small swelling. 
 
 Kivu}:o, plur. vivuko, a ford, a ferry, 
 a crossing-place. 
 
 Kivuli, plur. vivuli, a shadow, a 
 shade, a ghost. 
 
 Eivumhazi, a strong-smelling herb 
 said to scare mosquitoes : wash- 
 ing in water in which it has been 
 steeped is said to be a preventive 
 of bad dreams. 
 
 Etvumho, lonely (?). 
 
 Elvumi, plur. vivumi, a roaring, 
 bellowing sound. 
 
 Eivyao — Eizao. 
 
 Eivyazi, birth. 
 
 Eiicamhaza, plur. viwambaza, a 
 mud and stud wall. 
 
 Eiwambo, something straint-d 
 tightly over a frame, like the 
 skin of a drum, a weaving frame. 
 
 Eiwanda, plur. viwandn, a work- 
 shop, a yard, a plot of land. 
 
 Eiicango, plur. tiicango, a number, 
 position in the world, duties be- 
 longing to one's position, a man's 
 place. 
 
 Eiicanja = Eiwanda. 
 
 Eiicao, a great feast [Tumbatu]. 
 
 Eiwavi, plur. viwavij a nettle, a sea- 
 nettle. 
 
 Eiicavu chana (A.), ribs.
 
 316 
 
 KI W 
 
 KOH 
 
 Kiloe, plur. viwe. 
 
 Kiive cha uso, a small kind of 
 pimple on the face. 
 Kiwele, an udder. 
 Kiicemhe, a pocket-knife. 
 Kiiceo (Bl.), thigh, lap. 
 Kiwete, loss of the use of the legs. 
 Kiwi, moon-blindness, a dazzle. 
 
 Kufanya Jciwi, to dazzle. 
 Kitci, plur. viici, a small stick, a 
 
 piece of wood, a bar. 
 Kiidlco. 
 
 Kiicilco cJia mlwno, the wrist. 
 
 Kiwilio cha mguu, the ankle. 
 Kiu-iliwili, the human trunk, the 
 
 body without the limbs. 
 Kiyama, the resurrection. 
 Kiyamhaza, a bulkhead, partition. 
 
 Also = Kiwambaza. 
 Kiyamho, neighbourhood, a village. 
 Kiza or Giza, darkness. 
 
 Kutia Mza, to darken, to dim. 
 Kizao, plur. vizao, a native, one 
 
 bom in the place. 
 Kizazi, plur. vizazi, a generation. 
 Kizee, diminutive of mzee, gene- 
 rally used of an old woman. 
 Kizibo, plur. vizibo, a stopper, a 
 
 cork. 
 Kizio, plur. vizio, half of an orange, 
 
 cocoa-nut, &c. 
 Kizimhi, plur. vizimhi, a cage. 
 Kizinda, a virgin. 
 Kizinja, plur. vizinga, a large log 
 
 half burnt. 
 Kizinjiti, threshold, the top and 
 
 bottom pieces of a door or window 
 
 frame, bar of a river. 
 Kizingo, turnings, curves of a river, 
 
 &c., (?) a buiial ground. 
 Kizingo, sharp shore sand used for 
 
 building. 
 Kiziici, plur. viziici, deaf. 
 
 Kizuio = Kizuizi. 
 
 Kizuizi, plur. vizuizi, a stop, a thing 
 
 which hinders or stays. 
 Kizuizo, plur. vizuizo, a hindrance. 
 Kizuha, plur. vizuJca, a kind of evil 
 
 spirit, a woman who is staying 
 
 in perfect secrecy and quiet 
 
 during the mourning for her 
 
 husband. See Ecla. 
 Kizungu, a European language. 
 
 Ya kizungu, European. 
 Kizunguzungu, giddiness. 
 Kizuri, beauty, a beauty. 
 KizusJii, an intruder. 
 Kizuu, plur. vizuu, a kind of evil 
 
 spirit, which kills people at the 
 
 order of its master. 
 Ko, -}co, -Ico, where, whither, whence. 
 
 Ko hole, whithersoever. 
 Koa, plur. mahoa, a snail. 
 Koa (plur. of Ukoa), the silver rings 
 
 on the scabliard of a sword, &c., 
 
 plates of metal. 
 Kobe, a tortoise. 
 Koche, plur. malwche, the fruit of a 
 
 kind of palm. 
 Kodi, rent. 
 Kodolea ku-, to fix the eyes upon, 
 
 to stare. 
 Kofi, plur. makofi, the flat of the 
 hand. 
 
 Kupiga kofi, to strike with open 
 hand, to box the ears. 
 
 Kupiga makofi, to clap the hands. 
 Kofia, a cap. 
 Kdfila, a caravan. 
 Kofua, emaciated. 
 Koga = Kuoga. 
 Koliani, a small red fish like a 
 
 mullet. 
 Koho, a large bird of prey. 
 Kolioa, ku-, to cough. 
 Kolwzi, expectorated matter.
 
 KOI 
 
 KON 
 
 317 
 
 Koikoi, plur. maJcoikoi, a sort of 
 
 evil spirit. 
 Koja, a gold ornament for the 
 
 neck. 
 Kojoa ku; to make water. 
 Koka = Kuoka. 
 Koka ku-, to set on fii-e. 
 Koko, plur. makoko, kernels, nuts, 
 
 stones of fruit. 
 Koko, plur. makoko, brushwood, 
 thickets, bushes. 
 
 Mbica koko, a homeless dog that 
 lives in the thickets and eats 
 carrion. 
 Kokomoka ku-, to vomit, to belch 
 
 out, blurt out. 
 Kokota ku-, to drag. 
 
 Kukokota roho, to breathe hard. 
 Kokoteza ku-, to do anything slowly 
 
 and carefully. 
 Kokoto, plur. makvkoto, a small 
 
 stone, a small piece of stone. 
 Kokwa, plur. makokwa, nuts, stones 
 
 of fruit. 
 Kolekole, a kind of fish. 
 Kolea ku-, to become well flavoured, 
 
 to get the right quantity of a 
 
 condiment. 
 Koleo, plur. makoleo, tongs. 
 Kologa ku-, to stir. 
 Eoma, plur. makoma, a kind of fruit. 
 Koma ku-, to cease, to leave ofi", to 
 end a journey, to arrive at a 
 destination. 
 
 Koma usije ! Come no further ! 
 Komaa ku-, to be full grown. 
 Komaza ku-, to mock, to make game 
 
 of. 
 Komba, a galago. 
 
 Komba ku-, to scrape out, to clean 
 out. 
 
 Dafu la kukomba, a cocoa-nut in 
 which the nutty part is but just 
 
 forming, which is then reckoned 
 a delicacy. 
 
 Kukomba mtu, to get all his money, 
 to clean him out. 
 Kombamoyo, plur. makombamoyo. 
 
 one of the rafters of a thatched 
 
 roof. 
 Kombe, plur. makombe, a large dish. 
 
 Kombe la mkono (A.), the shoulder- 
 blade. 
 
 Kombe za pwani, oysters (?). 
 cockles (?), sea-shells. 
 Komheka ku-, to be cleaned out, to 
 
 have had all one's money got from 
 
 one. 
 Kombeo, a sling. 
 Kombo, plur. makombo, scraps, 
 
 pieces left after eating. 
 Kombo, a defect, crookedness. 
 
 Kutoa k'ombo, to notice a defect. 
 Komboa ku-, to ransom, to buy back. 
 Komboka ku-, to be crooked. 
 Kombokombo, crooked. 
 Kombora, a bomb, a mortar. 
 Kombozi, a ransom. 
 Konie, plur. makome, a pearl 
 
 oyster (?), a mussel (?), a shell. 
 Komea ku-, to fasten with a native 
 
 lock (Jcomeo). 
 Komeo, a kind of wooden lock. 
 Komesha ku-, to make to cease, to 
 
 put a stop to. 
 Komwe, plur. makomice, the seeds of 
 
 a large climbing plant abundantly 
 
 furnished with recurved thorns ; 
 
 they are used to play the game of 
 
 bao with. 
 Konda ku-, to grow thin and lean. 
 Kondavi, large beads worn by 
 
 women, as a belt round the loins. 
 Konde, a fist. 
 
 Kupiga moyo konde, to take heart, 
 to resolve firmly.
 
 318 
 
 KON 
 
 KOR 
 
 Kondesha hu-, to make to grow lean. 
 Kondo, war (Merima). 
 Kondoa, a sheep [Lindi]. 
 Kondoo, sheep. 
 
 Yuafa Jiikondoo, he dies like a 
 sheep, silently (which is high 
 praise). 
 Konga ku-, to grow old and feeble. 
 Kongoa hu-, to draw out nails, &c., 
 
 to take to pieces. 
 Kongoea, Mombas. 
 Kongoja ku-, to walk witn difficulty, 
 
 to totter. 
 Kongolewa ku-, to be taken to pieces. 
 Kongomero, throat. 
 Kongoni = Kunguni. 
 Kong'otaj a sort of woodpecker, 
 
 black and yellow. 
 Kongica, a slave-stick. 
 Kongwe. 
 
 Kutoa kongwe, to lead off the solo 
 part of a song, in whicJi others 
 join in the chorus. 
 
 -kongwe, over-old, worn out with 
 age. 
 Kono, a projecting handle, like that 
 
 of a saucepan. 
 Konokono, a snail. 
 Konyeslia ku- = Eonyeza ku-. 
 Konyeza ku-, to make a sign by 
 
 raising the eyebrows. 
 Konzi, what can be grasped in the 
 hand, a fist full. 
 
 Kupiga konzi, to rap with the 
 knuckles. 
 Koo, plur. makoo, a breeding animal 
 or bird. 
 
 Koo la kuku, a laying hen. 
 
 Koo la mhuzi, a breeding goat. 
 Koo, plur. makoo, throat. 
 Koonde, plur. makoonde, cultivated 
 
 laud, fields, the piece of ashamha 
 
 allotted to a slave for his own i.se. 
 
 Konyoa ku-, to break off the cobs of 
 
 Indian corn. 
 Kojm, hearts, in cards. 
 Kopa, plur. makopa, a piece of dried 
 
 muhogo, which has been steeped 
 
 and cooked. 
 Ko2m ku-, to get goods on credit for 
 
 the purpose of trading with, to 
 
 cheat, to swindle. 
 Koiie, plur. of Ukope, the eyelashes. 
 Kope, plur. makopje, the wick of a 
 
 candle. 
 Kopesa ku-, to wink. 
 Kopesha ku-, to supply a trader with 
 
 goods on credit, to give on trust. 
 
 to lend. 
 Kopo, plur. makopo, a large metal 
 
 vessel, a spout. 
 Kopoa ku-, to drag out of one's 
 
 hand, = Chopoa ku-. 
 Kora ku-, to seem sweet to, to be 
 
 loved by. 
 Koradani, a sheave of a pulley. 
 Korija, a pucker in sewing. Also, a 
 Korja, a tcore. [score. 
 
 Koroana ku-, to steep in water. 
 Korofi, a bird of ill omen, a 
 
 messenger of bad luck. 
 Korofisha ku-, to ruin a man. 
 Koroga ku-, to stir, to stir up. 
 Koroma,-pluT. makoroma, a cocoa-nut 
 
 in its last stage but one, when the 
 
 nut is formed but has not yet its 
 
 full flavour. It has ceased to be 
 
 a dafu and is not yet a nazi. 
 Koroma ku-, to snore. 
 Korongo, a crane. 
 Korongo, plur. makorongo, a hole 
 
 dibbled for seed. 
 Kororo, a crested guinea-fowl, 
 Korosho, plur. makoroslio, cashew 
 
 nuts. 
 Koru, the waterbuck.
 
 KOS 
 
 -KUB 
 
 319 
 
 Eosa hu-, to err, mistake, miss, go 
 
 wrong, do wrong, blunder. 
 Kosekana hu-, to be missed, not to 
 
 be there. 
 Eosesha hu-, to lead astray. 
 Kosudia hu-, to purpose, to intend, 
 = Kusudia. 
 Kota, plur. makota, the stalks of a 
 
 kind of millet which are chewed 
 Kota, a crook. [like sugar-cane. 
 Kota ku-. 
 
 Kukota mote, to warm oneself. 
 Kotama, a curved knife u^ed in 
 
 getting palm wine. 
 Kate, all. See -ate. 
 Kotekote, on every side. 
 Koto. 
 
 Kupiga koto (M.), to strike with 
 the knuckles. 
 Kavo, plur. makovo, scar. 
 Ka- or Ktc-. 
 
 1. The indefinite verbal prefix 
 answering to there in English. 
 Ku-likuwa, there was. 
 Ku-katanda, and there spread. 
 
 2. The sign of the infinitive. 
 Ku-piga, to strike. 
 Kw-enda, to go. 
 
 The infinitive may be used as a 
 substantive answering to the 
 English form in -ijig. 
 
 Kufa, dying, the act of death. 
 
 Kwenda, going. 
 
 The ku- of the infinitive is re- 
 tained by monosyllabic verbs, 
 and by some others in all 
 tenses in which the tense 
 prefix ends in an unaccented 
 syllable. 
 
 3. The prefix proper to adjectives, 
 pronouns, and verbs agreeing 
 with infinitives used as sub- 
 stantives. 
 
 Kufa kicetu kicema kutampendeza, 
 our good deaths will please him. 
 
 4. The prefix proper to pronouns 
 agreeing with substantives in 
 the locative case (-ni), where 
 neither the being or going 
 inside, nor mere nearness, is 
 meant. 
 
 Enenda nyumhani kicangu, go to 
 my house. 
 
 Ziko kwetu, there are in our pos- 
 session, at our place. 
 
 5. In a few words a prefix signi- 
 fying locality,commonly so used 
 in other African languages, but 
 generally represented in Swa- 
 hili by the case in -ni. 
 
 Kuzimu, among the dead, in the 
 -ku-. [grave. 
 
 1. The sign of the negative past 
 always preceded by some nega- 
 tive personal prefix. 
 
 Sikujua, I did not know. 
 Hazikufaa, they were of no use. 
 
 2. The objective prefix denoting 
 the second person singular. 
 
 Nakupenda, I love thee, or you. 
 Alikupa, he gave thee, or you. 
 Sikukujua, I did not know you. 
 
 3. The objective prefix referring 
 to infinitives of verbs, or to 
 huku, there. 
 
 Kua ku-, to grow, to become large. 
 -kuha or -kubwa, great, large. 
 Kuhali ku, to accept, assent to, 
 
 acknowledge, approve. 
 Kuhalika ku-, to be accepted, to be 
 
 capable of acceptance. 
 Kubalisha ku-, to make to accept. 
 Euhha, a vaulted place. 
 -kubwa, large, great, elder, chief. 
 
 It makes kubwa with nouns like 
 
 nyumha. 
 
 T 2
 
 320 
 
 KUC 
 
 KUM 
 
 Kucha, or Kumehucha, the dawn. 
 
 Usiku Jcucha, all uight. 
 Kuchua Tiu-. 
 Kamha imejikucliua, the rope has 
 worn away, chafed, stranded. 
 Kufuli, a padlock. 
 Kufuru ku; to become an infidel, 
 
 to apostatize. 
 Kufuru hu-, to mock, to deride. 
 Kiguni,t]ie hartebeest (boselaphus). 
 Kuke. See -ke. 
 Mkono wa kuke, the left hand. 
 Kukeni, on the female side. 
 Kuko, yonder, to yonder. 
 
 Kwa kuko, beyond, on yon side. 
 Kuku, a hen, a fowl, fowls, poultry. 
 Kuku na liuku, backwards and for- 
 wards. 
 -kukuu, old, worn out. It makes 
 
 kukuu with nouns like nyumha. 
 Kulahu, a hook to steady work with. 
 Kule, there, far oif, yonder. 
 Kulee, yonder, very far oif. As the 
 distance indicated increases the 
 e is more dwelt on, the voice 
 raised to a higher and higher 
 falsetto. 
 Kulekule, there, just there. 
 Kulia ku-, to become great for, to 
 
 become hard to. 
 Kuliko, where there is or was. 
 Kulikoni'i Where there is what 
 
 = why ? (T^I.). 
 Kuliko, is used in the ordinary way 
 of expressing the comparative. 
 Mwema kuliko huyu, good where 
 this man is, and therefore 
 better than he. Because if a 
 quality becomes evident in any- 
 thing by putting some other 
 thing beside it, the first must 
 possess the quality in a higher 
 degree than the other. 
 
 Kiilla, often pronounced killa, every, 
 each one. 
 
 Kululu, nothing at all. 
 
 Nikapatakululu = Sikupataneno. 
 
 Kululu, tiger cowries, Cyprsea tigris. 
 
 Kulungu, a sort of antelope. 
 
 Kuma, the vagina. 
 
 Kumha ku-, to push against, to take 
 and sweep off the whole of any- 
 thing, e.g. to clear water out of a 
 box, to bale a boat. 
 
 Kumbatia ku-, to embrace, to clasp. 
 
 Kumbatiana ku-, to embrace (of two 
 persons). 
 
 Kumhe ? What ? An expression of 
 surprise used especially when 
 something turns out otherwise 
 than was expected, commonly 
 joined with a negative verb. 
 
 Kumhi (Mer.), circumcision. 
 
 Anaingia kumhini, he is being 
 circumcised. 
 
 Kumhi, plur. makumhi, cocoa-nut 
 fibre, the husk of the cocoa-nut 
 and the fibrous mass out of which 
 the leaves grow. Also, at Mgao, 
 gum copal. 
 
 Kumhikumbi, ants in their flying 
 stage. 
 
 Kumbisha ku-, to push off upon, to 
 lay upon some one else. 
 
 Kumhuka ku-, to think of, to remem- 
 ber, to ponder over, to recollect. 
 
 Kumbukumbu, a memorial, a men- 
 tion. 
 Kumbura, an explosive shell. 
 Kumbusha ku-, to remind. 
 Kumbwaya, a kind of drum stand- 
 ing on feet. 
 Kumekuclia, there is dawn, tU 
 
 dawn. 
 Kumi, plur. makumi, ten. 
 Kumoja, on one side.
 
 KUM 
 
 KUN 
 
 321 
 
 Kumpuni, plur. maJcumpuni, a per- 
 son who has obtained full know- 
 ledge of his trade. 
 Kumunta ku- (Mer.), to shake out 
 
 or off. 
 Kumunto, a sieve of basket-work. 
 Kumutiha ku-, to desire (?). 
 Kumvi, husks and bran of rice. 
 Kuiia, there is, 
 
 Kunaye, depending upon him. 
 Kunani ■? What is the matter ? 
 Kuna kwambaje ? What da you 
 say? [Tumbatu]. 
 Kuna ku-, to scratch. 
 Kunakucha, there is dawning, the 
 
 dawning. 
 Kunazi, a small edible fruit. 
 Kunda ku- (M.) = Kunja ku-. 
 Kunda, plur. makunda, a green 
 
 vegetable like spinach. 
 Kundaa ku-, to be short and small 
 
 of stature. 
 Kundamana ku- = Kunjamanaku-. 
 Kunde, beans, haricot beans, 
 Kundi, plur. makundi, a crowd, a 
 
 herd, many together. 
 Kundua ku-, to please (?). 
 -kundufu, giving pleasm-e. 
 
 Nyumba ni kundufu, the house 
 
 is commodious. 
 Muungu ni mkundufu, God is the 
 giver of all good things. 
 Kunduka ku-, to grow larger, to 
 open. 
 Moyo umekunduka, he is gratified 
 (N.). 
 Kun<ja ku-, to hem. 
 Kunga, cleverness, clever. 
 
 Kazi haifai ilia kwa kunga, it 
 wants to be done cleverly. 
 Kungali. 
 
 Kungali na mapema hado, while 
 it is yet early. 
 
 Kungu, mist, fog. 
 Kungu manga, a nutmeg. 
 Kunguni, a bug. 
 
 Kunguru, a crow, a bird a little 
 larger than a rook, black, with 
 a white patch on the shoulders 
 and round the neck : it feeds on 
 carrion. 
 Kung'uta ku-, to shake off, to shake 
 
 out. 
 Kung'uto, plur. makung'uto, a sort 
 of basket used as a sieve or 
 strainer. 
 Kuni, firewood. The singular, 
 ukuni, means one piece of fire- 
 wood. 
 Kunia ku-, to scrape or scratch 
 
 with, or for. 
 Kunia ku-, to raise the eyebrows in 
 
 contempt. 
 Kuniita, telling me to come. 
 Kunja ku-, to fold, to wrap up. to 
 furl. 
 Kiikunja uzi, to wind thread. 
 Kujikunja, to flinch, to shrink. 
 Kukunja uso or Kukunja vipaji, 
 to frown, to knit the brows. 
 Kunjana ku-, to fold together, to 
 
 dwindle, to wrinkle. 
 Kunjamana ku-. 
 
 Uso unakunjamana, his face is 
 sad, sour, and frowning, 
 Kunjia ku-, to fold for, to wrap up 
 
 for, to crease. 
 Kunjika ku-, to become folded or 
 
 doubled up, to be creased. 
 Kunjua ku-, to unfold. 
 
 Kukunjua miguu, to stretch one's 
 legs. 
 Kunjuka ku-, to become unfolded, 
 
 to spread over. 
 KunjuUwa ku-, to be open and un- 
 folded.
 
 322 
 
 K UN 
 
 KWA 
 
 Kunrathi, don't be offended, excuse 
 me, pardon me. 
 
 Kunu alamu, be it known. 
 
 Kunya Jcu-, to ease oneself. See 
 Nya. 
 
 Kimyata hu-, to draw together. 
 Kujikunyata, to draw oneself to- j 
 gether, to shrink. I 
 
 Kunyua Tiu- or Kunyula Tcu-, to | 
 touch secretly (with a scratching 
 motion) by way of signal or of 
 calling attention privately, to 
 make a scratch on the skin. ! 
 
 Kupaa. See Makupaa. 
 
 Kupe, a tick, a cattle tick. \ 
 
 Kupua hi-, to shake sometliing off 
 one's dress, out of one's hand, 
 &c. 
 
 Kura, the lot. 
 Kupiga hura, to cast lota. 
 
 Kuru, a sphere, a ball. 
 
 Kuruhia Tcu-, to come near to. 
 Nalihuruhia, &c., had a good 
 mind to, &c. 
 
 Kurumhizi, a small yellow bird, 
 very inquisitive : they say if he 
 sees a man and woman talking 
 together, he cries, " Mtu anasema 
 na mume." 
 
 Kusa Jcu, to make to grow. 
 
 Kusanya ku-, to collect, gather, as- 
 semble. 
 
 Kusanyana ku-, to gather together. 
 
 Kusanyika ku-, to be gathered, to 
 assemble. 
 
 Kushoto, on the left. 
 
 Mkono wa kushoto, the left hand, 
 
 Kusi, the southerly winds which 
 blow from May till October. 
 Ku^ini, in the diiection of the 
 Kusi, southerly. 
 
 Kusndi, plur. makasudi, purpose, 
 design. 
 
 Kusudia ku-, to purpose, to intend. 
 
 Kuta, plur. of Ukuta, walls. 
 
 Kuta ku-, to meet with, to see, to 
 
 find, to come upon. 
 Kutana ku-, to come together, to 
 
 meet, to assemble. 
 Kutanika ku-, to become assembled. 
 Kutanisha ku-, to bring together, to 
 
 assemble. 
 Kutu, rust. 
 Kutuka ku-, to be startled, to be 
 
 suddenly frightened. 
 Kutusha ku-, to startle, to alarm 
 
 suddenly. 
 -kuu, great, chief, noble. Kuu refers 
 more to figurative, kuhica to 
 physical greatness. It makes 
 kuu with nouns like nyumba. 
 
 Ana makuu, he is vain. 
 Kuume. See -ume. 
 
 Mkono wa kuume, the right hand. 
 
 Kuumeni, on the male side. 
 Kuvtili. 
 
 Mkono ica kuvuli, the right hand. 
 Kuwa, to be, to become (?). See 
 
 Wa. 
 Kuicadi, also Kawadi, a procuress 
 
 (Mtu anayewatoncjoslia icatii). 
 Kuwili, twice over, in two ways. 
 -kuza, large, full grown. 
 Kuza ku-, to make bigger. 
 Kuza, to sell. See Uza. 
 Kuzi, an earthen water bottle larger 
 
 than a guduivia, with a handle 
 
 or handles and a narrow neck. 
 Kuzikani, a funeral. 
 Kuzimu, in the grave, under the 
 
 earth. 
 Kw-. See Ku-. 
 Kwa, ^yi\h., as an instrument, 
 
 through, to a person, to or at 
 
 the place where any one lives; 
 
 for, on account o£
 
 K W A 
 
 KWE 
 
 323 
 
 Eica *ngi (?), generally. 
 
 Kwa, of, after verbs in the infini- 
 tive used as nouns, and after the 
 case in -ni. 
 
 Kicaa TiU; to strike the foot, to 
 stumble. 
 
 Kicaje? how? 
 
 Kwahe, to him, with him, to or at 
 his or her house; his, her, or 
 its, after a verb in the infinitive 
 used as a substantive, or the 
 case in -ni. 
 
 Kwako, to thee or with tliee, to or 
 at thy place, your, thy, of thee 
 or you, after verbs in the infini- 
 tive used as a noun, and after the 
 case in -ni. 
 
 Kicale, a partridge (?). 
 
 Kwama Jcu-, to become jammed, to 
 stick. 
 
 ivu'am&a, saying (?}, if, as if, though, 
 Ya Jcwamba, that. [that. 
 
 Kwamisha Jcu-, to jam, to make to 
 stick in a narrow place. 
 
 Kwamua hu-, to unjam, to free, to 
 clear. 
 
 Kwangu, to or at my house, to or 
 with me, my, of me, after the 
 infinitives of verbs used as sub- 
 stantives, and after the case in 
 -ni. 
 
 Kioangua Jcu-, to scrape up, to scrape 
 one's shoos, &c. 
 
 Kwani for, because, wherefore, for 
 why. 
 
 Kwanua Jcu-, to split down, to tear 
 down, to break. 
 
 KwanyuJca Jcu-, to be split down 
 like the boughs and branches of 
 a tree, which some one has been 
 trying to climb by them. 
 
 Kwanza, beginning, at first, for- 
 merly. 
 
 Ta Jcwanza, first, the first. 
 Ngoja Jcwanza, wait a bit. 
 Kioao, plur. maJcwao, a stumble, a 
 
 stumbling-block. 
 Kwao, to or with them, at or to 
 their place ; their, of them, after 
 verbs in the infinitive u^sed as 
 nouns, and after the case in -ni. 
 Kwapa, plur. maJcwapa, the arm- 
 pit. 
 Kwapani, under the armpit. The 
 people of the African coast 
 wear their swords by a strap 
 over the left shoulder only ; the 
 sword hangs under the armpit, 
 and is said to be Jcwapani. 
 Kicaruza Jcu-, to scrape along, to slip 
 
 with a scrape. 
 Kicata, or Kicato, a hoof. 
 
 Kupiga Jcicata, to strike the hoof, 
 to strike with the hoof. 
 Kxcatu, a horseshoe (?). 
 Kicayo, a stumbling-block. 
 Kwaza Jcu-, to make to stumble. 
 KuJcwaza meno, to jar the teeth 
 like grit in food. 
 Kwea Jcu-, to ascend, go up, climb. 
 Kiveli, true, the truth. 
 
 Ya Jewell, true. * 
 
 Kwelu = Kweu. 
 
 I Kwema, good, well, it is well there. 
 j Eweme, the seed of a gourd, very 
 I rich in oil. 
 
 ' Kwenda, to go. See Enda, going. 
 Eicenda, perhaps. 
 
 Eicenu, with you, to or at your 
 place, your, of you, after verbs in 
 the infinitive used as nouns or 
 after the case in -ni. 
 i Eicenyi, till, since, up to the time of, 
 i from the time of. 
 j Eicepa Jcu-, to start out of the way. 
 : Eweta Jcu-t to raise.
 
 324 
 
 K WE 
 
 LAD 
 
 Kicetu, to or with us, to or at our 
 
 place, our, of us, after a verb in 
 
 the infinitive used as a noun, and 
 
 after the case in -wt. 
 Kweu, clear. 
 Kioewpe, white. See -eupe. 
 
 Kuna Tiioeupe, grey dawn. 
 Kiceza 7im-, to make to go up, to drag 
 
 up a boat out of the water. 
 Kweza Im-, to bid up an article at 
 an auction. 
 
 Kukweziva, to have things made 
 dear to one by others bidding 
 them up. 
 Kwiba. See Iha hu-, stealing, to 
 
 steal. 
 Kuiihana, robbing one another. 
 Kwikive, hiccup. 
 
 Kwikwe ya hulia, sobs. 
 Kwisha. See Isha ku-, ending, to 
 
 end. 
 KwOj which. 
 
 L. 
 
 L is pronounced as in English. 
 
 L is not distinguished from r 
 m African languages of the same 
 family -as Swahili. The distinction 
 becomes important in Swahili on 
 account of the Arabic words which 
 have been incorporated into it. 
 Thus— 
 
 Mahali, means a place, but 
 Mahari a dowry. 
 
 Waredl means a rose, but Waledi 
 a youth. Slaves, however, fre- 
 quently confound even these. 
 
 When r can be used for I, it has a 
 light smooth sound, as in English. 
 
 There is a latent I sound between 
 every two consecutive vowels in 
 Swahili and at the beginning of 
 
 some verbs, which appears in their 
 derivatives and in other African 
 languages : thus the common pas- 
 sive of kufungua is kufunguliwa. 
 
 So far is this disposition to drop 
 an Z carried, that even kuleta, to 
 bring, is in old Swahili eta. It is 
 characteristic of the Merima dialect 
 to retain these Vs. 
 
 L and u are sometimes appa- 
 rently interchanged. 
 
 Mlango, a door, is vulgarly pro- 
 nounced Mivango. 
 
 Ufalme, a kingdom, may be 
 written TJfaume. 
 
 In these cases, however, both 
 forms are probably contractions 
 from Midango and Ufcdume. 
 
 L becomes d after «, and is some- 
 times confounded with d in inexact 
 pronunciation. 
 
 Ndume = Nlume or Nume, male. 
 
 L- or li-, the prefix proper to pro- 
 nouns and verbs governed by 
 words in the singular, of the 
 class which make their plural 
 in ma-. 
 
 La, no. 
 
 La ku-, to eat, to consume, to wear 
 away, to take a piece in chess, &c. 
 The ku-, bears the accent and is 
 retained in the usual tenses. The 
 passive of kula is kuliwa. 
 
 Laabu ku-, to play, to sport with. 
 
 Laana, plur. malaana, a curse. 
 
 Laani ku-, to curse, to damn. 
 
 Laanisha ku-, to bring a curse upon. 
 
 Ldbeka = Lebeka. 
 
 Lahuda, perhaps. 
 
 Ladu, sweet cakes composed of trea- 
 cle, pepiDer, and flour or semsem 
 seed, made up into balls.
 
 LAG 
 
 LET 
 
 325 
 
 Laghai, a rascnl. Also Eagai. 
 Laika, plur. malaika, one of the 
 
 hairs of the hand or arm. 
 Laini, smooth, soft. 
 Lainisha hu-, to make smooth or 
 
 soft. 
 Laiti! Would that! Oh that! 
 
 expressing regret at something 
 
 past. 
 Lake or Lakwe, his, hers, its. See 
 Laki ku; to go to meet. [-ake. 
 
 Lakini, but, however. 
 Lakki, a hundred thousand, a lac. 
 Lako, thy. See ako. 
 Lola ku-, to sleep, to lie down. 
 
 Nyumba imelala inclii, the house 
 is fallen flat on the ground. 
 Lalama ku-, to confess, to cry for 
 
 mercy ; used of extorted confes- 
 sions. 
 Lalamika ku-, to be made to cry 
 
 out, to be quite beaten, to shout, 
 
 to scream. 
 Lalika ku-, to be slept upon, 
 Lalika ku- = Alika ku-, to inform, 
 
 announce to. 
 Lami, pitch or tar. 
 Lana ku-, to eat one another. 
 Landa ku-, to be equal with. 
 Langu, my. See -angu. 
 Lao, their. See -ao. 
 Laomu ku-, to blame. Also Lau- 
 
 mu. 
 Lapa ku-, or Baj^ia ku-, to be ra- 
 venously hungry. 
 Launi, sort, species, form. 
 Laumu ku-, to blame. 
 Laioa ku-, to come from (Mer.). 
 Lawana ku-, to blame, to scold. 
 Laza ku-, to lay down, to lay at its 
 length. 
 
 Knjilaza, to lie down. 
 Ldzim, of necessity. 
 
 Lazima, surety, bail, necessity. 
 Lazimisha ku-, to compel. 
 Lazimu ku-, to be obligatory upon. 
 -le, his, hers, or its. 
 Lea ku-, to bring up. 
 
 Ameleioa vema, he is well bred. 
 Lebeka, the humble manner of re- 
 plying when called, often short- 
 ened into Ehhe, or even Bee. 
 Legea ku-, &c., &c. See Regea ku-, 
 
 &c., &c. 
 Lekea ku-, to be opposite to, to tend 
 
 to. 
 Lekeza ku-, to put opposite to. 
 
 Kulekeza hunduki, to level a gun 
 at. 
 Lekezana ku-, to agree, come to an 
 
 agreement. 
 Lelam, by auction. 
 Lelimama, a dance to the music 
 
 made by beating buffalo horns. 
 Lema or Dema, a kind of fish-trap. 
 Lemaa, disfigurement. 
 
 Mwenyi lemaa, disfigured by dis- 
 ease. 
 Lembuka ku-, to be weak, limp. 
 Lemea ku-, to oppress, to lie heavy 
 
 upon, to overburden. 
 Lengelenge, plur. malengelenge, a 
 
 blister. 
 Lenu, your. See -enu. 
 Lenyi. See -enyi. 
 
 Bakuli lenyi mayayi, a basin with 
 eggs in it. 
 Leo, to-day. 
 Leppe, drowsiness, dozes, snatches 
 
 of sleep. 
 Leso, a handkerchief. 
 
 Leso ya kufutia kamasi, a pocket- 
 handkerchief. 
 Leta ku-, to cause to arrive at the 
 
 place where the speaker is, to 
 
 bring, to send, to fetch.
 
 326 
 
 LET 
 
 LIN 
 
 Letea hu-, to briug or send to or for 
 a person. 
 Kuletewa, to have brought or sent 
 to one. 
 Letu, our. See -etu. 
 Levuka ku-, to get sober. 
 Levya ku-, to intoxicate. 
 
 Kujilevya, to make oneself in- 
 toxicated, to get drunk. 
 Levyalevya ku-, to be giddy. 
 Lewa ku-, to become drunk. 
 Lervalewa ku-, to swing or sway 
 
 about like a drunken man. 
 Li, it is. 
 
 Li- or Z-, the prefix proper to pro- 
 nouns and verbs governed by a 
 singular noun of the class which 
 makes its plural in ma-, 
 -li-, 1. The objective prefix repre- 
 senting a singular noun of the 
 class which makes its plural in 
 ma-, governed by the verb to 
 which it is prefixed. 
 
 2. -li-, or -ali-, the sign of that 
 past tense which denotes an 
 action complete in past time. 
 
 3. -li- sometimes represents the 
 substantive verb, as in aliye, he 
 who is ; nikali, and I am ; ali, 
 he is, or he being. 
 
 Lia ku-, to breed (M.). 
 Lia ku-, to eat for, &c. 
 
 Chumha cha kulia, a room to eat 
 
 in. 
 Mkono wa kulia, right hand, being 
 the only one ever used to eat 
 with. 
 Lia ku-, to cry, to weep, to cry fmt ; 
 applied to the cries of animals 
 generally. Also, to give a 
 sound. 
 Kulia ngoa, to weep for jealousy. 
 Lialia wazi, it sounds hollow. 
 
 Lihasi, clothes. 
 
 Liclia, whether it be, though. 
 
 Liliamu, solder. 
 
 Lihani, a cloth of a particular 
 
 Lijamu, a horse's bit. [pattern. 
 
 Lika ku-, to be eaten, to become 
 
 worn away, to be eatable. 
 Likiza ku-, to dismiss, to give leave 
 to go, to release. 
 j Liko, plur. maliko, a landing-place. 
 Lilia ku-, to weep for, to cry about. 
 Lima ku-, to cultivate, to hoe. 
 Lima, the feast made by the bride- 
 groom on the first day of the 
 wedding. 
 j Liniao, plur. malimao, a lemon. 
 I Limxitia ku-, to delay, to loiter ('A.). 
 Limhika ku-, to leave till it is fit, to 
 wait for fruit till it is ripe, or for 
 water till it is collected in the 
 dipping hole, to put aside till it 
 is fit. 
 Lhnhuka ku-, to taste the first of a 
 
 new crop. 
 Limhusha ku-, to bring to be tasted. 
 Limiza ku-, to make to hoe, &c. 
 Linalokuja, which is coming. 
 Linda ku-. to guard, to watch, to 
 keep. 
 KuUnda ndege^ to scare birds from 
 corn, &c. 
 Lindi, plur. malindi, a pit, a deep 
 
 place. 
 Lindo, a watching place. 
 Linga ku-, to swing the head round 
 
 in dancing, 
 Linga ku-, to make to match, or to 
 
 be level. 
 Lingana ku-, to match, to be level 
 with or like one another. 
 i Lingana ku-, to call, to invite (A.). 
 Linganisha ku-, to make to match, 
 to compare together.
 
 Liy 
 
 M 
 
 ^327 
 
 Lini f "VMien ? 
 
 Linyi = Lenyi. 
 
 Lipa ku-, to pay (a debt). 
 
 Lipia Jcu-, to pay (a person). 
 
 Lipiza Jiu-, to cause to be paid. 
 Kujilipiza, to take one's due, to 
 
 repay oneself. 
 Kujilipiza kasasi, to avenge one- 
 self, to take one's revenge. 
 
 Lisani, a piece of cloth put in 
 behind an opening, a flap to 
 obviate the effect of gaping at the 
 fastening, a tongue. See Kanzu. 
 
 Lisha Jcu-, to feed. 
 
 Lishisha kit-, to cause to be fed, to 
 cause people to give one food. 
 
 Liica ku-, to be eaten, to be worn 
 away, to be consumed. 
 
 Liica, a fragrant wood from Mada- 
 gascar, wiiich is ground up and 
 used as a cosmetic, and as an 
 application to cure prickly heat; 
 Madagascar sandal wood. 
 
 Liicali, plur. maliwali, for Al Walt, 
 
 Liza ka-, to sell to. [a governor. 
 
 Liza ku-, to make to weep. 
 
 Lizana ku-, to make one another 
 weep, to cry together. 
 
 -Zo, thy, your. 
 
 Lo, -lo; or -lo, which, representing 
 a singular noun of the class 
 which makes its plural in 7na. 
 Lo lote, whatsoever. 
 Hakufanya lo lote, he has done 
 nothing at all {neno under- 
 stood). 
 
 Loa ku-, to get wet with rain, &c. 
 
 Loga ku-, to bewitch, to practise 
 magic Mer.; 
 
 Lo or Loo ! Hullo ! An exclamation 
 of surprise; the number of o's 
 increases in proportion to the 
 amount of surprise. 
 
 Lote, all. See -ote. 
 
 Lo lote, whatsoever. 
 Lozi, an almond. 
 Luanga, a kind of bird. 
 Luha, a leech. 
 Lugha, language. 
 Lulu, a pearl. 
 
 Lumha ku-, to make a speech. 
 Lumhika ku-, to gather little by 
 
 little, to pick up small pieces one 
 
 by one. 
 Lumbwi, a chameleon (?). 
 Lutlitha, flavour, savour. 
 Luva, sandal wood (?). 
 
 M. 
 
 Mia pronounced as in English. 
 
 M before h generally represents 
 an n. Mb stands sometimes for 
 lib, Sia nyumba mbaya, for nyumba 
 n-baya; sometimes it represents mo 
 or nv, as mbingu for n-wingu. 
 
 M is frequently either followed 
 by w or u, or else has a sort of semi- 
 vowel power, as if preceded by a 
 half-suppressed w. 
 
 The natives of Zanzibar very 
 rarely say mu ; they change it into 
 um or rather 'm. Even Mivenyiezi 
 Muungu, Almighty God, becomes 
 'Mnyezimngu. 
 
 It is important to write *m, and 
 not m only, where it represents mu 
 if a & or 10 follow, because otherwise 
 the in might be supposed to coalesce 
 with them. Ifany other consonants 
 follow, it is immaterial, for m must 
 then always stand for mu, and be 
 capable of being pronounced as a 
 separate syllable. 
 
 Any verb may be turned into a 
 substantive by prefixing 'm or mw
 
 328 
 
 M- 
 
 MAA 
 
 to mean one who does, &c., followed 
 immediately by the object of the 
 verb or the thing done. The last 
 letter is sometimes changed into i 
 and liji is added to the substantive 
 it gets the sense of one who habit- 
 ually does what the verb signifies. 
 
 M-, 'm, mu; or mw-, sign of the 
 second person plural prefixed to 
 verbs. 
 M-, 'm, mu, or mic-, the singular 
 prefix of those nouns which 
 jnake their plural in ica-, if they 
 denote animate beings, or in mi-, 
 if they do not. 
 M-, 'm-, mu; or mw-, the prefix 
 proper for adjectives agreeing 
 with a singular substantive de- 
 noting an animate being, or with 
 any substantive beginning with 
 mu-, *m-. mw-, or u-. 
 -m-, -*m-, or -mw-, the objective 
 prefix referring to a singular 
 substantive denoting an animate 
 being. 
 M-, mu-, or mic-, the prefix proper to 
 pronouns governed by the case in 
 -ni, when it denotes within or in- 
 side of. 
 Ma-, the sign of the plural prefixed 
 to substantives (and to adjec- 
 tives agreeing with them) 
 which have either no prefix 
 in the singular or begin with j- 
 oxji-. 
 All words intended to denote 
 something specially great of 
 its kind make theii" plural in 
 Via-. 
 Foreign words denoting a person, 
 or an ofiSce, make their plural 
 in ma-. In the vulgar dialect 
 
 of Zanzibar nearly all foreign 
 words are made plural by pre- 
 fixing ma-. 
 Many plural nouns in ma- must be 
 translated as though they were 
 singulars, the true singular 
 being used only to denote some 
 one exceptionally large or im- 
 portant instance. 
 When followed by an i or e, the a 
 of ma coalesces with it and 
 forms a long e sound. 
 -ma-. See -we-. 
 Maaddm, while, during the time, 
 
 when. 
 Maadin = Madini. 
 
 Maadin ya Tdmjwa, what rises 
 into the mouth without inter- 
 nal cause, water-brash. 
 Maafikano, bargain, estimate, es- 
 teem. 
 Maagano, contract, agreement, 
 
 covenant. 
 Maagizo, commission, direction, re- 
 commendation. 
 Maahuli, diet. food. 
 Maalum, fixed, recognizable = Mli- 
 
 chotamhulihana. 
 Maana, meaning, reason, cause, 
 sake. 
 Eutia maanani, to remember, 
 think about. 
 Maandasl, biscuits, cakes, &c., also 
 
 pastry, preserves, 
 illoanc? «7t-o, writing, place for putting 
 out food, the act of spreadinsr a 
 meal, a description, things writ- 
 ten. 
 Maandishi, things which are writ- 
 ten, put out, set in order, &c. 
 Maanguko, ruin, fall, ruins. 
 Maa^mzi, judgment. 
 Maarifa, knowledge.
 
 M AA 
 
 M AH 
 
 329 
 
 Maaruf, understood, I understand. 
 Maasi, rebellion. 
 Maazal^ while. 
 Maazimo, a loan. 
 Mabaya, bad. See haya. 
 Mabakia, the remnant, what is or 
 
 was left. 
 MabicM, raw. See -bicM. 
 Mabiwi, heaps, piles of sticks and 
 
 rubbish. See Biici-. 
 Mabovu, rotten. See -ovu. 
 Maehache, few. See -chache. 
 Machela, a litter, a palanquin. 
 Machezo, a game, games. 
 Macho (sing, jicho), eyes. 
 Yu macho, he is awake. 
 Macho ya watu icaicili, or Mazitca 
 ya icatuwawili, dragon's blood. 
 Macho ya jua, the sun-rising, 
 east. 
 Machukio^ hatred, abomination, dis- 
 gust. 
 Machica ya jua, the sun-setting, 
 
 west. 
 Madaha, a graceful manner. 
 Madanganya, deception, trick. 
 Madaraha, arrangements, provision. 
 Madefu, beard. 
 Madevu, a kind of rice. 
 Madifu, the fibrous envelope of the 
 
 cocoa-nut leaves, 
 Madini, metal, a mine. 
 Madoadoa, spotted. 
 Madogovi, a kind of drumming, &c. , 
 
 used in exorcisms. 
 Maficho, concealment. 
 Mafu, death, dead things. 
 Maji mafu, neap tides. 
 Mafua, a chest complaint causing 
 a cough, a cold in the head, a 
 stoppage in the nose. 
 Mafundisho, instruction, precept, 
 direction. 
 
 ; Mafundo, cross-btaras in a dhow, to 
 steady the mast, &c. 
 
 Mafungulia, unfastening. 
 
 Mafungtdia ng'ombe, about 8 a.m. 
 
 Mafupi, short. See -fupi. 
 
 Ma/usho, steam from a pot of ma- 
 jani, used as a vapour-bath in 
 fever, &c. 
 
 Mafuta, oil, fat. 
 
 Mafuta ya uta, semsem oil. 
 Mafuta ya mbariha, castor oil. 
 
 Mafuu, crazy, cracked. 
 
 Mufya, Monfia. 
 
 Mafya (smg.jifya), the three stones 
 used to put a pot over the fire 
 upon. 
 
 Magadi, rough soda. 
 
 Magamba, scales of a fish. 
 
 Maganda, peel, husks. 
 
 Magarasa, 8, 9, and 10 in cards 
 (not used in playing). 
 
 Mageuzi, changes. 
 
 Maghofira, remission of sins. 
 
 Maghrebbi, or Magaribi, or Ma- 
 7?<7aribi, sunset, the sunset prayers 
 of the Mohammedans, the west, 
 Morocco. 
 
 Maghrib ayuh, N.W. 
 
 Maghrib ahrab, S.W. 
 
 Maghuba, the winding of a stream. 
 
 Mago. See Kago. 
 
 Magongonene. See Kanzu. 
 
 Magugu, weeds, undergrowth. 
 
 Magundalo, an instrument of tor- 
 ture, in which the victim is sus- 
 pended, and weights being at- 
 tached to him, he is jerked up 
 
 ^and down. Used for extracting 
 evidence. 
 
 Mahaba, love, fondness. 
 
 Mahala or Mahali, place, places. 
 Mahali pa, in place of, instead of. 
 Mahali pate, everywhere.
 
 330 
 
 MAH 
 
 M AK 
 
 Mdhana (Ar.), excessive worry. 
 Maharazi, a shoemaker's awl, 
 Mahari, dowry paid by the liusband 
 
 to the wife's relations. 
 Mahati, a carpenter's tool used for 
 
 marking lines to a measure. 
 Mahazamu, a shawl worn round the 
 
 waist. 
 Mahindi, Indian corn, maize. 
 Mahiri, clever, quick. 
 MaholM, devil, evil spirits, madness. 
 Maisha, life, continuance. 
 
 Maisha na milele, now and for 
 ever. 
 Haiti = Mayiti, a dead body, a 
 
 corpse. 
 Mnjahaha, dock for ships. 
 Majana (?), honeycomb. 
 Majani, grass. The singular,Jon«, 
 means a leaf. 
 
 Bangi ya majani, green. 
 
 Majani ya picani, gra<s wort, 
 samphire (?). 
 Majaribu or Majeribu, trial, tempta- 
 tion. 
 Majazo, reward. 
 Majengo, building materials. 
 Majeribu = Majaribu. 
 Majeruhi, wounded. 
 Maji, water, liquid, juice, sap. 
 
 3Iaji maji, wet. 
 
 Kama maji, fluently. 
 
 Maji kujaa na kupu:a, the tides. 
 
 Maji ya pepo, Maji ya baridi 
 Maji matamu, fresh water. 
 
 Maji mafu, neap-tides. 
 
 3Iaji a baliari, blue, sea-water 
 colour. ^ 
 
 Maji a moto, hot water, a large 
 yellow kind of ant which makes 
 its nest in trees. 
 Majibu, an answer. 
 Majilio, coming, or mode of coming. 
 
 Majilipa, revenge. 
 
 Majira, time. 
 
 Mdjira, course of a ship. 
 
 Majonsi, grief for a loss. 
 
 Majori, an elder. 
 
 Majuni, a cake made of opium, &c., 
 
 very intoxicating. 
 Majutio, regret, sorrow for some- 
 thing done. 
 Majuto, regret, repentance. 
 Mahaa, coal, coals, embers. 
 
 Makaa ya miti, charcoal. 
 Makalalao, cockroaches ; applied in 
 
 derision to the Malagazy colony 
 
 in Zanzibar. 
 Malcali, fierce. See -halt. 
 Makanadili, places in the stern of 
 
 native craft, the quarter galleries 
 
 of a dhow. 
 Makani, dwelling, dwelling-place. 
 Mukao, dwelling, dwelling-place. 
 Makasi, scissors. 
 
 Makatazo, prohibition, objections. 
 Makatibu, agreement. 
 Makavu, dry. See -kavu. 
 Makazi, dwelling. 
 Makengeza, squinting, a squint. 
 Maki, thickness. 
 
 Nguo ya maki, stout cloth. 
 Makimbilio, refuge, place to run to. 
 Makindano, objections. 
 Makini, leisure, quietness. 
 Makiri, a thumb-cleat in the side of 
 
 a dhow. 
 Makosa, fault, faults, mistakes, sins. 
 Makoza (obscene) testicles. 
 J^aksai, a bullock, castrated. 
 Makuhwa or Makuu, great. See 
 
 -kubwa and -kuu. 
 Makukuu, old. See -kukuu. 
 Mdkuli, diet. 
 
 Makulya, food [Tumbatu]. 
 Makumbi, cocoa-nut fibre.
 
 MAK 
 
 MAN 
 
 331 
 
 Mdkumhi ya popoo, areca-nut 
 
 husk. 
 Mdkumhi ya usumha, cocoa-fibre 
 cleaned for mattresses, &c. 
 
 Makumi, tens. 
 
 Makumi mawili, twenty. 
 
 Makupaa, the sheaves at the mast- 
 head of a dhow, through which 
 the henza leads. 
 
 Makiisanyiko, place of assembly, 
 assembly. 
 
 Makusudi, purpose, design, on pur- 
 pose, designedly. 
 
 Makutano, assemblage. 
 
 Makuti, leaves of the cocoa-nut tree. 
 Makuti ya viungo, leaflets made 
 
 up for thatching. 
 Makuti ya kumha, leaves plaited 
 
 for fences. 
 Makuti ya pande, half leaves 
 plaited for fences or roofs. 
 
 Makwa, the notching and shaping 
 at the end of a pole to receive 
 the wall-plate of a house. 
 
 Malaika (plur. of Laika), the hair 
 on the hands and arms. 
 
 Malaika, an angel, angels. A baby 
 is often called malaika. 
 
 Malaki or Malki, a king. 
 
 Malalo, sleeping-place. 
 
 Malazi, things to lie upon. 
 
 Malazie — Marathie. 
 
 Malele, orchilla weed. 
 
 Malelezi, changes of the rnonsoon, 
 time of the easterly and westerly 
 winds. 
 
 Malenga, a singer. 
 
 Mali, goods, property, riches. Pro- 
 perly a singular noun making 
 no change for the plural, but 
 treated sometimes as a plural in 
 ma-. 
 
 MaUdadi, a dandy. 
 
 Maliki ku-, to begin a building, a 
 boat, or a house. 
 
 Malimo, master, navigator. In the 
 canoes on the Zambezi the steers- 
 man is called malimo. 
 
 Malimwengu, business, affairs, mat- 
 ters of this life. 
 
 Malindi, Melinda. 
 
 Malio ya kiko, the bubbling sound 
 of the water when a native pipe is 
 being smoked. 
 
 Maliza ku-, to complete, to finish, 
 
 Malki or Malaki, a king. 
 
 Malkia, a queen. 
 
 Mama, mother. 
 
 Mama wa kamho, stepmother. 
 
 Mamha, a crocodile. 
 
 Mamha, the scales of a fish (M.). 
 
 Mambo, circumstances, affairs, 
 tLiugs (plur. of Jamho). 
 
 Mamiye (Mer.), his mother. 
 
 Mamlaka, power, authority, domi- 
 nion. 
 
 Mamoja, ones, same. 
 
 Mamoja pia, it is all one, I don't 
 care. 
 
 Mana = Mwana, 
 
 Manamize, a name for a hermit 
 crab. 
 
 Manane. 
 
 Usiku wa manane, the dead of 
 night. 
 
 Manda, a loaf. 
 
 Mandasi, a pudding. See Maan- 
 da si. 
 
 Manemane, myrrh. 
 
 Maneno, language, message, busi- 
 ness, matters, things (plur. of 
 Neno). 
 Maneno ya fumha, dark sayings. 
 Maneno ya Eiunguja, &c.. the 
 language of Zanzibar, &c. 
 
 Manga. Arabia.
 
 332 
 
 MAN 
 
 MAR 
 
 Mangaribi, sunset. See Maghrehbi. 
 
 3Iangi, many. See -ngi. 
 
 Mangiri or Marikiri, a cross-piece 
 
 at the bows of a dhow for fastening 
 
 the tack of the sail. 
 Mango, a round hard black stone 
 
 used to grind with. 
 Mang'ung'um, secretly, in fearful 
 
 expectation. 
 Mani (obscene), semen. 
 Mani, a weight, about three rattel. 
 Manjano, turmeric. 
 
 Bangi a manjano, yellow. 
 ManMri. See Mangiri. 
 Manoleo(&mg. noZeo), the ring where 
 
 the blade of a knife issues from 
 
 the handle. 
 Manuka, smell, scent. 
 ManuJcato, scent, good smells. 
 Manyang'amba, flour balls in a 
 
 sweet sauce. 
 Manyiga, a hornet. 
 Manyoya, feathers of a bird, hair of 
 
 a goat. 
 Manyunyo, a shower, a sprinkle. 
 Maomboleza, loud wailing. 
 Maomvi, begging. 
 Maondi, taste. 
 
 Maondoleo, removing, taking away. 
 Maongezi, conversation, amusement. 
 Maongo, the back. 
 Maonji, tasting, trying. 
 Maoteo, growth from old mtama 
 
 stools. 
 Maotwe, Mayotte. 
 Mapalilo, hoeing-up time, hoeing 
 
 between the crops. 
 Mapana, broad. See -pana. 
 Mapatano, agreement, conspiracy. 
 Mapema, early. 
 Mapendano, mutual affection. 
 Mapendezi, pleasing things, the 
 
 being pleased. 
 
 Mapendo, affection, esteem. 
 
 Mapenzi, liking, affection, pleasure, 
 love, things which are loved. 
 
 Mapepeta, a preparation of imma- 
 ture rice. 
 
 Ma-pigano, a figbt, a battle. 
 
 Mapiswa, silliness, dotage. 
 
 Mapoza, remedy, healing things. 
 
 Mapooza, things which do not serve 
 their purpose, fruit which drops 
 prematurely. 
 
 Mapululu, the wilderness. 
 
 Mapumbu, testicles, the scrotum. 
 
 Mara, a time, sometimes, at once. 
 Mara moja, once, at once. 
 Mara mbili, twice. 
 Mara ya pili, the second time. 
 Mara nyingi, often. 
 Mara kwa mar a, from time to 
 
 time. 
 Mara ngapi^ how many times, 
 how often ? 
 
 Maradufu, double. 
 
 Marahaba, thanks, very well, wel- 
 come. 
 
 Marakaralta, chequered, spotty. 
 
 Maraaharasha, a sprinkle, sprink- 
 ling. 
 
 MarasM, scents. 
 
 Maraslii maivaridi or ya mzomari, 
 rose-water. 
 
 Marathi, disease, sickness. 
 
 Marathie, sociable. 
 
 Sina kiburi, maratliie mimi, I am 
 not above fraternizing. 
 
 Marefu, long. See -refu. 
 
 Maregeo, return, reference. 
 
 Mareliemu, that has obtained mercy, 
 deceased. 
 
 Marejeo, return. 
 
 Marfua, a desk, book-rest. 
 
 Marimba = Marahaba. 
 
 Marhamu, ointment.
 
 MAR 
 
 MAT 
 
 30( 
 
 Marigeli, a large pot. 
 
 Marijani,xed coral, imitation coral, 
 gum copal. 
 Marijani ya fethdluka, the true 
 red coral. 
 
 Marika, a person of the same age. 
 
 Marika, Merka, a town on the So- 
 mauli coast. 
 
 Marikabu = Marikehu = Mtrikebu, 
 a ship. 
 
 Marindi, the little flap of beads 
 worn by a string round the loins 
 by native women. 
 
 Marisaa, shot, small shot. 
 
 MarWiawa, abundance, plenty of 
 space, material, &c, 
 
 Marizabu, a spout. 
 
 Marra = Mara, time, times. 
 
 Mavufuku, a forbidden thing, pro- 
 hibited. 
 Kupiga marufuku, to give public 
 notice against. 
 
 Marungu (M.), biliousness. 
 
 Masahaha, the companions of Mo- 
 hammed. 
 
 Masafi, purity. 
 
 3Iasaibu, calamity. 
 
 Masakasa (Yao), an encampment. 
 
 Masakini, or Maskini, or Meskini, 
 poor, a poor person. 
 
 Masalkheiri, good afternoon. 
 
 Masameho, pardon. 
 
 Masango, wire. 
 
 Masanufi, a kerchief used for throw- 
 ing over the shoulders, &c. 
 
 Masazo, what is left, remainder. 
 
 Mashairi, verses, poetry. 
 Shairi, one line of verse. 
 
 Mashaka, doubts, difficulty. 
 
 Mashamba, the countiy. Plural of 
 Shamba, a plantation. 
 
 Mashapo, sediment. 
 
 Mashariki, the east, easterly. 
 
 Mashendea, rice which is watery 
 
 and imperfectly cooked. 
 Mashindano, a race. 
 Mashindo. 
 
 Kwenda kica mashindo, to trot. 
 Mashtaka, accusation. 
 Mashua, a boat, boats, a launch. 
 Maahur or Mashuhur, remarkable. 
 
 notable. 
 Mashutumio, reproaches, revilings. 
 Mashutumu, reviling. 
 Mashuzi, breaking wind, 
 
 Fathili ya putida ni mashuzi = 
 You cannot make a silk purse 
 out of a sow's ear. 
 Masia. 
 
 Kwenda masia, to walk up and 
 down, 
 Masika, the rainy season, t.e., Marcli, 
 
 April, and May. 
 Masikani, a dwelling. 
 Masikini = Masakini. 
 Masingizio, slander. 
 Masiwa, the Comoro Islands and 
 
 Madagascar. 
 Masizi, grime, soot, &c., on the 
 
 bottom of cooking pots. 
 Maskini = Masakini. 
 Masombo, a girdle of cloth. 
 Masri =■ Misri, Egypt. 
 Masruf, provisions. 
 Masua, giddiness. 
 
 Nina masua, I am giddy. 
 Masukuo, a whet-stone. 
 Masuto, reproaches. 
 Mata, bows and arrows, weapons. 
 Mataajabu, wonders, astonishment. 
 Matakatifu, holiness. 
 Matako, the seat. 
 Matakioa, request, want, desire. 
 Matambavu, the side, a man's side. 
 Mata'mko, pronunciatiou. 
 Matamu, sweet. See -tamu.
 
 334 
 
 MAT 
 
 MAV 
 
 Matamvua, fringe. 
 
 MatandiJco, bedding, harness, v.hat 
 
 is spread. 
 Mafana, leprosy. 
 Matanga, large mats, sails. 
 Kykaa matanga, to keep a formal 
 mourning, generally for from 
 five to ten days. 
 Kuondoa matanga, to put an end 
 
 to the mourning. 
 Matanga kati, wind abeam. 
 Matangamano, a crowd. 
 Matata, a tangle, an embroilment. 
 
 Kutia matata, to tangle. 
 Matayo, reproaches, revilings. 
 Mate, spittle. 
 Mategemeo, props, a prop, support, 
 
 protection. 
 Mateka^ spoil, booty, prisoners. 
 Matemhezi, a walk. 
 Matengo, the outriggers of a canoe. 
 Mateso, afflictions, adversity. 
 Mateto, quarrel. 
 Mathahahu = Mathhah. 
 Mathabuha, a victim, a sacrifice. 
 Mathahabi or Mathhah, sect, persua- 
 sion. 
 Mathara, mischief, harm. 
 Mathhah, an altar. 
 iTIai/ie/iebM, manners, habits, customs, 
 
 = Mathahabi (?). 
 Matilo, lift from the after part of a 
 yard to the mast-head of a dhow. 
 Matindi, half-grown Indian corn. 
 Matindo, a slaughter-house, a place 
 
 for killing beasts. 
 Matiti. 
 
 Kwenda hwa matiti, to trot. 
 Matlaa, the east wind. 
 Matlaa mjuk, N.E. 
 Matlaa akrab, S.B. 
 Matlai = Matlaa. 
 Mato, eyes (M.). 
 
 Matoazi, cymbals. 
 Matokeo, going-out places. 
 
 Matokeo ya hari, pores of tlie 
 skin. 
 Matomoko, a custard apple. 
 Matubwitubivi, mumps. 
 Matukano^&lthy and insulting ex- 
 pressions, such as — 
 Mwana kumanyoko. 
 Mwana wa haramu. 
 Kazoakazoa. 
 Kumanina. 
 Matukio, accidents, things which 
 
 happen. 
 Matumaini, confidence, hope. 
 Matumbawi, fresh coral, cut from 
 below high- water mark : it is 
 used for roofs and where lightness 
 is an object. 
 Matumho, the entrails. 
 Matupu, bare. See -tupu. 
 Maturuma, stiflTeners put on a door, 
 the knees in a dhow, ribs of a 
 boat, &c. 
 Matusu, bad and abusive language. 
 Matuvumu, accusation, blame. 
 Maua (plur. of Ua), flowers, 
 Maulizo, questions, questioning. 
 Maumivu, pain. 
 
 Maungo, the back, the backbone. 
 Mauthuru, unable. 
 Mauti, death. 
 Mavao, dress, dressing. 
 Mavazi, dress, clothes. Plural of 
 
 Vazi. 
 Mavi, dung, droppings, excrement. 
 
 Mavi ya chuma, dross. 
 Mavilio. See Vilio. 
 Mavulio, clothes cast off and given 
 to another, clothes worn by one 
 who is not their owner. 
 Mavunda, one who breaks every- 
 thing he has to do with.
 
 MAV 
 
 MB I 
 
 335 
 
 Mavundevuncle, broken, scattered 
 
 clouds. 
 Mavumi, hum of voices. 
 Mavuno, harvest, reaping. 
 
 Mavuno ya nyuki, honeycomb. 
 Mavuzi (plur. of Vuzi), the hair of 
 
 the pubes. 
 Mawazi, clear. See loazi. 
 Maice (plur. of Jiwe), stones, stone. 
 
 Ya mawe, of stone. 
 
 Mawe ya kusagia, a hand-mill. 
 
 Mawe, a vulgar ejaculation, rub- 
 bish! 
 Mawili, both. 
 Mawimbi (plur. of Wimhi), surf, a 
 
 sea. 
 Maivindo, game, produce of hunt- 
 ing. 
 Mayayi. See Yayi. 
 Mayiti, a dead body. 
 Alayugica, a green vegetable cooked 
 
 like spinach. 
 Mazao, fruit, produce. 
 Maziko, burial-place. 
 Mazinga omboy sleight of hand 
 
 (Comoro). 
 Mazingiwa, a siege. 
 Mazingombioe, magic, witchcraft. 
 Mazishiy burial clothes, furniture, 
 
 &c. 
 Mazvca, milk, (plur. of Zhca) 
 breasts, lakes. 
 
 Maziwa mabivu, curdled milk. 
 
 Maziwa ya watu wawili, dragon's 
 blood. 
 Mazoea, custom. 
 
 Mazoezo, habits, customs, practice. 
 MazoJca, evil spirits. 
 Mazu, a kind of banana. 
 Mazumgu'inzOy amusement, conver- 
 sation. 
 Mbali, far off, separate. 
 
 Mbali mbali, distinct, different. 
 
 Potelea mbali! Go and be hanged ! 
 Tumivulie mbali, let us kill him 
 
 out of the way. 
 When used with the applied 
 forms of verbs, it means that 
 the person or thing is by that 
 means got rid of, or put out of 
 the way. 
 Mbango, a bird with a parrot-like 
 beak, a person with projecting 
 teeth. 
 Mbano, a circumcising instrument. 
 Mbau (plur. of Ubau), planks. 
 'Mbau, plur. mibau, planking, tim- 
 bers. 
 ^Mbaruti, plur. mibaruti, a weed 
 with yellow flowers and thistle- 
 like leaves powdered with white. 
 Mbasua, giddiness. 
 Mbata, a cocoa-nut which has dried 
 in the shell so as to rattle, with- 
 out being spoilt. 
 Mbati, wall-plate. 
 Mbavu, ribs, side. 
 
 Mbavuni, alongside. 
 Mbawa, wing feathers. See Vbaica. 
 Mbayani, clear, manifest. 
 Mbayuwayu, a swallow (A.). 
 Mbega, a kind of monkey, black, 
 with long white hair on the 
 Mbegu, seed, seeds. [shoulders. 
 
 'Mbeja. 
 
 'Mbeja wa hani, young man of 
 strength. 
 Mbele, before, in front, further on. 
 Mbele ya, before, in front of. 
 Kuendelea mbele, to go forward. 
 Mbeleni, in the front. This word 
 is used in Zanzibar with an 
 obscene sense. 
 Mbeyu = Mbegu, seed. 
 Mbilo, plur. mibibo, a cashew-nu: 
 tree. 
 
 z 2
 
 336 
 
 MBI 
 
 MCH 
 
 Mbiehi, fresh. See -hicM. 
 ]\Thigili, small thorns, briers. 
 Mbili, two. See -wiU. 
 
 Mbili mbili, two by two. 
 Mbiliwili, the wrist (?). 
 Mbingu, plur. of Uwingu, the skies, 
 
 the heavens, heaven. 
 Mbio, running, fast. 
 
 Kwpiga mbio, to run, to gallop. 
 Mbiomba, mother's sister, aunt. 
 Mbirambi zako, be comforted. A 
 
 Swahili greeting to one who has 
 
 just lost a relative. 
 Mbisi, parched Indian com. 
 Mhiu, a proclamation, public notice. 
 Mbivu, ripe. See -bivu and -wivic. 
 Mbizi. 
 
 Kupiga mbizi, to dive. 
 Mboga, vegetables, greens. 
 
 BIboga mnanaa, a kind of mint. 
 'Mboga, plur. miboga, a pumpkin 
 
 plant. 
 Mboleo, manure. 
 
 Mbona? Why? for what reason? 
 ^ Used especially with negatives. 
 Blboni ya jicho, the apple of the 
 Mbono, castor-oil plant (?). [eye. 
 Mboo, the penis. 
 JSIboto, a climbing plant yielding a 
 
 superior kind of oil. 
 Iflbovu, bad, rotten, corrupt. See 
 
 -ovu and -bovu. 
 Mbu = Imbu, a mosquito. 
 Mbui, a buffalo's horn, which is 
 
 beaten as a musical instrument. 
 Mbuja^ a swell, dandy, gracefully. 
 
 Kusema mbuja, to say elegantly. 
 Mbulu, a crocodile (?). 
 Mbungu, a hurricane (Kishenzi). 
 Mbuni, an ostrich. 
 Mbuyu, plur. mibuyu, a baobab 
 
 tree, a calabash tree. They are 
 
 generally looked upon as haunted. 
 
 Mbuzi, a goat, goats. 
 
 Mbuzi ya hukunia nazi, an iron 
 to scrape cocoa-nut for cooking 
 with. 
 Mbwa, a dog, dogs. 
 
 Mbwa wa mwitu, a jackal, 
 jackals. 
 Mbwayi, wild, fierce. 
 Mbwe, little pebbles, little white 
 
 stones larger than changarawi. 
 Hlbweha, a fox. 
 Mbweu, eructation, belching. 
 Mclia, one who fears. 
 
 Mclia Jfzmngu, a God-fearing man. 
 Mchafu, filthy. 
 
 Mcliago, the pillow end of the bed. 
 Mchahacho, footsteps (?). 
 Mchana or Mtana, daylight, day- 
 time, day. 
 Mchanga or 3Itanga, sand. 
 McJiarci, plur. wachawi, a wizard. 
 3Ifhayi, lemon grass. 
 Mche, plur. Miche, a plant, a slip, a 
 
 seedling. 
 Mche, a kind of wood much used in 
 
 Zanzibar. 
 Mchekeshaji, plur. wachehesliaji, a 
 
 merry body, one who is alwajs 
 
 laughing. 
 Mcliele, cleaned grain, especially 
 
 rice. 
 Mchelema, watery. 
 MchesM, a merry fellow, a laugher. 
 Mchezo, plur. michezo, a game. 
 
 Mchezo wake huyu, it is this man's 
 turn to play. 
 Mchi, plur. micM, or Mti, plur, miti, 
 
 the pestle used to pound or to 
 
 clean corn with. Also a screw 
 
 of paper to put groceries in (?). 
 McMclia, plur. michicha, a common 
 
 spinach -like plant used as a 
 
 vegetable.
 
 MCH 
 
 MEK 
 
 Mcldliichi, plur. micliildchi, the 
 palm-oil tree. 
 
 Mchilizi, plur. michilizi, the eaves. 
 
 Mchiro, plur. wacMro, a mangouste. 
 
 Mchochoro, passage, an opening be- 
 tween. 
 
 Mcliofu = Mclwvu. 
 
 Mchongoma, plur, micliongoma, a 
 thorny shrub with white flowers 
 and a small black edible fruit. 
 
 Mchorochoro, a rapid writer. 
 
 McTcovu, plur. wachovu, weary, lan- 
 guid, easily tired, tiring, tire- 
 some. 
 
 Mchumba, a sweetheart, one who 
 seeks or is sought by another 
 in marriage. 
 Mhe mchumha, widow (?). 
 
 Mchumhuluru, a kind of fish. 
 
 Mchunga (or Mtunga), plur. wa- 
 chunga, a herdman, a groom, one 
 who has the care of animals. 
 
 Mcliungaji, a herdsman, shepherd. 
 
 Mchuruzi, plur. Wachuruzi, one who 
 keeps a stall, a trader in a very 
 small way. 
 
 Mchuzi, or Mtuzi, curry, gravy, soup. 
 
 Mcli ica, white ants. 
 
 Mda or Muda, a space of time, the 
 space, &c. 
 
 Mda, plur. mida (?), a piece of plank 
 propped up to support a frame- 
 work, &c. = 'mu7ida. 
 
 Mdago, a kind of weed. 
 
 Mdalasini, cinnamon. 
 
 MdaraJiani, an Indian stuff. 
 
 Mdaicari. 
 
 He mdawari, the softer Arabic h, 
 the he. 
 
 Mdeli — Mdila. 
 
 Mdila, plur. midila, a coffee-pot. 
 
 Mdomo, plur. midomo, the lip. 
 Mdomo tea ndege^ a bird's beak. 
 
 ' Mdudu, plur. wadudu, an insect. 
 Mdudu, a whitlow. 
 Mdukico, a push in the cheek. 
 j Mdumu, a mug. 
 il/e-, see ilia-. Many words are pro- 
 nounced with ma- at Mombas, 
 and with me- at Zanzibar. 
 •me-, the sign of the tense which 
 denotes an action complete at 
 the moment of speaking, an- 
 swering to the English tense 
 with have. Sometimes it is 
 used to denote an action com- 
 plete at the time referred to, 
 and must then be translated by 
 had. 
 This tense may often be used 
 as a translation of the past 
 participle. 
 Yu hayi, ao amehufa ? Is he 
 
 alive or dead ? 
 
 Most Swahili verbs denoting a 
 
 state Imve in their present 
 
 tense tbc meaning of entering 
 
 that state or becoming, and in 
 
 the -me- tense the meaning of 
 
 having entered or being in it. 
 
 In some cases the -me- tense is 
 
 best rendered by another verb. 
 
 Anavaa, he is putting on, amevaa, 
 
 he wears. 
 In some dialects the me is pro- 
 nounced ma. 
 Mea ku-, to grow, to be growable. 
 Medun, tortoiseshell. 
 Mega ku-, to break a piece, or gather 
 up a lump and put it in one's 
 mouth, to feed oneself out of the 
 common dish with one's hand, as 
 is usual in Zanzibar. 
 Mekameka ku-, to glitter, to shine. 
 Meko (plur. of Jiko), a fireplace. 
 Mekoni, a kitchen, in the kitchen.
 
 138 
 
 MEM 
 
 MFU 
 
 Memetuka ku- (A.), to sparkle. 
 Mende, a cockroach, cockroaches. 
 
 Also a slang term for a rupee. 
 Mengi or Mangi, many. See -ngi. 
 Meno (plur. of Jino), teeth. 
 Menomeno, battlements. 
 Menya ku-, to shell, to husk, to 
 Menya ku-, to beat (Kiyao). [peel. 
 Merikebu, a ship, ships. 
 
 Merikebu ya serikali, a ship be- 
 longing to the government. 
 Merikehu ya mizinga or manowari, 
 
 a man-of-war. 
 Merikehu ya <oy'a, a merchant ship. 
 Merikehu ya milingote mitatu, a 
 
 full-rigged ship. 
 Merikehu ya milingote miicili na 
 
 nussu, a barque. 
 Merikehu ya doJiaan or ya moshi, 
 a steamship. 
 Merima, the mainland of Africa, 
 especially the coast south of 
 Zanzibar. 
 Wamerima, people who live on 
 
 the coast south of Zanzibar. 
 Kimerima, the dialect of Swahili 
 spoken on the coast south of 
 Zanzibar. 
 Merimeta ku-, to glitter, to shine. 
 Meshmaa, a candle, candles. 
 Mesiki or Meski, musk, scent. 
 Meskiti = Moskiti, a mosque. 
 Metameta, to shine, to glitter. 
 Methili or Methali, like, a parable. 
 Meza, a table. 
 Meza ku-, to swallow. 
 Mezawwereh 
 
 Waraka mezaioicereh, forgery. 
 Mfaa, centre piece of a door. 
 Mfalme, plur. icafalme, a king. 
 Mfano, plur. mifano, a likeness. 
 Mfano tea maneno, a proverb, a 
 parable. 
 
 Mfanyi biashara, plur. wafanyi, a 
 
 man who does business, a trader, 
 
 a merchant. 
 Mfariji, plur. wafariji, a comforter. 
 Mfathili, plur. uafathili, one who 
 
 does kindnesses. 
 Mfeleji, a water channel. 
 Mfilisika, a bankrupt. 
 Mfinangi, plur. u-afinangi, a potter. 
 Mfinessi, plur. mifinessi, a jack fruit 
 
 tree. 
 Mfu, plur. wafu, a dead person. 
 Mfua, plur. wafua, a smith, a 
 worker in metal. 
 
 Mfua chuma, a blacksmith. 
 
 Mfua fetha, &c., a silversmith, &c. 
 Mfuasi, plur. wafuasi, a follower, a 
 
 retainer, a hanger-on. 
 3Ifnko, plur. mifuko, a bag, a 
 
 pocket. 
 Mfuma, plur. wafuma, a weaver. 
 Mfumhati, plur. mifumhati,ihe side- 
 pieces of a bedstead. 
 MfunguQ, a name applied to nine of 
 the Arab months. 
 
 Mfunguo wa mosi, is the Arab 
 
 Mfunguo ica pili, is the Arab 
 
 Th'il Kaada. 
 Mfunguo wa tatu, is the Arab 
 
 ThHl Hajj. 
 MfunguA) wa ^nne, is the Arab 
 
 Moharram. 
 Mfunguo wa tano, is the Arab 
 
 Safr. 
 Mfunguo wa sita, is the Arab 
 
 Eabia al aoical. 
 Mfunguo wa saha, is the Arab 
 
 Bahia al aklir. 
 Mfunguo wa none, is the Arab 
 
 Jemad al aoical. 
 Mfunguo tea kenda, is the Arab 
 
 Jemad al aklir.
 
 MFU 
 
 MIK 
 
 3.^9 
 
 Mfunguo wa is often so pro- 
 nounced as to sound like 
 Fungiia. 
 The other three months, Eajdb, 
 Shaaban, and RamatliaUj keep 
 tlieir Arabic name?. 
 Mfuo, plur. mifuo, a stripe. 
 
 Karatasi ya mifuo, ruled paper. 
 Mfupa, plur. mifupa, a bone. 
 Mfuto, winning five games out of 
 
 six at cards. 
 Mfyozi, an abusive person. 
 Mgala, plur. wagala, a Galla. 
 Mganda, plur. miganda, a sheaf or 
 
 bundle of rice. 
 Mganga, plur. waganga, a medicine 
 man, a doctor, a dealer in white 
 magic. 
 Mgao, a place near Cape Delgado. 
 Mgawo, a deal in card-playing. 
 Mgeni, plur. wageni, a guest, a 
 
 foreigner. 
 Mghad, a horse's canter. 
 
 Kwenda mghad, to canter. 
 Mgine = Mwingine, another, other. 
 Mgogoro, an obstacle in a road, a 
 stumbling-block. In slang, a 
 nuisance, crush, worry. 
 Mgoja or Mngoja, plur. wagoja, one 
 who waits, a sentinel. 
 Mgoja mlango, a door-keeper, a 
 porter. 
 Mgomha, plur. migomha, a banana 
 
 tree. 
 Mgombwe, bull's-mouth shell. Cassis 
 
 rubra. 
 Mgomvi, plur. wagomvi, a quarrel- 
 some person, a brawler. 
 Mgonda, a slave's clout. 
 Mgongo, plur. migongo, the back, 
 the backbone. 
 Nyumha ya mgongo, a penthouse 
 roof. 
 
 Mgonjica or Mgonjua, plur. imgon- 
 jwa, a sick person, an invalid. 
 
 Mf/o^e = Mlingote, a mast. 
 
 Mgunda, cultivated land. 
 
 Mgunya, plur. Wagunya, a native of 
 the country between Siwe and 
 the Juba. 
 
 Mguruguru, plur. waguruguru, a 
 large kind of burrowing lizard. 
 
 Mguu, plur. miguu, the leg from the 
 
 knee downward, the foot. 
 
 Kwenda Jtica miguu, to walk. 
 
 m,-. See iHwTi. 
 
 3IJialbori. See Kanzu. 
 
 Mlv'mili, plur. mihilimi, a girder, a 
 beam, a bearing post, a prop. 
 
 Mhulu, a large tree lizard. 
 
 Mhunzi, plur. wahunzi, a black- 
 smith. 
 
 Me-, plural prefix of substantives, 
 and of adjectives agreeing with 
 them, which begin in the singular 
 with m-, or 'm-, mu-, or mio-, and 
 do not denote animate beings. 
 
 -mi, an objective sufBx denoting 
 the first person singular. This 
 sufBx is poetical, not used in 
 Zanzibar. 
 
 Mia, a hundred. 
 
 Miteen, two hundred. 
 
 Mialamu, the ends of a piece of 
 cloth. 
 
 MiasMri, pieces lying fore and aft 
 to receive the stepping of the 
 
 Miayo, yawning, a yawn. [mast. 
 
 Miha or Miiba, thorns. 
 
 Mibau, timbers. 
 
 Mifuo, bellows. 
 
 Mikaha, marriage. 
 
 Mikamhe. 
 
 Kupiga mikamhe, in bathing, to 
 duck down and throw over one 
 leg, striking the water with it.
 
 340 
 
 MIL 
 
 M JU 
 
 Mila, a custom. 
 Milamba. 
 
 Kioenda milamha, to go round by 
 a new road to avoid war or 
 some other obstacle, to strike 
 out a new way. 
 Milele, eternity. 
 
 Ya milele, eternal. 
 Milhoi, jins, which having been 
 
 merely singed, not killed by the 
 
 missiles of the angels, lurk in 
 
 by-places to deceive and harm 
 
 people. 
 Miliki = MUM. 
 Miliki hu; to reign, to possess. 
 Milki, kingdom, possession, pro- 
 perty. 
 Milumbe, a speech, an over-long 
 
 speech. 
 Mimba, pregnancy. 
 
 Kuwa na mimba or Kuchuhua 
 mimha, to be pregnant. 
 
 Kuharihu mimha, to miscarry. 
 Mimbara, the pulpit in a mosque. 
 Mimi, I, me. , 
 
 Mimina hu-, to pour, to pour over. 
 Miminika hu-, to be poured over, to 
 
 be spilt, to overflow. 
 Mingi, many. See -ingi. 
 Mingine, others. See -ingine. 
 Mini (Ar.), right. 
 
 Mini wa shemali, right and left. 
 Minyonoa, a kind of flowering 
 
 acacia. 
 Miongoni mwa, in respect of, as to, 
 
 on the part of, from among. 
 Miraha, muscles. See Mr aha. 
 Mirisaa, shot. 
 Mishithari, crooked. 
 Misho, Russia. 
 Misri, Egypt. 
 Miteen, two hundred. 
 Miunsi, a whistling. 
 
 Miusi, black. See -eusi. 
 
 Miica (plur. of Mud), sugar-canes. 
 
 Miwali, midribs of a palm-leaf. 
 
 Miivani, spectacles. 
 
 Miyaa, leaves for making mats. 
 
 Miye, me, it is I. 
 
 Mizani, balances, steelyard, scales. 
 
 Mizi, roots (M.). 
 
 Mizizi, roots, rootlets. 
 
 3Ija na maji, one who has come 
 over the sea, a foreigner. Also, 
 a slave. 
 
 Mjahazi, plur. wajahazi, a woman 
 slave. 
 
 Mjanga, Bembatooka bay in Mada- 
 gascar. 
 
 Mjangao, melancholy, silent sorrow. 
 
 Mjanja, plur. wajanja, a cheat, a 
 shameless person. 
 
 Mjani, a widow. 
 
 Mjasiri, plur. wajasiri, a bold ven- 
 turesome man. 
 
 Mjassusi, inquisitive. 
 
 Mjeledi, a whip. 
 
 Mjemba, a plough (?). 
 
 3Iji, plur. miji, a town, a city, a 
 village, the middle part of a piece 
 of cloth. 
 
 Mji, the uterus. 
 
 Mjiari, plur. mijiari, tiller ropes. 
 
 Mjiguu, plur. mijiguu, large long 
 legs. 
 
 Mjinga, plur. wajinga, a raw new 
 comer, a simpleton; applied es- 
 pecially to newly arrived slaves, 
 ignorant, inexperienced. 
 
 Mjisihafiri, a kind of lizard. 
 Mjoli, plur. wajoli, a fellow-servant. 
 Mjomha, plur. wajomha, uncle. 
 Mjugu. 
 
 Mjugii nyassa, ground-nuts. 
 Mjugu mawe, a hard kind of 
 ground-nut.
 
 M JU 
 
 MKO 
 
 MJhJcuu, plur. tcajukuu, a cousin, a 
 
 .ofrandchild. 
 MJumba, plur. icajumba, an uncle. 
 Mjumhakaka, a kind of lizard. 
 3Ijumhe, plur. wajumhe, a mes- 
 senger. 
 Mjume, a weapon-smith. 
 MJiimu, studded with brass, 
 Mjusi, plur. wajusi, a lizard. 
 
 i\Ijusi wa kanzu. See Kanzu. 
 
 Mjusi kafiri, a rough kind of 
 small lizard. 
 
 3Ijusi salama, a smooth kind of 
 small lizard. 
 Mjuvi, plur. ivajuvi, a chattering, 
 
 officious person. 
 Mjuzi, plur. wojuzi, a person of in- 
 formation, one who knows. 
 Mkaa, plur. wakaa, one who sits. 
 
 Mkaa jikoni^ Mr. Sit-in-the- 
 kitcheu. 
 
 Mkaa, an astringent wood used 
 in medicine. 
 Mkahala, opposite. 
 Mkahil, future. 
 Mkadi, plur. mikadi, the pandanus 
 
 tree; its flowers are valued for 
 
 their smell. 
 Mlcaidi, obstinate, wilful. See 
 
 -kaidi. 
 Mkaja, a cloth worn by women, 
 
 given as a present at the time of 
 
 a w^edding. 
 Mkali, fierce. See -kali. 
 Mkamilifu, perfect. 
 Mkamshe, plur. mikamshe, a kind of 
 
 wooden spoon. 
 Mkandaa, plur. mikandaa, a kind 
 
 of mangrove tree full of a red 
 
 dye much used for roof beams. 
 Mkanju, plur. mikanju, a cashew 
 
 tree (M.). 
 Mkaragazo, Si strong tobsicco. Also, 
 
 manfully, again and again 
 
 (slang). 
 Mkaralidla, a medicinal shrub. 
 Mkasama (in arithmetic), division. 
 Mkasasi, a handsome tree, whose 
 
 wood is useless. Hence the 
 
 proverb, 
 
 Uzuri wa mlcasasi, 
 Ukipata, maji, hasi. 
 
 Mkasiri, a tree whose bark is used 
 
 to dye fishing-nets black. 
 JSDiataha, a written agreement. 
 Mkatale, the stocks. 
 Mkate, plur. mikate, a cake, a loaf. 
 
 Mikate ya mofu, cakes of mtama 
 meal. 
 
 Mikate ya kusonga, ya kumimina, 
 &c., cakes of batter, &c. 
 
 Mkate wa tumhako, a cake of 
 tobacco. 
 Mkazo, nipping, pressing tight. 
 Mke, plur. wake, a wife, a female. 
 
 Mke aliofiwa na mumeive,a. widow. 
 Mkehe, a pot to burn incense in, a 
 
 drinking pot. 
 MJceka, plur. mikeka, a fine kind of 
 
 mat used to sleep upon. 
 Mkeo = Mkewo. 
 
 Mkereza, plur. wakereza^ a turner. 
 Mkewe, his wife. 
 Mkewo, your wife. 
 Mkia, plur. mikia, a tail. 
 Mkimhizi, plur. wakimhizi, one who 
 
 runs away. 
 Mkindu, plur. mikindu, a kind of 
 
 palm whose leaves are used to 
 
 make fine mats. 
 Mkizi, a kind of fish. 
 Mkoha, plur. mikoha, a scrip, a 
 
 small bag. 
 Mkoche, plur. mikoche, a kind of 
 
 branching palm with an edible 
 
 fruit.
 
 3i2 
 
 MKO 
 
 MLI 
 
 Mkojo, urine. 
 
 Mkoko, plur. miJcoko, a mangrove 
 
 tree. 
 Mkohoto, plur. mikokoto, the mark 
 made by a thing being dragged 
 along. 
 Mkoma, plur. mikbma, a large tree 
 
 bearing an edible fruit. 
 Mkomhozi, plur. wakomhozi, a 
 
 redeemer. 
 Mkondo. 
 
 Mkondo wa maji, a current. 
 Mkongojo, plur. mikongojo, an old 
 man's staff for him to lean upon 
 as he walks, 
 Mkono, plur. mikono, the arm, es- 
 pecially from the elbow to the 
 fingers ; the hand, a sleeve, a 
 projecting handle like that of a 
 saucepan, a measure of nearly 
 half a yard, a cubit. 
 Ya mkono, handy. 
 Chno clia mkono, a handbook. 
 Mkorofi, ill-omened. 
 Mkuhwa, great, the eldest. See 
 
 -kuhwa. 
 Mkuchyo, Magadoxa. 
 Mkufu, plur. mikufu, a chain, es- 
 pecially of a light ornamental 
 kind. 
 Mkufunzi, plur. wakufunzi, a 
 
 teacher. 
 Mkuke, plur. mikuke, a spear with 
 a sharp point and triangular 
 blade. 
 Mkuku, the keel of a ship. 
 Mkule, a gar-fish. 
 
 Mkulima, plur. wakidima, a culti- 
 vator, a field labourer. 
 Mkulimani, plur. wakuUmani, an 
 
 interpreter. 
 Mkulo, plur. mikulo, a pottle-shaped 
 matting bag to strain tui through. 
 
 Mkumavi, a kind of red wood much 
 
 used in Zanzibar. 
 Mkumbi (Mgao.), gura-copal tree. 
 Mkunga (?), midwife. 
 Mkungu, plur. mikungu, the fruit 
 
 stalk of the banana. 
 Mkungu, plur. mikungu, a kind of 
 earthen pot. 
 
 Mkungu wa kufunikia, a pot lid. 
 
 Mkungu wa kulia, a dish. 
 Mkuu, plur. wakuu, a great man, a 
 chief. 
 
 Mkuu wa asikari, a commanding 
 officer. 
 
 3Ikuu wa genzi, a guide. 
 Mkuza, large, full grown. 
 Mkwamha, a kind of thorny shrub. 
 Mkwasi, plur. wakwasi, a wealthy 
 
 person, rich. 
 Mkwe, plur. wakwe, a father or 
 
 mother-in-law, a son or daughter- 
 in-law. 
 Mkweme, a climbing plant bearing 
 
 a gourd with round flat seeds 
 
 rich in oil. 
 Mkwezi, a climber, one who goes 
 
 up. 
 Mlafi, plur. walafi, a glutton. 
 Mlala, plur. milala, hyphaene, a 
 
 branching palm. 
 Mlamha, a dark-coloured bird that 
 
 eats insects, and drives away 
 
 other birds, even the crows. 
 Mlango, plur. milango, a door, a 
 
 gate. 
 Mlanza, a pole for carrying things. 
 Mlariha, plur. walariba^ usurer. 
 Mle, there within. 
 Mlevi, plur. walevi, a drunkard. 
 Mlezi, plur. walezi, a nurse, one 
 
 who rears children. 
 Mlezo, plur. milezo, a bnoy. 
 Mlima, plur. milima, a mountain.
 
 ML I 
 
 MOE 
 
 43 
 
 Mlingote, plui. milingote, a mast. 
 
 MUngote ica Ttalmi or galmi, the 
 small mizen-mast carried by 
 large dhows. 
 Mlingote ica maji, the bowsprit. 
 MUnzi, plur. walinzi, a guard. 
 Mlisld, plur. u-alisM, a feeder, a 
 
 shepherd. 
 Mlish", the month Shaaban. 
 Mlizamu, a waterspout on a house. 
 il/ ?o7e, the comb of a code. 
 Mlomo, plur. milomo, a lip. Also, 
 
 3Idomo. 
 Mmoja, one, a certain man. See 
 
 -moja. 
 ^Mna, there is within. 
 Mnada, plur. minada, a sale, an 
 
 auction. 
 Mnadi, an auctioneer, huckster. 
 Mnadi hu-, to sell by auction. 
 Mnafihi, plur. icanafilu, a hypocrite. 
 Mnaja, a prophet going to ask a 
 
 thing of God. 
 Mnajimu, plur. wanajimu, an as- 
 trologer. 
 Mnajisi, plur. tcanajisi, a profane 
 
 person, blasphemer. 
 Maara, plur. minara, a tower, a 
 
 minaret, a beacon. 
 Mnaziy plur. minazi, a cocoa-nut 
 
 tree. 
 Mnena, one who speaks. 
 
 Mnena l-weli, one who speaks the 
 truth. 
 Mnene, stout. See -nene. 
 Miieni, plur. icaneni, a speaker, an 
 
 eloquent person. 
 Mngazidja, plur. Wangazidja, a 
 
 native of Great Comoro. 
 Mngwana, plur. wangicana,a gentle- 
 man, a free and civilized person. 
 
 iU'/to, exceedingly, excessively. ilf«o 
 
 always follows the word qualified 
 by it. 
 
 Mnofu, meatiness, fleshiness. 
 
 Mnono, fat. See -nono. 
 
 Mnunuzi, plur. icanunuzi, a buyer, 
 a purchaser, a customer. 
 
 Mnyamavu, plur. wanyamavu, a 
 silent person, still, quiet. 
 
 Mnyang''aniji, plur. tcanyang'anyi, a 
 robber, one who steals with vio- 
 lence. 
 
 Mneyo, a tickling, itching, a creep- 
 ing sensation. 
 
 Mnyiriri, plur. mmyiriri, the arms 
 of the cuttle-fish. 
 
 Mnyonge, plur. icanyonge, an insig- 
 nificant, mean person. 
 
 ilf/iT/ororo, plur. minyororo, ormnyoo, 
 plur. minyoo, a chain. 
 
 Mmjwa, plur. tcanyica, a drinker, 
 one who drinks. 
 
 iHo, -wo, or -mo-, the particle de- 
 noting place inside something 
 Mumo humo, there inside, [else. 
 
 3IoalU, Mohilla. 
 
 Mofa, small round cakes of vitawa 
 meal. 
 
 Moliulla, a fixed time, a term. Also 
 Muliulla. 
 
 Moja, plur. mamoja, one, same. 
 Marnoja pia, it is all one. 
 
 -moja, one. 
 
 Moja moja, one by one. 
 
 Moja haada ica 7itoja, alternately. 
 
 Mtu mmoja, a certain man. 
 
 Moja wapo, any one. 
 
 Mola, Lord. Used of God. 
 
 Moma, a kind of poisonous snake. 
 
 Momhee, Bombay. 
 
 Moris, Mauritius. 
 
 Kutoha Moris, to score twenty- 
 nine or more in a game at 
 cards.
 
 344 
 
 MOK 
 
 MR A 
 
 Kicenda 3Ions, to mark less than 
 twenty-nine in a game at cards. 
 Mororo, soft. See -ororo. 
 Moshi, plur. vdoslii, smoke. 
 Mosi, one (in counting). 
 
 Ya mosi, first. 
 MosTdti, a mosque, the ace of spades. 
 Mote, all. See -ote. 
 Moto, plur. mioto, fire, a fire, heat. 
 
 Ya moto, hot. 
 
 Kupata moto, to get hot. 
 Morjo, plur. mioyo or nyoyo, heart, 
 mind, will, self. 
 
 Ya moyo, willingly, heartily. 
 Mpagazi, plur. wapagazi, a caravan 
 
 porter. 
 Mpaji, plur. wapaji, a giver, a 
 
 liberal person. 
 Mpaka, plur. mipalm, a boundary, 
 
 Mpalia mmoja, adjacent, [limit. 
 Mpaha, until, as far as. 
 
 Tutaclieka mpalia Jculia, we shall 
 laugh till we cry. 
 Mpamhi, plur. wapamhi, a person 
 
 dressed up with ornaments. 
 Mpanzi, a sower. 
 Mpapayi, plur. mipapayi, a papaw 
 
 tree. 
 Mparamiizi, plur. miparamuzi, a 
 
 sort of tree said to be unclimb- 
 
 able. 
 MpatanisM, plur. wapatantshi, a 
 
 peacemaker, one who brings about 
 
 an agreement. 
 Mpato, interlaced work, lattice. 
 Mpeehwa, plur. icapeehica, a person 
 
 sent, a missionary, = Mpelekwa. 
 Mpekuzi, plur. wapelcuzi, one who 
 
 scratches like a hen, an inquisi- 
 tive person. 
 3Ipelelezi, plur. wapelelezi, a spy. 
 Mpenzi, plur. wapenzi, a person 
 who is loved, a favourite. 
 
 Mpera, plur. mipera, a guava tree. 
 
 ^Mpia, new. See -2?ya. 
 
 Mpiga ramli, plur. wapiga, a. for- 
 tune-teller, one who prognosti- 
 cates by diagrams. Formerly 
 they did so by throwing sand, 
 whence the name. 
 
 Mpiho, plur. mipiko, a pole to carry 
 burdens on. 
 Kuchukua mpikoni, to carry on 
 a pole over the shoulder. 
 
 Mpingo, ebony. 
 
 Mpini, plur. mipini, a haft, a 
 handle. 
 
 Mpira, india-rubber, an india-rub- 
 ber ball. 
 
 Mpishi, plur. wapishi, a cook. 
 
 Mpofu, plur. wapofu, the eland. 
 
 Mpotevu, plur. wapotevu, a wasteful 
 person. 
 
 Mpotoe, plur. wapotoe, perverse, 
 wilful, good-for-nothing. 
 
 Mpumhafu, plur. icapumhafu, a fool. 
 
 Mpwiga, rice, either growing or 
 while yet in the husk. 
 
 Mpjungaii, plur. mipungati, a kind 
 of cactus. 
 
 Mpuzi, plur. uapuzi, a silly chat- 
 terer. 
 
 Mpwa, the sea-beach (M.). 
 
 jSIpiceke, plur. mipioeke, a shor 
 thick stick, a bludgeon. 
 
 Mpya, new. See -p^a. 
 
 Mr aha, plur. miraba, muscles. 
 ilfi^M wa miraba minne, a very 
 strong man. 
 
 Mrdbba, square. 
 
 Mradi, preferably (?). 
 
 Mramma, the rolling of a ship. 
 
 MrasM, plur. mirashi, a long-necked 
 bottle, often of silver, used to 
 sprinkle scent from; a woman's 
 name.
 
 
 I- I tt*. Jft-Ol^'i 
 
 r' 
 
 MRE 
 
 Mremo, plur. icaremo, a Portuguese. 
 
 Also Mrenu. 
 Mrenalia, the thorn-apple plant. 
 Mrenu, plur. TTareizu, a Portuguese. 
 Mrithi, plur. warithi, an heir, an 
 
 inheritor. 
 Mruha, plur. miruba, a leech. 
 Mrungura, people who rob and com- 
 mit violence at night. 
 Mrututu, sulphate of copper, blue- 
 Msaada, help. [stone. 
 
 Msafara, plur. misafara, a caravan. 
 Msafiri, plur. wasafiri, a traveller, 
 '**^ one on a journey. 
 , Msahafu, plur. misdhafu, a koran, 
 a sacred book. 
 
 Msahafu wa Sheitani, a butterfly. 
 Msahau, plur. wasahau, one who 
 
 forgets, a forgetful person. 
 Msaji, teak. 
 3hala. See Miisala. 
 Msalaba^ a cross. 
 Msaliti, a betrayer of secrets. 
 Msamehe, plur. tcasarnehe, forgiving. 
 Msangao, astonishment. 
 Msapata, a kind of dance. 
 Msasa, sandpaper, a shrub with 
 
 leaves like sandpaper. 
 Msayara, kind, gentle. 
 Msazo, remainder. 
 MseleMsha, plur. waseleMsha, a 
 
 peacemaker. 
 Msemaji, plur, wasemaji, a talker, 
 
 an eloquent person. 
 Msemi, plur, wasemi, a talker, a 
 
 speaker. 
 Mseto, a sort of food, a mixture of 
 
 mtama and chooko. 
 Msewe, plur, misewe, a sort of 
 
 Castanet tied to the leg. 
 Mshahaha, similar. 
 iVfs/ja/iara, plur. jn/s/iaTiara, monthly 
 
 pay, wages. 
 
 MSH 
 
 345 
 
 MshakiM, small pieces of meat 
 cooked on a skewer. 
 
 Mshale or Mshare, plur. mishale, an 
 arrow. 
 
 Msharika, plur. washarika, a 
 partner. 
 
 Mshayi = Mchayi. 
 
 Msheheri or Mshehiri, plur. TFas/ie- 
 Aeri, a native of Sheher in 
 Arabia, many of whom are settled 
 in Zanzibar. The butchers and 
 coarse mat makers are almost all 
 Sheher men. 
 
 Mshiki, one who holds. 
 
 Mshiki sMTcio, the steersman. 
 
 MsMndani, plur. washindani, ob- 
 stinate, resisting. 
 
 Mshindio, woof. 
 
 Msliindo (obscene), coitus. 
 
 MsMpa, plur. misMpa, a blood- 
 vessel, a nerve, any disease affect- 
 ing these, hydrocele, 
 
 BIsMpavu, plur. wasMpavu, obsti- 
 nate. 
 
 MsMpi, plur. mishipi, a net, a girdle. 
 
 Mshoni, plur. washoni, a tailor, a 
 sempster. 
 Mshoni viatu, a shoemaker. 
 
 Mshono, plur. mishono, a seam. 
 
 Mshtaka, plur. misMaka, an accusa- 
 tion, a charge before a judge. 
 
 Mshtaki, a prosecutor. 
 
 Mshuko, coming down, coming away 
 from performing one's devo- 
 tions. 
 Mshuko wa magaribi, about a 
 quarter of an hour after sunset. 
 Mshuko wa alasiri kasiri, about 
 
 5 P.M. 
 
 Mshuko wa esha, about an hour 
 after sunset, or from 7 till 
 8 p.m. 
 Mshumaa = Meshmaa.
 
 346 
 
 MSI 
 
 MT A 
 
 Msiha, plur. irn'siha, a calamity, a 
 grief, mourning. 
 
 M<ifu, a flatterer. 
 
 Msifu'mno, plur. wasifuhnno, an 
 excessive praiser, a flatterer. 
 
 Msijana, a bachelor (?). 
 
 Msimamizi, plur. wasimamizi, an 
 overlooker, a steward, the head 
 man over a plautation, who is 
 nearly always a free man, often 
 an Arab. 
 
 Msinji, plur. misinji, foundations, 
 trench for laying foundations. 
 
 Msinzi, plur. misinzi, a sort of man- 
 grove tree. 
 
 Msio, a piece of stone to rub liwa 
 on. 
 
 Msio, a fated thing, what will de- 
 stroy or affect a person. See 
 Mzio. 
 
 Msiri, plur. wasiri, a confidential 
 person, one trusted with secrets. 
 
 Msitani [Pemba] = Barazani. 
 
 Msiiu, a forest. 
 
 Msitu wa miti, a thick wood. 
 
 Msomari, plur. muomari, a nail, an 
 iron nail. See MarasM. 
 
 Msondo, a very tall drum, beaten on 
 special occasions. 
 
 Msonyo, a whistling. 
 
 Mstadi, plur. loastadi, a skilful 
 workman, a good hand. 
 
 Mstahamili or Mstahimili, plur. wa- 
 stahimili, a patient, enduring, 
 long-suffering person. 
 
 Mstaki, plur. wastaki, a prosecutor- 
 
 Mdamu, a shoe; a piece of wood 
 fixed to the keel, with a hole to 
 receive the heel of the mast. 
 
 Mstari, plur. mistari, a line, a line 
 ruled. 
 Kupiga mstari, to draw a line. 
 
 Ms o/ele, a custard apple. 
 
 Msudki, plur. misuahi, a tooth stick, 
 a little stick of the zamharau 
 tree, used as a tooth-brush. It 
 is prepared by chewing the end 
 until it becomes a mere bunch of 
 fibres. 
 Msufi, plur. misufi, a tree bearing a 
 pod of soft cotton, Eriodendron 
 anfractuosum. 
 Msukani, plur. misukani, a rudder. 
 Msukano. See Keke. 
 Msuluhiwa, a peacemaker, 
 Msumari = Msomari. 
 Msumeno, plur. misumeno, a saw. 
 Msumkule, the name of Lion go's 
 
 sword. 
 Msunohari, fir tree, deal. 
 Msuruald, plur. misuruaki, the 
 wooden button which is grasped 
 between the toes to hold on the 
 ■wooden clogs commonly wora by 
 women and in the house. 
 Msuzo, the handle of a millstone. 
 Msioeni = Msueni, cholera. 
 Mta or Mtaa, plur. mita, a district, 
 a quarter of a town. 
 The mita of Zanzibar, starting 
 from the western point and 
 going round the outside first, 
 and then into the middle, 
 are : Shangani, Baghani, Gei e- 
 zani, Forthani, Mita ya pwani, 
 Kiponda, Mbuyuni, Malindi, 
 Funguni, Jungiani, Kokoni, 
 Mkunazini, Kibokoni, Kidu- 
 tani, Mzambarauni, Kijuka- 
 kuni, Vuga, Mnazimoja, Mji 
 mpya, Mtakuja, Jumea, Soko la 
 Mahogo, Kajificheiii, Mfuuni, 
 Migomboni, Tiuyani, Sham, 
 Hurumzi, Kutani, Mwavi. All 
 these are on the peninsula, 
 which joins the mainland only
 
 MTA 
 
 MTO 
 
 347 
 
 at Mnazi moja. Fungnni is ] 
 on the point where the creek j 
 enters, which almost surrounds \ 
 the town. Crossing the creek ; 
 by the bridge, there are the 
 following mita : — Ng'ambo, 
 Mchangani, Gulioni, Kwa 
 Buki, Vikokotoni, Kisimani 
 kwa kema, Mchinjani, I\Iwem- 
 bemjugu, Kikwajuui, Mkadini, 
 and then Mnazi moja again. 
 Mtaala = Mtala. 
 Mtahari, credible. 
 
 Mtai, a scratch, a slight superficial 
 cut. 
 Kupiga mtai, to scratch. 
 Mtaimho, plur. mitaimbo, an iron 
 
 bar, a crowbar. 
 Mtajiri, plur. watajiri, a merchant, 
 a rich man. More correctly 
 Tajiri. 
 Mtakaso, the rustling of new or 
 clean clotlies. 
 Kupiga mtaJcaso, to rustle. 
 Mtala = Mtaala, practice, study. 
 Mtali, plur. mitali, bangles, anklets. 
 Mtama, millet, CafFre corn. 
 
 Mfama mtindi, half-grown stalks 
 
 of mtama. 
 Mtama tete, fully formed but not 
 yet ripe. 
 Mtaviba, plur. m?Yam6a, a young she- 
 animal which has not yet borne. 
 Mtamho, plur. mitamho, a spring, a 
 
 trap with a spring, a machine. 
 Mtanashati, a swell, dandy. 
 Mtandi, a loom. 
 Mtando, the warp in weaving. 
 Mtani, plur. watani, one who belongs 
 
 to a kindred tribe or race. 
 Mtaoicay plur. wataoica, a devout 
 
 person. 
 Mtaramu, shrewd, wise. 
 
 Mtatago, a tree or beam thrown 
 across a stream. 
 
 Mtego, plur. mitego, a trap. 
 
 Mtendaji, nlur. watendaji, an active 
 person. 
 
 Mtende, plur. mitende, a date palm. 
 
 Mtepe, plur. mitepe, a kind of dhow 
 or native craft belonging chiefly 
 to Lamoo and the coast near it. 
 Mitepe are sharp at the bows 
 and stern, with a head shaped 
 to imitate a camel's head, orna- 
 mented with painting and tassels 
 and little streamers. They carry 
 one large square mat sail, and 
 have always a white streamer or 
 pennant at the mast-head : their 
 planking is sewn together, ami 
 they are built broad and shallow. 
 
 Mtesi, an adversary, a quarrelsome 
 litigious person. 
 
 Mtesteshi, comic. 
 
 Mteule, plur. tcateule, chosen, select. 
 
 Mthamini, a surety. 
 
 Mthulimu, a clieat, a thief. 
 
 Mti, plur. miti, a tree, pole, wood. 
 Mti katl, a tall post set in the 
 groimd between a prisoner's 
 legs, so that when his feet are 
 fettered together he can only 
 move in a circle round the post. 
 
 Mtishamba^ a chann of any kind. 
 
 Mti, scrofulous and gangrenous 
 sores. 
 
 Mtiha, a darling, a term of endear- 
 ment. 
 
 Mtii, plur. watii, obedient. 
 
 Mtima, heart, chest (old Swaljili 
 and Kiyao). 
 
 Mtindi, buttermilk. 
 
 Mtindo, size, form, shape, pattern. 
 
 Mtini, plur. mitini, a fig tree. 
 
 Mto, plur. mito, a river, a stream.
 
 348 
 
 MTO 
 
 MUA 
 
 Mto wa Jiono, a branchiug river, a 
 delta. 
 Mto, plur. mito, a pillow, a cushion. 
 Mtohive, a kind of wood, of which 
 
 the best hakoras are made. 
 Mtofaa, plur. mitofaa, an apple- 
 like fruit. 
 Mtolii, a swelling of the glands at 
 the bend of the thigh followed 
 by fever. 
 Mtomo, firmness, good building. 
 MtomondOjiAuv. mitomoiido^the Bar- 
 ringtonia ; its fruit is exported to 
 India. 
 Mtondo, the day after the day afttr 
 to-morrow. 
 Mtondo goo, the day after that. 
 Mtondoo, plur. mitindoo, Callo- 
 phyllum inophyllum ; oil is made 
 from its seeds. 
 Mtongozi, plur. watongozi, a man 
 who dresses himself up to allure 
 women. 
 Mtoro, plur. watoro, a runaway. 
 Mtoto, plur. watoto, a child. Used 
 also generally of anything 
 small of its kind, when men- 
 tioned in connection with 
 something larger to which it is 
 attached ; e.g. young shoots, 
 small boats, &c. 
 Mtoto wa watu, a child of some- 
 body, having relations, a woman 
 of respectable family as dis- 
 tinguished from one of slave 
 parentage, a woman therefore 
 who has somewhere to go if she 
 leaves her liusband, or he her. 
 Mtoto wa meza, a drawer of a 
 table. 
 Mtovu, without manners, shameless. 
 Mtu, plur. icatu, a person, a man, 
 somebody, anybody. 
 
 Hdkuna mtu, there is nobody. 
 Mtu gani ? of what tribe ? 
 Mtu wa serJcali, a man in govern • 
 ment employ. 
 
 Mtidinga, plur. mUulinga, the col- 
 lar bone. 
 
 Mtidivu, plur. watulivu, a quiet 
 man. 
 
 Mtumaini, plur. watumaini, san- 
 guine, confident. 
 
 Mtumha, plui-. mitumha, a bale of 
 cloth made up for a caravan. 
 
 Mtumbuizi, plur. watumhuizi, a spy, 
 an inquisitive person (A.). 
 
 Mtumhwi, plur, mitumbwi, a canoe 
 hollowed out from the trunk of 
 a tree, distinguished from a 
 galawa by having no outriggers, 
 and being generally of larger 
 size. 
 
 Mtumej plur. mitume, an apostle, a 
 prophet. Applied especially to 
 Mohammed as a translation of 
 his title. Apostle of God. 
 
 Mtumke^ plur. watuwake, a woman, 
 a wife. 
 
 Mtumishi, plur. watumishi, a ser- 
 vant. 
 
 Mtumwa, plur. watumica, a slave, a 
 servant. 
 
 Mtundu, mischievous, perverse, 
 troublesome. 
 
 3Itungi, plur. mitungi, a water-jar. 
 
 3Itupa, plur. mitupa, euphorbia. 
 
 Mtupu, bare. See -tupu. 
 
 Mtutu, plur. mitutu (Ar.), a mul- 
 berry tree. 
 
 Mtuzi, curry, gravy (M.). Also 
 Mclmzi. 
 
 Mticango, plur. mitwango, a pestle 
 for pounding and cleaning corn. 
 
 Mil-. See M-. 
 
 MiM, plur. miwa, a sugar-cane.
 
 MUB 
 
 MUS 
 
 349 
 
 Muhatharifu, extravagant. 
 
 Muda or Mda, a space of time, term. 
 Muda wa, the space of. 
 
 Mudu ku-. 
 
 Kujimudu,to gain a little strength 
 after illness. 
 
 Muhadimu, plur. waJiadimu, a ser- 
 vant, one of the original inhabi- 
 tants of Zanzibar. These waha- 
 dimu pay two dollars a year for 
 each household to the Munyi 
 mhuu, of which Seyed Majid now 
 (1870) takes one ; they also work 
 for him. They all live in vil- 
 lages in the country, and speak a 
 language of which there are at 
 least two dialects, materially 
 different from the Swahili of the 
 town. 
 
 Muharabu, plur. wdhardbu, mis- 
 chievous, destructive. 
 
 Muharibivu, plur. wahariLivu, a de- 
 structive person, one who ruins 
 himself, destroys his own chances. 
 
 Muhdruma, a kind of silk handker- 
 chief, worn instead of a turban. 
 
 Muhindi, plur. WaJiindi, a native 
 of India, especially an Indian 
 Mussulman, of whom there are 
 two chief sects settled in Zanzi- 
 bar, the Khojas and Bohras. 
 
 Muhindi, plur. mihindi, the Indian 
 corn plant. Also Mahindi. 
 
 Muhogo, cassava, manioc. 
 
 Muhtasari^ an abridgment, a sum- 
 mary. 
 
 Muhulla, time, a fixed period. 
 
 Muhuri, a seal. 
 
 Mujiza, plur. miujiza, a wonderful 
 thing, a nnracle. Also Micujiza. 
 
 Muli or Mulia, clever, knowing. 
 
 MuliJca ku-, to show a light, to 
 gleam. 
 
 Midki, a kingdom. 
 
 3Iume, male. See -ume. 
 
 Mumimi, Azrael, the angel of death. 
 
 Muraumje, plur, mamumunye, a kind 
 of gourd resembling a vegetable 
 marrow. It often grows of such 
 a shape that its hard rind, when 
 ripe, can be used for bottles, 
 ladles, and spoons. 
 
 Mumyani, a mummy. Mummy is 
 still esteemed as a medicament. 
 
 Munda, plur. miunda, a piece of 
 plank to serve as cap to a post. 
 See also 3Ida. 
 
 Mundu, plur. miundu, a bill, a 
 small hatchet. 
 
 Munyi, a chief, a sheykh. The 
 Munyi mhuu is esteemed the true 
 Sultan of the Swahili, at least in 
 the island of Zanzibar and the 
 parts adjacent. He is descended 
 from an ancient Persian family, 
 the heiress of which married, 
 some generations since, an Arab 
 from Yemen. The title is now 
 (1874) in abeyance. His chief 
 residence is at Dunga, near the 
 centre of the island. 
 
 Muomo, plur. miomo, the moustache, 
 the lip. 
 
 Muscda, plur. misala, an oval mat 
 used to perform the Mohammedan 
 devotions upon. 
 
 Musama, pardon. 
 
 Musimi, the northerly winds, which 
 blow in December, January, and 
 February. The musimi is some- 
 times reckoned to extend till 
 June. 
 
 Musimo — Musimi. 
 
 Mustarehe, enjoyment. 
 
 Mustarifu, with a competency, 
 neither rich nor poor.
 
 350 
 
 MUT 
 
 MWA 
 
 Mutaabir, credible. 
 
 Mutia, obedience. 
 
 3Iuuaji, plur. loauaji, a murderer, 
 
 a slayer. 
 Muuguzi, plur. tcauguzi, a nurse, 
 
 one who nurses sick people. 
 Muumishi, plur. waumisM, a cupper. 
 Muundi wa mguu (A.), the shin. 
 Muungu, God, plur. miungu. The 
 Swahili rarely use Muungu or 
 'Mungu alone. They almost 
 always say Mwenyiezi 'Mungu. 
 Mashini ya Muungu, a poor free 
 person. 
 Muzimo, a place where offerings are 
 made to some spirit supposed to 
 haunt there. Baobab trees are 
 generally supposed to be haunted 
 Mvi, grey hairs. [by spii'its. 
 
 Mvili, the shade of a tree. 
 Mvinje, Cassiorinus. 
 Mvinyo, strong wine, spirits, wine. 
 Mviringo, round, roundness. 
 3Ivita, Mombas. 
 Mvivu, idle. See -vivu. 
 Mvua, rain, rains. 
 
 Mvua ya mwaka, the rain which 
 falls about August. 
 3Ivuje, assafoetida. 
 Mvuhe, vapour, steam. 
 ilvuhuto, plur. mivuJcuto, a lever. 
 Mvulana, plur. wavulana, a young 
 man whose beard is just begin- 
 ning to grow. 
 Mvule, the lesser rains, about 
 
 October or November. 
 Mvulini, in the shade. 
 Mvumay plur. mivuma, the borassus 
 
 palm. 
 Mvumilivu, plur. wavumilivu. 
 
 patient, long-suffering. 
 Mvumo,Q, rubber, six gunies won by 
 one side (in cards). 
 
 Mvunda, or Mvunja, plur. wavundn, 
 a breaker, a destroyer, one who 
 ruins. 
 Mvungu, the hollow of a tree, a 
 hollow tree. 
 Mvungu wa Mtanda, the space 
 under a bedstead. 
 Mvuvi, plur. wavuvi, a fisherman. 
 3Iw-. See M-. 
 3Iwa, of. 
 
 Mwaa, plur. miwaa, strips of the 
 leaf of a tree called mhoma (?), 
 used to make coarse mats and 
 baskets. 
 Mwafa hu-, to forgive. 
 Alwafaha, a conspiracy, an agree- 
 ment, a bargain. 
 BIwaga Jcu-, to pour away, to empty 
 
 out, to spill. 
 3Iwagia hu-, to pour upon, to empty 
 
 out for. 
 Mivajisifuni, a self flatterer. 
 Mwalca, plur. miaJca, a year. The 
 year commonly used in Zanzi- 
 bar is the Arab year of twelve 
 lunar months. There is also 
 the Persian year of 365 days, 
 beginning with the Nairuz, 
 called in Swahili the Siku a 
 mwaka. From this day the year 
 is reckoned in decades, each 
 decade being called a mwongo. 
 The year is called from the day 
 of the week on which it com- 
 mences : Mwaka juma, Mwaka 
 alhamisi, &c. 
 Mwaka jana, last year. 
 Mwaka juzi, the year before last. 
 Mwaka kwa mwaka, yearly. 
 Mwake, his, hers, its. See -ake. 
 Mwako, thy. See -ako. 
 Mwali. See Mwana mwali. 
 j Mwali, plur. miwali, a sort of palm
 
 M WA 
 
 MWB 
 
 851 
 
 •with very long and strong leaf 
 stalks, •which are used for doors, 
 ladders, and other purposes. 
 
 Mwalimu, plur. icaalimu, a teacher. 
 
 Mwamale, treatment, mode of treat- 
 ing. 
 
 Mwambay plur. miamha, a rock. 
 
 Mwamha, plur. miamha, the wall 
 plate in a mud and stud house. 
 
 Mimmua, plur. icaamua, a judge. 
 
 Mwamua, husband's brother. 
 
 Micamuzi, plur. waamuzi, a judge. 
 
 Mwana, the mistress of the house, 
 a matron. It is polite in Zanzi- 
 bar to speak of one's own mother 
 as micana. 
 
 Mwana, plur. waana, a son, a child. 
 Micanangu, my child. 
 Micanao, your child. 
 Mvoanaioe, his or her cliild. 
 Mwanetu, our child. 
 
 Mwana Adamu, a child of Adam, 
 i.e., a human being. 
 
 Mwana maji, a seaman. 
 
 Mwana maua, a sprite represented 
 as a white woman with an ugly 
 black husband. 
 
 Mwana mke, plur. waana waJce or 
 icaanaahe, a woman. 
 
 Mwana mhe wa kiungwana, a lady. 
 
 Mwana mume, plur. waana waume 
 or waanaume, a man. 
 Mwana micali, a young woman 
 whose breasts are not yet flat- 
 tened, one who has not yet left 
 her father's house. 
 
 Mwanamizi, a soldier crab. 
 
 Mwandihaji, plur. waandikaji, a 
 waiter, a table servant. 
 
 Mwandiko, plur. miandiko, a manu- 
 script, handwriting. 
 
 Mwandishi, plur. waandishi, a 
 writer, a clerk, a secretary. 
 
 Mwanga, plur. mianga, light, a 
 light, a kind of rice. 
 
 Mwangalizi, plur. waangalizi, an 
 overseer, one who overlooks or 
 looks to. 
 
 Mwangaza, plur. miangaza, a light 
 hole, the small round holes which 
 are often left near the ceilings 
 of rooms in Zanzibar. 
 
 Mwango, plur. mz'awgo, a lamp-stand, 
 a piece of wood about eighteen 
 inches long, from near the bottom 
 of which two small pieces project 
 at right angles, to hold the com- 
 mon clay lamp of the country. 
 The micango is generally hung 
 against a wall. 
 
 Mwango = Mango. 
 
 ^Mwango, plur. miwango, a kind of 
 
 Mwangu, my. See -angu. [shrub. 
 
 Mwangwi, echo. 
 
 Mwani, seaweed. 
 
 'Mwanzi, plur. miwanzi, a bamboo. 
 Miwanzi ya pua, the nostrils (?). 
 
 Mwanzo, plur. mianzo, beginning. 
 
 Mwao, a worry, bother. 
 
 Mwapuza, a simpleton. 
 
 MwasM, plur. waasM, a mason. 
 
 Mwatliini, one who calls to prayer 
 at the mosque, a muezzin. Also 
 Mueththin. 
 
 Mwavuliy plur. miavuli, an um- 
 brella. 
 
 Mwawazi, the Disposer, a title of 
 God. 
 
 Mwaya kw = Mwaga ku-, to pour 
 away. 
 
 'Mweli, plur. waweli, a sick person. 
 
 Mwema, good. See -ema. 
 
 Mwemhamba, thin. See -embamba, 
 
 Mwenibe, plur. miemhe, a mango tree. 
 
 Mwendanguu, a great and irre- 
 parable loss.
 
 352 
 
 MWE 
 
 M WI 
 
 Mwendo, going, gait, journey. 
 Mwenendo, going on, behaviour. 
 Mioenge, plur. mienge, a bundle of 
 
 straw, &c., used to carry a light. 
 Mwenyeji, plur. wenyeji, a host, a 
 person who has a home in the 
 place. 
 Mwenyeive, plur. wenyewe, the owner, 
 self, myself, thyself, himself, 
 &c. 
 Mbau za mwenyewey some one 
 else's planks. 
 Mwenyi, having, possessing. See 
 -enyi. 
 Mwenyi ezi Muungu, Almighty 
 
 God. 
 Mwenyi clwngo, a one-eyed per- 
 son. 
 Mwenyi inchi, the lord of the 
 
 country. 
 Mwenyi Jcichaa, a lunatic. 
 Mwemji huhutubu, a preacher. 
 Mwenyi kupooza, a paralytic. 
 Mwenyi mali, a rich man. 
 Mwenzangu, plur. wenzangu, my 
 
 companion. 
 Mwenzi, pliu*. wenzi, a companion. 
 Mwere, a kind of corn or seed like 
 linseed, growing on a close spike 
 like a bulrush flower. 
 Mwerevu, plur. werevu, a shrewd 
 
 person, a man of the world. 
 Mwewe, a hawk, a kite, a kind of 
 
 fish. 
 Mweya ku-, to steal. 
 'Mweza, plur. waweza, able, having 
 power over. 
 Mweza mwenyewe, one's own 
 master. 
 Mioezi, the moon. 
 
 Mwezi, plur. miezi, a month. The 
 months in Zanzibar begin on 
 the day on which the moon is 
 
 first seen, unless the old month 
 has already had thirty days ; if 
 80, the day which would have 
 been the 31st, is the 1st of the 
 new month. 
 Mwezi mpungufu, a month of less 
 
 than thirty days. 
 Mwezi mwandamu or mwangamu, 
 
 a month of thirty full days. 
 Mwezi ngapi ? what is the day of 
 
 the month ? 
 Mwezi wa sita, the 6th day of the 
 month. 
 Mwiha, plur. niiiba, a thorn. 
 Mwibaji, plur. wehaji, an habitual 
 
 thief, a thievish person. 
 Mwigo, a sort of large dove with red 
 bill, white neck, and black body. 
 It cries Kooo ! Then one answers, 
 ^^Mwigo!" Kooo! — ^^Niagulie! " 
 Kooo ! — " Kwema nendako ? " 
 Kooo ! — then one may go on. If it 
 answers not, it is a bad omen. 
 Mwiko, plur. miiko, a spoon, a 
 mason's trowel. Also a measure, 
 direction, prohibition, especial- 
 ly of a medical practitioner. 
 Kushika mwiko, to live by rule, to 
 live abstemiously. 
 Mwili, plur. miili, the body. 
 Mwimo, plur. miimo, side piece of 
 
 a door frame. 
 ^Mivinda, plur. wawinda, a hunter. 
 Mwingajini, a common plant whose 
 leaves are said, when rubbed in, 
 to cure the aching of the limbs in 
 fever ; a decoction of the roots is 
 said to be useful in dysentery. 
 Mwingi, much, full. 
 
 Mwingi wa maneno, full of 
 words. 
 Mwinyi = Mwenyi, having, with. 
 See -enyi.
 
 M WI 
 
 M Z 
 
 353 
 
 Mwisho, plur. miisho, end, conclu- 
 sion. 
 
 Micithi (Patta) = Micivi, 
 
 Mwito, calling, suuunons. 
 
 Mtcitu, forest. 
 Ya mwitu, wild. 
 Mhwa wa mwitu, jackals. 
 Mwivi, plur. icevi, a thief. 
 
 *Mwivu, plur. waudvUf a jealous 
 person. 
 
 Mwizi (A.) = Micivi. 
 
 Mwoga, plur. icaoga, one who fears. 
 a coward. 
 
 Mwokosi, plur. waoltosi, one who 
 picks up anything. 
 
 Miookozi, plur. waokozi, one who 
 saves, a saviour. 
 
 Mwomhaji, plur. waombaji, a beg- 
 gar. 
 
 Mwomhezi, plur. waombezi^ an inter- 
 cessor. 
 
 Mwomo = Mdomo. 
 
 Micongo, plur. miongo, a decade of 
 ten days, used in reckoning tlie 
 nautical or Swahili year, from 
 the siku a mwaka. 
 Mwongo micangapi, in what de- 
 cade is it ? 
 
 'Mwongo, plur. waicongo, a liar, a 
 false person. 
 Simekuwa 'mwongo f am I not a 
 liar? 
 
 Mwongofu, plur. icaongqfu, a con- 
 vert, a proselyte. 
 
 Minujiza, plur. miujiza, a miracle. 
 
 Mzaa, plur. tcazaa, a parent. 
 
 il/zaa bibi, a great-grandmother. 
 
 Mzahibu. plur. mizahibu, a vine. 
 
 Mzaha, sport, ridicule, derision. 
 Knmfanyizia mzaha, to deride 
 him. 
 
 Mzalia, plur. icaznlia, a native, a 
 slave born in the country. 
 
 I Mzalisha, plur. wazalisha, a mid- 
 1 wife. 
 Mzaramu, a pool of water. 
 Mzazi, plur. wazazi, a parent, fruitful. 
 
 (St mzazi, barren. 
 ilfzee, plur. icazee, an old person, an 
 
 elder. 
 Mzemhe, plur. wazewhe^ a careless 
 
 person. 
 Mzige, a locust 
 Mzigo, plur. mizigo, a burden, a 
 
 load. 
 Mzima, an extinguisher, one who 
 
 puts out. 
 Mzima, plur. wazima, a living or 
 healthy person. 
 
 Jftw mzima, a grown person. 
 Mzimu. See Zimwi, Muzimo, 
 
 Kuzimu. 
 Mzinga, plur. mizinga, a hollow 
 cylinder, a hollowed piece of 
 wood used as a beehive, a ran- 
 non. 
 
 i?ea?e i/a mzinga, a pillar dollar. 
 Mzingi or Mzinji, plur. mizingi, 
 
 foundations, trench for laying in 
 
 the foundation. Also Msinji. 
 Mzingile mwam^iji, a puzzle, a 
 
 labyrinth. 
 Mzingo, the circumference, brink. 
 
 Mzingo wa, around. 
 Mzio, that which wouldbe deleterious 
 
 to any one ; each person is said to 
 
 have his special mzio — of one it is 
 
 cuttle-fish, of another, red fish, 
 
 and so on. Also Msio. 
 Mzishi, plur. wazishi, a burier, one 
 
 who will see to one's funeral, a 
 
 special friend, 
 M~o, sixty pishi. 
 Mzofafa, on tiptoe. 
 Mzoga. plur. mizoga, a dead body, a 
 carcase.
 
 354 
 
 BIZO 
 
 N 
 
 Mzomari. See Maraslii = Zomari. 
 
 Mzungu, plur. mizungu, a strange 
 and startling thing, 
 
 MzungUi plur. Wazungu, a Euro- 
 pean, one who wears European 
 clothes. 
 
 Mzungu wa pili, queen in cards. 
 
 Mzungu wa tatu, knave in cards. 
 
 Mzungu wa 'nne, king in cards. 
 
 MzunguhOj plur. mizunguico, a wan- 
 dering about. 
 
 Mzushi, a heretic, an innovator. 
 
 Mzuzi, plur. wazuzi, a tale-bearer, 
 one who reports maliciously or 
 untruly the word of others. 
 
 Mzuzu, plur. wazuzu, a simpleton. 
 
 Mzwea^ used to. 
 
 N is pronounced as in English. 
 
 An i sound is generally connected 
 with an initial n. It sometimes 
 precedes more or less distinctly, 
 and may be written in or 'n, making 
 the n a distinct syllable. Some- 
 times the n flows into the following 
 letter, so that the i sound is alto- 
 gether lost. Very often it follows 
 it as in the common syllable ni or 
 ny. It is characteristic of the Zan- 
 zibar dialect to make the initial i 
 sound distinct. Thus inchi, a coun- 
 try, is at Mombas 'nti. 
 
 Ni is often contracted into 'n or 
 n, and where n would be dropped 
 ni sometimes is so, as in the first 
 person of the future tense, nitapenda 
 or 'ntapenda or tapenda. 
 
 N cannot be placed before 6, ch, 
 f, k, I, p, r, s, t, V, or w. 
 
 Before h, w, and perhaps v, it be- 
 comes w, and w changes into h. 
 
 Before h, p, and perhaps t, it is 
 dropped, and the consonant 
 gets an explosive sound. 
 
 Before Z, r, and perhaps t, the n 
 remains, but the other conso- 
 nant becomes a d. 
 
 Before cli, J^ m, n, and «, it in 
 merely dropped. 
 
 N can stand before d, g, j, y, 
 and z. 
 
 N before h is in two cases at least 
 contracted into h. 
 
 Hapenda = Nikapenda. 
 
 Hipenda = Nikipenda. 
 
 There is a sound in Swahili which 
 is treated as a simple consonant, 
 which does not occur in European 
 languages as an initial sound. It 
 is very nearly the same with the 
 final ng in English, in such words 
 as loving, going, &c. The sounds of 
 n and g seem both audible, but so 
 blended that neither of them can be 
 carried on to the following vowel. 
 It is here written ng\ to distinguish 
 it from the common sound ng, in 
 which the g passes on to the follow- 
 ing vowel. There is some little 
 difierence in the way in which dif- 
 ferent persons pronounce it ; it has 
 sometimes more of a gn sound, and 
 might be so written it it be under- 
 stood that the two letters are so 
 fused together that neither can be 
 heard as if it stood alone. It has 
 been sometimes written n, which is 
 either a mistake or very misleading. 
 That the sound really is ng, may be 
 proved by the fact that such words 
 as begin with it are treated as words 
 beginning with n, and that when 
 other prefixes are applied they are
 
 N- 
 
 N- 
 
 355 
 
 treated as if the root began with g. 
 It is not, however, a very common 
 sound in Swahili. 
 
 There is another sound com- 
 pounded of n and i, which is very 
 fairly represented by the Spanish n, 
 or by ni in such English words as 
 companion, &c. It is pronounced 
 perhaps in Swahili with a slightly 
 broader and more nasal sound. It 
 is here written ny, to distinguish it 
 from the common syllable ni, in 
 which the i has a vowel sound. 
 
 The ny sound in the dialect of 
 Zanzibar sometimes represents an n 
 in more northern Swahili, as in 
 
 Eunica or Jciinywa, to drink. 
 
 The change from n to ny has in 
 many verbs the effect of giving a 
 causative meaning, as in kupona, to 
 get well, kujponya, to make well, to 
 save. 
 
 N-, or ni-, the sign of the first per- 
 son singular of verbs, I. 
 
 -»-, or -ni-, the objective prefix 
 proper to denote the first person, 
 me. 
 
 N- (see ny-). 
 
 1. A prefix frequently occurring 
 in substantives which do not 
 change to form the plural. If 
 followed by d, g, j, or z, it is 
 pronounced with them and does 
 not form a distinct syllable. 
 Before other consonants it forms 
 a distinct syllable, and may be 
 written 'n- or sometimes in-. 
 
 2. The plural prefix of substan- 
 tives which begin in the singular 
 with U-, followed by a conso- 
 nant. The u is dropped and n 
 pref xed before d, g, j, and z. 
 
 Before h, and perhaps v, the n 
 changes into m, before w the mo 
 become mb. Before Z or r the 
 nl or nr become nd. Before k, 
 p, and t, the n is dropped and 
 the other consonant gets an ex- 
 plosive or aspirated sound, and 
 may be written k% p\ and t' ; 
 before ch, f, m, n, and s, the n is 
 merely dropped. Where, how- 
 ever, dropping the u- would 
 leave the word a monosyllable, 
 the u- is retained, and ny pre- 
 fixed. 
 N- (see ny-). The prefix proper to 
 adjectives agreeing with sub- 
 stantives of the class which does 
 not change to form its plural 
 of whichever number, or with 
 plural substantives which make 
 their singular in u-. Where the 
 simple form of the adjective 
 begins with a vowel, ny- is pre- 
 fixed, except -ema, good, which 
 makes njema or ngema. The 
 changes before a consonant are 
 the same as those given just 
 above for the plural nouns in u-. 
 Nyumla mhaya, not nhaya. 
 
 „ chache, not nchache. 
 
 „ ndogo. 
 
 „ fupi, not nfupi. 
 
 „ ngema. 
 
 „ njema. 
 
 „ kubwa, not nkvhwa. 
 
 „ moja, not nmoja. 
 
 „ nane, not nnane. 
 
 „ pana, not npana. 
 
 „ 'mpya, not npya oip>ya- 
 
 „ ndefu, not nrefu. 
 
 „ tatu, not ntaiu. 
 
 „ mhili, not nwili or npiJi. 
 
 >» nzuri.
 
 356 
 
 N A 
 
 NAN 
 
 Na, and, also, with ; by, of the agent 
 of a passive, and with, of the 
 sharer in the action of a reci- 
 procal verb. 
 
 Na when joined with a pronoun 
 commonly forms one word with 
 it. 
 
 Nami, and I, or with me. 
 
 Nawe, and thou, or with thee. 
 
 Nao, nayo, nacho, nalo, and or 
 with them, it, &c., &c., &c. 
 
 Na joined with the verb kuwa, to 
 be, or with the personal prefix 
 only, constitutes the verb to 
 have. The object is frequently 
 joined with the na, — ana, or 
 anazo, anaclio, &c., &c., he has. 
 
 AlieJio nacho, which he has 
 
 Alicliokuwa nacho, which he had. 
 
 Atakachohuwa nacho, which he 
 will have. 
 
 Atahuwa nacho, he will have it. 
 
 The verb kuwa na is used some- 
 times in the sense of being, as 
 Palikuwa na mtu, there was a 
 man. 
 
 Hakuna, there is not. 
 
 Kuna, there is. 
 
 Zinazo, they are. 
 -na-, the sign of the present tense 
 of a continuing action. 
 
 Anakwenda, he is going. 
 
 Anasema, he is saying. 
 
 This tense has sometimes the 
 effect of a present participle. 
 
 Akamwona anakuja, and he saw 
 him coming. 
 
 N.B. — At Mombas the -na- tense 
 is used as a past tense. At 
 Zanzibar it is the most usual 
 present. 
 Na or 'Nna = Nina, I have. 
 Naam or Na'am, yes. 
 
 Nabihuha ku-, to exhort. 
 
 Nabii, a prophet. 
 
 Nadi ku, to proclaim, to make a 
 bid fur a thing, to sell by auction. 
 See Mnadi. 
 
 Nddira, rare. 
 
 Nafaka, corn, corn used as money. 
 Mtama, or millet, was formerly 
 used in Zanzibar as small 
 change : it was superseded by 
 the introduction of pice from 
 India about the year 1845. 
 
 Nafasi, space, room, time, oppor- 
 tunity. 
 
 Nafisisha ku-, to give space, to make 
 space. 
 
 Nafsi or Nafusi, self, soul, breath. 
 
 Nafuu, profitable. 
 
 Nahau, spelling, grammar. 
 
 Nahma ku, to revenge. 
 
 Nahotha ya maji, water-tank. 
 
 Nai, a sort of anvil fixed in a forked 
 piece of wood. 
 
 Najisi = Nejjis, profane. 
 
 NakhotJia or Nahoza, captain of a 
 vessel, master mariner. 
 
 Nakili ku-, to copy, to transcribe. 
 
 Nakishi, Naksh, or Nakshi, cavviDg. 
 Kukata naksh, to carve, to orna- 
 ment with carving. 
 
 Nakishiwa ku, to be carved or in- 
 laid. 
 
 Nakl, a copy. 
 
 Nako, and it was there. 
 
 Ndkudi, cash, ready money. 
 
 Nama ku- = Inama ku-, to bend 
 down, to bow the head. 
 
 Nami, and I, or with me. 
 
 Na'mna or Namuna, sort, pattern. 
 
 Namua ku- (Mer.), to take out of a 
 trap, to extricate. 
 
 Nana or Na'ana, mint. 
 
 Nana, mistress (N.).
 
 NAN 
 
 NDI 
 
 357 
 
 Nanazi, plur. mananazi, a pine- 
 Nane, eight. [apple. 
 
 -nane, eight. 
 
 Ya nane, eighth. 
 Nanga, an anchor. 
 
 Kutia nanga, to anchor. 
 Kangonango, a worm (?). 
 Nani ? Who ? 
 
 Naiiigicanzula, a kind of lizard. 
 Nao, and they or with them, and it 
 
 or with it. 
 Naoza = NaTchotJia, a captain. 
 Na])0, and there, and here. 
 Nasa ku; to catch in a trap. 
 Nasi ku; to warn. 
 Nasihu, luck, fortune. 
 
 Kica nasihu, by chance, perhaps. 
 Nasihu 1:u, to appoint. 
 Nasiha Itu-, to suggest. 
 Nasihi ku-, to entreat, to beseech. 
 Nastahiba, I see it better, prefer. 
 Nasur, an abscess. 
 Nata ku-, to be adhesive, to stick. 
 NatJiari, choice. 
 Nathiri, a look, a glance, a vow. 
 
 Kuiceka nathiri, to vow. 
 
 Kuondoa nathiri, to perform a 
 vow. 
 Nathiri ku-, to glance. 
 Natoa, a blemish (?). 
 Nauli, freight. 
 Naica ku-, to wash oneself. 
 
 Kunawa mikono, to wash one's 
 hands. 
 Nazdr, quarrel. 
 Nazi, a cocoa-nut, a fully ripe nut. 
 
 Nazi kavu, copra, cocoa-nuts dried 
 fit for pressing. 
 Naziri = Nathiri. 
 Naziyana ku-, to quarrel. 
 'Ncha, the point, the end, tip, a 
 
 strand in cordage. 
 Nchi. See IncUi. 
 
 Ndaa (M.), hunger, = Njaa. 
 Ndama, a calf, the young of a 
 
 domestic animal. 
 Kdani, within, inside. 
 Ndani ya, inside of. 
 Kioa ndani, inner, secret. 
 Ndani kwa ndani, secretly. 
 Ndaroho. 
 
 Kusema cha ndaroho, to speak a 
 secret language. 
 Ndefu = Ndevii, the beard. Sing. 
 
 udevu, one hair of the beard. 
 Ndefu, long. See -refu. 
 Ndege, a bird, birds, an omen. To 
 see a woman with a load is lucky, 
 and would be culled ndege njema. 
 To see a man by himself carrying 
 nothing is unlucky, and is ndege 
 mhaya. 
 Nd^.re. 
 
 Unga wa ndere, a magic poison. 
 Ndewe, a hole pierced in the lobe of 
 
 the ear, 
 Ndezi, a kind of animal. 
 Ndi-, a prefix used with the short 
 form of the pronoun to express, 
 it is this, this is the one, I am 
 he, you are he, &c. 
 I, Ndimi, 
 Thou, Ndiice. 
 He or she, Ndiye. 
 It, Ndio, ndiyo, ndicho, ndilo^ 
 
 ndipo, ndiko, ndimo. 
 We, Ndisi. 
 You, Ndinyi. 
 
 They, Ndio, ndiyo, ndivyo, ndizo. 
 Ndiyo yalio, that is just it, that 
 is how matters stood. 
 Ndia (M.) = Njia. 
 Ndimi, tongues. See TJlimi. 
 Ndio, yes. 
 
 Ndiioa (M.) or Njiwa, a pigeon. 
 Ndid, bananas, plantains.
 
 8.38 
 
 K DI 
 
 NG A 
 
 Ndizi Bungala, a thick sweet 
 kind of banana. 
 
 Ndizi mjenga, a long kind of 
 banana used in cooking. 
 
 Ndizi msusa, a large ridged kind 
 of banana. 
 Ndoa, marriage. 
 Ndonya, a lip-ring, worn by the 
 
 Nyassa. 
 Ndoo and Ndooni (M.) = Njoo and 
 
 Njooni^ come. 
 Ndoo, a pail, a bucket. 
 Ndoto, a dream. 
 Ndovu, an elephant. 
 Ndugu, a brother or sister, a cousin, 
 a relation, 
 
 Ndugu Jiunyonya, a foster brother, 
 Ndui, small-pox. [&c. 
 
 Nduli, savage, given to slaying, a 
 
 man wholly without patience. 
 Ndume, male, from -lume or -ume. 
 Ndusi, a bos. 
 Nehii = Nahii, a prophet. 
 Neema, grace, favour. 
 Neemesha Jcu-, to enrich. 
 Nefsi = Nafd = Nafun, self. 
 Negesha ku-, to charge with, to at- 
 tribute falsely to. 
 
 Ahamnegesha mwivi, and he 
 called him a thief. 
 Nejjis, or Nejisi, or Najisiy profane, 
 
 blasphemous. 
 NelU, a pipe, a water-pipe. 
 Nembo, tribal murks. 
 Nena ku-, to speak, to name, to 
 
 mention. 
 Nenana ku-, to talk against one 
 
 another, to quarrel. 
 -nene, thick, stout, fat, whole, com- 
 plete, plump, sleek. 
 Nenea ku-, to talk to, of, at, for, or 
 
 against, to blame, to scold, to re- 
 
 cc>mmend. 
 
 Nenepa ku-, to grow fat, used es- 
 pecially of persons. 
 Neno, plur. maneno, a word, a thing. 
 
 Sikufanya neno, I have done no- 
 thing. 
 Nenyekea ku-, to be humble, to con- 
 descend. 
 -nenyekevu, humble, condescending. 
 Ne2Ja ku-, to sag, to dip in the 
 
 middle as a long rope does. 
 
 Neupe or Nyeupe, white. See -eupe. 
 
 Neusi or Nyeusi, black. See -eusi. 
 
 -nga- or -nge-, the prefix of the 
 
 present conditional tense. 
 
 ni-nge-kuwa, I should be. 
 Ngadu, land crabs. 
 -ngawa, though. 
 
 Ng'aa liu- = Ng'ara ku-, to shine. 
 ■ngali-, the prefix of the past con- 
 ditional. 
 
 ni-ngali-kataa, I should have re- 
 fused. 
 Ngama, the hold of a ship. 
 Ng'amha, a hawkshead turtle, from 
 
 which tortoiseshell is procured. 
 Ng'amho, the other side of a river 
 
 or creek. 
 Ngamia or Ngamiya, a cameL 
 Ng'anda, a handful. 
 Ngano, a tale, a fable. 
 Ngano, wheat. 
 
 Amekula ngano, he has been dis- 
 graced ; that is, having been 
 as if in paradise, he has now 
 to eat the food of ordinary 
 mortals. 
 Ngao, a shield or buckler ; they are 
 
 circular and very small. 
 Ngara, the young cob of Indian 
 
 corn. 
 Ng'ara ku-, or Ng'ala, or Ng'aa, to 
 
 shine, to glitter, to be transparent, 
 
 to be clear.
 
 NGA 
 
 N GU 
 
 359 
 
 Ngariba, a circumcisor. 
 
 N'gariza hu-, to fix the eyes, to glare. 
 
 Amening^ ariza viaclio, he glared 
 at me. 
 Ngaica, a civet cat (?). 
 
 The ngawa is a larger animal 
 than the fungo. 
 Ng'aza hu-, to make to shine, or to 
 
 be brilliant. 
 Ngazi, a ladder. 
 Ngazidja, Great Comoro. 
 'A^e, a scorpion. 
 
 'Tige-, sign of the conditional pre- 
 sent, would. 
 
 Yangedumu, they would still con- 
 tinue. 
 Ngedere, a small black monkey. 
 Ngema, good. See -ema. 
 Ngeu, ruddle used by carpenters to 
 
 mark out their work. 
 -ngi or -ingi, many, much, 
 Ngiliza. See Ingiliza. 
 -ngine, other, diiferent. 
 
 Wangine — wangine, some — other. 
 Ng'oa ku; to pull up, to root up, to 
 
 pull out. 
 Ngoa, lust. 
 
 Kulia 7igoa, to weep for jealousy. 
 
 Kutimia ngoa yakwe, to satisfy 
 his desires. 
 Ng'ofic, the roe of a fish. 
 Ngoja ku-, to wait, to wait for. 
 Ngoje, Angoxa. 
 
 Ngojea ku-, to wait upon, to watch. 
 Ng'oka ku-, to be rooted up. 
 
 Moyo unaning'oka, I was startled 
 out of my wits. 
 Ngoh, rope. 
 
 Ngoma, a drum, a musical perform- 
 ance generally. 
 Ng^omhe or Gnoinbe, an ox, a cow., a 
 bull, cattle. 
 
 Ng^ombe nduine, a bull. 
 
 Ngome, a fort. 
 
 Ng'onda ku-, to cure or dry fislj, «S:c. 
 
 Ng'onga. 
 
 Ana ng'onga (A.), he is inclined 
 to vomit. 
 Ng'ong'e, the strips of leaf or fibre 
 
 used for sewing matting, and for 
 
 tying. 
 Ng'ong'o, the thick edge of a strip 
 
 of matting. 
 Ngono, the share of her husband's 
 
 company which is due to each 
 
 wife. 
 Ngovi = Ngozi, skin. 
 Ngozi, skin, hide, leather. 
 Nguchiro, a mangouste. Also, a 
 
 sort of bird = Mcliiro. 
 Ngumi or Nyamgumi, a whale. 
 Ngumi. 
 
 Kupiga ngumi, to strike with the 
 fist. 
 Ngumu, hard. See -gumu. 
 Nguo, calico, cotton cloth, clothes. 
 
 Nguo ya meza, a table-cloth. 
 
 Nguo ya maki, stout cloth. 
 
 Kutenda nguo, to stretch the 
 threads for weaving. 
 Nguri, a shoemaker's tool shaped 
 
 like a skittle. 
 Nguru, a kind of fish. 
 Nguruma ku-, to roar, to thunder, 
 JSgurumo, a roar, distant rolling 
 
 thunder. 
 Nguruvu, a kind of jackal with a 
 
 bushy tail. 
 Nguruwe or Nguuwe, a pig, swine. 
 Nguruzi, a plug. 
 Nguue = Ngurmce, a pig. 
 Nguue, red paint. 
 Nguva, a kind of fish. 
 Nguvu, strength, power, authority. 
 
 Kica nguvu, by or with strength, 
 by force, strongly, rankly.
 
 360 
 
 NGU 
 
 NJl 
 
 Nguzo, a pillar, pillars. 
 
 -ngwana, free, civilized. 
 
 Ngwe. See Ugwe. 
 
 2^gwe, an allotment or space for cul- 
 tivation. 
 
 Ngwena, a crocodile, a seal. 
 
 Ngwiro, a large kind of ant. 
 
 Ni, I am, was, is. 
 
 Ni is used to express is or was, for 
 all peroons and Loth numbers. 
 
 Ni (M.), by, with the agent of a 
 passive verb. 
 
 iVi-, W-, or N; I, the sign of the 
 first person singular. Before the 
 -ta- of the future it sometimes 
 disappears. 
 
 -711- or -11-, the objective prefix de- 
 noting the first person singular. 
 
 -7ii, added to substantives, forms a 
 sort of locative case, signifying 
 in, at, into, to, from, from out 
 of, near, by. 
 
 1. When followed by pronouns, 
 &c., beginning with 'm or mw, 
 this case implies within, inside 
 of, or the coming or going to 
 or from the inside of the thing 
 named. 
 
 2. When followed by pronouns, 
 &c., beginning with p, it signi- 
 fies nearness to, or situation at, 
 by, before, near. 
 
 3. When followed by pronouns, 
 &c., in kw, it denotes going or 
 coming to or from, or at, from, 
 and in, in a vague sense, or of 
 things far off. 
 
 -ni, added to verbs in the impera- 
 tive forms the second person 
 plural. It is sometimes suffixed 
 to common phrases, as huaheriai, 
 good-bye, and twendtzetuni, let us 
 go, and Ls explained as a short 
 
 form for enyi, or nyie, you ! yoii 
 
 there ! 
 -ni, enclitic form for nini, what ? 
 -ni, enclitic for nyi as an objective 
 suffix (N.). 
 
 Nawaambiani, I tell you. 
 Nia, mind, intention, what one has 
 
 in one's mind. 
 Nia hu, to have in one's mind, to 
 
 think to do. 
 Nikaao, which I inhabit. 
 Nikali, and I am or was. 
 
 Nikali nikienda, and I am going. 
 Nil, blue (for washing). 
 Nikwata, the little wall lizard. 
 Nili, I being. 
 
 Nili hall ya kiiwa juu yoke, I 
 being on his back. 
 Nina, I have. 
 Nina, mother (N.). 
 Ninga, a kind of green bird some- 
 thing like a dove, a woman'a 
 
 name. 
 Ning^inia ku-, to swing. 
 Ning'iniza ku-, to set swinging. 
 Nini ? What ? 
 
 Kwa nini, or Ya nini ? why ? what 
 for? 
 Ninyi, ye, you. 
 
 Ninyi nyote, all of you, all to- 
 getlier. 
 Nipe, give me. See Pa ku-. 
 Nira, yoke. 
 Nisha, starch (?). 
 Njaa, hunger, famine. 
 'iV/e, outside, forth. 
 
 ^Nje ya, outside of. 
 
 Kwa 'nje, outwardly, on the out- 
 side. 
 Njema, good, very well. See -ema. 
 Njia or Ndia, a way, a path, a road, 
 means. 
 
 Njia panda, cross roada.
 
 N JI 
 
 NY- 
 
 361 
 
 Njiri, a kind of animal. 
 
 Njiwa, a pigeon, pigeons. 
 Njiwa manga, tame pigeons. 
 Njiwa ya mwi'tu, a wild pigeon. 
 
 Njomho, a fish barred with black and 
 yellow. 
 
 Njoo, come. 
 
 Njooni, come ye. 
 
 Njozi, an apparition, vision. 
 
 Njiiga, a dog-bell, a small bell 
 worn as an ornament. 
 
 NjugUy ground nuts. 
 
 Njugu nyassa, soft ground-nuts. 
 Njngu mawe, hard ground-nuts, 
 
 Njumu, inlaid with silver, inlaying 
 work. See Mjumu. 
 
 Njriwa = Njuga. 
 
 Nnaokaa, where I am living, which 
 I am inhabiting. 
 
 -fine, four. 
 
 Ya 'nne, fourth. 
 
 Noa hu, to whet, to sharpen on a 
 stone. 
 
 Noher, a servant. 
 
 Xohoa, the second head man at a 
 plantation, generally a slave. 
 
 Noleo, plur. manoleo, the metal ring 
 round the haft where a knife is 
 set into its handle. 
 
 Nona hu-, to get fat, applied espe- 
 cially to animals, 
 
 Nong'ona hu-, to whisper, to mur- 
 mur. 
 
 Nong^oneza hu-, to whisper to. 
 
 Nong'onezana hu-, to whisper to- 
 gether. 
 
 -nona, fat. 
 
 Nonoa hu- (?). 
 
 Noondo, or Nondo, a moth. 
 
 Nshi (A.), eyebrow. 
 
 Nso, the kidneys. 
 
 'Nta, wax, bees' -wax. 
 
 'liii — Inchi, laud, country, earth. 
 
 Nuele or Nioele — Nyele, hair. 
 Nuia hu-, to have in one's mind, to 
 
 intend. 
 Nuha hu-, to give out a smell, to 
 stink. 
 Ttimhaho ya hunuha, snuff. 
 Nuhato, plur. manuhato, a good 
 
 smell, a scent. 
 Nuhiza hu-, to smell out like a dog. 
 Nuhta, a point, a vowel point. 
 Nuna hu-, to sulk. 
 Nundu, a hump, a bullock's hump. 
 Nungu, a porcupine. 
 Nungu [Pemba], a cocoa-nut. 
 Nung^uniha hu-, to murmur, to 
 
 grumble. 
 Nunua hu-, to buy. 
 Xunulia hu-, to buy for. 
 
 Numdiwa hu-, to have bouglit 
 for one. 
 Nura hu-, to say the words of an 
 
 oath. 
 Ntiru, light. 
 Nusa hu-, to smell. 
 
 Tumhaho ya hunusa, snuff. 
 Nuss, or Nusu, or Nussu, half. 
 Nusuru hu-, to help. 
 Nioa hu- or Nywa hu-, to drink, to 
 
 absorb. 
 Nweleo, plur. manweleo, pores of 
 
 the skin. 
 Nwewa hu-, to be absorbed, to be 
 
 drunk. 
 Ny-, a common prefix to substan- 
 tives which do not change to 
 form the plural, where the root 
 begins with a vowel. 
 Substantives in u- or w- followed 
 by a vowel make their plural 
 by substituting ny- for the -u. 
 Dissyllables in u- make their 
 plural by merely prefixing ny-. 
 Ny-, the prefix proper to adjectives.
 
 362 
 
 NY A 
 
 NYE 
 
 agreeing with substantives of 
 either number of the class 
 wliich do not change to form 
 their plural, or with the plural 
 of substantives in u-, when the 
 root of the adjective begins 
 ■with a vowel, except -ema, 
 good, which makes njema or 
 ngema. 
 Nya Jcu-, to fall (of rain) ; the Jcu- 
 bears the accent, and is re- 
 tained in the usual tenses. 
 Mvua inakimya, the rain is fall- 
 ing (Zanzibar). 
 Mvua yanya, rainfalls (M.). 
 Nyaa, nails of the fingers (N.). 
 Nyaka ku-, to catch. 
 Nyakua ku-, to snatch. 
 ^yala, sheaths. See Ala. 
 JKyalio, cross pieces put in the 
 bottom of a pot to prevent the 
 meat touching the bottom and 
 burning. 
 Nyama, flesh, meat, an animal, 
 animals, beasts, cattle. 
 Nyama mbioayi, savage beasts. 
 Nyamaa ku-, to continue silent, not 
 
 to speak, to acquiesce. 
 -nyamavu, silent. 
 
 Nyamaza ku-, to become silent, to 
 leave off talking, to cease (of 
 pain). 
 Nyamgumi, a whale. 
 Nyanana, gentle. See -anana. 
 •nyangdlika, a sort of a. 
 
 Kitu kinyangdlika, a sort of a 
 
 thing. 
 Mnyangalika ganil What sort 
 of a man is it ? 
 Nyang'anya ku-, to rob, to take by 
 
 force. 
 Nyangari, large (spider) shells. 
 Nyani, an ape, apes. 
 
 Nyanya, a small red fruit used as a 
 vegetable, &c. 
 
 Nyanya ya kizungu, ft sort of 
 small tomato. 
 Nyanyasa ku-, to profane, contemn. 
 Nyara, booty. 
 Nyasi, grass, reeds. 
 Nyati, a buffalo, buffaloes. 
 Nyatia ku-, to creep up to, to stalk 
 
 (an animal, &c.). 
 Nyauka ku-, to dry up, to wither, 
 
 to shrivel. 
 Nyawe, his mother (M.). 
 Nyayo, pliir. of uayo. 
 Nyea ku-, to cause to itch, to iteb 
 
 Imeninyea, I itch 
 Nyefua ku-, to devour like a beast 
 
 of prey. 
 Nyegi. 
 
 Kuwa na nyegi, to be in heat. 
 Nyekundu, red. See -ekundu. 
 Nyele, or Nuele, or Nicele, the hair, 
 sing, unyele, one hair. 
 
 Nyele za kipilipili, woolly hair. 
 
 Nyele za singa, straiglit hair. 
 Nyembamba, thin. See -emhamha. 
 Nyemelea ku-, to go quietly and 
 
 secretly up to a thing in order 
 
 to seize it. 
 Nyemi, a great dance. 
 Nyenya ku-, to talk a person into 
 
 telling something. 
 Nyenyekea ku-, to be humble. 
 Nyenzo, rollers, anything to make 
 
 things move. 
 Nyepesi, light. See -epesi. 
 Nyesha ku-, to cause to fall. 
 
 Kunyeslia mvua, to cause it to 
 rain. 
 Nyeta ku-, to be teasing, ill-condi- 
 tioned, never satisfied. 
 Nyeupe, white. See -eupe. 
 Nyeusi, black. See -eusi.
 
 -NYE 
 
 N Y W 
 
 363 
 
 •nyevu, damp. 
 
 Nyie or Enyie, you there, I say ; 
 
 used in calling people at a dis- 
 tance. 
 Nyika, wilderness, cut grass (A.). 
 Nyima Jcu-, to refuse to, to withhold 
 
 from, not to give to. 
 Nyiminyimi, into little bits. 
 Nyingi, many, much. See -ingi. 
 Nyingine, other, another. See 
 
 -ngine, 
 NyingHnia Jcu-^ to sway, swing. 
 
 Also ISing'inia. 
 Nyinyi, you. 
 Nyinyoro^ a bulbous plant which 
 
 throws up a large head of red 
 
 flowers. 
 Nyoa, plur. manyoa, a feather, = 
 
 Nyoya. 
 Nyoa ku; to shave. 
 Nyoi (?), a locust. 
 Nyoka, a suake, a serpent, snakes. 
 Nyoka hu-, to be straight, to be 
 
 stretched out. 
 Nyonda, temptation, trial. 
 Nyondo, a moth. Also Noondo. 
 Nyonga^ the hip. 
 
 Nyonga ya sarara (A.), the loins. 
 Nyonga hu-, to twist, to strangle. 
 Nyongqnyonga Tcu-, to go from side 
 
 to side, to wriggle. 
 -nyonge, mean, insignificant, vile. 
 Nyongo, bile. 
 Nyong'onyeya ku-, to be weary, 
 
 languid, to get slack and power- 
 less. 
 Nyonya ku-, to suck. 
 Nyonyesha ku-, to suckle. 
 Nyonyo. 
 
 Mafuta ya nyonyo^ castor oil (?). 
 Nyonyoa ku-, to pluck a bird, to 
 
 pull out feathers. 
 Nyonyoka = Nyonyoa. 
 
 Nyonyota ku-, to make to smart. 
 Kyororo, soft. See -ororo. 
 Nyosha ku-, to stretch, to straighten, 
 to extend. 
 
 Kujinyosha, to lie down, to take 
 a nap. 
 Nyofa, a star, stars, point of the 
 
 compass. 
 Nyote, all, agreeing with ninyi, you. 
 
 See -ote. 
 Nyoya, plur. manyoya, feather. 
 Nyoyo, hearts. See Moyo. 
 Nyua, plur. of ua, a courtyard, en- 
 closure. 
 Nyuki, a bee, bees. 
 
 Asali ya nyuki, honey. 
 Nyukua ku-, to tweak, to pinch 
 
 sharply. 
 Nyuma, at the back, afterwards. 
 
 Nyuma ya, behind, after. 
 
 Nyumaye, after it, afterwards. 
 
 Kuriidi nyuma, to go back. 
 Nyumha, a house, houses. 
 Nyuraho, the wildebeest, catoblepas 
 
 gorgon. 
 Nyumhu, a mule, mules. 
 Nyundo, a hammer, hammers. 
 Nyuni, a bird, birds (M.). 
 Nyungo, plur. of Ungo. 
 Nyungu, a cooking pot. 
 Nyungunyungu, sores in the leg, 
 
 said to be caused by the biting of 
 
 •worms bearing the same name. 
 Nyunyiza ku-, to sprinkle, to 
 
 sprinkle upon. 
 Nyunyunika ku-, to murmur (?). 
 Nt/usM, the eyebrow. 
 Nywa ku- or Nwa ku-, to driuk, 
 
 suck up, absorb. The ku- bears 
 
 the accent and is retained in the 
 
 usual tenses. 
 Nywea ku-, to get very thin, to 
 
 Tfaste away.
 
 364 
 
 N YW 
 
 ONE 
 
 Nywesha hu-, to give to drink. 
 Nzi, plur. manzi, a fly. Also Inzi. 
 Nzige, a locust. 
 Nzigunzigu, a butterfly. 
 Nzima, sound. See -zima. 
 Nzito, heavy. See -zito. 
 Nzuri, fine. See -zuri. 
 
 is pronounced a little more like 
 aw than is usual in English. 
 
 U before o sometimes becomes a 
 w, but very often disappears, as : 
 Koga for huoga, to bathe. This 
 word and some others in o are 
 sometimes incorrectly conjugated 
 as if beginning in ho. 
 
 -o or -0-, sign of the relative, re- 
 ferring to substantives in the 
 singular which make their plural 
 in mi-, or to singular substantives 
 in U-. 
 
 -0, the short form of wao, they or 
 them. 
 
 Oa ku-, to marry, used of the bride- 
 groom. Passive, huolewa. 
 
 Oana ku-, to intermarry, to marry 
 one another. 
 
 Oawa ku-, to become married (of 
 the man). 
 
 Oaza ku-, to marry. 
 
 Oga ku-, to bathe, frequently pro- 
 nounced koga. 
 
 Ogofisha ku-, to frighten, make 
 afraid, to menace, to threaten. 
 
 Ogofya ku-, to frighten. 
 
 Ogolea ku-, to swim, to swim about. 
 
 Ogopa ku-, to fear, to be afraid. 
 
 Oka ku-, to bake, to cook by fire 
 only. 
 
 Okoa ku-, to save, to take away. 
 
 Okoka ku-, to become saved, to 
 Okota ku-, to pick up. [escape. 
 
 Ole, woe. 
 
 Ole loangu, wenu, &c., woe unto 
 me, unto you, &c. 
 Olewa ku-, to marry or to be mar- 
 ried, used of tlie bride. 
 Oleza ku-, to make like, to follow a 
 
 pattern. 
 Omla ku-, to pray to, to beg of, to 
 
 beseech. 
 Ombea ku-, to intercede for, to beg 
 
 on behalf of, to pray for. 
 Oniboleza ku-, to wail. 
 Omo, the head of a ship. 
 
 Pepo za omo, head winds (?). 
 Ona ku-, to see, to perceive, to feel. 
 
 Kuona kiu, to feel thirst. 
 
 Eujiona, to think oneself, to 
 afiect to be. 
 
 Naona, I think so. 
 Oitana ku-, to meet. 
 Onda ku- (M.) = Onja ku-, to taste, 
 
 to try. 
 Ondo, plur. maondo (A.), the knee. 
 Ondoa ku-, to take away. 
 Ondoka ku-, to go away, to get up, 
 to arise. 
 
 Ondoka mhele yangu, depart from 
 me. 
 
 Kuondoka katika ulimwengu Jitku, 
 to depart out of this world. 
 Ondokea ku-, to rise to, or out of 
 
 respect to. 
 Ondokelea ku-, to arise and depart 
 
 from. 
 Ondolea ku-, to remove, to take 
 away from. 
 
 Kuondolea huzuni, to cheer. 
 Ondosha ku-, to make to go away, 
 
 take away, abolish. 
 Otiea ku-, to see for to anticipate 
 
 for, to bully, to oppress.
 
 ONE 
 
 PA 
 
 365 
 
 Onekana hu-, to become visible, to 
 
 appear, to be to be seen. 
 Ongea ku-, to spend time, to waste 
 
 time in talking. 
 Ongeza ku-, to make greater, add to. 
 
 Kuongeza ure/u, to lengthen. 
 Ongezeka ku-, to increase. 
 Ongoa ku-, to convert, to lead 
 
 aright. 
 Ongofya ku-, to deceive by promises. 
 Ongoka ku-, to be converted, to be 
 
 led aright, to be healed. 
 Ongokewa ku-, to prosper. 
 Ongonga ku-, to feel nausea. 
 Ongoza ku-, to drive, to lead. 
 Ongua ku-, to hatch. 
 Onguliwa ku-, to be hatched. 
 Onguza ku-, to scorch, to scald. 
 Onja ku-, to taste, try, examine. 
 Onya ku-, to warn, to make to see. 
 Onyesha ku-, to show. 
 Opoa ku-, to take out, to fish up. 
 Opolea ku-, to fish up with, for, by, 
 
 &c. 
 Orfa, or Orofa, or Ghorofa, an upper 
 
 room. 
 -ororo, soft, smooth. It makes jororo, 
 
 with nouns like kasha, and 
 
 nyororo with nouns like nyuniba. 
 Osha ku-, to wash. 
 Osheka ku-, to have been washed. 
 Osia, learning of old times. 
 Ota ku-, to dream (kulota, Mer.). 
 Ota ku-, to grow. 
 
 -ote or ofe, all, every one, the 
 whole. It varies like the pos- 
 sessive pronouns. 
 
 Mertkehu zote, all the ships. 
 
 Merikebu yote, the whole ship. 
 
 Twende sote, let us go together. 
 
 Twende wote, let us both go. 
 
 Lo lote, cho cTiote, &c., whatsoever. 
 GUa ku-, to lie ia wait for. 
 
 -ovu or -hovu, rotten, bad, corrupt, 
 I wicked. It makes mbovu with 
 nouns like nyumha. 
 Ovyo, trash, any sort of thing. 
 Owama ku-, to be steeped. 
 j Owamisha ku-, to steep. 
 Oza ku-, to rot, to spoil, go bad. 
 Also, to marry (of the parents). 
 
 P. 
 
 P is pronounced as in English. 
 
 P, at the beginning of a word, has 
 frequently an aspirated or rather 
 an explosive sound, such as Irish- 
 men sometimes give it. This is 
 very marked in the name of the 
 island of Pemba or P'emba. F'e'po, 
 the plural of upepo, wind, has a 
 very strong explosive sound given 
 to the first p, but in upepo both ^'s 
 are smooth, like an ordinary Eng- 
 lish p. It is probable that this 
 explosive sound represents a sup- 
 
 P followed by a y sound some- 
 times becomes/; ku^gopa, to fear, 
 kuogofya, to frighten ; kuapa, to 
 swear, kuafya, to make to swear. 
 
 Pa- or P-, the prefix proper to ad- 
 jectives, pronouns, and verbs 
 of both numbers governed by 
 mahali, place or places. 
 
 The prefix proper to pronouns 
 following the case in -ni, when 
 it denotes nearness, at, by, near. 
 
 The prefix pa- is often applied to 
 a verb in the sense of the 
 English there. 
 
 Palina or palikiiwa na, there was. 
 Hapana, there is not. 
 2 B
 
 366 
 
 P A 
 
 PAK 
 
 It is not quite so indefinite as hu-. 
 Pa hu-, to present with, to give to. 
 
 The Itu bears the accent ; hupa 
 
 cannot be used without a person 
 
 as its object, and tlie objective 
 
 prefix bears the accent. Ali- 
 
 hupa, he gave you; aUmpa, he 
 
 gave him. The passive is hu- 
 
 pawa or Jmpewa, and means, to 
 
 have given to one, to receive. 
 Paa, a gazelle, a small kind of 
 
 antelope. 
 Paa, plur. mapaa, a thatched roof. 
 
 Nyumha ya mapaa manne, a roof 
 of four slopes. 
 Paa Tiu-y to ascend, to go up. 
 Paa 7cu-, to scrape. 
 
 Kupaa samaki, to scrape the 
 scales off a fish. 
 
 Kupaa sandarusi, to clean gum 
 copal. 
 
 Kupaa moto, to take fire and 
 carry it on a potsherd, &c. 
 Paanda, a trumpet. 
 Paange, a horsefly, a gadfly. 
 PaangOy plur. mapaango, a cave, 
 
 a den. 
 Paaza ku-, to make to rise. 
 
 Kupaaza pumzi, to draw in the 
 breath. 
 Paaza ku-, to grind coarsely, not to 
 
 make fine meal. 
 Pacha, a twin. 
 
 Kuzaliwa pacha, to be lx)m twins. 
 
 Pacha ya nje, a child of which 
 its mother was pregnant while 
 suckling a previous child. 
 Pachika ku-, to put an arrow on 
 
 the string, to stick a knife in 
 
 one's girdle, &c. 
 Padiri or Padre, plur. mapadirl, 
 
 a padre, a priest, a clergyman. 
 Pofuy lungs. 
 
 Paga ku-, to strike hard, to harpoon 
 
 a whale. 
 Pagaa ku-, to carry on the shoulders, 
 to possess (of an evil spirit). 
 
 Amepagawa na pepo, he is pos- 
 sessed of an evil spirit. 
 Pagaza ku-, to make to bear, applied 
 
 to an evil spirit causing a man to 
 
 fall sick. 
 Pagua ku-, to take off, strip off (as 
 
 boughs and leaves). 
 Pahali, in the place, at the place. 
 Paja, plur. mapaja, the thigh. 
 Paje, red mtama [Pemba]. 
 Paji la uso, the forehead. 
 Paka, a cat, cats. 
 Paka ku-, to rub in, to smear on. 
 Pakaa ku- — Paka ku-. 
 Pakacha, plur. mapakacha, a basket 
 
 made by plaiting together part 
 
 of a cocoa-nut leaf. 
 Pakacha, plur. mapakacha, people 
 
 who prowl about at night to do 
 
 mischief. 
 Pakana ku-, to border upon. 
 Pakanya, rue. 
 
 Pakasa ku- (Mer.), to twist rope. 
 Pakata ku-, to hold a child on the 
 
 lap or in front. 
 Pake, his, hers, or its, after mahali, 
 
 or the case in -ni signifying 
 
 nearness. See -ake. 
 Pakia ku-, to load a ship, to be 
 
 loaded with, to carry as cargo, 
 
 to have on board. 
 Pakicha ku-. 
 
 Kupakicha migun,to cross the legs 
 in sitting; reckoned improper 
 in Zanzibar. 
 Pakilia ku-, to embark for, to put 
 
 on board for. 
 PaMza ku-, to stow on board ship, 
 
 &C.
 
 PAK 
 
 PAN 
 
 367 
 
 PaTco, thy, your, after maliali, or 
 the case in -ni denoting nearness. 
 See -aJio. 
 Pahua liU; to take out of the pot, 
 
 to dish, to lade out. 
 Pakuna ku, to scratch. 
 Pakutokea, a place to go out at, an 
 
 outlet. 
 Pale, there, that place, of things 
 
 not very far off. 
 Palepale, just there, at that very 
 
 spot. 
 Palia ku-y to hoe. 
 
 Eupalia moto, to pick up for. and 
 
 take live embers to a person. 
 Kupaliwa na mate or maji, to 
 choke with spittle or with 
 what one is drinking, so as to 
 send it into one's nose, ears, 
 &c. 
 Palikuwa na, there was or there 
 
 were. 
 Palilia hu-, to hoe up, to draw the 
 earth up round growing crops, to 
 hoe between crops. 
 Paliliza ku-, to cause to be hoed. 
 Paliza ku-, to lift up the voice. 
 Palu, plur. mapalu, little cakes of 
 
 sugar, bhang, and opium. 
 Pamba, cotton. 
 
 Parriba ku-, to adorn, to deck out, 
 furnish. 
 Kupamha merikehu, to dress a 
 
 ship. 
 Ku'mpamha mayiti, to put cotton 
 in ears, mouth, &c. of a dead 
 person before burying him. 
 Pambaja ku-, to embrace. 
 Pamhana ku-, to meet in a narrow 
 place where two cannot go 
 abreast; applied to ships it 
 means, to go alongside, to get 
 foul of one another. 
 
 Pamhamsha ku-, to bring together, 
 
 to compare. 
 Pamhanua ku-, to distinguish, to 
 
 separate, to discriminate. 
 Pambanulia ku-, to describe by 
 
 distinguishing. 
 Pambanya ku-, or Parribanyiza ku-, 
 
 to overbear by loud talking, &c. 
 Pambauka or Pambazuka ku-, to 
 
 become light in the morning. 
 Pambazua ku-, to speak plainly. 
 Pambele, in front. 
 
 Pambo, plur. mapambo, adornment, 
 dressing. 
 Pambo la «?/wm6a, house furniture. 
 Pamoja, in one place, together. 
 
 Pamoja na, together with, with. 
 Pana, there is or are, was or were. 
 -pana, broad, wide. It makes yana 
 
 with nouns like nyumba. 
 Pana ku-, to make mutual gifts. 
 Panapana, flat, level, even. 
 Panapo, where there is, are, was or 
 
 were. 
 Panchayat, five head men (Hind.), 
 
 governing council. 
 Panda (M.) = Panja. 
 Panda, a bifurcation, as where a 
 road divides into two, where 
 two streams join, where the 
 bough of a tree forks. 
 Njia panda, cross roads, or where 
 three ways meet; there is a 
 superstitious custom of empty- 
 ing rubbish and dirt at such 
 places. 
 Panda ku-, to mount, to get up, 
 ascend, ride, to go on board, to 
 go ashore (of a ship). 
 Panda ku-, to set aside. 
 Panda ku-, to plant, to sow. 
 Pandana ku-, to lie across Cue 
 another. 
 
 2 B 2
 
 368 
 
 PAN 
 
 PAS 
 
 Pande mhili, on both sides. See 
 
 Upande. 
 Pandisha ku-, to make to go up, to 
 
 hoist, to raise. 
 Panga ku-, to rent, to hire a house. 
 Panga ku-^ to put in a line, to set 
 
 in order, 
 Panga, plur. of upanga. 
 Pangana ku-, to be in rows. 
 Pangine, another place, other places. 
 See -ngine. 
 
 Panginepo, elsewhere. 
 Pangisha ku-, to let a house to. 
 Pangisha ku-, to make people sit in 
 
 rows or in order. 
 Pangu, my. See -angu. 
 Pangusa ku-, to wipe. 
 Panja, the forelock. 
 
 Mapanja, the receding of the 
 hair on each side of the fore- 
 lock. 
 Panua kur, to widen, to make 
 
 broad. 
 Panulia ku-, to widen for, to set 
 
 wide apart. 
 Panuka ku-, to become broad, to 
 
 widen. 
 Panya, a rat, rats. 
 Panyamavu, a quiet place, a calm 
 
 spot. See -nyamavu. 
 Paza ku-, to set up, to raise. 
 
 Kupanza mtambo wa bunduki, to 
 cock a gun. 
 Panzi, a grasshopper, a kind of 
 
 fish. 
 Panzi ya nazi, brown rind of the 
 
 cocoa-nut kernel. 
 Pao, their. See ao. 
 Pao, clubs (in cards). 
 P^apa, a shark. 
 Papa liapa, just here. 
 Papa ku-, to transude, to allow 
 
 transudation. 
 
 Papasa ku-, to touch gently, to 
 
 stroke, to feel, to grope. 
 Papasi, ticks, especially those found 
 
 in native huts. 
 Papatika ku-, to flutter like a bird. 
 Papatua ku-, to shell, to husk. 
 Papayi, plur. mapapayi, papaws, a 
 
 common kind of fruit. 
 Papayuka ku-, to be delirious, to 
 
 wander. 
 Papayuza ku-, to make delirious. 
 Papia ku-, to eat all one can get, to 
 
 eat without bounds. 
 Papua ku-, to tear. 
 Papura ku-, to claw, to scratch 
 
 deeply. 
 Papuri, thin cakes flavoured with 
 
 asafoetida. 
 Papurika ku-, to be lacerated. 
 Papuriana ku-, to pick holes in one 
 
 another's reputation. 
 Para, a scraping, sliding. 
 Para, plur. mapara, cakes of sem- 
 
 sem. 
 Parafujo, a screw. 
 Paraga ku-, to climb a tree. 
 Parahara, a large kind of antelope. 
 Parapara ku-, to paw the ground 
 
 like a horse. 
 Paruga ku-, to be rough and grat- 
 ing. 
 Paruza ku-, to grate, to graze, to be 
 
 harsh and rough, to strike a 
 
 match. 
 Paruzana ku-, to graze (as of two 
 
 boats, &c.). 
 Pasa ku; or Pasha ku-, to come to 
 concern, to become a duty. 
 
 Imekupasaje ? What have you 
 to do with it ? 
 
 Imenipasa, I ought. 
 Pasha ku-, to lend money to, to 
 give privately or beforehand.
 
 PAS 
 
 PEL 
 
 369 
 
 Kicpasha mofo, to warm up, to 
 set before the fire. 
 Past, a clothes-iron. 
 
 Kupiga pasi, to iron. 
 Pasipo, without, where there is not. 
 Pasiwe, without there being. 
 Pastia ku; to cleave, to split, to 
 
 rend. 
 Pasuka Jcu-, to become rent, to 
 
 burst, to crack, to be split. 
 Pasukapasuha Jcu-, to be split up, 
 
 rent to pieces. 
 Pata, a drawn game at cards where 
 
 each side marks sixty. 
 Pata ku-, to get, to reach, to suffer, 
 to find an opportunity, to suc- 
 ceed in doing, to happen to. 
 
 Kupata is often used with other 
 verbs where we use may or 
 might : 
 Apate huja, that he may come. 
 
 Kisu chapata, the knife is sharp. 
 
 Kisu Tiakipati, the knife is blunt. 
 
 Kilichomjyata, what happened to 
 him. I 
 
 Chapataje ? What is it worth ? 
 
 Kupata hasara, to lose. 
 Pata ku, to make a lattice, as by 
 
 weaving sticks or canework. 
 Patana ku-, to agree, to come to an 
 
 agreement. 
 Patanisha hu-, to bring to an agree- 
 ment. 
 Patasi, a chisel. 
 Pathiica ku-, to be born. 
 Pati, a coloured kind of stuff. 
 Patia ku-, to get for. 
 Patiala, a great cheat, a thorough 
 
 rogue. 
 Patikana ku-, to be procurable, to 
 
 be got. 
 Patiliza ku-, to visit upon, to re- 
 member against. 
 
 Pato, plur. mapato, what is got, 
 
 gettings, income, proceeds. 
 Patia, a hinge. 
 Patwa ku-, to be eclipsed. 
 
 Properly, to be got, referring to 
 the superstition that a huge 
 snake has seized the moon or 
 sun. 
 Pau (plur. of TJpau), the purlins 
 of a roof, the small sticks tied 
 horizontally to fasten the thatch 
 to. Also, rafters (?). 
 Payo, plur. mapayo, one who can- 
 not keep a secret. 
 Paijuka ku-, to blab, to talk without 
 
 thinking. 
 Payuza ku-, to make over-talkative. 
 Tembo limempayuza, the palm 
 wine has made his tongue go. 
 Pazia, plur. mapazia, a curtain. 
 Pea, a rhinoceros. 
 Pea ku-, to sweep (M.). 
 Pea ku-, to grow to full size, to get 
 its growth, to become such that 
 there is nothing more to do, to 
 reach its limit. 
 Pekeclia ku-, to bore a hole, to get 
 fire by twirling a stick, to trouble 
 people by tales and tale-bearing. 
 Peketeka ku-, to scorn, to have no 
 
 fear about one. 
 Pekee, onliness. 
 
 Wa pekee, only. 
 Peke yangu, &c.,by myself, I alone. 
 Peke is never used in Zanzibar 
 without a possessive pronoun 
 following it, and signifies that 
 the person or thing is alone, or 
 that it is the only one. 
 Pekeyefu, by ourselves, or we 
 alone. 
 Pekua ku-, to scratch like a hen. 
 Pele, plur. of upele, the itch.
 
 370 
 
 PEL 
 
 PET 
 
 Peleka hu-, to cause to arrive at a 
 
 place distant from the person 
 
 speaking, to send, to take, to con- 
 duct. 
 Pelekea hu-, to send, take, or conduct 
 
 to a person. 
 Peleleza ku-, to spy out, to look 
 
 curiously into. 
 P'embe, horn, corner, ivory. 
 
 Pemhe ya nyoka, a small white 
 horn, esteemed to be a great 
 medicine. 
 
 Kuwa na pemhe pemhe, to have 
 corners, to be angular, to be all 
 corners. 
 
 Pemheni, in the corner. 
 
 Pemhe za mwaka, the four seasons, 
 points of the world. 
 Pembea, a swing. 
 Pembeleza ku-, to beseech. 
 Pemheza ku-, to rock, to lull. 
 Penda ku-, to like, to love, to wish, 
 
 to approve, to choose, to prefer. 
 Pendekeza ku-, to make pleasing. 
 
 Kujipendekeza, to ingratiate one- 
 self with, to flatter. 
 Pcndelea ku-, to favour. 
 Pendeleo, plur. mapendeleo, a favour. 
 Pendeleza ku-, to make another love 
 
 one. 
 Pendeza ku-, to please, to become 
 
 pleasing. 
 Pendezewa ku-, to be pleased, to be 
 
 glad. 
 Pendo, love. 
 
 Pendo la malt, the love of riches. 
 Pengi, many places. See -ingi. 
 Pengo, a notch, a place where a 
 triangular bit is broken out. 
 
 Ana pengo, he has lost a front 
 tooth. 
 Penu, your. See -enu. 
 Penya ku-, to penetrate. 
 
 Penyesha ku-, to pierce, to put 
 
 through, to cause to penetrate. 
 Penyi, having (of place), where is 
 or was. 
 
 Penyi mtende, where the date tree 
 Pepa ku-, to stagger. [was. 
 
 Pepea ku-, to fan. 
 Pepeo, plur. mapepeo, a fan, a screw 
 
 propeller. 
 Peperuka ku-, to be blown away. 
 Peperusha ku-, to blow away. 
 Pepesa ku-, to wink. 
 Pepesuka ku-, to totter. 
 Pepeta ku-, to sift, to toss in a flat 
 
 basket, so as to separate the chaff 
 
 and the grain. 
 Pepetua ku-, to force open. 
 Pepo, a spirit, a sprite, an evil 
 spirit. 
 
 Pepo mhaya, an evil spirit. 
 
 Peponi, paradise, in paradise. 
 
 Pepo (plur. of upepo), much wind. 
 
 Pepo za chamchela, a whirlwind. 
 
 Maji ya pepo, fresh water. 
 Pepua ku-, to sift apart the whole 
 
 from the broken grains. 
 Per a, plur, mapera, a guava. 
 Pesa, plur. peso, or mapesa, pice, the 
 
 Anglo-Indian quarter anna, the 
 
 only small coin in Zanzibar ; 
 
 sometimes a dollar is worth 140, 
 
 sometimes only 112. 
 Pesa ku- (M.) = Pepesa ku'. 
 Peta ku-, to bend round, to make 
 
 into a ring. 
 Peta kU' = Pepeta ku-. 
 Petana ku-, to bend round, to be 
 
 bent in a circle. 
 Pete, plur. pete or mapete, a ring. 
 
 Pete ya masikio, an earring. 
 Petemana ku-, to be bent round. 
 Peto, plur. mapeto, a bundle, a tljing 
 
 carried, a large matting bag.
 
 PET 
 
 PIG 
 
 371 
 
 Fetu, our. See -etu. 
 -pevu, full grown. 
 Pevua hu-, to make full grown. 
 Kujipevua, to think oneself a 
 man. 
 Pevuka ku-, to become full grown, 
 
 to reach its full size. 
 Pewa hu-i to get from some one, to 
 
 be presented with, to receive. 
 Pezi, plur. mapezi, a fin. 
 -pi subjoined to the personal sign 
 makes the interrogative which ? 
 See Api. 
 Nitawezapi ? How can I ? 
 -pia or -pya, new. 
 Pia, all, the whole, entirely. 
 
 Pia yote, completely, utterly. 
 Pia, a top, a humming-top. 
 Piga ku-, to strike, to beat, to flap. 
 Kupiga na incM, to strike on the 
 
 ground. 
 Kupiga is used of many actions in 
 which the idea of striking does 
 not always seem to be implied. 
 Kupiga homba, to pump. 
 
 „ hunduki, hastola, &c., to 
 fire a gun, a pistol, &c. 
 „ chapa, to print. 
 „ falaki, to prognosticate 
 
 by the stars. 
 ^ fundo, to tie a knot. 
 „ kelele, to shout. 
 „ kengele, to ring a bell. 
 „ kilemba, to wind a cloth 
 round the head so as to 
 make a turban. 
 „ kiowe, to scream. 
 „ kofi, to box the ears, to 
 
 slap. 
 „ kura, to cast lots. 
 „ makofi, to clap the hands. 
 „ magote, to kneel. 
 y, mhinday to whistle. 
 
 Kupiga mhio, to run, to gallop. 
 „ mbizi, to dive. 
 „ miao, misoiw, or miunzi, 
 to make a whistling 
 noise. 
 „ mikamhe, in bathing, to 
 duck under water and 
 fling over one leg. 
 Kupiga mizinga ya salaamu, to 
 fire a salute. 
 „ mstari, to rule a line. 
 „ mtakaso, to rustle like 
 
 new clothes. 
 „ mvuke, to smoke meat, 
 „ nyiayo, to gape. [&c. 
 „ past, to iron. 
 „ pemhe, to gore. 
 „ pigo, to strike a blow. 
 „ pua, to snort. 
 f, ramli, to prognosticate 
 
 by diagrams. 
 jt randa, to plane. 
 „ teke, to kick. 
 „ umemey to lighten, to 
 
 flash. 
 „ uwinda, to draw the ends 
 of the loin cloth be- 
 tween the legs and 
 tuck them in. 
 „ yowe, to cry for help. 
 „ zomari, kinanda, &c., to 
 play upon the flageo- 
 let, guitar, &c. 
 Pigana ku-, to fight. 
 
 Kupigana kwa mhavu, to wrestle. 
 Piganisha ku-, to make to fight, to 
 
 set on. 
 Piganishana ku-, to set on to fight 
 
 together. 
 Pigilia ku-, to beat as the stone 
 roofs are beaten. Small woodea 
 rammers are used, and a great 
 number of people are engaged for
 
 372 
 
 PIG 
 
 POF 
 
 about three days, with music and 
 
 songs ; the object of this beating 
 
 is to prevent the roof cracking as 
 
 it dries, and to consolidate it 
 
 while moist. 
 Figiza Jcu-, to make to beat. 
 
 Kupigiza tanga, to go so close to 
 the wind that the sail flaps. 
 Pigo, plur. ma^ngo, a blow. 
 Fika ku-, to cook. 
 Pikia ku-, to cook for. 
 
 Kupikiwa, to have cooked for one. 
 Pilao, pillaw, an Indian dish. 
 P'ili, a large kind of snake. 
 Pibi, two (in counting). 
 
 Ya pill, the second. 
 
 Ya pill yake, the next. 
 
 Yule wa pili, the other. 
 
 Mara ya pili, a second time, again. 
 PMlipili hoho, red pepper. 
 Pilipili manga, common pepper. 
 Pima, plur. mapima, a fathom. 
 Pima ku-, to measure, to weigh. 
 
 Kupima maji, to sound. 
 Pinda ku-, to bend. 
 
 Kupinda na mguu, talipes. 
 Findana hu-, to bend together. 
 Pindi, plur. mapindi, a twisting, a 
 
 Avriggle, cramp. 
 Pindi, if, when (?), although. 
 Pindo, plur. mapindo, the longer 
 
 edge of a cloth, selvedge. 
 Findua ku-, to turn over, to upset. 
 
 Kupindua kwa damalini, to wear 
 ship. 
 
 Kupindua kwa gosTiini, to tack. 
 Pinduka ku-, to be turned over, to 
 
 be upset. 
 Pinga ku-, to hinder, to block the 
 way, to lay a wager. 
 
 Kupinga chombo kwa shikio, to 
 turn a dhow on one side by : 
 means of the rudder. 
 
 Pingamizi, a meddler, one who in- 
 terferes to spoil a bargain, or to 
 
 give trouble. 
 Pingia ku-, to fasten a door, &c., by 
 
 means of a bar. 
 Pingili. 
 
 Pingili ya mua, the piece of a 
 sugar-cane which lies between 
 two knots. 
 Pingo, plur. mapingo, a bar. 
 Fingu, fetters, consisting generally 
 
 of two rings and a bar. 
 Pini, plur. mapini, a haft, a hilt. 
 Pipa, plur. mapipa, a barrel, tub, 
 
 cask, pipe. 
 Pipya, new. See -pya. 
 Pirikana ku-, to be strong and well 
 
 knit. 
 Pish a ku-, to make to pass, espe- 
 cially without intending to do so, 
 
 let pass, make way for. 
 Pishana ku-, to pass while going 
 
 opposite ways. 
 Pishi, a weight of about 6 lbs. = 4 
 
 vihdba. 
 Pislio, cautery, marks of cautery. 
 Pisi, parched maize. 
 Pisi = Fisi. 
 
 Fiswa ku-, to become silly, to dote. 
 Pita ku, to pass, surpass, excel, 
 Pitisha ku-, to make to pass, to 
 
 pass. 
 Po, -po, or -po-, a particle signifying 
 where, or when, while, as, if. 
 
 Po pote, everywhere, wherever. 
 Poa ku-, to become cool, to become 
 Podo, a quiver. [well. 
 
 Pofu, plur. mapofu, scum, bubble, 
 
 froth. 
 Pofua ku-, to spoil the eyes, to make 
 
 blind. 
 Pofuka ku-, to have the eyes spoilt, 
 
 to become blind.
 
 POG 
 
 POT 
 
 Pogo, on one side. 
 
 Kwenda pogo, to go onesidedly, 
 not straight. 
 Pointa, the wrist-stitching of a 
 
 coat. 
 Poka hu-y to take suddenly and 
 violently, to rob. 
 
 Kupohwa, to be robbed. 
 PoTiea hu; to receive, to take from 
 
 some one else. 
 Pohelea ku-, to receive for or on 
 
 account of another. 
 Pokezana ku-y to go on with by 
 
 turns. 
 Pokezanya ku-, to shift a burden or 
 
 work from one to another as each 
 
 gets tired. 
 Pokonya hu-^ to snatch away, to 
 
 extort. 
 Pole, a little, slightly. 
 
 Amengua pole, he is not very well. 
 Polepole, gently, moderately.quietly. 
 Pomhe, native beer. 
 Pomhoo, a porpoise. 
 Pomoka ku-, to fall in, to cave in. 
 
 See Bonioka. 
 Pomosha ku-, to cause to fall in. 
 Pona ku-y to get well, to become 
 
 safe. 
 Ponda ku-, to pound, to beat up, to 
 
 crush. 
 Pondeka ku-, to be crushed. 
 Pondekana ku-, to crush and bruise 
 
 one another, as mtama stalks do 
 
 after much rain and wind. 
 Pono, a kind of fish said to be 
 nearly always asleep. 
 
 Ana usingizi kama pono, he is 
 never awake. 
 Ponoa ku; to strip off. 
 Ponya ku-, to make well, to cure, 
 to save. 
 
 Jiponye I Look out ! 
 
 Ponyesha hu-, to cause to be made 
 
 well, to cure. 
 Ponyoka ku-, to slip off, slip out of 
 
 one's hands. 
 Ponza ku-, to put in danger. 
 Poopoo, a bullet, a musket ball. 
 Pooza, plur. mapooza, a thing which 
 
 never comes to perfection. 
 Pooza ku-, to become useless, to 
 wither and drop. 
 
 Mwenyi kupooza, a paralytic. 
 Poozesha ku-, to paralyze. 
 Po^jo, a bat. 
 Popoo, the areca nut, commonly 
 
 chewed with betel-leaf, lime, and 
 
 tobacco. 
 Popotoa ku-, to wring, twist, strain, 
 
 distort. 
 Popotoka ku-, to be distorted. 
 Pora, a young cockerel not yet old 
 
 enough to crow. 
 Poroa ku-, to cool, to get thin or 
 
 watery. 
 Poromoka ku-, to slip down a steep 
 
 place. Also Boromoka. 
 Posa ku-, to ask in marriage. 
 Posha ku-, to give rations to. 
 Posho, rations. 
 Poso, a demand in marriage. 
 Posoro, an interpreter, a middle- 
 man. 
 Pole, all, of time or place. See 
 
 -ote. 
 Potea ku-, to become lost, to get lost, 
 to perish, to become lost to. 
 
 Kisu kimenipotea, I have lost my 
 knife. 
 Potelea ku-, to perish. 
 
 Potelea mhali, go and be hanged. 
 Poteza ku-, to cause to be lost, to 
 
 cause to perish. 
 Potoa ku-, to go crooked, to turn 
 
 aside. See Jipotoa.
 
 374 
 
 -POT 
 
 F u N 
 
 -potoe, obstinate, good for nothing. 
 
 Potoka ku-^ to become crooked, to 
 be turned and twisted. 
 
 Povu, scum, skimmings, bubble, 
 froth. 
 
 Povuka ku- = Pofuka ku-^ to be- 
 come blind. 
 
 Poza ku-, to cure, to cool by lading 
 up and pouring back again. 
 
 Pua, the nose, the apex of an arch. 
 Mwanzi loa pua, the division 
 between the nostrils, the nos- 
 tril. 
 
 Pua, steel. 
 
 Pua ku-, to shell beans, peas, &c. 
 
 Pugi, a very small kind of dove. 
 
 Pujua ku-. 
 
 Kujipujua, to cast off all shame. 
 
 Pukusa ku-, to rub the grains off a 
 cob of Indian corn, to make to 
 fall off, to shake fruit from a tree, 
 to throw coins among a crowd, 
 &c. 
 
 Pukuie. 
 
 Pukute ya wait, rice so cooked 
 that the grains are dry and 
 separate. 
 
 Pukutika ku-, to shed, to drop like 
 leaves in autumn. 
 
 Pulika ku-, to hear, to attend to 
 (A.). 
 
 Pulikana ku-, to hear one another. 
 
 Puliza ku-, to puff or blow with the 
 mouth. Also, to let go an anclior, 
 to let down a bucket into a well. 
 
 Puliki, a spangle, spangles. 
 
 Pululu, plur. mapululu, wilderness, 
 waste country. 
 
 Puluni or Pululuni, in the wilder- 
 ness. 
 
 Puma ku-, to throb. 
 
 Pumha, plur. mapumba, a clod, a 
 lump. 
 
 Pumhaa ku-, to be sluggish about. 
 Pumhazika ku-, to become a fool. 
 Pumho or pumbu, the scrotum. 
 Mapumhu, or koko za pumbu, or 
 mayayi ya pumho, testicles. 
 Pumu, an asthma, the lungs. 
 Pumua ku-, to breathe. 
 Pumuzi, breath. 
 Kupaaza pumuzi, to draw in the 
 
 breath, to inspire. 
 Kushusha pumuzi, to breathe out, 
 to expire. 
 Pumzi = Pumuzi. 
 Pumzika ku-, to rest, to breath one- 
 self. 
 Pumzikio, plur. mapumzikij, a rest- 
 ing-place. 
 Puna ku-, to peel, scrape, scrape off. 
 Punda, a donkey, donkeys. 
 
 Punda milia, a zebra. 
 Punde, a little more. 
 
 Mrefu punde, a little longer. 
 Punga (sing. Upunga), the flower 
 and very first stage of the cocoa- 
 nut. 
 Punga ku-, to swing, to sway, to 
 wave. Swaying the arms in 
 walking is thought to give 
 elegance to a woman's carriage. 
 Kupunga pepo, to expel an evil 
 
 spirit by music, dancing, &c. 
 Kukunga upepo, to be fanned by 
 the wind, to beat the air. 
 Pungia ku-, to wave to, to beckon 
 to. 
 Eupungia nguo, to wave a cloth 
 up and down by way of beckon- 
 ing to some one to come. 
 P'ungu, a kind of fish, a large bird 
 
 of prey. 
 Pungua ku-, to diminish, waste, 
 
 wear away. 
 Punguani, a defect (M.),
 
 PUN 
 
 K AH 
 
 375 
 
 Punguha T:u-, to become smaller, to 
 
 fall short. 
 Pnnguza hu-, to diminish, to make 
 less, to lessen. 
 
 Kupunguza tanga, to reef a sail. 
 Punja hu-y to swindle, to sell a 
 
 little for the price of a large 
 
 quantity. 
 Punje, grains of corn, 
 Puo, nonsense. 
 Pupa, eagerness, excessive rapidity. 
 
 Kula Tiica pupa, to eat so vora^* 
 ciously that one's companions 
 get little or none. 
 Puputiha ku-, to fall in a shower. 
 Pura hu-, to beat out com. 
 Puruha liu-, to fly off. 
 Purukusha ku-. 
 
 Kujipurukusha, to refuse to 
 attend to, to make light of a 
 Puta ku-, to beat. [matter. 
 
 Putika ku-, to be well beaten. 
 Putugali, a fowl [Pemba]. 
 Puwo, nonsense. 
 Puza ku-, to talk nonsense, to 
 
 chatter. 
 Puzia ku-, to breathe, to blow with 
 
 the mouth. 
 Puzika ku-, to talk nonsense, to be 
 
 detained gossiping. 
 J'lca ku-, to ebb, to become dry. 
 Pwaga ku- = Kupwaya, 
 Pwai ku-, to be loose, to waggle 
 
 about. See Ptcaya. 
 Picani, the shore, on the beach, 
 
 near the shore. 
 Picaija ku-, to give a final cleaning 
 
 to rice by repouiiding it. 
 Pwaya ku-, to be loose (of clothes). 
 Pwayika ku- to be quite clear of 
 
 husks, dirt, and dust. 
 Pwaza ku-, to cook muhogo cut up 
 
 into small pieces. 
 
 Picea ku-, to be dry. 
 
 Sauti imenipwea, I am hoarse. 
 Pwekee, only, alone (A.). 
 Pweleka ku-, to be dried up, to be 
 
 left high and dry. 
 Pweica ku-, to become or be left 
 dry. 
 
 Kupwewa na sauti, to become 
 hoarse. 
 Pweza, a cuttle-fish. 
 -pya, new, fresh. It makes 'mpya 
 
 with nouns like nyumba ; jipya, 
 
 with nouns like kasha ; and ^(p?/a, 
 
 with nouns of place. 
 
 R. 
 
 B is pronounced as in English. 
 
 The Arabic B is much stronger 
 and more grating than the English, 
 more so perhaps than even the 
 Scotch and Irish r. In Arabic words 
 it is correct to give the r this strong 
 sound, but in Swahili mouths it 
 is generally smoothed down to- 
 wards that indeterminate African 
 sound which is frequently written 
 as an I. The Swahili, however, 
 often prefer to write and pronounce 
 it as a smooth English r. (See L.) 
 
 Badi, a crack of thunder, crashing 
 thunder, thunder near at hand. 
 
 Badu = Badi. 
 
 Raff, the wall at the back of a re- 
 cess. 
 
 Bafiki, plur. rafiki or marafiki, a 
 friend. 
 
 Baha, peace, joy, ease, pleasure. 
 
 Bahani, a pledge, a mortgage. 
 
 Baliisi = Bakhisi. 
 
 Bahman, a chart, a map.
 
 876 
 
 E AI 
 
 KIS 
 
 Bai hu-, to put moisels of food into 
 a person's mouth as a mark of 
 honour or aflfection. 
 
 Rajahu, the seventh month of the 
 Arab year. It is esteemed a 
 sacred month because Moham- 
 med's journey to Jerusalem is 
 said to have taken place on the 
 27th of it. 
 
 BahMsi, or Ttahisi, cheap. 
 
 Bakldsisha Tcu-, to make cheap, to 
 undervalue. 
 
 BaTdbisha hu-, to put together, to 
 set up and put in order. 
 
 RaMhyueo, the composition of a 
 word. 
 
 Bamathani, the month of fasting. 
 
 Bamha, plur. maramha, a piece of 
 Madagascar grass cloth. 
 
 Bamha Tcu-, to lick. 
 
 Bamha, a chisel-shaped knife used 
 by shoemakers. 
 
 Bamli, sand (Ar.). 
 
 Kupiga ramli, to divine by dia- 
 grams. 
 
 Bammu, sadness. 
 
 Banda, a plane. 
 
 Kupiga randa, to plane. 
 
 Banda hu-, to dance for joy. 
 
 Bangi, colour, paint. 
 
 Barua hu-, to rend, to tear. 
 
 Bas il mail, chief possession. 
 
 BasMa ku-, to sprinkle. 
 
 Basi, head, cape. 
 
 Bdtaha, wet. 
 
 Bdtel, or ratli, a weight of about a 
 poimd. 
 
 Bathi, satisfied, content, gracious, 
 approving, approval, blessing. 
 Kuwa rathi, to be satisfied, to be 
 
 content with. 
 Niwie rathiy forgive me, excuse 
 me. 
 
 KunratM, don't be offended. 
 Bathiana ku-, to consent, assent. 
 Batihu ku-, to arrange. 
 Ratli = Bdtel. 
 Rausi ku-, to trim a sail. 
 Bayia, a subject, subjects. 
 
 Bayiat al Ingrez, British subjects. 
 Re or Ret, the ace in cards. 
 Rea or Reale, a dollar. 
 
 Reale ya thahahu, an American 
 gold 20-dollar piece. 
 
 Reale Fransa or ya Kifransa, a 
 French 5-franc piece. 
 
 Reale ya Sham or Fetha ya Sham, 
 black dollars. 
 -refu, long. It makes ndefu with 
 
 nouns like nyumha. 
 Regea ku- = Rejea ku-. 
 Regea ku- or Legea ku-, to be loose, 
 
 slack, relaxed, feeble. 
 Rpgesha ku- or Regeza ku-, to loosen, 
 
 to relax. 
 Rehani = Rahani. 
 
 Kuweka rehani, to pawn. 
 Rehema, mercy. 
 
 Rehemu ku-, to have mercy upon. 
 Rei = Re. 
 
 Rejea ku-, to go back, return, refer. 
 Rejeza ku-, to make to go back, to 
 
 repay. 
 Rekahisha ku-, to put on the top of. 
 Rekebu ku-, to ride. 
 ■remo, Portuguese. 
 Rihani, a scented herb, sweet basil. 
 „ ya kipata, with notched 
 
 leaves. 
 „ ya kiajjemi, with long 
 sh-aight leaves. 
 Ringa ku- = Kulinga, to sway to 
 
 the tune of a song (only the chief 
 
 men may do this). 
 Bisasi, lead. Also Lisasi. 
 
 Bisasi ya hunduhi, a bullet.
 
 RIS 
 
 S 
 
 377 
 
 Bisimu Jcu-^ to make a first bid | 
 
 when anything is offered for sale. I 
 RUM liU; to inherit (-th- as in thing). 
 Bithia Jcu- (-th- as in this), to be 
 
 contented with, to acquiesce in. 
 Bithika Jcu-, to satisfy, to content. 
 Riza, a door chain. 
 Biziki, necessaries, all that a man 
 
 has need of. 
 Boho, a quarter, a quarter of a 
 dollar. 
 
 Boho Ingreza, an English sove- 
 reign. 
 Bohota, a packet or parcel of goods. 
 Boda, sheave of a pulley. 
 Bofija. 
 
 Kupiga rofya, to fillip. 
 Boho, soul, spirit, breath, life. 
 Boho, greediness, the throat. 
 Buhani, a pilot, a guide. 
 Budi hu-, to return, to go back, to 
 
 correct, to keep in order. 
 Budiana Tcu-, to object to. 
 Budiha Ttu-, to be made to return, to 
 
 be kept in order, to be capable of 
 
 being kept in order. 
 Budisha hu-y to make to return, to 
 
 give back, to send back. 
 Budufya hu-, to double. 
 Bufuf, the shelf in a recess. 
 Euhusa = Buksa, leave. 
 Buhusa Tiu- = Buhhusu Jcu-, to give 
 BuJca Jcu-, to fly, to leap. [leave. 
 Bukaruka ku-, to hop. 
 BuJiia ku-, to fly or leap with, &c. 
 Buksa, or Buhusa, or BuJcJiusa, leave, 
 permission, liberty. 
 
 Kupa ruksa, to give leave, to set 
 at liberty, to dismiss. 
 
 Buksa, you can go. 
 Bukhusu ku- or Buhusu ku-, to give 
 
 leave, to permit, to allow, to dis- 
 miss. 
 
 BukJiuthu ku-, to run. 
 
 Bukwa ku-. 
 
 Kurukwa na akili, to lose one's 
 senses, to be stunned. 
 
 Bungu, a club, a mace. 
 
 Bupia, a rupee. 
 
 Bupta = Bohota, a bale. 
 
 Busasi = Bisasi, lead. 
 
 Busha ku-, to make to fly, to throw 
 up or off, to throw a rider, to 
 splash about. 
 
 Bushia ku-, to throw upon, to splash. 
 
 Bushwa, a bribe. 
 
 Butuba, dampness. 
 
 Butubika ku-, to be damp. 
 
 Butuhisha Jcu-, to make damp. 
 
 Buwasa, a pattern from which any- 
 thing is to be made. 
 
 BuzuJcu ku-, to supply with needful 
 things, especially of God provid- 
 ing for His creatures. 
 
 S. 
 
 S is pronounced as in eetieral, or 
 like the ss in German. 
 
 Sli is pronounced as in English, 
 or like sch in German. 
 
 S and sh are distinct in Arabic 
 and are generally distinguished in 
 good Swahili. There are, however, 
 many words in which they are used 
 indifferently, and in common talk 
 the sh seems to be rather the more 
 common. Many natives seem un- 
 conscious of any difference between 
 them. 
 
 S is used for the Arabic tha by 
 persons who cannot pronounce th. 
 
 In the Pemba dialect sh is often 
 used for ch. 
 1 Mashungica = MacJmngica.
 
 378 
 
 SAA 
 
 SAK 
 
 Saa, hour, clock, watch. | 
 
 Saa ngapi ? what o'clock is it ? 
 According to Arab reckoning 
 the day begins at sunset. Mid- 
 night is iisiku saa ya sita ; four 
 A.M. saa a kumi ; six a.m. saa 
 a thenashara ; noon, saa a sita. 
 Saa ! You ! I say ! You now 1 
 
 Njoo saa! Come along, do 1 
 Saa ku-, to remain over, to be left. 
 Saala, plur. masaala, a question. 
 Saanda, a shroud, a winding-sheet. 
 Saba, or Sahaa, seven. 
 
 Ya saha, seventh. 
 Sahaa, a stay (in a dhow). 
 Sahahu, cause, reason. 
 
 Kwa sahahu ya, because of, be- 
 cause. 
 Sahaini, seventy, = Sabwini. 
 Sahatasliara, seventeen. 
 Sabuni, soap. 
 Sabuni ku-, to bid, to be in treaty, 
 
 to buy. 
 Saburi, patience. 
 Sahuri ku-, to wait. 
 Sabwini, seventy. 
 Sadaka, an offering, an alms, an act 
 
 of charity, anything done for the 
 
 love of God. 
 Sadiki ku-, to believe. 
 Safari, a journey, a voyage, used for 
 " time " or " turn." 
 
 Safari Mi, this time. 
 Saff, serene. 
 Safi, pure, clean. 
 Safi, ku-, to clean. 
 Safidi ku-, to clear up, to make 
 
 smooth and neat. 
 Safihi, rudeness 
 Sajika ku-, to be purified. 
 Safina (Ar.), a vessel. 
 Safiri ku- to travel, to set out on a 
 
 journey, sail, start. 
 
 Safirisha ku-, to make to travel, to 
 
 see any one off. 
 Safisha ku-, to make pure or clean. 
 Safu, a row, rows, a line. 
 
 Safu za kaida, regular rows. 
 Safura, biliousness, gall, a com- 
 plaint in which people take to 
 
 eating earth. 
 Saga ku-, to grind. 
 
 Kusagwa na gari, to be run over 
 by a cart. 
 Sagai, a spear, a javelin. 
 Sagia ku-, to grind with or for. 
 
 Mawe ya kusagia, millstones, a 
 mill, a handmill. Two loose 
 stones are often used, the upp^r 
 one is called mwana, and the 
 lower mama. 
 Sahani, a dish. 
 
 Sahari, checked stuff for turbans. 
 Sahau ku- or Sdhao ku-, to forget, to 
 
 make a mistake. 
 Saliauliwa ku-, to be forgotten. 
 Sahib, sir. 
 Sahibu, a friend. 
 Sahili. 
 
 Kutia sahili, to sign. 
 Saliihi, correct, right. 
 Sahihi ku-, to be correct, to be 
 
 right. 
 SahiJiisha ku-, to correct. 
 Saili ku-, to ask, to question, 
 Sailia ku-, to ask on behalf of. 
 Saka ku-, to hunt. 
 Sakafu, a chunammed floor, a floor 
 
 or roof of stone, covered with 
 
 a mixture of lime and sand, and 
 
 beaten for about three days with 
 
 small wooden rammers. 
 Sakama ku-, to become jammed, to 
 Sakani, a rudder. [stick fast. 
 
 Saki ku-, to come close to, to toucli, 
 
 to come home.
 
 S A K 
 
 SE L 
 
 379 
 
 Sahifu Jcu; to make a chunammed 
 floor or roof. 
 
 ^aZa, prayer, the prescribed Moham- 
 medan form of devotion includ- 
 ing the proper gestures. 
 
 Salaama = Salama. 
 
 Salaam, or Salaamu, or Salamu, 
 compliments, safety, peace. 
 Kupiga mizinga ya salamu, to 
 fire a salute. 
 
 Salahisha hu-, or SeleMslia, or Sulu- 
 Idslia, to make to be at peace. 
 
 Salala, the meat near the backbone, 
 the undercut of meat. 
 
 Salama, safe, safety. 
 
 Salt Jcu-, to use the regular Moham- 
 medan devotions, to say one's 
 prayers. 
 
 Salia ku-, to be left, to remain. 
 
 Salimu ku-, to salute. 
 
 Salimia ku-, to salute, to send com- 
 pliments to. 
 
 Saliti ku-, to betray secrets. 
 
 Saluda, a sweetmeat made of safl'ron, 
 sugar, and starch. 
 
 Sama ku-, to choke, to be choked. 
 
 Samadi, manure. 
 
 Samaki, a fish, fish. 
 
 Samani, tools, instruments, ma- 
 chine. 
 
 Samawati, the heavens. 
 
 Samawi, blue, sky colour. 
 
 Samlmsa, a little pasty. 
 
 Samche ku-, to forgive, to pass over. 
 
 Samiri ku-, to load a gun. 
 
 Sa'mli, ghee, clarified butter. 
 
 Sana, very, much. It is used to 
 intensify any action. 
 Sema sana, speak loud. 
 Vuta sana, pull hard. 
 
 Sanamaki, senna. 
 
 Sanamu, an image, a likeness, a 
 statue, a picture, an idol. 
 
 Sandale, sandal wood. 
 Sandarusi, gum copal, gum amiui. 
 Sanduku, a chest, a box. 
 Saniki ku-, to make excuse. 
 Saim ku-, to tout for customers. 
 Sarafu, a small coin. 
 Sarifa or Sarf, exchange, rate of 
 exchange. 
 
 Sarifa gani ya niji sasa 1 What 
 
 is the current rate of exchange ? 
 
 Sarifu ku-, to use words well and 
 
 correctly. 
 Sdruf, grammar. 
 Sarufu, a small gold plate with a 
 
 devout inscription, worn on the 
 
 forehead as an ornament. 
 Sasa, now. 
 
 Sasa hivl, directly, at once. 
 Sataranji, chess. 
 Sauti, voice, sound, noise. 
 Saioa, equal, right, just. 
 
 Kitu kisichokuka sawa naye, some- 
 thing unworthy of him. 
 Saivanisha ku-, to make alike, 
 
 equal, even, &c. 
 Sawasaiva, like, alike, even, all the 
 
 same, level, smooth, equal. 
 Saivawa, peas (Yao.). 
 Sawazisha ku-y to make equal or 
 
 alike. 
 -sayara, gentle, quiet, long-suffering. 
 Sayidia ku-, to help. 
 Say Hi ku- = Saili ku-. 
 Saza ku-, to leave over, to make 
 
 to remain. 
 Sazia ku-, to leave for. 
 Sebabu = Sabahu, cause, reason. 
 Sebula or Sebule, reception room, 
 
 parlour. 
 Sefluti, a poultice. 
 Sehemu, part, share, dividend. 
 Sekeneko, syphilis. 
 Selalia, a weapon.
 
 380 
 
 SEL 
 
 SHA 
 
 Kupa selaha, to arm. 
 Selehisha hu- = Suluhisha, to make 
 to be at peace, to mediate be- 
 tween. 
 Selimu liu- or Sillim hu-^ to capitu- 
 late. 
 Sema ku-, to say, to talk, to speak. 
 
 Sema sana, speak out. 
 Sernadari, a bedstead, specially of 
 
 the Indian pattern. 
 Semhicse, much less. 
 Semea ku-, to say about. 
 Kusemea 'puani, to talk through 
 the nose. 
 Semeji = SJiemegi. 
 Sena, a kind of rice, 
 Sengenya ku-. to make secret signs of 
 contempt about some one who is 
 Senturi, a musical box. [present. 
 Sera, a rampart. 
 
 Serkali or Serikali, the court, the 
 government. 
 Mtu wa serikali, a man in go- 
 vernment employ. 
 Sermala, a carpenter. 
 Serujif an Arab saddle. 
 Sesemi, blackwood. 
 Seta ku; to crush. 
 Setaseta ku-, to crush up, to break 
 
 into fragments. 
 Seti, the seven in cards. 
 Setirika, &c. See Stirika, &o» 
 Settini, sixty. 
 Settiri, an iron (?). 
 Settiri ku-, or Setiri, or Sitiri, to 
 cover, to conceal, to hide, to atone 
 for. 
 Seuze, much less, much more. Also 
 
 Semhuse,. 
 Seyedia, lordly, belonging to the 
 
 Seyed. 
 Seyedina (Ar.), our lord, your ma- 
 jesty. 
 
 Sezo, an adze. 
 
 Shaahani, the eighth month of the 
 
 Arab year. 
 Shaba, copper, brass. 
 Sliahaha, aim. 
 
 Kutvcaa shabaha, to take aim. 
 Shabaha, like. 
 
 Nyama shabaha mbvoay an animal 
 like a dog. 
 Shahbu, alum. 
 Shabuka, a snare. 
 Shadda, a tassel. See Kanzu. 
 Shah, a chess king. 
 Shaha, the heart of the cocoa-nut 
 
 tree. 
 Shahada, the Mohammedan confes- 
 sion of faith. Also Ushahada. 
 Shahamu, fat. 
 Shahawa (obscene), semen. 
 Shahidi, plur. mashahidi, a witness, 
 
 a martyr. 
 Shaibu (Ar.), an old person. 
 
 Shaibu lajuzi, exceedingly old. 
 Shairi, a line of poetry. 
 
 plur. mashairi, verses, a poem. 
 Shaka, a bush. 
 
 Shaka, plur. mashaka, a doubt. 
 SJiake. 
 
 Kuingia na shake ya kulia, to sob. 
 Shali, a shawl. 
 Sham, Syria, Damascus. 
 
 Fetha ya Sham, German dollars. 
 Sharnba, plur. mashamba, a planta- 
 tion, a farm, a piece of land in 
 
 the country. 
 Shambulia ku-, to attack. 
 Shamua ku-, to sneeze. Also Shu- 
 
 mua, 
 Shanga, a town near Melinda, long 
 Shanga. [since ruined. 
 
 Mwana shanga, a northerly wiud, 
 not so strong or persistent as 
 the regular kaskazi.
 
 SHA 
 
 SHI 
 
 381 
 
 Shangaa hu- or Sangaa 7:u-, to be 
 astonished, to stand and stare, to 
 stop short. 
 
 SJiangaza ku-^ to astound, to as- 
 tonish. 
 
 Shangazi,-pl\\T. mashangazi, an annt. 
 
 Shangilia hu-, to make rejoicings 
 for, to go to meet with music and 
 shouting, to be glad about. 
 
 Shangwi, triumph, shouting and 
 joy, an ornament of gold worn by- 
 women between the shoulders. 
 
 iS/tant, a startling, unexpected event. 
 
 Shanuu, plur. mashanuu, a comb, a 
 large coarse wooden comb. 
 
 Sha7-hu, a moustache. 
 
 Shari, evil, the opposite of Heri. 
 
 Sharia = Sheria. 
 
 Sharihi leu-, to share, to be partners 
 in. 
 
 Sharikia ku-, to share with, to be in 
 partnership with. 
 
 Sharikiana ku-, to be partners, to 
 share together. 
 
 Sharti, or Sharuti, or Shuruti, or 
 Shuti, a contract, of obligation, 
 of necessity, must. Also, the 
 downhaul of a dhow-sail, a 
 truss. 
 Eufanya sharti, to bind oneself. 
 
 Sliatoruma, shawl for the waist. 
 
 Shauko, love, exceeding fondness, 
 strong desire, will. 
 
 SJiauri, plur. mashauri, advice, 
 counsel, plan. 
 Kufanya shauri, to consult to- 
 gether. 
 Kupa shauri, to advise. 
 
 Skawi = Tawi. 
 
 SliawisM ku-, to persuade, to coax 
 over. 
 
 Shayiri, barley. 
 
 Shehena, cargo. 
 
 [ SJieitani, Satan, the devil, a devil, 
 excessively clever. 
 
 Shela, a black veil. 
 
 SJielabela, as it stands, in a lot, with 
 all defects. 
 
 Shelele ku-, to mn a seam. 
 
 Shelle, plur. mashelle, a shell. 
 
 Shema (Ar.), bees-wax. 
 
 Sliemali (Ar.), the left, the north 
 (because to the left of a person 
 looking east) ; the Persian Gulf, 
 Arabs (because to the north of 
 Muscat) ; mist (because it comes 
 on in the Persian Gulf with a 
 northerly wind). 
 
 SJiemhea, a kind of curved knife. 
 
 Shemegi, a brother or sister-in- 
 law. 
 
 Sliena (Ar.), orchilla weed. 
 
 Slieria, law. 
 
 Sheriz, glue. 
 
 Shetani, plur. mashetani — Sheitani. 
 
 Shetri, the poop of a dhow. 
 
 Sliiba kU', to have had enough to 
 eat, to be full, to be satisfied. 
 
 Sldhiri or Sliibri, a span. 
 
 Shibisha ku-, to fill with food, to 
 satisfy with food. 
 
 Shidda, difficulty, distress. 
 
 Shika ku; to lay hold of, to hold 
 fast, to keep, to determine. 
 Kushika njia, to take one's way. 
 
 to set out. 
 Shika lako, mind your own busi- 
 ness. 
 Sliika ras He, steer for that point 
 
 Shikamana ku-, to cleave together. 
 
 Shikana ku-, to clasp, to grapple, tc 
 stick together. 
 
 Shikio, a rudder, a thing to lay hold 
 of. See Sikio. 
 
 Slnkiza ku-, to prop up. 
 
 Shilamu, the stem leading to the 
 2
 
 ;82 
 
 SHI 
 
 SHU 
 
 mouthpiece in a native pipe. 
 
 See Kiko. 
 Shimo, plur. masMmo, a pit, an ex- 
 cavation, a large hole. 
 SMna, plur. masldna, a stump, a 
 
 trunk, a main root. 
 Shinda ku-, to overcome, to conquer, 
 to stay, to continue at. 
 
 Maji yashinda, it is half full of 
 water. 
 
 Amekwenda shinda, he is gone 
 out for the day. 
 
 Akasliinda kazi, and he went on 
 at his work. 
 Shindana ku-, to dispute, strive 
 
 with, race. 
 Shindania ku-, to bet, to oppose, to 
 
 object to. 
 Sldndano, plur. mashindano, a race. 
 
 See Sindano. 
 Shindika ku-, or Sindika, to shut, to 
 put to, to press in a mill. 
 
 Kushindika mafuta ya nazi, to 
 grind cocoa-nuts into oil. 
 Shindikia ku-, to show any one out, 
 
 to escort a person on his way. 
 
 See Sindikiza. 
 SMndilia ku- to press, to load a gun. 
 SJiindo, a shock. 
 Shingari, a consort, a dhow sailing 
 
 ill company with another. 
 Shingari ku-, to sail in company (of 
 
 dhows). 
 Sliingo, plur. mashingo, the neck. 
 SMuikizo or Sinikizo, a press. 
 Shirazi, Shiraz, from Shiraz. Per- 
 sian work is generally called 
 
 shirazi. 
 STdshwa ku-, to be weaned. 
 Shitumu ku-, to insult. See Shu- 
 
 tiimu. 
 Shoqa, a friend ; used only by wo- j 
 
 men in speaking of or to one an-' 
 
 other. In Zanzibar they rarely 
 employ any other word. At 
 Lamoo shoga means a catamite. 
 
 SJiogi, panniers, a large matting bag 
 with the opening across the 
 middle, so as to form two bags 
 when laid across a donkey's back. 
 
 Shoi = Shogi. 
 
 Shoka, plur. mashoka, an axe. 
 Shoka la hapa, an adze. 
 Shoka la tiss, an axe (Mer.). 
 Shoka la pwa, an adze (Mer.). 
 
 Sliola, an ear of corn, a head of 
 
 Shona ku-, to sew. [grass. 
 
 Shonea ku-, to mend for, to sew for, 
 with, &c. 
 
 Shonuka ku-, to become unsewn. 
 
 Sliote. 
 
 Kwetida shote, to go with a rush. 
 
 Shoto. 
 
 Wa kushoto, left. 
 
 Ana shoto, he is left-handed. 
 
 Shtaki ku-, to prosecute, to charge, 
 to accuse. 
 
 SJitua ku-, to startle, to tickle. See 
 Stusha. 
 
 Shtuka ku-, to be startled, to start. 
 
 Shua ku-, to launch. Pass, kushu- 
 liwa. 
 
 Shuha, the elders of a town. 
 
 Shuhaka, plur. mashuhaka, a recess 
 in a wall. 
 
 Shudu, what is left when the oil has 
 been ground out of semsem seed. 
 
 Shughuli, business, affairs, occupa- 
 tion, engagement. 
 
 Shughulika ku-, to be occupied, to 
 be worried. 
 
 Shughulisha ku-, to occupy, to dis- 
 tract attention, to interrupt. 
 
 Shuhuda, testimony. 
 
 Shuhudia ku-, to bear witness about, 
 for, or against.
 
 SHU 
 
 -SIP 
 
 183 
 
 SJiuliudu Jiu; to bear witness. 
 
 Shuhuti. 
 
 Shuhuti ya Jiutolea chant, a small 
 piece of wood used by shoe- 
 makers in cutting strips of 
 coloured leather. 
 
 Shujaa, plur. mashujaa, a hero, a 
 brave man. 
 
 Shuha, a sheet. 
 
 ShuJca hu; to descend, go down, 
 come down, be let down, to land 
 from a ship. 
 
 Sliuke, the flower of Indian corn. 
 
 Shukrani, gratitude. 
 
 Sliuku liu-, to suspect. 
 
 ShiiTiuru, thanks. 
 
 Shuhuru ku-, to thank. This word 
 is very rarely used in Zanzibar, 
 except in relation to God ; and 
 Jcushukuru Muungu means almost 
 always, to take comfort, to leave 
 off mourning, or to become re- 
 signed. 
 
 Shuliiva ku-, to be launched. 
 
 Shumua ku-, to sneeze. 
 
 Shumvi, salt [Pemba], See Chumvi. 
 
 Shunga ku-, to drive away, to scare. 
 
 Shungi, a crest, long hair (?). 
 
 Shungi mbili, a way of diessing 
 the hair in two masses. 
 
 Shupatu, plur. masliupatu, a narrow 
 strip of matting. The broader are 
 sewn together to make floor mats, 
 the narrower are interlaced to 
 make the native couch or bed- 
 stead. 
 
 Shupaza, spades (in cards). 
 
 Shura, saltpetre. 
 
 Shuruti = Sharti, of necessity. 
 
 Shurutiza ku-, to compel, to force. 
 Alisliurutizica ndani, he was 
 pushed in. 
 
 Shu.<1ia ku-, to let down, to make to 
 
 descend, to land goods from a 
 ship. 
 Kushusha pu'inzi, to breathe out, 
 an expiration. 
 Shuti or Shuuti = Sharti, of neces- 
 Shutumiica ku-, to be reviled, [csity. 
 Shutumu ku-, to revile. 
 Shicali or Shwari, a calm. 
 Si, not. 
 
 Si vema, not welL 
 Si uza, sell not. 
 Si. is or are not. 
 
 Mimi si sultani, I am not a sultan ; 
 
 or, Am I not a sultan ? 
 Si yeye, it is not he or him. 
 Si-, the opposite of ndi-, expressing, 
 This is not it. Is not this it ? 
 Simi, Sisisi, 
 
 Siwe, Sinyi, 
 
 Stye, Sio, sivyo, sii/o, 
 
 Sio, siyo, silo, Sizo, simo. 
 Sicho, sipo, siko. 
 Si-, sign of the first person negative. 
 Sikuhali, I do not consent. 
 Sikukubali, I did not consent. 
 Sitakubali, I shall not consent. 
 In the present tense the final 
 letter of verbs in -a becomes -i. 
 Sioni, I do not see. 
 -si- inserted between the personal 
 prefix and the verb, is the sign 
 of the negative imperative or 
 subjunctive, the final letter of 
 verbs in -a becoming an -e. 
 Nisione, that I may not see, let 
 me not see, or without my 
 seeing. 
 -si-, sign of the negative in ex- 
 pressing relation. 
 Asio, he who is or was not, or 
 who will not be. Also Asiye 
 ■ sipio-, sign of the tense expressing 
 not being. 
 
 2 c 2
 
 384 
 
 SI A 
 
 SIK 
 
 Asipoona, he not seeing, if he I 
 does not see, though he does 
 not see, without his seeing, 
 when he sees not. 
 Sia ku-, to give a sentence, to pro- 
 nounce as with authority, to de- 
 clare. 
 Siafu, a large reddish brown ant, 
 that travels in great numbers 
 and bites fiercely. 
 Siagi, cream, butter. 
 Sibu Jcu-, to get, to succeed. See 
 
 Siibu. 
 Si/a, praise, character, character- 
 istic. 
 Sifara, a kind of rice. 
 Sifu hu-, to praise. Pass, kusifiu-a. 
 Kujisifu, to magnify oneself, to 
 
 boast. 
 KusijVmno, to overpraise, to 
 flatter. 
 Sifule (a term of reproach), a med- 
 dlesome fool. 
 Sifuru, a cypher, a figure of nought. 
 Sigizia hu-, to tack (in needlework). 
 Sihi ku-i to entreat. 
 Sijafu, the cuff, the hem. See 
 
 Kanzu. 
 Sijambo, I am well. The invariable 
 answer to hu jamho ? how are 
 you? 
 Si jamho punde, I am a little 
 • better. 
 Sikamo or Sikamoo, for Nashika 
 iiiguu, the salutation of a slave 
 to a master. 
 Siki, vinegar. 
 
 Sikia ku-, to hear, to obey, to under- 
 stand. 
 Sikilia ku-^ to listen to, to attend to. 
 Sikiliana ku-, to be heard, to be 
 
 audible. 
 Sikiliza ku-, to listen, to listen to. 
 
 Sikilizana ku-, to hear one another. 
 
 Sikio or Shikio, plur. masikio, the 
 ear. 
 
 Sikitika ku-, to be sorry. 
 
 Sikitikia ku-, to be sorry for. to pity. 
 
 Sikitiko, plur. masikitiko, sorrow, 
 grief. 
 
 Sikitisha ku-, to make sorry. 
 
 Sikiza ku-, to make to hear, under- 
 stand, &c. 
 
 Sikizana ku-, to be mutually intel- 
 ligible, to make one another liear. 
 
 Siku, a day of twenty-four hours, 
 from sunset to sunset, days. 
 Siku kuu, a great day, a feast. 
 The two great feasts are the 
 three days at the end of the 
 Kamathan, when every one 
 makes presents, and three days 
 after the tenth of Thil hajj or 
 Mfunguo wa tatu, when every 
 one ought to slaughter some 
 animal, and feast the poor. 
 Siku a mwaka (see Mwongo, 
 Kigunzi), iheNairuz, about the 
 23rd of August, the beginning 
 of the Swahili and nautical 
 year. The old custom is for 
 every one, but especially the 
 women, to bathe in the sea 
 in the night or morning : then 
 they cook a great mess of grain 
 and pulse, which is eaten about 
 noon by all who like to come. 
 The fires are all extinguished 
 and lighted again by rubbing 
 two pieces of wood together. 
 Formerly no inquiry was made 
 as to any murder or violence 
 committed on this day, and old 
 quarrels used regularly to be 
 fought out upon it. 
 Siku zote, alwavs.
 
 SIL 
 
 S IT 
 
 385 
 
 Silihi ku; to improve, to reform. 
 
 Silihisha ku-, to make to improve, 
 to reform. 
 
 Silimu ku-, to become a Moham- 
 medan. 
 
 Siiuama ku-, to stand up, to come 
 to a stand, to stop, to be erect, 
 to stand in, to cost. 
 
 Simamia ku-, to stand by, to over- 
 look workmen, to cost to. 
 
 Simamisha ku-, to make to stand. 
 
 Simanga ku-, to crow over, boast 
 against. 
 
 Simanzi, grief, heaviness. 
 
 Simha, a lion, lions. 
 
 Simha uranga, a well-known man- 
 grove swamp at the mouth of 
 the Lufiji. 
 
 Simbati, a kind of wood brought 
 from near Cape Delgado. 
 
 Sime, a short straight sword used 
 on the mainland. 
 
 Simika ku-, to be erect, to be set 
 up, to stand (often used in an 
 obscene sense). 
 
 Simikia ku-. 
 
 Kusimikia mlango, to set up and 
 build in a door. 
 
 Simikisha ku-, to set up. 
 
 Similla, Simille, Simileni, probably 
 
 for Bismillah, the common cry 
 
 in Zanzibar, meaning, make 
 
 way, out of the way. 
 
 Similla punda, make way for a 
 
 donkey. 
 Similla uhau, make way for a 
 plank. I 
 
 Simo, I am not in it, am not con- i 
 cerned, have nothing to do with 
 it. I 
 
 Simo. 
 
 Simo Mi si njema, this event is 
 not good. 
 
 Imeingia simo mpya, something 
 new has turned up. 
 Simu, the electric telegraph. 
 Sindano, a needle (or shindano). 
 Sindano, a kind of rice. 
 Sindi, a long-tailed weasel. 
 Sindikia ku-, to crush. 
 Sindikiza ku-, to accompany part of 
 
 the way. 
 Sindua ku-, to open, to set open. 
 Singa, hair of an animal. 
 
 Nyele za singa, straight hair, 
 European hair. 
 Singa ku-, to scent, to put scent. 
 Singizia ku-, to slander, to spread 
 
 false reports about. 
 Sini, China. 
 Sini, no matter. 
 Sini-a, plur. masinia, a circular tray 
 
 used to carry and set out food 
 
 upon, generally of copper tinned. 
 Sinikiza ku-, to press. 
 Sinzia ku-, to doze, to nod, to flicker. 
 -sipo; sign of the tense signifying 
 
 the case of the thing mentioned 
 
 not being. 
 Siri, secrecy. 
 
 Mamho ya siri, secret affairs, 
 secrets. 
 
 Kica siri, secretly. 
 Sisi, we, us. Sometimes pronounced 
 swiswi, suisui, or sisici. 
 
 Sisi sole, all of us. 
 
 Sisi wote, both of us. 
 Sisimia ku-, to sigh (?). 
 Sisimizi, ants (?). 
 Sisitiza ku- (M.), to charge strictly, 
 
 to charge to keep secret. 
 Sita, six. 
 
 Ya sita, sixth. 
 Sita ku-^ to halt, to go lame (A.), to 
 
 hide. 
 Sitalia, the deck.
 
 IS6 
 
 SIT 
 
 6TA 
 
 Sitashara, sixteen. 
 Sitaivi JiU; to flourish. 
 
 Ngoma ipi iviesitawi, which dance 
 is going best ? 
 Sitawisha hu-, to make to flourish. 
 Siti, whistle (of a steamer or 
 Sitti, my lady, lady. [engine). 
 
 Sittina, our lady. Applied by the 
 Arabs to St. Mary. 
 Sivimoja, different. 
 Sivijo, it is not thus. See Si-. 
 Siwa, an ivory horn only used on 
 
 great occasions. 
 ^Siivezi, lam not well. See Weza ku-. 
 Siyo, that is not it, no. See Si-. 
 Siyu or Siu, Siwi, the chief town 
 
 of the district near Lamoo, the 
 
 chief seat of old Swahili learning. 
 Soda, lunacy. 
 Sodo, a woman's napkin. 
 Sofe, wool. 
 
 Soge, Sogi, Soi, = Shogi. 
 Sogea hu-, to approach affectionately, 
 
 to come near to. 
 Sogeza ku-, to lift to the lips and 
 
 kiss, to bring near to. 
 Sogezea ku-, to put ready for, to 
 
 bring for use. 
 Svho, plur. masoko, a market, a 
 bazaar. 
 
 Kicenda sokoni, to go marketing. 
 Sokota ku-, to twist, to plait, to spin. 
 Soma ku-, to read, to perform de- 
 votions. 
 Soma, plur. masoma, a kind of dance. 
 Sombela ku-, to work oneself along 
 
 on one's hands and seat without 
 
 using the legs. 
 SomesTia ku-, to teach to read, to 
 
 lead devotions. 
 Somo, plur. masomo, something read, 
 
 used as a title of friendship, a 
 
 namesake. 
 
 Sonda ku-, to suck out. 
 
 Sondo, swelled (?) glands. 
 
 Songa ku-, to strangle, to squeeze, 
 
 to stir together. 
 Song anasong ana ku-, to press against 
 
 one another like sheep in a flock. 
 Songea ku-, to push through, to 
 
 shoulder your way through a 
 Sonjoa ku-, to wring. [crowd. 
 
 Sony a ku- = Kufyonya. 
 Somali, trousers. 
 Sosoneka ku-, to be hurt or ache, so 
 
 as to writhe with pain. 
 Sosonesha ku-, to make to writhe 
 
 with pain. 
 Sole, all ; agreeing with sisi, we or 
 us. bee -ote. 
 
 Tu sole, we are together. 
 
 Twende sole, let us go together. 
 Soza ku; to beach a boat or vessel. 
 Ssaji or Safi, pure, clean. 
 Staajahu ku-, to wonder much, to be 
 
 greatly astonished. 
 Staamani ku-, to have confidence, 
 
 to rest trustfully. 
 Stdhahu ku-, to be pleased, to prefer. 
 Stahamili or Stahimili, patiently. 
 StaJii ku-, to honour, to have respect 
 
 for. 
 Stahiba ku- (?), to prefer. See 
 
 Stahahu. 
 Stahiki ku-, to resemble, to be of 
 
 one sort with. 
 Stahili ku-, to deserve, to be woi thy 
 of, to be proper, to be right and 
 fitting. 
 
 Aatahili, serves him right. 
 Staliimili ku-, to bear, to endure, 
 
 tolerate. 
 >Sfa?;a6a^/it, earnest, f;i stoning penny. 
 Stamhuli, Constantinople. 
 Starehe ku-, to sit still, to be at rest, 
 to remain quiet.
 
 STE 
 
 SUM 
 
 3S7 
 
 Starehe .' Don't disturb yourself I 
 don't get up ! 
 
 Sterehisha Jiu-, to give rest to, to 
 refresh. Also Stareliisha. 
 
 StiriJta ku-, to be covered, to be con- 
 cealed. 
 
 Stusha hu', to startle, to sprain, to 
 put out of joint. 
 
 Subana, small pieces of meat roasted 
 on two parallel sticks. 
 
 Suhana, a thimble. 
 
 Su'dri, patience. 
 
 Suhiri, aloes. 
 
 Siihiri ku; to wait. 
 
 Suhu ku; to cast in a mould. 
 
 Suhu ku- or Sibu ku-, to happen to. 
 
 Suhui, morning. 
 
 Suhulkheiri, good morning. 
 
 Suhuri, patience. 
 
 Suhutu ku- = Thuhutu ku-, 
 
 Suduku ku-, to ascertain, to know 
 the truth. 
 
 Suf, wool. 
 
 Suffi, a devotee, a hermit. 
 
 Snffuf, a great variety or number. 
 
 Sufi, woollen. 
 
 Snfuria, copper. 
 
 Sufuria, plur. sufuria or masufuria, 
 a metal pot. 
 Sufuria ya chuma, an iron pot. 
 
 Sugu, a mark, a callous place. Also, 
 obstinate, insensate. 
 
 Sugua kxi-, to rub, to scrub, to 
 brush, to scour. 
 
 Suheli, south. 
 
 Sui, an irrepressible, unconquer- 
 able man. 
 
 Sujudia ku-, to prostrate oneself to, 
 to adore. 
 
 Sujudu ku; to prostrate oneself, to 
 bow down. 
 
 Suka ku-, to plait, to clean. 
 
 Sukari, sugar. 
 
 Sukari guru, half-marle sugar. 
 
 Sukasuka ku, to shake, to agitate. 
 
 Suke, plur. masuke (or shuke), an 
 ear of corn, a head of mtama, &c. 
 
 Sukua ku-, to slacken, to loose. 
 
 Sukuma ku-, to push, to urge. 
 
 Sukumi, a steersman, quarter- 
 master. 
 
 Sukumiza ku-, to put upon another 
 person, to say it is his business, 
 to tlirow ofl' from oneself, to push 
 away in anger, to throw (a thing) 
 at a person who wants it. Also, 
 to avert (by sacrifice, &c.). 
 
 Sukutua ku-, to rinse out the mouth, 
 to wash one's mouth. 
 
 Sulibi ku; to crucify. 
 
 Sulihisha ku-, to crucify. 
 
 SuUhi ku-, to become, to be fitting 
 for. 
 
 Sulika ku-, to turn about, become 
 giddy. 
 
 Sulimu ku-, to salute. 
 
 Sultani, plur. masultani, a sultan, 
 a chief man. Sultani at Zanzi- 
 bar does not mean a king ; it is 
 used of the head men of a vil- 
 lage. 
 
 Sultan Rum, the Snltan of Turkey. 
 
 Sulubika ku-, to be strong. 
 
 Suluhu, strength, firmness. 
 
 Suluhisha ku-, to bring to accord, 
 to make peace between. 
 
 Suluhu, concord. 
 
 Sululu, a curlew. 
 
 Sumba ku-, to sway away, to twist 
 and turn oneself. 
 
 Sumbua ku-, to worry, to annoy, to 
 give trouble. 
 
 Sumhuana ku-, to worry one an- 
 other. 
 
 Sumbtika ku-, to be put to trouble, 
 to be harassed, to be annoyed.
 
 ;388 
 
 SUM 
 
 Sumhulia ku-, to speak sharply to. 
 Sumbusha ku-, to vex, harass, 
 
 trouble, worry, annoy. 
 Sumu, poison. 
 Sumugh, gum-arabic. 
 Sungura, a rabbit (?), a hare (?). 
 Sunni, advisable, recommended, a 
 
 tradition, what is advisable or 
 
 recommended, but not compul- 
 Sunohari, deal wood. [sory. 
 
 Sunza ku-, to search for anything 
 
 with a lighted brand at night. 
 Supaa ku; to be very hard or dry. 
 Supana = Supaa. 
 Sura, a likeness, a resemblance, a 
 
 chapter of the Koran. 
 Suria, plur. masuria, a concubine, 
 
 a female slave. 
 Suriyama, born of a concubine. 
 Sururu, an insect that lives in 
 
 cocoa-nut trees. 
 Surwali, trousers. See Soruali. 
 Sus, Hquorice. 
 Suso, a kind of hanging shelf, a 
 
 hammock. 
 Susupaa — Supaa. 
 Suta ku-, to reproach, to charge a 
 
 man with slander, to slander, to 
 
 seek out a man and ask whether 
 
 he has said such and such things. 
 Su'udi, or Suudi njema, salvation, 
 
 felicity. 
 Suza ku; to stir up. Also, to 
 
 rinse. 
 Suzia ku; to turn with (?). 
 Swafi = Safi. 
 Swali, a question. 
 
 T is pronounced as in English. 
 There are two t's, in Arabic, one 
 much thicker than the Eosflish L 
 
 but only very careful speakers dis- 
 tinguish them in Swahili. 
 
 T at the beginning of a word has 
 sometimes an explosive sound, as in 
 Vaka, dirt. It is probable that this 
 represents a suppressed n. 
 
 There is a slight difference in 
 sound between the fs of tatu, three, 
 and tano, five, the former being the 
 smoother, but natives do not seem 
 conscious of the difference. 
 
 T in northern Swahili frequently 
 becomes ch in the dialect of Zanzi- 
 bar. 
 
 Kuteka, to laugh (M.) kucheJca 
 (Zanz.). But /(•ute/.;a, to plunder, 
 or to draw water, does not 
 change. 
 
 Kutinda, to slaughter (M.) hi- 
 cMnja (Zanz.). 
 
 There is no sound similar to that 
 of the English th in the original 
 language of Zanzibar. It occurs in 
 some dialects of Swahili in place of 
 V or z. There are however in 
 Arabic four th^s. 1. Tha, pro- 
 nounced like the English th in 
 thing. 2. Thai, pronounced like 
 the English th in this. 3 and 4. 
 Thad and Tha" or Dthau, which 
 are scarcely distinguished by the 
 Arabs themselves, and have a very 
 thick variety of the thai sound. 
 Practically the two English th's are 
 quite sufficient, and the ear soon 
 catches the right method of employ- 
 ing them. 
 
 The Indians and many Africans 
 pronounce all these as z. Some 
 Swahili confuse the various th's with 
 z, and employ the thai sound for 
 words properly written with a z, as 
 wathiri for waziri, a vizir.
 
 -TA- 
 
 T AG 
 
 389 
 
 -ta-, the sign of the future tense. 
 When the relative or the par- 
 ticles denoting time and place 
 are inserted in the future, the 
 prefix regularly becomes -tal-a-. 
 It is possible however to retain 
 -ta- to express a more definite 
 sense. 
 
 AtaJcvja, he will come. 
 Atahayekuja, who will come. 
 Atakapokuja, when he shall 
 
 come. 
 Atapokuja, when he come, 
 or, if he shall come. 
 In the first person singular the 
 ni-, which is the sign of the 
 person, is often dropped. 
 
 Takuja = Nitaknja, I shall 
 come. 
 Ta- at the beginning of Arabic 
 verbs is the mark of the fourth 
 or fifth conjugations or derived 
 forms. 
 Taa, a lamp, especially the small 
 open earthen lamps made in Zan- 
 zibar. 
 Taa, a large kind of flat fish. 
 Taa, beneath one's feet. 
 Tadbika ku-, to be troubled. 
 Taabisha ku-, to trouble, to annoy. 
 Taahu, trouble. 
 
 Taadabu ku-, to learn manners. 
 Taajabisha ku-, to make to wonder. 
 
 to astonish. 
 Taajabu ku-, to wonder, to be as- 
 tonished. See Staajahu. 
 Taajazi ku-, to tire. 
 Taali ku-, to study. 
 Taandu, a centipede. 
 Taataa ku-, to throw oneself about. 
 Tabaka, lining. 
 Tahakelo, a snuff-box. 
 Tabanja, a pistol (Ar.). 
 
 Tnhdssam ku-, to smile. 
 labia, constitution, temper, temper- 
 ament, climate. 
 Tabibia ku-, to doctor. 
 Tabibu, a physician. 
 Tabiki ku-, to line, to close to or 
 upon, to cling to as a fast friend. 
 Tdbikiza, to make to cling. 
 Tabiri ku-, to foretell, to prophesy. 
 Taburiidu ku-, to refresh. 
 Tadariki ku-, to accept the respon- 
 sibility of, to guarantee the result 
 of. 
 Tadi, violence, hurry. 
 Kwenda kwa tadi, to rush, to go 
 tumultuously. 
 Tadi ku-, to fight with. 
 I Tafakari ku-, to consider, ponder, 
 ! think. 
 
 I Tafdthal or Tafailiali, please, I beg 
 j of you. 
 
 ; Tafiti ku-, to seek out matters 
 i secretly, to be over-inquisitive. 
 ; Tafsiri ku-, to explain, to interpret. 
 i Tafsiri, interpretation. 
 Tafsiria ku-, to explain to, to inter- 
 pret to. 
 Tafu (M.) = CMfu, cheek. 
 Tafu, gastrocnemic muscles. 
 
 Tafu ya mkono, the biceps muscle. 
 Tafuna ku-, to chew, to nibble. 
 Tafuta ku-, to look for, seek, search 
 
 for. 
 Tafutatafuta ku-, to search all 
 
 about. 
 Tafutia ku- or Taftia, to seek out 
 
 for some one, to look for. 
 Tagaa ku-, to straddle, to walk 
 
 with one's legs far apart. 
 ragfe,plur. matage, bow legs, crook- 
 edness. 
 Tagliafali ku-, to be off one's guard, 
 to forget to take notice.
 
 r,90 
 
 TAG 
 
 TAM 
 
 Taghaiari hu-, to be changed. 
 Taghi ku-, to rebel. 
 Tagua, branches, main branches. 
 Tahafifu, gent'.y, in good time, 
 light, thJQ. 
 
 Nguo taliofifu, thin calico. 
 Tahamaha ku-, to look up to see 
 
 what is going on. 
 Taharaki ku-, to be troubled, to 
 
 be thrown into confusion. 
 Taharakiaha ku-, to put into a state 
 
 of anxiety, to excite, stimulate. 
 Taharizi. See Kanzu. 
 Taharuki ku-, to be troubled, to be 
 
 anxious, to be thrown into con- 
 fusion. Also, Taharaki. 
 Tahassa ku-, to go on board a ship 
 
 with a view to sailing. 
 Tahatliari ku-, to bew^are, to be on 
 
 one's guard. 
 Taliatliarislia ku-, to warn. 
 Tahayari ku-, to become ashamed. 
 Tahayarisha ku-, to shame, to make 
 
 ashamed. 
 Tahidi ku-. 
 
 KujitaJddi, to exert oneself, to 
 try hard. 
 Tahiri ku-, to circumcise. 
 Tahsila, farewell, leavj-taking. 
 Tai, a large bird of prey, a vulture. 
 Taifa, plur. mataifa, a tribe, a 
 
 nation. 
 Taja, hire. 
 Taja ku-, to name. 
 Taji, a crown. 
 Tajiri, plur. matajiri, a merchant, 
 
 a rich man, a capitalist, a prin- 
 -taka-. See -ta-. [cipal. 
 
 Taka, dirt. 
 Takataka, rubbish, sundries, small 
 
 articles. 
 Taka ku-, to want, to wish for, to 
 ask for. 
 
 Kutaka sliauri, to seek advice. 
 Takabali ku-, to accept; used of 
 
 God's hearing prayer. 
 Takabathi ku-, to carry on freight. 
 Takabathisha ku-, to pay freiglit 
 
 for. 
 Takdddam ku-, to be in advance of, 
 
 to get before. 
 Takalika ku-, to be very faint or 
 
 tired. 
 Takarimu, gift, largess. 
 Takasa ku-, to clean, to make clean 
 
 and clear. 
 Takasika ku-, to become cleansed. 
 Takata ku-, to become clean and 
 clear. 
 
 Uwingu umetakata, the sky is 
 clear. 
 -takatifu, holy, cleansed. 
 Takhari ku-, to stay. 
 Taki = Gliicha. 
 Takia, plur. matakia, a large 
 
 cushion. 
 Tako, plur. matako, the buttock. 
 Taksiri, a crime. 
 Takura ku-, to scratch, to dig with 
 
 claws or fingers. 
 Talaka, divorce. 
 Taldssim or Taladmu, plur. matala- 
 
 simu, a talisman, a charm, a 
 
 figure divided into squares and 
 
 marked with magic words and 
 
 symbols. 
 Tali ku- or Ta'ali ku-, to study. 
 TaWc = Tarik. 
 Taliza ku-, to smooth ofi", to smooth 
 
 up, plaster, &c. 
 Tama, out and out, final. 
 Tama ku- (M.) = Rama ku-, to re- 
 move. 
 Tama ku-, to sit, crouch (Yao.). 
 Tama. 
 Kusliika tama, to lean the head
 
 TAM 
 
 TAN 
 
 3S1 
 
 on the hand, reckoned unlucky 
 in Zanzibar. 
 Tamaa, longing, avarice, greedi- 
 ness. 
 Kuhata tamaa, to despair. 
 
 Tamdlahi ku-, to be master of. 
 KujitamdIaM mwenyewe, to be 
 one's own master. 
 
 Tamani ku-, to long for, to lust 
 after. 
 
 Tamanika ku-, to be liked, to be an 
 object of liking. 
 
 Tamha ku-, to swagger. 
 
 tarnhaa ku-, to creep, to crawl. 
 
 Tamhi, vermicelli. 
 
 Tamho, a tall man. 
 
 Tarahoa, testicles. 
 
 Tamhua ku-, to recognize. 
 
 Tamhulia ku-, to understand. 
 
 TarnhuUkana ku-, to be recogniz- 
 able. 
 
 TambulisJia ku-, to make to recog- 
 nize, to explain. 
 
 Tamhuu, betel leaf chewed with 
 areca nut, lime and tobacco. 
 
 Tamhuza ku-, to put a new point or 
 edge, to weld on fresh iron or 
 steel. 
 
 Tamisha ku- (M.) = Hamisha ku-. 
 
 TaWaka ku-, to pronounce. 
 
 Tamu, sweetness, flavour, taste. 
 
 •taniu, sweet, pleasant. It makes 
 tamu with nouns like nyumba. 
 
 Tamuka ku- = Ta'mka ku-. 
 
 Tamvua, ends or corners of turban 
 cloth, &c. 
 
 Tana ku-, to divide, to slit, to comb, 
 to part. 
 
 Tanatana ku-, to divide up into 
 little bits. 
 
 Tana, a bunchlet of bananas, &c. 
 Bananas and plantains grow \ 
 spirally in a large biinr^h, not con- 
 
 tinuously, but in little grt)ups: 
 each group is a tana. 
 Tanahahi ku-, to make up one's 
 
 mind, to know what to do. 
 Tanafusi ku-, to draw breath. 
 Tanda ku-, to spread, to be spread 
 out, to be overcast, to put rope.s 
 to a native bedstead. 
 Kujitanda, to stretch oneself 
 across. 
 Tandama ku- (?), to surround. 
 Tandaicaa ku-, to recline, to loll at 
 
 one's ease. 
 Tandaza ku-, to make flat. 
 Tandika ku-, to spread, to lay out, 
 
 to saddle. 
 Tandu, long slashes made on their 
 
 faces by Makuas and others. 
 Tandua ku-, to unsaddle, to take off 
 
 harness. 
 Tanga, plur. matanga or mojitanga, 
 a sail. The sails of mitepe and 
 madau are made of matting. 
 Tanga mbili, the seasons of 
 
 changeable winds. 
 Matanga kati, wind abeam. 
 KiiJcaa matanga, to sit at home 
 in sign of mourning, to mourn. 
 Tangaa ku-, to come to be known. 
 Tangamana ku-, to adjoin. 
 Tangamuka ku-, to be cheerful. 
 Tangamusha ku-, to cheer up. 
 Tanganya, &c. (M.) = Changanya, 
 
 &c., to mix, to shuffle cards. 
 Tangatanga ku-, to go backwards 
 
 and forwards, to wave. 
 Tangawizi, ginger. 
 Tangaza ku-, to spread news, to cir- 
 culate intelligence. 
 Tange, the trees and rubbish cleared 
 
 off" a new plantation. 
 Tangisha ku-, to make evident. 
 Tango, plur. matango, a sort of
 
 o02 
 
 TAN 
 
 T AS 
 
 2:onrd eaten raw, resembling in 
 
 taste a cucumber. 
 Tangu, since, from. 
 
 Tangu lini^ Since when? How 
 long ago ? 
 Tangua Zcm-, to annul, to abolish, to 
 separate, untwist, unplait, with- 
 draw a promise, &c. 
 
 Kutangua ndoa, to annul a mar- 
 riage, to divorce. 
 Tangiika 7cu-, to be annulled. 
 Tangukana ku-, to separate. 
 Tangulia 7cu-, to precede, to go be- 
 fore, to go first. 
 
 Nimetangulia hultuamhia, I told 
 you beforehand. 
 Tangulifu advanced. 
 Tani, Othman. 
 Tani. 
 
 Kiva tani, backward, on his back. 
 Tano or Tanu, five. 
 
 Ya tano, fifth. 
 -tano^ five. 
 Tantanhelwa, a great bother, a 
 
 worry. 
 Tanua ku, to expand, to spread out, 
 
 to fend off a boat. 
 Tanuka ku-, to he on one's back and 
 
 spread oneself out, to sprawl. 
 Tanuru or Tanuu, a clamp for burn- 
 ing lime, an oven. 
 Tanzi, plur. matanzi, a noose. 
 Tanzia, news of a death. 
 Tao, plur. matao, an arch, an 
 
 arched opening, a bay. 
 Tapa ku-, to shiver. 
 
 Kujitapa, to magnify oneself, to 
 make 51 great man of oneself. 
 Tapatapa ku-, to jump about like a 
 
 fish when taken out of the water, 
 
 to shiver, to tremble. 
 Tapanya ku-, to scatter, to throw ! 
 
 about. i 
 
 Tapanyatapanya ku-, to dissipate. 
 
 to waste. 
 Tapika ku-, to vomit. 
 Topisha ku-, to make to vomit. 
 Tapisho, plur. matapisho, an emetic. 
 Tapo, plur. matapo, a detachment, 
 
 a division, a part of an army 
 
 larger than kikozi. 
 Tarahe, side piece of a window, 
 
 door of planks. 
 Tarafu, on the part of. 
 
 Tarafu yoke, on his part. 
 Taraja ku-, to hope. 
 Taratliia ku-, to persuade in a 
 
 friendly way. 
 Taratihu, carefully, gently, orderly. 
 Taratibu, orderliness, an order or 
 
 form. 
 Taraza, an edging, a narrow silken 
 
 border usually woven on to tur- 
 ban and loin-cloths in Zanzibar. 
 Tarazake, business on a small scale. 
 Tarazaki ku-, to trade in a small 
 
 way. 
 Tarik, a date, year, &c., the clew- 
 line or bunt-line of a dhow-sail. 
 
 Kitahic cka tarik, a chronicle. 
 Tarimho = Mtaimho, an iron bar. 
 Tarizi ku-, to weave 
 Tartibu = Taratibu. 
 Tasa, a brass basin. 
 Tasa, a game of touch. 
 Tasa, a barren animal. 
 Tasaivari ku-, to do with certainty, 
 to be fully able. 
 
 Eatasawari, it is certain that he 
 does not do it. 
 Tasbihi, Mohammedan beads. 
 Tasfida, good manners. 
 Tashwishi, doubt. 
 Tasihili, quickness, quickly. 
 Taslimu, ready cash. 
 Tassa = Tasa.
 
 TAT 
 
 TEK 
 
 303 
 
 Tata. See Matata. 
 
 Kwenda tatatata, to toddle. 
 Tataga ku-, to go above or over, to 
 
 cross a stream on a tree. 
 Tatana 1cu-, to be in a tangle, to be 
 
 puzzled. 
 Tatanisha ku-, to tangle, to puzzle. 
 Tatanya ku-, to unravel, disen- 
 tangle, solve a riddle. 
 Tatazana ku-, to be tangled. 
 Tathhiri, a merchant. 
 Tatia ku-, to wind, to tangle, to 
 
 complicate. 
 Tatiza ku-, to wind. 
 tatu, three. 
 
 Ya tatu, third. 
 Tatua ku-, to tear. 
 Tatuka ku-, to be torn. 
 Taumkaku- = Ta'mka ku-. 
 Tauni, plague, cholera. 
 Tausi, peacock. 
 Tauu (A.), the cheek. 
 Tawa, plur. matawa, a frying-pan. 
 Tawa, plur. taiva, a louse. 
 Tawa ku-, to live secluded (Yao.), to 
 
 tie. 
 Tawafa, a candle, candles. 
 Tawakali ku-, to trust in God and 
 
 take courage. 
 Tawakdwakatha, many. 
 Tawala ku-, to govern, to rule. 
 Tawanya ku-, to scatter. 
 Tawanyika ku-, to become scattered. 
 Tawashi, a eunuch. 
 Tawassuf, temperance. 
 Taioaza ku-, to make to rule. 
 Tawaza ku-, to wash the feet, to 
 
 perform the ablutions. 
 Tawi, plur. matavn^ a branch, a 
 
 bough, a bunch, an ear of millet, 
 Taya, jaw, jawbone. 
 Taya ku-, to reproach. 
 Tayari, ready. 
 
 Tayi, obedient. 
 
 Tatjo, plur. matayo, a reproach, re- 
 viling. 
 Tazama ku-, to look. 
 Tazamia ku-, to look out for. 
 Tazwi, forgery. 
 Teende la viguu, Barbadoes leg, 
 
 elephantiasis (?). 
 Tefua ku-, to reason, to search, to 
 
 throw about. 
 Tega ku-, to set a trap or snare, to 
 
 snare. See Kitendaidli. 
 Tegea ku-, to be lame. 
 Tegemea ku-, to lean upon, to be 
 
 propped up. 
 Tegemeza ku-, to support. 
 Tego, a virulent kind of syphilis 
 
 supposed to be the effect of a 
 
 charm. 
 Tegu, plur. mategu, a tape-worm. 
 Tegua ku-, to take a pot ofif the fire, 
 
 to remove a spell. 
 Teka ku- (M.) = Clieka ku-. 
 Teka ku-, to plunder, to take as 
 spoil, to draw water. 
 
 Kuteka 'mji, to plunder a town. 
 
 Kuteka ng'ombe, to carry off an ox. 
 
 Kuteka maji, to draw water from 
 a well. 
 Teke, plur. mateke, a kick. 
 
 Kupiga teke, to kick. 
 Tekelea ku-, to prove true, to come to. 
 Tekeleza ku-, to perform a promise, 
 
 restore a pledge. 
 Tekenya ku-, to tickle in the ribs. 
 Teketea ku-, to be consumed, to be 
 
 burnt away. 
 Teketeke, the soft, something soft. 
 Teketeza ku-, to consume, to cause 
 
 to be burnt down. 
 Tekewa ku-, to become bewildered. 
 Tekeza ku-, to run ashore, to coma 
 
 to an end, to die.
 
 394 
 
 TEK 
 
 T E T 
 
 Tehia Tcu-, to prize up, to toss, to 
 
 throw up out of a noie. 
 Tele, plenty, abunrlantly, abundant. 
 Tele, gold lace or braid. 
 Telea ku-, to come down, descend, 
 
 land from. 
 Teleka ku-, to put a pot on the fire. 
 Telemua ku-, to pull down, to cause 
 
 to slip down. 
 Telemuka ku- or Telemka ku-, to 
 
 go down a steep place, to go 
 
 quickly down in spite of one's 
 
 self, to slither down. 
 Tdemuko, the bed of a river. 
 ^Teleza ku-, to slip. 
 Tema ku-, to slash as with a sword. 
 Tema ku-. 
 
 Kutema mate, to spit. 
 T'emhe, a hen full grown but which 
 
 has not yet laid. 
 Teriibea ku-, to walk about, to take 
 
 my 
 
 Moyo icangu umefembea, 
 thoughts are wandering. 
 Temhelea ku-, to walk about. 
 Temheza ku-, to offer for sale by 
 
 auction, to hawk about. 
 Tembo, palm wine, wine. 
 Temho, an elephant. 
 Te'mka = Ta'mka. 
 Temsi, filigree work. 
 Tena, afterwards, again, further. 
 Tenda ku-, to do, to apply oneself to, 
 to act. 
 Kutenda zema or vema, to behave 
 well. 
 Tenda kani, a pole across a dhow to 
 
 fasten the sheet to. 
 Tendawala, a kind of bird. 
 Tende, a date, dates. 
 
 Tenda halwa or halua, Arabs 
 from the Persian Gulf, who 
 steal slaves by tempting them 
 
 into their houses with datea 
 and sweetstuff. 
 Tendea ku-, to do to, to behave to, 
 
 to treat. 
 Tendegu, plur. matendegu, the legs 
 
 of a bedstead. 
 Tendeka ku-, to be done, to be 
 
 doable. 
 Tenga, a sun-fish. 
 Tenga ku-, to separate, to remove. 
 
 Kujitenga, to get out of the waj*. 
 Tengea ku-, to be ready and in 
 order. 
 
 Duka limetengea, the shop is all 
 ready and open. 
 Tengeka ku-, to be put on one side. 
 Tengelea and Tengeleza = Tengeneza 
 
 and Tengenea. 
 Tengenea ku-, to be comfortable, to 
 
 be as it should be. 
 Tengeneza ku-, to finish off, to put 
 
 to rights, to touch up. 
 Tengezeka ku-, to be established, 
 
 made right. 
 Tengua ku-, to put aside. 
 Tepukua ku-, to cut away young 
 
 shoots. 
 Tepukuzi, plur. Matepukuzi, shoots 
 
 from the root of a tree. 
 Terema ku-, to be at ease. 
 Tesa ku-, to afiiict. 
 
 Kuteswa, to suffer, to be afflicted. 
 Teso, plur. mateso, afflictions, adver- 
 sities. 
 Teta ku-, to oppose, to strive against, 
 
 to be adverse to, to go to law 
 
 with, to mention disparagingly. 
 Tetea ku-, to cackle like a hen. 
 Tetea ku- (M.) = Chechea ku-, to 
 
 walk lame. 
 Tete ya kwanga, rubeola. 
 Tetema ku-, to tremble, to quiver. 
 Tetemea = Chechemea.
 
 TE 
 
 THU 
 
 395 
 
 Tetemeka hu-, to tremble, to shake, 
 
 to shiver, to quake (as the earth;, 
 
 to chatter (of the teeth). 
 Teteri, a small kind of dove. 
 Tetcza hu-, to rattle. Also, to lead 
 
 a sick person by the hand. 
 Teua ku; to choose, select, pick 
 
 out = Cliagua ku-. 
 Teuka ku-, to dislocate, to sprain. 
 -teule, choice, chosen. 
 Tezama and Tezamia = Tazama and 
 
 Tazamia. 
 Tezi, a fibrous tumour, goitre. 
 Thahihu, an offering, a sacrifice. 
 'Hi obit, plur. mathahit, firm, brave, 
 Thahabu, gold. [steadfast. 
 
 Thahiri, evident, plain. 
 Thaldri ku-, to make plain, to 
 
 express. 
 Thaifu, weak, infirm, bad. 
 Thalatha, three. Also Thelaiha, &c. 
 ThalatJiatashara, thirteen. 
 Thalathini, tliirty. 
 Thalimu, a fraudulent person, a 
 
 swindler. 
 TJialimu ku-, to wrong, to defraud. 
 Tlialili, very low, very poor. 
 Thamana (th in this), a surety. 
 Thamani {th in thing), a price. 
 
 Ya thamani, of price, valuable. 
 TJiamhi, sin. 
 TJidmin, surety. 
 Thamini ku, to become surety. 
 Thamiri, conscience, thought. 
 Tliani ku-, to think, to suppose. 
 TJiania ku-, to think of a person, to 
 
 suppose him, to suspect. 
 TJiarau, scorn. 
 Tharau ku-, to scorn. 
 Tlidruha, (Ar. a stroke), a storm, 
 (in arithmetic) multiplication. 
 
 Tlidruha moja, at one stroke, 
 suddenly. 
 
 Tliathu, a kind of jay brought down 
 
 from Unyauyembe. 
 Tliaicahu, a reward ; especially re- 
 wards from God. 
 Thelatha, &c. See Tlialatha, &c. 
 Tltelimu ku-, to oppress. 
 Thelth, a donkey's canter. 
 Theluth, a third. 
 Themanini, eighty. 
 Themanini, a linen fabric. 
 Tliemantashara, eighteen. 
 Themanya, eight. 
 Themuni, an eighth. 
 Tlienashara, twelve. 
 TJieneen, two. 
 
 Thihaka, ridicule, derision. 
 Thihaki ku-, to ridicule, to make 
 
 game of. 
 Tldhirtsha ku-, to make clear, to 
 
 declare. 
 Thii ku-, to be in distress. 
 Thiiki ku-, to be put to straits. 
 Tliili ku-, to abase. 
 TJiiraa, a measure of about half a 
 yard, from the point of the 
 elbow to the tips of the fingers. 
 
 Thiraa konde, from the point of 
 the elbow to the knuckles of 
 the clenched fist. 
 Thoofika ku-, to be made weak, to 
 
 become weak. 
 Thoofisha ku-, to weaken, to make 
 
 weak. 
 Thoumu, garlic. 
 Tliuhutisha ku-, to give courage to, 
 
 to make certain, to convince, to 
 
 prove. 
 Thubutu, ku-, to dare, to have 
 courage for, to be proved. 
 
 Sithuhutu, I dare not. 
 Tliuku ku-, to taste. 
 Tliukuru ku-, to invoke. 
 I ThuUi, didtrtss, misery.
 
 396 
 
 THU 
 
 TIT 
 
 Tfiulumu, wrong. 
 
 Thulumu ku-, to do wrong, to per- 
 secute. 
 Thuluru, a kind of sandpiper. 
 Thuluth, a third. Also Theluth. 
 Thumu liu-, to slander. 
 Thurea, a chandelier. 
 Tliuru hu-, to harm. 
 Haithuruy no harm, it does not 
 matter. 
 Tia hu-, to put, to put into. 
 
 Kutia nanga, to anchor. 
 
 Kutia cJiuoni, to put to school. 
 Tiara, a boy's kite. 
 Tiba, a term of endearment. 
 Tibilca hu-, to be cured. 
 Tihu ku-, to cure. 
 Tibu, a kind of scent. 
 Tibua ku-, to stir up and knock 
 
 about. 
 Tifua hu-, to cause to rise like dust 
 
 or a mist. 
 Tifuha hu; to rise in a cloud. 
 Til hu-, to obey. 
 Tiisha ku-, to make to obey, to 
 
 subdue. 
 Tika ku-, or twika, to put a burden 
 
 on a man's head for him. 
 Tiki, just like, exactly as. 
 Tikia ku-, to reply. See Itikia. 
 Tikisa ku-, to shake. 
 Tikiti, plur. matikiti, a sort of water 
 
 melon. 
 Tikitika ku-, to be shaken. 
 Tikitiki, utterly and entirely, to the 
 
 last mite. Also, (M.) into little 
 
 bits. 
 Tikiza ku-, to have patience with. 
 Tilia ku-, to put to, for, &c. 
 Tilifika ku-, to waste, to grow less. 
 Tilifisha hu-, to diminish, to make 
 
 to dwindle away. 
 Tiliju ku-, to ruin, to waste. 
 
 Tililia hu-, to darn. 
 
 Timazi, a stone hung by a line, used 
 
 as a plummet by masons. 
 Timbi, bracelets. 
 Timbuza hu-, to begin to show itself, 
 
 like the sun in rising. 
 Timia hu-, to be complete. 
 Timilia hu-, to become complete. 
 -timilifu, complete, perfect. 
 Timiliza hu-, to make complete. 
 Timiza hu-, to complete, to make 
 
 perfect. 
 Time, a woman's name. 
 Timvi, an ill-omened child. 
 Tinda hu- (M.) = Chinja hu-, to 
 
 cut, to cut the throat, to slaughter, 
 Tindiha ku- (A.), to fall short. 
 Tindikia ku-, to cease to. 
 
 Imenitindikia, I am out of it, I 
 have no more. 
 Tindikiana ku-, to be separated, to 
 
 be severed, as friends or relatious 
 
 at a distance from one anotlier. 
 Tiwgre, a game consisting in imitating 
 
 all the motions of a leader. 
 Tini, a fig, figs. 
 Tint (M.) = Chini, down. 
 Tipitipi, a brown bird, a mocking 
 
 bird. 
 Tipua ku-, to scoop out, to dig out, 
 
 to dip out. 
 Tiririka ku-, to glide, to trickle. 
 Tis'a = Tissia, nine. 
 Tisaini, ninety. 
 Tisatashara, nineteen. 
 Tisha hu-, to frighten, alarm, make 
 
 afraid. 
 Tissia, nine. 
 
 Tita hu; to tie up together. 
 Tita, plm*. madta, a faggot, a bundle 
 
 of firewood. 
 Titi, the nipple. 
 Tiiia ku-, to shake, to sink in.
 
 TIT 
 
 TOM 
 
 397 
 
 Also (?) of the sea, when deep 
 and rough, to boil. 
 Titika hu', to carry a bundle of 
 
 sticks, &c. 
 Titima Jcu-, to roar and roll like 
 
 thunder. 
 Titia-anga, chicken-pox. See Kiti- 
 
 wanga. 
 Tiwo (?), paralysis. 
 'to, a suffix, denoting goodness or 
 propriety, rarely used in Zan- 
 zibar. 
 Euiceica, to put ; 
 
 Kuwekato, lo put properly. 
 Manuka, smells ; 
 Manukato, scents. 
 TfM ku; to put out, to take away, 
 give, expel, to deliver, to except, 
 to choose out. 
 Kutoa meno, to grin, to show the 
 teeth, to snarl. 
 Toazi, plur. matoazi, cymbals. 
 Toha, repentance. 
 Tohoa ku; to break through, to 
 
 break a hole in a wall. 
 Tohice, a simpleton, ignoramus. 
 Tofaa, plur. matofaa, a fruit shaped 
 like a codling with rosy-coloured 
 streaks, = Tomondo. See Mto- 
 mondo. 
 Tofali, plur. matofali, a brick. 
 Tofauti, difference, dispute. 
 Nimeingia tofauti kica kuv:a wee 
 umeniibia fetha ynngu, I have 
 a quarrel with you for stealing 
 my money. 
 Tofua ku-, to hurt or put out an 
 
 eye. 
 Tofuka ku-, to have an eye hurt or 
 
 put out. 
 Toga kur, to pierce the ears. 
 Togica, un fermented beer. 
 Tolinra, circumcision. 
 
 Tohara ku-, to purify by ablutions, 
 
 to perform the Mohammedan 
 
 ablutions. 
 Toi, a kind of wild goat. 
 Toja ku-, to slash, cut gashes, as a 
 
 means of bleeding, &c. 
 Tojo, a cut made for ornament, &c. 
 Toka or Tokea, from, since. 
 Toka ku-, to go or come out or away 
 from, to be acquitted, to go 
 free. 
 
 Kutoka damn, to bleed. 
 
 Kutoka Tiari, to sweat. 
 Tokana ku-, to go forth from one 
 
 another, to divorce, to be set free. 
 Tokea, from, since. See Toka. 
 Tokea hapo, in old time, from old 
 
 time. 
 Tokea ku-, to come out to, or from, 
 
 to appear. 
 Tokeza ku-, to ooze out, to project. 
 Tokomea ku-, to get out of one's 
 Tokoni, the pelvis. [sight. 
 
 Tokono (A.), the hips. 
 Tokora ku-, to pick one's teeth. 
 Tokosa ku-, to boil, to cook by 
 
 boiling. 
 Tokoseka ku-, to be well boiled, to 
 
 be done. 
 Tokota ku-, to become boiled, to be 
 
 cooked by boiling. 
 Tolea ku-, to put out for, to offer to. 
 
 Kutolewa, to have put out for 
 one, or to be put out, to be 
 dismissed. 
 Toma, orchitis, hydrocele. 
 Tomasa ku-,to poke with the fingers, 
 
 to feel, used of examining a 
 
 living creature, as Bonyesha, of 
 
 inanimate objects. 
 Tomha ku-, t© have sexual connec- 
 tion with. 
 Tomho, a quail. 
 
 2 D
 
 398 
 
 TOM 
 
 TU A 
 
 Tomea ku- (RI.) = Chomea ku-. 
 Tomea ku-, to point by pla&tering 
 
 over and putting small stones in 
 
 to make the work firm. 
 Tomesha ku-, to set on (a dog, &c.). 
 Tomo, dross of iron, &c. 
 Toinise = Tomo. 
 Tomondo, a hippopotamus. 
 Toiaondo, plur. matomondo = Tofaa. 
 Tana ku-, to drop. 
 Toiia ku-. 
 
 Kutona hina, to lay and bind on 
 a plaster of henna until the 
 part is dyed red. 
 
 Kutona godoro, to sew through a 
 mattress here and there to con- 
 fine the stuffing. 
 Tandoo, a small brown nut con- 
 taining oil. 
 Toiiesha ku-, to strike against, to 
 
 touch a sore place, to make a sore 
 
 run. 
 Toae, plur. matone, a drop. 
 Toneza ku-, to cause to drop. 
 Tonga ku- (M.) = Chonga ku-, to 
 
 cut. 
 Tongea ku- = Chongea. 
 Tongosimba, a small bird black 
 
 with white neck ; it makes a 
 
 great noise in flying. 
 Tongoza ku-, to seduce. 
 Tope, mud, plur. matope, much mud. 
 Tojjea ku-, to sink in mire, to be 
 
 stogged. 
 Topetope, a custard apple. 
 Topeza ku-, to be too heavy for one. 
 Topoa ku-, to take out, to break a 
 
 spell, to clear for cultivation. 
 Tom, plur. matora, a small spear. 
 Toniti, the law of Moses, the Pen- 
 tateuch. 
 'Fwoka ku-, to rim away from a 
 
 master, from home, &c. 
 
 Torosha ku-, to abduct, to induce ti 
 
 run away. 
 Tosa ku-, to cause to sink, to drown 
 
 Eutosa macho, to spoil the eyes. 
 Tosa, plur. matosa, fruit just be- 
 ginning to ripen, all but ripe. 
 Tosha ku; to suffice, to be enough 
 
 for, to cause to come out. 
 Toshea ku-, to be astonished, to be 
 
 staggered. 
 Tosheleza ku-, to suffice. 
 Toshewa ku-, to be astonished. 
 Tola ku; to sink. 
 Totea ku- (]M.) = Chochea ku-. 
 Toteza macho ku-, to spoil the eyes. 
 Totoma ku-, to be lost, to wander. 
 Totora ku-, to pick one's teeth. Also, 
 
 Tokora. 
 Tooya = Chooya. 
 Towea ku-, to eat as a relish or 
 
 kitoweo. 
 Toiceka ku-, to vanish. At Lamoo 
 
 tliis word is used for to die. 
 Towelea ku-, to eat by mouthfuls. 
 Towesha ku-, to ruin, to put out of 
 
 the way. 
 Toweza ku-, to pour gravy, &c., over 
 
 the rice. 
 Tozi, plur. matozi (M.), a tear. 
 Trufu, trump (in cards). 
 Tu, only, nothing but this, only 
 
 just. The -u of tu is very short ; 
 
 it always follows the word or 
 
 phrase which it qualifies. 
 Tu, we are or were. 
 Tu or Tw; the sign of the first 
 
 person plural, we. 
 -tu- or -tw-, the objective prefix de- 
 noting the first person plural, ms, 
 TvM ku-, to put down, to put down 
 loads, to rest, to halt, to encamp, 
 to set (of the sun). 
 
 Jua likitua, at sunset.
 
 TUA 
 
 TUM 
 
 i99 
 
 Tua ku; to grind by pushing a 
 
 stone backwards and forwards. 
 Tuama ku-, to settle, to clear itself. 
 Tuana ku-, to settle. 
 Tubia ku-, to repent of. 
 Tabu ku-, to repent. 
 Tufanu, a storm, a tempest. 
 Tufe, a ball. 
 Tuhumu ku-, to accuse of, to lay to 
 
 his charge, to suspect. 
 Tui (M.) = Cliui, a leopard. 
 Tui, the oily juice squeezed out of 
 
 the scraped cocoa-nut. 
 Tuiliza ku-, to prolong. 
 Tuja ku- (M.) = Chuja ku-, to strain. 
 Tuka, posts of a verandah or long 
 
 eaves. 
 Tukana ku-, to use bad language 
 
 to, to abuse, to address with in- 
 sulting or indecent expressions. 
 Tukano, plur. matukano, bad words, 
 
 insulting or filthy language. 
 Tukia ku-, &c. (M.) = Chukiaku-,&c. 
 Tukia ku-, to happen. 
 Tukio, plur. matukio, a thing which 
 
 happens, an accident. 
 Tukiza ku-, to project. 
 Tukua ku; &c. (M.) = Chukua 
 -tukufu, glorious, great. [ku-, &c. 
 Takuka ku-, to become exalted, to 
 
 grow great. 
 Tukum ku-, to move, to shake. 
 Tukuta ku-, to move about restlessly, 
 
 to shake nervously. 
 Tukutiza ku- (obscene). 
 Tukuza ku; to exalt, to make great. 
 Tulia ku-, to become quiet, to settle 
 
 down, to amend from a riotous 
 
 life. 
 Tulia, don't make a noise. 
 Tulia ku-, to grind with. See Tua. 
 
 Jiice la kutulia, a stone to grind 
 with. 
 
 Tulika ku; to be serene and tranquil. 
 Tulilia kur, to settle down lor or in 
 regard to. 
 
 YamekutuUUa f have you under- 
 stood me ? 
 
 Yamejiitulilia, I have. 
 Tuliliana ku-, to come to an agree- 
 ment. 
 TuUza ku-, to calm, to still. 
 Tulizia ku-, to calm for. 
 
 Kuti'lizia roho, to calm, to console. 
 Tuma ku; to t mploy, to send about 
 
 some business. 
 Tuma ku- (M.) = Chuma ku-, to 
 Tumaa ku-, to hope. [profit. 
 
 Tumai ku- = Tumaa. 
 
 Roho yatumai, I hope. 
 Tumaini ku-, to be confident, to 
 
 hope. 
 Tumainisha ku-, to make confident, 
 
 to make to hope. 
 Tumania ku-, to hope in, confide in. 
 Tumba, a long rice-bag. 
 Tumbako, tobacco, 
 
 Kuvuta tumbako, to smoke. 
 
 Tumbako ya kunuica or kunusa^ 
 Tumbasi, an abscess. [snuff. 
 
 Tumbili, a small kind of light- 
 coloured monkey. 
 Tumbo, plur. matumbo, gut, belly, 
 viscera, womb. 
 
 Tumbo la kuenenda, diarrhoea. 
 
 Tumbo la kuharadamu, dysentery. 
 Tumbua ku-, to disembowel, cut 
 
 open, pick a hole in, open (an 
 
 abscess). 
 Tumbuiza ku-, to soothe, to sing to, 
 
 to sing by turns. 
 Tumbuka ku-, to burst, to be burst, 
 
 &c. See Tumbua. 
 Tumbukia ku-, to fall into. 
 
 Ametumbukia, kisimani, he hag 
 got into a scrape. 
 
 2 p 2
 
 400 
 
 TUM 
 
 TUT 
 
 TumbuMza hu-, to throw into, to 
 
 cause to fall into, to get a person 
 
 into a scrape. 
 Turnbulia hu-. 
 
 KutumhuUa macJio, to stare at. 
 Tumbuu, a staple. 
 Tumbuza hu-, to disembowel, to 
 
 penetrate, to get through. 
 Tume, a messenger. 
 Tumia hu-, to employ, to spend, to 
 
 use. 
 Tumiha hu-y to be employed, to 
 
 serve. 
 Tumihia hu-, to be employed by, to 
 
 serve, to obey. 
 Tumu, taste, tasting. 
 TiimUy the month Eamathnn. 
 Tuna hu-, &c. (M.) = Chuva hu, &c. 
 Tuna hu-, to swell, to get cross. 
 Tunda, plur. matunda, a fruit. 
 Tundama hu-, to gather, to settle at 
 
 the bottom. 
 Tundiha hu-, to hang up, to be 
 
 suspended. 
 Tundu, plur. fundu or matundu, a 
 hole, a cage, a nest. 
 
 Tundu ya pua, a nostril. 
 Tunduaa hu-, to stand stockstill in 
 
 wonder at, &c. 
 Tunga, a round open basket. 
 Tunga hu-, to suppurate. 
 Tunga hu-, to put together in order, 
 
 to string beads, to make verses. 
 Tungama hu-, to clot, to congeal. 
 Tungamana hu-, to be steady. 
 Tungia hu-, to thread a needle. 
 Timgua hu-, to let down, to pull 
 
 down, to hook down. 
 Tunguha hu-, to be pulled or let 
 
 down. 
 Tungiha hu-, to depend upon, to 
 
 hang from. 
 Tungu (M.) = Chungu, ants. 
 
 Tunguja, a common weed, a species 
 
 of solanum. 
 Tunguliahu- (M.) = Chunguliahu-^ 
 
 to peep. 
 Tuniha hu- (M.), to lose the skin, to 
 
 be flayed. 
 Tunu, a rarity, a choice gift, a 
 
 present. 
 Tunuha hu-, to love excessively, to 
 
 long for. 
 Tunuhia hu, to make a present to. 
 Tunza, plur. matunza, care. 
 Tunza hu-, to take care of, to look 
 
 after, to make gifts to. 
 Tupa, a file. 
 
 Tupa, plur. matupa (M.), a bottle. 
 Tujm hu-, to throw, to throw away. 
 
 Kutupa nathari, or macho, to cast 
 a glance, to cast the eyes. 
 
 Kutuxja mhono, to break off friend- 
 ship. 
 Tupia hu-, to throw at, to pelt with. 
 Tupiza hu-, to pass its proper mea- 
 sure or time. 
 -tupu, bare, empty. It makes tupu 
 
 with nouns like nyumba. See 
 
 Utupu. 
 Tupua hu-, to root out, to pull up. 
 Turuhani, tare, allowance for pack- 
 age, &c., in weighing. 
 Turuma. See Maiuruma. 
 Turupuha hu-, to slip out of one's 
 
 hand. 
 Tushiih, ascriptions of praise, a 
 
 rosary, the beads used by Mo- 
 
 liammedans in praying. Sea 
 
 Tasbih. 
 Tusha hu-, to lower, to make mean 
 
 or low. 
 Tushi, plur. moius^M, abuse, bad 
 
 language. See Matusu. 
 Tuswira, a pictura 
 Tula, plur. matuta, a heap of earth.
 
 TUT 
 
 U 
 
 401 
 
 a raised bed for planting sweet 
 potatoes. 
 Tutu! Leave it alone ! Don't touch! 
 
 Used to little children. 
 Tutuka hu-, or Tutu'mlta or Tutu- 
 sika, to rise in little swellings, to 
 come out in a rash. 
 Tutuma ku-, to make a noise of 
 
 bubbling, to boil up. 
 Tuiumua ku-. 
 Kujitutumua, to gather oneself 
 up for an effort. 
 Tuza ku-i or Tuuza ku-, to weep (of 
 a wound). 
 Eutnza damn (M.), to run down 
 with blood, to bleed exces- 
 sively. 
 Tuza ku- = Tunza ku-. 
 Kujituza, to make oneself mean 
 or low. 
 Tuz-anya ku-, to come to an agree- 
 ment (A.). 
 
 -tw- = -tU: 
 
 Twa ku (M.) = Chwa ku-. 
 Twaa ku-, to take. 
 
 Kuticau nyara, to take as spoil. 
 Twalia ku-, to take from. 
 Twaliwa ku-, to be deprived of, to 
 
 have had taken from one. Used 
 
 also in the sense of, to be taken. 
 Twana ku- or Tuana ku-, to settle. 
 Ticana ku- = Twazana. 
 Twanga ku-, to clean corn from the 
 
 husk by pounding it in a wooden 
 
 mortar. 
 Twangia ku-, to clean corn for, 
 
 with, etc. 
 Twazana ku-, to resemble in face, 
 
 to be like, 
 Tweka ku-, to hoist, to raise, to 
 
 take up. 
 Twesha ku-, to go by night to see 
 
 any one. 
 
 Tiveta hu-, to pant, to strive for 
 
 breath. 
 Ticeza ku-, to despise, to hold in 
 
 contempt. 
 Twiga, a giraffe, a camelopard. 
 Ticika ku-, to put a load on a man's 
 
 head. Also Tika. 
 
 U. 
 
 TJ is pronounced like oo in food. 
 
 TJ before a vowel takes a conso- 
 nantal sound, and may be written 
 w. This change is not so marked 
 before a u as before the other vowels. 
 Sometimes both w's keep their vowel 
 sound. TJ before o is frequently 
 dropped : 
 
 Moyo = Muoyo. 
 
 The syllable mu- is seldom so 
 pronounced in Zanzibar; it becomes 
 mw- or 'm, or a simple m. 
 
 L and u are sometimes appa- 
 rently interchanged, as, 
 
 Ufalme or TJfaume, a kingdom. 
 
 Mlango or Micango, a door. 
 
 Nouns in u- or w- generally lose 
 their u- in the plural, most of them 
 substituting n- or ny- for it, but 
 dissyllable nouns keep the u- and 
 prefix ny-. See N. 
 
 The insertion of a -«- before the 
 final -a of a verb reverses its mean- 
 ing. 
 
 Kufunga, to fasten. 
 
 Kufungua, to unfasten. 
 
 There is a suppressed I between 
 the u and the a (as always in 
 Swahili between two consecutive 
 vowels), which appears in the ap- 
 plied forms. 
 
 Kufungulia, to unfasten for. 
 
 The pasaiye of the applied forms
 
 402 
 
 u 
 
 UCH 
 
 of verbs in -ua is used also as the 
 passive of the simple form. 
 
 Kufunguliwa,to be unfa:;tened, or 
 to have unfastened for one. 
 
 Kuua, to kill, is irregular, and 
 makes its passive by adding -wa, 
 hiuaway to be killed. 
 
 U (Ar.), and. 
 
 U, thou art, it is, of nouns in m-, 
 and of those which make their 
 plural in mi-. 
 
 U- or W-, the sign of the second 
 person singular. 
 
 U- or wj-, the personal prefix of the 
 third person singular denoting a 
 substantive in w-, or one which 
 makes its plural in mi-. 
 
 -U-, or -W-, the objective prefix de- 
 noting a substantive in w-, or one 
 that makes its plural in mi-. 
 
 U- as a substantive prefix is used 
 to form abstract nouns, and also 
 to form the names of countries, 
 
 7:a, the Nyika country ; 
 Ugala, the Galla country ; 
 Dzungu, the country of Eu- 
 ropeans. 
 TJa ku; to kill. 
 
 Passive, kuuawa, to be killed. 
 Ua, plur. maua, a flower. 
 Ua, plur. nyua, a yard, an enclosure, 
 a fence. 
 Ua wa mahua, an enclosure fenced 
 
 with mtama stalks. 
 Ca ica maJcutiy&n enclosure fenced 
 with plaited cocoa-nut leaves. 
 Uanda, a court, a yard. 
 Uanda = Wanda, 
 Uanja = Uanda. 
 Uapo, plur. nijapo, an oath. 
 Uawa ku', to be killed. 
 
 Uayo, plur. nyayo, the sole of the 
 
 foot, a footprint. 
 Ubahwa, pap, a soft food for chil- 
 dren. 
 
 Ubafu or Uhavu, plur. mbavu, a rib. 
 Mbavuni, in or at its side. 
 
 Uhani, incense, galbanum. 
 
 Ubatili, nullity. 
 
 Ubau, plur. mbau, a plank. 
 
 Ubawa, plur. mbawa,Q, wiug feather. 
 
 Ubazazi. 
 Kufanya ubazazi, to make a bar- 
 gain. 
 
 Ubeleko, a cloth worn by women, a 
 customary present to the bride's 
 mother on the occasion of a 
 wedding. 
 
 UbisTii, a joke. 
 
 UbuyvL, the inside of the calabash 
 fruit. 
 
 Uchafu or Uchavu, filthiness. 
 
 Uchagaa = Utagaa. 
 
 Uchala, a raised stage to put corn 
 &c. upon. 
 
 Uchawi, witchcraft, black magic. 
 Kufanya uchawi, to practise 
 witchcraft. 
 
 Uchi, nakedness. 
 
 Uchipuka, plur. chipuTca, a shoot, a 
 blade of grass. 
 
 UchocJwro, a passage, opening be- 
 tween. 
 
 Uchovu, tediousness. 
 
 Uchu, a longing. 
 
 Uchukuti, the leafstalk of the cocoa- 
 nut leaf. 
 
 Uchukuzi, carriage, cost of carry- 
 ing. 
 
 Uchukwi, a kind of rice. 
 
 Uchumi = Utumi. 
 
 Uchungu, bitterness, pain, poison. 
 
 Uchungu, bitter. See -chungu. 
 Dawa uchungu, bitter medicine.
 
 UD A 
 
 UK A 
 
 403 
 
 Vdaha, babbling, telling secrets. 
 Udevu, plur. ndevu, one hair of the 
 
 beard. 
 Udogo, smallnesa, youth. 
 Udongo, clay, a kind of earth used 
 
 to mix with the lime and sand in 
 
 making mortar. 
 Ufa ku-, to become cracked. 
 Ufa, plur. nyiifa, a crack. 
 
 Kutia ufa, to crack. 
 Ufagio, plur. fagio, a brush, a broom, 
 
 a bundle of the leaves of a palm 
 
 used to sweep with. 
 Vfahamu, memory. 
 Ufajiri = Alfajiri. 
 ?7/aZmeorZ7/aM?ne,kingdom, royalty. 
 Ufidiwa, a ransom. 
 Ufisadif vice. 
 Ufishi, vice. 
 Ujito, plur. Jito, a thin stick, sticks 
 
 such ae those which are used as 
 
 laths to tie the maliuti thatch to. 
 Ufizi, plur. fizi, the gums. 
 fy/M, death, the state of being dead. 
 Ufufulio or Ufufuo, resurrection, 
 
 revival. 
 Ufuhara^ destitution. 
 Ufukwe, absolute destitution. 
 Ufumhi, valley, bottom. 
 Ufunga, stone bench, = Kiharaza. 
 Ufungu, relatives. 
 Ufunguo, plur. funguo, a key. 
 Ufuo, sandy beach. 
 Ufuta, semsem. 
 Ufuthuli, ofBciousness. 
 Vga, an open space in a town wliere 
 
 a house has been pulled down, or 
 
 where a dance could be held. 
 Ugali, porridge. 
 
 Uganga, white magic, medicine. 
 Ughaibu, the little packet of betel 
 
 leaf, areca nut, lime, and tobacco 
 
 made up for chewing. j 
 
 Ugo, enclosure, close. 
 
 Ugomvi, a quarrel, quarrelsomeness. 
 
 Ugonjica, sickness, a sickness. 
 
 Ugrani, a general collection of debts. 
 I Ugica ku-, to fall sick, to groan. 
 
 Ugtimu, hardness, ditficulty. 
 
 Uguza ku; to nurse, to take care of 
 
 Ugice, string. [a sick person. 
 
 Uhardbu, mischief. 
 
 Uharara, warmth. 
 
 Uharibivu, destruction, destructive- 
 ness. 
 
 Uhtaji, want, thing wanting. 
 
 Uhuru, freedom. 
 
 l7i?/i6o, plur. 7iyimho,a. song, a ballad. 
 
 Uirari (in arithmetic), proportion, 
 division of profits. See Worari. 
 
 Ui'zi, theft, thieving, 
 
 Ujahili, boldness. 
 
 Ujalifu, fulness. 
 
 Ujana^ youth. 
 
 Ujari, tiller-ropea. 
 
 Ujenzi, building. 
 
 Uji, gruel. 
 
 Ujima, help of neighbours, assist- 
 ance in work. 
 
 Ujinga, rawness, dulness, ignorance. 
 
 Ujio, coming. 
 
 Ujira, hire, reward. 
 
 Ujumhe, chiefship, headship. 
 
 Ujuvi, knowingness, officiousness, 
 pretended knowledge. 
 
 Ujusi, defilement, whatever is re- 
 moved by ablutions. 
 
 Ukaango, plur. kaango, an earthen 
 pot for cooking with oil or fat. 
 
 Ukafu. 
 Ukafu toa maj% a bubble on 
 water. 
 
 Ukali, fierceness, sharpness. 
 
 Kufanya ukali, to scold. 
 Ukambaa, plur. kambaa (M.), cord 
 line.
 
 404 
 
 UKA 
 
 UKU 
 
 Ukamilifu, perfectness, perfection. 
 
 TJTianda, a strap. 
 
 JJkao, stay, stopping. 
 
 Ukarimu, generosity, liberality. 
 
 XTkawa, delay. 
 
 Ukaya, a long piece of blue calico, 
 often ornamented with spangles, 
 worn by slaves and poor women 
 in Zanzibar over tbeir heads: 
 it has two long ends, reaching 
 nearly to the ground. 
 
 Vhelele, plur. kelele, a cry, a noise. 
 Akapigiwa ukelele, and a ory was 
 made at him. 
 
 Uicemi, a call (Mer.). 
 Nipigie ukemi^ give me a call. 
 
 Ukengele, a sort of knife made in 
 Zanzibar. 
 
 TJketo, depth. 
 
 Ukingo, the brink, a screen, an en- 
 closure made with cloths. 
 
 Ukiri, plur. kiri, a strip of fine 
 matting about an inch broad, out 
 of which mikeka are made. 
 
 TJkhca, desolation, solitude where 
 people once were. 
 
 TJko or fltt/co, there. 
 
 Ukoa, plur. k'oa, a plate of metal, 
 one of the rings on the scabbard 
 of a sword, &c. 
 
 Ukoga, the tartar and dirt on the 
 teeth. 
 
 Ukohozi, phthisis. 
 
 Ukoka, grass cut for fodder. 
 
 Ukoko, the rice on the top of the 
 pot, which is often dry and 
 scorched through the custom of 
 pouring away the water when the 
 rice is done and heaping live 
 embers on the lid of the pot. 
 Ukoko (A.), a cough. 
 JJkologefu, decay* 
 Ukoma, leprosy. 
 
 Ukomha, a scraper, a curved knife 
 for hollowing out mortars, &c. 
 
 Ukomholewa, a ransom. 
 
 Ukomhozi or Ukomhoo, a ransom 
 
 Ukonde (wa tende), a (date) stone. 
 
 Ukangice, oldness, extreme old age. 
 
 Ukonyezo, plur. konyezo, a sign made 
 by lifting the eyebrow. 
 
 Ukoo, nastine^s, uncleanness (?). 
 
 Ukoo, ancestry, pedigree, family 
 origin and connections. 
 
 Ukope, plur. kove, a hair from the 
 eyelash. 
 
 Ukosi, the nape of the neck. 
 
 Ukuhali, acceptance. 
 
 Ukuhwa, greatness, bigness. 
 
 Ukucha, plur. kucha, a nail, a claw, 
 a boo/. 
 
 Ukufi, plur. hnfi, a handful,, what 
 will lie upon the hand. 
 
 Ukumbi, an apartment at the en- 
 trance, a hall, a porch. The 
 ukumbi is within a stone house 
 and outside a mud house. 
 
 Ulcumbulia, recollection. 
 
 Ukumhusho, memorial, a reminder. 
 
 JJkumhuu, plur. kumhuu, a girdle 
 made of a narrow cloth, a turban 
 cloth twisted tightly into a sort 
 of rope such as the turbans of 
 the Hindis are made of. 
 
 JJlcundufu, pleasingness, comm©- 
 diousuess, liberality. 
 
 ZHcungu, mould, mouldiness. 
 Kufanya nkungu, to get mouldy. 
 
 JJliungu, the first liglit of dawn. 
 
 Ukuni, plur. kuni, a piece of fire- 
 wood. 
 
 Ukurasa, plur. kurasa, a leaf of a 
 
 book, a sheet of paper. 
 Ukuta, plur. kuta, a stone wall. 
 TJkuti, plur. kuti, a leaflet of the 
 cocoa-nut tree.
 
 UKU 
 
 UMK 
 
 405 
 
 Ukuu, greatness, size. 
 
 Ukwaju, a tamarind. 
 
 C/^u-ase/ii, necessity, having nothing. 
 
 UJcwasi, wealth, riches. 
 
 TJhvcato, plur. hwato, a hoof. 
 
 CTaZo, a tree or trees cut down so 
 
 as to fall across a river and make 
 
 a bridge over it 
 TJlaji^ gluttony. 
 
 TJlambiyambi, a very young dafu. 
 Ulanisi, a foul-mouthed person. 
 TJlxiya or ^VilalJa^ home ; applied 
 
 especially to the home of Euro- 
 peans, Europe. 
 Ulayiti, European, inferior calico. 
 
 Kamha ulayiti, hempen rope. 
 Ule, that, yonder. 
 XTI^di, a dhow boy, a cabin boy. 
 Ulegevu, relaxation, the state of 
 
 being slack. 
 Ulia Jcu-, to kill for, with, &c. 
 
 Tumulie mhali, let us kill him 
 out of the way. 
 Ulili, a couch or bedstead (Kianz- 
 
 want). 
 Ulimbo, birdlime, gum, resin. 
 Ulimhwende, dandyism. 
 TJlimi, plur. ndimi, the tongue, a 
 
 tenon, the heel of a mast. 
 Ulimwengu, the world, the universe, 
 a man's own world or circle of 
 duties and pleasures. 
 
 Kuwako ulimwenguni, to be alive. 
 Ulingo, a raised platform to scare 
 Ulio, which is. [birds from. 
 
 Ulitimu, the last three cards of the 
 
 pack. 
 Uliza ku-, to ask, to inquire of a 
 person. 
 
 Kumuliza hali, to ask how he 
 does. 
 
 Siicezi kuuUzica uicciigo,! cannot 
 tell a lie. 
 
 Ulizia ku-, to make inquiries on 
 
 behalf of. 
 JJIongo, falsehood. See Uwongo. 
 TJma, plur. nyuma, a spit, a large 
 fork, an awl. 
 
 Umaica kuokea nyama, a gridiron. 
 Uma ku-, to bite, to sting, to hurt, 
 
 to give pain to, to ache. 
 Umaheli, ingenuity. 
 TJmalidadi, dandyism. 
 Umande, dew, morning air, mist, 
 
 the west wind. 
 Umasikini, poverty. 
 Umati, a multitude, people, 
 TJmati Isa, Christians. 
 Umati Musa, Jews. 
 Umati Muhammad, Mohammedans. 
 Umha ku-, to create, to shape. 
 Umba ku-, to bale out a boat For 
 
 Kumha. 
 Umhaumha ku-, to sway about like 
 
 a drunken man. 
 Umbo, plur. maumho, form, outward 
 likeness, appearance, character, 
 species. 
 
 Najiona umbo la kuwa kiziici, I 
 feel getting deaf. 
 Umhu, plur. maumhu, a sister. 
 Umbua ku-, to allege a defect, to 
 
 depreciate. 
 Umhwa, or better Mbwa, a dog. 
 -uiTie (or -lume), male, strong. • It 
 makes ndum£ with nouns like 
 nyumlia. 
 
 Mkono ica kuume, the right hand. 
 Umeme, lightning. 
 Umia ku-, to give pain to. 
 Umika ku-, to cup. 
 Umio, the oesophagus. 
 Umito, heaviness, feeling heavy. 
 Umiza ku-, to hurt 
 Umka ku-, to swell, to rise when 
 
 leavened.
 
 406 
 
 UMK 
 
 UP A 
 
 UmTcu (?) Icu-t to call. 
 Umo or Humo, there inside. 
 Umoja, oneness. 
 Umri, age. 
 
 JJmri wake apataje f How old 
 is he? 
 Umua ku-, to take honey from the 
 
 hive. 
 Una, you have, thou hast. 
 
 Una nini9 What is the matter 
 with you ? 
 Unazozitaka, which you are asking 
 
 for. 
 Unda ku-, to build ships or boats. 
 Undu, the comb of a cock. 
 Unene, stoutness, thickness. 
 Unenyekeo, humility, abasement, 
 
 reverence. 
 Unqa, flour, powder. 
 
 Unga wa ndere, a magic poison, 
 Unga ku-, to unite, to splice, to join. 
 Ungama, a place near Melinda, 
 
 swallowed up by the sea. 
 Ungama ku-, to acknowledge, to 
 
 confess of one's own accord. 
 Ungamana ku-, to bring together, 
 
 connect. 
 Ungamo, a yellow dye used for 
 
 dyeing matting, 
 Unganaku-, to unite, to join together. 
 Unae-, the sign of the second person 
 sing, conditional. 
 
 Ungedumu, you would continue. 
 
 Ungekuwa, you would be. 
 Ungi, much, plenty. 
 Ungo, the hymen (?). 
 
 Kuvunja ungo, to be deflowered, 
 to begin to menstruate. 
 Urigo, plur. maungo, a round flat 
 
 basket used in sifting. 
 Ungua ku-,to be scorched or scalded. 
 Unguja, Zanzibar. 
 Vngulia ku-, to scorch or scald. 
 
 Unguza ku-, to scorch or scald, to 
 
 burn. 
 Ungwana, the state of being a free 
 
 and civilized man, civilization. 
 -ungwana, civilized, as opposed to 
 -shenzi; free, as opposed to 
 -tumwa. 
 
 Kiungicana, of a civilized kind. 
 Unuele, or Unwele, or Unyele, plur. 
 
 7iyele, a hair. 
 Unyago. See Kimjago. 
 
 Kuchezea unyago, to teach wo- 
 manhood. 
 Unyasi, reed, grass. 
 Unyayo, plur. nyayo, the sole of the 
 
 foot, a footprint. 
 Unyele. See Unuele. 
 Unyende. 
 
 Kupiga unyende, to cry with a 
 feeble thin voice. 
 Unyika, the Nyika country. 
 Unyoa, plur. nyoa, a feather. 
 Unyofu, straightness, uprightness. 
 Unyogovu. idleness. 
 Unyonge, vileness, meanness. 
 Unyungu. 
 
 Kupiga unyungu, to strut about, 
 to show oneself off. 
 Uiiyushi, plur. nyushi, a hair from 
 
 the eyebrow. 
 Uo, plur. mnuo, a sheath. 
 Uoga, or Woga, fear, 
 Uovu, rottenness, badness, corrup- 
 tion, malice, evil. 
 Uozi, marriage. 
 Upaa, baldness. 
 
 Upaa wa kitwa, crown of the 
 head, baldness. 
 Upaja, plur. paja, the thigh. 
 Upaji, liberality. 
 Upamha, plur. pamba, a bill, a small 
 
 hatcliet. 
 Upana, width, breadth.
 
 UFA 
 
 URA 
 
 407 
 
 Upande, plur. pande, a side, part. 
 Ujjande wa Mvita, near or about 
 
 Mombaa. 
 TJpande wa cJiini, the under side, 
 
 the lee side. 
 Upande wa juu, the upper side, 
 
 the weather side. 
 XJpande ica gosMni, the side where 
 the tack of the sail is fastened, 
 the weather side, 
 dpanga, a cock's comb. 
 Upanga, plur. panga, a sword. 
 Upanga wa felegi, a long straight 
 two-edged sword carried by the 
 Arabs. 
 Upanga wa imani, a short sword 
 
 with a kind of cross hilt. 
 Kuweka upanga, to set up a 
 sword on its edge. 
 Upao, plur. pao, one of the small 
 sticks used as laths to tie the 
 tiiatch to. 
 Upapi, the outer beading of a door 
 
 .frame. 
 Upataji, value. 
 Upato, a round plate of copper 
 
 beaten as a musical instrument. 
 Upawa, plur. jjaica, a flat ladle made 
 out of a cocoa-nut shell, used 
 for serving out curry, gravy, &-c. 
 An upawa differs from a Itata in 
 being very much flatter and 
 shallower ; more than two- 
 thirds of the shell are cut away 
 to make an upaica ; scarcely a 
 quarter is cut off in making a 
 TtaUi, 
 Upekeclio, the piece of wood used 
 
 to make fire by rubbing. 
 Upeketevu, destruction, harm, quar- 
 relling. 
 Upele, plur. pele, a large pimple. 
 Pele, the itch. 
 
 Upemho, curved end, hook, a stick 
 
 to hook down fruit with. 
 Upendaji, the habit of liking. 
 Upendavyo, as you please. 
 Upendelto, favour. 
 Upenzi, love, affection, liking. 
 Upen, plur. peo (M.), a sweeping 
 
 brush. 
 Upeo, the extremest point visible, 
 
 the extreme limit, something 
 
 which cannot be surpassed. 
 Upepeo, plur. pepeo, a fan. 
 UpepOy plur. pepo, a wind, cold. 
 
 See Pepo. The plural is used to 
 
 denote much wind. 
 Upesi, quickly, lightly. 
 Upia = Upya, newness. 
 Upindi, plur. pindi, a bow. 
 
 Upindi wa mvua, the rainbow 
 Upindo, a fold, a hem. 
 Upo, a water-dipper for a boat or 
 
 dhow. 
 Upofu, blindness. 
 Upogo, a squint. 
 Upogoupogo, zigzag. 
 Upole, gentleness, meekness. 
 Upondo, plur. pondo, a pole used to 
 
 propel canoes and small vessels. 
 Upongoe, plur. pongoe, the leaf stem 
 
 of a palm tree. 
 Upooza, paralysis. 
 Upote, string, bowstring. 
 Upotevu, waste, desti uctiveness, 
 
 wastefulness. 
 Upumbafu, folly. 
 Upunga, plur. punga, a tlower or 
 
 embryo nut of the cocoa-nut tree. 
 Upungiifu, defect, defectiveness. 
 Upupu, cow-itch. 
 
 Upuzi, nonsense, chatter, silly talk. 
 Upweke, singleness, independence. 
 Upya, newness. 
 Urathi, contentment.
 
 408 
 
 URE 
 
 UTE 
 
 TJrefu, length. 
 
 Uremho, ornament, applied espe- 
 cially to the black lines painted 
 on their faces by the women of 
 Zanzibar by way of ornament. 
 
 Urithi, inheritance. 
 
 Urango = TJiwngo. 
 
 Urotha, invoice. 
 
 Uru, diamonds (in cards). 
 
 Usafy shavings and chips. 
 
 Usaha^ matter, pus. 
 
 Useini, talk, conversation. 
 
 TJshadi, plur. nyushadi, verses. 
 
 Ushahidi, or Ushuhuda, testimony. 
 
 Ushambilio, haste, suddenly. 
 
 Ushanga, plur. shanga, a bead. 
 
 Usharika, partnership, sharing. 
 
 Ushaufu, deceit. 
 
 Usherati, dissipation. Also Asherati. 
 
 Ushi, a string-course. 
 
 Ushujaa, heroism, great courage. 
 
 Ushukura, thanks. 
 
 TJshungUy a vegetable poison, used 
 to poison arrows. 
 
 Ushupafu, perversity, crookedness. 
 
 Ushuru, tax, duty, customs. 
 
 Usia few-, to leave directions or 
 orders, by will, &c. See Wana. 
 
 Usikizi, hearing, attention, under- 
 standing. 
 
 Usiku, night. The plur. siku is used 
 to denote days of 24 hours. Four 
 whole nights must be rendered 
 siku nne usiku kucha. Four days 
 and nights, siku nne mchana na 
 usiku. 
 
 Usimanga, mockery. 
 
 Usimeme, firmness. 
 
 Usinga, plur. singa, a (straight, not 
 woolly) hair. See Singa. 
 
 Usingizi, plur. singizi, sleep. See 
 Zingizi. 
 
 Usiri, delay. 
 
 TJsiwa, on the high seas. 
 
 TJso, plur. nyuso, face, countenance. 
 
 Ussuhui, for Assubui, in the morning, 
 
 the morning. 
 Usubi, a sandfly, a midge. 
 Usufi, silk cotton from the msitfi 
 
 tree. 
 Usukani, plur. sukani, a rudder. 
 UsuUani, sultanship. 
 Usumha, see Makumhi. 
 Uta, plur. nyuta or mata, a bow, 
 TJta. [bow and arrows. 
 
 Majuta ya uta, semsem oil. 
 Utaa, a raised stage to put corn, 
 
 &c. on. 
 Utabibu, medical science, being a 
 
 doctor. 
 Utagaa, a branch of a tree. 
 Utaji, a veil. 
 Utajiri, wealth. 
 Utakacho, what you wish. 
 TJtakatifu, holiness, purity. 
 TJtako (Mer.), keel of a dhow. 
 Utambaa, plur. tambaa, a bandage, 
 
 a rag. 
 TJtambi, plur. tambi, a lamp-wick, a 
 
 piece of stuff for a turban. 
 TJtambo {wa sufuria, &c.), a swing- 
 ing handle like tliat of a pail. 
 Utamvua, end or corner of a turban, 
 
 of a cloth, &c. 
 Utandu (A.) = Ukoko. 
 Utandui hymen. 
 Utani, a kindred race, the belonging 
 
 to a kindred tribe, familiarity. 
 Utanzu, plur. tanzu, a branch. 
 Utashi, desire. 
 Utasi, tonguetieduess. 
 Utawi. 
 
 Kupiga utawi, to drink grog to- 
 gether. 
 Vie. 
 Ute iva yayi, the white of an egg»
 
 UTE 
 
 U WA 
 
 409 
 
 Utelezi, slipperiness. 
 
 Utemhe, the chewed refuse of betel 
 leaf, &c. 
 
 Utenzi, a poem, especially a reli- 
 gious poem. 
 
 Uteo, plur. teo (M.), a silting bas- 
 ket. 
 
 Utepe, plur. tepe, a tape, a band, a 
 fillet, a stripe. 
 
 Utepetefu, languor. 
 
 Ufesi, strife. 
 
 Uthabiti, bravery, firmncps. 
 
 Uthaifu, ■weakness, infirmity. 
 
 Uthani, weight. 
 
 Uthi hu; to harass, trouble. 
 
 Uthia, bother, noise, uproar. 
 
 Uthia TiU; to harass. 
 
 Uthibaji, cheat, deceit, stratagem. 
 
 TJtliika hu-, to be harassed. 
 
 UtJdlifu, calamity, great trouble. 
 
 TJthuru Jcu-, to excuse. 
 
 Uti. 
 
 TJti wa maungo, the backbone. 
 
 TJtiko, the roof-ridge of a thatched 
 house. 
 
 Utiriri, a provoking trick. 
 
 Utofu, dull, without amusement. 
 
 Utofu, thinness, weakness. 
 
 Utolco, mucus from the vagina. 
 
 Uto. 
 
 Uto wa riTjama, fat cooked out of 
 meat, dripping. 
 
 Utanwa, thick white sap. 
 
 Utondwi, small dhows trading about 
 Zanzibar, coasters. 
 
 Utosi, the top of the head. 
 
 Utoto, childhood. 
 
 Utufu, fatigue. 
 
 TJtuJiufu, greatness, exaltation, 
 glory. 
 
 Utvley wretchedness, weakness, un- 
 fitness. 
 
 Utulivu, quietness, patience. 
 
 Utumhavu, thickness, swelling, 
 
 rising. 
 Utumhuizo, a soothing thing, verses 
 
 sung during a dance. 
 Utume, sending people about. 
 Utumi, use, usage. 
 TJtumo, business, place of business. 
 Utuimva, slavery, employment, en- 
 gagement. 
 
 Kiitia ufumwani, to enslave. 
 TJtnngu (M.) = Uchungu. 
 
 Utungu, is used in the dialect of 
 Zanzibar only for the pains of 
 childbirth, Utungu ica uzazi. 
 Utupa, a species of euphorbia used 
 
 as a fish poison. 
 Utupu, naked (vulgar). 
 
 Mtu utupu, a naked man. 
 
 Mtu mtiipu, a mere man. 
 Uuaji, murderousness. 
 Uudi, aloes wood. 
 Uuza hu. See Uza hu-, 
 Uvi, a door [Tumbatu], 
 Uvivu, idleness, sloth. 
 TJvuguvugu, lukewarmness. 
 
 Maji yana uvuguvugu, the water 
 is lukewarm. 
 UvuU, shade. 
 
 Uvumha, incense, galbanum. 
 TJvundo, a smell of corruption. 
 Uvurujika, tendency to crumble, a 
 
 being spoilt and decayed. 
 Uvurungu, hollowness. 
 
 Jiwe la uvurungu, a hollow stone. 
 TJvyazi, birth. 
 TJwanda, a plain. 
 Uwanga, arrowroot. 
 TJtcanga, a sweet dish made of 
 
 wheat, flour, sugar, and ghee. 
 Uwanja, a courtyard, an enclosure. 
 Uicashi, masonry. 
 JJwati, a vesicular eruption on the 
 
 skin.
 
 410 
 
 U W A 
 
 VAL 
 
 Uicaziri, the vizirship, 
 TJweli, sickness, disease. 
 
 TJweli wa viungo, rheumatism. 
 Uwezo, power, ability. 
 Uwinda. 
 Kwpiga uwinda^ to pass the ends 
 of the loin-cloth between the 
 legs and tuck them in, as is 
 done loosely by the Banyans, 
 and tiglitly by men at work. 
 Uicingu, plur. mhingu, heaven, sky. 
 The plural is the form more com- 
 monly used. 
 Uwivu, jealousy. 
 Vwongo, falsehood. 
 Manenoye yameliuica uicongo, he 
 has become a teller of lies. 
 Uyajuapo, if you know them. 
 Uyoga, a mushroom. 
 Uyuzi, ingenuity. 
 Uyuzi ku-, to ascertain. 
 Uza ku-, to ask, to ask questions. 
 Uza ku- or Za ku-, to sell. 
 The u in kuuza, or rather kuza, 
 to sell, is very short and insig- 
 nificant : it is possibly only a 
 partial retention of the ku-, 
 which bears the accent and is 
 retained entire in the usual 
 tenses. The u- in kuuza, to 
 ask, is much more important, 
 as is shown clearly in tlie ap- 
 plied forms. 
 
 Kuuliza, to ask of a person ; 
 
 pres. perf. ameuliza. 
 Kuliza, to sell to a person ; 
 pres. perf. ameliza. 
 Uzanya ku-, to be ordinarily sold, 
 
 to be for sale. 
 TJzazi, birth. 
 Uzee, old age. 
 Uzembe, indifference, apathy, slow- 
 
 Vzi, plur. nyuzi, thread, string, a 
 stripe. 
 
 TJziki, poverty. 
 
 TJzima, health, heartiness, complete- 
 ness, life. 
 
 TJzingizi. ^ee Zingizi opudi Unngizi. 
 
 Uzinguo, disenchantment, as from 
 the power of the evil eye. 
 
 Uzini or Uzinzi, adultery, fornica- 
 tion. 
 
 Uzio, plur. nyuzio, a hedge made in 
 the sea to catch fish. 
 
 TJzulia ku-, to depose. 
 
 TJzulu ku-, to depose, to remove from 
 an office. 
 Kujiuzulu, to resign, to give up a 
 place or ofiBce, to abdicate. 
 
 TJzuri, beauty, fineness, ornament. 
 Kufanya uzuri, to adorn oneself. 
 
 Uzuslii, raising from the bottom, as 
 in fisliing for pearls. 
 
 JJzuzu, rawness, greenness (of a 
 simpleton). 
 
 V is pronounced as in English. 
 V,f, and b, are sometimes a little 
 
 difficult to distinguish accurately in 
 the dialect of Zanzibar. This is 
 probably owing to the want of a v 
 in Arabic. 
 
 V and vy change in some dialects 
 into Z-, in others into th-. 
 
 Micivi, a thief, becomes mitizi at 
 Lamoo, and micitlii at Patta. 
 Vaa ku-, to put on, to dress in. 
 The past tenses are used in the 
 
 sense of, to wear. 
 Amevaa, he wears. 
 Alivaa, he wore. 
 Valia ku-.
 
 VAO 
 
 VIT 
 
 411 
 
 Mshipi tea Ituvalia nrjiio, a girdle 
 to gird up one's clothes with. 
 
 Vao, plur. mavao, dress. 
 
 Varanga, interrupting and bother- 
 ing talk. 
 
 Vazi, plur. mavazi, a dress, a gar- 
 ment. 
 
 Vemttf well, very well. 
 
 Vema or Vyema, good. See -ema. 
 
 Ti- or Vy-, the plural prefix of sub- 
 stantives (and of adjectives and 
 pronouns agreeing with them) 
 which make their singular in hi- 
 or ch-. 
 
 Vi- or Vy-, sign of the third person 
 plural prefixed to verbs governed 
 by nouns in vi- or vy-. 
 
 Vi- or Vy- prefixed to adjectives 
 often gives them an adverbial 
 
 -vi-, the objective prefix represent- 
 ing nouns in vi- or vy-. 
 Via Jiu-, to stop short of perfection, ' 
 
 to be stunted in its growth, to | 
 
 remain only half cooked for want 
 
 of fire, &c., &c. 
 Viaa ku- = Vyaa Jcu-. 
 Viatu (plural of Kiatu), shoes, san- 
 dals. 
 
 Viatu vya Kizungu, European 
 shoes. 
 
 Viatu vya ngozi, leather sandals. 
 
 Viatu vya mti, wooden ciogs. 
 Viazi (plur. of Kiazi), sweet pota- 
 toes. 
 
 Viazi vya Kizungu, potatoes. 
 
 Viazi vikuu, yams. 
 Viberiti (plur. of Kiberiti), matches, 
 
 lucifers. 
 Vidani, collars of gold, &c. 
 Viembe or Vyembe, arrows. 
 Vifaa, necessaiies, useful things. 
 Vigwe, braid, reins. 
 
 Vijiueno, little words, prattle. 
 
 Viha ku-, to clothe, to dress. 
 
 Vile, those yonder. 
 
 Vilevile, just those things, like 
 things, in like manner. 
 
 Vilia ku-, to stop and stagnate, as 
 the blood does in a bruise. 
 
 Vilio, a stagnation, a stoppage. 
 Mavilio ya damu, bruises, effusion 
 of blood. 
 
 Vimba ku-, to swell, to thatch. 
 
 Vimbisha ku-, to overfeed a person. 
 
 Vimbhoa ku-, to be overstuffed, to 
 overeat oneself. 
 
 Vimo, all of one size. 
 
 Vinga vya moto, firebrands, sing, 
 Kinga cha moto. 
 
 Vingi, many. See -ingi. 
 
 Vingine, others. See -ngine. 
 
 Vinjari ku-, to cruise about, to go 
 looking out for something, to 
 watch. 
 
 Vinyavinya ku-, to press and crush 
 food for children and sick people. 
 
 Viuyi. See Mweityi. 
 
 Vinyu = Mvinyo. 
 
 Vioga ku- (M.), to tread. 
 
 Viombo = Vyombo. 
 
 Viote or Vyote, all. See -ote. 
 
 Vipande vya kupimia, nautical in- 
 struments, sextants, &c. 
 
 Vipele (plur. of Kipele), small 
 pimples, a rash. 
 Vipele vya harara, prickly heat. 
 
 Viringa ku-, to become round. 
 Iiueviringa, it is round. 
 
 Viringana ku-, to become spherical. 
 
 Visha ku-, to give cluthes to. 
 
 Vita, war. 
 
 Vitanga vya mizam, scales, scale- 
 pans. 
 
 Vitindi vya shaba, bra-ss wire. 
 
 Vitwa vltioa, topsy-turvy.
 
 412 
 
 VI 
 
 VUN 
 
 Vivia liu-, to smoulder. 
 
 Vivi Mvi, common, just there, just 
 
 so, anyhow. 
 -vivu, idle, dull, slow. 
 
 Kisu ni kivivu, the knife is blunt 
 (A.). 
 Vivyo, thus, in the way mentioned. 
 Vivyoliivyo, in like manner. 
 Viwbnhi (plur. of Kimmhi), wave- 
 lets, a ripple. 
 Viza few-, to stunt, to prevent its 
 
 attaining perfection, to interrupt, 
 
 to stop or hinder in work. 
 Vizia ku-, to watch, to spoil one's 
 
 work for one, to hinder one from 
 
 working. 
 Vizuri, fine, finely. See -zuri. 
 Vua ku-f to take off clothes. 
 Vua ku-j to save, to deliver, to take 
 
 across. 
 Vua ku-y to fi-h, to catch fish. 
 Vuuta ku- or Vwata ku-, to prets with 
 
 the teeth, to hold in the mouth. 
 Vuaza ku-, to wound by striking or 
 
 running into unawares, tu cut. 
 Vugaza ku-, to put to (a door). 
 Vugo, a horn played upon by beat- 
 Vuja ku-, to leak, to let water, [ing. 
 Vujia ku-, to ooze out. 
 VuJca ku-, to cross, to go over, to 
 
 pass a river, to be saved. 
 Vuke, steam, vapour, sweat. 
 Vukiska ku-, to take across, to ferry 
 
 over. 
 Vukiza ku-, to cause to fume, to 
 
 give off vapour. 
 Vukieta ku-, to blow bellows. 
 Vukuto, sweat. 
 Vule. 
 
 Dudu vule, an insect living in 
 wood, a carpenter bee (?). 
 Vuli, shade. 
 
 Mkono wa kuvuli, the right hand. 
 
 Vulia ku-, to catch fish for, or 
 
 with. 
 Vuma ku-, to blow as the wind, to 
 
 buzz like a bee. 
 Vu7na ku-, to lose (in card-playing). 
 Vumbi, plur. mavumbi, dust, flue, 
 
 muddiness in water. 
 Vumbika ku-, to put in under some- 
 thing, to stick into the embers, to 
 
 cover with a heap of leaves, &c. 
 Vumhikia ku-, to put seeds or plants 
 
 in the ground before rain, to get 
 
 them into the ground. 
 Vumbilia ku-. 
 
 Kuvumhilia vita, to get into a 
 quarrel. 
 Vumhu, plur. mavumhu, lumps in 
 
 flour, &c. 
 Vumhua ku-, to find after a search, 
 
 to discover. 
 Vumi, a noise as of blowing or 
 
 bellowing, often made with a 
 
 drnm. 
 Vumilia ku-, to endure, to tolerate, 
 
 to bear. 
 Vumisha ku-, to win (in card-play- 
 
 iag). 
 Vuna ku-, to reap. 
 Vuna ku-. 
 
 Kujivuna, to swell up, to be 
 puffed up. 
 Vunda, &c. = Vunja, &c. 
 Vunda ku-, to rot. 
 -vungu, hollow. 
 
 Vunja ku-, to break, to ruin, to 
 spoil, to change a piece of 
 money. 
 
 Kuvunja jungo, to have a final 
 feast, as before Ramathan. 
 Vunja jungo or chungu, a mantis 
 
 (Mantis roligiosa), so called from 
 
 the superstition that a person 
 
 touching it will break the next
 
 VUN 
 
 -WA- 
 
 413 
 
 piece of crockery or glass he 
 
 handles, 
 Vunjia hu-, to break for, with, &c. 
 Vunjika hu-, to become broken. 
 Vuruga Jcu-, to stir. 
 Vurujika ku-, to break up into frag- 
 ments, crumble. 
 VurumisJia ku-, to throw a stone, &c. 
 Vusha hu-, to put across, to ferry 
 
 over, to put into the right way. 
 Vuta ku-, to draw, to pull. 
 
 Kuvuta maji, to bale out water. 
 
 Kuvuta makasia, to row. 
 
 Kuvuta tumhakOf to smoke to- 
 bacco, 
 Vuvia ku-, to blow. 
 Vuvumka ku-, to grow up quickly. 
 Vuzi, plur. mavuzi, a hair of the 
 
 pubes. Also, (A.) hair in gene- 
 ral. 
 Vy- = Vi: 
 Vya, of. 
 Vyaa ku-, to bear children, or fruit. 
 
 Pass, vyaioa or vyaliwa. 
 Vijake or Vyakwe, his, her, its. 
 Vyako, thy. 
 Vyakula (plur. of Chakuld), things 
 
 to eat, victuals, meals, provisions. 
 Vyaliwa ku-, to be born. 
 Vyangu, my, of me. See -angu. 
 Vyao, their, of them. See -ao. 
 Vyetu, our, of us. See -etu. 
 Yyenu, your, of you. See -enu. 
 -vyo or -vyo-, as. 
 
 Upendavyo, as you please. 
 
 TJnipendavyo, as you love me, for 
 my sake. 
 
 Alivyoagiza, as he directed. See 
 ginsi. 
 Vyo, -vyo, -vyo-, which. See -o. 
 
 Vrjo vyote, whatsoever. 
 Vyomho (plur. of CJwmho), vessels, 
 
 household utensils, baggage. 
 
 W. 
 
 W is pronounced as in English. 
 
 TV is commonly in Swahili a con- 
 sonantal u, and in many words w 
 or u may be written indifferently. 
 There are other cases, as in the 
 passive termination -ica, where the 
 sound can only be expressed by an 
 English w. 
 
 W- = U-, which see. 
 W-, the prefix proper to possessive 
 pronouns governed by substan- 
 tives either singular or plural 
 which denote animate beings. 
 Wa, of. See -a. 
 Wa nini, why. 
 
 Hamisi wa Tani, Tani's Hamisi, 
 i.e. Hamisi, the sou of Tani. 
 Wa or TJ, the Arabic and. 
 Wa ! an Arabic exclamation. 
 Wa-, the plural prefix of substan- 
 tives in ?n-, '/n-, or mw- which 
 denote animate beings. 
 Wa-, the plural prefix of adjectives 
 and pronouns agreeing with sub- 
 stantives which denote animate 
 beings. 
 Wa-, the prefix marking the third 
 person plural of verbs governed 
 by nouns denoting animate be- 
 ings. 
 "Where the tense prefix begins 
 with an -a- that of the personal 
 prefix coalesces with it, so that 
 there is no difference between 
 the second person singular and 
 the third plural. 
 -ica- the objective plural prefix 
 referring to substantives which 
 denote animate beinp-a 
 2 E
 
 414 
 
 WA 
 
 WAL 
 
 Wa kit-, to be, to become (?) : the 
 hu- bears the accent and is re- 
 tained in the usual cases. 
 The present tense of the substan- 
 tive verb is generally rei^re- 
 Bented by ni or by the personal 
 prefix standing alone. 
 The present tense with the rela- 
 tive is represented by the syl- 
 lable -li: Aliye, he who is. 
 The present perfect amehuioa, &c. 
 has the sense of, to have be- 
 come. Was is represented by 
 the past perfect tense alikuwa, 
 &c. 
 
 Kuwa na, to have. 
 Simekuwa mwongo ? should I 
 not be a liar ? 
 Waa ku-, to shine much, like the 
 
 sun or the moon. 
 Waa, plur. mawaa, a spot, a blotch, 
 
 a stain. 
 Wabba, cholera. 
 
 Waboondei, the people living in the 
 low country between the sea and 
 the Shambala mountains. 
 Wadi, son of. 
 Wadi Mohammed, Mohammed's 
 son. 
 Wadi TcU', to complete a term. 
 Watu wa " London " wamewadi, 
 the (H.M.S.) " London's" com- 
 mission has expired. 
 Wadia ku-, to be fully come, to be 
 
 quite time for anything. 
 Wadinasi for Walad ennas, born 
 of people, that is, of decent 
 family. 
 Wadui, enmity, hostility. 
 Wafikana ku-, to conspire together. 
 Wafiki ku-, to suit, to be suitable 
 
 to. 
 Waga ku- (Mer.), to kill. 
 
 Wagunya, the Swahili living north 
 
 of Siwi. 
 Wahadi, plur. nyahadi (?), for 
 
 Ahadi, a promise. 
 Wahid, one. 
 Wai ku-, to be in time. 
 Wainua, verily. 
 Wdjib, rightness, it ought. 
 Wajihi ku-, to visit, to see face to 
 
 face. 
 Wajihiana ku-, to meet face to face, 
 
 to see one another. 
 Waka ku-f to blaze, to burn up, to 
 
 burn. 
 Wakati, time, season. 
 
 Wakati huu, now. 
 Wake or Wakwe, his, her, or its. 
 Wakf. [See -ale. 
 
 Kufanya wakf, to dedicate, to set 
 apart for holy uses. 
 Wakia, the weight of a silver dollar, 
 
 about an ounce. 
 Wakifu ku; to cost. 
 Wakijia ku-, to cost to. 
 Wakili, an agent, a representative. 
 Wako, thy. 
 Wakti = Wakati. 
 
 Wakti gani nije ? at what time 
 am I to come ? 
 Wala, nor, and not. 
 
 Wala — wala — , neither — nor — . 
 Where or would be used in 
 
 English after a negative wala is 
 
 used in Swahili. 
 Walai or Wallaye, the most com- 
 mon Swahili oath. 
 Walakini, but, and however. 
 Walao, not even. 
 Wale, those yonder. 
 Wall, cooked grain, especially rice. 
 
 Wali wa mwikuu, what is left 
 from some meal overnight to be 
 eaten in the morning:.
 
 WAL 
 
 WAT 
 
 415 
 
 Walt, a governor. 
 
 Liwali for Al Wait, the governor, 
 is more commonly used in Zan- 
 zibar. 
 Walio. See Nyalio. 
 Walio, they who are. 
 Walirmcengu, the people of this 
 
 world. 
 WalU, a saint. 
 
 Wama ku-, to lie on the face. 
 Wamha Jcu-, to lace in the ropes 
 
 upon the frame of a hitanda, to 
 
 fill up. 
 Wamhiso, attachment. 
 Wana, they have, 
 
 Hawana, they have not. 
 Wanda hu-, to get very fat and 
 
 strong. 
 Wanda, plur. nyanda, a finger, a 
 
 finger's-breadth. 
 Wanga hu- (jMer.), to count, to 
 
 reckon. 
 Wanga, one who uses witchcraft 
 
 against another. 
 Wanga, arrowroot. Also Uanga. 
 Wanga or Wangwa, a cliff. 
 Wangine, others, other people. 
 
 Wangine — wangine — , some — 
 others — . 
 Wangu, my. See -angu. 
 Wangua hu-, to scoop up. 
 Wangwa, a desert, a bare waste i 
 
 place. 
 Wangwana or Waungicana, gentry, 
 
 free and civilized men. 
 Wanja. 
 
 Wanja wa manga, antimony. 
 Wano, plur. mawano, the shaft of 
 
 an arrow or harpoon. 
 Wao, they. 
 Wao, their. See -ao. 
 Wapi ? which people ? 
 Wapi ? or api 1 where ? 
 
 Commonly joined with the per- 
 sonal sign of the nuun. 
 Yu wapi or Yuho icapi ? where is 
 
 [he]? 
 Zi wapi or Ziho wapi ? where are 
 [they] ? 
 
 Wapilia hu-, to be laden with scent, 
 highly perfumed. 
 
 Wapo, a gift. 
 
 Waradi, or Waredi, or Waridi, a 
 rose. 
 I Waraha, plur. nyaraha, a letter. 
 
 Waria, a clever dhow-builder, a 
 clever man at any business. 
 
 Warr, a yard (measure) . 
 
 Wasa, plur. nyasa, small sticks to 
 fill up between larger ones in a 
 wall or roof. 
 
 Wasa hu-, to contradict. 
 
 Washa hu-, to light, to set fire to. 
 Kuwasha moto, to light up a fire. 
 
 WasTiarati, great dissipation, licen- 
 tiousness. 
 
 Washenzi, wild people, uncivilized 
 men. 
 
 Wasi, rebellion. Also JJasi. 
 
 Wasia, sentence, will, declared 
 opinion. Also Wosia. 
 
 Wasia hu-, to bequeath, to make a 
 will. 
 
 Wasili hu-, to arrive, to come clo.se 
 to, to reach. 
 
 Wasili, receipt, credit side of ac- 
 count, i.e. the left-hand column. 
 
 Wasilia hu-, to reach a person, es- 
 pecially of letters. 
 
 Wasilisha hu-, to cause to reach. 
 
 Wasio, who are not, 
 
 Wasio = Wasia and Wosia. 
 
 Wastani, middling, in the middle 
 
 Waswas, doubt. 
 
 Wathahisha hu-, to solve. 
 
 Wathihi. narrow. 
 
 2 E 2
 
 il6 
 
 WAT 
 
 WIL 
 
 Watia TiU', to sit upon e^g^- 
 
 Watu, fenugreek. 
 
 Watu (plur. of Mtu\ people. 
 
 -a watu, other people's. 
 Wavu, plur. nyavu, a net to catch 
 
 gazelles, &c. 
 Wawili, two, two persons. 
 
 Wote wawili, both. 
 Waya, an earthen dish to bake 
 
 cakes on. 
 Wayawaya Tcu-, to sway like a bough 
 
 loaded with fruit, to swagger, to 
 
 be bent down and burdened. 
 Wayo, plur. nyayo, sole of the foot, 
 
 footprint. Also Uayo. 
 
 Waza ku-, to think, consider, refledt. 
 
 Wazao, progeny , offspring, posterity. 
 
 ^wazif open, clear, manifest. It 
 
 makes wazi with nouns like 
 
 nyumba. 
 
 Kitwa hhcazi, bareheaded. 
 
 Panalia wazi, it sounds hollow. 
 
 Waziwazi, manifest. 
 Wazimu. 
 
 Ana wazimu, he is mad. 
 Waziri, plur. mawaziri, a vizier, a 
 
 secretary of state, a chief officer. 
 Wazo, plur. mawazo, thoughts. 
 -we, his, hers, its, for wahe. 
 -we, thee, for wewe. 
 Wea ku; to become the property of. 
 Weha Jcu; to place, to lay, to put 
 away, to keep, to delay. 
 
 Nyumha Jiainiwehi, I have no rest 
 in the house, I cannot remain 
 in the house. 
 Wekea hu-, to put away for. 
 
 Kuwehea amana, to entrust to. 
 
 Kuwehea wahf, to dedicate. 
 Weko. 
 
 Kutia weko, to weld. 
 Welcua TiU-, to break up, to remove. 
 Weleho, a cloth worn by women. 
 
 Well, sickness. 
 
 Well wa macho, ophthalmia. 
 Welti, saintly, a saint. 
 Wema, goodness. 
 Wemhe, plur. nyemhe (?), a razor. 
 Wenga Tcu-, to cause to break out 
 
 into sores. 
 Wengi, many. See -ingi. 
 Wengo, the spleen. 
 Wenu, your. See -enu. 
 Wenzangu, my companions = Wa- 
 
 enzi wangu. 
 Werevu, cunning, shrewdness. 
 Weu, a place cleared for planting. 
 Weupe, whiteness, clearness, light. 
 Weupe, white. See -eupe. 
 Wevi or Wezi, thieves. See Mwivi. 
 Wewe, thou, thee. 
 Weweselca ku-, to talk and murmur 
 
 in one's sleep. Also Weweteka. 
 Weye, you ! it is you. 
 Weza ku-, to be able, to be a match 
 for, to liave power over, to be 
 equal to. 
 
 Siwezi, I cannot, or, I am sick. 
 
 Nalikuwa siwezi, I was ill. 
 
 Sikuweza, I was not able. 
 
 Amehawezi, he has fallen sick. 
 -weza. See mweza. 
 Wezekana ku-, to be possible. 
 Wezesha ku-, to enable. 
 -wi, bad (old Swahili and Nyam- 
 Wia kw, to be to. [wezi). 
 
 Niioie rathi, don't be offended 
 with me. 
 
 2. to have in one's debt. 
 Kuwiwa, to be indebted. 
 Wibo, Ibo. 
 
 Wifi, husband's sister. 
 Wika ku-, to crow like a cock. 
 Wilaija = Ulaya, home, Europe 
 -wili, two. It makes mMli with 
 
 nouns like nyumba.
 
 WIM 
 
 YAK 
 
 417 
 
 Wimhi, plur. maicimhi, a wave. 
 
 Mawinibi, surf. 
 Wimhi, a very small kind of grain. 
 Winda Tcu- or Winga ku-, to chase, 
 
 to hunt. 
 Wingi = Ungi, plenty, a great 
 
 quantity, much. 
 Wingu, plur. mawingu, a cloud. 
 Wino, ink. 
 Wishwa^ chaff, the husks of rice, the 
 
 flour sifted off along with the 
 
 husks. 
 WitirUf odd, not even. 
 Witwa (= Kwihca ?), the being 
 
 called. 
 Wiva Jiu- = Iva ku-, 
 -wivu, jealous. 
 -wivu = -hivu, ripe. 
 Wiwa ku-, to owe, to be indebted 
 
 to. 
 Wiza. 
 
 Mayayi mawiza^ eggs with 
 chickens formed in them, hard 
 set. 
 Wo, -wo, -W0-, which, who, whom. 
 
 Wo wote, whatsoever, whosoever. 
 -wo, thy, = Wako. 
 Wogofya, plur. nyogofya, a threat. 
 Wokovu, deliverance, salvation. 
 Wongo, falsehood. Also JJwongo. 
 Wonyesho, showing, display. 
 Worari, rateable division, sharing. 
 
 Ar. Wora, to cast pebbles. 
 Wosia, injunction, sentence, charge, 
 
 wise saying. Also Wasia. 
 Wote, all, both. 
 
 Twende wote, let us both go. 
 
 Wote wawili, both. 
 Wovisi, cool. 
 Woweka ku-, to soakt 
 
 Fis pronounced as in English. 
 
 Y is in Swahili a consonantal i, 
 and it is often indifferent whether it 
 be written i or y. The use of y 
 is however important to distinguish 
 such words as kimia, a cast-net, 
 and Idmya, silence. 
 
 The insertion of a ?/ sound before 
 the final -a of a verb has in many 
 cases the effect of giving it a causa- 
 tive meaning. See P. 
 
 KupoTia, to get well. 
 Kuponya, to cure. 
 
 Kuogopa, to fear. 
 Kuogofya, to frightea 
 
 7 = 1. 
 
 T-, the prefix proper to possessive 
 pronouns governed by singular 
 substantives of the class which 
 does not change to form the 
 plural, by plural substantives in 
 mi-, or by plural substantives in 
 
 Ya, of. See -a. [ma-. 
 
 Ya kitovu, in the naveL 
 Ya kwamha, that. 
 Yaninif Why? 
 
 Ya-, sign of the third person plural 
 prefixed to verbs governed by a 
 plural substantive in ma-. 
 
 -ya-, objective prefix denoting 
 plural nouns in ma-. 
 
 Yaa ku-, to sow seeds. 
 
 Ydbis, or Yahisi, dry, solid. 
 
 Yai = Yayi. 
 
 Yaika ku-, to melt. 
 
 Yake or Yakwe, his, hers, its. See 
 -ake. 
 
 Yakini, certainly, certainty, it is' 
 certain. 
 
 Yakinia ku-, to determine, to set 
 one's mind upon.
 
 418 
 
 YAK 
 
 Yakinisha hu-, to make certain. 
 Yako, thy, your. See -alco. 
 Yakowapi, where are they? 
 Yakuti, emerald (?). 
 Yale, those yonder. 
 Yaliomo, which are within. 
 Yamho — Janibo. 
 Yamini, an oath. 
 Yamkini, possibly, possibility. 
 
 Kwa yamkim, possibly. 
 Yamkini ku- (?), to be possible. 
 
 Haiyamkini, it is not possible. 
 Yamur, deer. 
 Yange. See -nge-. 
 
 Yangedumu, they would remain. 
 Yangu, my, of me. See -angu. 
 Yani = Ya nini ? for what ? why ? 
 Yao, their, of them. See -ao. 
 Yasi, a yellow powder brought from 
 
 India, and used as a cosmetic. 
 Yatima, an orphan. 
 Yavuyavu, lights, lungs. 
 Yaya, a nurse, an ayah. 
 Yayi, plur. mayayi, an eg^. 
 
 Yayi ya pumhu, testicles. 
 Ye! = Je! Hullo! Well! What 
 
 now? 
 Ye, -ye, or -ye-, sign of the relative, 
 referring to animate beings, 
 who, which, whom. 
 
 Ye yote, whosoever. 
 
 Yeekwayee, common-place people. 
 -ye, his, hers, or its, = Yake. 
 Yee or Yeye, he or she, him or her. 
 Yei, a child's good-bye, " ta-ta." 
 Yemkini = Yamkini. 
 Yenu, your, of you. See -enu, 
 Yenyi, having. See -enyi. 
 Yefu, our, of us. See -etu. 
 Yeyuka ku-, to melt, to deliquesce. 
 Yeyusha ku-^ to cause to melt, to 
 
 melt. 
 Yinyi = Yenyi. 
 
 -yo, thy, = Yako. 
 Yo, -yo, -yo; sign of the relative, 
 which. 
 Yo yote, whatsoever. 
 Yoe = Yowe. 
 Yonga ku-, to sway. 
 Yote, all. See -ote. 
 
 Kwa yote, altogether, wholly. 
 Yoice, a cry for help. 
 
 Eupiga yowe, to cry for help. 
 Ytc, he or she is. 
 
 Yu-, sign of the third person sin- 
 gular, referring to an animate 
 being. It is used chiefly before 
 monosyllabic verbs and in the 
 Mombas dialect. 
 Yuaja, he comes. 
 Yuko, yumo, &c., he is there, 
 within, &c. 
 Yule, yonder person, that person. 
 Yuma ku-, to sway in the wind. 
 Yuna, he has. 
 
 Yungiyungi, the blue water-lily. 
 Yuza hu-f to declare, to make clear. 
 
 Z. 
 
 Z is pronounced as in zany, the 
 German s. Zin some dialects takes 
 the place of v or vy in that of Zan- 
 zibar. 
 
 Z is used by people who cannot 
 pronounce th, for the Arabic thai, 
 thod, and dtha. See T. 
 
 Z- or zi; the sign of the third person 
 plural prefixed to verbs which 
 are governed by plural substan- 
 tives of the class which does not 
 change to form the plural, or of 
 that which makes its singular 
 in U-. 
 
 Z-, the prefix proper to pronouns
 
 Z A 
 
 ZID 
 
 419 
 
 governed by plural nouns of the 
 class wliich does not change to 
 forin the plural, or of that which 
 makes its singular in u. 
 
 Za, of. See -a. 
 
 Za Jcu: See Uza Tcu-, to sell. 
 
 Zaa Jcu; to bear, to breed, to beget, 
 to bear fruit. 
 
 Zdbadi, civet. 
 
 Zahibu, plur, mazabibu (?), grapes, 
 raisins. 
 
 Zahidi hu-, to take civet from the 
 ngaica. 
 
 Zahuni Jcu-, to buy. 
 
 Zahuri, the psalter, a psalm. 
 
 Zafarani or Zafrani, saffron, a wo- 
 man's name. 
 
 Zagaa hu-, to shine, to glisten. 
 
 Zaidi or Zayidi, more. 
 
 Zalca, tithes. 
 
 Zalce or ZaJtwe, his, hers, its. See 
 -ake. 
 
 ZaTco, thy, your. See -ako. 
 
 Zakula (A.) = Vyahula, victuals. 
 
 Zalia ku-, to bear to. 
 
 Zalisha Jiu-, to beget, cause to bear. 
 
 Zaliwa Tcu-, to be born. 
 
 Zama ku-, to sink, to dive. 
 
 Zamaniy times, long ago. 
 
 Zamani za kale, old times, long 
 
 ago, anciently. 
 Zamani za Shanga, when Shanga 
 
 flourished. 
 Zamani Mzi, nowadays. 
 Zamani zetu, our times. 
 
 Zamharau, a kind of fruit, in ap- 
 pearance not unlike a large dam- 
 son. 
 ZamisJia ku-, to make to sink. 
 Zamu, a turn, turns. 
 
 Kica zamu, by turns. 
 Zangefuri, cinnabar. 
 Zangu, my, of me. See -angu. 
 
 I Zani, adultery. 
 
 Zao, plur. mazao, fruit, produce. 
 
 Zao, their. See -ao. 
 
 Zarambo, a spirit distilled from palm 
 wine. 
 
 Zari, a precious kind of stuff, gold 
 thread, gold brocade. 
 
 Zatiti ku-, to set in order, arrange, 
 prepare for. 
 
 Zaica ku-, to be born. 
 
 Zawadi, a present, a keepsake, a 
 rarity. 
 
 Zaicaridi, a Java sparrow. 
 
 Zayidi, more. 
 
 Zazi (?), afterbirth. 
 
 -ze, his, her, or its, = Zahe. 
 
 -zee, old, aged. 
 
 Zehakh, mercury. 
 
 Zege, a dome. 
 
 Zelabia, a kind of sweetmeat con- 
 taining syrup«. 
 
 Zengea ku-, to seek for. 
 
 Zenu, your. See -enu. 
 
 Zenyi. See -enyi. 
 
 Zetu, our, of us. See -etu. 
 
 Zeze, a sort of lute with three 
 strings. 
 
 Zi- = Z: 
 
 -zi-, the objective prefix denoting a 
 plural substantive either of that 
 class which does not change to 
 form the plural or of that which 
 makes its singular in u-. 
 
 Ziha ku-, to fill up a hole in a wall. 
 &c., to plug up, to stop. 
 
 Zibana ku-, to be stopped up, to stop 
 itself up. 
 
 Zibo, plur. mazibo, a plug, a stopper. 
 
 Zibua ku; to unstop, to bore 
 through. 
 
 Zidi ku-, to increase, to do more 
 than before. 
 Kuzidi kujna, to know more.
 
 420 
 
 ZID 
 
 ZU A 
 
 Zidisha hu-, to make greater, to 
 
 add to. 
 Zifuri, a cipher, a figure of nouglit. 
 Zika ku-, to bury, to inter. 
 Zikerezwazo, turnery, turned goods. 
 
 See Kereza. 
 Ziki. 
 Kanzu ya ziki, worked with 
 white cotton round the neck 
 instead of silk. See Kanzu. 
 Zikika ku-, to be impoverished. 
 Zikwi, plur. vikwi(y\.), a thousand. 
 Zile, those yonder. 
 -zima, sound, whole, healthy, com- 
 plete. 
 Zima ku-, to extinguish, to put out. 
 
 Kuzima roJio, to faint. 
 Zimia ku-, to put out. 
 Zimika ku-, to go out, to be extin- 
 guished. 
 Zimiliza ku-^ to rub out. 
 Zimu. See WazirAu, 'Mzimu, Ku- 
 
 zimu, Zimici. 
 Zimua ku-, to cool hot water by 
 
 adding cold to it. 
 Zimwi, plur. mazimici, an ogre, 
 a ghoul, an evil being which 
 devours men, &c. 
 Nazi ina zimwi, i.e. the cocoa-nut 
 has grown without anytliing 
 inside the shell. 
 Zina ku-, to commit adultery. See 
 
 Zini. 
 Zindika ku-, to hold an opening 
 
 ceremony in, to open for use. 
 Zindiko, an opening ceremony. 
 Zinduka ku-, to wake up suddenly 
 from a doze with a nod and a 
 start. 
 Zindukana ku-, to wake up sud- 
 denly. 
 Zi7iga ku-, to commit adultery (?). 
 Zinga ku-, to roll up. 
 
 Zingizi, sleep, great sleep. Also 
 Usingizi. 
 Zingizi la ku'mkomesha mzazi, a 
 sleep which is supposed to put 
 an end to all further child- 
 bearing. 
 Zingulia ku-, to relieve from the 
 
 evil eye. 
 Zini ku-, to commit adultery or for- 
 nication. 
 Zira ku-, to hate (jM.). 
 Ziriki (M.) = Riziki. 
 -zito, heavy, difficult, severe, sad, 
 clumsy, thick. 
 Asali nzito, thick syrup. 
 Zituo. 
 
 Hana zituo, he never rests. 
 Zhoa, plur. maziwa, a lake, a pond, 
 
 the breasts. 
 Zizi, plur. mazizi, a cow-yard, a 
 
 cattle-fold, a stable, palisading. 
 Zizi hizi, just these, common. 
 Zizima ku-, to become very calm, 
 
 very still, or very cold. 
 Zizimia ku-, to sink to the bottom. 
 Zo, -zo, -Z0-, sign of the relative, 
 which. 
 Zo zote, whatsoever. 
 -zo, thy, = Zako. 
 Zoa ku-, to gather into little heaps, 
 
 to sweep together. 
 Zoea ku-, to become accustomed, to 
 
 become used to. 
 Zoeza ku-, to accustom to, to make 
 used to. 
 Kujizoeza, to practise. 
 Zomari, a kind of clarionet, a pipe. 
 Zomea ku-, to groan at. 
 Zongazonga ku-, to wind. 
 Zote, all. See -ote. 
 Zua ku-, to pierce, to bore through, 
 to innovate, to invent. 
 Nimemzua, I have sucked him
 
 ZUI 
 
 z uz 
 
 421 
 
 dry, I have got all the informa- 
 tion I can from him. 
 Zuia Jiu-, to hold in, to restrain, to 
 hinder. 
 
 Kuzuia pumzi, to stifle. 
 Zuilia ku-, to hold for, to keep off, 
 
 to hold in its place. 
 Zulia Jcu-^ to emerge, to rise. 
 Zuli, perjury. 
 Zulia, a carpet. 
 Zulia Tcu; to invent to, to make a 
 
 false excuse to, to say falsely that 
 
 one has such and such a message. 
 Zulisha ku-y to make crazy, to 
 
 flurry. 
 Zulu ku-, to be crazy. 
 Zumarid, an emerald. 
 Zumbili, consolation. 
 Zumhua ku-, to find. 
 
 Kuzumhua paa (A.), to take off 
 thatch. 
 Zumhukana ku, t» be to be found. 
 
 Zumgu^tnza ku-, to amuse, converse 
 with. 
 Eujizumgu'mza, to converse, to 
 amuse oneself. 
 
 Zunguka ku-, to go round, to sur- 
 round, to wind round, to revolve, 
 to wander. 
 
 Zungukazunguka ku-, to stroll about. 
 
 Zungusha ku-, to make to go round, 
 to turn. 
 
 Zuri ku; to lie, to swear falsely. 
 
 -zuri, fine, beautiful, handsome. 
 
 Zuru ku-, to visit. 
 
 Kwenda kuzuru, to go to visit. 
 Kuzuru kahuri, to visit a grave. 
 
 Zurungi = Huthurungi, the brown 
 material of which kanzus are 
 made. 
 
 Zuzua ku-, to puzzle a stranger, or 
 a greenhorn. 
 
 Zuzuka ku-, to be puzzled or be- 
 wildered, not to know what to do.
 
 APPENDICES.
 
 ( 425 ) 
 
 Apph-vdix I. 
 
 Specimen of Kinyume, as written out by Johari, a native of the 
 Bwahili coast a little south of Zanzibar. The Swahili is iu the Merima 
 dialect. 
 
 Swahili. 
 
 KiNYUMB. 
 
 English. 
 
 Ng'omhe 
 
 Mheng'o 
 
 An ox. 
 
 Mbuzi 
 
 Zimhu 
 
 A goat. 
 
 Punda 
 
 Ndapu 
 
 A donkey. 
 
 Nyamiya 
 
 Yangami 
 
 A camel. 
 
 Nyumba 
 
 Mhanyu 
 
 A house. 
 
 MkeJca 
 
 Kamke 
 
 A sleeping mat. 
 
 Kitanda 
 
 Ndakita 
 
 A bedstead. 
 
 Mlango 
 
 Ngomla 
 
 A door. 
 
 Mijengo 
 
 Ngomije 
 
 Buildings (?). 
 
 TJdongo 
 
 Ngoudo 
 
 Red earth. 
 
 Ngazi 
 
 Zinga 
 
 A ladder. 
 
 Daraja 
 
 Jadara 
 
 A staircase. 
 
 Maneno 
 
 Nomane 
 
 Words. 
 
 Basi 
 
 Siha 
 
 That will do. 
 
 Mvcanamuke 
 
 Kemicanamu 
 
 A woman. 
 
 Uzingizi 
 
 Ziuzingi 
 
 Sleep. 
 
 Samaki 
 
 Kisama 
 
 Fish. 
 
 Kweli 
 
 Likice 
 
 Truth. 
 
 Nazima 
 
 Manazi 
 
 I lend. 
 
 Sikupi 
 
 Pidku 
 
 I will not give you. 
 
 Ntakupa 
 
 PantaJcu 
 
 I will give you. 
 
 Ntakunyima 
 
 Mantakunyi 
 
 I shall withhold from you. 
 
 Macho 
 
 Choma 
 
 Eyes. 
 
 Mguru 
 
 Rumgu 
 
 A leg. 
 
 Rungu 
 
 Nguru 
 
 A club. 
 
 Nakuomba 
 
 Mbanakuo 
 
 I pray you.
 
 SWAHILL 
 
 APPEND. 
 
 KiNYUME. 
 
 TX I. 
 
 English. 
 
 Njara inaniuma 
 
 Ranja mainaniu 
 
 I ache with hunger. 
 
 Vidole 
 
 Levido 
 
 Fingers. 
 
 Shingo 
 
 Ngoshi 
 
 The neck. 
 
 Si hweli 
 
 Lisikwe 
 
 It is not true. 
 
 Fundi 
 
 Ndifu 
 
 A master workman. 
 
 Sivyo 
 
 Vyosi 
 
 Not thus. 
 
 Karatasi 
 
 Sikaraia 
 
 Paper. 
 
 Kalamu 
 
 Mukala 
 
 A pen. 
 
 Wino 
 
 Nowi 
 
 Ink. 
 
 Pakura 
 
 Rapaku 
 
 Dish up. 
 
 Twende zetu 
 
 Tuticendeze 
 
 Let us be oflf. 
 
 Senendi 
 
 Ndiseue 
 
 I am not going. 
 
 Chakula 
 
 Lachaku 
 
 Food. 
 
 Utakwenda 
 
 Ndautakioe 
 
 You will go. 
 
 Mchanga 
 
 Ngamclia 
 
 Sand. 
 
 Samawati (Ar.) 
 
 Tisamawa 
 
 Heaven. 
 
 Aruthi (Ar.) 
 
 Thiaru 
 
 Earth. 
 
 Mutu 
 
 Tumu 
 
 Man. 
 
 Mungwana 
 
 Namungwa 
 
 A free man. 
 
 Mtumu-a 
 
 Mimmtu 
 
 A slave. 
 
 Sitaki 
 
 Kidta 
 
 I dislike it 
 
 Meza 
 
 Zame 
 
 A table. 
 
 Bweta 
 
 Tabive 
 
 A box. 
 
 Sanduku 
 
 Kusandu 
 
 A chest. 
 
 Kitahu 
 
 Bukita 
 
 A book. 
 
 Msahafu 
 
 Fumsaha 
 
 A Koran.
 
 C 427 ) 
 
 Appendix II. 
 
 Specimens of Swahili correspondence in prose and verse, containing : 
 — 1. Two Swahili letters, the one on giving, the other on receiving a 
 small present. The forms of address, &c., are those used ia all letters, 
 vs^hatever their subject may be. 2. Two specimens of verses sent as 
 letters, the first to excuse breaking an appointment, the second sent 
 from Pemba by a Mombas man to his friends at home, who upbraided 
 him for not returning. This form of writing is a very favourite oue. 
 
 Ula jenab il mobeb rafiki yangu, bwana wangu, bwana mkubwa, 
 D. S., salamu sana, ama baada ya salamu, nalilvuwa siwezi siku 
 nyingi, lakini sasa sijambo kidogo, ama baadahu, nimekuletea kitoweo 
 kidogo tafathali upokee, nao k'uku saba'a, wa salamu, wa katabahu 
 rafiki yako H. bin A. 
 
 To the honourable the beloved, my friend, my master, the great sir, 
 D, S., many compliments, but after compliments, I was unwell for many 
 days, but now I am a little recovered, and after this, I have sent you a 
 little kitoweo [i.e. something to be eaten with the rice or grain, which 
 forms the bulk of all meals], and I beg your acceptance, they are seven 
 fowls and compliments, and he who wrote this is H. son of A, 
 
 Ilia jenab, il moheb, il akram, in nasih, D, S., il Mwingrezi, insha* 
 Allah salaam aleik wa rehmet Allah wa barakatahu; wa baada, 
 nakuarifu hali zangu njema wa i^ama nawe kathalik ya afia, wa 
 zayidi amana yako ulioniletea imefika kwangu, ahsanta, Mwenyiezi 
 Muungu atakujazi kheiri ukae ukitukumbuka, nasi nyoyo zetu zinaku-
 
 428 APPENDIX 11. 
 
 kumbuka sana, tunapenda uje 'nti ya Unguja, wewe na bibi, naye aje 
 tumwangalie, naye aje atazame 'ntiya Unguja, nasi kuUa siku tukilala 
 tukia'mka tunakuombea Muungu uje 'nti ya Unguja, tuonane kwa 
 afia na nguvu, nasi twapenda macho yetu yakuone wewe assubui na 
 jioni, na usipokuja we we, usitusahau kwa nyaraka allah allah. 
 Nisalimie bibi mke wako salamu sana. Nasi tunakutamani, kama 
 tungalikuwa ndege tungaliruka tulcija tukaonane nawe mara moja 
 tukiisLa tukarudi. Nyumbani kwangu mke wangu salamu sana. M. 
 bin A. akusalimu sana, wa katababu M. wadi S. 26 mwezi wa mfunguo 
 kenda. 
 
 To the honourable, the beloved, the noble, the sincere D. S., the 
 Englishman, please God, peace be with you and the mercy of God and 
 His blessing ; and afterwards, I inform you that my health is good, and 
 may you be the same as to health, and further, your pledge which you 
 sent me has reached me, I thank you. Almighty God will satisfy you 
 with good that you may continue to remember us, and as for us, our 
 hearts think much of you ; we wish you to come to the land of Zanzibar, 
 you and the mistress, and let her come that we may behold her, and 
 let her come that she may look upon the land of Zanzibar ; and we 
 every day when we sleep and when we wake pray for you to God that 
 you come to the land of Zanzibar, that we may meet in health and 
 strength, and we, we wish that our eyes should see you morning and 
 evening, and if you come not yourself, forget us not by letters, we 
 adjure you. Salute for me the mistress your wife with many compli- 
 ments. And we are longing for you, and if we had been birds we 
 would have come flying to see you once and then return. At home my 
 wife sends many compliments. M. son of A. salutes you much, and 
 he who wrote this is M. the son of S. 26 of the month Jemad al 
 akhr. 
 
 11. 
 
 Kala es sha'iri. The Verse says. 
 
 Risala enda kwa hima Go, message, quickly 
 
 Kwa Edward Istira To Edward Steere, 
 
 Umpe yangu salama Give him health, 
 
 Pamwe na kumkhubira, Together with telling him, 
 
 Siwezi yangu jisima I am ill in my body, 
 
 Ningekwenda tesira I would have gone readily 
 
 Kumtazama padira To see the Padre, 
 
 Pamwe na Edward Stira. Toirether with Edward Steere.
 
 APPEND IX II. 429 
 
 Pamwe na Edward Stira. Together with Edward Steere. 
 
 Ilimu ya Injili The doctrine of the Gospel— 
 
 Yuaijua habara He knows how its news 
 
 Pia yote kufasili. To explain,— all of it. 
 
 Ni muhebbi akhyara He is a choice friend, 
 
 Kwetu sisi afthali. Especially in our house ; 
 
 Edi ni mtu wa kweli. He is a man of truth. 
 
 Kabbi, nipe tesira. O Lord, give me prosperity. 
 
 Hatukiati kisiwa kwa uvambume na upembe 
 
 Tukaifuasa hawa kulewalewa na ombe 
 Ni mpunga na maziwa na kulla siku ni ngombe 
 
 Twalalia kwa jivumbe, lipangine kwa rihani. 
 
 We shall not leave the island for tale-bearing and plotting, 
 And follow the fancy to be tossed on the sea. 
 
 Here are rice, and milk, and every day an ox ; 
 
 We sleep among perfumes, and strings of sweet basil. 
 
 Swahili letters are always written with a string of Arabic compli- 
 ments at the beginning, and Arabic words are freely introducfd 
 throughout. In letter-writing huarifu is used for to inform, and 
 Jiuwasilia (not kufikia) for to reach, as in the phrase your letter has 
 reached me — waraka ucako vmeniwasilia. Swahili verses are written in 
 an obsolete dialect full of Arabic words and foreign words generally, 
 called Kingozi. It has not yet been studied by any European. Among 
 its more remarkable peculiarities is the use of a present perfect made 
 by a change in the termination of the Verb, similar to those in use in 
 the Yao and in other languages of the Interior. Thus a poet may 
 write mhwene for nimeona, and nikomile for nimekoma. Some speci- 
 mens of this dialect will be found in the poetry at the end of the 
 " Swahili Tales." 
 
 2 T
 
 ( 431 ) 
 
 Appendix III. 
 
 Part of a Swahili tale with the prefixes marked and explained. It 
 is printed first as in the main it would be written by a native ; next 
 the compound forms are marked by hyphens and explained ; and last 
 comes an English translation. 
 
 Yule kijana akafuta upanga wake, akanena, mimi nitaingia humo I. 
 
 The tale, of which this is a part, is called the Badithi ya Waridi, II, 
 na Ureda, na Jindi, na Sinebar. The portion of it here printed begins 
 with a verb in the Jca tense, because it is carrying on a narration 
 already commenced. The first words of the story are — AUonddkea mtu 
 tajiri. After this first verb in the U tense the rest are formed with ka, 
 unless they are constructed with a relative or particle of time or place, 
 which cannot be joined with Tea but only with li. 
 
 Yule, that; demonstrative (p. 115) referring to a singular sub- 
 stantive of the first class, MJana being regarded as the name of a 
 person. Ki-jana, a young man or woman, here a man. A-ka-futa, 
 and he drew ; a-, sign of third person sing., appropriate to a noun 
 of the first class or to any word denoting a living being; -ka-, 
 sign of the narrative past tense ; -futa, draw. U-panga, a sword ; 
 a sing, substantive of the sixth class. W-ake, his; possessive 
 pronoun, third person sing.; w-, prefix proper to a pronoun agree- 
 ing with a sing, substantive of the sixth class. A-ka-nena, and 
 he said ; a- and -ka-, as before ; -nena, speak or say out. Mimi, I. Ni- 
 ta-ingia, 1 wiU go in ; ni-, sign of the first person sing. ; -to-, sign of the 
 future tense; -ingia, go into, enter, ^wmo, inhere; a demonstrative 
 
 The youth drew his sword, and said, " I will go into this pit, whether III. 
 
 2 F 2 ,
 
 432 • APPENDIX III. 
 
 I. shimoni, nikafe ao nikapone. Akaingia, akamwona mfoto amefungwa, 
 naye mwanamume. Akamwambia, nifungue nikupe khabari ya 
 humo shimoni. Akamfungua, akaona vichwa vingi vya watu. Aka- 
 
 II. proper to the -ni case, when it denotes being, &c., within. Shimo-ni, 
 into the pit; sMmo-^a, singular nouu of the fifth class; -nt, sign of 
 the locative case. Ni-ka-fe, and let me die ; ni-^ sign of first person 
 sing. ; -ka- and (p. 141) ; -/e, subjunctive form of /a, die. Ao, or. Ni- 
 ha-pone, and let me live ; ni- and -Jca-, as before ; -pone, subjunctive 
 form of pona, be saved. A-Jca-ingia, and he went in ; third sing., 
 narrative past of ingta, go in. A-ha-mio-ona, and saw him ; a-ka-, and 
 he did ; -mw-, objective prefix proper to a substantive of the first class 
 (mtoto) ; -ona, see. M-toto, child ; sing, substantive of the first class. 
 A-me-fungwa, bound ; a-, sign of third person sing., governed by a 
 substantive of the first class (mtoto) ; -me-, sign of the present perfect, 
 which is here used as a sort of past participle : -fungwa, passive of 
 funga, hind. Na-ye, and he (p. 103). Mw-ana-m-ume, a male; mw-^ 
 sing, prefix of a noun of the first class ; m- (for mw-), prefix agreeing 
 with a substantive of the first class ; -ume, male ; the whole word, 
 mwanamume, is used for a man, or any human being of the male sex. 
 A-ka-mw-amhia, and he said to him ; a-ka-, third sing, narrative past ; 
 -mw-, subjective prefix denoting a person (kijana) ; -amhia, say to. Ni- 
 ftingus, unbind me ; ni-, objective prefix, first person ; -fungue, impera- 
 tive sing, of fungua, unbind. I^i-ku-pe, that I may give you; ni-, 
 subjective prefix first person ; -ku-, objective prefix, second person ; -pe, 
 subjunctive of pa, give to. Khabari, news ; sing, substantive of the 
 third class. Y-a, of; y-, sign of agreement with a sing, substantive of 
 the third class (khabari). Humo, here in ; a demonstrative agreeing 
 with the -ni case when denoting icithin. Shimo-ni, in the pit ; -ni, sign 
 of the locative case. A-ka-m-fungua, and he loosed him ; a-, ka-, third 
 sing, narrative past ; -m-, objective prefix referring to a substantive of 
 the first class (mtoto); -fungua, unbind. A-ka-ona, and he saw, third 
 sing., narrative past. Vi-chiva, heads or skulls ; vi-, sign of a plural 
 substantive of the fourth class ; vichwa is in more elegant Swahili vitwa. 
 V-ingi, many ; v- or vi-, adjectival plural prefix, marking agreement 
 with a plural substantive of the fourth class (vichwa) ; -ingi or -ngi, 
 many. Vy-a, of; vy-, marking the agreement with a plural noun of 
 
 III. I die or live." And he went in and saw a boy, and he was bound. And 
 [the boy] said, " Unbind me, that I may tell you about what there is in 
 this pit." And he unbound him, and saw many human skulls. And he
 
 APPENDIX III. 433 
 
 mwuliza, habari gani hii? Akamwambia, nana nyoka humo, kazi I. 
 yake kula watu, na mimi angalinila, lakini amenifanya mtoto wake, 
 miaka mingi nimetoka kwetu. Akamwuliza, sasa yuko wapi nyoka? 
 
 tlie fourth class (vichwa). Wa-tu, people ; tea-, plural prefix first class. II- 
 A-Jca-mw-uliza, and he asked him; a-, ha-^ third sing, narrative past ; 
 -mw-, objective prefix referring to a person (mtoto) ; -uliza, ask or ask 
 of. Habari or hhabari, news, sing, substantive third class. Gani, 
 what sort ? Hii, this ; demonstrative denoting a sing, substantive of 
 the thii'd class (habari). A-ka-mw-ambia, and he said to him; this 
 word is of constant occurrence, it means that one person told or said to 
 another ; there is no mark of sex or means of distinguishing which 
 person of several mentioned before was the speaker, these points must 
 be gathered from the context. M-na, there is inside ; m-na is part of 
 the verb Jiuica na, to be with or to have, used as it often is to denote 
 mere being (p. 153); it answers to the English there is; there may be 
 represented by hu-, pa-, or m- ; the last is used where the place suggested 
 is within something, it refers here to shimoni, in the pit. Ny-oka, a 
 snake, a sing, substantive in the form of the third class, denoting an 
 animate being, Humo, there within, referring to shimoni. Kazi, work 
 or employment, sing, substantive, third class. T-ake, his ; y-, prefix 
 agreeing with a sing, substantive of the third class ; -ake, possessive 
 pronoun, third person sing. Eu-la, to eat; ku-, sign of the infinitive ; 
 -la, eat. Wa-iu, people; wa-, plural prefix first class. Na, and. 
 Mimi, I or me. A-ngali-ni-la, he would have eaten me ; a , third sino-., 
 agreeing with the name of an animal (nyoka) ; -ngali-, sign of the 
 past conditional tense; -ni-, objective prefix referring to the first 
 person ; -la, eat ; the tense prefix -ngali- cannot bear any accent, the 
 word is therefore pronounced angalinila. Lakini, but. A-me-ni-fanya, 
 he has made me ; a-, referring to nyoka ; -me-, sign of present perfect ; 
 ni-, objective prefix, first person; -fanya, make. M-toto, child; m-, 
 sing, prefix, fiji'st class. W-ake, his; w-, prefix agreeing with sing, 
 substantive of the first class (mtoto), Mi-aka, years ; plural substan- 
 tive of the second class (sing, mwaka) ; mi-, plural prefix. Mingi, 
 many ; m- or mi-, prefix, denoting agreement with a plural substantive 
 of the second class (miaka). Ni-me-toka, I have left; ni-, first person 
 subjective ; -me-, present perfect ; -toka, go out of. Ew-etu, home ; 
 
 asked, " What is this ? " And he said, " There is a snake in it, that eats IIL 
 men, and would have eaten me, but that it took me for its own son. It 
 is many years since I left home." And he asked, " Where is the snake
 
 434 APPENDIX III. 
 
 r. Akamwambia, twende, nikakuonye mahala amelala. Akamwambia, 
 twende. Walipofika, yule kijana akamkata kichwa kimoja, akatoa cha 
 pili, akamkata, hatta vikatimu saba. Wakarudi, wakaenda zao. 
 
 II, liw-^ prefix agreeing with a substantive (perhaps nyumha) in the case 
 in -ni ; -etu (our). A-ha-mw-uliza, and he asked hini ; a-, third sing. 
 (Jcijana) ; -ha-, narrative past ; -mw-, third sing, objective (mtoto) ; 
 -uliza, ask. Sasa, now. Yu-ho, he is ; yu-, sign of third person 
 sing., referring to a substantive of the second class (nyoka) ; -ko, 
 denoting existence in space (p. 154). Wa'pi, where ? Ny-oha, snake ; 
 sing, substantive. A-Tca-mw-ambia, and he said to him. (See above.) 
 Tw-ende, let us go ; tw-, sign of the first person plural ; -ende, 
 subjunctive of enda, go. Ni-7ca-lcu-onye, and let me show you ; ni-, 
 sign of first person sing.; -Tea-, and (p. 211); -ku-, objective second 
 person sing. ; -onye, -subjunctive of onya, show. MahaJa, the place, 
 the place where. A-me-lala, he is asleep; a-, third sing, animate 
 (nyoTca); -me-, present perfect; -lala, lie down to sleep, to go to sleep. 
 A-ha-mw-ambia. (See above.) Tw-ende, let us go ; tw-, first person 
 plur. ; -ende, subjunctive of enda, go. Wa-li-'po-fika, when they 
 arrived; wa-, sign of third person plural agreeing with substantives 
 denoting persons (hijana and mtoto) ; -U- or -ali-, sign of the past 
 perfect, or of past time generally when joined with a particle of 
 relation ; -'po-, sign of time when ; -filca, arrive. Yule, that ; demon- 
 strative denoting a person (Idjana). Ki-jana, youth ; sing, substantive 
 fourth class, but denoting a person, and therefore joined as here 
 with pronouns and verbs in forms proper to the first class. A-Jca- 
 m-Tiata, he cut him ; a-, tliird sing, of a person (Idjana) ; -ha-, narra- 
 tive past ; -m-, objective prefix, referring to the name of an animal 
 (nyoha) (see p. 112); -Jcata, cut or cut off. Ki-chwa, head, sing, sub- 
 stantive fourth class. Ki-moja, one ; M-, prefix denoting agreement 
 with a sing, substantive of the fourth class (kichwa or kitwa) ; -nioja, 
 one. A-ha-toa, and he put forth ; a-, third sing., referring to a sub- 
 stantive denoting an aaiimal (nyoka) ; -ka-, narrative past ; -toa, put 
 forth. Cha pili, a second (p. 92) ; ch-, referring to a sing, substantive 
 of the fourth class (kichwa). A-ka-m-kata, and he cut him. (See above.) 
 Hatta, until. Vi-ka-timu, they were complete; vi-, third plural refer- 
 
 Ill, now ? " He said, " Let us go and let me show you where it is sleeping." 
 He said, " Let us go." When they got there the youth cut off one of its 
 heads ; it put forth a second, and he cut it off. until he had cut off 
 seven. And they returned, and went on their way.
 
 APPENDIX III. 435 
 
 Akamwambia sasa twende zetu kwetu, lakini tukifika kwetu I. 
 weneude wewe kwanza kwa baba yangu, ukamwambie kana mtoto 
 wako nikikuletea utauipa nini ? Akikwambia, nitakupa mali yangu 
 
 ring to nouus of the fourth class, here to vichwa, heads, plural of kichwa : II. 
 -/:a-, narrative past; -timUyhe complete. Saha, seven. Wa-ka-rudi, 
 and they returned ; ica-, third plural referring to persons (Idjana 
 and mtoto) ; -A;a-, narrative pa:jt ; -rudi, return. Wa-ka-enda z-ao, and 
 they went away ; wa-, third plural (kijana and mtoto) ; -ka-, narrative 
 past ; -enda, go ; z-ao, their (ways) ; z-, a prefix denoting agreement 
 with a plural noun of the third or sixth, or in the dialect of Lamoo 
 of the fourth class ; -ao, their. Possibly zao agrees with njia, ways. 
 {See p. 112.) 
 
 A-ka-mic-ambia, and he said to him. Sasa, now. Tw-ende z-etu. 
 let us go away ; tw-, sign of first person plural ; -ende, subjunctive of 
 enda, go; z-, sign of agreement with a plural noun of the tliird or the 
 sixth class ; -etu, our. {See above.) Kw-etu, home ; hw-, sign of agree- 
 ment with the case in -ni- ; -etu, our. Lakini, but. Tu-ki-fika, when 
 we arrive ; tu-, sign of the first person plural ; -ki-, sign of the partici- 
 pial tense (p. 136) ; -fika, arrive. Kw-etu, home. W-enende, go ; w-, 
 sign of the s-cond person singular ; -enende, subjunctive of enenda, go, 
 or go on. Wewe, thou. Kwanza, first ; originally the infinitive of the 
 verb anza, begin; kwanza, to begin, beginning, and therefore first. 
 Ka-a, to a person, or to his house. Baba, father. Y-angu, my ; y-, 
 sign of an agreement with a singular noun of the third class, used here 
 c :)lIoquially with one denoting a person (baba); -angu, my (p. 109). U- 
 ka-mw-ambie, and say to him ; u-, sign of the second person singular ; 
 'ka-, and; -mw-, objective sign referring to a noun denoting a person 
 (Itaba)] -ambie, subjunctive of ambia, tell. Kana, if. M-toto, child. 
 W-ako, thy ; w-, sign of agreement with a singular substantive of the 
 first class (mtoto). Ni-ki-ku-letea, if I bring to you ; ni-, sign of the 
 first person singular ; -ki-, sign of the participial tense (p. 136) ; 
 -ku; objective prefix referring to the second person singular; -letea, 
 bring to. U-ta-ni-pa, you will give me ; u-, sign of second person sing. ; 
 -ta-, sign of the future tense ; -ni-, objective prefix referring to the 
 first person singular; -pa, give to. Nini, what? A-ki-kio-amhia, ii 
 he tells you; a-, sign of the third person singular referring to a 
 
 And [the boy] said, " Now let us go to my home ; but when we are III. 
 getting near to it do you go first to my father and say to him, ' If I brin^^ 
 your sou to you, what will you give me ? ' If he says to you, ' I will ^[ye
 
 436 APPENDIX III. 
 
 I. nussu kwa nussu, usikubali, mwambie nataka kofia yako uliyo ukivaa 
 ujanani mwako. Atakupa kofia ya thahabu, usikubali, ela akupe 
 
 II. person Qbdba) ; -Iti-, sign of the participial tense ; -hw-, objective prefix 
 referring to the second person singular; -amhia, say to. Ni-ta-lcu-pa, 
 I will give you ; ni-, sign of the first person sing. ; -ta-, sign of the 
 future tense; -ku-, objective prefix referring to the second person 
 singular ; -pa, give to. Mali, possessions ; treated sometimes as a noun 
 of the third class, sometimes as a plural noun of the fifth class. 
 Y-angu, my ; y-, sign of an agreement with a singular noun of the 
 third or with a plural noun of the fifth class. Nussu, half. Kwa, 
 by. Nussu, half. JJ-si-hubali, do not accept ; u-, sign of second person 
 singular; -si-, sign of negative subjunctive (p. 147); -kuhali, sub- 
 junctive of Jcubali, accept. Mw-ambie, tell him; mw-, objective 
 prefix referring to a person (baba) ; -ambie, imperative of ambia, 
 tell; mw- is known to be the objective third person, and not the 
 subjective second plural, by the form of the word ambia ; being an 
 applied form it must have the object expressed. N-a-taJca, I want ; w-, 
 sign of the first person singular ; -a-, sign of the present tense ; -talca, 
 want. Kofia, cap ; sing, substantive of the third class. Y-aJco, thy ; 
 y-, sign of agreement with a sing, substantive of the third class. 
 U-li-yo, which you, or which you are, or were ; u-, sign of the second 
 person sing. : -U-, used for the substantive verb ; -yo, relative sign 
 referring to a singular substantive of the third class (kofia). U-ki- 
 vaa, putting on ; w-, sign of the second person singular ; -ki-, sign of 
 the participial tense ; -vaa, put on. U-jand-ni, in youth ; u-, sign of a 
 sing, substantive of the sixth class ; -ni-, sign of the locative case. 
 Mw-ako, thy; mw-, sign of agreement with a substantive in the 
 locative case with the meaning of in. A-ta-ku-pa, he will give you ; 
 a-, sign of third person sing, of a person ; -ta-, sign of the future ; -ku-, 
 objective prefix referring to the second person sing. ; -pa, give to. 
 Kofia, cap; sing, substantive of the third class. Y-a, of; y-, sign of 
 Agreement with a sing, substantive of the third class. Thahabu, 
 gold ; substantive of the third class. U-si-kubali, do not accept ; u-, 
 sign of the second person sing. ; -si-, sign of the negative subjunctive; 
 -kuhali, subjunctive of kubali, accept. Ela, except. A-ku-pe, let him 
 give you ; a-, sign of the third person sing., referring to a person ; 
 
 III. you half of all I have,' do not accept that, but say, ' I want the cap which 
 you used to wear in your youth.' He will give you a cap of gold ; do 
 not accept it, unless he give you a cap quite worn out, take that. And
 
 APPENDIX III. 437 
 
 kofia mbovu kabisa, hiyo pokea. Na mama yangu mwambie nataka I. 
 taa uliyo ukiwasha ujanani mwako. Atakupa taa nyingi za thahabu, 
 usikubali, ela akupe taa mbovumbovu ya chuma, hiyo pokea. 
 
 -^M-, objective prefix, referring to the second person sing. ; -pe, sub- II. 
 junctive of _pa, give to. Kofia, sing, substantive third class. M-hovu. 
 rotten ; w-, being n- converted into m- by standing before -h (p. 85), 
 sign of an agreement with a sing, substantive of the third class (kofia). 
 Kahisa, utterly. Hiyo, this one; demonstrative denoting a thing 
 mentioned before, and agreeing with a sing, substantive of the third 
 class (kofia). Pokea, receive : imperative sing, of pokea, receive. 
 Na, and. Mama, mother : sing, substantive in the form of the third 
 class denoting a person. Y-angu, my ; y-, sign of an agreement with 
 a sing, substantive of the third class, here used colloquially. Miv-amhie, 
 tell her ; mw, objective prefix referring to a person ; -arnbie, imperative 
 sing, of amhia, tell. N-a-taka, I want ; n-, sign of first person sing. ; 
 -a-, sign of present tense ; -taka, want. Taa, sing, substantive third 
 class. U-li-yo, which you, which you were or are ; -u, sign of the 
 second person sing. : -li-, used for the substantive verb (p. 151) ; -?/o, 
 relative particle referring to a slug, substantive of the third clu-ss 
 (tao). U-ki-icasha, lighting; u-, sign of second person sing.; -ki-, 
 sign of the participial tense ; -washa, light. TJ-jand-ni, in youth ; u-, 
 sign of a sing, substantive of tlie sixth class ; -ni, sign of the locative 
 case. Mic-ako, thy ; mic-, sign of agreement with a substantive in the 
 locative case with the meaning in. A-ta- kti-pa, she will give you ; 
 a-, sign of third person sing., referring to a person ; -ta-, sign of the 
 future tense ; -ku-, objective prefix referring to the second person sing. ; 
 ■pa, give to. Taa, lamps ; plural substantive of the third class (shown 
 to be plural by tlie context). Ny-ingi, many ; ny-, sign of agreement 
 with a plural substantive of the third class (taa). Z-a, of ; z-, sign of 
 agreement with a plural noun of the third class. Thaliahu, gold. 
 U-si-kuhali, do not accept ; second person sing, negative subjunctive of 
 kuhali. Ela, except. A-ku-pe, let her give you ; a-, sign of third 
 person sing., referring to mama; -ku-, objective prefix referring to 
 second person sing. ; -pe, subjunctive of pa, give to. Taa, sing, 
 substantive third class. M-hovu-m-hovu, all spoilt ; m- (for n- before 
 -&), sign of agreement with a sing, substantive of the third class (taa) ; 
 
 iay to my mother, ' I want the lamp you used to burn in your youth.' \\i 
 She will give you many lamps of gold ; do not accept them, unless she 
 give you an old worn iron lamp, take that."
 
 438 APPENDIX III. 
 
 Wakaenda zao hatta walipofika karibu ya mji, yule kijana aka- 
 mwambia, mimi 'takaa hapa, na wewe enende mjini kwetu, ukafanye 
 shuruti na baba yaugu kamma hiyo niliokwambia. Akaenenda. 
 Alipofika akaona mjiui watu hawaneni, wana msiba mkuu, akauliza, 
 
 II. the adjective is doubled to show thoroughness. F-a, of; t/-, sign ot 
 agreement with a sing, substantive of the third class. Ch-uma, iron ; 
 a sing, substantive of the fourth class ; it is used in the singular of iron 
 as a metal, and in both slug, and plur. with the meaning of a piece or 
 pieces of iron. Hiyo, this one ; demonstrative referring to something 
 mentioned before, and agreeing with a sing, substantive of the third 
 class (tad). Pokea, receive ; imperative sing, of pohea. 
 
 Wa-Tia-enda z-ao, and they went their way. (See above). Hatta, until. 
 Wa-li-'po-fiM, when they arrived. (See above). Karibu ya, near to- 
 M-ji, town ; m-, sign of a sing, substantive of the second class. Yule, 
 that. (See above). Ki-jana, youth. (See above). A-ka-mw-ambia, said to 
 him. (See above). Mimi, I. 'Ta-kaa, will stay ; ta-, sign of the future, 
 the prefix of the first person sing, being elided before it ; the sign of no 
 other person can be so elided. Hapa, here. Na, and. Wewe, thou. 
 Enende, imperative sing, of enenda, go, go on. M-ji-ni, to the town ; 
 m-, sign of a sing, substantive second class ; -ni, sign of the locative 
 case. Kw-etu, our ; kw-, sign of an agreement with a substantive in the 
 locative case. U-ka-fanye, and make ; u-, sign of second person sing. ; 
 -ka-, and ; -fanye, subjunctive of fanya, make. Shuruti, a covenant ; 
 sing, substantive third class. Na, with. Baba, father. Y-angu, 
 my. (See above, and p. 112). Kamma, as. Hiyo, that; demonstrative 
 referring to something mentioned before, and agreeing with a sing, 
 substantive of the third class (shuruti). Ni-U-o-kw-ambia, which I 
 told you ; ni-, sign of the first person sing. ; -li-, sign of the past tense 
 which must be used with a relative ; -o- (for yd), relative particle 
 referring to shuruti (p. 117) ; -kw-, objective prefix referring to the 
 second person sing. A-ka-enenda, and he went on. A-li-po-fika, when 
 he arrived. A-ka-ona, he saw. M-ji-ni, in the town ; m-, sign of a 
 sing, substantive of the second class; -ni, sign of the locative case. 
 Wa-tu, people ; wa-, sign of a plural noun of the first class. Hawa- 
 neni, they speak not ; hawa-, sign of the third person plural negative 
 
 III. And they went on till they arrived near the town, when the boy said. 
 " I will stay here, and you go on into the town, to our house, and make 
 the agreement with my father as I told you." And he went on ana 
 arrived in the city, where he saw the people not talking [but] in great
 
 APPENDIX III. 439 
 
 msiba huu wa nini ? Wakamwambia, mtoto vra Sultani amepote siku I. 
 nyingi. Akauliza, nyumba ya Sultani ni ipi, nipelekeni. Wakampe- 
 leka watu. Alipofika akamwuliza baba yake, una nini ? Akamwa- 
 mbia, mtoto wangu amepotea. Akamwambia, nikikuletea utanipa 
 
 agreeing with a plural noiin of the first class (watu) ; -neni, negative II. 
 present form of nena, speak. Wa-na, they have ; third person plur. 
 present of kuwa na, to have, governed by watu. Msiba, grief; m-, 
 sign of a sing, noun of the second class. M-huu, great; m-, sign of 
 agreement with a sing, substantive of the second class (msiba). 
 A-ha-uliza, and he asked. Msiba, grief. Huu, this ; demonstrative 
 agreeing with a sing, substantive of the second class (msiba). W-a, 
 of ; w; sign of agremeent with a sing, substantive of the second class 
 (msiba). Nini, what? Wa-ka-miv-ambia, and they said to him. 
 M-toto, the child. W-a^ of ; w-, sign of agreement with a sing, sub- 
 stantive of the first class (mtoto). Sultani, the sultan ; a sing, sub- 
 stantive of the fifth class, but when viewed as denoting a person 
 constructed with adjectives and pronouns as of the first. A-me-potea, 
 is lost ; third sing, present perfect of kupotea, to become lost ; he has 
 become lost, i.e., be is lost. Siku, days ; plural substantive of the 
 third class. Ny-ingi, many ; ny-, sign of agreement with a plural 
 substantive of the third class (siku). A-ka-uliza, and he asked. 
 Ny-umba, house; ny-, sign of substantive of the third class. Y-a, of; 
 y-, sign of agreement with a sing, substantive of the third class 
 (nijumba). Sultani, sultan. Ni, is (p. 152). I-pi, which? i-, sign 
 of reference to a sing, substantive of the third class (nyumba). Ni- 
 pelekeni, take me ; ni-, objective prefix referring to the first person 
 sing. ; pelekeni, plural imperative of peleka, take. Wa-ka-m-peleka, 
 and they took him. Wa-tu, people. A-li-po-fika, when he arrived. 
 A-ka-mw-uliza, he asked him ; observe here and elsewhere the use of 
 the ka tense to carry on the narration, even where there would be no 
 connective employed in English. Baba, father. Y-ake, his. (See 
 above). U-na nini, what is the matter with you ? u-na, second person 
 sing, of the present tense of ku-wa na, to have; nini'? what? A-ka- 
 mw-ambia, and he said to him. M-toto, child. W-angu, my. A-me- 
 
 mourning, and he asked, " What is this mourning for ? " They told him, III. 
 " The Sultan's son has been a long time lost." He asked, " Which is the 
 Sultan's house? Take me there." And the people took him there. When 
 he reached it he asked the boy's father, " What troubles you ? " He said, 
 " My son is lost." And he said to him, " If I bring him to you what will
 
 440 APPENDIX III. 
 
 nini ? Akamwambia, nitakupa mali yangu nussu kwa nussu. Aka- 
 mwambia, maraliaba. Akaenda akamtwaa, akaja naye. Alipomwona 
 babaye na mamaye, ikawa furaba kubwa mjini. Wakapenda sana 
 yule kijana kama mtoto wao. 
 
 Hatta alipotaka kwenda zake, yule kijana akamwambia, enende 
 kamwage baba na mama, mwambie akupe kofia na mama akupe taa. 
 
 II. potea, is lost. (See p. 132.) A-ha-mw-ambia, and he said to him. Ni-7:i- 
 Tiu-letea, if I bring to you. {See above). U-ta-ni-pa, you will give me. 
 (See above). Nini, what ? A-Jca-mw-ambia, and he said to him. Ni- 
 ta-ku-pa, I will give you. Mali, goods. (See above). Y-angu^ my. (See 
 above.) Nussu, half. Kwa, by. Nussu, half. A-Jca-mw-ambia, and he 
 said to him. Maraliaba, very good. A-ka-enda, and he went. A-ka- 
 m-twaa, and took him. A-ka-ja, and came. Na-ye, with him. A-li- 
 po-mw-ona, when he saw him. Baba-ye, his father ; -ye, enclitic form 
 of the possessive pronoun proper to the third person ; y-, sign of 
 agreement with a sing, substantive of the third class, used here with 
 one denoting a person (p. 111). Na, and. Mama-ye, his mother ; -ye. 
 (See above). I-ka-wa, it was ; i-, sign of agreement with a sing, sub- 
 stantive of the third class (furalia). Furaha, joy ; sing, substantive 
 third class. Kubwa, great ; agreeing with /wra/ia; as n-, which would 
 be the regular sign of agreement with a sing, substantive of the third 
 class, cannot stand before k, it is omitted altogether (p. 85). M-ji- 
 ni, in the town ; m-, sign of sing, substantive second class ; -ni, sign 
 of the locative case. Wa-ka-penda, and they (the father and mother) 
 loved. Sana, much. Yule, that. Ki-jana, youth. Kama, like. 
 Mtoto, child. W-ao, their. 
 
 Hatta, at last. A-li-po-taka, when he wanted. Kw-enda z-ake, to go 
 away. (See above and p. 112). Yule, that. Ki-jana, youth. A-ka-mw- 
 ambia, he said to him. Enende, go ; sing, imperative of enenda, go. 
 Ka-mw-age, and take leave of him ; ka-, and ; -mw-, objective prefix 
 referring to a person ; if mw had been the subjective second plur. the 
 ka would have followed it ; m-ka-age = and do ye take leave ; -age, 
 
 I [J you give me ? " He said, " I will give you half of all I have." He said, 
 " I am content." And he went and took the boy and brought him. 
 When his father and mother saw him, there was great joy throughout 
 the town. And they loved that youth as though he had been their 
 own son. 
 
 Wlien at last he wished to go away, the boy said to him, *'Go and 
 take leave of my father and mother ; tell him tc give you the cap and 
 
 J
 
 APPENDIX in. 441 
 
 Akaenda, akawaambia, wakampa kofia nyingi, akakataa akamwambia, I. 
 nataka hiyo mbovn, wakampa, na mamaye akampa taa. Akawauliza, 
 kofia bii maana yake nini ? Wakamwarabia, mtu akivaa, haonekani 
 na mtu. Akavaa asionekane akafurabi sana. Akauliza, taa bii 
 tnaana yake nini ? W akamwambia, uki^Ya3ba batta bapa watatoka 
 
 imperative sing, of aga, take leave of. Baha, father. Na, and. II. 
 Mama, motber. Mic-ambie, tell him ; mio-, objective prefix referring 
 to a person ; -amhie, imperative sing, of amhia, tell. A-ku-pe, that be 
 may give you. Kojia, cap. Na, and. Mama, mother. A-ku-pe, that 
 she may give you. Taa, lamp. A-ka-enda, and he went. A-ka-ica- 
 ambia, and he told them (the father and motber). Wa-ka-m-pa, and 
 tbey gave him. Kofia, caps. Nij-ingi, many, A-ka-kataa, and he 
 refused. A-ka-mxc-amhia, and he said to him. N-a-taka, I want. 
 Siijo, this one, (^See above.} M-bovu, rotten. (See above). Wa-ka-m-pa, 
 and tbey gave him. Na, and. Mama-ye, his motber. (See above, 
 under babaye). A-ka-m-pa, she gave him. Taa, lamp. A-ka-ica-uliza, 
 and he asked tbem. Kofia, cap. Sii, this ; demonstrative referring 
 to a sing, substantive of the third class (kofia). Maana, meaning, 
 purpose ; sing, substantive third class. Y-ake, its ; y-^ sign of 
 agreement with a sing, substantive of the third class (maana). Nini, 
 what ? Wa-ka-mic-ambia, and tbey said to him. M-tu, person, any 
 one (p. 16) ; m-, sign of sing, substantive of first class. A-ki-vaa, if 
 he puts on. Ha-onekani, he is not to be seen ; ha-, negative prefix of 
 the third person sing, referring to a person ; onekani, negative present 
 form of onekana. Na, by. M-tu, any one (p. 16). A-ka-vaa, and he 
 put on. A-si-onekane, that he might not be seen : a-, prefix of third 
 person sing, referring to a person (kijana); -si-, sign of negative 
 subjunctive; -onekane, subjunctive form oi onekana. A-ka-furahi,Sknd 
 be rejoiced. Sana, much. A-ka-uliza, and he asked. Taa, lamp. 
 Hii, this. Maana, purpose. Y-ake, its. Nini, what? Wa-ka-mw- 
 ambia, and tbey told him. U-ki-irasha, if you light. Hatta, as far as. 
 Hapa, here. Wa-ta-toka, they will come out ; wa-, sign of third person 
 
 my mother to give you the lamp." He went and told them, and tbey III. 
 gave him many caps, but he refused and said, *' I want tbat worn-out 
 one ; " and tbey gave it to him, and the boy's motber gave him tbe 
 lamp. Then he asked, " What is the object of this cap ? " And they told 
 him, " When a man puts it on, no one can see him." He put it on so as 
 to become invisible, and was very gb^d. '• And be asked, What is tbe 
 object of this lamp ? " And tbey toM him, " If vou light it as fur as this.
 
 442 APPENDIX III. 
 
 I. watu wawili wakutilie thahabu nyumbani mwako usiku kucha, na 
 ukiwasha hatta hapa watatoka watu wawili wakupige kwa vigo- 
 ngo usiku kucha. Akanena, maraliaba. Akafurahi sana, akaenda 
 
 II. plur. referring to a plural substantive of the first class (watu). Wa-tu, 
 people. Wa-wili, two ; wa-, sign of agreement with a plur. substantive 
 of the first class (watu). Wa-ku-tilie, that they may put for you ; wa- 
 sign of third person plur. referring to a plur. substantive of the first 
 class (watu) ; -ku-, objective prefix referring to the second person sing. ; 
 -tilie, subjunctive form of tilia, put for. Thahabu, gold. Ny-umhd-ni, 
 in house; ny-, sign of substantive of the third class; -ni, sign of 
 locative case. Mw-aho, thy ; mw-, sign of agreement with a noun in 
 the locative case denoting within. Usiku, night. Ku-cha, dawning or 
 sun-rising ; used after usiku, it means all niglit until the morning 
 comes. Na, and. U^i-washa, if you light. Hatta, as far as. Hapa, 
 here. Wa-ta-toka, they will come out. Wa-tu, people. Wa-wili, two. 
 Wa-ku-pige, that they may beat you ; -pige, subjunctive form of piga. 
 Kwa, with. Vi-gongo, cudgels; vi-, sign of a plural substantive of 
 the fourth class; ki-gongo is a diminutive (p. 19) of gongo, a staflF. 
 Usiku, night. Ku-cha, till morning. A-ka-nena, and he said. 
 Marahaba, thank you. A-ka-furahi, and he rejoiced. Sana, much. 
 A-ka-enda z-ake, and he went away. 
 
 III. two men will come out and bring you gold into your house all night 
 long ; but if you light it as far as this, two men will come out and beat 
 you with cudgels all night long." And he thanked them, and rejoiced 
 very much, and went his way.
 
 ( i43 ) 
 
 Appendix IV. 
 
 USEFUL AND IDIOMATIC PHRASES. 
 
 The first fifty-four were collected towards a book of conversations, 
 which was begun with the help of our lamented friend, Mrs. G. E. 
 Drayton; the rest, which are arranged in alpliabetical order, were 
 noted from time to time, either as likely to be useful in conversation, 
 or as illustrating some special rule or idiom. 
 
 1. How many fowls have you there ? 
 
 Unao Jc'uJcu nrjapif 
 
 2. What do you want for them ? 
 
 Kiad gani unakuza (At how much do you sell) ? 
 
 3. Have you any eggs ? 
 
 Unayo mayayi ? 
 
 4. I will not give more than a pice apiece for the eggs. 
 
 Nitakupa pesa moja tu kununua yayi, sitatoa zayidi (I will 
 give you one pice only to buy an Qgg, I will not give more). 
 
 5. I don't understand you, say it again. 
 
 Sema mora ya pili, sikusikia. 
 
 6. Let me hear it again. 
 
 Sema mara ya pili, nipate kusilda (Say it a second time, 
 that I may get to understand). 
 
 7. Fetch me a basin for the eggs. 
 
 Letee hakuli nitie mayayi. 
 
 8. Bring the basin with the eggs in it. 
 
 Letee hakuli lenyi mayayi. 
 
 9. I don't want any to-day, come to-morrow. 
 
 Leo sitaki, njoo kesho. 
 10. Are lemons cheap now ? 
 
 Malimao rahisi sasa ?
 
 444 APPENDIX ir. 
 
 11. I won't buy them, they are too dear. 
 
 Sitaki Jcununua, ni glialL 
 
 12. What do you want ? 
 
 Wataka nini ? 
 
 13. I don't know what you want. 
 
 Sijui ulitakalo. 
 
 14. Where do you come from ? 
 
 Watoka wapi ? 
 
 15. Don't wait ; I will send an answer immediately. 
 
 Enenda zako, usinrjoje, majihu yatakuja sasa Mvi (Go your 
 way ; do not wait for an answer, it will come immediately). 
 
 16. Is your master at home ? 
 
 Bwana yupo i » 
 
 17. Master is not at home ; he is gone out. 
 
 Bwana hako {ox liayukd) nyumhani ; ametoka. 
 
 18. Where are you going? 
 
 Unakwenda wapi f 
 
 19. I have lost my way. 
 
 Nimepotea, njia sijui (I am lost ; the way I don't know). 
 
 20. Will you guide me to the English mission ? 
 
 Nataka unionyeshe mosketini Ingreza ? 
 
 21. Can you understand English ? 
 
 Wewe unajua maneno ya Kiingreza f 
 
 22. I cannot speak Swahili [of Zanzibar]. 
 
 Sijui kusema Kiunguja. 
 
 23. Did the water boil ? 
 
 Maji yameche^mka ? 
 
 24. Does the water boil ? 
 
 3Iaji yanache'mka ? 
 
 25. These plates are not clean. 
 
 Sahani liizi zina taka. 
 
 26. Wipe them carefully. 
 
 Futa vema kwa kiiamhaa. 
 
 27. Sweep this room well. 
 
 Fagia vema katika chumha Mki, 
 
 28. Dust the furniture. 
 
 Pangusa vumhi katika vyombo. 
 
 29. You have cracked that cup. 
 
 Umekitla ufa Mkomhe kile. 
 3(1. Throw it away. 
 
 Katupa. 
 31. Fetch me the vinegar, the pepper, and the salt 
 
 Niletee siki, na pilipili, na cliumvL
 
 APPENDIX IV. 445 
 
 82. Don't make so much noise. 
 
 TJsifanye uthia. 
 33. Put a fresh wick in my lamp. 
 
 Tia katika taa yangu utamhi. 
 ^. Fold up the table-cloth smoothly. 
 
 Kunja verna Mtanibaa cha meza, usiJcivunje (Fol(Ljeell the 
 cloth of the table ; spoil it not). 
 
 35. When you have swept the room put on clean clothes. 
 
 Kamma umekwisha hufagia, vaa nguo saji. 
 
 36. Take this to Miss T. 
 
 Chukua, upeleke kica hihi T. 
 
 37. You have put all these books upside down ; turn them. 
 
 Umepindua vyuo hivi vyote, uviweke upande mgine. 
 
 38. Leave that alone ! 
 
 Acha ! 
 
 39. Come here, I want to speak to you. 
 
 Kjoo hapa, 'nna maneno nitakwamhia (I have words I will 
 say to you). 
 
 40. Get ready to go for a walk. 
 
 t'anya tayari upate kicenda kutembecu 
 
 41. Are you ready ? 
 
 TJmekuwa tayari^ 
 
 42. Which way shall you like to go ? 
 
 Njia gani utakao kupita 1 
 
 43. How far is it to your shamba ? 
 
 Kadri gani mbali ya shamha lako hatta kufika (How much 
 farness of your shamba till getting there) ? 
 
 44. Not very far ; perhaps an hour's walk. 
 
 Si mbali sana, Idbuda ikipata saa moja. 
 
 45. Shall you walk, or ride your donkey, or sail ? 
 
 Utakwenda kwa miguu, ao utapanda pttnda, ao utakvcenda 
 kwa mashua? 
 
 46. We will go round the town and home by the bridcre. 
 
 Tutazungiika katika mji, haJafa turudie dar aj a ni (Then let 
 us return by the bridge). 
 
 47. Bring me some hot water after breakfast. 
 
 Niletee maji ya moto, nikiisJia kula. 
 
 48. Half a bucket full. 
 
 Nxus ya ndoo. 
 
 49. Turn the mattress over every morning. 
 
 Geuza killa siku godoro, cliinijuu. 
 50. Turn it top to bottom. 
 
 Z'pande Jiuu nweke upande ica pili. 
 
 2 G
 
 446 APPENDIX IV, 
 
 51. I am very glad to see you. 
 
 Umependa moyo wangu hukutazama. 
 
 52. What ship is that ? 
 
 Marikebu gani Mi ? 
 
 53. Has she cast anchor yet ? 
 
 Imetia nanga ? 
 
 54. No, she will come nearer the shore. 
 
 Bado, indkuja karibu ya pwani. 
 
 55. A good man does not desert his friends when they fall into 
 
 difficulties. 
 Mtu mwema hawaachi rafiki zake wakipatika na shidda. 
 
 56. Are you idle ? 
 
 Ati mvipu, ? 
 
 57. At what time shall I come ? 
 
 Wakti gani nije; 
 
 58. Did he stay long ? 
 
 Alikaa sana ? 
 
 59. No, he went away directly. 
 
 nda, alikwenda zake mara. 
 
 60. Does he drink wine ? 
 
 Hunywa divai ? 
 
 61. He does not. 
 
 Hanyivi. 
 
 62. Does this boat leak ? 
 
 Mashua Mi yavuja ? 
 
 63. Do not draw water from the well, the owner forbids it. 
 
 Usiteke maji kisimani, mwenyewe agombeza. 
 
 64. Don't jerk this rope ; if you do it will break. 
 
 Kamha Mi usiikutue, ukikutua itakatika. 
 
 65. Eat as much as you like. 
 
 Kula kadri utakavyo. 
 
 66. Find me a large hen. 
 
 Kanitaftia koo la k^uku. 
 
 67. Follow this road. 
 
 Fuata [or andama'] njia Mi. 
 
 68. I want you to follow me. 
 
 Nataka unifuate [or uniandame]. 
 
 69. Give it only to me and not to them. 
 
 Nipe mimi tu, usiwape wale. 
 
 70. Go and see if the people have collected. 
 
 Kaangalia watu wamekutana. 
 
 71. Go and stop that talking. 
 
 Enenda kakomesha maneno haya.
 
 APPENDIX IV. 447 
 
 72. Stop this outcry. 
 
 Makelele haya yakome (Let these cries cease). 
 
 73. Gro away, whoever you are. 
 
 Enda zako, hadri utakaokuwa. 
 
 74. Guard yourself, I am going to hit you. 
 
 Einga, takupiga. 
 
 75. Has he a large box ? 
 
 Ana kasha ? 
 
 76. He has. 
 
 Analo kasha. 
 11. Have you a pipe at home ? 
 Eiko kicako kiko ? 
 
 78. He built a bridge across the river. 
 
 Alijenga honth katikati ya mto. 
 
 79. He built a mosque by the river, and endowed it with a shamba 
 
 near ours. 
 Alijenga moskiti ng'awho, akawekea tcakf shamha karihu 
 shamba letu. 
 
 80. He described Mombas as it was in early times, as it is now, and 
 
 as it will be a hundred years hence. 
 Aliandika Mvita ilivyokuvca kicanza, ilivyo sasa, na ituka' 
 vyokuwa kica rniaka mia. 
 
 81. He does not believe me though I saw it. 
 
 Hanisadiki ningawa nimeiona. 
 
 82. He had the toothache. 
 
 AUkuica na jino likimwuma. 
 
 83. He has been abroad many years. 
 
 Alikuwa safarini miaka mingi. 
 
 84. He has presence of mind. 
 
 Moyo wake uwapo. 
 
 85. His mind is absent. Hapo ati. 
 
 86. He is a troublesome fellow to deal with. 
 
 Ana taahu kuingiana naye. 
 
 87. He is absorbed in his own thoughts ; even if you speak to him he 
 
 takes no notice. 
 Yu katika fikara zakwe ; ujaponena naye hawepo. 
 
 88. He is here. 
 
 Yupo hapa. 
 
 89. He is not here. 
 
 Hapo hapa. 
 
 90. He is yonder. 
 
 Tuko kule. 
 
 2 G 2
 
 448 APPENDIX IV. 
 
 91. He is not there. 
 
 Haico Tiule. 
 
 92. He is not yet dressed. 
 
 Hajavaa. 
 
 93. He left us about ten days ago. 
 
 AUtimcha hadri tja (or kama) siku humi. 
 
 94. He ought to be beaten. 
 
 Aihtaji hupigiva. 
 
 95. He pretends to be satisfied, but do not trust him. 
 
 Ajifanya Imwa ratlii, usimwamini. 
 
 96. He rose up from his chair. 
 
 Aliondoka Tcitini kioaJce. 
 
 97. He runs as fast as he can. 
 
 Anakwenda mhio kama aivezavijo. 
 
 98. He says he will walk on the water ! 
 
 Ati atakwenda mtoni kica miguu! 
 
 99. He that hateth suretyship is sure. 
 
 Mtu asiyekuhdli kuthamini ni katika amani. 
 
 100. He that is not against us is with us. 
 
 Mtu asiyekuwa juu yetu, hassi yee pamoja nasi. 
 
 101. He that is not with us is against us. 
 
 Asiyekuwa pamoja nasi, hassi huyujuu yetu. 
 
 102. He tried to make himself agreeable, and he succeeded. 
 
 Alijipendekeza ndipo akapendeza. 
 
 103. He was changed from a man into a horse. 
 
 Alibadiliwa mtu kuwafrasi. 
 
 104. He was more energetic than his father. 
 
 Huyu alikuwa akiweza zayidi ya haba yoke. 
 
 105. His non-appearance is unaccountable. 
 
 Kutoivekana kwake haitamhulikani. 
 
 106. His self-conceit is no good to him. 
 
 Majivuno yake hayamfai neno. 
 
 107. How are your household {i.e. your wife, daughters, &c.) ? 
 
 TJ hali gani nyumhani ktvako. 
 
 108. How far is it across the island ? 
 
 Kupataje mbali wake hapa hatta pwani ya pili ? 
 
 109. A fast walker would take from sunrise to the middle of the afternoor 
 
 Akiondoka mtu assuhui hatta alasiri, alio hodari kicenda, 
 kufika. 
 
 110. How long has he been ill ? 
 
 Tangu lini hawezi ? 
 
 111. How long ago was his illness? 
 
 Tangu lini alikuwa hawezi f
 
 APPEXDIX IV. 449 
 
 112. How pleasant ! 
 
 Imependeza. 
 
 1 13. How glad you must have been to hear that you were to go home. 
 
 Furaha ipi micaliposikia mwende zenu kweiiu. 
 
 114. lam amusing myself with a book. 
 
 Najizumgumza na cliuo. 
 
 115. I am here. Kipo liapa. 
 110. I am never without pimples. 
 
 Vipele havinitoha hahisa. 
 
 117. I am sleepy. 
 
 Ninao usingizi. 
 
 118. I cannot hold iu this horse. 
 
 Siivezi huzuia frasi hivju. 
 
 119. I cannot see so far as you can. 
 
 Sioni inhali, hama icaonavyo-wewe. 
 120 I don't like his way of tying it. 
 Sipendi ginsi afungavyo. 
 
 121. I don't see what you show me. 
 
 Sioni ulionyalo. 
 
 122. I don't see it, though he does. 
 
 Siioni angaica aona. 
 
 123. Take care, though you don't see it. 
 
 Kaangalia, ujapo hukioni. 
 
 124. I feel myself at home. 
 
 Hujiona niho Icicetu. 
 
 125. Make yourself at home. 
 
 Usifanye haya, liapa Jcama J:wal:o (Feel no modesty, here is 
 like your home). 
 12G. I gave him good advice, though he would not take it. 
 Nimemiconya illahini haJiuonyeha. 
 
 127. I had almost left off expecting you. 
 
 Nalilcarihia hukata tamaa ya kuhuona. 
 
 128. I had lost my way, and I came out close to your shamba. 
 
 Nalipotea njia nikatokea shamhaai kicaJco. 
 
 129. I have asked him again and again, but he will not tell me. 
 
 Nimemu'uUza raara kwa mara lakini hanamhii. 
 
 130. I have gained a hundred dollars. 
 
 Nalipata fayida reale mia. 
 
 131. I have made you my mark, if you step over it, look out (a common 
 
 defiance). 
 Nimekupigia mfuo wangii kiuka icangalie. 
 
 132. I know where he is. 
 
 Namjvxx malidli alipo.
 
 450 APPENDIX IV. 
 
 133. I pray God not to visit it upon me. 
 
 Naomha Micenyiezi Muungu asinipatiUze. 
 
 134. I saw the flash of the gun, but did not hear the report. 
 
 Nimeona mwanga, lakini sikusikia mzinga kulia. 
 13.5. I shall go by sea as far as I can. 
 
 Nitakicenda kwa haJiari, hatta itakaponifikisha. 
 
 136. I shall go for a walk to stretch my legs. 
 
 Nitakwenda temhea kukunjua miguu. 
 
 137. I thought myself a king. 
 
 Nalikuica nikhcaza nimekuwa Sidtani. 
 
 138. I will shut the door that he may not go out. 
 
 Nitafunga mlango asipate kupiia. 
 
 139. If he strikes, you, hit him again. 
 
 Akikupiga, nawe mpiga tena. 
 HO. If you had been here he \fould not have been beaten. 
 Kama ungalikuwapo hapa, hangalipigwa. 
 
 141. It depends upon his coming. 
 
 Kuna atakapokuja. 
 
 142. It is bad weather. 
 
 Kumekaa vibaya, 
 
 Hakicendeki. 
 
 Hatokeki. 
 
 143. It is being hawked about by a salesman. 
 
 Kinatemhezwa kwa dalali. 
 
 144. It is not there, though you say it is. 
 
 Hakipo, ungaioa wasema kipo. 
 
 145. It is time for us to go. 
 
 Imekuwa wakati wa sisi kwenda zetu. 
 
 146. It is quite time for us to go. 
 
 Imewadia wakati wetu wa kwenda zetu. 
 
 147. It was a secret, but it oozed out. 
 
 Yalikuwa hahari ya siri, ikatokeza^ 
 
 148. Let him go. 
 
 Mwacheni enende. 
 
 149. Moslems are forbidden wine. 
 
 Waslimu wameepushwa divai 
 
 1.50. Much self-exaltation ruins a man's position in the world. 
 
 Majivuno yakiwa mengi ya'mvunjia mtu cheo. 
 
 1.51. Nothing I do pleases him. 
 
 Killa nafanyalo halimpendezi (everything which I do 
 pleases him not). 
 152. Whatever I do he finds fault with me. 
 
 Killa nafanyalo hunitia khatiyani.
 
 APPENDIX IV. 451 
 
 153. Put the water on the fire. 
 
 Kateleka maji. 
 
 154. Sit down. 
 
 Kaa kitako. 
 
 155. Don't get up. 
 
 Starehe. 
 
 156. The baobabs are now coming into leaf. 
 
 Siku Jiizi mihuyu inachanua mcijani. 
 
 157. The fields are flourishing. 
 
 Koonde imesitawi, 
 
 158. The music is first-rate. 
 
 Ngoma inafana. 
 
 1 59. The news has spread. 
 
 Khabari zimeenea. ' 
 
 160. Spread the news. 
 
 Zieneza khahari. 
 
 161. The people who went to Bardera are come back. 
 
 Watu ivaliokicenda Baradera, wamekuja zao. 
 
 162. The room wants darkening. 
 
 Chumba chataka kutiwa giza. 
 
 163. The top of this mountain is inaccessible. 
 
 Juu ya mlima Jiuu haupandiki. 
 
 164. They [the trees] are almost all dead. 
 
 Kama kicamba iliokufa yote. 
 
 165. They are badly stowed. 
 
 Mapakizo yao mahaya. 
 
 166. They cut the boat adrift. 
 
 Wakakata kamha ya mashua ikachiikuliwa na maji. 
 
 167. They like giving and receiving presents. 
 
 Hupendelea kupana vitu. 
 
 168. They shut themselves up in the fort. 
 
 Wakajizuia gerezani. 
 
 169. They told me what he had done. 
 
 Walinamhia alivyofanya. 
 
 170. They were fighting, and I passed by and separated them. 
 
 WalUiuwa wakipigana, Jiapita mimi nikawaamua. 
 
 171. This chest must-be taken care of. 
 
 Kasha liili la kutunzica. 
 
 172. This has been worn. 
 
 Nguo hii imevaliwa. 
 
 173. This tree is not so tall as that. 
 
 Mti huu si mrefu kama ule.
 
 452 APPENDIX IV. 
 
 174. Upon your oath ! 
 
 Utaapa ! 
 
 175. Wash me these clothes. 
 
 Nloshee nguo Mzi. 
 
 176. The clothes have been washed. 
 
 Nguo zimeosheJca. 
 111. I have washed myself. 
 Nimenawika. 
 
 178. Wash me ! Noshe ! 
 
 179. We attacked them and they fell into confusion. 
 
 Twaliwashambulia, wdkafazaika. 
 
 180. We like his company. 
 
 Kikao choke chema (his sitting is good). 
 
 181. What do you earn by the month ? 
 
 Upataje killa mwezi f 
 
 182. What is become of him ? 
 
 Amekuwaje ? 
 
 183. What is this news about Ali ? 
 
 Hahari gani tuzisikiazo za Ali f 
 
 184. What are you talking about ? 
 
 Maneno gani mnenayo ? 
 Muktatha gani ? 
 Mnenani ? 
 
 185. What will you ferry me over for ? 
 
 Utanivusha kwa kiasi gani ? 
 
 186. When I have seen Mohammed, I mil give you an answer. 
 
 Nikiisha mwona Mohamadi, nitakupa jawabu. 
 
 187. Where is the knife I saw you with yesterday ? 
 
 Kiko wapi kisu nalichokuona nachojanaf 
 188 Where is the pain ? 
 
 Mahali gani panapouma f 
 
 189. Where is your pain? 
 
 Wauma wapi ? 
 
 190. Who is in there ? 
 
 Mna nani ? 
 
 191. "Sou cannot teach him anyhow. 
 
 Kadri n'mfunzavyo hajui. 
 
 192. We do not know whether he will not learn, or whether he canntt. 
 
 Hatujui ya hwamha hataki kujif'jAiza ao liana akili za 
 kujifunza. 
 
 193. You have made this thread too tfght 
 
 Uzi liuu mneutia kassi mno.
 
 APPENDIX IV. 153 
 
 194. You ought to love him very much. 
 
 Wastnhili humpenda sana. 
 
 195. Knarnba na kusengenya. To talk of a person behind his back, and 
 
 secretly to make contemptuous signs about liim when 
 present. This phrase is often used as a test of a stranger's 
 knowledge of Swahili ; what it describes is counted as a 
 special sin. 
 
 196. To ask a man his name. 
 
 Oh ! Rafild yangu namhie jina laho (Oh ! my friend, tell 
 me your name). Wajua, hicana icee, tumeonana mimi 
 naice, jina laho nimelisahau, tafdthal namhie jina laho 
 (You know, sir, you and I have met [before], but I have 
 forgotten your name, please to tell me your name). 
 
 When you have heard it, say — Inshallah, sitalisahau tena 
 (Please God, I shall not forget it again). 
 
 197. A polite question and answer at leave-taking. 
 
 Unayo Jiaja tena ? (Have you any further desire ?) 
 Eaja yangu ya huii^lii icewe sana nafuraha (My desire is 
 that you may live long and happily).
 
 ( 455 ) 
 
 Appendix V. 
 
 ON MONEY, WEIGHTS, AND MEASURES IN ZANZIBAR. 
 
 The following account is based on scattered notices in the late Bishop 
 Steere's collections, and on some tables furnished to the Kev. P. L. 
 Jones -Bateman by a well-informed servant of the Mission in 
 Zanzibar. 
 
 1. Money. 
 The only copper coin in common use in Zanzibar is the Anglo- 
 Indian quarter-anna, or pice, in Swahili pesa, plur. pesa or mapesa ; 
 but the robopesa, or quarter-pice (of which, however, three are equal to 
 one pice), is also current. 
 
 The silver coins current are the Anglo-Indian rupee and, less com- 
 monly, the Austrian dollar. The eight-anna (half-rupee), four-anna 
 (quarter-rupee), and two-anna pieces are also met with. 
 
 The relative values of these coins and their equivalent in English 
 money fluctuate considerably. For practical purposes, it is suflScient 
 to remember that an English sovereign may be generally exchanged 
 for 12 rupees, English bank-notes, cheques, drafts, &c., being subject 
 to a small discount ; that an Austrian dollar is reckoned as equal to 2 
 rupees and 8 pice, and that a rupee is worth usually from 60 to 64 
 pice. It follows that, though accounts are usually kept in dollars 
 and cents, and 5 dollars reckoned as equal to one pound English, it is 
 more exact to consider — 
 
 8. d. 
 1 dollar = 37 
 1 rupee =18 
 1 pice = i 
 
 In larger sums, the scale of legal tender is to reckon— 
 47 dollars = 100 rupees 
 94 „ = 200 „ 
 
 141 „ = 300 „ 
 
 and so on.
 
 456 APPENDIX V. 
 
 On the mainland, dollars and pice are taken freely on the coast and 
 main lines of traffic, and rupees are met with ; but elsewhere, silver 
 dollars only, and such objects of barter as calico, brass-wire^ beads, &c. 
 
 2. Measures of Length. 
 
 There is no exact standard or relationship of measures of length. 
 Those in common use are merely taken from parts of the human body, 
 viz. : — 
 
 Wanda, plur. nyanda, a finger's breadth. 
 
 Shihiri, a span, the distance between the tips of the outstretched 
 
 thumb and little finger. 
 Mdrita, a slightly shorter span, from the tip of the thumb to that 
 
 of the fore-finger. 
 Tliiraa or Mkono, a cubit, the distance from the finger-tips to the 
 elbow joint. Of this again, there are two varieties : — 
 TMraa Tiamili, or full cubit, as just described, and — 
 Thiraa honde^ or fist cubit, from the elbow-joint to tho 
 knuckles. 
 Wari, or yard, is one half of the — 
 
 Pima, a man's height, or the distance he can stretch with his 
 arms, a fathom. A doti is a measure of similar length. 
 The uayo, or length of the foot, Arab Jchatua, is also used occa- 
 sionally, and the English foot, futi, regularly by Indian carpenters and 
 in other trades. Approximately, the relations of these measures may 
 be tabulated thus : — 
 
 1 wanda = 1 inch. 
 
 8 or 10 nyanda = 1 shibiri kamili = 1 quarter-yard. 
 
 2 shibiri = 1 thiraa or mhono = 1 cubit or half-yard. 
 2 thiraa = 1 icari = 1 yard 
 
 2 tcari = 1 pima = 1 fathom. 
 
 Distance is loosely estimated by the average length of an hour's walk- 
 ing. Dunga, which lies almost exactly halfway across the island of 
 Zanzibar, at a distance of perhaps twelve miles, is described as a walk 
 of four hours, saa 'nne ; and Kokotoni, at the north end of the island, 
 distant perhaps twenty miles from Zanzibar, as a walk of at least 
 six hours, saa sita. On the mainland, a day's march is a common but 
 vague measure of perhaps twenty miles. 
 
 3. Measures of Weight. 
 
 For gold, silver, silk, scent, and other costly articles, the unit is the 
 wahia, or weight of an Austrian silver dollar, almost exactly an ounce. 
 For the names of fractional parts of any unit, see " Handbook," p. 93 ;
 
 APPENDIX V. 457 
 
 but the ^veight of a pice is often used as a convenient though inexact 
 measure of small quantities. 
 
 For heavy articles, the usual unit is a rdtel, or rattli, equal to 10 
 ivaJcia, and corresponding to one pound. 
 16 icaJcia = 1 rdtel. 
 3 i'dtel = 1 mani. 
 6 rdtel = 1 pishi. 
 
 6 pishi = 1 frasila, about 35 lbs. avoirdupois. 
 10 frasila = 1 mzo. 
 Hence, 64 frasila or 6| mizo may be regarded as = 1 ton. 
 
 4. Pleasures of Capacity. 
 
 No fixed liquid measure is used by the poorer classes. Shopkeepers 
 sell their oil, treacle, &c., by tin-ladlefuls (hikombe), or by the bottle 
 (chupa), or by the tin, i.e. the tins in which American oil is imported 
 to Zanzibar (tanahi, tini, also dehe). 
 
 Corn (nafaka) or dry measure is, of course, of great importance in a 
 country where grain is the staple of food and chief article of commerce. 
 
 The smallest unit is the — 
 
 Kihaha, a measure of perhaps a pint. 
 
 Kihaba cha tele, if the measure is heaped up — the usual pro- 
 ceeding. 
 Kihaha cha mfuto, if cut off flat. 
 2 vihaba (yya tele) = 1 Msaga. 
 2 visaga = 1 pishi, about half a gallon. 
 
 The pishi connects the measures of capacity and weight, and for 
 some of the common dry commodities, such as chiroho and Tcundi, the 
 pishi may be regarded as equivalent either in capacity to 4 vihaba, or 
 in weight to 6 rattli. 
 
 Grain is sold wholesale by the handa, or sack of grass-matting, or (if 
 from India) by the gunia, a wide sack. The gunia often weighs about 
 168 lbs. The handa varies, both with the kind of grain and the place 
 from which it is imported. For instance, while at Kwale, Mgao, and 
 Mvita, towns on the Swahili coast, the Mnda of rice at times contains 
 10, 11, or 12 pishi, and the handa of Indian corn 10 pishi, at Pangani, 
 Tanga, and Mtang'ata the handa of rice will contain 15, 16, or 17 
 pishi, and the handa of Indian corn 13 or 132 P'^^hi. 
 
 Various other terms are in use for different commodities, e.g. poles 
 are sold by the Iwrja, or score ; stone for building by the homa, a heap 
 which may weigh 4 cwt. to 5 cwt. ; lime by the tanuu (clamp) or hihapo ; 
 calico by the jura, 35 yards ; and various other things by the " nizigo " 
 or load.
 
 458 
 
 APPENDIX V. 
 
 5. Points of the Compass. 
 
 North 
 
 Jaa. 
 
 N. by E. 
 
 Faragadi Matlai 
 
 N.N.E. 
 
 Nash Matlai. 
 
 N.E. by N. 
 
 Nagr Matlai. 
 
 N.E. 
 
 Luagr Matlai. 
 
 N.E. by E. 
 
 Dayabu Matlai. 
 
 E.N.E. 
 
 Semak Matlai. 
 
 E. by N. 
 
 Seria Matlai. 
 
 East 
 
 Matlai. 
 
 E. by S. 
 
 Sosa aiatlai. 
 
 ii.S.E. 
 
 Tiri Matlai. 
 
 S.E. by E. 
 
 Lakadiri Matlai. 
 
 S.E. 
 
 Lakarabu Matlai. 
 
 S.E. by S. 
 
 Hamareni Matlai. 
 
 S.S.E. 
 
 Seheli Matlai. 
 
 S. by E. 
 
 Sonoobari Matlai. 
 
 South 
 
 Kutubu. 
 
 S. by W. 
 
 Sonoobari MagaribL 
 
 S.S.W. 
 
 Seheli Magaribi. 
 
 S.W. by S. 
 
 Hamareni Magaribi. 
 
 s.w. 
 
 Lakarabu Magaribi. 
 
 S.W. by W. 
 
 Lakadiri MagaribL 
 
 W.S.W. 
 
 Tiri Magaribi. 
 
 W. by S. 
 
 Sosa Magaribi. 
 
 West 
 
 Magaribi. 
 
 W. by N. 
 
 Seria Magaribi. 
 
 W.N.W. 
 
 Semak Magaribi. 
 
 N.W. by W. 
 
 Dayabu MagaribL 
 
 N.W. 
 
 Luagr MagaribL 
 
 N.W. by N. 
 
 Nagr Magaribi. 
 
 N.N.W. 
 
 Nash MagaribL 
 
 N. by W. 
 
 Faragadi MagaribL 
 
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