Basic Nouns

1. Maanzi

   Water

   Usage

   For asking for or buying water; meenda is another word for it, but maanzi is the standard one

   Grammar Note

   A ma- class noun; adjectives and relatives take a- (maanzi aatontola cold water, maanzi aakunywa drinking water)

2. Cakulya

   Food

   Usage

   A general word for food, as in "I want food" or "I am buying food"

   Grammar Note

   A ci- class noun with the plural zyakulya; ca-kulya is built as "a thing for eating"

3. Zina

   Name

   Usage

   For asking someone's name or giving your own

   Grammar Note

   A li- class noun; a possessive follows it (zina lyangu my name, zina lyako your name); it is sometimes spelled zyina

4. Mukwasyi

   Family

   Usage

   For talking about a family

   Grammar Note

   A mu- class noun; the owner follows with wa, as in mukwasyi wa ... (the family of ...)

5. Cibbadela

   Hospital, clinic

   Usage

   For asking where a hospital or clinic is, or when you need to see a doctor

   Grammar Note

   A ci- class noun; "to or at the hospital" is ku cibbadela; some sources write it cibbaddela with dd

6. Musilisi

   Doctor

   Usage

   When you are unwell or need a doctor called

   Grammar Note

   A mu- class noun for a person; "I need a doctor" is ndiyandika musilisi

7. Mugwagwa

   Main road, paved road

   Usage

   For a large road or a highway

   Grammar Note

   A mu- class noun; where nzila means a path or a way of doing things, mugwagwa is a large, well-made road

8. Ng'anda

   House

   Usage

   For a house or a building

   Grammar Note

   An n- class noun with the plural maanda; a place prefix gives mung'anda (inside the house) and kung'anda (to the house)

9. Hotela

   Hotel

   Usage

   When looking for a place to stay

   Grammar Note

   Borrowed from English hotel; ng'anda yabeenzu (house of guests) is another way to say it. Source: dictionary only. Loanword; native review recommended

10. Mweenzu

    Guest, visitor

    Usage

    For a guest, or someone who has come from elsewhere

    Grammar Note

    A mu- class person noun; besides a guest it can mean someone from another place

11. Munzi

    Village, town

    Usage

    For asking the name of a village or town, or describing where you are

    Grammar Note

    A mu- class noun that covers anything from a small village to a larger town

12. Foni

    Phone

    Usage

    When you want to borrow a phone or make a call

    Grammar Note

    Borrowed from English phone; it is sometimes written fooni with a long vowel. Source: dictionary only. Loanword; native review recommended

13. Kapokola

    Police officer

    Usage

    For a police officer

    Grammar Note

    Borrowed from English police; it names a person, an officer, not the police station or the force. Source: dictionary only. Loanword; native review recommended

Browse all TravelPhrases languages