Swahili — top 500 words
High-frequency vocabulary for English speakers. Reveal each card, then rate your recall — the schedule adapts (SM-2) and is stored on your device.
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Full word list
| # | Swahili | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | habari | news / how are you? (lit. what's the news?) |
| 2 | habari gani? | how are you? (what news?) |
| 3 | nzuri | fine / good |
| 4 | asante | thank you |
| 5 | asante sana | thank you very much |
| 6 | tafadhali | please |
| 7 | samahani | sorry / excuse me |
| 8 | ndio | yes |
| 9 | hapana / la | no |
| 10 | karibu | welcome / you're welcome / come in |
| 11 | karibu sana | very welcome |
| 12 | hujambo? | hello (to one person — lit. you have no trouble?) |
| 13 | sijambo | I'm fine (reply — lit. I have no trouble) |
| 14 | hamjambo? | hello (to a group) |
| 15 | hatujambo | we're fine (group reply) |
| 16 | kwaheri | goodbye (to one) |
| 17 | kwa heri ya kuonana | goodbye — see you again |
| 18 | mimi | I / me |
| 19 | wewe | you (singular) |
| 20 | yeye | he / she |
| 21 | sisi | we / us |
| 22 | ninyi | you (plural) |
| 23 | wao | they / them |
| 24 | mama | mother |
| 25 | baba | father |
| 26 | ndugu | sibling / relative / comrade |
| 27 | rafiki | friend |
| 28 | familia | family |
| 29 | mtoto | child |
| 30 | watoto | children |
| 31 | mtu | person |
| 32 | watu | people |
| 33 | mwanaume | man |
| 34 | mwanamke | woman |
| 35 | mzee | elder / old person |
| 36 | daktari | doctor |
| 37 | maji | water |
| 38 | chakula | food |
| 39 | ugali | stiff porridge (staple food, like nsima) |
| 40 | wali | cooked rice |
| 41 | mchele | uncooked rice |
| 42 | mkate | bread |
| 43 | nyama | meat |
| 44 | samaki | fish |
| 45 | kuku | chicken |
| 46 | mboga | vegetables |
| 47 | sukari | sugar |
| 48 | chumvi | salt |
| 49 | mafuta | oil / fat |
| 50 | maziwa | milk |
| 51 | chai | tea |
| 52 | kahawa | coffee |
| 53 | ndizi | banana |
| 54 | embe | mango |
| 55 | machungwa | orange |
| 56 | pombe | beer / alcoholic drink |
| 57 | ng'ombe | cow / cattle |
| 58 | mbuzi | goat |
| 59 | nguruwe | pig |
| 60 | farasi | horse |
| 61 | simba | lion |
| 62 | tembo | elephant |
| 63 | twiga | giraffe |
| 64 | kiboko | hippopotamus |
| 65 | chui | leopard |
| 66 | nyoka | snake |
| 67 | ndege | bird |
| 68 | mbwa | dog |
| 69 | paka | cat |
| 70 | nyumbani | at home / domestic |
| 71 | jua | sun |
| 72 | mwezi | moon / month |
| 73 | nyota | star |
| 74 | upepo | wind |
| 75 | mvua | rain |
| 76 | wingu | cloud |
| 77 | moto | fire |
| 78 | mchanga | sand |
| 79 | mawe | rocks / stones |
| 80 | mto | river |
| 81 | bahari | sea / ocean |
| 82 | ziwa | lake |
| 83 | mlima | mountain |
| 84 | mwitu | forest |
| 85 | kichwa | head |
| 86 | macho | eyes |
| 87 | masikio | ears |
| 88 | pua | nose |
| 89 | mdomo | mouth |
| 90 | meno | teeth |
| 91 | mkono | hand / arm |
| 92 | mguu | leg / foot |
| 93 | tumbo | stomach |
| 94 | moyo | heart |
| 95 | mwili | body |
| 96 | shingo | neck |
| 97 | mgongo | back |
| 98 | leo | today |
| 99 | kesho | tomorrow |
| 100 | jana | yesterday |
| 101 | siku | day |
| 102 | usiku | night |
| 103 | asubuhi | morning |
| 104 | jioni | evening |
| 105 | mchana | noon / midday |
| 106 | mwaka | year |
| 107 | wiki | week |
| 108 | Jumapili | Sunday |
| 109 | Jumatatu | Monday |
| 110 | Jumanne | Tuesday |
| 111 | Jumatano | Wednesday |
| 112 | Alhamisi | Thursday (from Arabic al-khamis) |
| 113 | Ijumaa | Friday (from Arabic al-Jumu'ah — day of congregation) |
| 114 | Jumamosi | Saturday |
| 115 | moja | one |
| 116 | mbili | two |
| 117 | tatu | three |
| 118 | nne | four |
| 119 | tano | five |
| 120 | sita | six (from Arabic sitta) |
| 121 | saba | seven (from Arabic sab'a) |
| 122 | nane | eight |
| 123 | tisa | nine (from Arabic tis'a) |
| 124 | kumi | ten |
| 125 | kumi na moja | eleven |
| 126 | ishirini | twenty |
| 127 | thelathini | thirty |
| 128 | mia | one hundred |
| 129 | elfu | one thousand |
| 130 | nyekundu | red |
| 131 | nyeupe | white |
| 132 | nyeusi | black |
| 133 | kijani | green |
| 134 | bluu / samawati | blue |
| 135 | njano | yellow |
| 136 | kahawia | brown |
| 137 | kwenda | to go |
| 138 | kuja | to come |
| 139 | kula | to eat |
| 140 | kunywa | to drink |
| 141 | kulala | to sleep |
| 142 | kuona | to see |
| 143 | kusikia | to hear |
| 144 | kusema | to say / to speak |
| 145 | kuuliza | to ask |
| 146 | kuambia | to tell |
| 147 | kusaidia | to help |
| 148 | kutaka | to want |
| 149 | kupenda | to love / to like |
| 150 | kuchukia | to hate |
| 151 | kukaa | to stay / to sit |
| 152 | kuimba | to sing |
| 153 | kucheza | to play |
| 154 | kufanya kazi | to work |
| 155 | kuomba | to ask for / to pray |
| 156 | kujibu | to answer / to reply |
| 157 | kutoa | to give / to take out |
| 158 | kuchukua | to take |
| 159 | kufika | to arrive |
| 160 | kutoka | to come from / to leave |
| 161 | kuingia | to enter |
| 162 | kununua | to buy |
| 163 | kuuza | to sell |
| 164 | kujifunza | to learn |
| 165 | kufundisha | to teach |
| 166 | kulia | to cry |
| 167 | kucheka | to laugh |
| 168 | nyumba | house / home |
| 169 | mji | city / town |
| 170 | kijiji | village |
| 171 | barabara | road / street |
| 172 | gari | car |
| 173 | treni | train |
| 174 | kazi | work / job |
| 175 | pesa / fedha | money |
| 176 | soko | market |
| 177 | hospitali | hospital |
| 178 | shule | school |
| 179 | kanisa | church |
| 180 | serikali | government |
| 181 | lugha | language |
| 182 | Kiswahili | the Swahili language |
| 183 | Kingereza | English |
| 184 | Kifaransa | French |
| 185 | maneno | words |
| 186 | sentensi | sentence |
| 187 | kitabu | book |
| 188 | Sijui | I don't know |
| 189 | Naomba… | I would like… / Please… |
| 190 | Ninaenda… | I am going to… |
| 191 | Habari za asubuhi | Good morning (morning news) |
| 192 | Lala salama | Good night / sleep well |
| 193 | Pole | Sorry (sympathy) / I'm sorry |
| 194 | Pole pole | slowly / take it easy |
| 195 | Hakuna matata | no problem / no worries |
| 196 | Inshallah / Mungu akipenda | God willing |
| 197 | karibu Afrika Mashariki | welcome to East Africa |
| 198 | nyinyi / ninyi | you (plural) |
| 199 | huyu | this (person) |
| 200 | hawa | these (people) |
| 201 | yule | that (person) |
| 202 | hii | this |
| 203 | hizi | these |
| 204 | ile | that |
| 205 | zile | those |
| 206 | hapa | here |
| 207 | pale | there |
| 208 | huko | over there / that place |
| 209 | nani? | who? |
| 210 | nini? | what? |
| 211 | lini? | when? |
| 212 | wapi? | where? |
| 213 | vipi? | how? / what's up? |
| 214 | kwa nini? | why? |
| 215 | ngapi? | how many? / how much? |
| 216 | gani? | which? / what kind? |
| 217 | je? | (question marker) |
| 218 | na | and / with / by |
| 219 | au | or |
| 220 | lakini | but |
| 221 | kwa sababu | because |
| 222 | kwa | to / for / by / with |
| 223 | katika | in / at / on |
| 224 | ndani ya | inside |
| 225 | nje ya | outside |
| 226 | juu ya | on top of / about |
| 227 | chini ya | under / below |
| 228 | mbele ya | in front of |
| 229 | nyuma ya | behind |
| 230 | karibu na | near |
| 231 | mbali na | far from |
| 232 | kati ya | between / among |
| 233 | baada ya | after |
| 234 | kabla ya | before |
| 235 | pamoja na | together with |
| 236 | bila | without |
| 237 | kuhusu | about / concerning |
| 238 | kama | if / like / as |
| 239 | ili | so that / in order to |
| 240 | basi | so / then / well |
| 241 | pia | also / too |
| 242 | tena | again / moreover |
| 243 | bado | still / not yet |
| 244 | tu | only / just |
| 245 | sana | very / a lot |
| 246 | kidogo | a little / a bit |
| 247 | zaidi | more |
| 248 | sasa | now |
| 249 | halafu | then / afterwards |
| 250 | kufanya | to do / to make |
| 251 | kuwa | to be / to become |
| 252 | kuwa na | to have |
| 253 | kupata | to get / to obtain |
| 254 | kujua | to know |
| 255 | kufikiri | to think |
| 256 | kuelewa | to understand |
| 257 | kuangalia | to look at / to watch |
| 258 | kusoma | to read / to study |
| 259 | kuandika | to write |
| 260 | kuamka | to wake up |
| 261 | kusimama | to stand / to stop |
| 262 | kutembea | to walk |
| 263 | kukimbia | to run |
| 264 | kuruka | to jump / to fly |
| 265 | kuondoka | to leave / to depart |
| 266 | kurudi | to return |
| 267 | kupanda | to climb / to board / to plant |
| 268 | kushuka | to descend / to get off |
| 269 | kuleta | to bring |
| 270 | kupeleka | to send / to take to |
| 271 | kulipa | to pay |
| 272 | kufungua | to open |
| 273 | kufunga | to close / to tie / to fast |
| 274 | kupika | to cook |
| 275 | kuosha | to wash (things) |
| 276 | kuoga | to bathe |
| 277 | kusafisha | to clean |
| 278 | kuvaa | to wear / to put on |
| 279 | kungoja / kusubiri | to wait |
| 280 | kuita | to call |
| 281 | kuanza | to begin |
| 282 | kumaliza | to finish |
| 283 | kuacha | to stop / to leave / to quit |
| 284 | kusahau | to forget |
| 285 | kukumbuka | to remember |
| 286 | kufurahi | to be happy |
| 287 | kuogopa | to fear / to be afraid |
| 288 | kuhitaji | to need |
| 289 | kuweza | to be able / can |
| 290 | kujaribu | to try |
| 291 | kushinda | to win / to overcome |
| 292 | kushindwa | to fail / to be unable |
| 293 | kufa | to die |
| 294 | kuzaa | to give birth / to bear fruit |
| 295 | kuishi | to live |
| 296 | kuondoa | to remove |
| 297 | kuweka | to put / to place / to keep |
| 298 | kupanga | to arrange / to plan |
| 299 | kubadilisha | to change |
| 300 | kuonyesha | to show |
| 301 | kuficha | to hide |
| 302 | kupiga | to hit / to strike |
| 303 | kupiga simu | to make a phone call |
| 304 | kupiga picha | to take a photo |
| 305 | kuvuta | to pull / to smoke |
| 306 | kusukuma | to push |
| 307 | kushika | to hold / to grab |
| 308 | kutupa | to throw |
| 309 | kukata | to cut |
| 310 | kujenga | to build |
| 311 | kuvunja | to break |
| 312 | kutengeneza | to make / to fix |
| 313 | kubwa | big / large |
| 314 | dogo | small |
| 315 | refu | tall / long |
| 316 | fupi | short |
| 317 | zuri | good / beautiful |
| 318 | baya | bad |
| 319 | pya / mpya | new |
| 320 | zee / kuukuu | old (things) |
| 321 | zima | whole / healthy / alive |
| 322 | gumu | hard / difficult |
| 323 | rahisi | easy / cheap |
| 324 | nzito | heavy |
| 325 | epesi | light (weight) / easy |
| 326 | tamu | sweet / tasty |
| 327 | chungu | bitter |
| 328 | baridi | cold |
| 329 | safi | clean / pure / cool |
| 330 | chafu | dirty |
| 331 | kavu | dry |
| 332 | maji maji / -bichi | wet / raw / unripe |
| 333 | tele | plenty / abundant |
| 334 | chache | few |
| 335 | nyingi | many / much |
| 336 | -ote | all / whole |
| 337 | -ingine | other / another |
| 338 | sawa | same / equal / okay |
| 339 | tofauti | different |
| 340 | tayari | ready / already |
| 341 | kweli | true / real |
| 342 | uongo | lie / false |
| 343 | rangi | colour |
| 344 | arobaini | forty |
| 345 | hamsini | fifty |
| 346 | sitini | sixty |
| 347 | sabini | seventy |
| 348 | themanini | eighty |
| 349 | tisini | ninety |
| 350 | nusu | half |
| 351 | robo | quarter |
| 352 | kwanza | first |
| 353 | pili | second |
| 354 | mwisho | last |
| 355 | saa | hour / clock / time / watch |
| 356 | dakika | minute |
| 357 | sekunde | second (time) |
| 358 | adhuhuri | noon |
| 359 | alfajiri | dawn |
| 360 | wakati | time / period |
| 361 | mara | time(s) / once |
| 362 | mara nyingi | often |
| 363 | mara moja | at once / immediately |
| 364 | daima / siku zote | always |
| 365 | kamwe / kabisa | never / completely |
| 366 | juzi | the day before yesterday |
| 367 | kesho kutwa | the day after tomorrow |
| 368 | Januari | January |
| 369 | Disemba | December |
| 370 | mwanamume | man |
| 371 | mvulana | boy |
| 372 | msichana | girl |
| 373 | kijana | youth / young person |
| 374 | bibi | grandmother / lady |
| 375 | babu | grandfather |
| 376 | mume | husband |
| 377 | mke | wife |
| 378 | mtoto wa kiume | son |
| 379 | mtoto wa kike | daughter |
| 380 | jirani | neighbour |
| 381 | mgeni | guest / stranger / visitor |
| 382 | mwalimu | teacher |
| 383 | mwanafunzi | student |
| 384 | mganga | healer / doctor |
| 385 | polisi | police |
| 386 | dereva | driver |
| 387 | mfanyakazi | worker / employee |
| 388 | mkulima | farmer |
| 389 | mfanyabiashara | trader / businessperson |
| 390 | rais | president |
| 391 | jina | name |
| 392 | taifa | nation |
| 393 | uso | face |
| 394 | jicho / macho | eye / eyes |
| 395 | sikio / masikio | ear / ears |
| 396 | jino / meno | tooth / teeth |
| 397 | ulimi | tongue |
| 398 | kidole | finger / toe |
| 399 | damu | blood |
| 400 | nywele | hair |
| 401 | ngozi | skin |
| 402 | mlango | door |
| 403 | dirisha | window |
| 404 | chumba | room |
| 405 | meza | table |
| 406 | kiti | chair |
| 407 | kitanda | bed |
| 408 | jiko | kitchen / stove |
| 409 | choo | toilet |
| 410 | sakafu | floor |
| 411 | ukuta | wall |
| 412 | paa | roof |
| 413 | kikombe | cup |
| 414 | sahani | plate |
| 415 | kijiko | spoon |
| 416 | uma | fork |
| 417 | kisu | knife |
| 418 | sufuria | pot |
| 419 | chupa | bottle |
| 420 | mkoba / begi | bag |
| 421 | kalamu | pen |
| 422 | karatasi | paper |
| 423 | simu | phone |
| 424 | televisheni / runinga | television |
| 425 | redio | radio |
| 426 | taa | lamp / light |
| 427 | nguo | clothes |
| 428 | shati | shirt |
| 429 | suruali | trousers |
| 430 | viatu | shoes |
| 431 | kofia | hat / cap |
| 432 | saa ya mkono | wristwatch |
| 433 | matunda | fruit |
| 434 | chungwa | orange |
| 435 | nanasi | pineapple |
| 436 | nazi | coconut |
| 437 | yai / mayai | egg / eggs |
| 438 | viazi | potatoes |
| 439 | nyanya | tomato |
| 440 | kitunguu | onion |
| 441 | dunia | world / earth |
| 442 | njia | path / way |
| 443 | duka | shop |
| 444 | msikiti | mosque |
| 445 | benki | bank |
| 446 | shamba | farm / field |
| 447 | mawingu | clouds |
| 448 | anga / mbingu | sky |
| 449 | ardhi | land / ground |
| 450 | mti / miti | tree / trees |
| 451 | ua / maua | flower / flowers |
| 452 | jiwe / mawe | stone / stones |
| 453 | mwamba | rock |
| 454 | theluji | snow |
| 455 | mnyama / wanyama | animal / animals |
| 456 | kondoo | sheep |
| 457 | punda | donkey |
| 458 | nyani | baboon |
| 459 | sokwe | chimpanzee / ape |
| 460 | panya | rat / mouse |
| 461 | mbu | mosquito |
| 462 | nzi | fly |
| 463 | nyuki | bee |
| 464 | jambo / mambo | matter / thing / affair |
| 465 | kitu / vitu | thing / things |
| 466 | swali / maswali | question / questions |
| 467 | jibu / majibu | answer / answers |
| 468 | neno / maneno | word / words |
| 469 | maisha | life |
| 470 | kifo | death |
| 471 | upendo / mapenzi | love |
| 472 | amani | peace |
| 473 | vita | war |
| 474 | nguvu | strength / power |
| 475 | uhuru | freedom |
| 476 | haki | right / justice |
| 477 | sheria | law |
| 478 | dini | religion |
| 479 | Mungu | God |
| 480 | furaha | joy / happiness |
| 481 | huzuni | sadness |
| 482 | hofu / woga | fear |
| 483 | hasira | anger |
| 484 | maumivu | pain |
| 485 | afya | health |
| 486 | ugonjwa | illness / disease |
| 487 | dawa | medicine |
| 488 | elimu | education |
| 489 | bei | price |
| 490 | faida | profit / benefit |
| 491 | hasara | loss |
| 492 | safari | journey / trip |
| 493 | meli | ship |
| 494 | baiskeli | bicycle |
| 495 | pikipiki | motorcycle |
| 496 | abiria | passenger |
| 497 | tikiti | ticket |
| 498 | ndiyo | yes (that's right) |
| 499 | labda | maybe / perhaps |
| 500 | haraka | quickly / fast |