Learn Swahili Vocabulary: Contrary words

– Useful words you should know –

Want to learn the Swahili language? Here’s a complete list of the most basic, common and useful words in Swahili with their translation in English, on the topic of contrary words. Ideal to help you boost your Swahili vocabulary!

Do you spot any errors or want to add a word to the list? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment to improve the site!

ENGLISH	SWAHILI
young	vijana
old	mzee
empty	tupu
full	kamili
vertical	wima
horizontal	mlalo
useful	muhimu
useless	haina maana
a city	mji
a village	kijiji
a question	swali
an answer	jibu
sad	huzuni
happy	furaha
all	zote
nothing	hakuna kitu
a teacher	mwalimu
a student	mwanafunzi
early	mapema
late	marehemu
open	wazi
closed	imefungwa
first	kwanza
last	mwisho
secure	salama
dangerous	hatari
near	karibu
far	mbali
sugar	sukari
salt	chumvi
dry	kavu
wet	mvua
often	mara nyingi
rarely	nadra
always	kila mara
never	kamwe
same	sawa
different	tofauti
dirty	chafu
clean	safi
the evening	jioni
the morning	asubuhi
small	ndogo
large	kubwa
rich	tajiri
poor	maskini
the ceiling	dari
the floor	sakafu
animal	mnyama
human	binadamu
guilty	hatia
innocent	wasio na hatia
here	hapa
there	hapo
hunger	njaa
the thirst	kiu
the sun	jua
the moon	mwezi
the sister	yule dada
the brother	ndugu
slow	polepole
fast	haraka
before	kabla
after	baada ya
heavy	nzito
light	mwanga
old	mzee
new	mpya
easy	rahisi
difficult	magumu
start	kuanza
finish	kumaliza
friend	rafiki
enemy	adui
yesterday	jana
tomorrow	kesho
cold	baridi
hot	moto
right	haki
left	kushoto
a woman	mwanamke
a man	mwanaume
inside	ndani
outside	nje
strong	nguvu
weak	dhaifu
soft	laini
hard	ngumu
a lot	mengi
a little	kidogo
up	juu
down	chini
exactly	hasa
probably	pengine
married	ndoa
single	single
noisy	kelele
quiet	kimya
complicated	ngumu
simple	rahisi
now	sasa
later	baadae
long	ndefu
short	mfupi
interesting	kuvutia
boring	ya kuchosha
normal	kawaida
strange	ajabu
outside	nje
inside	ndani
the entrance	mlango
the exit	kutoka
white	nyeupe
black	nyeusi
expensive	ghali
cheap	nafuu
USEFUL VERBS
to walk	kutembea
to run	kukimbia
to attach	kuambatanisha
to detach	kujitenga
to go up	kwenda juu
to go down	kwenda chini
to increase	kuongeza
to decrease	kupungua
to stop	kuacha
to continue	kuendelea
to take off	kuondoka
to land	kutua
to put on	kuweka kwenye
to remove	kuondoa
to move forward	kusonga mbele
to move back	kurudi nyuma
to forget	kusahau
to remember	kukumbuka
to show	kuonyesha
to hide	kuficha
to save	kuokoa
to spend	kutumia
to build	kujenga
to destroy	kuharibu
to arrive	kufika
to leave	kuondoka
to enter	kuingia
to go out	kwenda nje
to laugh	kucheka
to cry	kulia
to sell	kuuza
to buy	kununua
to break	kuvunja
to repair	kurekebisha
to lend	kukopesha
to borrow	kuazima
to earn	kupata
to lose	kupoteza
to slow down	kupunguza kasi
to speed up	ili kuongeza kasi
to search	kutafuta
to find	kutafuta
to pull	kuvuta
to push	kusukuma
to take	kuchukua
to give	kutoa
to wake up	kuamka
to fall asleep	kulala usingizi
to hold	ku shikilia
to let go	kuachilia
to turn on	kuwasha
to turn off	kuzima
to sell	kuuza
to buy	kununua
to send	kutuma
to receive	kupokea

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