Introduction
Swahili is a language that fuses African Bantu with Arabic. Arab sailors and traders have established links and ties with East Africa for centuries, their language strongly merged with the local language to produce a creole derivative.
The word Swahili itself is derived from Arabic Sawahili سواحلي which is plural for ساحل meaning [Language] of the Coast.
This article gives some examples of Arabic words still in today's Swahili.
Here are some words.
| Swahili | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| hatari | خطر | Danger. Also the title of a 1962 movie starring John Wayne, set in Africa. |
| Safari | سفر | Travel. Also: trip |
| mahali | محل | Place |
| vitabu | كتاب | Book |
| msumari | مسمار | Nail |
| kata | قطع | Cut, chop |
| habari | خبر | news |
| huru | حر | free |
| dhamiri | ضمير | conscience |
| kamusi | قاموس | dictionary |
| baridi | بارد | cold |
| samahani | سامحني | forgive me, excuse me |
| rafiki | رفيق | companion, friend |
| tafadhali | تفضل | please |
| furahi | فرح | happy |
Time
The terms for time are strongly influenced by Arabic. Many of it taken by the prayer times of Islam.
| Swahili | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| asubuhi | صبح | morning |
| dakika | دقيقة | minute |
| saa | ساعة | hour |
| wakati | وقت | time |
| alasri | العصر | late afternoon |
| magharibi | المغرب | sunset |
| alfajiri | الفجر | dawn |
| karne | قرن | century |
The Swahili names for the first five days of the week all start with Juma, then the order of the day of the week, Saturday being the first day of the week. Jumaa is derived from the Arabic word جمعة which means Friday, as well as "week. Only two days of the week got the Arabic names:
| Swahili | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| alkhamisi | الخميس | Thursday |
| ijumaa | الجمعة | Friday |
Animal Names
Animal names are all native African Bantu (e.g. simba lion). However, there are a few exceptions.
| Swahili | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Tausi | طاوس | Peacock, being non-native to Africa, it took the Arabic name, which in turn took it from Persian. |
Numbers
The number system is also heavily Arabic, although not exclusively so.
| Swahili | Arabic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| nusu | نص | Half. The proper classical Arabic word is نصف nisf. In many present day dialects it is "nus", like in Swahili. |
| robo | ربع | Quarter |
| sita | ستة | 6 |
| saba | سبعة | 7 |
| tisa | تسعة | 9 |
| ishrini | عشرين | 20 |
| thalathini | ثلاثين | 30 |
| arubaini | أربعين | 40 |
| hamsini | خمسين | 50 |
| sitini | ستين | 60 |
| sabini | سبعين | 70 |
| thamanini | ثمانين | 80 |
| tisini | تسعين | 90 |
| mia | مئة | 100. The middle letter in classical Arabic is Hamza, however, in present day dialects, like Swahili, it is a Y sound. |
| elfu | ألف | 1000 |
Resources
Here are some useful links on Swahili.
- List of useful Swahili words
- History of Swahili.
- Wikipedia page on Swahili.
- Ethnologue page on Swahili.
- Omniglot page on Swahili.
Comments
Israel Ntaganzwa (not verified)
Clarification
Fri, 2012/09/14 - 16:29How did you come up with this list? Are you a Muswahili native,or you are a linguist who specialize in Kiswahili and others related to it.I have a short list that I got from Max Planck Institute which includes some of the words on your list.Some of the words on your list I could not find in my Kamusi ya Kiswahili,but it is a small one.Which kiswahili dictionary one can find your list in?
Thank you for your contribution and keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Israel Ntaganzwa
Anonymous (not verified)
In my opinion as a student in
Thu, 2019/02/14 - 00:39In my opinion as a student in linguistics in Kiswahili and Arabic from Swahili Region this is a big work you have done my bro Ahmed Bhegani thanks a lot or shukran or ahsanta in Kiswahili. But I would like to add that some of listed words above are not used by ordinary swahili people except for that have strong relation with Arabic many of them are those still have Arabic accent in their tongues or have studied arabic well so they put these words in some situations.
Pele Supp (not verified)
Swahili should be more African than Arabic
Fri, 2008/06/13 - 09:07Hey Guys,
I wonder if we are willing to build Africa from all the ashes of all the Arab and Western settlers and cancell all their former influences and cultural polutions.
Many African brothers are learning the largest "African language" the Swahili, I think is time for Africans to make some changes in their heritage poluted.
ASHE NALENG!!! (thanks a lot - in Maasai language)
Khalid
Culture and civilization are cumulative
Fri, 2008/06/13 - 10:20A civilization or a culture are cumulative. This means that every part contributes to the bigger whole. This is true anywhere. Even the British have a language that is part French. Arab and Islamic civilization has a lot of elements in it (Persian, Turkish, ...etc.). Many of today's civilizations are a product of an amalgamation of several civilizations.
There are of course bigots who try to rewrite history to shape it according to their prejudice, excluding elements that are not in fashion today. So, look at things as they are, not as your prejudice wishes them to be. Hiding from your accumulated past or trying to create an alternate reality is not productive.
Some nationalism may be good, but too much of it turns ugly and destructive.
--
Khalid Baheyeldin
MSAFIRI (not verified)
I can understand you Khalid.
Tue, 2014/09/16 - 16:34I can understand you Khalid. I remember when I was small boy swahili was meant to be the 4th language in the world but it could not qualify and the 'reason'was that Swahili is not pure language is sort of creole because it has a lot of arabic words. Therefore I think is time now some fixing should happen and the plan is to pick some tribe words and replace some of the unwanted arabic words. There are a lot of non arabic words which are rarely used eg kenda 9 tisa=arab and so many words, so its our duty to promote our native words and drop the borrowed words even English ones.
Charlene (not verified)
Arab
Sat, 2008/08/30 - 10:55Could some one enlighten me? I have been trying to understand is Arab a blood line or just a language and culture? What is an Arab/ African?
Thanks Much! Charlene
Frank (not verified)
spelling corrections
Sun, 2009/02/22 - 22:3030 should be thelathini, 40 = arobaini, 80 = themanini, and late afternoon = alasiri
Ambakisiye (not verified)
poa kachizi kama ndizi
Tue, 2009/06/16 - 16:49Asante! Mimi ni mwalimu aliyofundisha Tanzania kwa miaka miwili. Nimeanza kusoma Kiarabic... Kumbe! Sijajua kwamba najua maneno mengi tayari. Thanks for your work!
Sally Shamas (not verified)
I love Tanzania and Swahili
Wed, 2010/01/13 - 09:43Hey all ,
Im lebanese but i recently went to Tanzania for a vacation and a Safari and fell in love with this country . Im planing to go back so im trying to learn Swahili .
Thanks for the list...
Anonymous mintu... (not verified)
just comment and more
Wed, 2010/02/17 - 12:20My query: Is there any word as Tarikh = Dtae/History, Kalam/Mal/Jamaa
my family name Khoshnabish (good writer )may be included
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