200 Swahili Words You Already Know

If you speak English, you already have a head start on Swahili vocabulary. Words like hospitali, redio, and satelaiti are Swahili-English cognates: borrowed terms that kept much of their original sound and meaning, often with a Swahili vowel added at the end. Learning to spot these lookalikes turns an intimidating vocabulary list into a set of words you can recognize on sight, leaving you to practice recall and spelling.

This page ranks them by how often you'll actually run into each one, with example sentences so you see the word doing real work rather than sitting alone on a flashcard. Vocab Voyage turns the same list into spaced-repetition practice: you type the Swahili word for an English prompt, accents are forgiven, and reviews are spaced so the words you find hardest come back more often. It's free, and you sign up with just an email address.

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200 Swahili Words You Already Know: the list

#	Swahili	English	Type	Example
1	droni	drone	noun	Ninapenda kuona droni akiruka angani.
2	hospitali	hospital	noun	Ninakwenda hospitali kwa ajili ya matibabu.
3	februari	february	noun	Mwezi wa februari ni mwezi wa pili wa mwaka.
4	juni	june	noun	Mwezi wa juni ni wa sita katika mwaka.
5	ajenda	agenda	noun	Tafadhali angalia ajenda ya mkutano wetu kesho.
6	virusi	virus	noun	Watu wanapaswa kujikinga na virusi ili kuboresha afya zao.
7	social	social	adjective	Mkutano huu ni wa social na kiuchumi.
8	malaria	malaria	noun	malaria ni ugonjwa hatari katika maeneo ya joto.
9	bomu	bomb	noun	Kuna taarifa kuhusu bomu katika eneo hilo.
10	lote	lot	noun	Ninataka lote la chakula hiki.
11	redio	radio	noun	Ninapenda kusikiliza redio kila asubuhi.
12	sham	sham	noun	Tunaenda kwenye sham ya chakula.
13	rally	rally	noun	Tunaenda kwenye rally ya kisiasa kesho.
14	hoteli	hotel	noun	Tuliishi kwenye hoteli nzuri mjini.
15	ape	ape	noun	Katika zoo, niliona ape akicheza.
16	people	people	noun	Katika mkutano, people wengi walihudhuria.
17	kiswahili	swahili	noun	Ninajifunza kiswahili ili kuwasiliana na watu wengi.
18	global	global	adjective	Mabadiliko ya global yanahitaji ushirikiano wa kimataifa.
19	jengine	engine	noun	Kila siku, tunapata jengine mpya za kujifunza.
20	petroli	petrol	noun	Gari langu linahitaji petroli ili kuendelea na safari.
21	real	real	adjective	Hii ni real picha ya mandhari.
22	gridi	grid	noun	Tunaweza kuangalia gridi ya umeme kwenye ramani.
23	alternative	alternative	noun	Kila mtu anahitaji kuwa na alternative katika maisha yake.
24	pointi	point	noun	Timu yetu ina pointi nyingi kwenye ligi.
25	radio	radio	noun	Ninapenda kusikiliza radio asubuhi.
26	bar	bar	noun	Ninapenda kunywa chai kwenye bar.
27	bay	bay	noun	Bahari ina bay nzuri na safi.
28	kilo	kilo	noun	Ninahitaji kilo tatu za mchele.
29	coltan	coltan	noun	coltan ni madini muhimu katika teknolojia.
30	satelaiti	satellite	noun	Tunaweza kutumia satelaiti kupata taarifa.
31	fox	fox	noun	Nimeona fox akitembea porini.
32	sekondari	secondary	adjective	Shule sekondari inatoa elimu bora.
33	viza	visa	noun	Nilihitaji viza ili kuingia nchi hiyo.
34	kamera	camera	noun	Alinunua kamera mpya kwa ajili ya picha.
35	ghetto	ghetto	noun	Watu wengi wanaishi katika ghetto za mijini.
36	orthodox	orthodox	adjective	Watu wa orthodox wana imani maalum.
37	jihadi	jihad	noun	jihadi ni muhimu katika maisha ya kila siku.
38	ramadhan	ramadan	noun	Mwezi wa ramadhan unakuja hivi karibuni.
39	senate	senate	noun	senate inajadili sheria mpya.
40	bitcoin	bitcoin	noun	Ninataka kununua bitcoin kwa ajili ya uwekezaji.
41	force	force	noun	Timu yetu inahitaji force zaidi ili kushinda.
42	group	group	noun	Tuna group kubwa la marafiki hapa.
43	manila	manila	noun	Ninatumia manila kuandika barua.
44	stream	stream	noun	Ninapenda kusikiliza stream za muziki mtandaoni.
45	penalti	penalty	noun	Mchezaji alikosa penalti katika mechi ya jana.
46	apple	apple	noun	Ninapenda kula apple kila siku.
47	dream	dream	noun	Ninataka kufikia dream zangu.
48	popular	popular	adjective	Hii ni filamu popular sana miongoni mwa vijana.
49	tone	tone	noun	Aliacha tone la furaha kwenye uso wake.
50	access	access	noun	Tunahitaji access kwa mtandao ili kufanya kazi.
51	app	app	noun	Nimepata app mpya ya kujifunza lugha.
52	humanitarian	humanitarian	adjective	Anajitolea kwa kazi za humanitarian kila mwaka.
53	signal	signal	noun	Nahitaji signal ili kuwasiliana.
54	citizen	citizen	noun	Kila citizen anapaswa kuheshimu sheria za nchi.
55	medali	medal	noun	Alipewa medali kwa ushindi.
56	green	green	adjective	Miti hii ni green na inatoa hewa safi.
57	posta	post	noun	Ninahitaji kwenda kwenye posta kuchukua barua.
58	road	road	noun	Barabara hii ni road nzuri.
59	sun	sun	noun	sun inang'ara angani.
60	blanketi	blankets	noun	Ninahitaji blanketi ili kujifunika usiku.
61	arena	arena	noun	Tukio hilo lilifanyika kwenye arena kubwa.
62	blogu	blog	noun	Nimeandika makala mpya kwenye blogu yangu.
63	day	day	noun	Leo ni day nzuri kwa matembezi.
64	elder	elder	noun	Yule elder anajua hadithi nyingi za zamani.
65	nape	nape	noun	Aligusa nape yake kwa huzuni.
66	observatory	observatory	noun	Tulitembelea observatory ya nyota.
67	bush	bush	noun	Watu wengi wanapenda kutembea kwenye bush.
68	demokrat	democrat	noun	Watu wengi wanapenda kuwa demokrat katika uchaguzi.
69	economic	economic	adjective	Nchi hiyo ina economic inayokua kwa haraka.
70	emir	emir	noun	emir alitembelea mji wetu jana.
71	fistula	fistula	noun	Daktari aligundua fistula katika mwili wa mgonjwa.
72	imam	imam	noun	imam aliongoza sala katika msikiti.
73	jubilee	jubilee	noun	Tunaadhimisha jubilee ya miaka hamsini.
74	kingi	king	noun	Mfalme alivaa kingi wakati wa sherehe.
75	society	society	noun	Katika society, watu wanashirikiana.
76	action	action	noun	Filamu hii ina action nyingi za kusisimua.
77	bakteria	bacteria	noun	Baadhi ya bakteria ni hatari kwa afya.
78	barrack	barrack	noun	Wanajeshi wanaishi katika barrack za kijeshi.
79	bati	bat	noun	Alinunua bati mpya za kujenga nyumba.
80	bio	bio	noun	Kila bio ina umuhimu katika mazingira.
81	corps	corps	noun	Kikosi cha corps kilifanya mazoezi ya pamoja.
82	forum	forum	noun	Tunaweza kujadili mada hii kwenye forum.
83	imamu	imam	noun	imamu aliongoza sala ya Ijumaa.
84	lithium	lithium	noun	lithium ni elementi muhimu katika betri.
85	love	love	noun	love ni hisia ya pekee kati ya watu.
86	oval	oval	adjective	Kikombe hiki kina umbo oval.
87	warranti	warrant	noun	Polisi walikuwa na warranti ya kumkamata.
88	belt	belt	noun	Ninahitaji belt mpya kwa suruali zangu.
89	chipu	chip	noun	Ninapenda chipu za maharage.
90	earth	earth	noun	Sayari earth ina maisha mengi.
91	grand	grand	adjective	Nyumba hiyo ina muonekano grand na inavutia watu wengi.
92	greens	greens	noun	Saladi hii ina greens nyingi za afya.
93	transparency	transparency	noun	Kampuni inahitaji transparency katika shughuli zake.
94	yam	yam	noun	Mtu anahitaji yam ili kuwa na nguvu.
95	voice	voice	noun	Ninapenda voice ya msanii huyu.
96	bite	bite	noun	Alinunua bite za samaki sokoni.
97	climate	climate	noun	climate ya eneo hili ni ya joto na unyevu.
98	club	club	noun	Nimejiunga na club ya michezo shuleni.
99	cup	cup	noun	Ninapenda kunywa chai katika cup yangu ya mkaa.
100	equatorial	equatorial	adjective	Nchi zetu ziko katika eneo equatorial la dunia.
101	guy	guy	noun	Yule guy ni rafiki yangu wa karibu.
102	job	job	noun	Nimepata job mpya ofisini.
103	joint	joint	noun	Tunaweza kutumia joint hili kwa mradi.
104	massi	mass	noun	Tunaweza kupata massi nyingi kwenye mtaa.
105	moody	moody	adjective	Yeye ni mtu moody mara nyingi.
106	nation	nation	noun	Kila nation inahitaji umoja ili kufanikiwa.
107	tantalum	tantalum	noun	tantalum ni madini ya thamani.
108	ubungo	ubungo	noun	Ninaishi karibu na ubungo mjini.
109	agenda	agenda	noun	Tuna agenda ya mkutano wa leo.
110	alphabet	alphabet	noun	Watoto wanajifunza alphabet ya Kiswahili.
111	aluminium	aluminium	noun	Chombo hiki kimeundwa kwa aluminium.
112	beach	beach	noun	Tunaenda beach siku ya Jumamosi.
113	benchi	bench	noun	Watoto wanakalia benchi kwenye bustani.
114	benz	benz	noun	Alinunua benz mpya mwaka huu.
115	big	big	adjective	Nyumba yao ni big sana.
116	desire	desire	noun	Mtu ana desire kubwa ya kufanikiwa.
117	electoral	electoral	adjective	Tuna uchaguzi electoral mwaka huu.
118	heifer	heifer	noun	Mkulima alileta heifer mpya shambani.
119	humanity	humanity	noun	Sote tunapaswa kuthamini humanity na kuheshimiana.
120	idea	idea	noun	Kila mtu ana idea yake kuhusu maisha.
121	internet	internet	noun	internet inasaidia katika kupata taarifa.
122	justice	justice	noun	justice ni haki ambayo kila mtu anastahili.
123	natron	natron	noun	natron ni kemikali inayotumika katika usindikaji.
124	porter	porter	noun	Mtu wa porter alibeba mizigo yetu kwenye hoteli.
125	tower	tower	noun	Kuna tower kubwa katikati ya jiji.
126	bani	ban	noun	Alinunua bani nzuri ya samaki.
127	black	black	adjective	Ninapenda rangi black ya mavazi.
128	bluu	blue	adjective	Samahani, je, unaweza kuniletea kofia bluu?
129	coalition	coalition	noun	Timu yetu ilifanya kazi na coalition nyingine.
130	crisis	crisis	noun	Nchi inakabiliwa na crisis kubwa ya kiuchumi.
131	diaspora	diaspora	noun	Watu wa diaspora wanachangia maendeleo ya nchi zao.
132	drama	drama	noun	Ninapenda kutazama drama za kisasa.
133	flamingo	flamingo	noun	Nimeona flamingo wakiruka kwenye ziwa.
134	high	high	adjective	Jengo hilo ni high sana.
135	hijabu	hijab	noun	Mwanamke anavaa hijabu kwa sababu za kidini.
136	hydrojeni	hydrogen	noun	hydrojeni ni muhimu kwa maisha.
137	innocent	innocent	adjective	Mtoto huyo ana uso innocent na wa furaha.
138	kardinali	cardinal	noun	Yeye ni kardinali wa kanisa letu.
139	lama	lama	noun	Ninapenda lama katika chakula.
140	limo	limo	noun	Kuna limo la chakula mezani.
141	man	man	noun	Kila man ana ndoto zake.
142	media	media	noun	media inachangia sana katika habari.
143	mirage	mirage	noun	Katika joto, mirage inaonekana kama maji.
144	nations	nations	noun	Nchi nyingi zinaungana ili kujenga nations za amani.
145	nobeli	nobel	noun	Mwandishi huyo alipokea tuzo ya nobeli kwa kazi yake.
146	orange	orange	noun	Ninapenda kula orange kwa sababu ni tamu.
147	rayon	rayon	noun	Mavazi haya yameandikwa kwa rayon.
148	shada	shade	noun	Aliweka shada kwenye meza ya sherehe.
149	shif	to shift	verb	Tafadhali shifmwenyewe ili usijisikie vibaya.
150	silicon	silicon	noun	Kompyuta nyingi zina sehemu za silicon.
151	soya	soy	noun	Ninapenda kula soyakwa mlo wangu.
152	sporting	sporting	adjective	Yeye anavaa mavazi sporting wakati wa mchezo.
153	star	star	noun	Nyota ya filamu alionekana kama star kwenye tukio.
154	suna	sun	noun	Alinunua suna nzuri sokoni.
155	sword	sword	noun	Aliweza kutumia sword katika mchezo wa kuigiza.
156	vision	vision	noun	Tuna vision ya wazi kwa ajili ya maendeleo.
157	kiisraeli	israeli	adjective	Mtu huyu ni kiisraeli na anaishi Tel Aviv.
158	canary	canary	noun	Ndege wa canary ni wa rangi nzuri.
159	delta	delta	noun	Mto unaingia kwenye delta kabla ya baharini.
160	drone	drone	noun	Tumeona drone ikiruka angani.
161	gold	gold	noun	Alinunua pete ya gold kwa ajili ya sherehe.
162	kilowati	kilowatt	noun	Kampuni inahitaji kilowati zaidi ya umeme.
163	pace	pace	noun	Tafadhali punguza pace ya kuzungumza.
164	plataforma	platform	noun	Treni itasimama kwenye plataforma hii.
165	time	time	noun	Ninapanga time yangu vizuri.
166	ban	ban	noun	Kila mtu alikubali sheria ya ban ya matumizi.
167	bosi	boss	noun	bosi wangu ni mtu mzuri.
168	church	church	noun	Tunaenda kwenye church Jumapili.
169	council	council	noun	Baraza la council linakutana kila mwezi.
170	demokratic	democratic	adjective	Tunahitaji mfumo demokratic katika nchi yetu.
171	emergency	emergency	noun	Tulihitaji msaada wa haraka kwa sababu ilikuwa emergency.
172	humusi	humus	noun	Mtu huyu ni humusi wa jamii yetu.
173	jota	a jot	noun	Kila jota lina umuhimu katika mchakato wa kujifunza.
174	mdemokrat	democrat	noun	mdemokrat ni mtu anayeshiriki katika siasa za kidemokrasia.
175	monitor	monitor	noun	Ninatumia monitor yangu kufuatilia kazi.
176	noti	note	noun	Ninahitaji noti za kutosha kununua chakula.
177	research	research	noun	research ni muhimu katika maendeleo ya sayansi.
178	salvation	salvation	noun	salvation ni muhimu katika maisha yetu.
179	shield	shield	noun	Ninahitaji shield ili kujilinda.
180	solid	solid	adjective	Kikombe hiki ni solid na hakiwezi kuvuja.
181	sovieti	soviet	noun	Historia ya sovieti ni ya kusisimua.
182	tigere	tiger	noun	Ninapenda tigere za asili.
183	tyre	tire	noun	Ninahitaji kubadilisha tyre ya gari langu.
184	uchina	china	noun	Kila mtu anataka kujifunza uchina kwa sababu ya biashara.
185	albino	albino	noun	albino ni mtu mwenye ngozi nyepesi.
186	communications	communications	noun	Katika biashara, communications ni muhimu kwa mafanikio.
187	deep	deep	adjective	Bahari ni deep sana na ina samaki wengi.
188	electric	electric	adjective	Tuna electric vifaa vya kisasa.
189	foreign	foreign	adjective	Kuna bidhaa nyingi foreign sokoni ambazo ni za kipekee.
190	good	good	adjective	Hii ni good sana kwa afya.
191	hills	hills	noun	Tunaweza kupanda hills wakati wa wikendi.
192	independent	independent	adjective	Nchi hii ni independent na yenye nguvu.
193	jeans	jeans	noun	Alivaa jeans na t-shati kwa ajili ya matembezi.
194	kamel	camel	noun	Nimeona kamel akicheka na watoto.
195	mwisraeli	israeli	noun	Yeye ni mwisraeli anayekuja kutembelea.
196	mzanzibari	zanzibari	noun	Yeye ni mzanzibari anayejivunia utamaduni wake.
197	nice	nice	adjective	Hii ni nice sana kwa ajili ya sherehe.
198	proteini	protein	noun	Chakula hiki kina proteini nyingi.
199	rabbai	rabbi	noun	Katika sinagogi, kuna rabbai anayeongoza ibada.
200	royal	royal	adjective	Alivaa mavazi royal kwenye sherehe ya kifalme.

Tips

Expect Swahili to add a final vowel to many English borrowings: hotel becomes hoteli, bomb becomes bomu, petrol becomes petroli, and satellite becomes satelaiti. Saying the word aloud with that extra vowel usually makes it stick faster than reading it silently.
Not every cognate gets reshaped. Words such as bar, bay, kilo, real, social, and global appear with their English spelling unchanged, so don't assume every borrowing will look different from its English source.
Some loanwords turn up in more than one spelling, such as radio and redio for radio. Learn to recognize both when reading, and stay consistent with whichever form you choose when writing.
Cognates are a shortcut, not a full strategy. They help most with nouns like hospitali, malaria, and virusi, while most everyday Swahili verbs and function words have no English relative, so keep building core vocabulary alongside them.
Watch for meaning drift. A borrowed word can differ from its English twin in tone or typical usage, so check it in an example sentence before assuming it behaves exactly like the English one.
Swahili spelling is highly regular: letters map to sounds consistently from word to word. That makes cognates like ajenda or gridi easier to pronounce than their English spellings might suggest.

Frequently asked questions

What are Swahili-English cognates?

They're words that are identical or nearly identical in both languages, usually because Swahili borrowed the term from English, sometimes adding a final vowel or adjusting the spelling. Examples on this page include hospitali, malaria, and satelaiti.

Are Swahili cognates always spelled the same as English?

No. Some keep the English spelling exactly, like bar, kilo, and social, while others shift slightly, like hoteli from hotel or petroli from petrol. Reading the words alongside their example sentences helps you notice which pattern each one follows.

Can I rely on cognates to learn Swahili vocabulary fast?

They're a useful shortcut for recognizing and remembering certain nouns quickly, but they cover only part of the language. Pair them with regular spaced-repetition practice, like typing the Swahili word for each English prompt in Vocab Voyage, so you also build the non-cognate vocabulary that makes up most everyday Swahili.

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