Ninapenda kupika. I like to cook. Vocabulary for Cooking in Swahili

In this post we’ll look at vocabulary and expressions related to cooking in Swahili. First, we’ll start with some expressions you can use to say that you’re hungry or thirsty. Then we’ll move on to Swahili vocabulary for meals. After that we’ll turn to vocabulary for cooking supplies and instruments. Finally, we’ll wrap up with specific vocabulary for different ways of cooking different in Swahili.

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Ninahisi njaa! I’m hungry!

Let’s start with things you might want to say before you have something to eat or drink.

Nina njaa.
I’m hungry.
Ninahisi njaa.
I feel hungry.
Nina kiu.
I’m thirsty.
Ninahisi kiu
I feel thirsty.
Nataka kula.
I want something to eat.
Nataka kitu cha kunywa.
I want something to drink.
Nataka vitafunio.
I want a snack.

Chakula cha jioni ni tayari! Dinner is ready!

The meals in Swahili are kifungua kinywa (breakfast), chakula cha mchana (lunch), and chajio (dinner). A snack is kitafunio.

Nini cha kifungua kinywa?
What’s for breakfast?
Nini cha chakula cha mchana.
What’s for lunch?
Nini cha chajio?
What’s for dinner?
Nini cha kitindamlo?
What’s for dessert?
Mimi hula kifungua kinywa mapema.
I eat breakfast early.
Mimi hula chakula cha mchana na wenzangu.
I eat lunch with colleagues.
Mimi hula chajio na familia yangu.
I eat dinner with my family.

Mbao za kukata na Bakuli za kuchanganya: Cutting boards and Mixing Bowls

When you think of vocabulary for talking about cooking in Swahili, you probably think about these: mbao za kukata a cutting board, seti ya visu a set of knives, bakuli ya kuchanganya a mixing bowl, mwikoa wooden spoon, a ladle, kichakataji cha chakula a food processor, kichanganyio cha umemean electric mixer, tawa a tawa pan, a wok, karatasi ya kuoka a baking sheet, safuria ya kuoka a baking pan, sufuria ya kukaanga a frying pan, sufuria a pot.

Nakata mboga kwa mbao ya kukata.
I cut vegetables on a cutting board.
Hakuna nafasi kwa kaunta.
There’s no space on the counter.
Uko na seti ya visu vikali?
Do you have a set of sharp knives?
Ninachanganya viungo kwenye bakuli la kuchanganya.
I mix ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Ninakoroga supu kwa kijiko cha mbao.
I stir soup with a wooden spoon.
Ninatumia mwiko kupakua supu.
I use a ladle to serve soup.
Kichakataji cha chakula ni haraka na rahisi.
Food processors are fast and convenient.
Unatumia kichanganyio cha umeme mara nyingi.
Do you use the electric mixer often?
Kuki ziko kwa karatasi ya kuoka.
The cookies are on the baking sheet.
Ninapika samaki kwa sufuria ya kuoka.
I cook fish in a baking pan.
Ninatumia tawa mara kwa mara.
I use the wok/tawa pan very often.
Napika mayai kwa sufuria ya kukaanga.
I cook eggs in a frying pan.
Uko na sufuria kubwa ya supu?
Do you have a large pot for the soup?

Vifaa vya jikoni.: Kitchen Appliances

To continue our vocabulary for cooking in Swahili, let’s turn to some cooking appliances and kitchen gadets. Even if you don’t have a lot of gadgets in your kitchen, your probably got most of these: jokofu a refrigerator, jiko a stove/cooker, tanuri an oven, mikrowavu ya tanuri a microwave oven, kibaniko a toaster, sinki a sink, mashine ya kuosha vyombo a dishwasher.

If you like to take cooking to the next level, you may have: kitengeneza mchele a rice maker, kitengeneza kahawa a coffee maker, birika ya elekroniki an electric kettle, jiko la kupika polepole a slow cooker, kikaango cha hewa an air fryer, mashine ya mkate a bread machine, kitengeneza aisikrimu an ice-cream maker, kikaango cha kina deep fryer.

Ninapika supu kwa jiko.
I am cooking soup on the stove.
Ninaoka keki na mikate katika tanuri.
I am baking cakes and bread in the oven.
Napasha mabaki katika mikrowevu.
I am heating left-overs in the microwave.
Natengeneza tosti katika kibaniko.
I am making toast in the toaster.
Mimi hutumia kitengeneza mchele kila wakati. Sijawai kupika mchele kwa jiko.
I always use a rice maker. I never cook rice on the stove.
Nachemsha maji na birika ya umeme.
I am boiling water with the electric kettle.
Unatumia jiko lako la polepole mara nyingi.
Do you use your slow cooker often?
Vikaango vya hewa huwa havitumii mafuta mengi.
Air fryers don’t use a lot of oil.
Natengeneza mkate na kitengeneza mkate.
I make bread in the bread maker.
Vikaango vya kina hutumia mafuta mengi.
Deep fryers use a lot of oil.