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In this post we’ll talk about clothing in Swahili.
Navaa shati jeusi. I’m wearing a black shirt.
Let’s start with the basics: nguo (clothes); shati (a shirt); suruali (pants); jinzi / jeans (jeans); shati la tee (a tee shirt); mkanda (a belt); kuvaa (to wear, to get dressed); kuvua (to get undressed); kuvaa shati (to put on a shirt), kuvua shati (to take off a shirt).
- Navaa shati jeupe.
I’m wearing a white shirt. - Mimi huvaa jeans kila wakati mwishoni mwa wiki.
I always wear jeans on the weekend.
- Nimevaa jinzi na shati la tee.
I’m wearing jeans and a tee shirt. - Jinzi hizi ni kubwa sana. Nahitaji mkanda.
These jeans are too big. I need a belt. - Navaa shati.
I’m putting on a shirt. - Navua jinzi.
I’m taking off my jeans. - Navaa kila asubuhi.
I get dressed every morning. - Navua nguo kabla niingie kwa kitanda.
I take my clothes off before bed.
Hiyo ni blauzi nzuri. That’s a nice blouse.
Now let’s look at some more vocabulary for less casual clothing: rinda (a dress); sketi (a skirt); blauzi (a blouse); suti ya mwanaume (a man’s suit); suti ya mwanamke (a woman’s suit); tai (a tie); jaketi ya suti (a suit jacket); tuxedo (a tuxedo); rinda la harusi (a wedding dress).
- Kawaida huvaa sketi na blauzi kazini.
She usually wears a skirt and a blouse at work. - Amevaa sketi nyeusi na blauzi nyeupe.
She’s wearing a black skirt and a white blouse. - Kawaida huvaa suti na tai kazini.
He usually wears a suit and tie at work. - Rinda lake jekundu ni nzuri.
Her red dress is beautiful. - Ana suti nyingi za bluu.
He has a lot of blue suits. - Ni mkutano rasmi, kwa hiyo amevaa tuxedo.
It’s a formal event, so he’s wearing a tuxedo. - Bibi harusi anavaa linda nzuri la harusi.
The bride is wearing a beautiful wedding dress. - Je, utavaa tai ya rangi gani na hilo koti?
What color tie are you going to wear with that jacket?
Ni baridi! Nimevaa sweta. It’s cold! I’m wearing a sweater.
Now let’s look at some clothing you may wear when it’s cold: sweta (a sweater); sweatshirt/fulana ya jasho (a sweatshirt); koti (a coat); jaketi (a jacket); glovu (gloves, mitten); shali (a scarf); kofia (a hat, a hood); koti ya mvua (a raincoat); mwavuli (an umbrella); sweta yenye kofia (a hoodie).
- Navaa sweta wakati kuna baridi.
I put on a sweater when it’s chilly. - Je, ninaweza kuazima sweta yenya kofia?
Can I borrow a hoodie? - Nitaleta koti langu. Huenda ikawa baridi usiku wa leo.
I’m going to bring my jacket. It may be chilly tonight. - Daima huvaa koti la jeans / koti la ngozi / koti la pikipiki.
He always wears a jeans jacket / a leather jacket / a motorcycle jacket. - Mimi huvaa koti, kofia na shali na wakati wa baridi.
I wear a coat, a hat, and a scarf when it’s cold. - Usisahau glovu zako.
Don’t forget your gloves/mittens. - Unahitaji kofia leo.
You need a hat today. - Ni baridi katika nyumba yangu, kwa hivyo nimevaa fulana ya jasho.
It’s cold in my apartment, so I’m wearing a sweatshirt. - Mvua inanyesha, lakini sina mwavuli wangu.
It’s raining, but I don’t have my umbrella. - Nitavaa koti la mvua leo.
I’m going to wear a raincoat today.
Ni moto! Nimevaa kaptura. It’s hot! I’m wearing shorts.
When the weather is hot, you probably want to know how to say: kaptura (shorts); suti ya kuoga (a bathing suit); vigogo vya kuogelea (swimming trunks); bikini (a bikini); tank top (a tank top); miwani ya jua (sunglasses); kofia ya besiboli (a baseball cap).
- Kuna joto sana leo, kwa hivyo ninavaa kaptura.
It’s really hot today, so I’m wearing shorts. - Mimi huvaa suti ya kuoga ninapoenda ufukweni/dimbwi.
I put on a bathing suit when I go to the beach/pool. - Amevaa vigogo vya kuogelea, naye amevaa bikini.
He’s wearing swimming trunks, and she’s wearing a bikini. - Yeye huvaa tank tops kila wakati katika msimu wa joto.
He always wears tank tops in the summer. - Kuna jua. Je, unahitaji miwani yako ya jua?
It’s sunny. Do you need your sunglasses? - Mimi huvaa kofia ya besiboli kila wakati.
I always wear a baseball cap.
Nahitaji viatu vipya. I need new shoes.
Now let’s look at some footwear: viatu (shoes); soksi (socks); raba/snika (sneakers); lapulapu (sandals); kandambili, flip flops (flip-flops); buti (boots); supatu (slippers); viatu vya juu (heels); kamba za viatu (shoe laces).
- Amevaa viatu vya ngozi nyeusi.
He’s wearing black leather shoes. - Kawaida huvaa viatu vya juu anapoenda kazi.
She usually wears heels to work. - Mimi huvaa snika kila wakati mwishoni mwa wiki.
I always wear sneakers on the weekend. - Mimi huvaa kandambili ufukweni.
I wear flip-flops at the beach. - Kawaida mimi huvaa lapulapu katika msimu wa joto.
I usually wear sandals in the summer. - Tafadhali vua viatu vyako na uvae supatu ndani ya nyumba.
Please take your shoes off and put on slippers in the house. - Mimi huvaa buti wakati wa theluji.
I wear boots when it’s snowing. - Vaa viatu raba/snika kisha twende kucheza mpira wa vikapu.
Put on your sneakers and let’s go play basketball. - Kuwa mwangalifu! Makamba yako ya viatu yamefunguliwa.
Be careful! Your shoe laces are untied.
Nguo ya ndani: Underwear
Now let’s look at vocabulary for what you wear under everything else: nguo ya ndani (underwear); suruali ya ndani (underpants); shati la ndani (an undershirt); makaptula ya boxer (boxers); chupi (panties); sidiria (a bra).
- Nahitaji kununua chupi mpya.
I need to buy new underwear. - Nahitaji kufua nguo, sina chupi safi.
I need to do laundry, I don’t have any clean underpants. - Anavaa sidiria na chupi.
She is wearing a bra and panties. - Yeye huvaa makaptula ya boxer kila wakati.
He always wears boxers. - Mimi hulala kwenye suruali ya ndani na shati la ndani.
I sleep in underwear and an undershirt.
Shati hili ni ndogo sana. This shirt is too small.
Here’s some vocabulary that you can use to talk about clothing:
- Unavaa viatu ukubwa gani?
What size shoe do you wear? - Je, unavaa ndogo, ya kati, kubwa, au kubwa zaidi?
Do you wear a small, a medium, a large, or an extra large? - Shati hili ni kubwa sana/ndogo/linalobana/legevu.
This shirt is too big/small/tight/loose. - Suruali hizi hazinitoshi.
These pants don’t fit. - Snika hizi zimenitosha vizuri sana.
These sneakers fit very well. - Sweta hili lina joto ya starehe.
This sweater is warm and comfortable. - Viatu hivi viliniumiza miguu!
These shoes hurt my feet! - Jacket hiyo inaonekana nzuri sana kwako.
That jacket looks really good on you. - Suruali hizo hazionekani vizuri kwako.
Those pants don’t look good on you. - Shati hilo halilingani na suruali hizo.
That shirt doesn’t match those pants.
Ninapenda kitambaa hiki! I love this fabric!
Finally, let’s look at some vocabulary related to fabrics, designs, and more: pamba (cotton); hariri (silk); pamba (wool); ngozi (leather); yenye milia (stripes); yenye nukta (with dots); muundo (pattern); kifungu (a button); mikono fupi (short-sleeved); mikono refu (long-sleeved); zipu (a zipper); mkanda wa bakoli (a belt buckle).
- Ninapenda shati yenye mistari.
I like the striped shirt. - Blauzi yake ina muundo wa maua.
Her blouse has a floral pattern. - Amevaa shati lenye nukta.
She’s wearing a shirt with dots. - Je, shati hilo limetengenezwa kwa kitambaa gani?
What fabric is that shirt made of? - Mimi huvaa pamba tu.
I only wear cotton. - Sweta yangu ya pamba ina joto sana.
My wool sweater is very warm. - Blausi ya hariri ni nzuri, ila ni ghali!
The silk blouse is beautiful, but expensive! - Umevaa shati la mkono fupi au refu?
Are you wearing a short-sleeved shirt or a long-sleeved shirt? - Kifunguu chako kimetoka!
Your button has come off! - Zipu yako imefunguka!
Your zipper is open!
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