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In this post we’ll look at some basic Swahili vocabulary that you can use to talk about daily life at home.

Nyumba, Ghorofa: A House, An Apartment

Let’s start with some basic vocabulary: nyumba house; ghorofa apartment; chumba room; sebule living room; jikoni kitchen; bafu bathroom; chumba cha kulala bedroom; chumba cha maankuli dining room; ghorofa ya chini basement; darini attic; njia ya kuendesha gari driveway; dirisha window; ukuta wall; dari ceiling; sakafu floor; mlango door.

• Naenda nyumbani.
  I’m going home.
• Tuko nyumbani. Hatuko nyumbani.
  We are home. / We aren’t home.
• Je, unaishi kwa nyumba ya ghorofa?
  Do you live in an apartment?
• Kuna vyumba vingapi kwa nyumba yako/ghorofa.
  How many rooms are there in your house/apartment?

Jikoni: The Kitchen

Now let’s focus on basic vocabulary related to the kitchen: jokofu refrigerator; jiko stove, cooker, fireplace; tanuri oven; sinki sink; mashini ya kuosha vyombo dishwasher: kabati cupboard; meza table; droo drawer; uma fork; kisu knife; kijiko spoon; sahani plate; bakuli bowl; kikombe cup; bilauri glass; kitambaa napkin.

• Nina jikoni ndogo.
  I have a small kitchen.
• Ninapika jikoni.
  I cook in the kitchen.
• Chakula kiko katika jokofu.
  The food is in the refrigerator.
• Kuna meza na viti sita kwa chumba cha maankuli.
  There are a table and six chairs in the dining room.
• Tunakula kwa chumba cha maankuli.
  We eat dinner in the dining room.

Sebule: The Living Room

Here is some vocabulary related to the living room: sofa sofa; runinga/televisheni television; pazia curtain; zulia carpet, rug; rafu ya vitabu bookshelf; taa lamp.

• Kuna sofa na viti viwili  kwenye sebule.
  There is a sofa and two chairs in the living room.
• Tunatazama runinga kwenye sebule.
  We are watching TV in the living room.

Chumba cha kulala: The Bedroom

Here is some basic vocabulary related to the bedroom: kitanda bed; mto pillow; blanketi blanket; shuka sheet; dawati desk.

• Nalala  chumbani mwangu.
  I sleep in my bedroom.
• Nina dawati katika chumba changu cha kulala.
  I have a desk in my bedroom.
• Nina taa kwenye dawati langu.
  There is a lamp on the desk.

Bafu: The Bathroom

And finally, let’s see some vocabulary related to the bathroom: msalani toilet; sinki bathroom sink; mfreji wa kuogea shower; hodhi bathtub, bathroom: taulo towel; karatasi ya choo toilet paper; mswaki toothbrush; dawa ya meno toothpaste; sabuni soap; shampu shampoo; brashi brush; kichana comb; wembe razor.

• Wapi bafu?
  Where is the bathroom?
• Naoga katika bafu.
  I take a shower in the bathroom.

Do you want to learn Swahili?

Check out our other posts on Swahili language, culture, and more. And if you’re looking for convenient and affordable live Swahili lessons with a real teacher, check out The Language Garage Swahili. Our lessons are given online in a virtual classroom, so it doesn’t matter where you live or work. We can come to you. And we have flexible options, with a free trial so that you can decide if there’s a fit. Check us out!