kubwa
/ˈku.ɓʷɑ/
The Swahili word for big is kubwa.
kubwa is used to describe things of great size, such as nyumba kubwa (a big house), wanyama wakubwa (big animals) or majengo makubwa (big buildings). It is also used for abstract concepts, such as a big responsibility or a big mistake.
Meaning: of a great size (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective kubwa is invariant across noun classes, meaning it does not change its form to agree with the noun it modifies. If you wish to say something is very big, add the adverb sana after the adjective to form kubwa sana.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈku.ɓʷɑ/. The word has two syllables and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Swahili, if you call a person mtu mkubwa, you are not just saying they are a 'big person' physically, but you are likely calling them a 'senior' or a person of high status.
- While kubwa describes size, Swahili uses a different word, refu, to describe 'big' when referring to height, such as a 'big' or tall person.
- The word kubwa can be used to describe a 'big' city, but if the city is 'big' because it is sprawling or wide, speakers might use pana.
Examples in context
- Alishiriki katika kashfa kubwa.He took part in a big scam.This sentence shows how to use kubwa to describe a scam.Tatoeba #10837788 by ecorralest101, translation #1154157 by marcelostockle
- Kutunza farasi ni jukumu kubwa.Keeping a horse is a big responsibility.This sentence uses kubwa to describe a responsibility.Tatoeba #10850995 by ecorralest101, translation #2586975 by Hybrid
- Hiyo ilikuwa makosa kubwa sana!That was a really big mistake.This sentence demonstrates using kubwa to describe a mistake.Tatoeba #10858782 by ecorralest101, translation #3315086 by CK
- Jumba hili ni kubwa sanaThis house is very big
- Kikundi hiki ni kubwa kabisaThis group is the biggest
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Said and Aisha are looking at a house for rent.
- SaidNyumba hii ni kubwa sana.This house is very big.
- AishaNi kweli, ina vyumba vingi.It's true, it has many rooms.
- SaidJe, unaiipenda nyumba hiyo kubwa?Do you like that big house?
- AishaNdiyo, inapendeza sana.Yes, it is very lovely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “big” translations and entries kubwa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
