shujaa
The Swahili word for brave is shujaa.
shujaa is used to describe someone who is strong in the face of fear.
Meaning: strong in the face of fear (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
shujaa is an invariant word, meaning it does not change its form based on context. It can function as an adjective meaning 'brave' or as a noun meaning 'hero'.
Did you know?
- In East African storytelling, a shujaa is not just someone who is brave, but often a legendary figure who protects the community from supernatural threats.
- The word shujaa is a loanword from Arabic, specifically from the root for 'brave' or 'valiant'.
- In some dialects and older literature, words related to 'shujaa' can imply a certain level of recklessness if not paired with other words for wisdom.
Examples in context
- Ali ni mtoto jasiri sana.Ali is a very brave child.
- Ushujaa wake ulimfanya awe jasiri.His bravery made him courageous.
- Aliamua kuwa jasiri mbele ya changamoto hizo.He decided to be brave in the face of those challenges.
- Roho jasiri haikatishwi tamaa kirahisi.A brave spirit is not easily discouraged.
- Paka huyu ni shujaa kuliko wote.This cat is braver than all of them.
- Yeye ni mtu shujaa ambaye hatishwi na hatari.He is a brave person who is not intimidated by danger.
- Shujaa humkabili hofu bila kusita.A brave person confronts fear without hesitation.
- Mwanajeshi shujaa.A brave soldier.
- Yeye ni shujaa sana.He is very brave.
- Mwanajeshi shujaa alipambana.A brave soldier fought.
Example conversation
Said and Fatuma are talking about a scary movie.
- SaidFatuma, unaogopa giza?Fatuma, are you afraid of the dark?
- FatumaHapana, mimi ni shujaa.No, I am brave.
- SaidBasi twende ndani sasa.Then let's go inside now.
- FatumaHaya, twende!Okay, let's go!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry shujaa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries shujaa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
