kapteni
The Swahili word for captain is kapteni.
The term kapteni refers to the person lawfully in command of a sea-going vessel. You may also encounter the word nahodha, which is a term used to address the captain of a ship or boat.
Meaning: the person lawfully in command of a sea-going vessel (noun)
Which one should you use?
nahodha is a term used to address the captain of a ship or boat.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of kapteni is makapteni.
Did you know?
- While kapteni is a loanword, the term nahodha comes from Arabic and is deeply tied to the historical dhow trade along the East African coast.
- The word nahodha is used for traditional sailing vessels, whereas kapteni is more common for modern motorized ships or aircraft.
- If you use kapteni in a sports context, such as calling a football captain, it sounds much more modern and international than using traditional Bantu roots.
Examples in context
- Tulimchagua Jeffrey kama Kapteni wa kikosi chetu.We elected Jeffrey captain of our team.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use kapteni when referring to a leader of a group.Tatoeba #10807279 by ecorralest101, translation #29096 by CN
- Nakusalimu, KapteniGreetings, Captain
- Asante NahodhaThank you, Captain
- Karibu JemadariWelcome, Captain
- Habari yako, Kapteni?How are you, Captain?
- Karibu Jemadari, tuko tayari kwa mafunzo!Welcome, Captain, we are ready for training!
- Kapteni anakuja sasa hivi.The captain is coming right now.
- Je, wewe ni kapteni wa meli hii?Are you the captain of this ship?
Example conversation
A woman is checking in with a man at the docks.
- AishaSamahani, je, wewe ni kapteni?Excuse me, are you the captain?
- BakariNdiyo, mimi ndiye kapteni wa meli hii.Yes, I am the captain of this ship.
- AishaHabari ya safari, kapteni Bakari?How is the voyage, Captain Bakari?
- BakariSafari ni nzuri sana.The voyage is very good.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kapteni, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
