gari
/ˈɠɑ.ɾi/class 5, class 6
The Swahili word for car is gari. Wiktionary also lists motokaa.
Meaning: automobile, a vehicle steered by a driver (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swahili | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gari | /ˈɠɑ.ɾi/ | class 5, class 6 |
| motokaa | class 10, class 9 |
The word refers to an automobile or a vehicle steered by a driver.
Which one should you use?
gari is used in noun classes 5 and 6, while motokaa belongs to the N-class (9/10).
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of gari is magari, which follows the standard pattern for its noun class. In contrast, the plural of motokaa remains motokaa, as forms in the N-class often do not change when pluralized.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈɠɑ.ɾi/.
Did you know?
- The word gari did not come from English, but traveled from India through Omani Arabic before entering Swahili.
- Because gari is used for any steered vehicle, the word also refers to trains in many Swahili-speaking contexts.
- While gari is the standard term, using motokaa can sound archaic or overly formal to some modern speakers.
Examples in context
- Siku hizi, karibu kila gari ina GPS.These days, nearly every car has a GPS.This sentence illustrates the use of gari when mentioning modern car features like GPS.Tatoeba #10874925 by ecorralest101, translation #5102114 by jhomel
- Je, gari hilo lingine lilikugonga vibaya?Did the other car hit you hard?This sentence shows how to use gari when asking about a vehicle collision.Tatoeba #10892175 by ecorralest101, translation #7131792 by CM
- Kikosi cha ulinzi kilikagua gari kwa milipuko.The security team checked the car for explosives.This sentence demonstrates the use of gari in the context of a security inspection.Tatoeba #10869432 by ecorralest101, translation #4241401 by Hybrid
- Ninahitaji gari.I need a car.
- Gari hili ni la bei gani?How much does this car cost?
- Nitakuja kuchukua gari lako kesho.I will come to pick up your car tomorrow.
- Endesha gari polepole.Drive slowly.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Bakari and Fatuma are discussing transportation to a party.
- BakariJe, tunaweza kwenda kwa gari moja?Can we go in one car?
- FatumaNdiyo, lakini gari langu limejaa watu.Yes, but my car is full of people.
- BakariSawa, nitatumia gari la kaka yangu.Okay, I will use my brother's car.
- FatumaHiyo itakuwa bora zaidi, Bakari.That will be much better, Bakari.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “car” translations and entries gari, motokaa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gari, motokaa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
