kwa
The Swahili word for the English phrase 'chez' is kwa.
kwa is a preposition used to mean 'at/in the home of'.
Meaning: at/in the home of (prep)
Did you know?
- Because kwa identifies a person's location, you can use it to designate a meeting point without specifying a street address, which is common in many East African towns.
- While kwa means 'at the home of' when followed by a person's name, it also functions as the general word for 'by' or 'with' when describing the tool used to do something.
- The origins of kwa can be traced back to the Proto-Bantu form *kʊ́á, which functioned as a possessive concord.
Examples in context
- Tutaonana kwa Fatuma leo.We will see each other at Fatuma's place today.
- Weka vitabu kwa Bakari.Put the books at Bakari's house.
- Wageni wapo kwa Juma.The guests are at Juma's home.
Example conversation
Fatuma and Bakari are discussing where to meet.
- FatumaTukutane kwa Bakari leo.Let's meet at Bakari's home today.
- BakariSawa, nitawakaribisha wote.Okay, I will welcome you all.
- FatumaJe, tutafika kwa saa ngapi?What time will we arrive there?
- BakariNjooni kwa saa tisa.Come at three o'clock.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry kwa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kwa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
