kahawa
/kɑˈhɑ.wɑ/class 10, class 9
The Swahili word for coffee is kahawa.
kahawa is used to refer to the beverage. When you wish to use the word as an adjective to describe something of a pale brown colour, it is common to use the phrase rangi ya kahawa, which literally means 'the colour of coffee'.
Meaning: beverage (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
kahawa belongs to the noun class 9/10. As a result, the word itself does not change form to indicate singular or plural, but any modifiers or adjectives used with it will change to match this specific noun class.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The IPA is /kɑˈhɑ.wɑ/.
Did you know?
- The Arabic root of kahawa originally referred to a type of wine or an appetite suppressant, before it became the global term for the coffee bean brew.
- Traditional kahawa in some coastal regions is often spiced with ginger or cardamom, reflecting the Indian Ocean trade routes.
- The word kahawa is a linguistic traveler that arrived in East Africa via Arabic trade routes, originating from the Arabic word qahwa.
Examples in context
- Harufu ya kahawa iliniamsha.The smell of coffee woke me up.This sentence shows how to describe the smell of kahawa.Tatoeba #10886953 by ecorralest101, translation #6535156 by Micsmithel
- Nilipewa chaguo la chai au kahawa.I was offered the choice of tea or coffee.This sentence demonstrates using kahawa when discussing a choice between different drinks.Tatoeba #10815866 by ecorralest101, translation #240962 by jakov
- Je, ungependa kikombe kingine cha kahawa?Would you like another cup of coffee?This sentence is useful for offering someone a cup of kahawa.Tatoeba #3175799 by ecorralest101, translation #62256 by CK
- Ninataka kahawa, tafadhali.I would like coffee, please.
- Tafadhali niletee kahawa ya mchanganyiko.Please bring me mixed coffee.
- Twende tukanywe kahawa.Let's go and have some coffee.
- Utakula chakula na kahawa ya moto?Will you have food and hot coffee?
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a small cafe in the morning.
- OmariZuwena, unataka kahawa?Zuwena, do you want coffee?
- ZuwenaNdiyo, Omari, asante sana.Yes, Omari, thank you very much.
- OmariJe, unataka kahawa yenye maziwa?Do you want coffee with milk?
- ZuwenaHapana, kahawa nyeusi inatosha.No, black coffee is enough.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coffee” translations and entries kahawa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kahawa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
