kikohozi
The Swahili word for "cough" is kikohozi.
kikohozi is the noun used to describe the sudden, often involuntary expulsion of air from the lungs through the glottis and out through the mouth. To describe the intensity of a cough, you can use the adjective kikali (sharp/severe) after the noun kikohozi.
Meaning: sudden, often involuntary expulsion of air from the lungs through the glottis, and out through the mouth (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb -kohoa is a Bantu verb stem that requires a subject prefix to be used in a sentence.
Did you know?
- In some Swahili-speaking regions, if someone coughs during a conversation, it is a polite social custom for the other person to say afya to wish them health.
- A person might say they have homa, meaning 'fever', even if a cough is their only or primary symptom.
- The word mafua is often used to encompass both a cough and a common cold, treating them as a single medical concept rather than distinct ailments.
Examples in context
- Nimekuwa na kikohozi kwa siku chache sasa.I have had a cough for a few days now.
- Nimekuwa na kikohozi kwa muda sasa, natumai kitakwisha hivi karibuni.I have had a cough for a while now, I hope it will disappear soon.
- Nina kifua kikavu sana.I have a very dry cough.
- Kikohozi chake ni kibaya sana.His cough is very bad.
- Nina kikohozi kikavu leo.I have a dry cough today.
Example conversation
Neema is checking on Juma who is feeling unwell.
- NeemaJuma, una kikohozi kikali?Juma, do you have a severe cough?
- JumaNdiyo Neema, ninahisi vibaya.Yes Neema, I feel unwell.
- NeemaKikohozi chako kinakutatiza sana.Your cough is bothering you a lot.
- JumaNi kweli, nahitaji dawa.It is true, I need medicine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cough” translations and entries kikohozi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
