ng'ombe
/ˈŋɔ.ᵐbɛ/
The Swahili word for cow is ng'ombe.
The word ng'ombe refers to an adult female of the species Bos taurus.
Meaning: adult female of species Bos taurus (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word ng'ombe is used for both singular and plural forms, meaning it can represent a single cow or multiple cows.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈŋɔ.ᵐbɛ/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In some East African contexts, calling someone a ng'ombe can be a subtle insult implying the person is slow-witted or easily led.
- In traditional Swahili wedding customs in some regions, cattle were historically used as a form of bride price, making ng'ombe central to marriage contracts.
- The word is a direct descendant of the Proto-Bantu root *ngòmbè, showing how stable the word has remained across many centuries and different Bantu languages.
Examples in context
- Huko India, ng'ombe ni mnyama takatifu.In India, the cow is a sacred animal.This sentence shows how to describe a cow as a sacred animal in India using ng'ombe.Tatoeba #10813917 by ecorralest101, translation #65733 by AlanF_US
- Kifungo cha gerezani hakiweza kuweka pepo la ng'ombe kama huyo.A jail fence couldn't keep a demon of a cow like that out.This sentence uses ng'ombe in a metaphorical context regarding a demon.Tatoeba #10881019 by ecorralest101, translation #5951251 by Hybrid
- ng'ombe mzurinice cowThis example demonstrates the use of ng'ombe with an adjective.
- Katika shamba hili kuna ng'ombe 100.There are 100 cows in this farm.
- Taifa hili linajulikana kwa ufugaji wa ng'ombe.This country is known for cattle farming.
- Leo tuliona ng'ombe wengi porini.Today we saw many cows in the wild.
Example conversation
Omari and Aisha are visiting a farm in the countryside.
- OmariTazama, ng'ombe yule ana rangi nzuri sana.Look, that cow has a very beautiful color.
- AishaNi kweli, ng'ombe huyo anaonekana kuwa na afya.It is true, that cow looks healthy.
- OmariJe, unajua kama ng'ombe huyu anatoa maziwa mengi?Do you know if this cow produces a lot of milk?
- AishaNdiyo, ng'ombe huyu anatoa maziwa mengi kila siku.Yes, this cow produces a lot of milk every day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cow” translations and entries ng'ombe, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ng'ombe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
