mbwa
/ˈm̩.bʷɑ/class 10, class 9
The English word 'dog' is translated to Swahili as mbwa.
mbwa refers to the animal known as a dog.
Meaning: animal (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The word mbwa belongs to noun classes 9 and 10.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable. The IPA is /ˈm̩.bʷɑ/.
Did you know?
- Calling someone a mbwa in Swahili is a severe insult, implying the person is low or lacks dignity, rather than just being 'dog-like'.
- The word mbwa traces back to the ancient Proto-Atlantic-Congo root *-bhúa-, which is the same ancestral source for 'dog' words across many distant languages in sub-Saharan Africa.
- The pronunciation of mbwa features a syllabic consonant, meaning the 'm' acts as the vowel for the first syllable.
Examples in context
- Tumpa mbwa jina la Tim.We named the dog Tim.This sentence shows how to use mbwa when naming an animal.Tatoeba #10818142 by ecorralest101, translation #262642 by CN
- Mbwa yuko chini ya meza.The dog is under the table.This sentence uses mbwa to describe the dog's location.Tatoeba #13828158 by ecorralest101, translation #6004778 by tvindy
- Mbwa akaketi karibu na mtu.The dog sat down by the man.This sentence uses mbwa to describe the dog's action.Tatoeba #10815775 by ecorralest101, translation #239218 by CK
- Nimeona mbwa barabarani.I saw a dog on the road.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Aisha and Said are walking down a street in Nairobi.
- AishaMbwa huyu ni mkubwa sana.This dog is very big.
- SaidNdiyo, mbwa huyo anaonekana kuwa na njaa.Yes, that dog looks hungry.
- AishaSaid, usiogope, mbwa huyu ni mnyama mpole.Said, don't be afraid, this dog is a gentle animal.
- SaidSawa, mimi nitatembea mbali kidogo.Okay, I will walk a little distance away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dog” translations and entries mbwa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mbwa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
