yai
class 5, class 6
The Swahili word for egg is yai.
The term yai refers to the edible egg of a domestic fowl, as well as the contents of such an egg used as food.
Meaning: edible egg of a domestic fowl, the contents of such an egg or eggs used as food (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun yai belongs to the JI-MA noun class, which typically uses the prefixes 'li-' or 'ji-' for singular forms and 'ma-' for plural forms. The plural form of yai is mayai.
Did you know?
- In Swahili, the word mayai is also used as a slang term for 'money', particularly in certain urban contexts.
- The word yai is inherited from the Proto-Bantu root *ìgɪ́, meaning it shares a common ancient ancestor with words for 'egg' in hundreds of other languages across Central and Southern Africa.
- When ordering eggs in a local 'kibanda' or food stall, simply saying yai might lead to confusion because the vendor will often ask if you want it chemsha for boiled or kaanga for fried.
Examples in context
- Kamata yai la dhahabu.Grab the golden egg.This sentence shows how to use yai in the context of a golden egg.Tatoeba #10869677 by ecorralest101, translation #4398835 by XenoKat
- Twanga yai kabla ya kuliweka kwenye supu.Beat the egg before putting it in the soup.This sentence demonstrates how to use yai when preparing soup.Tatoeba #10850521 by ecorralest101, translation #2464745 by sharptoothed
- Ninaomba yai moja, tafadhali.I would like one egg, please.
Example conversation
A woman and a man are discussing breakfast in a kitchen.
- JumaZuwena, je, kuna yai kwa ajili yangu?Zuwena, is there an egg for me?
- ZuwenaNdiyo Juma, nimeandaa yai moja.Yes Juma, I have prepared one egg.
- JumaAsante, nimefurahi sana.Thank you, I am very happy.
- ZuwenaKaribu, kula sasa.You're welcome, eat now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “egg” translations and entries yai, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries yai, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
