zawadi
/zɑˈwɑ.ɗi/class 10, class 9
The English word "gift" is translated into Swahili as zawadi.
zawadi refers to something given to another voluntarily and without charge. It can be used for both small presents and larger gifts, such as those given at weddings or birthdays.
Meaning: something given to another voluntarily, without charge (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
zawadi is an invariant noun, which means its form does not change whether you are referring to a single gift or multiple gifts.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. The IPA is /zɑˈwɑ.ɗi/.
Did you know?
- The word zawadi is a linguistic traveler, originally meaning 'provisions' or 'food for a journey' in Arabic.
- In many East African cultures, the act of giving a zawadi is often accompanied by a specific etiquette of presenting it with both hands to show respect.
- While English speakers use 'gift' for both a present and a talent, a person's natural talent is more commonly described as kipaji in Swahili.
Examples in context
- Unaweza kufungua kama zawadi?Could you gift wrap it?This sentence is useful for asking to gift wrap an item using zawadi.Tatoeba #10809078 by ecorralest101, translation #34095 by CK
- Kadi iliambatanishwa kwenye zawadi.A card was attached to the gift.This sentence shows how to describe a card attached to a zawadi.Tatoeba #10818856 by ecorralest101, translation #274350 by CK
- Mtu hahesabu meno ya farasi wa zawadi.One doesn't count the teeth of a gift horse.This sentence illustrates a proverb regarding a zawadi.Tatoeba #10831447 by ecorralest101, translation #647593 by Eldad
- Ninakuletea zawadi ya asante kwa msaada wako.I bring you a gift of gratitude for your assistance.
- Nimeleta zawadi ya kusherehekea siku yako ya kuzaliwa.I have brought a gift to celebrate your birthday.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Omari gives Aisha a present for her birthday.
- OmariHii ni zawadi yako ya siku ya kuzaliwa.This is your birthday gift.
- AishaAsante sana, Omari! Ni nini ndani?Thank you so much, Omari! What is inside?
- OmariNi zawadi ndogo tu kutoka kwangu.It is just a small gift from me.
- AishaNimefurahia sana zawadi hii.I really enjoyed this gift.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gift” translations and entries zawadi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries zawadi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
