kipa
In Swahili, the word for goalkeeper is kipa. Wiktionary also lists golikipa and mlinda lango.
Meaning: player that protects a goal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swahili |
|---|
| kipa |
| golikipa |
| mlinda lango |
The term refers to the player who protects the goal in sports.
What does it mean word for word?
The formal phrase mlinda lango is a compound word where mlinda means 'protector' or 'guardian' and lango means 'gate', 'door' or 'opening'.
Which one should you use?
While golikipa is a possible form, the shortened version kipa is more common in everyday sports conversations.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Mlinda lango is the formal or descriptive way to say goalkeeper, often found in written journalism or official commentary. In contrast, kipa is the colloquial and most frequent term used by fans and players during a match.
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the singular kipa into the plural makipa, you use the noun class prefix ma-.
Did you know?
- In Swahili, the root -linda used in mlinda lango means 'to defend' or 'to guard', a term also used for security guards and sentries.
- The word lango used in the formal title is often used metaphorically in Swahili to describe an entrance to a country or a way into a subject.
- The word golikipa is a direct loanword from English, but it has been adapted to fit the phonetic structure of Swahili.
Examples in context
- Timu yetu inahitaji mlinda lango mzuri.Our team needs a good goalkeeper.
- Mlinda lango ni muhimu katika mchezo wa soka.The goalkeeper is crucial in a soccer game.
- Kipa wetu ni hodari sana.Our goalkeeper is very skilled.
- Je, kipa amefika uwanjani?Has the goalkeeper arrived at the stadium?
Example conversation
Juma and Fatuma are watching a football match on television.
- JumaKipa wa timu hii ni mvivu sana.The goalkeeper of this team is very lazy.
- FatumaHapana, Juma, kipa huyo ni mzuri.No, Juma, that goalkeeper is good.
- JumaLakini amepoteza mpira mara nyingi.But he has lost the ball many times.
- FatumaUtaona atafanya vizuri baadaye.You will see he will do better later.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goalkeeper” translations and entries kipa, golikipa, mlinda lango, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries golikipa, kipa, mlinda, mlinda lango, CC BY-SA 4.0.
