mbuzi
/ˈᵐbu.zi/class 10, class 9
The Swahili word for goat is mbuzi.
The word mbuzi is used to refer to the animal, specifically a goat.
Meaning: animal (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable. It is pronounced /ˈᵐbu.zi/.
Did you know?
- In many Swahili-speaking regions, the goat is a symbol of wealth and is a common way to settle traditional debts or dowries.
- In certain East African coastal cultures, the word mbuzi can also be used metaphorically to describe a person who is acting foolish or stubborn.
- The word mbuzi is inherited from the Proto-Bantu root *mbʊ́dì, which traces back even further to Proto-Atlantic-Congo.
Examples in context
- Alikula steki ya nyama ya mbuzi.He ate a goat cheese burger.Tatoeba #10852745 by ecorralest101, translation #2633507 by Hybrid
- Ninaona mbuzi kwenye shamba.I see a goat in the farm.
- Tunapika mbuzi choma kwa chakula cha jioni.We are cooking roasted goat for dinner.
- Niliona mbuzi mwitu ukipita karibu na barabara.I saw a wild goat passing by the road.
- Mbuzi wangu ni mweusi.My goat is black.
- Kuna mbuzi mmoja kwenye shamba.There is one goat in the farm.
Example conversation
At a local market.
- FatumaJe, unauza mbuzi leo?Are you selling a goat today?
- BakariNdiyo, nina mbuzi wengi.Yes, I have many goats.
- FatumaMbuzi huyu ana bei gani?How much is this goat?
- BakariHuyu ni mbuzi mzuri sana.This is a very good goat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “goat” translations and entries mbuzi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mbuzi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
