nzuri
The Swahili word for 'good' in the sense of pleasant or enjoyable is nzuri.
nzuri is used to describe something that is pleasant or enjoyable, such as a good price or good manners. Its opposite is mbaya, which means 'bad'.
Meaning: pleasant, enjoyable (adj)
Which one should you use?
While nzuri is the standard way to express pleasantness, other words may be more appropriate depending on context. For example, use mwema when referring to someone's virtuous character and use mbaya to express the opposite of good.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes based on the noun class it describes.
Did you know?
- In Swahili, the word nzuri can describe both 'good' and 'beautiful'. Depending on the noun, the same word might translate to 'good weather' or 'a beautiful person'.
- While nzuri means 'good', the phrase nzuri sana is often used as a polite response to 'how are you' to indicate that everything is going well.
- Because of the way noun classes work, the word 'good' can appear in several different forms in a single paragraph, all of which are actually the same word.
Examples in context
- Nta hii ni nzuri.This floor wax also makes a good dip.This sentence shows how to use nzuri to describe a pleasant quality.Tatoeba #10887133 by ecorralest101, translation #6582647 by Eccles17
- Ni bei nzuri kwa kweliIt really is a good price.This sentence demonstrates using nzuri to describe a good price.Tatoeba #10856127 by ecorralest101, translation #3147972 by CK
- Salamu ni msingi wa tabia nzuri.Greetings are the basis of good manners.This sentence uses nzuri to describe good manners.Tatoeba #10807261 by ecorralest101, translation #28679 by Swift
- Habari yako? – NzuriHow are you? – I'm fine/good
- Chakula kilikuwa kizuriThe food was good
- Kazi yako imetendwa vizuriYour work has been done well
- Natumai una siku nzuriI hope you have a good day
- Mtoto wako ni mwema sanaYour child is very good/well-behaved
- Alijitolea kwa vitendo vyemaHe/she dedicated themselves to good deeds
- Mazungumzo yako yalikuwa mazuri na yenye busaraYour conversation was good and wise
- Mambo? – PoaWhat's up? – Cool/good
- Acha tu, mambo ni poaJust leave it, things are good
- Hiyo ngoma ni poa sanaThat song is really good/cool
- Kesho tukutane saa mbili – SafiLet's meet tomorrow at 2 o'clock – Okay/good
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Bakari and Zuwena are discussing a movie they recently watched.
- BakariFilamu hii ni nzuri sana.This movie is very good.
- ZuwenaNdiyo, hadithi yake ni nzuri.Yes, its story is good.
- BakariZuwena, unaona ni nzuri?Zuwena, do you think it is good?
- ZuwenaKweli, ni nzuri kabisa.Truly, it is quite good.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nzuri, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
