bibi
The Swahili word for grandma is bibi.
bibi is used to refer to a grandmother.
Meaning: grandmother (informal) (noun)
Which one should you use?
While bibi refers to a grandmother, the masculine counterpart used for grandfather is babu.
Did you know?
- The use of bibi reveals the historical deep-sea trade connections between East Africa, Arabia, and Persia.
- Depending on the region, bibi can be used to mean 'lady' or 'wife' rather than just a grandmother.
- Because of its Arabic roots, bibi can also be used as a formal title for a lady, similar to 'madam'.
Examples in context
- Nyanya anapenda kunisimulia hadithi za zamani.Grandma loves to tell me old stories.
- Bibi anapenda kupika chakula kitamu.Grandma loves to cook delicious food.
- Ninamtafuta bibi yangu.I am looking for my grandmother.
- Bibi anaishi katika kijiji.Grandma lives in the village.
Example conversation
Said and Fatuma are talking about their family weekend plans.
- SaidJe, utamtembelea bibi wikendi hii?Will you visit grandma this weekend?
- FatumaNdiyo, mimi na bibi tutaenda sokoni.Yes, grandma and I will go to the market.
- SaidHiyo itakuwa safari nzuri sana.That will be a very nice trip.
- FatumaAsante, Said, nitamwambia unamsalimu.Thanks, Said, I will tell her you say hello.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bibi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
