mjinga
The Swahili word for idiot is mjinga. Wiktionary also lists kichwamaji.
Meaning: person of low general intelligence (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swahili |
|---|
| mjinga |
| kichwamaji |
The term is used to describe a person of low general intelligence. While it is often used to mean an idiot, it more broadly refers to someone who is ignorant or lacks knowledge/wisdom.
Which one should you use?
While mjinga refers to an idiot or an ignorant person, kichwamaji is more specific and implies that someone is a stubborn or thick-headed person.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of mjinga is wajinga.
Did you know?
- The word kichwamaji literally translates to 'head of water', which is a metaphor for someone whose head is filled with water instead of brains.
- While mjinga can be an insult, it is also used in proverbs to describe the 'fool' who serves as a cautionary example for others to learn from.
- In some East African contexts, calling someone mjinga can be a playful or teasing term among close friends, similar to calling a friend 'silly' in English.
Examples in context
- Unafikiri mimi ni mjinga nikakubali ujanja huo wa zamani?Do you think I'm an idiot that I would fall for such an old trick?This sentence shows how to use mjinga when discussing whether someone has been tricked.Tatoeba #10852760 by ecorralest101, translation #2639246 by Dejo
- Mimi si mjinga.I'm not an idiot.This sentence demonstrates a simple way to use mjinga to deny being an idiot.Tatoeba #1108764 by megamanenm, translation #1108752 by megamanenm
- Katika hali hiyo, anayedhaniwa kufanya ujinga huo sio mjinga kabisa, bali mtu mwenye ufahamu finyu wa mambo.In that situation, the person believed to have done such a foolish act is not an idiot, but rather someone with limited knowledge.
- Jamaa yule bwege alijikwaa mara tatu mfululizo!That guy, the idiot, tripped three times in a row!
- Hakuna mtu mjinga kiasi cha huyo, ananijia na maswali ya wazi kabisa!No one can be as foolish as him, asking me such obvious questions!
- Yule mjinga amepoteza pochi yake.That idiot lost his wallet.
Example conversation
Neema and Juma are discussing a bad decision made by a friend.
- NeemaAlifanya kosa kubwa sana.He made a very big mistake.
- JumaNi kweli, yeye ni mjinga.True, he is an idiot.
- NeemaSema hivyo mbele yake.Say that in front of him.
- JumaHapana, sitaki ugomvi.No, I don't want a fight.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “idiot” translations and entries mjinga, kichwamaji, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kichwamaji, mjinga, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
