mbu
class 10, class 9
The Swahili word for mosquito is mbu.
mbu refers to the small flying insect of the family Culicidae, known for biting and sucking blood.
Meaning: small flying insect of the family Culicidae, known for biting and sucking blood (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of mbu is mbu.
Did you know?
- Calling a person a mbu is a colloquial way to describe someone who is persistently annoying or refuses to leave you alone.
- The term mbu is inherited from the Proto-Bantu root *mbʊ́, meaning it is a word shared by hundreds of different languages across Central and Southern Africa.
- In East Africa, the word mbu is often used in public health campaigns as a shorthand for the threat of malaria, rather than just the insect itself.
Examples in context
- Kanda hii inahitaji kuwa na njia bora za kukabiliana na mbu.This region needs effective ways to combat mosquitoes.
- Kuna mbu wengi hapa.There are many mosquitoes here.
- Nimesikia sauti ya mbu.I heard the sound of a mosquito.
Example conversation
Neema and Said are sitting on a porch at night.
- NeemaSaid, mbu wanatume sana hapa.Said, the mosquitoes are biting a lot here.
- SaidNi kweli, naona mbu mmoja sasa hivi.It is true, I see one mosquito right now.
- NeemaTuingie ndani haraka.Let's go inside quickly.
- SaidHaya, twende ndani msaidizi wangu.Okay, let's go inside, my helper.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mosquito” translations and entries mbu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mbu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
