bahari
The Swahili word for ocean is bahari.
The word bahari is used to refer to both an ocean and a sea. It is the most common translation for ocean in Swahili.
Meaning: one of the large bodies of water (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
bahari is a noun belonging to the N-class (noun class 9/10). This means the word itself does not change its form to indicate singular or plural in most contexts, although it will take different prefixes in a sentence depending on the grammatical structure.
When do people say it?
When you want to name a specific ocean, you use the construction Bahari ya [Name]. For example, Bahari ya Hindi is used for the Indian Ocean.
Did you know?
- In coastal Swahili culture, the bahari is often viewed not just as water but as a gateway to the world, symbolizing both opportunity and the historical arrival of foreign influences.
- The word bahari is borrowed from the Arabic word baḥr, reflecting the centuries of trade and cultural exchange between the Arabian Peninsula and the East African coast.
- The root of bahari is linked to Proto-West Semitic, meaning it shares an ancient linguistic ancestor with words for 'sea' in several other Middle Eastern languages.
Examples in context
- Mandhari ya bahari kutoka kwa barabara ulikuwa maridadi.The view of the ocean from the road was spectacular.This example shows how to describe a view of the bahari.Tatoeba #10833141 by ecorralest101, translation #681955 by Source_VOA
- Mita chache za juu za bahari huhifadhi joto kama mazingira ya Dunia.The top few meters of the ocean store as much heat as Earth's entire atmosphere.This sentence illustrates how the bahari stores heat.Tatoeba #10875492 by ecorralest101, translation #5322584 by Hybrid
- Bahari ya Atlantikini kubwa kidogo tu kuliko nusu ya Bahari ya Pasifiki.The Atlantic Ocean is only slightly larger than half the size of the Pacific Ocean.This sentence compares the size of the Atlantic and Pacific bahari.Tatoeba #10889169 by ecorralest101, translation #6679630 by Hybrid
- Nimefurahia kuona bahari ya Hindi.I enjoyed seeing the Indian Ocean.
- Bahari ya Atlantiki ni pana sana.The Atlantic Ocean is very vast.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zuwena and Omari are walking along a coastal road.
- ZuwenaJe, unaona bahari kule mbali?Do you see the ocean far away?
- OmariNdiyo, bahari inaonekana vizuri sana.Yes, the ocean looks very beautiful.
- ZuwenaOmari, twende kuogelea kwenye bahari.Omari, let's go swimming in the ocean.
- OmariNi wazo nzuri sana, Zuwena.That is a very good idea, Zuwena.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ocean” translations and entries bahari, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bahari, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
