moja
/ˈmɔ.ʄɑ/
The Swahili word for 'one' is moja.
moja is the cardinal number for one. It is also used as an impersonal pronoun to refer to one thing or person, or as a determiner to mean a single, unspecified thing.
Meaning: cardinal number 1 (num)
Which one should you use?
While moja is commonly used when counting objects, the form mmoja is more commonly used when counting people.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Swahili, numbers must agree with the noun class of the object being counted. The form moja is used specifically for nouns in the M-/Mi- class or the N- class. When counting people belonging to the M-/Wa- class, the number 'one' changes to mmoja.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of moja is /ˈmɔ.ʄɑ/. It has two syllables, and the stress is on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- The word moja is a remnant of the ancient Proto-Bantu language, meaning it is shared by hundreds of different languages across central and southern Africa.
- Swahili has distinct noun classes for things like trees, tools and liquids, and the word for 'one' must be adapted for each specific group.
- The choice of whether to use moja or mmoja triggers a grammatical chain reaction that changes the prefixes of adjectives in the same sentence.
Examples in context
- Naweza kupata tiketi ya Siku moja?Can I have a one-day ticket?This sentence shows how to use moja to express a duration of one day.Tatoeba #10877747 by ecorralest101, translation #5565505 by kalyanshrestha
- Tumbo ni moja wapo ya viungo vya ndani.The stomach is one of the internal organs.This sentence uses moja to indicate one of several internal organs.Tatoeba #10807247 by ecorralest101, translation #28152 by CK
- Meza moja mara nne kwa siku, baada ya kula.Take one four times a day, after meals.This sentence uses moja to specify a single dose of medication.Tatoeba #10830597 by ecorralest101, translation #462498 by lukaszpp
- Mimi ni mmojaI am one.
- Nina kitabu kimojaI have one book.
- Naomba soda mojaGive me one soda.
- 32 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Fatuma and Bakari are at a market looking at fruit.
- FatumaNataka parachichi moja tu.I want only one avocado.
- BakariHaya, chukua moja.Okay, take one.
- FatumaAsante sana, Bakari.Thank you very much, Bakari.
- BakariKaribu, Fatuma.You're welcome, Fatuma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “one” translations and entries moja, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries moja, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
