mchele
The English word rice is translated into Swahili using several terms depending on its state, with mchele being the default form. Wiktionary also lists mpunga and wali.
Meaning: seeds used as food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Swahili |
|---|
| mchele |
| mpunga |
| wali |
In Swahili, different words are used to distinguish between rice in its various stages of processing and cooking.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the stage of the rice: mpunga refers to unhusked rice or paddy while it is still in the husk or growing as a crop. mchele refers to the raw, husked rice grains that are ready to be cooked. And wali refers specifically to rice that has been cooked and is ready to eat.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Kenya, the term pishori is used specifically to describe Basmati rice.
Did you know?
- The Swahili word for cooked rice, wali, shares a common ancestor with the Malagasy word for uncooked rice, suggesting ancient maritime links between the East African coast and Madagascar.
- In Kenya, pishori is not just a variety of rice but a brand name that became a generic term for high-quality aromatic rice.
Examples in context
- usipoteze hata nafaka moja la mchele!Waste not a single grain of rice!This sentence demonstrates the importance of not wasting even a single grain of mchele.Tatoeba #10830935 by ecorralest101, translation #534640 by blay_paul
- Sherehe hufanyika wakati wa mazao ya mchele.A festival is held at the rice harvest.This sentence discusses a festival held during the mchele harvest.Tatoeba #10807185 by ecorralest101, translation #27171 by Yepthatscool
- Kuna desturi ya kula mikate ya mchele kwa Mwaka Mpya huko Japan.There is a custom of eating rice cakes for New Year's in Japan.This sentence mentions the custom of eating rice cakes made from mchele during the New Year in Japan.Tatoeba #10833220 by ecorralest101, translation #684676 by notrwanda
- Tunahitaji kupika wali kwa ajili ya karamu.We need to cook rice for the party.
- Unapenda mchele wa aina gani?What type of rice do you like?
- Chapati ya wali ni tamu sana!Rice chapati is very delicious!
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Omari and Zuwena are in the kitchen preparing dinner.
- OmariZuwena, tuna mchele wa kutosha?Zuwena, do we have enough rice?
- ZuwenaHapana, mchele umeisha.No, the rice is finished.
- OmariNitakwenda kununua mchele sasa hivi.I will go buy rice right now.
- ZuwenaTafadhali nunua mfuko mkubwa wa mchele.Please buy a large bag of rice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rice” translations and entries mchele, mpunga, wali, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mchele, mpunga, wali, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
