wayo
The Swahili word for sole is wayo.
The word wayo is used as an adjective meaning only.
Meaning: only (adj)
Did you know?
- Swahili incorporates many loanwords from Arabic due to centuries of trade. However, wayo is a native Bantu word, preserving the ancestral linguistic roots of the East African coast.
- Wayo shares a deep ancestral connection with words in Zulu and Shona due to their shared Bantu roots.
- When using wayo to mean 'solely' in an adverbial sense, Swahili speakers often prefer to use a different construction involving the word 'tu' placed after the verb or noun.
Examples in context
- Yeye ni mwanafunzi pekee kutoka nchi yake.He/She is the sole student from his/her country.
- Wao ndio wageni kipekee leo.They are the only guests today.
Example conversation
Said and Fatuma are looking for a lost key.
- SaidJe, tuna njia nyingine ya kufungua mlango huu?Do we have another way to open this door?
- FatumaHapana, funguo hizi ndiyo wayo pekee.No, these keys are the only way.
- SaidSasa tufanye nini, Fatuma?What do we do now, Fatuma?
- FatumaLazima tutafute funguo zile haraka.We must find those keys quickly.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry wayo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
