buibui
The English word "spider" is translated into Swahili as buibui.
The term refers to the arthropod known as a spider.
Meaning: arthropod (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Kenya, buibui is the most common and widely understood option for spider.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word buibui is used for both the singular and the plural forms of spider.
Did you know?
- In some East African folklore, the spider is depicted as a trickster figure, similar to the Anansi stories of West Africa.
- The term buibui is inherited from Proto-Bantu, meaning it shares a common ancient root with words for spider in dozens of other languages across Central and Southern Africa.
- The word buibui is an example of a reduplicated term, a common linguistic pattern in Bantu languages where a root is repeated to form a stable noun or to add emphasis.
Examples in context
- Nimeona buibui kubwa sana leo.I saw a very big spider today.
- Buibui mkubwa yuko kwenye ukuta.A large spider is on the wall.
- Ona buibui mdogo kwenye ua.Look at the small spider on the flower.
Example conversation
Omari and Zuwena are cleaning the living room.
- OmariZuwena, tazama buibui yule!Zuwena, look at that spider!
- ZuwenaYuko wapi, Omari?Where is it, Omari?
- OmariYuko juu ya meza.It is on top of the table.
- ZuwenaNitauondoa buibui huyo sasa hivi.I will remove that spider right now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spider” translations and entries buibui, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buibui, CC BY-SA 4.0.
