mjinga
The Swahili word for stupid is mjinga.
The word is used to describe someone who is lacking in intelligence. It can function as an adjective to describe a person or as a noun to refer to the person themselves.
Meaning: lacking in intelligence (adj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Tanzania, people commonly use the term mjinga to refer to someone as stupid.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word mjinga can be used as both an adjective and a noun referring to a person. To refer to multiple stupid people, use the plural form wajinga. If you wish to speak about the concept of stupidity itself, use the noun form ujinga. A common antonym for mjinga is mjanja, which means clever or cunning.
Did you know?
- In certain coastal Swahili cultures, appearing mjinga is actually a social strategy used to avoid unwanted attention or responsibility.
- In East African social dynamics, being mjanja (the antonym of mjinga) is often valued more than being 'intelligent' because it implies a street-smart ability to navigate life's tricks.
- The root -jinga is thought to relate to the idea of being caught off guard or being unaware of one's surroundings.
Examples in context
- Ni bora kunyamaza na kuonekana mjinga kuliko kuzungumza na kuondoa shaka zote.It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.This sentence is useful for illustrating the idiom of appearing mjinga rather than speaking and revealing one's true nature.Tatoeba #10827142 by ecorralest101, translation #393244 by Scott
- Yeye ni mtu mjinga sana.He is a very stupid person.
Example conversation
Fatuma and Bakari are discussing a bad decision made by a friend.
- FatumaBakari, mbona alifanya hivyo?Bakari, why did he do that?
- BakariNi kwa sababu yeye ni mjinga.It is because he is stupid.
- FatumaSiwezi kuamini hilo.I can't believe that.
- BakariNi kweli, hana akili kabisa.It's true, he has no intelligence at all.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mjinga, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
