kobe
Turtle in Swahili is kobe, the noun kobe.
kobe is the word for a turtle or tortoise, and it is used above all for land tortoises.
Meaning: land or marine reptile with a shell (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The label class I/IX gives the noun class of kobe. The word stays the same in the plural.
Did you know?
- In East African folklore, the kobe is often portrayed as a clever trickster who uses wit to outsmart larger and stronger animals.
- In many Swahili-speaking coastal regions, the word kobe is often used in proverbs to describe a person who is slow, steady, or incredibly patient.
- While kobe covers both, speakers often specify kobe-maji for a sea turtle, literally translating to 'water turtle'.
Examples in context
- Kobe yule ni mkubwa sana.That turtle is very big.
- Ninaona kobe anatembea polepole.I see a turtle walking slowly.
- Kobe ana ganda gumu.A turtle has a hard shell.
Example conversation
Said and Zuwena are walking through a nature reserve.
- SaidZuwena, angalia kobe hapa!Zuwena, look at this turtle here!
- ZuwenaAha, ni kobe mdogo.Ah, it is a small turtle.
- SaidAnatembea polepole kwenye nyasi.He is walking slowly in the grass.
- ZuwenaNi mnyama mzuri sana.He is a very beautiful animal.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “turtle” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
