shujaa
The Swahili word for warrior is shujaa.
The term shujaa refers to a person engaged in battle or conflict. However, it is also commonly used to describe a hero or a brave person in contexts that do not involve combat.
Meaning: person actively engaged in battle, conflict or warfare (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of shujaa is mashujaa. When you want to denote a single warrior using a person class prefix, the form mshujaa is often used. You may also encounter the related word ujasiri, which means bravery.
Did you know?
- The word shujaa is an Arabic loanword, tracing back to the Arabic word šujāʕ which describes someone possessing courage.
- While shujaa can mean 'warrior', using it to describe a political leader can either be a high compliment or a sarcastic critique depending on the tone.
- In modern Swahili, shujaa is frequently used to describe everyday heroes, such as doctors or firefighters, who have never seen a battlefield.
Examples in context
- Shujaa amekufia wewe, binti yangu mrembo.The warrior has died for you, my sweet princess.This sentence shows how shujaa can be used to describe someone who has died for another person.Tatoeba #10838221 by ecorralest101, translation #1252052 by satsu
- John ni mshujaa mkubwa aliyepigana bila woga katika mapambano ya Mbwake.John is a great warrior who fought fearlessly in the battle of Mbwake.
- Tunawaenzi wazee wetu ambao walikuwa mashujaa jasiri.We look up to our ancestors who were brave warriors.
- Ana moyo wa shujaa, tayari kukabiliana na changamoto yoyote.She has the heart of a warrior, ready to face any challenge.
- Shujaa yule alilinda kijiji chetu.That warrior protected our village.
- Tunahitaji shujaa katika vita hivi.We need a warrior in this war.
Example conversation
Said and Fatuma are discussing a historical figure.
- SaidJe, unajua shujaa huyu wa zamani?Do you know this warrior from the past?
- FatumaNdiyo, Said, nimesoma kuhusu yeye.Yes, Said, I have read about him.
- SaidAlikuwa shujaa mwenye nguvu sana.He was a very powerful warrior.
- FatumaAlilinda kijiji chake kwa ujasiri.He defended his village with bravery.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry shujaa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries shujaa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
