taka
/ˈtɑ.kɑ/
The English word 'waste' is translated into Swahili as taka.
taka is a noun used to refer to useless by-products or physical garbage.
Meaning: useless by-products, garbage (noun)
Which one should you use?
While taka refers to physical garbage or waste, the verb kutupa (to throw or to waste) is used when describing the action of wasting resources. In some contexts, particularly in colloquial speech or certain dialects, the reduplicated form takataka is used to emphasize the sheer volume of the waste or how filthy it is.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun taka belongs to the N-class (noun class 9/10). This means it does not take a prefix in its singular form and is typically used with plural markers, such as in the phrase taka zote (all the waste).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈtɑ.kɑ/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- While taka means 'waste' as a noun, the word taka is also a very common verb meaning 'to want'.
- Using takataka doesn't just describe the amount of trash, but is often used as a harsh adjective to describe something of very poor quality.
- The word taka has distant linguistic relatives in other languages, such as the word -shāka in Rwanda-Rundi, showing its deep Bantu roots.
Examples in context
- Ninahitaji kutupa taka kwenye chombo cha takataka.I need to dispose of the waste in the trash bin.
- Usinunue vitu ambavyo havitakusaidia, ni upotezaji wa pesa yako.Don't buy things that won't help you, it's a waste of your money.
- Nimeona taka zimezagaa barabarani.I have seen waste scattered on the road.
- Watu wengi wanapoteza maji bila kujali.Many people waste water without caring.
- Nimemwambia asitumie pesa vibaya, ni upotezaji tu.I told him not to spend money wrongly, it's just a waste.
- Tupa taka hapa.Throw the waste here.
- Tuna taka nyingi mjini.We have a lot of waste in the city.
Example conversation
Omari and Fatuma are cleaning the house.
- OmariFatuma, leta mfuko wa taka.Fatuma, bring the waste bag.
- FatumaMfuko uko hapa, Omari.The bag is here, Omari.
- OmariTunaweka taka zote hapa.We are putting all the waste here.
- FatumaSawa, nitapeleka nje sasa.Okay, I will take it outside now.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry taka, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries taka, CC BY-SA 4.0.
