How to Say "Your Age" in Swahili

umri wako

The Swahili phrase for "your age" is umri wako.

umri wako is used to refer to the number of years a person has lived.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of umri, meaning "age" and wako, meaning "your".

While umri wako refers to the concept of age itself, miaka yako is used to refer to a person's years (for example, "in your years").

The form umri wako uses the singular possessive suffix -ako, which is used for a single person in an informal or neutral context.

In many Swahili-speaking cultures, directly asking someone umri wako can be considered impolite or intrusive, as age is often treated as a private matter of respect.
The word umri is an Arabic loanword, which reflects the deep historical influence of Islamic culture and trade on the Swahili language along the East African coast.
Swahili does not have a single word for 'birthday' but instead uses phrases like siku ya kuzaliwa, which literally translates to 'the day of being born'.

Unaweza kujua umri wako kwa kiasi cha maumivu unayosikia unapokutana na wazo jipya.
You can judge your age by the amount of pain you feel when you come in contact with a new idea.
The sentence illustrates how one might judge umri wako through one's reaction to new ideas.
Tatoeba #10850925 by ecorralest101, translation #2569582 by Dejo
Nina miaka kumi na tano.
I am fifteen years old
Nina miaka kumi na saba sasa.
I am now seventeen years old
Umri wako ni siri.
Your age is a secret.
Je, umri wako ni muhimu?
Is your age important?

Juma and Fatuma are filling out a form together.

Juma

Fatuma, andika umri wako kwenye karatasi hii.
Fatuma, write your age on this paper.
Fatuma

Sawa, nitaandika sasa hivi.
Okay, I will write it right now.
Juma

Je, unajua umri wako kwa usahihi?
Do you know your age accurately?
Fatuma

Ndiyo, nina miaka ishirini.
Yes, I am twenty years old.

Sources

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