Introductory Materials
Msamiati wa Dini
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Below are some Swahili words you will frequently encounter or need to use while communicating, listening, or reading about religion. You can sort the list by Swahili or English or search for particular words. If there are additional words you’d like to see on this list, please leave a comment.You will learn more vocabulary while completing the activities and exercises in this module. As you encounter new words, you should add them to your personalized vocabulary notebook.
Below the list, you will find a variety of activities you can use to develop or check your mastery of this vocabulary.
Note that words with a number after them are nouns (with the number indicating their Bantu noun class in singular and, if applicable, plural). Words with no number or preceding hyphen are verbs (in the imperative form). If you need to review noun class, see the Appendix.
| Kiswahili | Kiingereza |
|---|---|
| dini 9/10 | religion |
| Ukristo 14 | Christianity |
| Uislamu 14 | Islam |
| Uhindu 14 | Hinduism |
| silimu | convert to Islam |
| jini 5/6 & 1/2 | djinn |
| malaika 9/10 & 1/2 | angel |
| shetani 5/6 & 1/2 | devil |
| Ibilisi | Satan |
| Isa | Jesus (as referred to by Muslims) |
| Asalaam aleikum | a greeting and farewell used among Muslims (literally 'peace be upon you') |
| Aleikum salaam | response to 'Asalaam aleikum' (literally 'and upon you, peace') |
| Mkristo 1/2 | a Christian |
| Mwislamu 1/2 | a Muslim |
| Mhindu 1/2 | a Hindu |
| -a Kikristo | Christian |
| -a Kiislamu | Muslim; Islamic |
| -a Kihindu | Hindu |
| Yesu | Jesus (as referred to by Christians) |
| Yesu Kristo | Jesus Christ (as referred to by Christians) |
| Mungu 1 | God |
| miungu 4 & 2 | gods |
| soma | read, recite |
| sala 9/10 | ritual Islamic prayer |
| sali | pray (for Muslims, perform ritual Islamic prayer; for Christian, perform any kind of prayer) |
| omba dua | pray (for Muslims, petition God through personal prayer, i.e. outside of ritual prayers) |
| sura 9/10 | chapter |
| aya 9/10 | verse |
| Mwenyezi Mungu 1 | God Almighty |
| Mola 1 | God, "Lord" (used primarily by Muslims) |
| mtume 1/2 | prophet |
| msikiti 3/4 | mosque |
| kanisa 5/6 | church |
| dua 9/10 | prayer |
| abudu | worship |
| kiumbe kisichoonekana 7 | invisible being |
| roho 9/10 | soul, spirit |
| pepo 5/6 | ghost, spirit |
| mzimu 3/4 | ancestral spirit |
