Swahili

Emotions Part 1 | Negative Emotions

This lesson provides vocab flashcards to help you learn a diverse emotion vocabulary set. These emotion words are part 1 of set that is followed by positive emotions. These lists includes verbs, adjectives, and nouns. The cards are organized around anger-related vocabulary in one set, another is sadness-related, and the third relates to feeling scared or startled. You will note that some words are more neutral than negative.

Introduction

  • Hisia is Swahili for “emotions.”
  • Kusikia means to “hear” or “feel.” To emphasize that you are feeling an emotion yourself, you add -ji- so that it is understood as reflexive.
    • For example, kujisikia mjinga means “I feel like an idiot.” However, without the reflexive -ji-, kusikia mjinga could be interpreted as “I hear an idiot.” The reflexive -ji- mitigates such misunderstandings.
  • In most cases, you can feel or have a feeling (as long as the feeling is represented in its noun form). Some examples are indicated in the flashcards.
  • I recommend that you make sentences with each work you come across to remember it efficaciously!
  • After learning this vocab., you should practice with your mentor/a native speaker to ensure accurate usage.

Anger-related Words:

Learn the words below and then practice usable-memorization with the flashcards.

KUKASIRIKA (to be angry)

KUUHAKIKI; KUTAHAKIKI (to critique)

KUCHUKIA (to hate)

KUWA –CHOYO (to be selfish, greedy)

-adui, -a uhasama, -enye uadui (hostile)

KUUMIZWA (to be hurt)

KUUDHIKA (to be annoyed, angry, furious)

KUTOHISI, KUTOJALI (to be insensitive – i.e. Hahisi, he doesn’t feel)

KUDHOFISHA, KULEGEZA (to enervate)

Kuwa mkavu (deceitful, sarcastic)

Kudharau (to despise, insult, slight, snub, scorn)

Najisikia hasira (I feel anger)

Kutia uchungu (to cause bitterness)

Kujitetea (to defend oneself)

Kujilinda (to guard oneself)

kujihami (to defend oneself)

kujipigania (to fight for oneself)

Sadness-related Words:

KUSIKITIKA (to be sad)

KUJISIKIA/KUWA NA HATIA (to feel guilt)

NINA/KUJISIKIA AIBU (to feel shame)

KUHUZUNIKA (to be grieved, humiliated, in disgrace, shamed)

KIJISIKIA upweke (to be isolated)

NNA/KUJISIKIA MAJUTO (to feel regret)

Kujuta (I regret)

Kuwa na hatia (guilty)

NAJISIKIA MJINGA (I feel like an idiot)/

simanzi (grief)

KUJISIKIA DUNI (to feel inadequate)

Masikitiko (sorrow, regret, sadness, grief)

Kuomboleza (to lament/grieving/mourning

Najisikia huzuni (I feel distressed, mourning, grief, sorrow, sadness

Shock/Fear-related vocab

KUSHTUKA (to be startled or scared)

KUZUBAA (to be dumbfounded)

KUCHANGANYWA (to be confused)

KUTISHA (to frighten, terrify, scare, shock)

KUKATWA (to be refused)

-TIFU (obedient, submissive)

-SIO SALAMA/IMARA, MADHUBUTI, -A HATARI, -ENYE SHAKA (insecure)

–OGA (fainthearted, timid, nervous, anxious)

Kjidanganya, kujijhadaa (to be self-delusional)

Kujihini, kujinyima, kujikana, kujizuia (self-denial – preventing oneself from doing something)

Kulemewa (to be overwhelmed) – fix on cards

Kufadhaishwa (to be uncomfortable, embarrassed, intimidated, humiliated)

Kustaajabia (to be amazed, astonished, stunned)

Kushangaa (to be surprised)

Kutishwa (to be frightened)

Kutisha (to frighten)

Kubumbuaza (to make ashamed)

Kukosekana (to be lacking)

Kuwa na vuruguvurugu (To be confused, bewildered)

Kujisikia kadogo/haba (to feel insignificant)

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Resources for Self-Instructional Learners of Less Commonly Taught Languages Copyright © by University of Wisconsin-Madison Students in African 671 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.