Appendix:Swahili pronunciation

Swahili

edit
 
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

The following tables show the IPA representations of Swahili pronunciation.

Vowels
IPA Examples English approximation
ɑ baba IPA(key): [ˈɓɑɓɑ] 'father' father
ɛ ndege IPA(key): [ˈⁿdɛɠɛ] 'bird' let
i Kiswahili IPA(key): [kiswɑˈhili] 'Swahili (language)' meat
ɔ mtoto IPA(key): [m̩ˈtɔtɔ] 'child' off
u uhuru IPA(key): [uˈhuɾu] 'freedom' fool
ː kondoo IPA(key): [kɔˈⁿdɔː] 'sheep' vowel length
Suprasegmentals
IPA Examples Explanation
ˈ safari IPA(key): [sɑˈfɑɾi] 'journey' stress[1]
Consonants
IPA Examples English approximation
ɓ baba IPA(key): [ˈɓɑɓɑ] 'father' bill
ɗ dola IPA(key): [ˈɗɔlɑ] 'dollar' delta
ð dhambi IPA(key): [ˈðɑᵐbi] 'sin, offence'[2] that
ʄ ~ maji IPA(key): [ˈmɑʄi ~ ˈmɑdʒi] 'water' jab
f fisi IPA(key): [ˈfisi] 'hyena' focus
ɠ gani IPA(key): [ˈɠɑni] 'what, of which' gag
ɣ ghali IPA(key): [ˈɣɑli] 'expensive'[2] Scottish loch but voiced
h uhuru IPA(key): [uˈhuɾu] 'freedom' ahead
j yeye IPA(key): [ˈjɛjɛ] 'he/she' yellow
k kitabu IPA(key): [kiˈtɑbu] 'book' scald
l lakini IPA(key): [lɑˈkini] 'but'[3] lack
m damu IPA(key): [ˈɗɑmu] 'blood' mocha
mtoto IPA(key): [m̩ˈtɔtɔ] 'child' rhythm
ᵐb mbali IPA(key): [ˈᵐbɑli] 'far' clamber
ᶬv mvinyo IPA(key): [ˈᶬviɲɔ] 'spirits' Humvee
n nini IPA(key): [ˈnini] 'what' ninny
nchi IPA(key): [ˈn̩tʃi] 'country' even (syllabic nasal)
ⁿd muhindi IPA(key): [muˈhiⁿdi] 'corn, maize' handy
ᵑɡ ngoma IPA(key): [ˈᵑɡɔmɑ] 'drum' finger
ⁿdʒ injili IPA(key): [iˈⁿdʒili] 'gospel' range
ⁿz kwanza IPA(key): [ˈkwɑⁿzɑ] 'to begin' pansy
ɲ nyoka IPA(key): [ˈɲɔkɑ] 'snake' canyon
ŋ ng'ombe IPA(key): [ˈŋɔᵐbɛ] 'cow, ox' sing
p kikapu IPA(key): [kiˈkɑpu] 'basket' spill
ɾ rafiki IPA(key): [ɾɑˈfiki] 'friend'[3] robot
s sisi IPA(key): [ˈsisi] 'we' stole
ʃ shamba IPA(key): [ˈʃɑᵐbɑ] 'farm, field' shell
t moto IPA(key): [ˈmɔtɔ] 'fire' stand
chumba IPA(key): [ˈtʃuᵐbɑ] 'room' chase
θ thelathini IPA(key): [θɛlɑˈθini] 'thirty'[2] think
v vitabu IPA(key): [viˈtɑbu] 'books' vittle
w watu IPA(key): [ˈwɑtu] 'people' with
x subulkheri IPA(key): [suɓulˈxɛɾi] 'good morning'[2] Scottish loch
z maziwa IPA(key): [mɑˈziwɑ] 'milk' zoo

See also

edit
  1. ^ Stress usually falls on the penultimate syllable of a word.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Only found in loanwords.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Swahili IPA(key): [l] and IPA(key): [ɾ] are merged for many speakers as an alveolar lateral flap; ɺ