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Most Common Gikuyu Words
Gĩkũyũ
Essential Gikuyu vocabulary with pronunciation guides. Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
Nouns
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| mũndũ | person | MOON-doo |
| nyũmba | house | NYOOM-ba |
| maaĩ | water | MA-i |
| irio | food | EE-rio |
| ũndũ wa kũhanda | work | OON-doo wa KOON-da |
| njĩra | road / way | NJEE-ra |
| rĩĩtwa | name | REET-wa |
| mwana | child | MWA-na |
| baba | father | BA-ba |
| māmā | mother | MA-ma |
| tĩhĩ | land / field | TEE-hi |
| mũtĩ | tree | MOO-ti |
| rũũĩ | river | ROO-i |
| mũrata | friend | moo-RA-ta |
| ũtukũ | night | oo-TOO-koo |
| mũthenya | day | moo-THEN-ya |
| mbeca | money | MBE-ca |
| ibuku | book | ee-BOO-koo |
| moto | fire | MO-to |
| igũrũ | sky / heaven | ee-GOO-roo |
Verbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| gũthiĩ | to go | goo-THEE |
| gũũka | to come | goo-OO-ka |
| gũrĩa | to eat | goo-REE-a |
| gũnyua | to drink | goo-NYOO-a |
| gũthambia | to sleep | goo-THAM-bia |
| gũona | to see | goo-O-na |
| gũcooka | to speak / return | goo-CO-ka |
| gũĩ | to know | goo-EE |
| gũthiĩ na wĩra | to work | goo-THEE na WEE-ra |
| gũthũria | to buy | goo-THOO-ria |
| kũũgua | to learn | koo-OO-gua |
| gũgũa | to hear | goo-GOO-a |
| gũenda | to want / love | goo-EN-da |
| gũimba | to run | goo-EEM-ba |
| gũcama | to sit | goo-CA-ma |
| gũthiĩ hĩndĩ | to stand | goo-THEE HEEN-di |
| gũteithia | to help | goo-te-ETHI-a |
| gũha | to give | GOO-ha |
| gũkora | to do / make | goo-KO-ra |
| gũkinyia | to arrive / reach | goo-ki-NYEE-a |
Adjectives
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| -nene | big | NE-ne |
| -titi | small | TEE-ti |
| -ega | good | E-ga |
| -ũru | bad | OO-roo |
| -peru | new / fresh | PE-roo |
| -thũ | old / dirty | thoo |
| -eru | white / clean | E-roo |
| -irũ | black | EE-roo |
| -thĩĩnĩ | red | THEE-ni |
| -irĩ | cold | EE-ri |
| -ũkũ | hot | OO-koo |
| -nyamu | strong / hard | NYA-moo |
| -rũru | soft | ROO-roo |
| -ingi | many | EE-ngi |
| -togo | few / a little | TO-go |
| -raihu | tall / long | RA-ee-hoo |
| -ĩtĩkĩ | short | ee-TEE-ki |
| -eemũ | sweet | E-moo |
| -nyamu | brave / strong | NYA-moo |
| -ega kweli | truly good | E-ga KWE-li |
Adverbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| rĩu | now | ree-OO |
| rũciũ | tomorrow | roo-CHOO |
| yesterdei | yesterday | YES-ter-dei |
| haha | here | HA-ha |
| hari | there | HA-ri |
| kare | already | KA-re |
| ĩĩ | yes | ee |
| aca | no | A-ca |
| mũno | very | MOO-no |
| gũkĩ | only | GOO-ki |
| naw | also / too | naw |
| njogu | quickly | NJOG-oo |
| njogu njogu | very quickly | NJOG-oo NJOG-oo |
| ũngũ | slowly | OON-goo |
| hamwe | together | HAM-we |
| nĩ ũndũ wa | because | ni OON-doo wa |
| ningĩ | if | NING-gi |
| nĩng'the | but | NING-the |
| na | and / with | na |
| mbeere | first / before | mBE-re |