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Most Common Kikuyu Words
Gĩkũyũ
Essential Kikuyu vocabulary with pronunciation guides. Nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
Nouns
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| nyũmba | house | nyoom-ba |
| maaĩ | water | ma-i |
| mũgate | bread | mu-GA-te |
| ihinda | time | i-HIN-da |
| mũndũ | person | mun-DU |
| mũthenya | day | mu-THE-nya |
| njĩra | road / way | njee-RA |
| wĩra | work | wee-RA |
| mbeca | money | mbe-CA |
| itũũra | city / village | i-tuu-RA |
| kĩrĩra | school | ki-ree-RA |
| ibuku | book | i-BU-ku |
| rĩĩtwa | name | ree-TWA |
| mwana | child | MWA-na |
| mũrata | friend | mu-RA-ta |
| irio | food | i-RI-o |
| rũthiomi | language | ru-thi-O-mi |
| thi | earth / land | thi |
| guoko | hand | GWO-ko |
| mbũ | dog | mbu |
Verbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| gũkũ | to be | gu-KU |
| gũthiĩ | to go | gu-THEE |
| gũũka | to come | guu-KA |
| gũcaria | to speak | gu-CA-ri-a |
| gũrĩa | to eat | gu-REE-a |
| gũnyua | to drink | gu-NYU-a |
| gũona | to see | gu-O-na |
| gũĩĩ | to know | guu-EE |
| gũenda | to want | gu-EN-da |
| gũhe | to give | gu-HE |
| gũtwara | to take | gu-TWA-ra |
| gũĩka | to do | gu-EE-ka |
| gũceria | to think | gu-CE-ri-a |
| gũtũũra | to live | gu-tuu-RA |
| gũthoma | to read | gu-THO-ma |
| gũandika | to write | gu-an-DI-ka |
| gũĩka wĩra | to work | gu-EE-ka WEE-ra |
| gũteithia | to help | gu-tei-THI-a |
| gũkora | to find | gu-KO-ra |
| gũgwata | to hold | gu-GWA-ta |
Adjectives
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| wega | good | WE-ga |
| mũũru | bad | muu-RU |
| nene | big | NE-ne |
| nini | small | NI-ni |
| mũhĩa | new | mu-HEE-a |
| kĩthĩĩ | old | ki-THEE |
| mweke | beautiful | MWE-ke |
| wa reega | fast | wa REE-ga |
| wa gĩkoora | slow | wa gi-KOO-ra |
| mũrefu | long / tall | mu-RE-fu |
| mũkuuu | short | mu-KUU |
| ũũngũ | warm / hot | uun-GU |
| baridi | cold | ba-RI-di |
| na ngugi | strong | na NGU-gi |
| gũtangatana | easy | gu-tan-ga-TA-na |
| mũhũhũ | difficult | mu-HU-hu |
| wa bata | important | wa BA-ta |
| wa kĩĩra | interesting | wa kee-RA |
| wa gĩkeno | happy | wa gi-KE-no |
| ũrĩa mũnene | expensive | u-REE-a mu-NE-ne |
Adverbs
| Word | English Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| rĩu | now | ree-U |
| ũmũthĩ | today | u-mu-THEE |
| rũciũ | tomorrow | ru-CIU |
| ĩjo | yesterday | ee-JO |
| haha | here | HA-ha |
| hiĩ | there | hee-EE |
| na reega | quickly | na REE-ga |
| na gĩkoora | slowly | na gi-KOO-ra |
| wega | well | WE-ga |
| mũno | very / a lot | mu-NO |
| na | also / too | na |
| ti | not / no | ti |
| ĩĩ | yes | ee-EE |
| kĩo | already | kee-O |
| naguo | still / yet | na-GU-o |
| gũkĩ | only / just | gu-KEE |
| na ya | really | na YA |
| mũno | a lot | mu-NO |
| kĩmwe | a little | kee-MWE |
| handuharĩ | immediately | han-du-ha-REE |