Animals

31 phrases · Kikuyu with romanization, English and audio

  1. Ngui

    Dog

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 33 times in the Bible, and in Wiktionary. The same form in Benson means a baby-carrying strap.

  2. Mbaka

    Cat

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun, a loan from Swahili "paka"; in both Wiktionary and Benson.

  3. Nyoni

    Bird

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 145 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.

  4. Thamaki

    Fish

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun, from Swahili "samaki". 73 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.

  5. Mũrũũthi

    Lion

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 1 noun. Spelled with the doubled vowel of the Bible (102 times); Wiktionary has the headword "mũrũthi".

  6. Njogu

    Elephant

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. In Wiktionary and Benson.

  7. Njagĩ

    Zebra

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. Wiktionary and Benson give zebra; some Bible passages (7 times) use it in a wild-ass context.

  8. Huria

    Rhinoceros

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun, in Wiktionary and Benson. It has the same form as the verb "huria" (to snatch).

  9. Nguuũ

    Hippopotamus

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun, in Wiktionary and Benson. The final ũ needs its tilde.

  10. Mbogo

    Cape buffalo

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 6 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.

  11. Ngarĩ

    Leopard

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 8 times in the Bible, and in Wiktionary. Keep the tilde on ĩ.

  12. Hiti

    Hyena

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 3 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.

  13. Thwara

    Antelope / gazelle

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun for small antelopes such as Thomson's gazelle (Wiktionary and Benson). 2 times in the Bible.

  14. Nũgũ

    Baboon

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 2 times in the Bible, and in Wiktionary. Benson also gives another word, "thinwa".

  15. Ng'ombe

    Cow

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun, cow or ox. 164 times in the Bible, and in Wiktionary. The apostrophe in ng' is required.

  16. Mbũri

    Goat

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 166 times in the Bible, also in Benson.

  17. Ng'ondu

    Sheep

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 234 times in the Bible, and in Wiktionary. The apostrophe in ng' is required.

  18. Ngũkũ

    Chicken

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun (fowl). 16 times in the Bible, and in Wiktionary.

  19. Ngũrwe

    Pig

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. Spelled as in the Bible (24 times); Wiktionary and Benson write it "ngũrũe".

  20. Mbarathi

    Horse

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun, from Swahili "farasi". 239 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.

  21. Kĩng'ang'i

    Crocodile

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 7 noun. In Wiktionary and Benson (OCR-garbled there as Ring'ang'i). The apostrophes in ng' are required.

  22. Nyoka

    Snake

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 57 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.

  23. Nguru

    Tortoise

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. Wiktionary and Benson both give this spelling for the tortoise. No tilde on the u.

  24. Njagathi

    Lizard

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 3 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.

  25. Mbũkũ

    Hare

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. In Wiktionary and Benson; 2 times in the Bible.

  26. Rwagĩ

    Mosquito

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 11 noun. 6 times in the Bible, and in Wiktionary.

  27. Nyenje

    Cockroach

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. In Wiktionary and Benson.

  28. Thuraku

    Safari ants / driver ants

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. In Wiktionary and Benson, which also lists the variant "tharaku".

  29. Njũkĩ

    Bee

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 4 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.

  30. Mbũmbũĩ

    Spider

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10 noun. 2 times in the Bible, and in Wiktionary. A web is "nyũmba ya mbũmbũĩ".

  31. Kĩĩhuruta

    Butterfly

    Usage

    To name an animal.

    Grammar Note

    Class 7/8 noun (plural "ciĩhuruta"), butterfly or moth. 2 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.

More Kikuyu phrases

Browse all TravelPhrases languages