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.
Mbaka
Cat
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun, a loan from Swahili "paka"; in both Wiktionary and Benson.
Nyoni
Bird
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun. 145 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.
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.
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".
Njogu
Elephant
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun. In Wiktionary and Benson.
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.
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).
Nguuũ
Hippopotamus
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun, in Wiktionary and Benson. The final ũ needs its tilde.
Mbogo
Cape buffalo
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun. 6 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.
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.
Hiti
Hyena
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun. 3 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.
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.
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".
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.
Mbũri
Goat
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun. 166 times in the Bible, also in Benson.
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.
Ngũkũ
Chicken
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun (fowl). 16 times in the Bible, and in Wiktionary.
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".
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.
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.
Nyoka
Snake
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun. 57 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.
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.
Njagathi
Lizard
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun. 3 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.
Mbũkũ
Hare
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun. In Wiktionary and Benson; 2 times in the Bible.
Rwagĩ
Mosquito
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 11 noun. 6 times in the Bible, and in Wiktionary.
Nyenje
Cockroach
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun. In Wiktionary and Benson.
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".
Njũkĩ
Bee
Usage
To name an animal.
Grammar Note
Class 9/10 noun. 4 times in the Bible, also in Wiktionary and Benson.
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".
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
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
- Sightseeing
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- Contacts & SNS
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- Useful Phrases
- Weather & Climate
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- Health & Hospital
- Nature & Outdoors
- Religion & Temples
- Café & Drinks
- Culture & Etiquette
- Accommodation
- Cooking & Markets
- Festivals & Events
- Dating & Romance
- Fruits
- Colors
- Time & Dates
- Body Parts
- Vehicles
- Electronics
- Feelings
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences