Food & Drinks

1. Ndagũthaitha, he maaĩ ma kũnyua

   Please give me drinking water

   Usage

   To ask for water at a restaurant or lodging. If you want sealed water, point at a bottle.

   Grammar Note

   Close to the Bible's "Ndagũthaitha, he tũũĩ tũnini twa kũnyua" (please give me a little to drink) and "maaĩ ma kũnyua" (water to drink). "he" means "give".

2. Ngwenda mũgate

   I want bread

   Usage

   To ask for food.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words (the phrase itself is not attested). "ngwenda" is "I want" (Bible 25x); "mũgate" is bread. Swap in other foods.

3. Ngwenda nyama

   I want meat

   Usage

   To ask for food.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words (the phrase itself is not attested). "nyama" is meat (the same form as in Swahili, but also a native word).

4. Ndikwenda nyama

   I do not want meat

   Usage

   To decline meat, for example for religious or health reasons.

   Grammar Note

   Composed from dictionary-verified words (the phrase itself is not attested). "ndikwenda" is "I do not want" (Bible 14x). A habitual "I never eat" form could not be verified, so it is not used.

5. Irio njega

   Good food

   Usage

   To praise a meal.

   Grammar Note

   Attested 9x in the Bible (e.g. "thondekera irio njega", prepare good food). "njega" is the plural class-8 form of "good".

6. Nyeni

   Vegetables

   Usage

   To ask for vegetables.

   Grammar Note

   Class 9/10. Wiktionary "vegetables"; Benson 1964 "spinach; any leaf vegetable"; Bible 10x.

7. Mbembe

   Maize

   Usage

   To ask for maize.

   Grammar Note

   Class 9/10. Wiktionary "maize, corn"; Bible 35x.

8. Waru

   Potato

   Usage

   To ask for potatoes.

   Grammar Note

   Class 9/10. In Wiktionary and Benson 1964; not in the Bible.

9. Ngwacĩ

   Sweet potato

   Usage

   To ask for sweet potatoes.

   Grammar Note

   Class 9/10. In Wiktionary and Benson 1964; not in the Bible.

10. Njahĩ

    Lablab beans

    Usage

    When talking about bean dishes; a traditional bean of Central Kenya.

    Grammar Note

    Wiktionary "seeds of hyacinth bean"; also in Benson 1964; not in the Bible. Keep the tilde on the final ĩ.

11. Mboco

    Beans

    Usage

    To ask for beans.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10. Wiktionary "dwarf bean; beans in general"; Benson 1964 "white beans"; Bible 2x.

12. Gĩtoero

    Stew of potatoes and vegetables

    Usage

    To ask for a stew.

    Grammar Note

    Class 7. Wiktionary "stew with potato, vegetable and sometimes meat"; also 3x in the Bible (e.g. "gĩtoero kĩa ndengũ").

13. Thamaki

    Fish

    Usage

    To ask for fish.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10. Wiktionary "fish"; Bible 73x.

14. Ngũkũ

    Chicken

    Usage

    To ask for chicken.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10. Wiktionary "fowl; chicken"; Bible 16x.

15. Ũũkĩ

    Honey

    Usage

    To ask for honey.

    Grammar Note

    Bible spelling "ũũkĩ" (405x); Wiktionary "honey; mead". Keep the tildes on both ũ and the final ĩ.

16. Cukari

    Sugar

    Usage

    To ask for sugar.

    Grammar Note

    A loan from Swahili sukari with s becoming c (Wiktionary and Benson 1964). Kikuyu has no letter s, so "sukari" is not written.

17. Kahũa

    Coffee

    Usage

    To ask for coffee.

    Grammar Note

    Wiktionary "coffee, including the plant"; also Benson 1964. Central Kenya is a coffee-growing region.

18. Icani

    Tea (leaves)

    Usage

    To ask for tea. Central Kenya is a tea-growing region.

    Grammar Note

    Wiktionary "tea(-plant); plural only tea-leaves"; Benson 1964 gives the plant and the leaves. A word specific to the drink could not be verified.

19. Njoohi

    Alcoholic drink

    Usage

    When talking about alcohol.

    Grammar Note

    Bible spelling "njoohi" (28x). Wiktionary and Benson 1964 write "njohi", an alcoholic drink made from sugar-cane or honey, or weak beer.

20. Ndibei

    Wine

    Usage

    To ask for wine.

    Grammar Note

    A loan from Swahili divai. Bible 271x; also in Benson 1964.

21. Irigũ

    Banana

    Usage

    To ask for bananas.

    Grammar Note

    Class 5. Wiktionary "banana"; also Benson 1964. Keep the tilde on the final ũ.

22. Icungwa

    Orange

    Usage

    To ask for oranges.

    Grammar Note

    Class 5. Wiktionary "orange"; also Benson 1964.

23. Inanathi

    Pineapple

    Usage

    To ask for pineapple.

    Grammar Note

    Class 5. Wiktionary "pineapple"; also Benson 1964.

24. Itunda

    Fruit

    Usage

    To ask for fruit.

    Grammar Note

    Class 5 (plural matunda). Wiktionary "fruit"; also Benson 1964.

25. Ũcũrũ

    Porridge / gruel

    Usage

    To ask for porridge at breakfast.

    Grammar Note

    Class 14. Wiktionary "gruel, porridge"; also Benson 1964. Not the same as "ũgima" (maturity, integrity).

26. Gĩtũngũrũ

    Onion

    Usage

    To ask for onion.

    Grammar Note

    Class 7. Wiktionary "onion"; also Benson 1964.

27. Biribiri

    Chili pepper

    Usage

    The word for chili pepper.

    Grammar Note

    Class 9/10. Wiktionary "red pepper, hot pepper, chili pepper"; also Benson 1964.

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