Weather & Climate

1. Leo ni joto sana, sivyo?

   Le-o ni jo-to sa-na, si-vyo?

   It's hot today, isn't it?

   Usage

   Weather conversation in East Africa

   Grammar Note

   Swahili is Bantu and strongly influenced by Arabic

2. Inaonekana mvua itanyesha

   I-na-o-ne-ka-na m-vua i-ta-nye-sha

   It looks like it will rain

   Usage

   When rain clouds gather

   Grammar Note

   Swahili classifies nouns by class prefixes. "Mvua" (rain) starts with "mv-" but is not an m-/mi- noun: it is a class 9/10 (N-class) noun, and its plural is also mvua.

3. Dhoruba kubwa inakaribia

   Dho-ru-ba ku-bwa i-na-ka-ri-bia

   A big storm is approaching

   Usage

   Warning about an approaching storm

   Grammar Note

   "Dhoruba" borrowed from Arabic "ḍurba" (storm)

4. Leo kuna baridi nzuri

   Le-o ku-na ba-ri-di nzu-ri

   It's nicely cool today

   Usage

   Comment on pleasant cool weather

   Grammar Note

   "Baridi" comes from Arabic "barid" (cold). It is a class-9 noun, so the adjective is nzuri (vizuri, the class-8 and adverbial form of -zuri, would not agree). The existential is built with kuna

5. Tafadhali niambie utabiri wa hali ya hewa

   Ta-fa-dha-li ni-am-bi-e u-ta-bi-ri wa ha-li ya he-wa

   Please tell me the weather forecast

   Usage

   Politely asking for the weather forecast

   Grammar Note

   "Tafadhali" from Arabic "tafaḍḍal" — a polite request word

6. Ninahitaji krimu ya kuzuia jua?

   Ni-na-hi-ta-ji kri-mu ya ku-zu-ia ju-a?

   Do I need sunscreen?

   Usage

   Ask on sunny days

   Grammar Note

   "Jua" is the native Swahili word for sun/sunshine

7. Ninapaswa kuchukua mwavuli?

   Ni-na-pa-swa ku-chu-ku-a mwa-vu-li?

   Should I bring an umbrella?

   Usage

   Before going out in uncertain weather

   Grammar Note

   "Mwavuli" is thought to be borrowed from Arabic

8. Msimu wa kiangazi ni lini?

   Msi-mu wa ki-an-ga-zi ni li-ni?

   When is the dry season?

   Usage

   Travel planning question

   Grammar Note

   East Africa has two dry seasons: June–September (long) and January–February (short)

9. Msimu wa mvua ni lini?

   Msi-mu wa m-vua ni li-ni?

   When is the rainy season?

   Usage

   Ask about the rainy season

   Grammar Note

   East Africa has two rainy seasons: long rains (March–May) and short rains (October–December)

10. Jua kali sana

    Ju-a ka-li sa-na

    The sun is really strong

    Usage

    Exclamation about intense sunshine

    Grammar Note

    "Jua kali" = harsh sun. In Kenya, "jua kali" also refers to informal workers in the blazing sun

11. Mvua

    Rain

    Usage

    The word for rain; "mvua inanyesha" is "it is raining". The long rains are "masika" and the short rains "vuli"

    Grammar Note

    A class 9/10 noun, unchanged in the plural.

12. Theluji

    Snow

    Usage

    Snow — in East Africa you only meet it on the summits of Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya, so it mostly comes up in climbing talk

    Grammar Note

    A class 9/10 noun, unchanged in the plural; ice and frost are "barafu".

13. Upepo

    Wind

    Usage

    The word for wind, useful when asking whether a boat or dhow will sail

    Grammar Note

    A class 11 (u-) noun; the plural "pepo" also means spirits, so use it with care.

14. Kuna jua

    It is sunny

    Usage

    How to say it is sunny. Bare "jua" is both the sun and the verb "to know", so keep the full "kuna jua" when talking about weather

    Grammar Note

    "Kuna" is the existential "there is".

15. Kuna mawingu

    It is cloudy

    Usage

    How to say it is cloudy

    Grammar Note

    "Wingu" (cloud) is a class 5 noun; the plural "mawingu" is what you use for an overcast sky.

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