Swahili Tongue Twisters
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Original:
Mbuzi hali nazi kwa vile hawezi kupanda ngazi ndipo azifikie nazi.
English:
A goat cannot eat coconut because it cannot climb up a ladder to reach the coconuts up in the coconut tree.
Original:
Katibu Kata wa Kata ya Mkata amekataa katakata kukata miti katika kata ya Mkata.
English:
The head of Mkata ward has forbidden to cut trees in the Mkapa ward.
Original:
Wale wari wa liwali wale wali wa liwali.
English:
Let those maidens of the liwali (former Muslim government representative) eat the rice of the liwali. "Wari" is sometimes spelled "wali".
from Bagamoyo, Tanzania
Original:
Kipi kikusikitishacho?
English:
What makes you feel sorry? or "What's bugging you?
Original:
Karim ni mkarimu na ana karamu.
English:
Karim is generous and he has a party
Original:
Kale kakuku kadogo ka kaka kako wapi kaka?
English:
Where are your chickens, brother?
Original:
Mkaidi hafaidi hadi siku ya Idi.
English:
The obstinate person (Mkaidi) doesn't profit/gain/get ahead (hafaidi) until (hadi) the festival of Idi (siku ya Idi), that is until the day at the end of Ramadan: A stubborn person doesn't get ahead until a long time has passed.
a proverb
Original:
Haraka haraka haina baraka.
English:
Hurry hurry has no blessings (haste makes waste).
Original:
Juzi mjuzi akala mchuzi wa mjusi.
English:
The day before yesterday the wise man ate some lizard soup.
Some may say he was not so wise.
Original:
Tupe tupate, tumtupie Tapu
English:
Give (it) to us so we can have (it) in order to pass (it) on to Tapu.
Original:
Nina wamnunia nani, Nunu nae keshanuna
English:
Who are you sulking at, Nina, Nunu is already sulking.
Original:
Nimenufaika kutunukiwa tunu na Nunu.
English:
I have benefited from a rare gift from Nunu.
Original:
Kikujiacho kitakachokuondoka.
English:
What comes to you will leave you
Original:
Hapo ulipo upo upo
English:
Is there a ladle (there) where you are?
Original:
Twanga tope ni twange tope tope hilo la twangwa je?
English:
A muddy-muddy is a muddy-muddy?
from Tanzania
Original:
Paka wa kisasa wakipata kuku wa kienyeji katika mkate wa asubuhi
English:
The modern cat caught a native chicken in the morning bread
Original:
Chura chini cha chura cha chura
English:
The bottom of the sieve is the sieve of the sieve
Original:
Binadamu bamwona simba katika jangwa, lakini simba hakuona binadamu
English:
Humans saw a lion in the jungle, but the lion did not see humans
Original:
Fimbo ya kijani ilipata kuchoma, lakini kuchoma hakipata fimbo ya kijani
English:
The green stick got burnt, but the burn did not get the green stick
Original:
Ndizi za kijivu zimekata miti, lakini miti havimekati ndizi za kijivu
English:
The ripe bananas have cut down the trees, but the trees have not cut down the ripe bananas
Original:
Mtu wa mwenzake anapatikana katika kanda la mwenzake, lakini mwenzake hakipatikani katika kanda la mtu wa mwenzake
English:
Your friend can be found in your section, but your section cannot be found in your friend's section
Original:
Mnyama wa mbalamwezi anapata chakula cha mwezi, lakini mwezi hakipata chakula cha mnyama wa mbalamwezi
English:
The lunar animal gets the food of the month, but the month does not get the food of the lunar animal
Original:
Mtoto wa mkono anapata mguu wa mkono, lakini mguu wa mkono hakipata mtoto wa mkono
English:
The hand child gets the hand foot, but the hand foot does not get the hand child
Original:
Nyasi za mawe zimechoma, lakini mawe havimechomi nyasi za mawe
English:
The grass on the stone has burnt, but the stone has not burnt the grass on it
Original:
Mtu mzima anapata mavazi ya watoto, lakini watoto havapatani mavazi ya mtu mzima
English:
A grown person gets the clothes of children, but children do not get the clothes of a grown person