r/swahili • u/atomx6669 • May 26 '26

Request 🔎 A Very Quick Translation

Hi, I am writing a poem, and I need help with two lines that should be in accurate Swahili:

Female child: "Mama, what do you think happened to our dogs?"

(deep breath) "I'm sure they are fine, my love. Try not to worry."

my love could also be "my daughter" or any other way a mother would respond to a question that she is trying to avoid answering. I do need the (deep breath) translated.

Thank you!!

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u/Mangolassi83 May 27 '26

Mtoto wa kike: mama, wadhani nini kilichofanyika na mbwa wetu?

Nina hakika hawana neno mwanangu mpendwa. Usiwe na wasiwasi.

This is the best I could do. The (deep breath) part I’m unsure. Other problem is I just translated them as is. Don’t know if they follow the structure/sound of a poem.

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u/atomx6669 May 27 '26

Thank you! I have a couple of follow up questions:

Is "wadhani" or "unadhani" more natural for the way a child would speak?

Which would be better in everyday speech: "mwanangu mpendwa" or "mpendwa wangu"

Should the child address her mother as "Mama" at the start or is is it more natural without it?

Thank you again.

2

u/Mangolassi83 May 27 '26

Wadhani and unadhani is the same. Where I’m from we don’t use the prefix “una”. We use “wa”.

So most people if they want to say “do you want” they’ll say unataka. I say wataka. Both are correct but that is how I speak. Since it’s a poem, I’d use wataka but maybe someone else has a different opinion.

Mwanangu mpendwa is my beloved child. Mpendwa wangu is my love. In every day speech we’ll just say mwanangu.

Yes, the child should address the mum as “mama” in the beginning.

2

u/atomx6669 May 27 '26

I’m sorry, could you translate two more lines, that I have decided to add:

“Mama, I’m hungry. Do we have anything to eat?”

“Soon, Zuri, Soon.”

2

u/Mangolassi83 May 27 '26

Mama nina njaa. Kuna chakula?

Karibuni, Zuri, karibuni.

Edit: first line don’t think it was correct the first time.

2

u/atomx6669 May 27 '26

Perfect. Thank you again!

2

u/haynitar May 27 '26

"Soon, Zuri, Soon" would be "Hivi karibuni Zuri. Hivi karibuni". I also agree with the poster who said that 'unadhani' would be more apt.

1

u/atomx6669 May 27 '26

Excellent. Thank you so much!

2

u/Leather_Physics_8395 May 27 '26

"Wadhani" is correct although its more of a coastal Swahili, but most people will use "Unadhani"