Phrase in 30 Seconds
A common Swahili idiom used to tell someone to stop talking or to keep a secret effectively.
- Means: To stop speaking or remain silent immediately.
- Used in: Arguments, keeping secrets, or requesting quiet in classrooms.
- Don't confuse: With 'Kufunga mlango' which means closing a physical door.
Erklärung auf deinem Niveau:
Bedeutung
Stopping from speaking.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Silence is often preferred over unnecessary talk. There is a saying 'Maneno mengi hayajazi kibaba' (Many words don't fill a measure), emphasizing that action is better than talk. In Nairobi, 'Funga mdomo' is often replaced by 'Ziba' or 'Piga lock'. It's used aggressively in traffic or in 'matatus' (public buses). In schools, 'Funga mdomo' is a standard command from teachers. It is not considered rude from a teacher to a student, but the reverse is a major offense. During Ramadan, 'kufunga' (to close/fast) is a holy act. While 'kufunga mdomo' usually means silence, it can metaphorically refer to the fast of the tongue—avoiding gossip while fasting.
Watch your tone
If said loudly, it is an insult. If whispered, it is a request for a secret.
Use with 'wako'
Adding 'wako' (your) makes it more specific: 'Funga mdomo wako!'
Watch your tone
If said loudly, it is an insult. If whispered, it is a request for a secret.
Use with 'wako'
Adding 'wako' (your) makes it more specific: 'Funga mdomo wako!'
Silence is Golden
In many East African cultures, knowing when to 'funga mdomo' is a sign of maturity.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to complete the command.
Tafadhali, _______ mdomo wako!
'Funga' means close, which is the correct verb for this idiom.
Which sentence is the plural form of 'Funga mdomo'?
How do you tell a group of people to be quiet?
In the plural, the verb takes the '-eni' suffix and 'mdomo' becomes 'midomo'.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Situation: You are telling a friend to keep a secret about a party.
This specifically addresses the secret-keeping sense of the idiom.
Complete the dialogue.
Baba: 'Watoto, kelele ni nyingi!' Watoto: 'Samahani baba, tuta_______.'
The children are promising to be quiet in response to their father's complaint about noise.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Politeness Levels
Aufgabensammlung
5 AufgabenTafadhali, _______ mdomo wako!
'Funga' means close, which is the correct verb for this idiom.
How do you tell a group of people to be quiet?
In the plural, the verb takes the '-eni' suffix and 'mdomo' becomes 'midomo'.
Situation: You are telling a friend to keep a secret about a party.
This specifically addresses the secret-keeping sense of the idiom.
Baba: 'Watoto, kelele ni nyingi!' Watoto: 'Samahani baba, tuta_______.'
The children are promising to be quiet in response to their father's complaint about noise.
🎉 Ergebnis: /5
Häufig gestellte Fragen
14 FragenYes, it can be just as rude. Use it only with friends or people younger than you.
No, for fasting use 'Nimefunga'. 'Funga mdomo' only refers to speaking.
The plural is 'midomo'.
Say 'Tafadhali, nyamaza' or 'Naomba utulie'.
Yes, it is very commonly used in the context of secrets.
Yes, 'Piga lock' or 'Ziba' are common in Sheng.
No, it is too informal. Use 'Naomba tusikilizane' (Let's listen to each other).
It means 'mouth' or 'lip'.
That is the plural form used when speaking to more than one person.
Yes, but it is much more formal and poetic.
Yes, it works for pets too!
Yes, it often refers to suppressing the media or opposition.
Very often! Many Bongo Flava songs use it in the context of haters or gossip.
The opposite is 'Fungua mdomo' (Open your mouth/Speak up).
Verwandte Redewendungen
Kunyamaza
synonymTo be quiet
Kupiga kimya
similarTo go silent
Kufumba kinywa
similarTo close the mouth
Kufungua mdomo
contrastTo open the mouth / To start speaking
Kanyaga mkia
specialized formTo step on the tail
Wo du es verwendest
In a library
Librarian: Tafadhali, fungeni midomo yenu, watu wanasoma.
Student: Samahani, tutatulia sasa hivi.
Sharing a secret
Amina: Nitakuambia siri, lakini lazima ufunge mdomo.
Juma: Usijali, mdomo wangu umefungwa kabisa!
During an argument
Person A: Wewe ni mjinga sana!
Person B: Funga mdomo wako! Huwezi kusema hivyo!
In a classroom
Mwalimu: Kila mmoja afunge mdomo, mtihani unaanza.
Wanafunzi: (Silence)
Watching a movie
Friend 1: Nadhani huyu ndiye muuaji...
Friend 2: Ah! Funga mdomo, usiharibu movie!
At a funeral
Elder: Hapa ni mahali pa huzuni, tufungeni midomo na tuombe.
Mourner: Amin.
Einprägen
Eselsbrücke
Think of 'Funga' as 'Fasten' and 'Mdomo' as 'Mouth'. Fasten your mouth like a seatbelt!
Visuelle Assoziation
Imagine a large, colorful African fabric bag (kiondo) being tied shut with a thick rope. The bag is your mouth, and the rope is the word 'Funga'.
Rhyme
Funga mdomo, epuka mgogoro (Close your mouth, avoid a conflict).
Story
A young boy named Musa was always talking. One day, he saw a lion. He remembered his mother's words: 'Funga mdomo!'. He stayed silent, the lion passed by, and Musa was safe. Silence saved him.
In Other Languages
Similar to the English 'Shut your mouth' or the Spanish 'Cerrar la boca'. It exists in almost every language because the physical act of closing the mouth is the universal sign for stopping speech.
Word Web
Herausforderung
Try to go 5 minutes in a social setting without speaking, and every time you want to talk, whisper 'Nafunga mdomo' to yourself.
Review this phrase on day 1, 3, and 7. Focus on the plural form 'Fungeni midomo' on day 3.
Aussprache
The 'ng' is like the 'ng' in 'sing'.
The 'm' is syllabic; hum it slightly before the 'd'.
Formalitätsspektrum
Naomba unyamaze tafadhali. (General request for silence)
Tafadhali, funga mdomo. (General request for silence)
Funga mdomo! (General request for silence)
Piga kimya! / Ziba! (General request for silence)
Derived from the Proto-Bantu root *-pùng- (to close/tie). In Swahili, 'funga' became the universal verb for securing something. The association with the mouth (mdomo) as a container for words is a common metaphorical structure in East African languages.
Wusstest du?
In some Swahili dialects, 'mdomo' also means 'lip'. So you are literally 'tying your lips'!
Kulturelle Hinweise
Silence is often preferred over unnecessary talk. There is a saying 'Maneno mengi hayajazi kibaba' (Many words don't fill a measure), emphasizing that action is better than talk.
“Mzee alifunga mdomo na kusikiliza vijana.”
In Nairobi, 'Funga mdomo' is often replaced by 'Ziba' or 'Piga lock'. It's used aggressively in traffic or in 'matatus' (public buses).
“Ziba hiyo mdomo, wewe!”
In schools, 'Funga mdomo' is a standard command from teachers. It is not considered rude from a teacher to a student, but the reverse is a major offense.
“Mwalimu alipiga meza na kusema, 'Fungeni midomo!'”
During Ramadan, 'kufunga' (to close/fast) is a holy act. While 'kufunga mdomo' usually means silence, it can metaphorically refer to the fast of the tongue—avoiding gossip while fasting.
“Katika mwezi wa Ramadhani, tunafunga midomo yetu dhidi ya masengenyo.”
Gesprächseinstiege
Je, ni vigumu kwako kufunga mdomo unapokuwa na siri kubwa?
Ni lini mara ya mwisho ulimwambia mtu afunge mdomo?
Katika nchi yako, ni kosa kumwambia mzee afunge mdomo?
Häufige Fehler
Funga kinywa wako
Funga mdomo wako
L1 Interference
Funga mdomo kwa mwalimu
Nyamaza mbele ya mwalimu
L1 Interference
Funga mdomo (to mean 'close the door')
Funga mlango
L1 Interference
Funga mdomo (when you mean 'I am fasting')
Nimefunga (saumu)
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
Cerrar la boca
Spanish often uses 'Cállate' as the primary command, whereas Swahili uses 'Funga mdomo' very frequently.
Fermer sa gueule
The French version is significantly more vulgar.
Den Mund halten
German uses the verb 'halten' (to hold) instead of 'funga' (to close/tie).
口を閉じる (Kuchi o tojiru)
Japanese has much stricter levels of politeness; you would almost never say this to a superior.
إغلق فمك (Ighliq famak)
Arabic often uses 'Uskut' (Be quiet) more than the literal 'close your mouth' in daily life.
闭嘴 (Bìzuǐ)
None; the usage patterns are nearly identical.
입을 다물다 (Ibeul damulda)
Korean requires different verb endings based on who you are talking to.
Calar a boca
Portuguese uses 'calar' (to silence) as a verb specifically for this.
Spotted in the Real World
“Funga mdomo, huna unachojua.”
A song addressing people who gossip about his life.
“Funga mdomo wako kabla sijakufanya kitu mbaya!”
A threat during a confrontation.
“Kama huna la maana la kusema, funga mdomo.”
A post about wisdom and silence.
Leicht verwechselbar
Both start with 'Kufunga' and the nouns 'mdomo' and 'mlango' sound similar to beginners.
Associate 'Mdomo' with 'M-O-U-T-H' (both have 'm' and 'o').
Learners might think it means 'closing a trip' (ending it).
Kufunga safari actually means to *start* or prepare for a journey.
Häufig gestellte Fragen (14)
Yes, it can be just as rude. Use it only with friends or people younger than you.
basic understandingNo, for fasting use 'Nimefunga'. 'Funga mdomo' only refers to speaking.
usage contextsThe plural is 'midomo'.
grammar mechanicsSay 'Tafadhali, nyamaza' or 'Naomba utulie'.
practical tipsYes, it is very commonly used in the context of secrets.
usage contextsYes, 'Piga lock' or 'Ziba' are common in Sheng.
cultural usageNo, it is too informal. Use 'Naomba tusikilizane' (Let's listen to each other).
usage contextsIt means 'mouth' or 'lip'.
basic understandingThat is the plural form used when speaking to more than one person.
grammar mechanicsYes, but it is much more formal and poetic.
comparisonsYes, it works for pets too!
practical tipsYes, it often refers to suppressing the media or opposition.
cultural usageVery often! Many Bongo Flava songs use it in the context of haters or gossip.
cultural usageThe opposite is 'Fungua mdomo' (Open your mouth/Speak up).
basic understanding
