§ What does elfu mean?
When you're learning Swahili, numbers are super important. One of the first big numbers you'll encounter is 'elfu'. Simply put, elfu means 'thousand'. It's a foundational word for talking about larger quantities, especially when dealing with money, distances, or populations.
- DEFINITION
- Thousand
You'll use 'elfu' just like you use 'thousand' in English. It always follows a number. So, if you want to say 'one thousand', you say 'elfu moja'. For 'two thousand', it's 'elfu mbili', and so on. It's quite straightforward, which is good news for learners!
Bei ya gari ni shilingi elfu tano.
This means: "The price of the car is five thousand shillings." (Bei ya gari - price of car, ni - is, shilingi - shillings, tano - five).
Nina elfu kumi mfukoni mwangu.
This means: "I have ten thousand in my pocket." (Nina - I have, kumi - ten, mfukoni mwangu - in my pocket).
§ When do people use elfu?
You'll hear and use 'elfu' in a variety of situations. Here are the most common ones:
- Counting Money: This is probably the most frequent use. Whether you're in a market, a shop, or just discussing prices, 'elfu' will come up a lot. Swahili-speaking countries often deal with larger denominations of currency, so 'thousand' is a very common unit.
- Discussing Distances: When talking about kilometers or miles, especially for longer journeys, 'elfu' is used. For example, 'kilomita elfu mbili' (two thousand kilometers).
- Population Figures: If you're talking about the population of a town or city, 'elfu' will be essential for expressing those numbers.
- Years: While less common for current years (which are usually said as individual digits), you might hear 'elfu' when discussing historical periods, like 'mwaka elfu moja mia tisa tisini' (one thousand nine hundred ninety).
Mastering 'elfu' early on will give you a significant boost in practical conversations. Don't overthink it; just remember it means 'thousand' and it follows the number.
Mji una wakazi elfu mia mbili.
This means: "The city has two hundred thousand residents." (Mji - city, una - it has, wakazi - residents, mia - hundred, mbili - two).
In summary, 'elfu' is your go-to word for 'thousand' in Swahili. It's straightforward, widely used, and crucial for handling numbers in everyday conversations. Get comfortable with it, and you'll be able to express larger quantities with confidence.
发音指南
- stressing the second syllable
- pronouncing 'e' as in 'bed' instead of 'e' as in 'hey'
需要掌握的语法
Numbers in Swahili generally follow the noun they are modifying, unlike in English where they usually precede the noun. 'Elfu' is a number and will often follow this pattern when counting specific items.
Wanafunzi elfu mbili (students two thousand).
When 'elfu' is used on its own, it refers to 'one thousand.' For example, just saying 'elfu' implies 'one thousand.'
Nina elfu moja (I have one thousand) - or simply Nina elfu.
To form multiples of a thousand, you place the smaller number before 'elfu.'
Mbili elfu (two thousand), Tano elfu (five thousand).
When combining 'elfu' with hundreds, you usually say the hundreds first, then 'elfu.'
Mia moja elfu (one hundred thousand).
'Elfu' remains singular whether it's one thousand or multiple thousands. It doesn't take plural prefixes.
Elfu moja (one thousand), Elfu tano (five thousand).
按水平分级的例句
Watalii elfu tano walitembelea mbuga ya wanyama mwaka jana.
Five thousand tourists visited the wildlife park last year.
Here, 'elfu tano' means 'five thousand'. 'Elfu' is used before the number.
Ninahitaji shilingi elfu ishirini kununua kitabu hiki.
I need twenty thousand shillings to buy this book.
'Elfu ishirini' means 'twenty thousand'.
Kuna watu zaidi ya elfu mia moja wanaoishi katika mji huu.
There are over one hundred thousand people living in this city.
'Elfu mia moja' means 'one hundred thousand'.
Gharama ya safari hiyo ni euro elfu moja.
The cost of that trip is one thousand euros.
'Elfu moja' means 'one thousand'.
Ametumia dola elfu tatu kujenga nyumba yake.
He has spent three thousand dollars to build his house.
'Elfu tatu' means 'three thousand'.
Kampuni imeuza bidhaa elfu kumi wiki hii.
The company has sold ten thousand products this week.
'Elfu kumi' means 'ten thousand'.
Mlima huu una urefu wa mita elfu nne mia tano.
This mountain has a height of four thousand five hundred meters.
'Elfu nne mia tano' means 'four thousand five hundred'.
Kuna maneno elfu mbili katika kamusi hii ndogo.
There are two thousand words in this small dictionary.
'Elfu mbili' means 'two thousand'.
Ninahitaji shilingi elfu moja kulipa bili.
I need one thousand shillings to pay the bill.
Here, 'elfu moja' literally means 'thousand one', which is how Swahili expresses 'one thousand'.
Kuna watu elfu kumi waliohudhuria mkutano.
There were ten thousand people who attended the meeting.
'Kumi' (ten) comes before 'elfu' to indicate 'ten thousand'.
Gharama ya safari ilikuwa shilingi elfu hamsini.
The cost of the trip was fifty thousand shillings.
'Hamsini' (fifty) precedes 'elfu' to form 'fifty thousand'.
Vitabu elfu mbili vilichapishwa mwaka jana.
Two thousand books were published last year.
'Mbili' (two) follows 'elfu' in this context to mean 'two thousand'.
Anafanya kazi katika kampuni yenye wafanyakazi zaidi ya elfu tano.
He works at a company with more than five thousand employees.
Numbers in Swahili typically follow the noun they quantify, but with 'elfu', the number often precedes it when referring to multiples of a thousand.
Jumla ya waliojiandikisha ni elfu tatu mia nane.
The total number of registered people is three thousand eight hundred.
'Mia nane' (eight hundred) follows 'elfu tatu' (three thousand) to express a more precise number.
Alipokea zawadi ya shilingi elfu ishirini kutoka kwa baba yake.
She received a gift of twenty thousand shillings from her father.
'Ishirini' (twenty) comes before 'elfu'.
Ujenzi wa daraja hilo uligharimu mamilioni ya shilingi, karibu elfu mia tano.
The construction of that bridge cost millions of shillings, almost five hundred thousand.
'Mia tano' (five hundred) precedes 'elfu' to indicate 'five hundred thousand'.
语法模式
习语与表达
"elfu kumi"
Ten thousand
Nina shilingi elfu kumi.
neutral"elfu moja"
One thousand
Gari hili linagharimu shilingi elfu moja.
neutral"kwa maelfu"
In thousands
Watu walifika kwa maelfu kushuhudia tukio hilo.
neutral"maelfu ya watu"
Thousands of people
Maelfu ya watu walikusanyika uwanjani.
neutral"mia moja elfu"
One hundred thousand
Nyumba hiyo inauzwa kwa shilingi mia moja elfu.
neutral"milioni moja"
One million (literally, one thousand thousands)
Kampuni imetengeneza faida ya milioni moja.
neutral"elfu thelathini"
Thirty thousand
Alilipa elfu thelathini kwa simu mpya.
neutral"zaidi ya elfu"
More than a thousand
Wageni walikuwa zaidi ya elfu.
neutral"chini ya elfu"
Less than a thousand
Bei ya bidhaa ni chini ya elfu.
neutral"elfu na mia tano"
One thousand five hundred
Vitabu vimeuzwa elfu na mia tano.
neutral句型
namba + elfu
mia moja elfu (one hundred thousand)
elfu + ya + nomino
elfu ya watu (a thousand people)
elfu + moja
elfu moja (one thousand)
namba + elfu + na + namba nyingine
elfu moja na mia tano (one thousand five hundred)
kila + elfu
kila elfu (every thousand)
zaidi ya + elfu
zaidi ya elfu moja (more than one thousand)
chini ya + elfu
chini ya elfu mbili (less than two thousand)
karibu na + elfu
karibu na elfu tatu (around three thousand)
记住它
记忆技巧
Think of an 'elf' from a fantasy story. If there were a 'thousand' elves, that's 'elfu'!
视觉联想
Imagine a big, bustling marketplace with thousands of people. Focus on the 'thousand' and connect it to 'elfu'.
Word Web
挑战
Try to count up to 'elfu kumi' (ten thousand) in Swahili. Use 'elfu' in a sentence about a large number you encounter today.
自我测试 24 个问题
Write a short sentence using 'elfu' to describe a large number of something you own or want to own.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Nina kitabu kimoja elfu. (I have one thousand books.)
Imagine you are talking about money. How would you say 'five thousand shillings' in Swahili?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Shilingi elfu tano.
You are describing a journey. How would you say 'one thousand kilometers' in Swahili?
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Kilomita elfu moja.
According to the passage, what is the approximate population of Dar es Salaam?
Read this passage:
Jiji la Dar es Salaam lina watu zaidi ya elfu tano. Kila mwaka, watalii wengi wanatembelea jiji hili. Wanakuja kuona vivutio mbalimbali.
According to the passage, what is the approximate population of Dar es Salaam?
The passage states 'watu zaidi ya elfu tano', which means 'more than five thousand people'.
The passage states 'watu zaidi ya elfu tano', which means 'more than five thousand people'.
What is the price of the car?
Read this passage:
Bei ya gari hili ni shilingi elfu ishirini. Ni bei nzuri sana kwa gari la aina hii. Ninataka kununua gari hili.
What is the price of the car?
The passage says 'shilingi elfu ishirini', which translates to 'twenty thousand shillings'.
The passage says 'shilingi elfu ishirini', which translates to 'twenty thousand shillings'.
How many kilometers did they travel?
Read this passage:
Safari yetu ilikuwa ndefu sana. Tulisafiri kilomita elfu moja na mia tano. Tulifika salama.
How many kilometers did they travel?
The passage states 'kilomita elfu moja na mia tano', meaning 'one thousand and five hundred kilometers', or fifteen hundred kilometers.
The passage states 'kilomita elfu moja na mia tano', meaning 'one thousand and five hundred kilometers', or fifteen hundred kilometers.
You are planning a trip to a national park in Tanzania. Write an email to a friend telling them about your plans. Include how much money you think you'll need in Tanzanian Shillings, using the word 'elfu' correctly. (Assume 1 USD = 2300 TZS for your estimate).
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Habari Rafiki, Natumai uko salama. Nina mipango ya kwenda safari ya Serengeti mwezi ujao! Nadhani nitahitaji kama shilingi laki tano elfu hamsini kwa ajili ya malazi na chakula. Je, ungependa kuungana nami? Itakuwa safari nzuri sana. Rafiki yako,
Describe a large gathering or event you attended recently. How many people do you estimate were there? Use 'elfu' in your description.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Juzi nilihudhuria tamasha kubwa mjini. Kulikuwa na watu wengi sana, nakadiria kama elfu tano hivi. Muziki ulikuwa mzuri na anga ilikuwa ya furaha.
Imagine you are explaining the population of a small town or village in Swahili. Write two sentences using 'elfu' to describe its population.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Mji huu mdogo una idadi ya wakaazi wapatao elfu thelathini. Kulingana na sensa ya mwaka jana, kulikuwa na zaidi ya elfu ishirini na tano.
Ni shughuli gani kuu ya wakazi wa Kijiji cha Mwangaza?
Read this passage:
Kijiji cha Mwangaza kina wakazi wapatao elfu kumi na mbili. Wengi wao hujishughulisha na kilimo cha kahawa. Mwaka jana, mavuno ya kahawa yalikuwa mengi sana, yakafikia tani mia moja na elfu tano. Hii ilisaidia sana kuboresha maisha ya wakazi wa kijiji.
Ni shughuli gani kuu ya wakazi wa Kijiji cha Mwangaza?
Sentensi ya pili inasema, 'Wengi wao hujishughulisha na kilimo cha kahawa,' ikimaanisha kilimo cha kahawa ndio shughuli yao kuu.
Sentensi ya pili inasema, 'Wengi wao hujishughulisha na kilimo cha kahawa,' ikimaanisha kilimo cha kahawa ndio shughuli yao kuu.
Je, gari lina thamani gani sasa?
Read this passage:
Bei ya gari jipya imepanda sana mwaka huu. Gari nililolitaka lilikuwa na thamani ya shilingi milioni thelathini na tano, sasa limefika milioni arobaini na elfu mia tatu. Hii ni changamoto kubwa kwa wanunuzi wengi wa magari.
Je, gari lina thamani gani sasa?
Passage inasema, 'sasa limefika milioni arobaini na elfu mia tatu,' ikionyesha thamani ya sasa ya gari.
Passage inasema, 'sasa limefika milioni arobaini na elfu mia tatu,' ikionyesha thamani ya sasa ya gari.
Ni kurasa ngapi kitabu hicho kina?
Read this passage:
Kitabu kipya kinachoelezea historia ya Tanzania kimechapishwa. Kina kurasa mia tano na elfu moja na mia mbili. Kimepokelewa vizuri sana na wasomaji na kimeuzwa nakala nyingi katika wiki ya kwanza. Waandishi wengi wamesifia utafiti uliotumika.
Ni kurasa ngapi kitabu hicho kina?
Sentensi ya pili inasema, 'Kina kurasa mia tano na elfu moja na mia mbili,' ingawa hii inatumia 'na' kimakosa, kwa kawaida inamaanisha 1200.
Sentensi ya pili inasema, 'Kina kurasa mia tano na elfu moja na mia mbili,' ingawa hii inatumia 'na' kimakosa, kwa kawaida inamaanisha 1200.
This sentence means 'Yesterday, I saw a thousand birds.' The word order for numbers and nouns is straightforward in Swahili.
This sentence translates to 'She has more than five thousand books.' The structure 'zaidi ya' (more than) comes before the number and noun phrase.
This means 'There are two thousand people at the meeting.' 'Kuna' means 'there is/are'.
What have scientists discovered that could change the lives of millions worldwide?
What is the new report about regarding developing countries?
What major project has the government launched, and what is its goal?
Read this aloud:
Licha ya changamoto nyingi, nchi hii imepiga hatua kubwa katika kupunguza umasikini na kuboresha elimu.
Focus: piga hatua
你说的：
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Ni muhimu sana kwa jamii kushirikiana katika kukabiliana na masuala tata ya kijamii kama vile uhalifu na rushwa.
Focus: masuala tata
你说的：
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Uelewa wa kina wa historia na utamaduni wa nchi yetu ni muhimu kwa mustakabali wetu kama taifa.
Focus: mustakabali wetu
你说的：
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
/ 24 correct
Perfect score!
