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Chichewa — top 209 words

High-frequency vocabulary for English speakers. Reveal each card, then rate your recall — the schedule adapts (SM-2) and is stored on your device.

⬇ Download this 209-word deck: CSV · TSV · Anki · .apkg — import into Anki or any SRS app.
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Full word list

Hover or tap a highlighted term to see its English meaning and copy it. With a keyboard, Tab to the first term and use the arrow keys; source status is shown in the popup.

#ChichewaEnglish
1hello / hi
2hello sir (to a man)
3hello madam (to a woman)
4thank you
5thank you very much
6please
7I'm sorry / excuse me
8yes
9no
10good / well / fine
11very good / excellent
12how are you? (formal)
13I am well
14goodbye (lit. stay well)
15see you later
16sorry / excuse me
17I feel well
18I don't understand
19please speak slowly
20what?
21who?
22where?
23when?
24why?
25how?
26how many?
27I / me
28you (singular)
29he / she / it
30we
31you (plural)
32they / them
33house / home / building
34road / path / street
35meeting / gathering / assembly
36village / hometown
37town / city
38family
39father / Mr. (respectful term for man)
40mother / Mrs. (respectful term for woman)
41child / son / daughter
42children
43elder / senior / older sibling
44younger sibling / smaller
45person
46people
47European / white person / foreigner
48doctor / healer
49teacher
50seller / trader
51buyer
52everything / anything
53nothing / something small
54time / period / season
55today
56tomorrow
57yesterday
58night
59morning
60afternoon / midday
61evening
62week
63month
64year
65water
66food
67meat / animal
68fish
69chicken
70goat
71cow
72maize / corn
73potato / sweet potato
74porridge
75stiff maize porridge (main staple)
76relish / sauce (eaten with nsima)
77groundnuts
78groundnut flour sauce
79autumn / second rainy season
80rainy season
81dry season
82fire / heat / temperature
83rain
84sun / day
85wind
86tree / wood / price
87bush / wilderness
88old person / elder
89girl / young woman
90boy / young man
91woman / wife
92man / husband
93to think / to consider / to plan
94to meet / to encounter
95to go / to travel / to walk
96to come
97to be / to stay / to live / to sit
98to eat
99to drink
100to sleep
101to wake up
102to sing
103to play
104to learn / to study
105to teach
106to work
107to climb / to ride
108to descend / to come down
109to go / to pass
110to arrive / to reach
111to return / to come back
112to see / to look
113to hear / to feel / to understand
114to speak / to answer
115to ask
116to tell / to inform / to sell
117to buy
118to pay
119to give / to hand over / to offer
120to take / to carry / to bring
121to go far
122to arrive nearby
123to make / to do / to create
124to wear / to dress
125to bathe / to wash
126to build / to tie / to lock
127to break
128to close / to lock
129to open
130to send
131to receive / to welcome
132to agree / to accept
133to refuse / to deny
134to say / to talk
135to connect / to be related
136good (adjective)
137bad / evil
138beautiful / handsome
139stubborn / difficult
140short / near
141tall / long / far
142big / large / important
143small / little / young
144white / clean / pure / holy
145black / dark
146red / reddish
147words / language / voice
148language / dialect
149Chichewa language
150English language
151French language
152Tumbuka language
153Swahili language
154peace / calm
155joy / happiness
156sadness / sorrow / pity
157anger / rage
158fear
159love
160start / beginning / origin
161end / conclusion
162benefit / profit
163misfortune / trouble / disaster
164hospitality
165wealth / iron / money
166money / currency
167debt / loan
168work / job / task
169payment / wages
170reward / prize / gift
171gift / present
172care / keeping / protection
173hospital / clinic
174medicine / drugs
175patient / sick person
176lie / falsehood
177truth
178justice / righteousness
179freedom / independence
180peace
181development / progress
182economics / finances
183wisdom / intelligence
184knowledge / awareness
185education / training
186school
187main road / highway
188car / vehicle
189train / engine / boat
190airplane / bird
191bus
192bicycle
193instructions / advice
194rules / laws
195government / district / fort
196ministry / government department
197witness / testimony
198church denomination / organization
199mosque
200culture / tradition / custom
201custom / ceremony / tradition
202story / folktale / myth
203song / hymn
204horn / trumpet
205drum
206game / sport / play
207ball / balloon / rubber
208martial arts
209swimming