jela
JEH-lah
How to say it
SwahilijelaJEH-lahsoon
Englishprison, jailsoon
Frenchprison
Meaning
A place where people are locked up as a punishment for a crime or while they wait for trial.
Good to know
Usually an n class noun, the same in plural; jela and gereza mean the same, and jela is more common in speech. It often follows kifungo: kifungo cha miaka mitano jela, five years in jail.
Examples
- Alihukumiwa kwenda jela miaka miwili kwa wizi.He was sentenced to two years in jail for theft.
- Baba yake alitoka jela mwezi uliopita.His father got out of jail last month.
- Hakuna mtu anayetaka kukaa jela.Nobody wants to stay in jail.
The same word in
Not yet checked by a native speaker.