kamba

How to say it

Meaning

a crustacean such as a crab, lobster, or shrimp.

Good to know

kamba mdogo refers to a shrimp or prawn, kamba wa pwani to a land crab, and kamba wa bahari to a sea crab; note that in everyday modern Swahili, kamba more commonly means 'rope, cord', a separate word.

Examples

• Wavuvi walivua kamba wengi asubuhi hii.The fishermen caught many crabs/shrimp this morning.
• Mama alipika kamba kwa nazi kwa chakula cha jioni.Mother cooked shrimp in coconut sauce for dinner.
• Je, kamba hawa ni wabichi au waliohifadhiwa?Are these prawns fresh or preserved?
• Kamba wadogo huuzwa kwa bei nafuu sokoni.Small shrimp are sold cheaply at the market.