kuharibia
koo-hah-ree-BEE-ah
How to say it
Swahilikuharibiakoo-hah-ree-BEE-ahsoon
Frenchgâcher (à quelqu’un), abîmer ; sabotersoon
Meaning
To damage or spoil something that belongs to or matters to someone else, such as their plans, name, health or success.
Good to know
The applicative of kuharibu, to destroy: the person harmed is the object, then the thing spoiled. Kumharibia mtu jina is to damage someone’s name.
Examples
- Mvua iliwaharibia wakulima mazao yao.The rain ruined the farmers’ crops.
- Usiniharibie siku yangu kwa habari mbaya.Do not spoil my day with bad news.
- Walitaka kumharibia sifa kabla ya uchaguzi.They wanted to ruin his reputation before the election.
Not yet checked by a native speaker.