indimi

kukataa

koo-kah-TAH-ah

How to say it

Swahilikukataakoo-kah-TAH-ahsoon
Englishto refuse, to rejectsoon
Frenchrefuser, rejetersoon

Meaning

To say no to something asked or offered, or to not accept it.

Good to know

It takes a noun or an infinitive: alikataa zawadi, she refused the gift; alikataa kula, he refused to eat. The opposite is kukubali; kukataliwa means to be rejected.

Examples

  • Alikataa ombi langu la kazi.He turned down my job application.
  • Mtoto alikataa kula mboga.The child refused to eat the vegetables.
  • Ni vigumu kukataa ombi la rafiki.It is hard to refuse a friend's request.

The same word in

Forms

kukataliwa (passive of kukataa, to refuse)

Not yet checked by a native speaker.

Open in the dictionary ›More Swahili words from K ›