majini

How to say it

Meaning

Spirits or genies, supernatural beings found chiefly in folk tales.

Good to know

plural of jini (li-/ma- class, Arabic loan); treated as animate beings in folklore, so it often takes human-style agreement (wabaya, wanaishi) rather than the usual ma- class agreement.

Examples

• Watu wa kijiji wanaamini majini wanaishi msituni.The villagers believe genies live in the forest.
• Je, majini hao wanaonekana usiku tu?Do those genies only appear at night?
• Hadithi za bibi zinasimulia majini wabaya.Grandmother's stories tell of evil genies.
• Majini hawakumdhuru msafiri yule.The genies did not harm that traveler.