indimi

makaa

mah-KAH-ah

How to say it

Swahilimakaamah-KAH-ahsoon
Englishcharcoal, coal; emberssoon
Frenchcharbon de bois, charbon; braisessoon

Meaning

Pieces of burnt wood used as fuel for cooking, or glowing embers of a fire; makaa ya mawe, stones of charcoal, is mineral coal.

Good to know

Ma class noun, plural in form: makaa haya. Makaa ya mawe is coal; a single ember is kaa. In Tanzania the charcoal sold in sacks is usually mkaa.

Examples

  • Mama anapika kwa jiko la makaa.Mother cooks on a charcoal stove.
  • Nchi hiyo inachimba makaa ya mawe kwa wingi.That country mines a lot of coal.
  • Makaa yalikuwa bado yanawaka asubuhi.The embers were still glowing in the morning.

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