Swahili
mtimbi
um-TEE-mbee
How to say it
Swahilimtimbium-TEE-mbeesoon
Englishjinxsoon
Frenchmalchancesoon
Meaning
a person believed to bring bad luck, a jinx; the term can also refer to a traditional healer who prepares protective charms.
Good to know
Dual sense: as an insult, someone thought to bring misfortune; more neutrally, a traditional healer (mganga) who makes charms.
Examples
- Watu wengine humwogopa kwa sababu ni mtimbi.Some people fear him because he is thought to bring bad luck.
- Je, kweli mtimbi anaweza kutengeneza hirizi?Can a traditional healer really make charms?
- Hakuwa mtimbi, ni imani tu za watu.He was not a jinx; it was just people's beliefs.
- Mtimbi huyo atatengeneza dawa za asili.That healer will prepare traditional medicine.
Not yet checked by a native speaker.