ufinyu
oo-FEE-nyoo
How to say it
Swahiliufinyuoo-FEE-nyoo
Englishnarrowness; smallness, shortage
Frenchétroitesse; exiguïté, insuffisance
Meaning
The state of being narrow or too small, and so not enough, said of space, a market, a budget or income.
Good to know
No plural. From finyu, narrow. Common in news: ufinyu wa bajeti, a tight budget; ufinyu wa madarasa, a shortage of classroom space.
Examples
- Ufinyu wa barabara husababisha msongamano mjini.The narrowness of the roads causes congestion in town.
- Mradi umechelewa kutokana na ufinyu wa bajeti.The project is delayed because of a tight budget.
- Ufinyu wa nyumba yao unawalazimisha watoto kulala sebuleni.Their cramped house forces the children to sleep in the sitting room.
Not yet checked by a native speaker.