uhaba
oo-HAH-bah
How to say it
Swahiliuhabaoo-HAH-bahsoon
Englishshortage, scarcitysoon
Frenchpénurie, manquesoon
Meaning
A situation in which there is not enough of something people need, such as food, water, money or workers.
Good to know
U class noun, no plural; the missing thing follows wa: uhaba wa maji, water shortage; uhaba wa walimu, a shortage of teachers.
Examples
- Uhaba wa mvua umesababisha bei ya mahindi kupanda.The shortage of rain has made the price of maize go up.
- Hospitali inakabiliwa na uhaba wa madaktari.The hospital faces a shortage of doctors.
- Kuna uhaba mkubwa wa sukari madukani.There is a serious shortage of sugar in the shops.
The same word in
Not yet checked by a native speaker.