Here is a photo of a young girl (mtoto kidogo) that I met at an orphanage in Western Kenya. She has a deformed foot. She is not able to stand or walk without assistance. The verb kutoweza is not able. In America we commonly refer to people as disabled or the new term which I heard to day is "differently-abled". I like the positive spin of the PC usage, it's true.

Here's my attempt at Swahili slang. Since we call people "disabled" in Swahili this would be Mkutoweza. The "M" refers to people (Mtu, Watu). Mhindi is Indians. Muhindi is corn. Shamba is field/farm/village. Mshamba is slang for people from the villages (as opposed to cities). Similarly, Kenyans is Wakenya.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dirty_dan/

I am just going to add a few of the most popular verbs today. I have been looking over the Chapter 3 Infinitive verbs in Mwanasimba. This chapter helps build your a core set of verb roots that can be used in later on to suit your needs.

My favorite verb, at least when it comes to conversation is kutaka, to want. When all is said and done there is few things we want more in this world than water (maji), it's worth fighting for. Watch or you might get hit (kupiga, to hit).

Mimi sinataka kupiga wewe!

Kuharibu means to destroy. Just like the way I destroy any Haribo candy that comes in my path.

Mimi nitaharibu Haribo!

Sumu is poison.

Hatukula chura kwa sababu vyura ni sumu. - We don't eat frog because frogs are poison.

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Zii!  - Down!

Mtoto wewe ni zii, zii, zii? - Baby are you down, down, down?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mothersfightingforothers/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Sanduku - box; luggage
Masanduku - boxes

Mimi nina masanduku mengi - I have many boxes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/advocacy_project/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Kukoroma is to snore or snort. It can also refer to cats purring. I hope I don't snore, but I know sometimes I have woken myself up snoring.

Mimi sitaanza kukoroma, kwa sababu mke wangu analala na mimi. - I will not begin snoring because my wife sleeps with me.

Left: Kushoto
Right: Kulia

http://www.flickr.com/photos/christchurch/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Kaburi is grave.
Makaburi are graves.

Being in Kenya after the post-election violence I got to hear a lot about families dealing with burial matters. Beyond the loss of a loved one, the costs of funeral services weighed heavily on families. In many cases of death the bodies are transported back to the 'home village' where the person grew up. I also noticed a number of death notices and funeral announcements in the local newspapers. While this seemed unique and interesting at the time, it is not dissimilar from what we do in the U.S.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cg2photoart/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Kujiburudisha, to refresh oneself is a reflexive verb that uses the infix -ji-, which makes the verb reflect on it self. This is most commonly seen in the word kujifunza, as in, Ninajifunza Kiswahili - I am learning Kiswahili. In the case of -burudisha it is explicitly reflecting on itself in the sense that the closest English translation explicitly marks "oneself".

I like thinking about kujifunza, to learn, as reflexive because it helps to not that a lot of learning takes place not through teaching but through one's effort to make themselves learn. Therefore, kujifunza kama kujiburudisha.