Common fruits and nuts in Kenya are usually referred to by their Swahili or English names in almost eqaul measure. This unlike the case with most vegetables which tend to known by their English names
There are a few exceptions however, such as some exotic fruits (e.g Apples) or indigenous fruits which may be known to some people only by their vernacular.
For example, before doing research for this article I’ve only known this type of black plum by my mother tongue of mpuru. So you can imagine my surprise to find it has an English name. Granted, they’re not exactly a popular fruit, so one is not likely to encounter them being sold in a market.
Here are some Swahili names for some other more common fruits.
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Fruits
| ENGLISH | SWAHILI |
|---|---|
| Apple | Tufaha / Tofaa |
| Avocado | Parachichi |
| Banana | Ndizi |
| Baobab Fruit | Ubuyu |
| Blackberry | Forosadi Nyeusi |
| Black Pulm | Furu |
| Canarium / African elemi | Mpafu / Mupafu |
| Cherry | Cheri |
| Coconut | Nazi |
| Custard Apple | Tomoko |
| Dates | Tende |
| Fig | Mtini / Tini |
| Gooseberry | Zabibubata |
| Grapefruit | Balungi |
| Grapes | Zabibu |
| Guava | Pera |
| Horned Melon | Kiwano |
| Jackfruit | Fenesi |
| Lemon | Limau |
| Lime | Ndimu |
| Mango | Embe |
| Melon | Tikiti |
| Mulberry | Forosadi |
| Muskmelon | Muskmeloni |
| Nectarine | Nektarini |
| Orange | Chungwa |
| Passion friuts | Pesheni / Karakara |
| Pawpaw (Papaya) | Papai |
| Peach | Pichi / Fyulisi |
| Pears | Pea |
| Pineapple | Nanasi |
| Plum | Plamu |
| Pomegranate | Komamanga |
| Raspberry | Rasiberi |
| Strawberry | Stroberi |
| Tamarillo / Tree Tomato | Tunda Damu |
| Tamarind | Ukwaju |
| Tangerine | Chenza |
| Watermelon | Tikiti Maji |
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Nuts
| ENGLISH | SWAHILI |
|---|---|
| Almond | Lozi / Badamu |
| Peanut | Njugu / Karanga |
| Cashew Nut | Korosho / Kanju |
| Macadamia Nut | Makadamia |
