SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/sw-elfu-thousand

A driver says the fare is 'shilingi elfu moja'. How much is that?

1,000 shillings. Elfu means thousand.

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  1. 100 shillings
  2. 10 shillings
  3. 1,000 shillings ✔

Why: Elfu is thousand, so elfu moja is 1,000 and elfu mbili is 2,000. Mia is 100 and kumi is 10. Prices in shillings often run into the thousands, so elfu is a must-know word.

Huh, didn't know that: Elfu moja na mia tano is 1,500: a thousand and five hundred.

The dad joke
I heard 'elfu' and thought the driver said 'elf'. Turns out the fare was not magical.
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References

Answer: 1,000 shillings. Elfu is thousand, so elfu moja is 1,000 and elfu mbili is 2,000. Mia is 100 and kumi is 10. Prices in shillings often run into the thousands, so elfu is a must-know word.

  1. Northwestern University, Elementary Swahili: Nominal Numbers nulib-oer.github.io/swahili/topics/numbers
    elfu moja 1000 elfu moja na moja 1001 elfu moja na mia tano 1500
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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