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What is the Swahili word for the shillings used to pay in Kenya?

Shilingi, Swahili for shillings.

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  1. Dola
  2. Shilingi ✔
  3. Pesa

Why: Kenya's money is the shilling, shilingi in Swahili. Pesa is the general word for money, and dola means dollars. Tanzania and Uganda use shillings too, but each has its own.

Huh, didn't know that: A shopkeeper might say a price like 'shilingi hamsini', 50 shillings.

The dad joke
I tried to pay in compliments, but the shopkeeper only took shilingi.
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References

Answer: Shilingi. Kenya's money is the shilling, shilingi in Swahili. Pesa is the general word for money, and dola means dollars. Tanzania and Uganda use shillings too, but each has its own.

  1. Baylor University, Elementary Swahili I: Kuenda Sokoni openbooks.library.baylor.edu/elementaryswahili1/chapter/lesson-1-kuenda-sokoni
    Shilingi Kenyan shillings Dola Dollars
    Checked 2026-10-12.
  2. Baylor University, Elementary Swahili I: Kuenda Sokoni openbooks.library.baylor.edu/elementaryswahili1/chapter/lesson-1-kuenda-sokoni
    Chukua pesa Take the money
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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