From which language do we get the word 'safari'?

The Swahili word safari means journey, originally from the Arabic سفر (safar) meaning a journey; the verb for "to travel" in Swahili is kusafiri. These words are used for any type of journey, e.g. by bus from Nairobi to Mombasa or by ferry from Dar es Salaam to Unguja. Safari entered the English language at the end of the 1850s thanks to Richard Francis Burton, the famous explorer.

The Regimental March of the King's African Rifles was 'Funga Safari', literally 'tie up the March', or, in other words, pack up equipment ready to march.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

Test your knowledge

What are your thoughts on this subject?

33 Comments

Donna Evans

Actually the origin of the word comes from the Arabic word safara meaning to travel

Kevin Somerville Weir

Botswana is a country, not a language. The language of the Batswana people is called Setswana.

ninakamwene

I am from Kenya where we speak Swahili after English. Ahsante sana.

✨KRISTA✨

It was taken from Swahili which was taken from Arabic.

Nodmirt

Botswana is not a language... English is the spoken language of Botswana.

Albert

Or it can also be that the author made it purposely for tricking us.

Albert

I know got to know that even the best authors make mistake after reading H S Hotchkiss's comment.

rathichandramohan

Surprised that nobody said Hindustan!!

Robin Robertson

H S Hotchkiss, which is why it couldn't be the right answer. I have noticed this type of thing before...trying to trick you.

Laurette Pearlman

I've done the safari from Mombasa to Nairobi on the train. It was a fantastic experience.

Jim Adams

Close but no cigar, it’s Kaswahili with origins in Arabic. The funny thing is you even say it’s Arabic in your explanation.

Gold Toy Box

of the four choices given, the answer is correct.

Rob Arthurs

Arabic. Why try these type of trick questions as I see them. They make me want to quit quiz club. It was Arabic and then adapted to Swahili. The question says from which language do we get the word safari.

docluci

I used a majority hint and in reading my associates posts, I can see that Arabic is probably a more correct answer. I would like to know what language Richard Francis Burton spoke to settle this question since he seems to have named this concept!