A proverb is a short, well-known saying that expresses a general truth or piece of advice. Proverbs are found in many cultures, including Tanzania.

Examples

• "A rolling stone gathers no moss" – People who keep moving or working do not get stuck with problems or responsibilities.
• "Unity is strength" – When people work together, they are stronger than when they work alone.
• "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise" – Waking up early brings good benefits.

A riddle is a question or statement that has a clever or funny answer. Riddles often use wordplay or describe something in a tricky way.

Example

• Riddle: "What has keys but can't open locks?"
  Answer: A piano.

• Riddle: "I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. What am I?"
  Answer: A telephone.

Follow these simple steps when you find such expressions in a text:

1. Look for the expression – Circle or underline the idiom, proverb, or riddle in the text.
2. Read the whole sentence – Do not focus only on the difficult words. The rest of the sentence gives clues.
3. Think about the context – Ask yourself: What is the topic? Who is speaking? What situation is described?
4. Guess the meaning – Use the context to guess what the expression might mean.
5. Check your understanding – Ask yourself: Does my guessed meaning make sense in the sentence?

Read this short passage:

Mama Fatima told her students, "A stitch in time saves nine. If you finish your work now, you will not have to rush later."

Step 1: The expression is "A stitch in time saves nine."

Step 2: The sentence talks about finishing work early to avoid rushing later.

Step 3: The context is about being careful and solving problems early.

Step 4: The proverb means fixing a small problem now prevents a bigger problem later.

Step 5: This makes sense – if you sew a small tear now, you won't need to sew a larger tear later!

Try to match each expression with its meaning:

Answers: 1‑a, 2‑b, 3‑c

• Figurative language uses words in a imaginative or non-literal way.
• Idioms, proverbs, and riddles are common types of figurative language.
• Always read the surrounding words to understand the meaning.
• Do not panic if you do not know an expression – use context clues!

In Tanzania, you will meet figurative language everywhere – in Swahili and English. For example, when your mwalimu says "Kila jina lenye umuhimu wake" (Every name has its importance), you can compare it to English proverbs to understand deeper meanings. Also, when reading newspaper articles or listening to radio news in English, you may hear idioms. Knowing how to interpret them helps you understand the true message and communicate better with others.