"Yams"

Translation: Viazi vikuu

[vtopphol]

Chief potato?? Spud in command?

[AGreatUserName]

Haha, I was thinking more like "main potato" ... the main potato in my life is a yam. Uwe na lingoti!

[vtopphol]

Asante sana kwa lingoti hii. Nitaitumia kwa kitu kizuri.

[AGreatUserName]

Ujinunulie kitu kizuri! [slaps butt]

[adilalibra1]

Viazi vikuu is pl. Singular form will be kiazi kikuu (KI/VI noun group). And kiazi kikuu is swahili translation of latin name "Diocorea spp." (https://sw.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiazi_kikuu) which are yams.

[Joel158879]

First, is a "yam" the same as a "sweet potato?" If so, I've never heard anyone in TZ say "viazi vikuu" but have heard many times "viazi vitamu." If not, where do they grow yams in TZ?? ha

[vtopphol]

Yam is different, although the word "yam" is some places in USA and Canada used for sweet potato, according to Wikipedia at least. Yams and sweet potatoes are not related, and are manly grown in Africa. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yam_(vegetable)

[vtopphol]

*mainly

[PetterNord]

Not the same thing (usually). Yams can refer to several different plants - arrowroot commonly being one of them. It's a starchy thing eaten similarly to potatoes or cassava.

[Jimothey]

And sweet potatoes originate in south america, like other potatoes. They really are quite sweet, and are called kumara here in new zealand. We have many more of them than yams