The following guide will let you try out some basic Swahili:
USEFUL GREETINGS
| Jambo or Hujambo | Hello, good day, how are you? (multy-purpose greeting, means”problems?”) |
| Jambo or Sijambo | (the response)No problems |
| Habari? | How are things? (literally”news?”) |
| Nzuri | Fine, good, terrible |
| Hodi! | Hellow? Anyone in? (said on knocking or entering) |
| Karibu | Come in, enter, welcome(also said on offering something) |
| Kwaheri/ ni | Goodbye to one/ many |
| Asante/ ni | Thank you to one/ many |
| Sana | Very(acommon emphasis) |
| Bwana | Mister, the equivalent of monsieur in French |
| Mama | Like the French madame or madamoiselle, for adult women |
| Kijana | Youth, teenager(pl,vijana) |
| Mtoto | Child, kid(pl,watoto) |
| Jina lako nani? | What’s your name?/ What |
| Unaitwaje? | Are you called? |
BASICS
| My name is / I am called | Jina langu ni/ Ninaitwa |
| Where are you from? | Unatoka wapi? |
| Where are you staying? | Unakaa wapi |
| I am from | Ninatoka |
| I am staying (at / in). | Ninakaa |
| See you | Tutaonana ( Lit. “We shall meet”) |
| Yes | Ndiyo (Lit. it is so) |
| No | Hapana |
| I don’t understand | Sifahamu / Sielewi |
| I don’t speak Swahili but | Sisemi Kiswahili, lakini |
| How so you say in Swahili? | Unasemaje na Kiswahili |
| Could you repeat that? | Sema tena (Lit. speak again) |
| Speak slowly | Sema pole pole |
| I don’t know | Sijui |
| Where? | Wapi? |
| Here | Hapa |
| When? | Lini? |
| Now | Sasa |
| Soon | Sasa hivi |
| Why? | Kwa nini? |
| Because | Kwa sababu |
| Who? | Nani? |
| What? | Nini? |
| Which? | Gani? |
| True | kweli |
| And/with | na |
| Or | au |
| (It) is (they) are | Ni (a useful connector when you cant think of any) |
| Isn’t it? | Siyo? |
| I’m British / American / German / French / Italian | Mimi Mwingereza / Mwamerika / Mdachi / Mfaransa / Mwitaliano |
DAILY NEEDS
| Where can I stay? | Naweza Kukaa wapi? |
| Can I stay here? | Naweza kukaa hapa? |
| Room/s | Chumba/vyumba |
| Bed/s | Kitanda/vitanda |
| Chair/s | Kiti/viti |
| Table/s | Meza |
| Toilet, bathroom | Choo, bafu |
| Washing water | Maji ya kuosha |
| Hot/cold water | Maji moto/baridi |
| I’m hungry | Ninasikia njaa |
| I’m thirsty | Nina kiu |
| Is there any? | Iko… or Kuna?… |
| Yes there is… | Iko…or kuna… |
| No there isn’t any | Hakuna |
| How much? | Ngapi? |
| money | Pesa |
| What price? | Bei gani? |
| How much does it cost? | Pesa Ngapi? |
| I want… | Nataka |
| I don’t want | Sitaki |
| Give me/Bring me (can I have?) | Nipe/Niletee |
| Again | Tena |
| Enough | Tosha/basi |
| Expensive | Ghali/sana |
| Cheap(also”easy”) | Rahisi |
| Fifty cents | Sumni |
| Reduce the price,come down a little | Punguza kidogo |
| Shop | Duka |
| Bank | Benki |
| Post office | Posta |
| Café,restaurant | Hoteli |
| Telephone | Simu |
| Cigarettes | Sigara |
| I’m ill | Mimi mgonjwa |
| Doctor | Daktari |
| Hospital | Hospitali |
| Police | Polisi |
RAVEL AND DIRECTIONS
| Bus/es | Bas,basi / mabasi |
| Car /s, Vehicle/ s | Gari/ Magari |
| Taxi | Teksi |
| Bicycle | Baiskeli |
| Train | Treni |
| Plane | Ndege |
| Boat / Ship | Chombo / Meli |
| Petrol | Petroli |
| Road, path | Njia/ ndia |
| Highway | Barabara |
| On foot/ Walking | Kwa miguu |
| When does it leave | Inaondoka lini? |
| When will you arrive? | Tutafika lini? |
| Slowly | Polo pole |
| Fast, quickly | Haraka |
| Wait! / hang on a moment! | Ngoja!/ ngoja kidogo! |
| Stop! | Simama! |
| Where are you going | Unaenda wapi |
| To where? | Mpaka wapi? |
| From where? | Kutoka wapi? |
| How many kilometers? | Kilometa ngapi? |
| I’m going to | Naenda |
| Move along, squeeze up a little | Songa!/ songa kidogo! |
| Let’s go, carry on | Twende, endelea |
| Straight ahead | Moja kwa moja |
| Right | Kulia |
| Left | Kushoto |
| Up | Juu |
| Down | Chini |
| I want to get off here | Nataka kushuka hapa |
| The car has broken down | Gari imearibika |
TIME CALENDAR AND NUMBER
| What time is it? | Saa ngapi |
| Four o’clock | Saa nne |
| Quarter past | Na robo |
| Half past | Na nusu |
| Quarter to | Kasa robo |
| Minutes | Dakika |
| Early | Mapema |
| Yesterday | Jana |
| Today | Leo |
| Tomorrow | Kesho |
| Day time | Mchana |
| Night time | Usiku |
| Dawn | Alfagiri |
| Morning | Asubuhi |
| Last/ this/ next week | Wiki iliopita/ hii/ ijayo |
| This year | Mwaka huu |
| This month | Mwezi huu |
| Monday | Jumatatu |
| Tuesday | Jumanne |
| Wednesday | Jumatano |
| Thursday | Alhamisi |
| Friday | Ijumaa |
| Saturday | Jumamosi |
| Sunday | Jumapili |
| 1 | Moja |
| 2 | Mbili |
| 3 | Tatu |
| 4 | Nne |
| 5 | Tano |
| 6 | Sita |
| 7 | Saba |
| 8 | Nane |
| 9 | Tisa |
| 10 | Kumi |
| 11 | Kumi na moja |
| 12 | Kumi na mbili |
| 20 | Ishirini |
| 21 | Ishirini na moja |
| 30 | Thelathini |
| 40 | Arobaini |
| 50 | Hamsini |
| 60 | Sitini |
| 70 | Sabini |
| 80 | Themanini |
| 90 | Tisini |
| 100 | Mia moja |
| 121 | Mia moja na ishirini na moja |
| 1000 | Elfu |
SIGNS
| Danger! | Hatari! |
| Warning! | Angalia!/ Onyo! |
| Fierce dog! | Mbwa mkali! |
| No entry! | Hakuna njia! |
WORDS WORTH KNOWING
| Good | -zuri(with a prefix at the front) |
| Bad | -baya(ditto) |
| Big | -kubwa |
| Small | -dogo |
| A lot of | -ingi |
| Other/ Another | Ingine |
| Not bad | Si mbaya |
| Ok, right, fine | Sawa |
| Fine, cool | Safi |
| Completely | Kabisa |
| Just, only | Tu(kitanda kimoja tu-just ona bed) |
| Thing/ s | Kitu/ vitu |
| Problems, hassles | Wasiwasi, matata |
| No problem | Hakuna wasiwasi/ Hakuna matata |
| Friend | Rafiki |
| Sorry, pardon | Samahani |
| It’s nothing | Si kitu |
| Excuse me (let me through) | Hebu |
| What’s up? | Namna gani? |
| If God wills it | Inshallah (heard often on the coast) |
| Please | Tafadhali |
| Take a picture of me! | Piga picha mimi! |
| Help the poor! | Saidia maskini! |
The following guide will let you try out some basic Swahili:
USEFUL GREETINGS
| Jambo or Hujambo | Hello, good day, how are you? (multy-purpose greeting, means”problems?”) |
| Jambo or Sijambo | (the response)No problems |
| Habari? | How are things? (literally”news?”) |
| Nzuri | Fine, good, terrible |
| Hodi! | Hellow? Anyone in? (said on knocking or entering) |
| Karibu | Come in, enter, welcome(also said on offering something) |
| Kwaheri/ ni | Goodbye to one/ many |
| Asante/ ni | Thank you to one/ many |
| Sana | Very(acommon emphasis) |
| Bwana | Mister, the equivalent of monsieur in French |
| Mama | Like the French madame or madamoiselle, for adult women |
| Kijana | Youth, teenager(pl,vijana) |
| Mtoto | Child, kid(pl,watoto) |
| Jina lako nani? | What’s your name?/ What |
| Unaitwaje? | Are you called? |
BASICS
| My name is / I am called | Jina langu ni/ Ninaitwa |
| Where are you from? | Unatoka wapi? |
| Where are you staying? | Unakaa wapi |
| I am from | Ninatoka |
| I am staying (at / in). | Ninakaa |
| See you | Tutaonana ( Lit. “We shall meet”) |
| Yes | Ndiyo (Lit. it is so) |
| No | Hapana |
| I don’t understand | Sifahamu / Sielewi |
| I don’t speak Swahili but | Sisemi Kiswahili, lakini |
| How so you say in Swahili? | Unasemaje na Kiswahili |
| Could you repeat that? | Sema tena (Lit. speak again) |
| Speak slowly | Sema pole pole |
| I don’t know | Sijui |
| Where? | Wapi? |
| Here | Hapa |
| When? | Lini? |
| Now | Sasa |
| Soon | Sasa hivi |
| Why? | Kwa nini? |
| Because | Kwa sababu |
| Who? | Nani? |
| What? | Nini? |
| Which? | Gani? |
| True | kweli |
| And/with | na |
| Or | au |
| (It) is (they) are | Ni (a useful connector when you cant think of any) |
| Isn’t it? | Siyo? |
| I’m British / American / German / French / Italian | Mimi Mwingereza / Mwamerika / Mdachi / Mfaransa / Mwitaliano |
DAILY NEEDS
| Where can I stay? | Naweza Kukaa wapi? |
| Can I stay here? | Naweza kukaa hapa? |
| Room/s | Chumba/vyumba |
| Bed/s | Kitanda/vitanda |
| Chair/s | Kiti/viti |
| Table/s | Meza |
| Toilet, bathroom | Choo, bafu |
| Washing water | Maji ya kuosha |
| Hot/cold water | Maji moto/baridi |
| I’m hungry | Ninasikia njaa |
| I’m thirsty | Nina kiu |
| Is there any? | Iko… or Kuna?… |
| Yes there is… | Iko…or kuna… |
| No there isn’t any | Hakuna |
| How much? | Ngapi? |
| money | Pesa |
| What price? | Bei gani? |
| How much does it cost? | Pesa Ngapi? |
| I want… | Nataka |
| I don’t want | Sitaki |
| Give me/Bring me (can I have?) | Nipe/Niletee |
| Again | Tena |
| Enough | Tosha/basi |
| Expensive | Ghali/sana |
| Cheap(also”easy”) | Rahisi |
| Fifty cents | Sumni |
| Reduce the price,come down a little | Punguza kidogo |
| Shop | Duka |
| Bank | Benki |
| Post office | Posta |
| Café,restaurant | Hoteli |
| Telephone | Simu |
| Cigarettes | Sigara |
| I’m ill | Mimi mgonjwa |
| Doctor | Daktari |
| Hospital | Hospitali |
| Police | Polisi |
RAVEL AND DIRECTIONS
| Bus/es | Bas,basi / mabasi |
| Car /s, Vehicle/ s | Gari/ Magari |
| Taxi | Teksi |
| Bicycle | Baiskeli |
| Train | Treni |
| Plane | Ndege |
| Boat / Ship | Chombo / Meli |
| Petrol | Petroli |
| Road, path | Njia/ ndia |
| Highway | Barabara |
| On foot/ Walking | Kwa miguu |
| When does it leave | Inaondoka lini? |
| When will you arrive? | Tutafika lini? |
| Slowly | Polo pole |
| Fast, quickly | Haraka |
| Wait! / hang on a moment! | Ngoja!/ ngoja kidogo! |
| Stop! | Simama! |
| Where are you going | Unaenda wapi |
| To where? | Mpaka wapi? |
| From where? | Kutoka wapi? |
| How many kilometers? | Kilometa ngapi? |
| I’m going to | Naenda |
| Move along, squeeze up a little | Songa!/ songa kidogo! |
| Let’s go, carry on | Twende, endelea |
| Straight ahead | Moja kwa moja |
| Right | Kulia |
| Left | Kushoto |
| Up | Juu |
| Down | Chini |
| I want to get off here | Nataka kushuka hapa |
| The car has broken down | Gari imearibika |
TIME CALENDAR AND NUMBER
| What time is it? | Saa ngapi |
| Four o’clock | Saa nne |
| Quarter past | Na robo |
| Half past | Na nusu |
| Quarter to | Kasa robo |
| Minutes | Dakika |
| Early | Mapema |
| Yesterday | Jana |
| Today | Leo |
| Tomorrow | Kesho |
| Day time | Mchana |
| Night time | Usiku |
| Dawn | Alfagiri |
| Morning | Asubuhi |
| Last/ this/ next week | Wiki iliopita/ hii/ ijayo |
| This year | Mwaka huu |
| This month | Mwezi huu |
| Monday | Jumatatu |
| Tuesday | Jumanne |
| Wednesday | Jumatano |
| Thursday | Alhamisi |
| Friday | Ijumaa |
| Saturday | Jumamosi |
| Sunday | Jumapili |
| 1 | Moja |
| 2 | Mbili |
| 3 | Tatu |
| 4 | Nne |
| 5 | Tano |
| 6 | Sita |
| 7 | Saba |
| 8 | Nane |
| 9 | Tisa |
| 10 | Kumi |
| 11 | Kumi na moja |
| 12 | Kumi na mbili |
| 20 | Ishirini |
| 21 | Ishirini na moja |
| 30 | Thelathini |
| 40 | Arobaini |
| 50 | Hamsini |
| 60 | Sitini |
| 70 | Sabini |
| 80 | Themanini |
| 90 | Tisini |
| 100 | Mia moja |
| 121 | Mia moja na ishirini na moja |
| 1000 | Elfu |
SIGNS
| Danger! | Hatari! |
| Warning! | Angalia!/ Onyo! |
| Fierce dog! | Mbwa mkali! |
| No entry! | Hakuna njia! |
WORDS WORTH KNOWING
| Good | -zuri(with a prefix at the front) |
| Bad | -baya(ditto) |
| Big | -kubwa |
| Small | -dogo |
| A lot of | -ingi |
| Other/ Another | Ingine |
| Not bad | Si mbaya |
| Ok, right, fine | Sawa |
| Fine, cool | Safi |
| Completely | Kabisa |
| Just, only | Tu(kitanda kimoja tu-just ona bed) |
| Thing/ s | Kitu/ vitu |
| Problems, hassles | Wasiwasi, matata |
| No problem | Hakuna wasiwasi/ Hakuna matata |
| Friend | Rafiki |
| Sorry, pardon | Samahani |
| It’s nothing | Si kitu |
| Excuse me (let me through) | Hebu |
| What’s up? | Namna gani? |
| If God wills it | Inshallah (heard often on the coast) |
| Please | Tafadhali |
| Take a picture of me! | Piga picha mimi! |
| Help the poor! | Saidia maskini! |
