Swahili Basics

Greetings

Greetings are important in East Africa and you don’t launch into a conversation or even ask a question without first saying “Hello, how are you?”.

· Hello = Jambo / Hujambo / Salama
· How are you? = Habari gani
· Fine (response) = Nzuri
· Goodbye = Kwa heri / Kwa herini (more than one peson)
· See you later = Tutaonana
· Nice to meet you = Nafurahi kukuona
· Goodnight = Lala salama

Civilities

· Yes = Ndiyo
· No = Hapana
· Thank you = Asante
· Thank you very much = Asante sana
· Please = Tafadhali
· OK = Sawa
· Excuse me = Samahani
· You’re welcome = Starehe
· Can you help me? = Tafadhali, naomba msaada
· What is your name? = Jina lako nani?
· My name is = Jina langu ni…
· Where are you from? = Unatoka wapi?
· I’m from… = Natokea…
· May I take a picture? = Naomba kupiga picha
· Do you speak English? = Unasema kiingereza?
· Do you speak Swahili? = Unasema Kiswahili?
· Just a little bit = Kidogo tu!
· How do you say … in Swahili? = Unasemaje … kwa Kiswahili
· I don’t understand = Sielewi
· Friend = Rafiki

Getting Around

· Where is the… = ni wapi…
· Airport = uwanja wa ndege
· Bus station = stesheni ya basi
· Bus stop = bas stendi
· Taxi stand = stendi ya teksi
· Train station = stesheni ya treni
· Bank = benki
· Market = soko
· Police station = kituo cha polisi
· Post office = posta
· Tourist office = ofisi ya watali
· Toilet/bathroom = choo

· What time is the … leaving? = inaondoka saa … ngapi?
· Bus = basi
· Minibus = matatu (Kenya); dalla dalla (Tanzania)
· Plane = ndege
· Train = treni/gari la moshi

· Is there a bus going to …? = Kuna basi ya …?
· I’d like to buy a ticket = Nataka kununua tikiti
· Is it near = Ni karibu?
· Is it far = Ni mbali
· There = huko
· Over there = pale
· Ticket = tikiti
· Where are you going? = Unakwenda wapi?
· How much is the fare? = Nauli ni kiasi gani?

· Hotel = hoteli
· Room = chumba
· Reservation = akiba
· Are there any vacancies for tonight? = Mna nafasi leo usiko? (Kenya: Iko nafasi leo usiku?)
· No vacancies = Hamna nafasi (Kenya: Hakuna nafasi)
· How much is it per night? = ni bei gani kwa usiku?
· Mosquito net = chandalua

Days and Numbers

· Today = leo
· Tomorrow = kesho
· Yesterday = jana
· Now = sasa
· Later = baadaye
· Every day = kila siku

· 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 (ten and one)
· 12 = kumi na mbili (ten and two)
· 20 = ishirini
· 21 = ishirni na moja (twenty and one)
· 30 = thelathini
· 40 = arobaini
· 50 = hamsini
· 60 = sitini
· 70 = sabini
· 80 = themanini
· 90 = tisini
· 100 = mia
· 200 = mia mbili
· 1,000 = elfu
· 100,000 = laki

Food and drinks

· I’d like = nataka …
· Food = chakula
· Hot/cold = ya moto/baridi

· Water = maji
· Hot water = maji ya moto
· Drinking water = maji ya kunywa
· Soda (soft drinks) = soda
· Beer = bia
· Milk = maziwa

· Meat = nyama
· Chicken = nyama kuku
· Fish = sumaki
· Beef = nyama ng’ombe
· Fruit = matunda
· Vegetables = mboga

Health

· Where can I find a … = Naweza kupata … wapi?
· Doctor = daktari/mganga
· Hospital = hospitali
· Medical center = matibabu

· I’m sick = mimi ni mgonjwa
· I need a doctor = nataka kuona daktari
· It hurts here = naumwa hapa
· Fever = homa
· Malaria = melaria
· Headache = umwa kichwa
· Diarrhea = harisha/endesha
· Vomiting = tapika
· Medicine = dawa

Animals

When you’re on safari in East Africa many of the guides and trackers will speak Swahili.
· Animal = wanyama
· Buffalo = Nyati / Mbogo
· Cheetah = Duma / Chita
· Cow = N’gombe
· Elephant = Tembo / Ndovuh
· Giraffe = Twiga
· Goat = Mbuzi
· Hippo = Kiboko
· Hyena = Fisi
· Leopard = Chui
· Lion = Simba
· Rhino = Kifaru
· Warthog = Ngiri
· Wildebeest = Nyumbu
· Zebra = Punda milia