Swahili phrasebook basics · Basics in Swahili phrasebook
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Basics in Swahili phrasebook
Basics in Swahili phrasebook
Note that greetings in Swahili are very important, and long and drawn out - you can go back and forth several times, using not one but all of the greetings you know.
Hello. (to one person)�
Hujambo (response: Sijambo)
Hello. (to a group)�: Hamjambo (response: Hatujambo)
Hello to an older person or authority figure.�
Shikamoo (shee-kah-moh) (response: Marahaba). Some people frown on the use of Shikamoo because it started out as a servant's greeting to his/her master.
Hello. (informal)�
Sasa / Mambo / Jambo (generally said only to tourists). This is 'Sheng' or Swahili slang. Most locals are not impressed if you greet them using Sheng.
Response to informal hello�
Mzuri (fine), Safi (clean/in order), Poa (cool), Poa kichizi kama ndizi (crazy cool like a banana)
How are you?�
Habari yako? (lit.: Your news?)
How are you? (alternative)
Ukoje? Response: Niko salama.
How are you? (alternative)
U hali gani? (lit.: What's your condition?)
How are you today?�
Habari ya leo?
How are you this morning?�
Habari ya asubuhi?
How are you this afternoon?�
Habari ya mchana?
How are you this evening?�
Habari ya jioni?
How was your journey / trip / safari?�
Habari za safari?
How have you been today?�
Umeshindaje leo?
Fine, thank you.�
Nzuri, asante.
What is your name?�
Jina lako ni nani?
My name is ______ .�
Jina langu ni ______.
Where are you from?�
Unatoka wapi?
I am from _______.�
Ninatoka nchi ya _______(your country).
Please.�
Tafadhali.
Thank you (very much).�
Asante (sana).
You're welcome.�
Karibu.
Yes.�
Ndiyo.
No.�
Hapana.
I don't need. (Polite way of saying you don't want to buy anything)�
Sihitaji.
Excuse me. (getting attention)�
Samahani.
I'm sorry (in the sense of "pardon me"; used for minor transgressions).�
Samahani.
I'm sorry (in the sense of "please forgive me for wronging you"; used for major transgressions).�
Nasikitika.
Goodbye�
Kwa heri.
Good night.�
Usiku mwema.
Sleep well.�
Lala Salama.
Did you sleep well?�
Umelalaje?
Umeamkaje (lit.: did you wake up well?)
See you later.�
Tuonane baadaye.
Later.�
Baadaye.
See you tomorrow.�
Tutuonana kesho.
My Swahili is terrible�
Kiswahili changu ni kibaya sana.
I can't speak Kiswahili.�
Siwezi kusema Kiswahili.
I only speak a little Kiswahili.�
Ninaongea Kiswahili kidogo tu.
Do you speak English?�
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Bathroom�
Bafu
Toilet�
Choo
Help!�
Msaada!
Where is the _______?�
_____(e.g. bathroom, police station...) iko wapi?
Grammatically, this would depend on the noun class of the object in question. E.g. for bathroom, it would be 'Kiko', not 'Iko'. There are 18 noun classes in Swahili.
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Swahili phrasebook Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.