Swahili Phrases and Words

Greetings
Between peers: "Habari!" and the greeted answers, "Nzuri!".
Between peers: "Hujambo?" (Are you fine?) and the greeted answers, "Sijambo!" (I'm fine!)
Young to older: "Shikamoo!" (originally it meant "I touch your feet" as a sign of respect) and the greeted answers, "Marahabaa!" (I acknowledge your respect!).


Personal Pronouns
English Swahili
I Mimi
We Sisi
You (singular) Wewe
You (plural) nyinyi
He Yeye
She Yeye
They Wao




Common Dialogue
Sentence/Phrase Response
Habari!
(Hello!/Hi!)
Nzuri!
(Good!/Fine!)

Ninaitwa Charles. Wewe unaitwaje?
(My name is Charles. What's your name?)
Ninaitwa Mary. Nimefurahi kukujua.
(My name is Mary. I'm pleased to know you.)

Unazungumza Kiswahili?
(Do you speak Swahili?)
Ndio! Ninazungumza Kiswahili.
(Yes! I speak Swahili.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kidogo tu!
(Just a little bit!)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hapana! Sizungumzi Kiswahili. Ninazungumza Kiingereza tu!
(No! I don't speak Swahili. I only speak English!)

Ninatokea Marekani. Wewe unatokea wapi?
(I'm from the United States of America. Where are you from?)
Ninatokea Japani. Nipo hapa kwa matembezi.
(I'm from Japan. I'm visiting here.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ninatokea Uingereza. Nipo hapa kwa kazi.
(I'm from U.K. I'm here on business.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ninatokea Ujerumani. Nimekuja kujifunza Kiswahili.
(I'm from Germany. I've come to learn Swahili.)

Kwaheri! Nimefurahi kukutana na wewe.
(Goodbye! I'm pleased to meet you.)
Karibu! Nimefurahi pia kukutana na wewe.
(Goodbye! I'm also pleased to meet you.)


Utapenda kunywa nini?
(What would you like to drink?)
Nitakunywa maji tu. Nina kiu sana!
(I'll just drink water. I'm very thirsty.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nitakunywa kahawa bila maziwa.
(I'll drink coffee without milk.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nitakunywa chai na maziwa na sukari kidogo.
(I'll drink tea with milk and little sugar.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nitakunywa soda. CocaCola, tafadhali.
(I'll drink soda. CocaCola, please.)

Tafadhali niletee chakula moto haraka. Nina njaa sana!
(Please bring me some hot food quickly. I'm very hungry!)
Huu hapa wali, samaki, mbatata, na saladi. Nitakuletea keki baadaye.
(Here is rice, fish, potatoes, and salad. I'll bring you cake later.)


General Words and Phrases

English Swahili
And Na
Bad Mbaya
Bicycle Baiskeli
Bitter Chungu
Car Gari
Cold Baridi
Danger Hatari
Drink (noun)
Kinywaji

Drink (verb)
Kunywa

Eat
Kula

Excuse me!
Samahani!

Food
Chakula

Friend
Rafiki

Good
Nzuri

Goodbye!
Kwaheri!

Help me, please!
Nisaidie, tafadhali!

Here
Hapa

Hot
Moto

How?
Vipi?

I am angry.
Nimekasirika.

I am traveling.
Ninasafiri.

I am happy.
Nimefurahi.

I can speak Swahili.
Ninaweza kusema Kiswahili.

I can't speak Swahili.
Siwezi kusema Kiswahili.

I love you!
Ninakupenda!

Motorcycle
Pikipiki

No!
Hapana!

OK!
Sawa!

Please
Tafadhali

Sorry! (apologize)
Samahani!

Sorry! (sympathize)
Pole!

Sweet
Tamu

Thank you!
Asante!

Thank you very much!
Asante sana!

There
Pale

Very
Sana

Water
Maji

Welcome!
Karibu!

What?
Nini?

When?
Wakati gani?

Where?
Wapi?

Where are you going to?
Unakwenda wapi?

Which?
Ipi?

Yes!
Ndio!


Days of the Week

In Swahili, Saturday is the first day of the week. The sixth day of the week, Thursday, is mostly pronounced as "Alkhamisi" to match the way it is pronounced in its Arabic origin. Thursday and Friday both are of Arabic origin. They probably replaced the original Bantu names of those days due to their special place in the Islamic religion. Note that in Arabic, "Alkhamis" means the fifth day of the Arabic week while Thursday is actually the sixth day of the Swahili week! Sort of we ended up with two fifth days of the week: "Jumatano" and "Alkhamisi"!


English Swahili
Saturday
Jumamosi (literally: first day of the week)

Sunday Jumapili (literally: second day of the week)
Monday Jumatatu (literally: third day of the week)
Tuesday Jumanne (literally: fourth day of the week)
Wednesday Jumatano (literally: fifth day of the week)
Thursday Alhamisi (Arabic: fifth day of the week)
Friday Ijumaa (Arabic: the day of congregational prayer)


Numbers
English Swahili English Swahili
1 Moja 40
Arubaini

2 Mbili
50
Hamsini

3 Tatu 55
Hamsini na tano

4 Nne
60
Sitini

5 Tano
70
Sabini

6 Sita
80
Thamanini

7 Saba
90
Tisini

8
Nane
100
Mia

9
Tisa
136
Mia moja thalathini na sita
10
Kumi
999
Mia tisa tisini na tisa
11
Kumi na moja
1000
Elfu

12
Kumi na mbili
1997
Elfu moja mia tisa tisini na saba
17
Kumi na saba
Half
Nusu

20
Ishirini
Two and a half
Mbili na nusu

24
Ishirini na nne
Quarter
Robo

30
Thalathini
Forty seven and three quarters Arubaini na saba na robo tatu


Time

It is interesting to note that in the Swahili culture the day starts at sunrise (unlike in the Arab world where the day starts at sunset, and in the Western world where the day starts at midnight). Sunrise in East Africa, being exactly at the Equator, happens every day at approximately 6:00 a.m. And for that reason, 6:00 a.m. is "0:00 morning" Swahili time. By "Swahili time" I mean the time as spoken in Swahili.

So the hands of a watch or clock meant to read Swahili time would always point to a number opposite to the number for the actual time as spoken in English. That is, the Swahili time anywhere in the world (not just East Africa) is delayed by 6 hours.

Therefore 7:00 a.m. is "1:00 morning" (saa moja asubuhi) Swahili time; midnight is "6:00 night" (saa sita usiku) Swahili time. 5:00 a.m. is "11:00 early morning" (saa kumi na moja alfajiri) Swahili time.

Note also that the Swahili time doesn't use "noon" as the reference as in a.m. (before noon) and p.m. (after noon). The time is spoken using "alfajiri" which is the early morning time during which the morning light has started to shine but the sun has not risen yet; "asubuhi" which is the morning time between sunrise and a little before noon; "mchana" which is from around noon to around 3:00 p.m.; "alasiri" which is from around 3:00 p.m. to sunset; "jioni" which is the entire time period from around 3:00 p.m. up to a little before 7:00 p.m.; and "usiku" which is the entire time period from around 7:00 p.m. to early morning.


English Swahili
Time Saa
Hour
Saa

Watch/Clock
Saa

Morning Asubuhi
Evening
Jioni/Usiku

Afternoon
Mchana

Late afternoon
Alasiri/Jioni

Dusk
Magharibi

Night
Usiku

Late night
Usiku wa manane

Early morning
Alfajiri

What time is it?
Saa ngapi?

8 o'clock in the morning
Saa mbili kamili asubuhi

8 o'clock sharp
Saa mbili barabara

Noon
Saa sita mchana

4:25 p.m.
Saa kumi na dakika ishirini na tano alasiri

6:00 p.m.
Saa kumi na mbili kamili jioni

8:15 p.m.
Saa mbili na robo usiku

7:45 p.m.
Saa mbili kasorobo usiku

9:30 a.m.
Saa tatu unusu asubuhi (also: Saa tatu na nusu asubuhi)

Now
Sasa

Today
Leo

Yesterday
Jana

Tomorrow
Kesho

Day before yesterday
Juzi

Day after tomorrow
Kesho-kutwa

Day
Siku

Week
Wiki

Month
Mwezi

Year
Mwaka

Century
Karne