Swahili is an easy language to learn.
PERSONAL PRONOUNS
| I | Mimi |
| We | Sisi |
| You (singular) | Wewe |
| You (plural) | nyinyi |
| He | Yeye |
| She | Yeye |
| They | Wao |
SENTENCE AND RESPONSE
| 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! Hapana! Sizungumzi Kiswahili. Ninazungumza Kiingereza tu! |
| 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. Ninatokea Ujerumani. Nimekuja kujifunza Kiswahili. |
| 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. Nitakunywa chai na maziwa na sukari kidogo. Nitakunywa soda. CocaCola, tafadhali. |
| 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
| 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 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
| 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
| 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 |
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