Swahili For Dummies
Explore BookGreeting in Swahili
habari?(hah-bah-ree) (How are you?) | Nzuri (n-zoo-ree) (fine/well) |
hujambo? (hoo-jah-mboh) (How are you?) | Sijambo (see-jah-mboh) (I am fine.) |
mambo? (mah-mboh) (How are things?) | Poa (poh-ah) (great) |
kwaheri (kwah-heh-ree) (goodbye) | kwaheri (kwah-heh-ree) (goodbye) |
baadaye (bah-ah-dah-yeh) (later) | baadaye (bah-ah-dah-yeh) (later) |
Basic Swahili questions
- nani? (nah-nee) (who?)
- wapi? (wah-pee) (where?)
- lini? (lee-nee) (where?)
- nini? (nee-nee) (what?)
- gani? (gah-nee) (which?)
- Jina lako ni nani? (jee-nah lah-koh nee nah-nee) (What is your name?)
- Unatoka wapi? (oo-nah-toh-kah wah-pee) (Where are you from?)
- Unaishi wapi? (oo-nah-ee-shee wah-pee) (Where do you live?)
- Unasema lugha gani? (oo-nah-seh-mah loo-gah gah-nee) (Which language(s) do you speak?)
- Unasoma nini? (oo-nah-soh-mah nee-nee) (What do you study?)
- Unafanya kazi gani? (oo-nah-fah-nyah kah-zee gah-nee) (What’s your job?)
- Ni saa ngapi? (nee sah-ah ngah-pee) (What is the time?)
- Posta iko wapi? (poh-stah ee-koh wah-pee) (Where’s the post office?)
Swahili numbers
0 sufuri (soo-foo-ree) | 18 kumi na nane (koo-mee nah nah-neh) |
1 moja (moh-jah) | 19 kumi na tisa (koo-mee nah tee-sah) |
2 mbili (mbee-lee) | 20 ishirini (ee-shee-ree-nee) |
3 tatu (tah-too) | 21 ishirini na moja(ee-shee-ree-nee nah moh-jah) |
4 nne (n-neh) | 22 ishirini na mbili (ee-shee-ree-nee nah m-bee-lee) |
5 tano (tah-no) | |
6 sita (see-tah) | 30 thelathini (theh-lah-thee-nee) |
7 saba (sah-bah) | 40 arobaini (ah-roh-bah-ee-nee) |
8 nane (na-neh) | 50 hamsini (ham-see-nee) |
9 tisa (tee-sah) | 60 sitini (see-tee-nee) |
10 kumi (koo-mee) | 70 sabini (sah-bee-nee) |
11 kumi na moja (koo-mee nah moh-jah) | 80 themanini (theh-mah-nee-nee) |
12 kumi na mbili (koo-mee nah m-bee-lee) | 90 tisini (tee-see-nee) |
13 kumi na tatu (koo-mee nah tah-too) | 100 mia moja (mee-ah moh-jah) |
14 kumi na nne (koo-mee nah n-neh) | 1000 elfu moja (ehl-foo moh-jah) |
15 kumi na tano (koo-mee nah tah-jah) | 10,000 elfu kumi (ehl-foo koo-mee) |
16 kumi na sita (koo-mee nah see-tah) | 100,000 laki moja (lah-kee moh-jah) |
17 kumi na saba (koo-mee nah sah-bah) | 1,000,000 milioni moja (mee-lee-oh-nee moh-jah) |
The Swahili calendar
Weekdays
- Jumamosi (joo-mah-moh-see) (Saturday)
- Jumapili (joo-mah-pee-lee) (Sunday)
- Jumatatu (joo-mah-tah-too) (Monday)
- Jumanne (joo-mah-n-neh) (Tuesday
- Jumatano (joo-mah-tah-noh) (Wednesday
- Alhamisi (al-hah-mee-see) (Thursday)
- Ijumaa (ee-joo-mah-ah) (Friday)
Months
- mwezi wa kwanza (m-weh-zee wah kwah-n-zah) (January)
- mwezi wa pili (m-weh-zee wah pee-lee) (February)
- mwezi wa tatu (m-weh-zee wah tah-too) (March)
- mwezi wa nne (m-weh-zee wah n-neh) (April)
- mwezi wa tano (m-weh-zee wah tah-noh) (May)
- mwezi wa sita (m-weh-zee wah see-ta) (June)
- mwezi wa saba (m-weh-zee wah sah-bah) (July)
- mwezi wa nane (m-weh-zee wah nah-neh) (August)
- mwezi wa tisa (m-weh-zee wah tee-sa) (September)
- mwezi wa kumi (m-weh-zee wah koo-mee) (October)
- mwezi wa kumi na moja (m-weh-zee wah koo-mee nah moh-jah) (November)
- mwezi wa kumi na mbili (m-weh-zee wah koo-mee nah m-bee-lee) (December)