Phrases |
'Useful' phrases |
Idioms |
Tongue twisters |
Language-related proverbs
A collection of useful phrases in Swahili. Click on the English phrases to see them in many other languages.
Key to abbreviations: sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person), inf = informal
| English | kiSwahili (Swahili) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Karibu |
| Hello | Habari (inf) Hujambo (sg) Hamjambo (pl) Sijambo (reply) |
| How are you? Fine |
Habari yako? Habari gani? |
| Mzuri / Nzuri | |
| What's your name? My name is ... |
Jina lako ni nani? |
| Jina langu ni ... | |
| Where are you from? I'm from ... |
Unatoka wapi? |
| Natoka ... | |
| Pleased to meet you | Nafurahi kukuona / Nimefurahi kukutana nawe |
| Good morning | Habari ya asubuhi |
| Good afternoon | Habari ya mchana |
| Good evening | Habari ya jioni |
| Good night | Usiku mwema / Lala salama (sleep well) |
| Goodbye | Kwaheri |
| Good luck | Kila la kheri! |
| Cheers/Good health! | Maisha marefu! Afya! Vifijo! |
| Have a nice day | Nakutakia siku njema! |
| Bon appetit | Ufurahie chakula chako (sg) Furahieni chakula chenu (pl) |
| Bon voyage | Safari njema! |
| I understand | Naelewa |
| I don't understand | Sielewi |
| Please speak more slowly | Tafadhali sema polepole |
| Please write it down for me | Waweza kuiandika? |
| Do you speak English? | Unazungumza kiingereza? |
| Do you speak Swahili? Yes, a little |
Unazungumza kiSwahili? |
| Ndiyo, kidogo tu | |
| Excuse me | Samahani nipishe (to get past) Samahani (to get attention or say sorry) |
| How much is this? | Hii ni bei gani? |
| Sorry | Samahani |
| Please | Tafadhali |
| Thank you Response |
Asante / Asante sana (sg) / Asanteni (pl) |
| Asante kushukuru | |
| No thanks | La asante |
| Where's the toilet? | Choo kiko wapi? |
| This gentleman/lady will pay for everything |
Mtu huyu atalipia kila kitu |
| Would you like to dance with me? | Tucheze ngoma? Utapenda kudansi? |
| I love you | Ninakupenda |
| Get well soon | Ugua pole |
| How do you say ... in Swahili? | Unasemaje ... kwa Kiswahili? |
| Help! Fire! Stop! |
Msaada! Moto! Usifanye hivyo! |
| Call the police! | Mwite polisi! |
| Merry Christmas and Happy New Year |
Krismasi Njema / Heri ya krismas Heri ya mwaka mpya |
| Happy Easter | Heri kwa sikukuu ya Pasaka |
| Happy Birthday | Nakutakia mema kwa siku yako ya kuzaliwa! Siku-kuo ya zaliwa njema! Furaha Ya Siku Ya Kuza Liwa! |
| My hovercraft is full of eels | Gari langu linaloangama limejaa na mikunga |
| One language is never enough | Lugha moja haitoshi |
Corrections, recordings and some translations by Ylanne Sorrows and Rushomesa Remigius
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, please contact me.
Information about written and spoken Swahili
Swahili language courses, dictionaries, etc.
Collections of Swahili phrases (some with soundfiles)
http://www.transparent.com/languagepages/swahili/SwPhrases.htm
http://www.kenya-travels.com/guide/swahili.htm
Sesotho, Shona, Swahili, Xhosa, Yorùbá, Zulu
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