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Get the most out of your adventure in Kenya
During your stay in Kenya you will hear at least half of these Swahili
phrases. If you make
a little effort and learn just a few of them, your safari in Kenya will be a lot
more fun.
What's more, this will earn you a lot of appreciation
and you will be glad that you did.
So, go ahead and print this page
and start saying "Jambo" right away.
In Swahili,
safari means "journey".
Msafiri means one who
goes on a journey
The are two ways of starting
a greeting. One is just to say “Jambo” ( standing for “matters” )
and the other term is to say
“Habari” ( meaning “News”)
Both of them are applied
in the same way as "hi" in
English despite the meaning.
Habari Bwana
- Hello, Sir
Habari Bibi - Hello, Madame
Hello -
Habari
I am fine - Nzuri
Thank you -
Asante
Good Bye - Kwaheri
Here are the replies:
Nzuri
(hello), I am fine
Habari gani - How are you
Habari Yako, Bwana - Hello, Sir, what are your news
Nzuri tu - Just fine
Nzuri sana - Very fine
Jambo greetings change
according to number and person.
Hujambo,bwana
- Hello, Sir
Sijambo, bibi - I am fine, Madam
Hamjambo, Mabwana - Hello, gentlemen
Hatujambo, bibi - We are fine, madam
Bibi
is a term of respect used to address women.
Mama is a term of great respect and is usually used to address older
women.
Bwana is a term of respect for men, meaning "sir" or "mister".
Mzee means "elder" or "senior".
Rafiki means "friend"
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Here are some common words with their translation in Swahili which you
will find helpful. |
|
GENERAL |
YA KAWAIDA |
|
Hello |
Jambo! |
|
How are you? |
Habari /Habari gani? |
|
Good, fine/very well |
Nzuri |
|
Bad |
Mbaya |
|
Thank you (very
much) |
Asante (sana) |
|
Please |
Tafadhali |
|
Goodbye/Goodnight |
Kwaheri / Lala
salama |
|
Welcome |
Karibu |
|
Danger |
Hatari |
|
Friend |
Rafiki |
|
Sorry |
Samahani, Pole |
|
Excuse me please |
Nisamehe, Samahani |
|
|
|
|
BAR AND RESTAURANT |
Mgahawa, Mkahawa, |
|
A lot/plenty |
Nyingi |
|
Beer |
Pombe/Bia |
|
Bread |
Mkate |
|
Butter |
Siagi |
|
Very well, thanks. |
Vizuri, asante |
|
Coffee |
Kahawa |
|
Egg(s) |
Yai (Mayai) |
|
Enough |
Basi/Inatosha |
|
Fish |
Samaki |
|
Food |
Chakula |
|
Fruit(s) |
Tunda (Matunda) |
|
Ice/Cold |
Barafu/Baridi |
|
Meat |
Nyama |
|
Milk |
Maziwa |
|
Onion |
Kitunguu |
|
Potato(es) |
Kiazi (Viazi) |
|
Rice (Cooked rice) |
Mchele (Wali) |
|
Salt |
Chumvi |
|
Small, little / Big |
Kidogo/Kikubwa |
|
Sugar |
Sukari |
|
Sweets |
Peremende |
|
Sweet |
Tamu |
|
Tea |
Chai |
|
Vegetables |
Mboga |
|
Warm, hot / fire |
Moto |
|
Water |
Maji |
|
|
|
|
ON
BUYING |
KWA
KUNUNUA |
|
How much? |
Bei gani? |
|
Expensive (Very) |
Ghali (sana) |
|
Shilling(s) |
Shilingi |
|
Please give me
discount |
Tafadhali nipunguzie |
|
|
|
|
NUMBERS |
NAMBARI |
|
One |
Moja |
|
Two |
Mbili |
|
Three |
Tatu |
|
Four |
Nne |
|
Five |
Tano |
|
Six |
Sita |
|
Seven |
Saba |
|
Eight |
Nane |
|
Nine |
Tisa |
|
Ten |
Kumi |
|
Half |
Nusu |
|
Quarter |
Robo |
|
|
|
|
TIME |
WAKATI |
|
What time is it? |
Saa ngapi? |
|
Now |
Sasa |
|
Minute |
Dakika |
|
Morning |
Asubuhi |
|
Evening |
Jioni |
|
Afternoon |
Alasiri |
|
Today |
Leo |
|
Yesterday |
Jana |
|
Tomorrow |
Kesho |
|
Time / Hour |
Muda/Saa |
|
Night |
Usiku |
|
Day |
Siku |
|
|
|
|
DAYS OF THE WEEK |
SIKU ZA JUMA |
|
Sunday |
Jumapili |
|
Monday |
Jumatatu |
|
Tuesday |
Jumanne |
|
Wednesday |
Jumatano |
|
Thursday |
Alhamisi |
|
Friday |
Ijumaa |
|
Saturday |
Jumamosi |
|
|
|
|
EVERDAY WORDS |
MANENO YA KILA SIKU |
|
Post Office |
Posta |
|
Telephone |
Simu |
|
Bank |
Benki |
|
Hotel |
Hoteli |
|
Village(s) |
Kijiji(Vijiji) |
|
Freedom |
Uhuru |
|
Unity |
Umoja |
|
Progress |
Maendeleo |
|
Teacher(s) |
Mwalimu(Waalimu) |
|
School |
Shule |
|
Countryman (men) |
Mwananchi(Wananchi) |
|
Citizen(s) |
Raia |
|
Garden (Farm) |
Bustani (Shamba) |
|
Street / Road |
Mtaa / Barabara |
|
Where? |
Wapi? |
|
Why? |
Kwa nini? |
|
When? |
Lini? |
|
How |
Vipi? |
|
Self reliance |
Kujitegemea |
|
Letter |
Barua |
|
Paper |
Karatasi |
|
Pen |
Kalamu |
|
Mosque |
Msikiti |
|
Church |
Kanisa |
|
Book(s) |
Kitabu (Vitabu) |
|
|
|
|
FAMILY WORDS |
MAJINA YA JAMII |
|
Man (Men) |
Mwanaume (Wanaume) |
|
Woman (Women) |
Mwanamke (Wanawake) |
|
Mister, Sir |
Bwana |
|
Child (children) |
Mtoto (Watoto |
|
Old man (men) |
Mzee (Wazee) |
|
Girl(s) |
Msichana (Wasichana) |
|
Madam |
Bibi |
|
Boy(s) |
Kijana (Vijana) |
|
|
|
|
GAME ANIMALS |
WANYAMA WA MSITUNI |
|
Leopard(s) |
Chui |
|
Rhinoceros |
Kifaru (Vifaru |
|
Buffalo(s) |
Nyati |
|
Lion(s) |
Simba |
|
Elephant(s) |
Tembo / Ndovu |
|
Cheetah |
Duma |
|
Baboon Monkey |
Nyani / Tumbili |
|
Chimpanzee, Apes |
Sokwe |
|
Zebra |
Pundamilia |
|
Giraffe |
Twiga |
|
Impala |
Swalapala |
|
Hyena |
Fisi |
|
Warthog |
Ngiri |
|
Boar |
Nguruwe Mwitu |
|
Hippo(s) |
Kiboko (viboko) |
|
|
|
|
YOUR CONVENIENCE |
MANENO YA KUKUFAA |
|
Bring |
Lete |
|
May I have |
Tafadhali nipe |
|
I want |
Ninataka |
|
Come with me/Let's
go |
Twende pamoja /
Twende |
|
What is your name? |
Jina lako nani? |
|
Where do you come
from? |
Unatoka wapi? |
|
Please, sit down |
Tafadhali keti chini |
|
Come here, please |
Njoo hapa tafadhali |
|
Help! Fire! Thief! |
Saidia! Moto! Mwizi! |
|
Call a Policeman |
Mwite Polisi |
|
Has my luggage been
brought down? |
Mizigo yangu
imeteremshwa chini? |
|
I am lost |
Nimepotea |
|
Taxi Cab! |
Teksi! |
|
Stop here |
Simama hapa |
|
Wait here |
Ngoja hapa |
|
Please show me the
way |
Nionyeshe njia
tafadhali |
|
Where is the hotel? |
Hoteli iko wai? |
|
I want to go to bed
(sleep) |
Nataka kwenda kulala |
|
Slowly |
Polepole |
|
|
|
|
PROVERBS |
METHALI |
|
Let sleeping dogs
lie |
Usimwamshe aliyelala |
|
Haste makes waste |
Haraka haraka haina
baraka |
|
Where there is a
will there is a way |
Penye nia ipo njia |
|
Slow and steady wins
the race |
Pole pole ndio
mwendo |
|
What is your
name - Jina lako nani |
My name is…
Jina langu ni |
|
Where are you
from? - Unatoka wapi |
I come from -
Mimi ninatoka
|
|
America -
Amerika |
Australia -
Australia |
|
England -
Uingereza |
The UK -
Yu
kei |
|
Canada -
Kanada |
Germany -
Ujerumani |
|
Switzerland -
Uswisi |
France -
Ufaransa |
|
Kenya -
Kenya |
Tanzania -
Tanzania |
|
Uganda -
Uganda |
Zanzibar -
Unguja |
|
South America -
Amerika ya Kusini |
Europe -
Ulaya |
|
East Africa -
Afrika ya Mashariki
|
The house -
Nyumbani |
|
The Forest -
Mwituni |
Town -
Mji |
|
What work do you
do - Unafanya kazi gani |
I work in a -
Ninafanya kazi kwa |
|
Teacher -
Mwalimu |
Student -
Mwanafunzi |
|
Bank -
Benki |
Factory -
Kiwanda |
|
School -
Shule |
I am happy -
Nimefurahi |
|
No problem -
Hakuna matata |
Yes -
Ndiyo |
|
No -
Hapana/
La |
Fine/Okay -
Haya |
.
We would like to see -
Tunataka Kuona
Yesterday we saw -
Jana tuliona
Today we saw - Leo Tuliona
|
Animals -
Wanyama |
Antelope -
Pofu or Hulungu |
|
Ants -
Siafu |
Baboon -
Nyani |
|
Bird -
Ndege |
Bushbaby -
Komba |
|
Camel -
Ngamia |
Crocodile -
Mamba |
|
Dik-dik -
Dikidiki |
Elephant -
Ndovu/Tembo |
|
Flamingo -
Heroe |
Gazelle -
Swara |
|
Giraffe -
Twiga |
Hartebeast -
Kongoni |
|
Hippo -
Kiboko |
Hyena -
Fisi |
|
Insect -
Dudu |
Leopard -
Chui |
|
Lion -
Simba |
Monkey -
Nyani |
|
Mosquito -
Mbu |
Ostrich -
Mbuni |
|
Rhino -
Kifaru |
Snake -
Nyoka |
|
Warthog -
Ngiri |
Water buffalo -
Nyati |
|
Wildebeest/Gnu -
Nyunibu/Mbogo |
Zebra -
Punda
Milia |
Vacations in Kenya
Mt Kenya
Mount Kilimanjaro |
