Pronunciation
Pronunciation
Pronunciation
A ah (as in gather)
E eh (as in egg)
I ee (as in broccoli)
O oh (as in blow)
U oo (as in blue)
Pronunciation
To be able to pronounce Swahili words correctly, I strongly recommend the Teach Yourself
Swahili CD. You can also check out the Introduction to Kiswahili Language by AbdulGhany
Mohammed and Kassim A. Abdullah or the Swahili Pronunciation Guide by Thomas Hinnebusch
and Sarah Mirza. Some pronunciation is provided in each section of this page in MP3 format.
Just click on the Swahili words. You may have to replay the words in some cases.
Swahili Basics
Swahili is one of the easiest languages to learn. Here are a few basic things to know about
Swahili:
Swahili verbs always carry with them the subject (and sometimes the object) and the tense. For
example, Ninakula, is a complete sentence which means "I am eating". Ni- prefix stands for the
subject "I", the -na- affix stands for "am" showing the tense i.e. the "present continuous" tense,
and -kula is the root of the verb "eat".
Another example, Alitupa zawadi which means "He/She gave us gifts". First of all note that in
the Swahili language, the pronouns are the same for all the genders - he, him, she, and her are not
distinguishable in Swahili - same words, prefixes, affixes and suffixes are used. The well sought
after "gender equality" is in-built in the Swahili language!! Now back to the sentence. The prefix
A- stands for the subject "He" or "She", the -li- affix indicates the past tense, the -tu- affix stands
for the object "us", and -pa is the root of the verb "give".
More examples:
Nilikula - I ate
Nimekula - I have eaten
Ninakula - I am eating
Nitakula - I will eat
If you have any comments or questions, I'd be pleased to receive them at: [email protected]
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
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!)
Unazungumza Kiswahili?
(Do you 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 Japani. Nipo hapa kwa matembezi.
(I'm from Japan. I'm visiting here.)
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!
Nisaidie, tafadhali!
Here
Hapa
Hot
Moto
How?
Vipi?
I am angry.
Nimekasirika.
I am traveling.
Ninasafiri.
I am happy.
Nimefurahi.
I love you!
Ninakupenda!
Motorcycle
Pikipiki
No!
Hapana!
OK!
Sawa!
Please
Tafadhali
Sorry! (apologize)
Samahani!
Sorry! (sympathize)
Pole!
Sweet
Tamu
Thank you!
Asante!
Asante sana!
There
Pale
Very
Sana
Water
Maji
Welcome!
Karibu!
What?
Nini?
When?
Wakati gani?
Where?
Wapi?
Unakwenda wapi?
Which?
Ipi?
Yes!
Ndio!
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
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Numbers
English
Swahili
English
Swahili
Moja
40
Arubaini
Mbili
50
Hamsini
Tatu
55
Hamsini na tano
Nne
60
Sitini
Tano
70
Sabini
Sita
80
Thamanini
Saba
90
Tisini
Nane
100
Mia
Tisa
136
10
Kumi
999
11
Kumi na moja
1000
Elfu
12
Kumi na mbili
1997
17
Kumi na saba
Half
Nusu
20
Ishirini
Mbili na nusu
24
Ishirini na nne
30
Thalathini
Quarter
Robo
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
Saa ngapi?
8 o'clock sharp
Noon
4:25 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
8:15 p.m.
7:45 p.m.
9:30 a.m.
Now
Sasa
Today
Leo
Yesterday
Jana
Tomorrow
Kesho
Juzi
Kesho-kutwa
Day
Siku
Week
Wiki
Month
Mwezi
Year
Mwaka
Century
Karne
Animals
English
Picture
Swahili
Baboon
Nyani
Bird(s)
Ndege
Buffalo
Nyati
Cat
Paka
Cheetah
Duma
Chimpanzee
Sokwe
Cow/Ox
Ng'ombe
Deer
Paa
Dog
Mbwa
Donkey
Punda
Elephant
Tembo/Ndovu
Giraffe
Twiga
Goat
Mbuzi
Hippopotamus
Kiboko
Hyena
Fisi
Impala
Swala
Leopard
Chui
Lion
Simba
Monkey
Kima
Ostrich
Mbuni
Peacock
Tausi
Pig
Nguruwe
Python
Chatu
Rhinoceros
Kifaru
Sheep
Kondoo
Snake
Nyoka
Warthog
Ngiri
Wild Boar
Nguruwe-mwitu
Wild Dog
Mbwa-mwitu
Zebra
Punda-milia