Basic Swahili Phrases to Learn Before a Trip to East Africa

A few dozen Swahili words will cover greetings, thanks, prices and directions on a trip to East Africa. According to the United Nations, Kiswahili has over 200 million speakers, is the most widely spoken language in sub-Saharan Africa and serves as a lingua franca in more than 14 African countries. The UN General Assembly has also proclaimed 7 July as World Kiswahili Language Day.

The phrases below come from two language resources: student-written lessons published by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the language website Omniglot. Spellings follow those sources.

Where will Swahili be useful?

Swahili is useful well beyond the coast of Kenya and Tanzania. The UN page describes it as a tool of communication and integration across East, Central and Southern Africa, and an official language of the African Union, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC). In practice, the basic greetings in this guide can travel with you across several countries on one trip. Each country also has its own mix of local and official languages, so check which are most common in each place you plan to visit.

Which Swahili greetings should you learn first?

Learn the greeting pairs first, since you will use them from the moment you arrive. A UW-Madison greetings lesson notes that there are many ways to greet in Kiswahili and teaches these pairs:

The lesson lists other common replies too: nzuri, njema, salama, safi, sawa and poa, glossed as good, nice, peaceful, clean, fine and cool. Use Shikamoo with elders, and keep Mambo and Vipi, which the lesson labels informal, for friends.

Greetings by time of day

Omniglot gives these time-of-day forms:

• Habari ya asubuhi: good morning
• Habari ya mchana: good afternoon
• Habari ya jioni: good evening
• Usiku mwema, or Lala salama (sleep well): good night
• Karibu: welcome (Karibuni to more than one person)
• Kwaheri: goodbye

In one dialogue from a second UW-Madison lesson, a person arriving home calls out “Hodi” and is answered with “Karibu”. It is a useful pair to recognise at a door.

Which polite phrases matter most?

Please, thank you and excuse me will carry most everyday exchanges. A UW-Madison lesson on travel phrases and Omniglot list these:

Omniglot notes that Samahani is used to get someone’s attention as well as to say sorry, so it is a good way to start a question to a stranger. Omniglot also lists Safari njema, “have a good trip”, which is a kind thing to say to someone leaving.

How do Swahili numbers work?

Swahili numbers follow a simple pattern: learn one to ten, then join them with “na” (and). Omniglot gives eleven as kumi na moja, literally ten and one.

Numbers are most useful when shopping. Omniglot gives “Hii ni bei gani?” for “How much is this?”, and the UW-Madison exercise includes “Nauli ni kiasi gani?” for “How much is the fare?” on buses and shared taxis. If a price is said too fast, write it down or ask the seller to show it on a phone.

Which phrases help you get around?

Learn the word wapi (where) and a handful of direction words, and you can ask your way to most places. These come from the UW-Madison travel lesson:

• …iko wapi? Where is…?
• Kituo cha basi kiko wapi? Where is the bus station?
• Ni mbali au karibu? Is it far or near?
• Unaweza kunielekeza? Can you direct me?
• Ninahitaji teksi: I need a taxi
• Nenda moja kwa moja: go straight
• Geuka kushoto / kulia: turn left / right
• Ni karibu sana: it’s very close
• Ninahitaji msaada: I need help
• Kuna huduma ya Wi-Fi? Is there Wi-Fi?

Omniglot adds “Choo kiko wapi?” for “Where is the toilet?”, which fits the same “…iko wapi?” pattern.

At your guesthouse or hotel

The same UW-Madison lesson has a short set of check-in phrases, handy when you arrive tired after a long journey:

• Nina nafasi iliyohifadhiwa: I have a reservation
• Jina langu ni…: My name is…
• Ninaweza kuingia sasa? Can I check in now?
• Nimeshafika? Have I arrived?
• Subiri hapa: wait here

How can you practise before you travel?

Practise a little each day in the weeks before you go. Start with the greetings table, because you will use those phrases from the moment you land.

• Say the greeting pairs out loud, playing both parts
• Count everyday objects in Swahili, from one to ten and then past eleven
• Write the polite phrases on a card and keep it in your wallet
• Listen to the audio recordings Omniglot provides for many of its phrases
• Use your first Habari gani at the airport and see how far the conversation goes

Expect replies to come back faster than you can follow. A smile and “Tafadhali sema polepole” is the polite way to ask for a slower second try.

Sources

1. United Nations: Kiswahili Language Day
2. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Resources for Self-Instructional Learners of Less Commonly Taught Languages: Swahili Greetings 101 (Maamkio / Salamu)
3. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Resources for Self-Instructional Learners of Less Commonly Taught Languages: Essential Travel Phrases in Swahili
4. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Resources for Self-Instructional Learners of Less Commonly Taught Languages: Maamkizi: Swahili Greetings
5. Omniglot: Useful Swahili phrases
6. Omniglot: Numbers in Swahili (Kiswahili)