Here are some common words with their translation in Swahili which a visitor will find them helpful in his tour here. |
|
| GENERAL | YA KAWAIDA |
| Hullo | 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 |
| 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. |
World Language
Resource|| Swahili Resources||Majira (swahili
Newspaper) ||BBC Swahili