Swahili For Summiteers

Swahili for Summiteers

This guide is part of your welcome kit to the Global Voices Summit 2012
It aims at providing you words and expressions that might be useful during your stay in Nairobi
Why don’t you try it out? Come on, don’t be shy (: We bet you’ll love it!
Karibu!

Swahili

Swahili is a lingua franca that is spoken by more than 120 million people in East Africa. It’s roots date back cen-
turies. It developed as people from different parts of the world encountered for various purposes, mainly trade.
The interaction between the Arab world and East Africa has contributed significantly to the development of the
language. This interaction was not only limited to these two sides sides. There are historical accounts showing
that people from as far as China visited the East African coast in around 2nd Century AD.

So, you one who learns about the language will find that there is influence from all these places -- in terms of
vocabulary items, culture and architecture. However, the main composition of vocabulary items comes from the
local languages (mainly Bantu) and Arabic. The ratio can roughly be 65:35.

The language has many dialects. The kind of Kiswahili spoken along the coast of East Africa - Lamu, Malindi,
Mombasa, Tanga, Zanzibar -- is slightly different from the one spoken in Mainland Tanzania. In Kenya, and Nairobi
in particular, there is another dialect. The Comoro Islands also have their own Swahili dialects. All in all there is
Standard Swahili.

So, irrespective of the differences from one dialect to the other, people still communicate. Swahili in Nairobi has
been very much influenced by English-this form of swahili or street slang is known as “Sheng” . The reason is
almost everyone there communicates in English. In recent years, Swahili was taken up by the African Union as
another of its official languages. The language is continuously growing in popularity and coverage.

So, roughly, Kiswahili is spoken in the following areas: Tanzania (Both Mainland and Zanzibar) 99%; Kenya, parti-
cularly the southern half of the country; Uganda (people still relate it as the language of oppression because Idi
Amin’s soldiers used it to communicate = however, things are beginning to change now); Northern provinces of
Mozambique; Northern parts of Malawi; Northern parts of Zambia; Eastern provinces of the Democratic Repu-
blic of Congo; Burundi and Rwanda. In all these countries and areas one should be able to communicate in
Kiswahili -- even at the rudimentary level.

3

Pronunciation in Swahili Personal Pronouns and their Swahili Equivalents

Pronunciation in Swahili follows more or less the same I = Mimi
formula as in Italian. The vowels are pronounced the You = Wewe
way they are written and so do the consonants.
He/She = Yeye (Swahili does not differentiate gender
For example the sound A in BABA is similar to the A in here)
PAPA. (Please note Papa is also a Swahili word with It = kile
two meanings: a shark (ocean creature) and Pope
(Catholic leader). We = Sisi
You = Nyinyi/Ninyi
E sound is similar to E sound in PEN. They = Wao

I sound is similar to I in INK.
My = yangu
O sound is similar to O in COMMON. Your = yako

U sound is similar to U in POUND. His/Hers = yake
Its = yake
Our = yetu
Relations
Your = yenu
Father = Baba Their = yao
Mother = Mama
Brother = Kaka Examples:
Sister = Dada
Husband = Mume My friend = Rafiki yangu
Wife = Mke/Bibi (second is mostly used in Kenya) Your friend = Rafiki yako
Grandfather = Babu His/her friend = Rafiki yake
Grandmother = Bibi (Tanzania) / Nyanya (Kenya) Its friend = Rafiki yake
Uncle = Mjomba Our friend = Rafiki yetu
Aunt = Shangazi
Your friend = Rafiki yenu
Friend = Rafiki
Their friend = Rafiki yao
Neighbour = Jirani

Sentence Construction is a Bit Complicated in Swahili

I have a book = Nina kitabu
The word NINA shows the subject (NI = I), the act of possessing (NA) and the time (simple present) and then
the object book

We will go to the summit = Tutakwenda kwenye mkutano
(TU = We) (TA = time = future) (Kwenda = go = main verb)

I read a book = Nilisoma kitabu
(NI = I) (LI = time = simple past) (Soma = read = main verb)

4

Tourist Information Citizen Media Vocabulary

Yes = Ndio Blog = blogu
No = la, hapana Blogger = mwanablogu
I´m lost = Nimepotea Blogosphere = ulimwengu wa wanablogu
Which way to the airport / hotel = Naomba unielekeze
Citizen media = vyombo vya habari vya kiraia
Namna ya kuﬁka uwanja wa ndege/hotelini
I´m staying at Pride Inn hotel = Nimeﬁkia Hoteli ya Freedom of expression = uhuru wa maoni / uhuru wa
Pride Inn Kujieleza
Could you please help me? = Unaweza kunisaida ta- Global Voices = Sauti za ulimwengu
fadhali Censorship = udhibiti
Spoon = Kijiko
Empowerment = kuwezeshwa
Fork = uma
Knife = Kisu Translator = mtafsiri
Food = Chakula Podcast = podikasti
Beverage = vinywaji Upload = pandisha
Drink = Kunywa Video = video
Water = Maji Audio = ya sauti
North, South, East, West = Kaskazini Kusini, Mashariki
Volunteer = mtu anayejitolea
magharibi
This is expensive = Hii ni ghali sana Mainstream = vikuu
This is cheap = Hii ni nafuu sana Media = vyombo vya habari
How much does it cost? = Unauza shilingi ngapi? Divide = gawanya
from which country are you? = Unatoka nchi gani? Conversation = mazungumzo
I come from (name of country) = Ninatoka (China,
Manifesto = ilani
India, UK etc)
Summit = mkutano
Hotel = hoteli
Restaurant = mkahawa Subtitles = maandishi/maelezo
Tea = chai Twitter = Twita
Coffee = kahawa Facebook = Facebook
Milk = maziwa Tweets = Twiti
Soda = soda
Website = Tovuti
Beer = bia/pombe
Taxi = Taksii Email = baruapepe
Commuter bus = Matatu (in Nairobi), Daladala (in Dar Computer = kompyuta / Tarakilishi
es Salaam) Password = nywila / neno la siri
Bar = baa Citizen Media = uandishi wa habari wa kiraia
Shillings(Kenyan Currency) = Shillingi
Tourist = Mtalii

5

Numbers Days of the Week

One = Moja Monday = Jumatatu

Two = Mbili Tuesday = Jumanne
Wednesday = Jumatano
Three = Tatu
Thursday = Alhamisi
Four = Nne
Friday = Ijumaa
Five = Tano Saturday = Jumamosi
Six = Sita Sunday = Jumapili

Seven = Saba

Eight = Nane Months
Nine = Tisa
January = Januari
Ten = Kumi
February = Februari
March = Machi
Twenty = Ishirini April = Aprili

Thirty = Thelathini May = Mei
June = Juni
Forty = Arobaini
July = Julai
Fifty = Hamsini August = Agosti
Sixty = Sitini September = Septemba
October = Oktoba
Seventy = Sabini
November = Novemba
Eighty = Themanini
December = Desemba
Ninety = Tisini

One Hundred = Mia moja
Seasons

One Thousand = Elfu moja Winter (Cold) = Majira ya baridi
Ten Thousand = Elfu Kumi Summer (warm/hot) = majira ya joto

One Hundred Thousand = laki moja Rainy season = majira ya mvua
Dry season = majira ya ukame
One Million = Milioni moja

6

Slang & Bad Words Being Kind

Slang Good morning = Habari za asubuhi
Hi = Sasa, Niaje, Mambo Good afternoon = Habari za mchana
Hi (responding to above) = Fit, Fiti, Poa, Fit sana
Good night = Usiku mwema
Foreigner = Mlami
How nice of you = umekuwa mkarimu sana/mmekuwa
Money = Ganji, Niado, Doh
Bribe = Kitukidogo wakarimu sana
Bad Words What a beautiful day = Siku imekuwa njema/nzuri sana
Get lost = Ishia, wachana na mimi Please = Tafadhali
You are bothering me = unanisumbua Thank you = Asante
Stop bothering me = usinisumbue
What time is it? = Ni saa ngapi?

Locations I love you = ninakupenda
I miss you = nina hamu na wewe
My room = Chumba changu
Would you go on a date with me? = Tunaweza kutoka
Bathroom = Bafu
pamoja?
Loo choo/msalani
Market = sokoni How are you? = Hujambo?
Hotel = hoteli Good, well = saﬁ, nzuri
Cafe = Mkahawa My name is = Jina langu ni
Club = Klabu What is your name? = Jina lako ni nani?
Disco = Disco
I want = ninataka
Please take me to (location) = Naomba unipeleke
Would you like to dance = Ungependa kudensi
Where are we?/where is this place? = Tuko wapi?
Are we lost? = Tumepotea? You look very attractive = wavutia sana, wewe ni
No problem = hakuna matata / hakuna tabu/ hakuna mrembo sana
shida Would you like a drink = ungependa kinywaji
What do you take/drink = Wewe hutumia/hunywa nini
Kiswahili or Swahili?
Beer or water or wine = pombe au maji au mvinyo
According to The Kamusi Project,"Swahili" is the English I need = ninahitaji
term for the Swahili language, while "Kiswahili" is the Swahili
language term for the Swahili language. I would like = Naomba
I am looking for = Ninatafuta
ki = language u = place m = person wa = people
Bye bye = kwa heri
Kiswahili = Swahili language Hi, hello = Mambo! , Salama?
I’m ok/cool = Niko poa
Uswahili = Swahili speaking area
How much is it? = Ni pesa Ngapi
Mswahili = Swahili speaking person My change/balance is = Change yangu ni

Waswahili = Swahili speaking people

7

Kiswahili song with translation
Artist: Fadhili Williams
Song: Malaika

Malaika, nakupenda malaika Angel, I love you Angel.
Nami nifanyeje, kijana Mwenzio And I, your young lover, what can I do.
nashindwa na mali sina we, I can’t as I don’t have wealth
ningekuoa malaika I would have married you Angel.

kidege, hukuwaza kidege Little bird, I dream of you little bird.
kidege, hukuwaza kidege Little bird, I dream of you little bird.

pesa za sumbua roho yangu Money is troubling my soul
pesa za sumbua roho yangu Money is troubling my soul
nami nifanyeje,kijana mwenzio , And I, your young lover, what can I do,


Swahili For Summiteers

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