Learn Swahili

Useful Swahili phrases

A collection of useful phrases in Swahili. Click on the English phrases to see them in many other languages.

Key to abbreviations: sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person), inf = informal

English	kiSwahili (Swahili)
Welcome	Karibu
Hello	Habari (inf) Hujambo (sg) Hamjambo (pl) Sijambo (reply)
How are you? Fine	Habari yako? Habari gani?
	Mzuri / Nzuri
What's your name? My name is ...	Jina lako ni nani?
	Jina langu ni ...
Where are you from? I'm from ...	Unatoka wapi?
	Natoka ...
Pleased to meet you	Nafurahi kukuona / Nimefurahi kukutana nawe
Good morning	Habari ya asubuhi
Good afternoon	Habari ya mchana
Good evening	Habari ya jioni
Good night	Usiku mwema / Lala salama (sleep well)
Goodbye	Kwaheri
Good luck	Kila la kheri!
Cheers/Good health!	Maisha marefu! Afya! Vifijo!
Have a nice day	Nakutakia siku njema!
Bon appetit	Ufurahie chakula chako (sg) Furahieni chakula chenu (pl)
Bon voyage	Safari njema!
I understand	Naelewa
I don't understand	Sielewi
Please speak more slowly	Tafadhali sema polepole
Please write it down for me	Waweza kuiandika?
Do you speak English?	Unazungumza kiingereza?
Do you speak Swahili? Yes, a little	Unazungumza kiSwahili?
	Ndiyo, kidogo tu
Excuse me	Samahani nipishe (to get past) Samahani (to get attention or say sorry)
How much is this?	Hii ni bei gani?
Sorry	Samahani
Please	Tafadhali
Thank you Response	Asante / Asante sana (sg) / Asanteni (pl)
	Asante kushukuru
No thanks	La asante
Where's the toilet?	Choo kiko wapi?
This gentleman/lady will pay for everything	Mtu huyu atalipia kila kitu
Would you like to dance with me?	Tucheze ngoma? Utapenda kudansi?
I love you	Ninakupenda
Get well soon	Ugua pole
How do you say ... in Swahili?	Unasemaje ... kwa Kiswahili?
Help! Fire! Stop!	Msaada! Moto! Usifanye hivyo!
Call the police!	Mwite polisi!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year	Krismasi Njema / Heri ya krismas Heri ya mwaka mpya
Happy Easter	Heri kwa sikukuu ya Pasaka
Happy Birthday	Nakutakia mema kwa siku yako ya kuzaliwa! Siku-kuo ya zaliwa njema! Furaha Ya Siku Ya Kuza Liwa!
My hovercraft is full of eels	Gari langu linaloangama limejaa na mikunga
One language is never enough	Lugha moja haitoshi

Corrections, recordings and some translations by Ylanne Sorrows and Rushomesa Remigius
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, please contact me.

SOURCE : http://omniglot.com