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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fremdsprachen
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
Learn the official language of Kenya and Tanzania Swahili For Dummies will teach you the basics of Swahili, so you can start conversing in Africa's language of commerce. This book introduces you to the foundations of Swahili grammar and enables you to engage in basic conversations. With the simplified Dummies learning process, you'll quickly get a grasp on the language, without complex terms and confusing explanations. You'll also move through the book at a comfortable pace, so you'll be familiar with what you've learned before moving on to more complex stuff. Focus on communication and interaction in everyday situations, so you can actually use the language you're studying--right away. * Understand the basics of Swahili * Learn everyday words and phrases * Gain the confidence to engage in conversations in Swahili * Communicate while traveling and talk to Swahili-speaking family members Swahili For Dummies is for readers of all ages who want to learn the basics of Swahili in a no-stress, beginner-friendly way. Swahili teachers will also love sharing this practical approach with their students.
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Swahili For Dummies®
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Swahili For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organized
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Getting Started with Swahili
Chapter 1: The Swahili You Already Know
Recognizing Familiar Words and Phrases from Pop Culture
Discovering Swahili Words that Sound Familiar in English
Introducing the Swahili Alphabet
Chapter 2: Getting Started with Basic Expressions
Greeting People
Introducing Yourself
Getting Personal
Chapter 3: Navigating Nouns and Pronouns in Swahili
Introducing Personal Pronouns
Introducing Swahili Noun Classes
Chapter 4: Adding Action to Your Words: Verbs
Recognizing the Infinitive Verb Form
Using Verbs in Sentences
Using Verbs in the Correct Tense
Negating Actions Described by Verbs
Chapter 5: Getting Your Numbers and Dates Right
Using Cardinal Numbers
Using Ordinal Numbers
Asking For (and Giving Out) Phone Numbers
Requesting and Giving Addresses
Asking “How Old Are You?” and Stating Your Age
Identifying Years in Swahili
Getting Familiar with the Calendar
Understanding Swahili Time
Part 2: Swahili in Action
Chapter 6: Making Small Talk
Revealing Your Marital Status
Talking about Your Family
Talking about Pets
Using Numbers as Adjectives
Identifying Professions
Having Fun
Describing Your Routine
Making Plans
Chapter 7: Finding Your Way
Getting from Place to Place
Giving Directions
Chapter 8: Eating in and Dining Out
Choosing Food Options for All Times of the Day
Sharing a Meal with Others
Eating at a Restaurant
Chapter 9: Using Technology to Keep in Touch
Talking and Texting with Cellphones
Making Arrangements over the Phone
Staying Informed through the Internet
Chapter 10: Shopping Made Easy
Shopping at Flea Markets
Dealing with Money
Delving into Comparative Adjectives
Chapter 11: Dressing Your Best
Dressing for Different Occasions and Local Weather
Identifying Swahili Cultural Clothing and Their Uses
Introducing Swahili Terms for Types Clothing
Describing Clothes
Chapter 12: Swahili at Work
Getting Down to Work
Speaking up in a meeting
Making the Rounds: Business Dinners
Part 3: Swahili on the Go
Chapter 13: Planning a Safari
Choosing a Travel Destination
Communicating with a Travel Agency
Packing for Your Trip
Chapter 14: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, Buses, and More
Taking Flights
Navigating Road Transport
Using Ships of All Kinds
Taking Ferry/Boats/Water Bus Rides
Chapter 15: Arranging Accommodations
Describing Different Spaces in Your Apartment/Home
Finding a Place to Stay
Renting an Apartment
Chapter 16: Taking Care of Your Health
Parts of the Body
Describing Different Feelings/States
Seeking Medical Attention
Understanding the Doctor’s/Pharmacist’s Instructions: Using Object Pronouns
Part 4: The Part of Tens
Chapter 17: Ten Common Swahili Proverbs and Their Meanings
Haraka Haraka haina baraka/Polepole ndio mwendo
Yaliyopita si ndwele, tugange yajayo
Mtaka cha mvunguni sharti ainame
Maziwa/maji yakimwagika hayazoleki
Mficha uchi hazai
Jogoo wa shamba hawiki mjini
Asiyesikia la mkuu huvunjika guu
Mwenda tezi na omo marejeo ni ngamani
Mtaka yote hukosa yote
Mgema akisifiwa tembo hulitia maji
Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Pick Up Swahili Quickly
Watching Swahili Movies and TV Shows
Listening to Swahili Songs
Watching the Swahili News
Reading Swahili Newspapers
Listening to Swahili Radio Stations
Watching Swahili Content Creators on Social Media
Conversing with Swahili Speakers
Traveling to a Swahili-speaking Country
Reading Swahili Children's Books
Listening to Swahili Podcasts
Chapter 19: Ten Words You Should Never Say in Swahili
Tomba
Mkundu
Ng’ombe
Mbwa koko
Mboro
Kuma
Shenzi
Matako yako
Kumamako
Malaya
Part 5: Appendixes
Appendix A: Swahili Noun Classes
Swahili Noun Class Agreements
Appendix B: Swahili Verbs
Past Tense
Present Tense
Future Tense
Perfect Tense
Habitual Tense
The Verb “Kuwa” (To Be)
Tense Negation: Past Tense
Tense Negation: Present Tense
Tense Negation: Future Tense
Tense Negation: Present Perfect Tense
Tense Negation: Habitual Tense
The Verb “Kuwa” (To Be)
The Verb “Kuwa na” (To Have)
Appendix C: Swahili-English Mini-Dictionary
A
B
CH
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
English-Swahili Mini-Dictionary
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
Appendix D: Answer Key
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Index
About the Authors
Advertisement Page
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 1
TABLE 1-1 Swahili vowels
TABLE 1-2 Swahili consonants
Chapter 2
TABLE 2-1 Informal Greetings
TABLE 2-2 Using -jambo Greetings
Chapter 3
TABLE 3-1 Pronoun Markers
Chapter 4
TABLE 4-1 Using the Present Tense with Other Pronouns
TABLE 4-2 Using the Past Tense
TABLE 4-3 Using the Future Tense
TABLE 4-4 Using the Perfect Tense
TABLE 4-5 Using the Habitual Tense
TABLE 4-6 Negating Pronoun Prefix
Chapter 5
TABLE 5-1 Counting 0–10
TABLE 5-2 Counting from 11 to 19
TABLE 5-3 Counting the Tens
TABLE 5-4 Counting the Hundreds
TABLE 5-5 Combining Numbers in the Hundreds
TABLE 5-6 Counting Thousands
TABLE 5-7 Counting Ordinal Numbers
TABLE 5-8 Stating Years
TABLE 5-9 Days of the Week
TABLE 5-10 Months by Name
TABLE 5-11 Using Ordinal Numbers for Months
TABLE 5-12 Periods of the Day
Chapter 6
TABLE 6-1 Using numbers as adjectives for people
Chapter 11
TABLE 11-1 Matching prefixes with noun classes.
Chapter 16
TABLE 16-1 Object pronouns for people, animals, and all living creatures
List of Illustrations
Chapter 5
FIGURE 5-1: Reading the hour: Saa tatu.
FIGURE 5-2: Reading the time:
saa tatu na dakika kumi.
Chapter 7
FIGURE 7-1: Nairobi's city center.
FIGURE 7-2: Finding your way around Dar es Salaam.
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Begin Reading
Index
About the Authors
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Swahili For Dummies®
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2024 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Trademarks: Wiley, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: WHILE THE PUBLISHER AND AUTHORS HAVE USED THEIR BEST EFFORTS IN PREPARING THIS WORK, THEY MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY SALES REPRESENTATIVES, WRITTEN SALES MATERIALS OR PROMOTIONAL STATEMENTS FOR THIS WORK. THE FACT THAT AN ORGANIZATION, WEBSITE, OR PRODUCT IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE PUBLISHER AND AUTHORS ENDORSE THE INFORMATION OR SERVICES THE ORGANIZATION, WEBSITE, OR PRODUCT MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE. THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PUBLISHER IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES. THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOUR SITUATION. YOU SHOULD CONSULT WITH A SPECIALIST WHERE APPROPRIATE. FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ. NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR AUTHORS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFIT OR ANY OTHER COMMERCIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER DAMAGES.
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Wiley publishes in a variety of print and electronic formats and by print-on-demand. Some material included with standard print versions of this book may not be included in e-books or in print-on-demand. If this book refers to media such as a CD or DVD that is not included in the version you purchased, you may download this material at http://booksupport.wiley.com. For more information about Wiley products, visit www.wiley.com.
Library of Congress Control Number: 2023949262
ISBN: 978-1-394-19156-7 (pbk); 978-1-394-19158-1 (ebk); 978-1-394-19157-4 (ebk)
Introduction
According to UNESCO, Swahili, a Bantu language locally known as Kiswahili, is spoken by more than 100 million people. Swahili speakers are spread across East Africa, with other speakers found as far as Yemen and Oman in the Middle East. It is the national language of Kenya and Tanzania and serves as a lingua franca in the wider East African Community. The number of Swahili speakers is projected to grow significantly in the next few years following its adoption as an official working language of the African Union. (Did you know that July 7 is World Kiswahili Language Day? See? You’ve learned something already!)
Swahili For Dummies covers the basics of the language in a clear and easy-to-follow manner for complete beginners as well as for those with some prior exposure. These topics are presented in a utilitarian style to help users build their confidence in speaking about everyday situations. We also point out regional differences in language use, so you can comfortably switch between the Tanzanian and Kenyan variants of Swahili without difficulty.
Whether you are looking to learn a less commonly taught language, planning a trip to East Africa, or simply looking to explore a new African culture, this book offers the necessary tools for beginning to understand and use Swahili in common interactions, such as asking for and giving directions, placing a food order, and making small talk with people around you.
About This Book
This book is meant to be your companion on your journey to learn Swahili. Pick it up when you need to discover an aspect of the language and then put it away until you need to explore another topic again. This means you don’t need to go through the units sequentially — feel free to skip over chapters that do not interest you at the moment. We do, however, strongly recommend starting with Chapter 1, especially if you’re a complete beginner in the language and still not familiar with the pronunciation of Swahili sounds. You may also find it useful to familiarize yourself with verb formation and noun class rules in Chapters 3 and 4 for a good foundation of Swahili sentence structure.
Swahili For Dummies begins each unit by outlining the end goals so you can monitor your progress by assessing your ability to complete the communicative tasks in each topic. This book also revisits certain grammatical structures throughout the book so you can gradually grow more comfortable with different aspects of the language.
Conventions Used in This Book
To make the book easy to follow, we’ve set up a few stylistic rules:
Swahili words and phrases are set in
boldface
to make them stand out.
Pronunciations, which are shown in parentheses, follow the terms the first time they appear in a section.
Within the pronunciation, the part of the word that’s stressed is shown in
italics
.
English translations, also in parentheses, appear in italics after the pronunciation.
In each chapter, you can also find the following sections:
Talkin’ the Talk:
These are short sample conversations designed to illustrate various language points in different contexts. You’ll also find out how to pronounce the words plus their English translations. (As an added bonus, we have put some of these dialogues online to help you with your pronunciation; find them at
www.dummies.com/go/swahilifd
.)
Words to Know:
You may study the grammar of a language all you want, but without a sizeable vocabulary, you’ll still struggle to speak it confidently. After each “Talkin’ the Talk” section, we have outlined key expressions from the dialogue and other related words and phrases that you may find useful in your own conversations.
Fun & Games:
Practice your language skills at the end of each chapter with short activities in this part. This is not a test, so no need to sweat; use it as a chance to measure your understanding of the information in the topic. You can find answers to the Fun & Games activities in Appendix D of this book.
Foolish Assumptions
Writing this book was like having a conversation with you face-to-face. We had to imagine you seated across from us and picture what you were like. Here are some assumptions we had before starting our talk:
You have zero prior knowledge of Swahili or very little exposure to the language.
You do not live in an area with a lot of Swahili speakers.
You’re curious about Swahili culture.
You want to travel and visit or conduct research/business in places where Swahili is spoken, so you need to be able to converse in it.
You would prefer to be able to use the language in everyday situations, rather than focusing mostly on grammar.
How This Book Is Organized
This book is divided into four parts and then into chapters. Chapters are further divided into digestible sections. The following sections tell you what types of information you can find in each part.
Part 1: Getting Started with Swahili
Explore the foundations of Swahili language in this part — learn how to pronounce different Swahili sounds, get started with basic expressions (stating your name, for example), start constructing simple sentences, and tackle counting in Swahili.
Part 2: Swahili in Action
This part focuses on speaking Swahili in different situations, thus building your repertoire of important vocabulary to use both in social situations and at work. We show you how to navigate topics for small talk and how to make a good impression on your Swahili-speaking friends or colleagues in various situations.
Part 3: Swahili on the Go
Get ready to explore East Africa with this part. Whether you’re looking to use an agency or do your own bookings, this part prepares you to communicate your travel wish list, compare prices, understand contracts, and even take care of your health while on the move.
Part 4: The Part of Tens
Flip through three sections of important things to know about Swahili in this part. Learn ten common Swahili proverbs, ten ways to pick up Swahili quickly, and ten words to never say in Swahili unless you’re looking for trouble.
Appendices
Use this part for quick reference when you need the following: a summary of Swahili noun classes, verb conjugation tables, a Swahili to English and English to Swahili mini-dictionary, and answers for the Fun & Games activities.
Icons Used in This Book
We have included a number of icons in this book to make it easier for you to access specific types of information. You can find them scattered across the left side of the page:
This icon shows tips and tricks that can help you grasp a concept quickly or save face in social situations.
This icon reminds you of special information to pay extra attention to. This may involve an unexpected nuance in the language or important information about Swahili speakers.
The Warning icon points out hidden dangers you may encounter as you journey through the deep forest of tangled words, slippery sentence structure, and the like.
This icon draws your attention to cultural nuances embedded within the Swahili language or explains some cultural aspects relevant to the topic.
This icon marks those “Talkin’ the Talk” conversations that are included online at www.dummies.com/go/swahilifd and reminds you that you can listen to the dialogue by Swahili speakers while you read it.
Beyond the Book
This book comes with a free online Cheat Sheet containing easy phrases to get you through simple conversations or understand your schedule. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type Swahili For Dummies Cheat Sheet in the search box.
Where to Go from Here
This book is not a one-stop shop, so we recommend expanding your learning through other platforms such as listening to Swahili music and watching Swahili movies and news broadcasts. Bahati njema! (bah-hah-tee njeh-mah) (good luck!)
Part 1
Getting Started with Swahili
IN THIS PART …
See the links between Swahili and English.
Master the basics of Swahili grammar.
Say “Hello” — and “Goodbye.”
Work with numbers, time, and measurements.
Chapter 1
The Swahili You Already Know
IN THIS CHAPTER
Swahili words you already know
Swahili alphabet sounds
Pronouncing consonant clusters
Welcome to Swahili! You’re about to discover the most widely spoken African language and join 50 million other speakers of Swahili worldwide! Let’s start by assuring you that it is a relatively easy language to learn, so settle in and enjoy this journey.
We begin this chapter by showing you some Swahili words and phrases that you might already know or recognize from pop culture and everyday usage, before introducing the Swahili alphabet and explaining the pronunciation of common consonant clusters. Be sure to listen to audio files we've put online for you and practice along with the pronunciations for a firm foundation for speaking Swahili like the locals.
Recognizing Familiar Words and Phrases from Pop Culture
Swahili has gained steady visibility worldwide through the influence of pop culture. Most times, when we ask new students what Swahili words they already know, there’s a chorus of Hakuna matata! (hah-koo-nah mah-tah-tah) (No worries!). Did you know that The Lion King has more Swahili words than hakuna matata? For example
Simba
(
see
-mbah) (
lion
)
Rafiki
(rah-
fee
-kee) (
friend
)
Pumbaa
(poo-
mbah
-ah) (
chaff)
[used metaphorically to mean “
nonsense
”]
Shenzi
(
sheh
-nzee) (
stupid
)
Kovu
(
koh
-voo) (
a scar
)
Music is another avenue through which Swahili words and phrases have spread around the world. For example:
Malaika
(mah-la-
ee
-kah) (
angel
) from the song “Malaika” by Miriam Makeba and Harry Belafonte [originally by Adam Salim]
Nakupenda pia
(nah-koo-
peh
-ndah
pee
-ah) (
I love you, too
) from the song “Liberian Girl” by Michael Jackson
Karamu
((kah-
rah
-moo) (
party
) from the song “All Night Long” by Lionel Richie
Perhaps you’ve noticed some names from African-American celebrity households but had no idea they have Swahili origins. These include the following:
Sanaa Lathan ⇒ sanaa
(sah-
nah
-ah) (
art
)
Zuri Hall ⇒ zuri
(
zoo
-ree) (
beautiful/good
)
Taraji P. Henson ⇒ taraji
(tah-
rah
-jee) (
hope/expectation
)
Nia Long ⇒ nia
(
nee
-ah) (
will/resolve
)
Amani Askari Toomer ⇒ amani
(ah-
mah
-nee) (
peace
)
askari
(ah-
skah
-ree) (
guard
)
Imani Hakim ⇒ imani
(ee-
mah
-nee) (
faith
)
Some fictional characters also bear Swahili names. For example:
Baraka
(bah-
rah
-kah) (
blessing
), a character from
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge
Zawadi
(zah-
wah
-dee) (
gift
), a Wakandan from Marvel Comics
Nyota Uhura: nyota
(
nyoh
-tah) (
star
), a character from
Star Trek
Are you planning on going on safari? East Africa is famous for its diverse wildlife and game parks that tourists visit in droves and loudly proclaim that they’ve booked a safari. Even Dora the Explorer uses the word safari for a drive around the African wilderness. To Swahili speakers, safari (sah-fah-ree) (trip/journey) can be a bus ride to the next town to visit a friend. (No wild animals involved.)
If you like board games and enjoy socializing with your friends and family over friendly challenges, you probably own a stack of Jenga blocks. Now you can tell your friends and family that Jenga (jeh-ngah) means to build.
Lastly, if your local cafe has chai latte or chai tea as options on the drinks menu, be aware that chai (chah-ee) just translates to tea in Swahili.
Discovering Swahili Words that Sound Familiar in English
Sure, there are words that have been taken over whole into the English language, but the Swahili presence in English is more complicated than that. That’s because Swahili has evolved by incorporating words from languages such as Arabic, Hindi, German, Portuguese, and even English into its lexicon. You’ll notice that such words also adopt vowel endings and phonetic spellings to sound like original Swahili words. If you’re a keen listener, you’ll be able to create connections instantly and recognize these words. Check out the examples listed below:
biskuti
(bee-
skoo
-tee) (
biscuits
)
bia
(
bee
-ah) (
beer
)
juisi
(joo-
ee
-see) (
juice
)
chokoleti
(choh-koh-l
eh
-tee) (
chocolate
)
keki
(
keh
-kee) (
cake
)
supu
(
soo
-poo) (
soup
)
aiskrimu
(ah-ee-s-
kree
-moo) (
ice-cream
)
suti
(
soo
-tee) (
suit
)
soksi
(
soh
-k
see
) (
socks
)
sketi
(
skeh
-tee) (
skirt
)
blauzi
(blah-
oo
-zee) (
blouse
)
glavu
(g-
lah
-voo) (
gloves
)
sandali
(sah-
ndah-
lee) (
sandals
)
tai
(
tah
-ee) (tie)
taulo
(tah-
oo
-loh) (
towel)
sweta
(
sweh
-tah) (
sweater
)
kochi
(
koh
-chee) (
couch
)
kompyuta
(koh-m-p-
yoo
-tah) (
computer
)
sayansi
(sah-yah
-n-
see) (
science
)
teknolojia
(teh-knoh-loh-
jee
-ah) (
technology
)
maikrowevu
(mah-ee-kroh-
weh-
voo) (
microwave
)
mashine
(mah-
shee
-neh) (
machine
)
baiskeli
(bah-ee-
skeh
-lee) (
bicyle
)
televisheni
(teh-leh-vee-
sheh
-nee) (
television
)
friji
(f-
ree
-jee) (
fridge/refrigerator
)
video
(vee-
deh
-oh) (
video
)
redio
(reh-
dee
-oh) (
radio
)
picha
(
pee
-chah) (
picture
)
historia
(hee-stoh
-ree
-ah) (
history
)
bayolojia
(bah-yoh-loh-
jee
-ah) (
biology
)
fizikia
(fee-zee-
kee
-ah) (
physics
)
ofisi
(oh-f
ee
-see) (
office
)
posta
(
poh
-stah) (
post office
)
benki
(beh-nkee) (
bank
)
hospitali
(hoh-spee-tah-lee) (
hospital)
hoteli
(hoh-
teh
-lee) (
hotel
)
nesi
(
neh
-see) (
nurse
)
daktari
(dah-k-
tah
-ree) (
doctor
)
dereva
(deh-
reh
-vah) (
driver
)
polisi
(poh
-lee
-see) (
police
)
shilingi
(shee-l
ee
-ngee) (
shilling
)
milioni
(mee-lee-
oh-
nee) (
million
)
Introducing the Swahili Alphabet
Just like English, Swahili uses the Latin alphabet and has both consonants and vowels. Unlike English, however, Swahili pronunciation is relatively easier; you read it as it is written. This section guides you through the pronunciation of Swahili vowels, consonants, and consonant clusters found in the Swahili alfabeti (ah-lfah-beh-tee) (alphabet).
Discovering simple Swahili sounds
Swahili has five vowels. These vowels are similar to the five English vowels. The difference is in the pronunciation. If you speak German or Italian, you already pronounce Swahili vowels as they should be. Let’s have a look at Table 1-1!
TABLE 1-1 Swahili vowels
Letter
Pronunciation
English equivalent
Example
Translation
Aa
ah
“a” in “apple”
mama (mah-mah)
mother
Ee
eh
“e” in “elephant”
pete (peh-teh)
ring
Ii
ee
“i” in “igloo”
giza (gee-zah)
darkness
Oo
oh
“o” in “ostrich”
moto (moh-toh)
fire
Uu
oo
“oo” in “tooth”
ukuta (oo-koo-tah)
wall
Swahili consonants, on the other hand, are largely similar to their English counterparts in pronunciation. One major difference is that Swahili does not use the letters q and x. You’ll also notice that a free-standing c isn’t used in the Swahili alphabet; it will always be attached to the letter h to make ch. Check out the examples in Table 1-2.
TABLE 1-2 Swahili consonants
Letter
Pronunciation
English equivalent
Example
Translation
Bb
bah
“b” in “boy”
baba (bah-bah)
father
CHch
cha
“ch” in “church”
chai (chah-ee)
tea
Dd
dah
“d” in “dog”
dada (dah-dah)
sister
Ff
fah
“f” in “fun”
farasi (fah-rah-see)
horse
Gg
gah
“g” in “goat”
gari (gah-ree)
car
Hh
hah
“h” in “hot”
harusi (hah-roo-see)
wedding
Jj
jah
“j” in “jug”
joto (joh-toh)
heat
Kk
kah
“k” in “kelp”
kiti (kee-tee)
chair
Ll
lah
“l” in “lily”
lami (lah-mee)
tarmac
Mm
mah
“m” in “man”
maua (mah-oo-ah)
flowers
Nn
nah
“n” in “nice”
nanasi (nah-nah-see)
pineapple
Pp
pah
“p” in “pot”
paka (pah-kah)
cat
Rr
rah
“r” in “rock”
radi (rah-dee)
lightning
Ss
sah
“s” in “sun”
sakafu (sah-kah-foo)
floor
Tt
tah
“t” in “ten”
tembo (teh-mboh)
elephant
Vv
vah
“v” in “vogue”
vumbi (voo-mbee)
dust
Ww
wah
“w” in “water”
watu (wah-too)
people
Yy
yah
“y” in “yeti”
yai (yah-ee)
egg
Zz
zah
“z” in “zest”
zeituni (zeh-ee-too-nee)
venus
If nasal sounds n and m appear at the beginning of a word followed by another consonant, pronounce the n’s and m’s as separate, single syllables. For example:
nta
(
n
-tah) (
wax
)
nchi
(
n
-chee) (
country
)
nzi
(
n
-zee) (
fly
)
mtoto
(m-
toh
-toh) (
child
)
mke
(
m
-keh) (
wife
)
mbwa
(
m
-bwah) (
dog
)
mbao
(m-
bah
-oh) (
timber
)
mlimao
(m-lee-
mah-
oh) (
lemon tree)
Tackling Swahili consonant clusters
To truly master Swahili, you have to pay attention to the consonant and vowel arrangements in Swahili words. While pronouncing consonants separated by vowels is more straightforward, you might benefit from a little more practice with words that use consonants followed by other consonants before a vowel break. These are called consonant clusters. Consonant clusters might seem foreign at first glance, but we’ll show you their English equivalents before providing Swahili examples.
dh
The dh consonant cluster is similar to the initial sound in English words like that, there, this. Listen to audio files online and repeat its pronunciation in the following words:
dhamira (dhah-mee-rah) (intent)
dharura
(dhah-
roo
-rah) (
emergency
)
dhaifu
(dhah-
ee
-foo) (
weak
)
dhuluma
(dhoo-
loo
-mah) (
injustice
)
dhalilish
a (dhah-lee-
lee
-shah) (
treat poorly
)
gh
Although this consonant cluster has no English sound equivalent, it’s still possible to pronounce it correctly. Try to make a gurgling sound at the back of your throat to get it right. No cause to worry if you cannot get the gurgling sound; several Swahili speakers produce a hard /g/ sound as in get instead. Listen to audio files online and follow the example for the following words.
ghafla (ghah-flah) (suddenly)
gharama
(ghah-
rah
-mah) (
cost
)
lugha
(
loo
-ghah) (
language
)
ghali
(
ghah
-lee) (
expensive
)
mghahawa
(m-ghah-
hah
-wah) (
restaurant
)
ng’
Ng’ is the only Swahili sound with an accent mark. To say it correctly, replicate the final sound in English words like thing, sing, king, bring. Listen to audio files online and repeat its pronunciation in these words.
ng’ombe (ng’oh-mbeh) (cow)
ng’ambo
(
ng’ah
-mboh) (
abroad
)
kuong’oa
(koo-
ng’oh
-ah) (
to pluck/uproot
)
kung’aa
(koo-
ng’ah
-ah) (
to shine
)
kung’ang’ana
(koo-ng’ah-
ng’ah
-nah) (
to struggle
)
If a word has ng without the accent mark, then pronounce it as you would in words like anger, linger, hunger. For example:
ngamia
(ngah-
mee
-ah) (
camel
)
ngao
(
ngah
-oh) (
shield
)
nguo
(
ngoo
-oh) (
clothes
)
ngozi
(
ngoh
-zee) (
skin
)
ngumi
(
ngoo
-mee) (
a punch
)
nguzo
(
ngoo
-zoh) (
pillar
)
ngano
(
ngah
-noh) (
wheat
)
Ny
Do not separate n from y when pronouncing words with the ny consonant cluster. To make this sound successfully, think of the underlined sounds in the words lasagna; lanyard. Listen to audio online and repeat the following words.
nyota (nyoh-tah) (star)
nyuma
(
nyoo
-mah) (
behind
)
nyufa
(
nyoo
-fah) (
cracks
)
nyati
(
nyah
-tee) (
buffalo
)
nyimbo
(
nyee
-mboh) (
songs
)
nyanya
(
nyah
-nyah) (
tomatoes
)
nyama
(
nyah
-mah) (
mea
t)
nyuki
(
nyoo
-kee) (
bee
)
th
The th sound is easy because it’s also an initial sound in English words like thing, theatre, thirty. However, many foreigners make the mistake of pronouncing the t only. Remember that the tip of your tongue must slightly tap the space between your upper and lower front teeth to get this sound right.
thelathini (theh-lah-thee-nee) (thirty)
themanini
(theh-mah-
nee
-nee) (
eighty
)
thibitisha
(thee-bee-
tee
-sha) (
ensure/confirm
)
methali
(meh-
thah
-lee) (
proverb
)
FUN & GAMES
Say the following tongue twisters as fast as possible. Listen to the recording and compare how you did.
Mpishi kapika mchicha mbichi (m-pee-shee kah-pee-kah m-chee-chah m-bee-chee) (The chef cooked raw spinach.)Ng’ang’a anang’ang’ana kung’oa nguzo (ng’ah-ng’ah ah-nah-ng’ah-ng’ah-nah koo-ng’oh-ah ngoo-zoh) (Ng’ang’a is struggling to uproot a pillar.)Kaka kile kikuku kiko wapi kaka? (kah-kah kee-leh kee-koo-koo kee-koh wah-pee kah-kah) (Brother, where’s that anklet, brother.)Katibu kata wa kata ya Mkata amekataa katakata kukatakata miti katika kata ya Mkata. (kah-tee-boo wah kah-tah yah m-kah-tah ah-meh-kah-tah-ah kah-tah-kah-tah koo-kah-tah-kah-tah mee-tee kah-tee-kah kah-tah yah m-kah-tah) (The head of Mkata Ward has forbidden the cutting of trees in Mkata Ward.)Wale wali walikula wali wangu (wah-leh wah-lee wah-lee-koo-lah wah-lee wah-ngoo) (Those young ladies ate my rice.)
Chapter 2
Getting Started with Basic Expressions
IN THIS CHAPTER
Greeting people appropriately
Taking leave politely
Introducing yourself
Asking and answering personal questions
First impressions can make or break a potential relationship, be it business or personal. A sure way to create a great initial impression in Swahili culture is to greet people appropriately, an exercise that requires you to know exactly which greetings to apply in what contexts.
This chapter explains how to greet people in Swahili, respond appropriately, introduce yourself, ask and answer basic personal questions, and to excuse yourself at the end of an interaction.
Greeting People
How do you begin conversations with servers, friends, bus drivers, or passersby? Perhaps you say a quick “hi” or just dive into the conversation? In Swahili culture, every interaction begins with salamu (sah-lah-moo) (a greeting). It is a social faux pas to dive straight into whichever business you have with someone without first exchanging a few greetings. It is therefore important to understand which greeting to use with peers, with elders, or at different times of the day.
Saying “hello” in informal situations
You can use a range of greetings with peers in informal situations. Depending on how close you are with the person you’re greeting, you can hug, bump fists, or just nod toward them while exchanging greetings. These greetings are rarely accompanied by a handshake. Table 2-1 lists some common informal greetings and their responses.
TABLE 2-1 Informal Greetings
salamu (a greeting).
Jibu (a response)
mambo? (mah-mboh) (How are things?).
Poa. (poh-ah) (great)
vipi? (vee-pee) (How’s it going?)
Safi. (sah-fee) (very well)
Habari? (hah-bah-ree) (How are you?)
Nzuri. (n-zoo-ree) (fine/well)
Habari yako? (hah-bah-ree yah-koh) (How are you?)
Salama. (sah-lah-mah) (All's well.)
Habari gani? (hah-bah-ree gah-nee) (How is it going?)
Njema. (n-jeh-mah) (fine/well)
kwema? (kweh-mah) (All good?)
Kwema. (kweh-mah) (all good)
mzima? (m-zee-mah) (Are you well?)
Mzima (m-zee-mah) (I am well.)
The greeting kwema? and its response kwema are mostly used in Tanzania and the coastal regions of Kenya. You might draw a blank stare if you use it in mainland Kenya.
Jambo (jah-mboh) is another greeting you can use in a casual situation. In literal terms it means an issue/matter, so when used as a greeting, it translates to do you/he/she/they have an issue/matter but is understood as how are you? The form you choose depends on whom you are asking after because the -jambo greeting changes according to the personal pronoun of the individual(s) being asked after. Check out Chapter 3 for more on personal pronouns.
See Table 2-2 for different forms of the -jambo greeting and responses.
All these greetings are posed as questions, so in speech, you’d use a rising intonation while greeting someone and a falling intonation when responding — even with the same word.
TABLE 2-2 Using -jambo Greetings
-jambo Greeting
-jambo Response
Hujambo?
(hoo-jah-mboh)
(How are you?)
Sijambo.
(see-jah-mboh)
(I am fine.)
Hajambo?
(hah-jah-mboh)
(How is he/she?)
Hajambo.
(hah-jah-mboh)
(He/she is fine.)
Hamjambo?
(hah-mjah-mboh)
(How are you (pl.)?)
Hatujambo.
(hah-too-jah-mboh)
(We are fine.)
Hawajambo?
(hah-wah-jah-mboh)
(How are they?)
Hawajambo.
(hah-wah-jah-mboh)
(They are fine.)
Talkin’ the Talk
Listen to the following dialogue between Malaika and Jacinta exchanging greetings using -jambo. Notice how the greeting is extended from asking about one person to other known members of their household.
Malaika:
Hujambo Jacinta?
Hoo-jah-mboh Jacinta?
How are you, Jacinta?
Jacinta:
Mimi sijambo Malaika. Mambo?
Mee mee See-jah-mboh Malaika. Mah-mboh
I am fine Malaika. How are things?
Malaika:
Poa sana! Baba na mama hawajambo?
poh-ah sah-nah! Bah-bah nah mah-mah hah-wah-jah-mboh?
I am doing very well! How are your dad and mom?
Jacinta:
Wao hawajambo kabisa! Na wewe wazazi wako hawajambo?
wah-oh hah-wah-jah-mboh kah-bee-sah! Nah weh-weh wah-zah-zee wah-koh hah-wah-jah-mboh?
They are doing very well! And you, how are your parents?
Malaika:
Wao hawajambo pia! Mtoto wako hajambo?
wah-oh hah-wah-jah-mboh pee-ah! M-toh-toh wah-koh hah-jah-mboh?
They are doing very well as well! How is your child doing?
Jacinta:
Yeye hajambo pia! Ninyi wote hamjambo?
Yeh-yeh hah-jah-mboh pee-ah! Nee-nyee woh-teh hah-m-jah-mboh?
She is fine also! Are you all fine?
Malaika:
Sisi wote hatujambo.
See-see woh-teh hah-too-jah-mboh.
We are all fine.
WORDS TO KNOW
baba
bah-bah
father
mama
mah-mah
mother
wazazi
wah-zah-zee
parents
mtoto
m-toh-toh
child
mimi
mee-mee
I
wewe
weh-weh
you
yeye
yeh-yeh
he/she
sisi
see-see
we
ninyi
nee-nyeeh
you (pl.)
wao
wah-oh
they
pia
pee-ah
also/too
kabisa
kah-bee-sah
totally/absolutely
Using just jambo! as a greeting without specifying the recipient (you, he/she, or they) is a clear marker of being a foreigner or new to East Africa. Some locals will greet you with jambo! just to test the waters. How about pulling an UNO-reverse card during such instances and responding with the proper form of the greeting?
Saying “hello” in formal situations
When greeting someone who is older than you in Swahili, it is customary to say shikamoo. (shee-kah-moh) (I touch your feet.) The response to this is marahaba. (mah-rah-hah-bah) (I accept your respect.) This greeting is normally accompanied by a firm handshake, kneeling/ quick curtsy (especially children greeting adults) or a bowing of one's head.
The -jambo greeting is also used in formal settings, especially in Kenya. So, if you are in a formal setting and whomever you encounter is obviously younger than you, do not hesitate to use the -jambo greeting.
Always greet the older person first using shikamoo. It is considered rude for them to greet you first. If they do, salvage the situation quickly by responding appropriately to whichever greeting they use and then use the shikamoo greeting.
Asking about peoples’ day using “habari”
You may have noticed that Swahili greetings can get lengthy, simply because greetings do not just ask after people currently involved in the conversation but also people known to be part of their households. In the same fashion, greetings also include topics relevant to the people having the conversation, such as work, school, or the day in general. Use habari (hah-bah-ree), which literally translates to news to achieve this; so the greetings ask for news of work, school, family, or the day.
Habari za kazi?
(hah-
bah
-ree zah
kah
-zee) (
How’s work?)
Habari za familia?
(hah-
bah
-ree zah fah-mee-
lee
-ah) (
How is your family?
)
Habari za shule?
(hah-
bah
-ree zah
shoo
-leh) (
How is school?)
Habari za masomo?
(hah-
bah
-ree zah mah-
soh
-moh) (
How are your studies (going)?
)
Habari za asubuhi?
(hah-
bah
-ree zah ah-soo-
boo
-hee) (
Good morning
)
Habari za mchana?
(hah-
bah
-ree zah m-
chah
-nah) (
Good afternoon
)
Habari za jioni?
(hah-
bah
-ree zah jee-
oh
-nee) (
Good evening?)
Habari za wikendi?
(hah-
bah
-ree zah wee-
keh
-ndee) (
How is/was the weekend?
)
Respond to habari greetings with nzuri (n-zoo-ree) or njema (n-jeh-mah) or salama (sah-lah-mah). Any one of those responses works at any given time since they all mean well/fine.
What if you meet at usiku (oo-see-koo) (night)? While it makes sense to continue with the same format of habari za … , Swahili reasons that by nighttime you will have survived the day, so it’s only logical to ask how you fared during the day by saying:
Greeting:
Umeshindaje?
(oo-meh-shee-
ndah
-jeh) (
How did you spend your day?/How have you been?)
Response:
Vyema/salama/vizuri.
(
vyeh
-mah/sah-
lah
-mah/vee-
zoo
-ree) (
Fine/well
)
Saying goodbye
Just before you part ways, say kwaheri (kwah-heh-ree) (goodbye). It is both a formal and informal manner of saying farewell and is frequently used to show gratitude for a nice time shared. When speaking to more than one person, you use kwaherini (kwah-heh-ree-nee) (Goodbye to you all) rather than kwaheri, which is used when bidding farewell to one person. In formal situations, provide a firm handshake as you say kwaheri. In informal situations, you can wave and just head out.
If parting ways with friends after a chat, just say baadaye! (bah-ah-dah-yeh) (Later!).
Introducing Yourself
One of the first things people do when they meet new people is to a) ask for their name and b) introduce themselves as well. Do not be surprised if your taxi driver or fruit vendor asks for your name in East Africa; they are just showing genuine interest in you. But you don’t always have to wait for others to steer such interactions. This section explains how to take charge of an initial encounter by introducing yourself and asking others for their name.
Stating your name
The word jina (jee-nah) stands for name. You can use two phrases when stating your name:
Jina langu ni …
(
jee
-nah
lah
-ngoo nee) (
My name is …
)
Ninaitwa …
(nee-nah-
ee
-twah) (
I am called …
)
The first option here uses a possessive langu (lah-ngoo) (my). Check out Chapter 3 for more information on possessives.
Asking “What is your name?”
Just like there are two ways to state your name, you also have two ways to ask someone for their name:
Jina lako ni nani?
(
jee
-nah
lah
-koh nee
nah
-nee) (
What is your name?
)
Unaitwa nani?
(
oo
-nah-
ee
-twah
nah
-nee) (
What are you called?
)
Getting Personal
You have exchanged greetings, introduced yourself, and asked the other person what their name is. Now what? Since you already have their attention, you might as well hold it by getting a bit more personal. No, do not reveal your bank account details, just background information that might help you create friendships or verify your identity to an immigration officer.
This section explains how to talk about where you come from, your place of residency, your nationality, the languages you speak, your education, and your job.
Stating where you come from/live
To ask where someone is from, say Unatoka wapi? (oo-nah-toh-kah wah-pee) (Where are you from?)
Someone may specify that they require you to state your country of residence (nchi; n-chee) by saying
Unatoka nchi gani?
(oo-nah-
toh
-kah
n
-chee
gah
-nee) (
Which country are you from?
)
In answering this question, use the phrase ninatoka (nee-nah-toh-kah) (I come from). For example:
Ninatoka Marekani.
(nee-nah-
toh
-kah Marekani) (
I come from the USA
.)
Marekani is the Swahili name for the United States. There are other countries with Swahili names, too, such as
Uganda
(oo-
gah
-ndah) (
Uganda
)
Uhabeshi
(oo-hah-
beh
-shee) (
Ethiopia
)
Uhispania
(oo-hee-spah-
nee
-ah) (
Spain
)
Ugiriki
(oo-gee-
ree
-kee) (
Greece
)
Uholanzi
(oo-hoh-
lah
-nzee) (
Holland
)
Uswizi
(oo-
swee
-zee) (
Switzerland
)
Uswidi
(oo-
swee
-dee) (
Sweden
)
Ujerumani
(oo-jeh-roo-
mah
-nee) (
Germany
)
Ubelgiji
(oo-bel-
gee
-jee) (
Belgium
)
Uingereza
(oo-ee-ngeh-
reh
-zah) (
The United Kingdom
)
Urusi
(oo-
roo
-see) (
Russia
)
Ushelisheli
(oo-sheh-lee-
sheh
-lee) (
Seychelles
)
Ujapani
(oo-jah-
pah
-nee) (
Japan
)
Misri
(
mee
-sree) (
Egypt
)
Kolombia
(ko-loh-
mbee
-ah) (
Colombia
)
Uchina
(oo-
chee
-nah) (
China
)
Although many country names in Swahili are often denoted by the prefix U-, there are always exceptions. Also note the phonetic spelling of countries like Colombia (Kolombia; koh-loh-mbee-ah), Mexico (Meksiko; mehk-see-koh), and Canada (Kanada; kah-nah-dah), which are quite different from the English versions.
Two words mean live in Swahili. These are kaa (ka-ah) and ishi (ee-shee). This means you can use two different phrases to ask where someone lives:
Unakaa wapi?
(oo-nah-
ka
-ah
wah
-pee) (
Where do you live?
)
Unaishi wapi?
(oo-nah-
ee
-shee
wah
-pee) (
Where do you live?
)
To respond to questions of where you live, borrow the same wording used in the question posed; that is, if the question has the word kaa in it, use kaa in your response, and if the question has ishi in it, use ishi in your response.
Ninakaa Nairobi.
(nee-nah-
ka
-ah Nairobi) (
I live in Nairobi.
)
Ninaishi Nairobi.
(nee-nah-
ee
-shee Nairobi) (
I live in Nairobi.
)
Talking about nationalities
Have you ever been to a different country where everyone can tell you’re not a local? What’s the first thing they ask if they approach you? That’s right, your nationality! This piece of information can quickly become your identity in places where others have a hard time pronouncing your name.
Nationalities are typically formed by adding a prefix M (singular) and Wa (plural) to the beginning of a country's name. For example, a Kenyan is Mkenya (M-keh-nyah), therefore Kenyans are Wakenya (wah-keh-nyah) and someone from France is Mfaransa (M-fah-rah-nsah), while people from France are Wafaransa (wah-fah-rah-nsah). A Tanzanian is Mtanzania (M-tah-nzah-nee-ah) so people from Tanzania would say Sisi ni Watanzania (see-see nee wah-tah-nzah-nee-ah) (We are Tanzanian).
When a country’s initial letters begin with the vowel u-, form nationalities by dropping the u- and replacing it with u- in the singular and wa- in the plural. For example: Uturuki (oo-too-roo-kee) — Mturiki/Waturuki (m-too-roo-kee/wah-too-roo-kee) (Turkey — Turkish person/Turkish people); Ujerumani (oo-jeh-roo-mah-nee) — Mjerumani/Wajerumani (m-jeh-roo-mah-nee/(wah-jeh-roo-mah-nee)) (Germany — German/Germans).
If followed by a vowel, m- becomes mw-. For example: Uingereza (oo-ee-ngeh-reh-zah; United Kingdom) — Mwingereza/Waingereza (m-wee-ngeh-reh-zah/wah-ee-ngeh-reh-zah)(British/English person/British/English people;Omani (oh-mah-nee) (Oman) — Mwomani/Waomani (M-woh-mah-nee/ wah-oh-mah-nee) (Omani person/Omani people):
Mganda
(m-
gah
-ndah) (
Ugandan
)
Mhabeshi
(m-hah-
beh
-shee) (
Ethiopian
)
Mhispania
(m-hee-spah-
nee
-ah) (
Spaniard
)
Mgiriki
(m-gee-
ree
-kee) (
Greek
)
Mholanzi
(m-hoh-
lah
-nzee) (
Dutch
)
Mswizi
(m-
swee
-zee) (
Swiss
)
Mswidi
(m-
swee
-dee) (
Swedish
)
Mjerumani
(m-jeh-roo-
mah
-nee) (
German
)
Mbelgiji
(m-bel-
gee
-jee) (
Belgian
)
Mrusi
(m-
roo
-see) (
Russian
)
Mshelisheli
(m-sheh-lee-
sheh
-lee) (
Seychellois)
Mjapani
(m-jah-
pah
-nee) (
Japanese
)
Mmisri
(m-
mee
-sree) (
Egyptian
)
Mkolombia
(m-ko-loh-
mbee
-ah) (
Colombian
)
Mchina
(m-
chee
-nah) (
Chinese
)
Listing the languages you speak
If asked, you’d probably tell someone that the language focus of this book is Swahili; Swahili speakers, however, would say it is Kiswahili. Why the difference? The Ki denotes a language spoken by a people; in this case, the Swahili people. Therefore, to state the languages you speak in Swahili, add the prefix Ki- to the beginning of a region's name. For example, if you speak Chinese, the language you speak is Kichina (ki-chee-nah) (Chinese); if you speak French, it is Kifaransa (ki-fah-rah-nsah) (French); if you speak Japanese, it is Kijapani (kee-jah-pah-nee) (Japanese). See more examples in the list below:
Kihispania
(kee-hee-spah-
nee
-ah)
(Spanish)
Kigiriki
(ki-gee-
ree
-kee) (
Greek
)
Kidachi
(kee-
dah
-chee) (
Dutch
)
Kijerumani
(kee-jeh-roo-
mah
-nee) (
German
)
Kiitaliano
(kee-ee-tah-lee-
ah
-noh) (
Italian
)
Kiingereza
(kee-ee-ngeh-
reh
-zah) (
English
)
Kirusi
(kee-
roo
-see) (
Russian
)
Kiarabu
(kee-ah-
rah
-boo) (
Arabic
)
Kireno
(kee-
reh
-noh) (
Portuguese
)
Kihausa
(kee-hah-
oo
-sah) (
Hausa
)
Asking what do you study/where do you study?
We don’t know what your reasons for exploring East Africa are, but perhaps you’re on a study abroad program or on placement by your college. In that case, there’s a good chance that you’ll meet other students. Wanafunzi (wah-nah-foo-nzee) (students) (mwanafunzi; m-wah-nah-foo-nzee in the singular) usually ask each other about their studies within the first few minutes of meeting. To ask someone what they study, use the following phrase:
Unasoma nini
. (oo-nah-
soh
-mah
nee
-nee)
(What do you study?)
If asked, respond to this question with the phrase
Ninasoma …
(nee-nah-
soh
-mah) (
I study …
)
Complete the phrase with your course or subject. Here are some options to choose from:
ualimu
(oo-ah-
lee
-moo) (
education
)
udaktari
(oo-dak-
tah
-ree) (
medicine
)
biashara
(bee-ah-
shah
-rah) (
business
)
anthropolojia
(an-throh-poh-loh-
jee
-ah) (
anthropology
)
sosholojia
(soh-shoh-loh-
jee
-ah) (
sociology
)
saikolojia
(sah-ee-koh-loh-
jee
-ah) (
psychology
)
siasa
(see-
ah
-sah) (
politics
)
masomo ya maendeleo
(mah-
soh
-moh yah mah-eh-ndeh-
leh
-oh) (
development studies
)
masomo ya kiafrika
(mah-
soh
-moh yah Kee-ah-
free
-kah) (
African studies
)
bayolojia
(bah-yoh-loh-
jee
-ah) (
biology
)
sanaa
(sah-
nah
-ah)
(art
)
You may be interested in finding out where someone studies. The word wapi? (wah-pee) is the interrogative word for where. Therefore, use the phrase unasoma wapi (oo-nah-soh-mah wah-pee) to ask Where do you study?
The phrase ninasoma katika (nee-nah-soh-mah kah-tee-kah) (I study at…) precedes the name of your academic institution. For example:
Ninasoma katika Chuo kikuu cha Nairobi.
(nee-nah-
soh
-mah kah-
tee
-kah
choo
-oh
kee
-koo chah Nairobi) (
I study at the University of Nairobi.
)
Chuo Kikuu stands for university and chuo cha kiufundi (choo-oh chah kee-oo-foo-ndee) stands for technical college However, if you have children and are asked where they might be studying, you’d want to choose from one of the following options:
Shule ya upili
(
shoo
-leh yah oo-
pee
-lee) (
secondary/high school
)
Shule ya msingi
(
shoo
-leh yah m-
see
-ngee) (
primary school
)
Shule ya chekechea
(
shoo
-leh yah cheh-keh-
cheh
-ah) (
nursery school
)
Talkin’ the Talk
Owen is studying abroad at the University of Dar Es Salaam. He meets Lydia on campus and she strikes up a conversation.
Lydia:
Mambo vipi?
Mah-mboh vee-pee?
How is it going?
Owen:
Poa sana! Kwema?
Poh-ah sah-nah. Kweh-mah?
Really great! All good?
Lydia:
Kwema. Jina langu ni Lydia. Wewe unaitwa nani?
Kweh-mah. Jee-nah lah-ngoo nee Lydia. Weh-weh oo-nah-ee-twah nah-nee
