Learning Swahili: Days and Numbers

Kumsomea mtoto wako kila siku kuna faida nyingi. Inaweza kuboresha ustadi wa lugha wa mtoto wako, kuongeza msamiati wake, na kukuza kupenda kusoma. Inaweza pia kusaidia kuboresha umakini na umakini wa mtoto wako, na inaweza kuwa na athari chanya kwenye mawazo na ubunifu wao. Zaidi ya hayo, kumsomea mtoto wako kunaweza kuwa njia nzuri ya nyinyi wawili kushikana na kutumia wakati mzuri pamoja.

Hapa Maktaba tunawahimiza wazazi kuwasomea watoto wao kila siku. Ifuatayo ni orodha ya sababu kuu za kuifanya kuwa tambiko:

1. Ustadi wa lugha ulioboreshwa: Kumsomea mtoto wako kunawaweka wazi kwa anuwai ya maneno na miundo ya lugha, ambayo inaweza kusaidia kuboresha ukuaji wao wa lugha na ustadi wa mawasiliano.
2. Kuongezeka kwa msamiati: Mtoto wako anapokusikiliza ukisoma, atajulishwa maneno na dhana mpya ambazo huenda hajakutana nazo katika maisha yake ya kila siku. Hii inaweza kusaidia kuongeza msamiati wao na kupanua uelewa wao wa ulimwengu.
3. Kupenda kusoma: Kumsomea mtoto wako...

kutembelea: to visit
Ninatembelea: I am visiting
unatembelea: You are visiting
tunatembelea: We are visiting
anatembelea: He/she is visiting
wanatembelea: They are visiting

kusafiri: to travel
ninasafiri: I am traveling
unasafiri: you are traveling
tunasafiri: we are traveling
anasafiri: He/she is traveling
wanasafiri: they are traveling

kuendesha: to drive
ninaendesha: i drive
unaendesha: you drive
• Do you speak English?: unasema kiingereza?
• Do you speak Swahili?: unasema Kiswahili?
• Just a little bit: kidogo tu
• How do you say... in Swahili?: unasemaje... kwa kiswahili
• I don't understand: sielewi

• Where is the...?: ni wapi...?
• Airport: uwanja wa ndege
• Bus station: stesheni ya basi
• Bus stop: bas stendi
• Taxi stand: stendi ya teksi
• Train Station: stesheni ya treni
• Bank: benki
• Market: soko
• Police station: kituo cha polisi
• Post office: posta
• Tourist Office: ofisi ya watali
• Toilet/ bathroom: choo
• What time is the... leaving?: inaondoka saa... ngapi?
•...

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There are various ways to say hello in Swahili
1. Hujambo or jambo (how are you?) – Sijambo (seeJAmbo) (I am fine / no worries)
2. Habari? (any news?) – nzuri (nZOOree) (fine)
3. U hali gani? (oo HAlee GAnee) (how are you) – njema (fine)
4. Shikamoo (a young person to an elder) – marahaba
5. For casual interactions: mambo? Or Vipi? Or Sema?

• Mambo (MAmbo) – What’s up?
• Vipi? (VEEpee?) – how?
• Sema? (SEma?) – speak?
•

Examples
• Habari za asubuhi (good morning) – nzuri (fine)
• Habari za mchana (good afternoon)
• Habari za jioni (good evening)
• Habari za kutwa? ( how has your day been?)

Other replies to the above greetings that might be used in place of nzuri:
• njema (NJEma) – fine
• salama (saLAAma) – peaceful / all’s well
• sawa (SAwa) – okay
• vyema (VYEma) – well
• naendelea vyema (naendeLEa VYEma) – I am doing well

Asking ‘How Are You?’ in Swahili?
• Hujambo (how are you? – to one person) – Sijambo (I am fine).
• Hamjambo (how are you? – to two or more people) –...

Some notes from: https://www.justoneafrica.org/swahili/

To cook = Kupika
I cook = Ninapika
You cook = Unapika
He/she cooks = Anapika
We cook = Tunapika
They cook = Wanapika

Chef = mpishi

Chicken = Kuku
Fruit = Matunda
Oranges = Machungwa
Bananas = Ndizi
Meat = Nyama
Vegetables = Mboga
Carrot = Karoti

Recently I wrote a children's book to help people learn Swahili.

For those interested in how I wrote it, why and how I used generative AI to help with the illustrations, I created a blog post in English and Swahili.

The children's book Hatuhitaji Maji is a story in both English and Swahili about Zebras looking for water and learning through their love of reading.

The book is freely available for download from this site and any comments or feedback are welcome.