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
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/
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?
•...
I like: Napenda
I liked: nilipenda
You like: unapenda
You liked: ulipenda
He/she likes: anapenda
He/she liked: alipenda
They like: wanapenda
They liked: walipenda
We like: tunapenda
We liked: tulipenda
I don't like: sipendi
You don't like: hupendi
He/she doesn't like: hapendi
They don't like: hawapendi
We don't like: hatupendi
I have: Nina
You have: una
He has: ana
They have: Wana
We have: Tuna
I don't have: Sina
You don't have: huna
He/she doesn't have: hana
They don't have: hawana
We don't have: hatuna
I need: nahitaji
You need: unahitaji
He/she needs: anahitaji
They need: Wanahitaji
We need: Tunahitaji
I needed: nilihitaji
You needed: ulihitaji
He/she needed:
They needed: walihitaji
We needed: tulihitaji
I don't need: sihitaji
You don't need: huhitaji
He/she doesn't need: haitaji
They don't need: hawahitaji
We don't need: hatuhitaji
• Today: leo
• Tomorrow: kesho
• Yesterday: jana
• Now: sasa
• Later: baadaye
• Every day: kila siku
• Monday: Jumatatu
• Tuesday: Jumanne
• Wednesday: Jumatano
• Thursday: Alhamisi
• Friday: Ljumaa
• Saturday: Jumamosi
• Sunday: Jumapili
• 1: moja
• 2: mbili
• 3: tatu
• 4: nne
• 5: tano
• 6: sita
• 7: saba
• 8: nane
• 9: tisa
• 10: kumi
• 11: kumi na moja (ten and one)
• 12: kumi na mbili (ten and two)
• 20: ishirini
• 21: ishirni na moja (twenty and one)
• 30: thelathini
• 40: arobaini
• 50: hamsini
• 60: sitini
• 70: sabini
• 80: themanini
• 90: tisini
• 100: mia
• 200: mia mbili
• 1000: elfu
• 100,000: laki
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The big kalimba fish eats the small ones. Little people are the victims of big people. Instead of kalimba one could use mbota (Nile perch) or chewa (rock cod) or nguru (king fish).
Someone who laughs at a cripple will have a family defect too.
A warning to those who laugh at the deformity of others (they will be similarly punished).
A businessman should be careful in the choice of their words to not alienate customers.
An expression used by business owners when customers disagree about the price of goods or services
It takes two to tango (meant in a combative or divisive sense)...or two to quarrel
It takes to to tango (meant in a combative or divisive sense)...or two to quarrel
The stone pot calls the aluminum pot "black."
Similar to, "The pot calling the kettle black" which is referring to (or pointing out) hypocrisy, or someone being hypocritical.
A proverb to caution against counting chickens before they hatch, or taking risk for granted BEFORE facing it.
