There are various ways to say hello in Swahili
- Hujambo or jambo (how are you?) – Sijambo (seeJAmbo) (I am fine / no worries)
- Habari? (any news?) – nzuri (nZOOree) (fine)
- U hali gani? (oo HAlee GAnee) (how are you) – njema (fine)
- Shikamoo (a young person to an elder) – marahaba
- 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) – Hatujambo (We are fine).
- Habari? (literal translation is: news?) – nzuri (fine – to mean there is no bad news).
- U hali gani (how are you – to one person) – nzuri (fine).
- Mhali gani (how are you – to two or more people) – nzuri (fine).
Greeting with time of day
- 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?)
Bidding Goodbye in Swahili
- Kwaheri (kwaHEree) (Goodbye)
- Tuonane kesho (too-o-NAne Kesho) (see you tomorrow) – Inshallah (eenSHAllah) ( God willing)
- Uende salama (oo-E-nde saLAma) (go with peace) – Tuonane inshallah (we will see each other God willing).
Goodnight in Swahili
- Usiku mwema (ooSEEkoo mWEma) (Goodnight) – Wa buraha (wa booRAha) (with tranquility)
- lala salama (sleep well / peacefully) – nawe pia (Nawe PEE-a) (you too)
- Ndoto njema (NDOto NJEma) (sweet/good dreams) – Za mafanikio (za mafaneeKEEo) (of prosperity/success)
Note: "Ya" is the "of" used to talk about a single thing in the I- noun class. "Za" is used for "of" when speaking of multiple things in that noun class.
Other useful phrases that will come in handy
- Asante – "Thank you!"
- Sawa – “OK”
- Karibu – “Welcome” or Karibuni – Welcome (to more than one person)
- Sana – (Very) used as in Asante-sana– Thank you VERY much.
- Pole – “I am sorry for your misfortune.” This applies to everything from getting chalk dust on your clothes, to tripping, dropping an item or sneezing.
- Pole pole – “Slowly, slowly.” Everything is pole pole in Africa.
- Chakula – "FOOD!"
- Ndiyo / Hapana – “Yes” and “No” respectively.
- Tafadhali – "Please"
- Jina lako nani? – “What is your name?”
- Jina langu ni John – “My name is John”
Note: Wangu and Yangu and langu all mean "mine"
Maji yangu ( my water), Chai yangu (my tea),
Mtoto wangu (my child), Paka wangu (my cat), samaki wangu (my fish)
Also attached, some grammar notes about noun classes
Some say there are more than eighteen noun classes, but you can also just say there are five or six, but split into singular/plural forms.
