Today i am teaching you people some Swahili words i learnt…..Come with me!
In Kenya, both English and Swahili are official languages, but Swahili is also the national language and one thing I love about Swahili is how it sounds. There is something so melodic and rhythmic about the language. It just flows! No wonder it is one of Africa's most widely spoken languages, with speakers across East and parts of Central Africa. There have also been efforts to promote Swahili as a common language across Africa, and the African Union recognises it as an official language.
Now, let me show you the small Swahili I have picked up during my many visits to Kenya.
- Hello! / Hi! = Jambo
- How are you? / How is it? = Habari?
- Fine / Good = Nzuri
- Thank you = Asante
- Thank you very much = Asante sana
- Welcome / You are welcome = Karibu
- A very warm welcome = Karibu sana
- How are things? / How are you? = Habari gani?
- Very good = Nzuri sana
- Are you okay? = Uko sawa?
- I'm fine / I'm cool = Niko poa
- I'm safe / I'm well = Niko salama
- Okay / Alright = Sawa
- What's up? / What's happening? = Sasa? (A casual greeting in Kenya.)
- Okay, okay / All right, all right = Sawa sawa
- Good morning = Habari ya asubuhi?
- Let's go = Twende
- Friend = Rafiki
- Guests / Visitors = Wageni
- Our Kenya = Kenya yetu
- No worries / No problem = Hakuna matata
- Hippopotamus = Kiboko
- See you / Let's meet = Tukutane
- Goodbye = Kwaheri
- Thanks / Thank you = Shukran (This word comes from Arabic and is also used in Swahili-speaking communities.)
- See you later / We shall see each other = Tutaonana
- Again = Tena
- I am sorted / I am all set = Niko sorted (Kenyan English/slang.)
- Public bus = Matatu
- Motorcycle = Boda boda
- Tricycle = Tuk-tuk
I also have sisi ni sawa, wakari bishwa, and niko biye, on my list.
I am learning from conversations, greetings and the people I meet. And I believe that if I continue at this rate, I might become a professional Swahili speaker very soon.
But wait o! Come closer, lemme whisper something in your ears...
I think Kenyan Swahili is easier to learn than Tanzanian Swahili.
Please, don't tell them I said so o cos I still have plenty of visits to make to Tanzania, and I don't want thinking i like one Country more than the other…...
IT'S RON
xoxoxo
In Kenya, both English and Swahili are official languages, but Swahili is also the national language and one thing I love about Swahili is how it sounds. There is something so melodic and rhythmic about the language. It just flows! No wonder it is one of Africa's most widely spoken languages, with speakers across East and parts of Central Africa. There have also been efforts to promote Swahili as a common language across Africa, and the African Union recognises it as an official language.
Now, let me show you the small Swahili I have picked up during my many visits to Kenya.
- Hello! / Hi! = Jambo
- How are you? / How is it? = Habari?
- Fine / Good = Nzuri
- Thank you = Asante
- Thank you very much = Asante sana
- Welcome / You are welcome = Karibu
- A very warm welcome = Karibu sana
- How are things? / How are you? = Habari gani?
- Very good = Nzuri sana
- Are you okay? = Uko sawa?
- I'm fine / I'm cool = Niko poa
- I'm safe / I'm well = Niko salama
- Okay / Alright = Sawa
- What's up? / What's happening? = Sasa? (A casual greeting in Kenya.)
- Okay, okay / All right, all right = Sawa sawa
- Good morning = Habari ya asubuhi?
- Let's go = Twende
- Friend = Rafiki
- Guests / Visitors = Wageni
- Our Kenya = Kenya yetu
- No worries / No problem = Hakuna matata
- Hippopotamus = Kiboko
- See you / Let's meet = Tukutane
- Goodbye = Kwaheri
- Thanks / Thank you = Shukran (This word comes from Arabic and is also used in Swahili-speaking communities.)
- See you later / We shall see each other = Tutaonana
- Again = Tena
- I am sorted / I am all set = Niko sorted (Kenyan English/slang.)
- Public bus = Matatu
- Motorcycle = Boda boda
- Tricycle = Tuk-tuk
I also have sisi ni sawa, wakari bishwa, and niko biye, on my list.
I am learning from conversations, greetings and the people I meet. And I believe that if I continue at this rate, I might become a professional Swahili speaker very soon.
But wait o! Come closer, lemme whisper something in your ears...
I think Kenyan Swahili is easier to learn than Tanzanian Swahili.
Please, don't tell them I said so o cos I still have plenty of visits to make to Tanzania, and I don't want thinking i like one Country more than the other…...
IT'S RON
xoxoxo
Asante sana for this!
Enjoyment overload!
ReplyDeleteDOZZYBEST.
Asante Ron.
ReplyDeleteTutaonana.......
ReplyDeleteI will not tell them 😅
ReplyDeleteAsante sana for the new language learnt today 😘
Asante dear Ron
Maybe I will buy you one Tuk-Tuk soon🤣🤣🤣🤣
Asante jaree🙏
Hello dear Ron,.
ReplyDeleteUhuuu since u love lingos, den u just must come to Europe wer d world's immigrants are gathered. Start wit Russian's niet niet n da da.
Enjoy ur stay.. CIAO.
So the Lion King cartoon really picked from Swahili. I thought they made up a number of terms and names.
ReplyDeleteRafiki was the wise ape in the cartoon if I recall. Hakuna matata was pretty much a song on the lips of everyone when we millennials were growing up as kids.
Swahili does roll off the tongue nicely. Ron, did you write about the food? Or maybe I missed that in a previous post.
Jambo Ron.
ReplyDeleteSasa
Adekunle Gold made me like the sound of Asante Sana 😁
ReplyDeleteWell done, bestie and baddie 😊👌🏾
I love Zulu and Xhosa and kinda like twi too
ReplyDeleteI love languages in general i can understand and speak quite a handful and yeah just like you wherever i go i make sure i can understand and speak the basics .
But you see that one Stella speaks side eyes it's a struggle so anytime I'm there I just use a translator if I'm having a hard time.
Zulu and Xhosa with the click click sound-I love them both
ReplyDeleteSwahili I find sexy ...I use all three for my songs/music. Africa is blessed!
I love this ,..asante Sana dear
ReplyDeleteGood job dear ...
ReplyDeleteAsante sana