Swahili learning thread

Matuidi · 2015-12-02T17:45:39+00:00

Swahili Basics Swahili is one of the easiest languages to learn. Here are a few basic things to know about Swahili: Swahili verbs always carry with them the subject (and sometimes the object) and the tense. For example, Ninakula, is a complete sentence which means "I am eating". Ni- prefix stands for the subject "I", the -na- affix stands for "am" showing the tense i.e. the "present continuous" tense, and -kula is the root of the verb "eat". Another example, Alitupa zawadi which means "He/She gave us gifts". First of all note that in the Swahili language, the pronouns are the same for all the genders - he, him, she, and her are not distinguishable in Swahili - same words, prefixes, affixes and suffixes are used. The well sought after "gender equality" is in-built in the Swahili language!! Now back to the sentence. The prefix A- stands for the subject "He" or "She", the -li- affix indicates the past tense, the -tu- affix stands for the object "us", and -pa is the root of the verb "give". More examples: Nilikula - I ate Nimekula - I have eaten Ninakula - I am eating Nitakula - I will eat Greetings Between peers: "Habari!" and the greeted answers, "Nzuri!". Between peers: "Hujambo?" (Are you fine?) and the greeted answers, "Sijambo!" (I'm fine!) Young to older: "Shikamoo!" (originally it meant "I touch your feet" as a sign of respect) and the greeted answers, "Marahabaa!" (I acknowledge your respect!). Personal Pronouns English Swahili I Mimi We Sisi You (singular) Wewe You (plural) nyinyi He Yeye She Yeye They Wao Common Dialogue Sentence/Phrase Response Habari! (Hello!/Hi!) Nzuri! (Good!/Fine!) Ninaitwa Charles. Wewe unaitwaje? (My name is Charles. What's your name?) Ninaitwa Mary. Nimefurahi kukujua. (My name is Mary. I'm pleased to know you.) Unazungumza Kiswahili? (Do you speak Swahili?) Ndio! Ninazungumza Kiswahili. (Yes! I speak Swahili.) Kidogo tu! (Just a little bit!) Hapana! Sizungumzi Kiswahili. Ninazungumza Kiingereza tu! (No! I don't speak Swahili. I only speak English!) Ninatokea Marekani. Wewe unatokea wapi? (I'm from the United States of America. Where are you from?) Ninatokea Japani. Nipo hapa kwa matembezi. (I'm from Japan. I'm visiting here.) Ninatokea Uingereza. Nipo hapa kwa kazi. (I'm from U.K. I'm here on business.) Ninatokea Ujerumani. Nimekuja kujifunza Kiswahili. (I'm from Germany. I've come to learn Swahili.) Kwaheri! Nimefurahi kukutana na wewe. (Goodbye! I'm pleased to meet you.) Karibu! Nimefurahi pia kukutana na wewe. (Goodbye! I'm also pleased to meet you.) Utapenda kunywa nini? (What would you like to drink?) Nitakunywa maji tu. Nina kiu sana! (I'll just drink water. I'm very thirsty.) Nitakunywa kahawa bila maziwa. (I'll drink coffee without milk.) Nitakunywa chai na maziwa na sukari kidogo. (I'll drink tea with milk and little sugar.) Nitakunywa soda. CocaCola, tafadhali. (I'll drink soda. CocaCola, please.) Tafadhali niletee chakula moto haraka. Nina njaa sana! (Please bring me some hot food quickly. I'm very hungry!) Huu hapa wali, samaki, mbatata, na saladi. Nitakuletea keki baadaye. (Here is rice, fish, potatoes, and salad. I'll bring you cake later.) General Words and Phrases English Swahili And Na Bad Mbaya Bicycle Baiskeli Bitter Chungu Car Gari Cold Baridi Danger Hatari Drink (noun) Kinywaji Drink (verb) Kunywa Eat Kula Excuse me! Samahani! Food Chakula Friend Rafiki Good Nzuri Goodbye! Kwaheri! Help me, please! Nisaidie, tafadhali! Here Hapa Hot Moto How? Vipi? I am angry. Nimekasirika. I am traveling. Ninasafiri. I am happy. Nimefurahi. I can speak Swahili. Ninaweza kusema Kiswahili. I can't speak Swahili. Siwezi kusema Kiswahili. I love you! Ninakupenda! Motorcycle Pikipiki No! Hapana! OK! Sawa! Please Tafadhali Sorry! (apologize) Samahani! Sorry! (sympathize) Pole! Sweet Tamu Thank you! Asante! Thank you very much! Asante sana! There Pale Very Sana Water Maji Welcome! Karibu! What? Nini? When? Wakati gani? Where? Wapi? Where are you going to? Unakwenda wapi? Which? Ipi? Yes! Ndio! Days of the Week In Swahili, Saturday is the first day of the week. The sixth day of the week, Thursday, is mostly pronounced as "Alkhamisi" to match the way it is pronounced in its Arabic origin. Thursday and Friday both are of Arabic origin. They probably replaced the original Bantu names of those days due to their special place in the Islamic religion. Note that in Arabic, "Alkhamis" means the fifth day of the Arabic week while Thursday is actually the sixth day of the Swahili week! Sort of we ended up with two fifth days of the week: "Jumatano" and "Alkhamisi"! English Swahili Saturday Jumamosi (literally: first day of the week) Sunday Jumapili (literally: second day of the week) Monday Jumatatu (literally: third day of the week) Tuesday Jumanne (literally: fourth day of the week) Wednesday Jumatano (literally: fifth day of the week) Thursday Alhamisi (Arabic: fifth day of the week) Friday Ijumaa (Arabic: the day of congregational prayer) Numbers English Swahili English Swahili 1 Moja 40 Arubaini 2 Mbili 50 Hamsini 3 Tatu 55 Hamsini na tano 4 Nne 60 Sitini 5 Tano 70 Sabini 6 Sita 80 Thamanini 7 Saba 90 Tisini 8 Nane 100 Mia 9 Tisa 136 Mia moja thalathini na sita 10 Kumi 999 Mia tisa tisini na tisa 11 Kumi na moja 1000 Elfu 12 Kumi na mbili 1997 Elfu moja mia tisa tisini na saba 17 Kumi na saba Half Nusu 20 Ishirini Two and a half Mbili na nusu 24 Ishirini na nne Quarter Robo 30 Thalathini Forty seven and three quarters Arubaini na saba na robo tatu

Thread starter Matuidi
Start date Dec 2, 2015

Matuidi

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Dec 2, 2015

bizland

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