Commonly Used Swahili Words
Conversation:
| Hello | Jambo (jam-boh) |
| Goodbye | Kwaheri (kwa-heh-ree) |
| Good morning | Harbari asubuhi (ha-ba-ree a-soo-boo-hee) |
| Good evening | Habari jioni (ha-ba-ree jee-oh-nee) |
| Goodnight | Lala salama (lala sala-mah) |
| Yes | Ndiyo (n-dee-yoh) |
| No | Hapana (ha-pa-na) |
| Please | Tafadhali (ta-fa-dha-lee) |
| Thanks [very much] | Asante [sana] (a-san-tay san-a) |
| You’re welcome | Karibu (ka-ree-boo) |
| Sorry | Pole (poh-lay) |
| How are you? | Hujambo? (hu-jam-bo) |
| I’m (very) good | Nzuri / Mzuri (sana) (n-zoo-ree/m-zoo-ree san-a) |
Foods:
| Ugali (oo-ga-lee) | maize meal set hard and served in brick‐shaped pieces |
| Maandazi (man-da-zee) | semisweet, flat donut |
| Nyama choma (nya-ma choh-ma) | barbecued meat, often goat |
| Sukuma wiki (soo-koo-ma wee-kee) | cooked kale |
| Githeri | beans and corn |
| Chapatis | flat bread |
| Samosa (sa-moh-sa) | three‐cornered pastries filled with spicy meat |
| Chai (cha-ee) | tea with milk |
Numbers:
| Zero | Sifuri (see-foo-ree) |
| One | Moja (moh-ja) |
| Two | Mbili (m-bee-lee |
| Three | Tatu (ta-too) |
| Four | Nne (n-nay) |
| Five | Tano (ta-noh) |
| Six | Sita (see-ta) |
| Seven | Saba (sa-ba) |
| Eight | Nane (na-nay) |
| Nine | Tisa (tee-sa) |
| Ten | Kumi (koo-mee) |
Other Words:
| Bus | Matatu |
| White Person | Mzungu |
| Village | Boma |
| No problem! | Hakuna matata |
| Friend | Rafiki |
| Small farm / garden | Shamba |
| Slowly | Pole pole |
| Okay | Sawa |
| Mother | Mama |
| Father | Baba |
| Sister | Dada |
| Brother | Ndugu |
| Child | Mtoto |
| Children | Watoto |
| Grandmother | Sho sho |
| Grandfather | Umau |
| God bless | Mungu akubariki |
| Peace | Amani |
| Blessing | Baraka |
| Love | Upendo |
| Happy Birthday | Furaha ya Kuzaliwa |