Essential Swahili Vocabulary and Phrases for Complete Beginners

Getting Started with Essential Swahili

Swahili (Kiswahili) is a widely spoken language in East Africa, especially in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and parts of the Great Lakes region. The good news for English speakers: Swahili has simple pronunciation, no tones, and a fairly regular grammar. This guide gives you the most useful beginner Swahili vocabulary and phrases with clear English translations and examples.

1. Basic Greetings and Polite Phrases

Greetings are extremely important in Swahili-speaking cultures. Learn these first.

Core Greetings

• Habari – Hello / How are things?
• Habari yako? – How are you? (to one person)
• Habari zenu? – How are you? (to several people)
• Hujambo? – Are you well? (to one person)
• Hamjambo? – Are you all well? (to several people)
• Sijambo – I am fine (reply to Hujambo?)
• Nzuri – Good / Fine
• Mambo? – What’s up? (very informal)
• Poa – Cool / I’m good (informal reply)

Time-based Greetings

• Habari ya asubuhi? – Good morning (literally: news of the morning?)
• Habari ya mchana? – Good afternoon
• Habari ya jioni? – Good evening
• Usiku mwema – Good night

Polite Expressions

• Asante – Thank you
• Asante sana – Thank you very much
• Karibu – You’re welcome / Welcome
• Karibuni – You’re welcome (to several people)
• Samahani – Excuse me / I’m sorry
• Tafadhali – Please

Example Mini-Dialogues

Example 1

Person A: Habari ya asubuhi?
Person B: Nzuri, asante. Na wewe?
Translation:
Person A: Good morning, how are you?
Person B: I’m fine, thank you. And you?

Example 2

Person A: Mambo?
Person B: Poa!
Translation:
Person A: What’s up?
Person B: I’m cool!

2. Introducing Yourself

These phrases help you talk about your name, nationality, and where you are from.

Names and Identity

• Jina langu ni … – My name is …
• Ninaitwa … – I am called … / My name is …
• Wewe unaitwa nani? – What is your name? (to one person)
• Mimi ni mwanafunzi – I am a student
• Mimi ni mwalimu – I am a teacher

Where You Are From

• Ninatoka … – I come from … / I am from …
• Ninatoka Marekani – I am from the United States
• Ninatoka Uingereza – I am from the United Kingdom
• Ninatoka Ujerumani – I am from Germany
• Ninatoka Ufaransa – I am from France
• Wewe unatoka wapi? – Where are you from?

Languages and Nationalities

• Ninazungumza Kiingereza – I speak English
• Ninazungumza Kiswahili kidogo – I speak a little Swahili
• Huelewi Kiswahili? – Do you not understand Swahili?
• Ninaelewa – I understand
• Sielewi – I don’t understand

Example Introduction

Example

Person A: Habari yako?
Person B: Nzuri. Jina langu ni Anna. Wewe unaitwa nani?
Person A: Ninaitwa Mark. Ninatoka Uingereza. Wewe unatoka wapi?
Person B: Ninatoka Ujerumani. Ninazungumza Kiswahili kidogo.

Translation:
Person A: How are you?
Person B: Fine. My name is Anna. What is your name?
Person A: I am called Mark. I am from the UK. Where are you from?
Person B: I am from Germany. I speak a little Swahili.

3. Essential Everyday Verbs

Swahili verbs usually start with ni- for “I”, u- for “you (singular)”, and a- for “he/she” in the present tense. Here are some key verbs you will use all the time.

Common Verbs in the Present Tense

• kuwa – to be
• kuwa na – to have
• kupenda – to like / to love
• kula – to eat
• kunywa – to drink
• kwenda / kwenda – to go
• kuja – to come
• kuona – to see
• kusikia – to hear / to feel
• kufanya – to do / to make

Useful Verb Phrases with Translations

• Ninapenda Kiswahili – I like Swahili
• Ninakula – I am eating / I eat
• Ninakunywa maji – I am drinking water
• Ninaenda nyumbani – I am going home
• Ninakuja sasa – I am coming now
• Ninafanya kazi – I am working / I work

4. Numbers, Time, and Days

Numbers and time expressions are extremely practical, especially when shopping or making plans.

Numbers 1–10

• moja – one
• mbili – two
• tatu – three
• nne – four
• tano – five
• sita – six
• saba – seven
• nane – eight
• tisa – nine
• kumi – ten

Days of the Week

• Jumatatu – Monday
• Jumanne – Tuesday
• Jumatano – Wednesday
• Alhamisi – Thursday
• Ijumaa – Friday
• Jumamosi – Saturday
• Jumapili – Sunday

Time Expressions

• leo – today
• jana – yesterday
• kesho – tomorrow
• sasa – now
• baadaye – later
• muda gani? – what time?

Example Sentences with Time

• Tutaonana kesho – We will see each other tomorrow
• Ninaondoka leo – I am leaving today
• Tafadhali nionyeshe saa – Please show me the time

5. Survival Phrases for Travel

If you are visiting a Swahili-speaking country, these phrases will help you in daily situations.

Getting Around

• Wapi …? – Where is …?
• Wapi choo? – Where is the toilet?
• Nauli ni kiasi gani? – How much is the fare?
• Hapa – Here
• Pale – There
• Hapa karibu – Near here

Shopping and Money

• Hii ni bei gani? – How much is this?
• Ghali sana – Too expensive
• Naweza kupata punguzo? – Can I get a discount?
• Nataka kununua … – I want to buy …
• Fedha – Money
• Pesa taslimu – Cash

Food and Drink

• Nataka chakula – I want food
• Nataka maji – I want water
• Chakula kizuri – Good food
• Bilioni, tafadhali – The bill, please (often said as Bill, tafadhali in practice)

Health and Safety

• Naomba msaada – I need help, please
• Ni dharura – It is an emergency
• Hospitali iko wapi? – Where is the hospital?

6. Expressing Feelings and Basic Adjectives

To have real conversations, you need words to describe how you feel and what things are like.

Feelings

• Nimechoka – I am tired
• Ninafuraha – I am happy
• Ninahuzuni – I am sad
• Nina njaa – I am hungry
• Nina kiu – I am thirsty
• Ninaogopa – I am afraid

Useful Adjectives

• kubwa – big
• ndogo – small
• nzuri – good / nice
• mbaya – bad
• rahisi – easy / cheap
• ngumu – difficult / hard
• haraka – fast / quickly
• polepole – slowly

Example Sentences with Feelings

• Nimechoka, nataka kupumzika – I am tired, I want to rest
• Chakula hiki ni kizuri – This food is good
• Kiswahili si kigumu sana – Swahili is not very difficult

7. Simple Question Patterns

Questions in Swahili often use a question word at the beginning or end of the sentence.

Common Question Words

• nani – who
• nini – what
• wapi – where
• lini – when
• kwa nini – why
• vipi – how

Useful Question Phrases

• Unasema Kiingereza? – Do you speak English?
• Hii inaitwaje kwa Kiswahili? – What is this called in Swahili?
• Unaweza kurudia, tafadhali? – Can you repeat, please?
• Unaweza kuongea polepole? – Can you speak slowly?

8. Tips for Remembering Swahili Vocabulary

To make these words stick, try these simple strategies:

1. Use them daily: Greet friends with Habari or Mambo, and answer with Poa or Nzuri.
2. Make mini-dialogues: Write short conversations using Jina langu ni …, Ninatoka …, and Ninazungumza Kiswahili kidogo.
3. Label your environment: Put notes on objects with Swahili words (for example, mlango – door, dirisha – window).
4. Practice numbers: Count objects around you in Swahili: moja, mbili, tatu…

With these essential Swahili words and phrases, you can greet people politely, introduce yourself, handle basic travel situations, and start simple conversations. The more you use Swahili in real life, the faster your vocabulary will grow.