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Swahili For Summiteers

The document serves as a guide for attendees of the Global Voices Summit 2012, providing essential Swahili phrases and cultural insights for communicating in Nairobi. It highlights the origins and widespread use of the Swahili language across East Africa, along with pronunciation tips and basic vocabulary, useful for travelers. Additionally, it includes examples of slang, phrases, and a popular Swahili song, facilitating better understanding and interaction during the summit.

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Swahili for Summiteers
Swahili for Summiteers This guide is part of your welcome kit to the Global Voices Summit 2012 It aims at providing you words and expressions that might be useful during your stay in Nairobi Why don’t you try it out? Come on, don’t be shy (: We bet you’ll love it! Karibu! Swahili Swahili is a lingua franca that is spoken by more than 120 million people in East Africa. It’s roots date back cen- turies. It developed as people from different parts of the world encountered for various purposes, mainly trade. The interaction between the Arab world and East Africa has contributed significantly to the development of the language. This interaction was not only limited to these two sides sides. There are historical accounts showing that people from as far as China visited the East African coast in around 2nd Century AD. So, you one who learns about the language will find that there is influence from all these places -- in terms of vocabulary items, culture and architecture. However, the main composition of vocabulary items comes from the local languages (mainly Bantu) and Arabic. The ratio can roughly be 65:35. The language has many dialects. The kind of Kiswahili spoken along the coast of East Africa - Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa, Tanga, Zanzibar -- is slightly different from the one spoken in Mainland Tanzania. In Kenya, and Nairobi in particular, there is another dialect. The Comoro Islands also have their own Swahili dialects. All in all there is Standard Swahili. So, irrespective of the differences from one dialect to the other, people still communicate. Swahili in Nairobi has been very much influenced by English-this form of swahili or street slang is known as “Sheng” . The reason is almost everyone there communicates in English. In recent years, Swahili was taken up by the African Union as another of its official languages. The language is continuously growing in popularity and coverage. So, roughly, Kiswahili is spoken in the following areas: Tanzania (Both Mainland and Zanzibar) 99%; Kenya, parti- cularly the southern half of the country; Uganda (people still relate it as the language of oppression because Idi Amin’s soldiers used it to communicate = however, things are beginning to change now); Northern provinces of Mozambique; Northern parts of Malawi; Northern parts of Zambia; Eastern provinces of the Democratic Repu- blic of Congo; Burundi and Rwanda. In all these countries and areas one should be able to communicate in Kiswahili -- even at the rudimentary level.
Swahili for Summiteers 3 Pronunciation in Swahili Personal Pronouns and their Swahili Equivalents Pronunciation in Swahili follows more or less the same I = Mimi formula as in Italian. The vowels are pronounced the You = Wewe way they are written and so do the consonants.   He/She = Yeye (Swahili does not differentiate gender For example the sound A in BABA is similar to the A in here) PAPA. (Please note Papa is also a Swahili word with It = kile two meanings: a shark (ocean creature) and Pope (Catholic leader). We = Sisi   You = Nyinyi/Ninyi E sound is similar to E sound in PEN. They = Wao   I sound is similar to I in INK.   My = yangu O sound is similar to O in COMMON. Your = yako   U sound is similar to U in POUND. His/Hers = yake Its = yake Our = yetu Relations Your = yenu Father = Baba Their = yao Mother = Mama Brother = Kaka Examples: Sister = Dada Husband = Mume My friend = Rafiki yangu Wife = Mke/Bibi (second is mostly used in Kenya) Your friend = Rafiki yako Grandfather = Babu His/her friend = Rafiki yake Grandmother = Bibi (Tanzania) / Nyanya (Kenya) Its friend = Rafiki yake Uncle = Mjomba Our friend = Rafiki yetu Aunt = Shangazi Your friend = Rafiki yenu Friend = Rafiki Their friend = Rafiki yao Neighbour = Jirani Sentence Construction is a Bit Complicated in Swahili I have a book = Nina kitabu The word NINA shows the subject (NI = I), the act of possessing (NA) and the time (simple present) and then the object book We will go to the summit = Tutakwenda kwenye mkutano (TU = We) (TA = time = future) (Kwenda = go = main verb) I read a book = Nilisoma kitabu (NI = I) (LI = time = simple past) (Soma = read = main verb)
Swahili for Summiteers 4 Tourist Information Citizen Media Vocabulary Yes = Ndio Blog = blogu No =  la, hapana Blogger = mwanablogu I´m lost = Nimepotea Blogosphere = ulimwengu wa wanablogu Which way to the airport / hotel = Naomba unielekeze Citizen media = vyombo vya habari vya kiraia Namna ya kufika uwanja wa ndege/hotelini I´m staying at Pride Inn hotel = Nimefikia Hoteli ya Freedom of expression = uhuru wa maoni / uhuru wa Pride Inn Kujieleza Could you please help me? = Unaweza kunisaida ta- Global Voices = Sauti za ulimwengu fadhali Censorship = udhibiti Spoon = Kijiko Empowerment = kuwezeshwa Fork = uma Knife = Kisu Translator = mtafsiri Food = Chakula Podcast = podikasti Beverage = vinywaji Upload = pandisha Drink = Kunywa Video = video Water = Maji Audio = ya sauti North, South, East, West = Kaskazini Kusini, Mashariki Volunteer = mtu anayejitolea magharibi This is expensive = Hii ni ghali sana Mainstream = vikuu This is cheap = Hii ni nafuu sana Media = vyombo vya habari How much does it cost? = Unauza shilingi ngapi? Divide = gawanya from which country are you? = Unatoka nchi gani? Conversation = mazungumzo I come from (name of country) = Ninatoka (China, Manifesto = ilani India, UK etc) Summit = mkutano Hotel = hoteli Restaurant = mkahawa Subtitles = maandishi/maelezo Tea = chai Twitter = Twita Coffee = kahawa Facebook = Facebook Milk = maziwa Tweets = Twiti Soda = soda Website = Tovuti Beer = bia/pombe Taxi = Taksii Email = baruapepe Commuter bus = Matatu (in Nairobi), Daladala (in Dar Computer = kompyuta / Tarakilishi es Salaam) Password = nywila / neno la siri Bar = baa Citizen Media = uandishi wa habari wa kiraia Shillings(Kenyan Currency) = Shillingi Tourist = Mtalii
Swahili for Summiteers 5 Numbers Days of the Week One = Moja Monday = Jumatatu Two = Mbili Tuesday = Jumanne Wednesday = Jumatano Three = Tatu Thursday = Alhamisi Four = Nne Friday = Ijumaa Five = Tano Saturday = Jumamosi Six = Sita Sunday = Jumapili Seven = Saba Eight = Nane Months Nine = Tisa January = Januari Ten = Kumi February = Februari March = Machi Twenty = Ishirini April = Aprili Thirty = Thelathini May = Mei June = Juni Forty = Arobaini July = Julai Fifty = Hamsini August = Agosti Sixty = Sitini September = Septemba October = Oktoba Seventy = Sabini November = Novemba Eighty = Themanini December = Desemba Ninety = Tisini One Hundred = Mia moja Seasons One Thousand = Elfu moja Winter (Cold) = Majira ya baridi Ten Thousand = Elfu Kumi Summer (warm/hot) = majira ya joto One Hundred Thousand = laki moja Rainy season = majira ya mvua Dry season = majira ya ukame One Million = Milioni moja
Swahili for Summiteers 6 Slang & Bad Words Being Kind Slang Good morning = Habari za asubuhi Hi = Sasa, Niaje, Mambo Good afternoon = Habari za mchana Hi (responding to above) = Fit, Fiti, Poa, Fit sana Good night =  Usiku mwema Foreigner = Mlami How nice of you = umekuwa mkarimu sana/mmekuwa Money = Ganji, Niado, Doh Bribe = Kitukidogo wakarimu sana Bad Words What a beautiful day = Siku imekuwa njema/nzuri sana Get lost = Ishia, wachana na mimi Please = Tafadhali You are bothering me = unanisumbua Thank you = Asante Stop bothering me = usinisumbue What time is it?  = Ni saa ngapi? Locations I love you = ninakupenda I miss you = nina hamu na wewe My room = Chumba changu Would you go on a date with me? = Tunaweza kutoka Bathroom = Bafu pamoja? Loo choo/msalani Market = sokoni How are you? = Hujambo? Hotel = hoteli Good, well = safi, nzuri Cafe = Mkahawa My name is = Jina langu ni Club = Klabu What is your name? = Jina lako ni nani? Disco = Disco I want = ninataka Please take me to (location) = Naomba unipeleke Would you like to dance = Ungependa kudensi Where are we?/where is this place? = Tuko wapi? Are we lost? = Tumepotea? You look very attractive = wavutia sana, wewe ni No problem = hakuna matata / hakuna tabu/ hakuna mrembo sana shida Would you like a drink = ungependa kinywaji What do you take/drink = Wewe hutumia/hunywa nini Kiswahili or Swahili? Beer or water or wine = pombe au maji au mvinyo According to The Kamusi Project,"Swahili" is the English I need = ninahitaji term for the Swahili language, while "Kiswahili" is the Swahili language term for the Swahili language. I would like = Naomba I am looking for = Ninatafuta ki = language u = place m = person wa = people Bye bye = kwa heri Kiswahili = Swahili language Hi, hello = Mambo! , Salama? I’m ok/cool = Niko poa Uswahili = Swahili speaking area How much is it? = Ni pesa Ngapi Mswahili = Swahili speaking person My change/balance is = Change yangu ni Waswahili = Swahili speaking people
Swahili for Summiteers 7 Kiswahili song with translation Artist: Fadhili Williams Song: Malaika Malaika, nakupenda malaika Angel, I love you Angel. Malaika, nakupenda malaika Angel, I love you Angel. Nami nifanyeje, kijana Mwenzio And I, your young lover, what can I do. nashindwa na mali sina we, I can’t as I don’t have wealth ningekuoa malaika I would have married you Angel. nashindwa na mali sina we, I can’t as I don’t have wealth ningekuoa malaika I would have married you Angel. kidege, hukuwaza kidege Little bird, I dream of you little bird. kidege, hukuwaza kidege Little bird, I dream of you little bird. Nami nifanyeje, kijana Mwenzio And I, your young lover, what can I do. nashindwa na mali sina we, I can’t as I don’t have wealth ningekuoa malaika I would have married you Angel. nashindwa na mali sina we, I can’t as I don’t have wealth ningekuoa malaika I would have married you Angel. pesa za sumbua roho yangu Money is troubling my soul pesa za sumbua roho yangu Money is troubling my soul nami nifanyeje,kijana mwenzio , And I, your young lover, what can I do, nashindwa na mali sina we, I can’t as I don’t have wealth ningekuoa malaika I would have married you Angel. nashindwa na mali sina we, I can’t as I don’t have wealth ningekuoa malaika I would have married you Angel. Malaika, nakupenda malaika Angel, I love you Angel. Malaika, nakupenda malaika Angel, I love you Angel. Nami nifanyeje, kijana Mwenzio And I, your young lover, what can I do. nashindwa na mali sina we, I can’t as I don’t have wealth ningekuoa malaika I would have married you Angel. nashindwa na mali sina we, I can’t as I don’t have wealth ningekuoa malaika I would have married you Angel.