Essential Swahili Phrases

Here are some essential Swahili phrases along with their phonetic pronunciation to help you during your trip to Kenya:

Greetings and Basics

Hello - Habari (hah-bah-ree)
How are you? - Habari yako? (hah-bah-ree yah-koh)
I’m fine, thank you - Nzuri, asante (n-zoo-ree ah-sahn-teh)
Good morning - Habari za asubuhi (hah-bah-ree zah ah-soo-boo-hee)
Good afternoon - Habari za mchana (hah-bah-ree zah m-cha-nah)
Good evening - Habari za jioni (hah-bah-ree zah jee-oh-nee)
Goodbye - Kwaheri (kwah-heh-ree)
Thank you - Asante (ah-sahn-teh)
Thank you very much - Asante sana (ah-sahn-teh sah-nah)
Please - Tafadhali (tah-fah-thah-lee)
Yes - Ndiyo (n-dee-yoh)
No - Hapana (hah-pah-nah)
Excuse me / Sorry - Samahani (sah-mah-hah-nee)
Okay / Alright - Sawa (sah-wah)

Useful Phrases

How much does this cost? - Hii inagharimu kiasi gani? (hee ee-nah-gah-ree-moo kee-ah-see gah-nee)
I don’t understand - Sielewi (see-eh-leh-wee)
Do you speak English? - Unazungumza Kiingereza? (oo-nah-zoong-oom-zah kee-een-geh-reh-zah)
I need help - Nahitaji msaada (nah-hah-tee-jee m-sah-ah-dah)
Where is…? - Wapi…? (wah-pee…?)
Toilet - Choo (choh)

Travel and Directions

Where is the hotel? - Hoteli iko wapi? (ho-teh-lee ee-koh wah-pee)
Where is the airport? - Uwanja wa ndege uko wapi? (oo-wahn-jah wah n-deh-geh oo-koh wah-pee)
Left - Kushoto (koo-sho-toh)
Right - Kulia (koo-lee-ah)
Straight ahead - Mbele (m-beh-leh)

Eating and Shopping

Water - Maji (mah-jee)
Food - Chakula (chah-koo-lah)
I’m vegetarian - Mimi ni mla mboga tu (mee-mee nee m-lah m-boh-gah too)
Delicious - Tamu (tah-moo)
Bill, please - Tafadhali lete bili (tah-fah-thah-lee leh-teh bee-lee)

Emergency Phrases

Help! - Msaada! (m-sah-ah-dah)
I’m lost - Nimepotea (nee-meh-poh-teh-ah)
Call the police - Piga simu polisi (pee-gah see-moo poh-lee-see)
I need a doctor - Nahitaji daktari (nah-hah-tee-jee dahk-tah-ree)

Numbers

One - Moja (moh-jah)
Two - Mbili (m-bee-lee)
Three - Tatu (tah-too)
Four - Nne (n-neh)
Five - Tano (tah-noh)