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ALL AFRICA (21)
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| Words in Swahili language (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, etc.) |
| Hello. Hi. |
Jambo?/Habari Zako/ Mambo? |
| My name is John |
Ninaitwa John / Mimi Ninaitwa John / Jina Langu Ni John |
| What is your name? |
Wewe Unaitwa Nani? / Unaitwa Nani? / Jina Lako Ni Nani? |
| Where are you going? |
Unakwenda wapi? |
| Are you going to Arusha? |
Unakwenda Arusha? |
| Are you going direction ...? |
Unaelekea upande ... / Unaelekea mahali gani? |
| Where is the road direction ...? |
Ipi ni barabara ya kuelekea ....? |
| I am going to ... |
Ninakwenda ... |
| No money |
Hakuna pesa / Sina pesa (in Tanzania: Sina hela) |
| Gas station |
Kituo cha mafuta / Kituo cha gesi |
| Traveler (hitchhiker, backpacker) |
Msafiri |
| Where to go |
Niende wapi / Kwenda wapi |
| Where to get off |
Nitelemke wapi or kituo ninapotelemka |
| Where is the city center |
Wapi ni mjini? |
| OK, fine etc. |
Sawa / Safi / Poa / Sawasawa |
| I am tired |
Nimechoka ("sana" = very much, therefore nimechoka sana = I am very tired) |
| Go away! |
Ondoka / Kwenda uko [Very rude], use "nenda zako" - go your way. |
| Stop the car! |
Tafadhali (=please), simamisha gari! |
| Pretty woman |
Mwanamke mzuri / Msichana mzuri
Mwanamke mrembo (but this means that the woman is married so take care). You can use "msichana mrembo", i.e. prety girl/lady. Most kenyan ladies like this. |
| I do not know |
Mimi sijui / Sijui |
| Internet cafe |
internet cafe / Huduma za mtandao za kisasa |
| Toilet |
Choo |
| Entrance |
Sehemu ya kuingilia / Kuingia |
| Exit |
Sehemu ya kutokea / Kutoka |
| City |
Mji |
| Country |
Nchi |
| Yes |
Ndiyo |
| No |
Hapana |
| And |
Na |
| You |
Wewe |
Funny phrases in Swahili (slang):
This depends with age and area of usage. Teenage people like a lot of these. But widely by many people are:
Sauti nyororo --- Good and beautiful voice.
Kiboko yao --- Beautiful lady.
Diambo --- Fight/war.
Koinange street --- pesently used and very hot word. It means a street where you go for prostitutes. This place even ministers go to collect women. It was in the newspaper so people are aware of it.
I am broke --- meaning i do not have money.
Are you fresh (in english) and Uko freshi? (in swahili) --- meaning you do not have AIDS virus.
Niko sware --- meaning i am ok (refering to AIDS) |
| by aloyce, onyango, updated: 22/05/2004, created: 13/05/2004 [burundi, central african republic, comoros, congo, congo (zaire), kenya, madagascar, malawi, mozambique, rwanda, south africa, tanzania, uganda, zambia] |
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