Almost any village or shop in Kenya will have someone who speaks
English, but you will endear yourself to the local people and get a
better taste of the culture if you make even a token effort to speak
Kiswahili, at least the greetings.
The following are a few helpful phrases in Kiswahili you should know:
|
General:
|
Around Nairobi:
|
|
Habari gani?
|
What is the news?
|
Wapi
|
where (is . . )
|
|
Nzuri
|
Good
|
Posta
|
post office
|
|
Si nzuri
|
(Things are) not good
|
Posta iko wapi?
|
Where is the post office?
|
|
Habari za asubuhi
|
News of the morning
|
soko
|
market
|
|
Habari za mchana
|
News of the afternoon
|
mtaa
|
street
|
|
Habari za jioni
|
News of the evening
|
barabara
|
road
|
|
Habari njema
|
The news is fine
|
njia
|
path
|
|
Sina
|
I don't have (it / any)
|
mbele
|
ahead
|
|
Sina pesa
|
I do not have money
|
kulia
|
to the right
|
|
Hapana
|
No
|
kushoto
|
to the left
|
|
Ndiyo
|
Yes
|
Kanisa
|
Church
|
|
Sisemi Kiswahili
|
I do not speak Kiswahili
|
sinema
|
movie house
|
|
Pole
|
Take it easy
|
basi
|
bus
|
|
Unataka . . ?
|
Do you want . . ?
|
matatu
|
minibus
|
|
Unataka chai?
|
Do you want tea?
|
duka
|
small store
|
|
Mwislamu
|
Moslem
| kituo
cha basi | bus
stop |
|
Mkristu
|
Christian
|
-
| - |
|
Mwafrika
|
African
| In a
Restaurant: |
|
Moja
|
One
|
hoteli
|
hotel/restaurant
|
|
Mbili
|
Two
|
nataka
|
I want
|
|
Tatu
|
Three
|
nataka chakula
|
I want food
|
|
Nne
|
Four
|
pombe
|
beer
|
|
Tano
|
Five
|
maziwa
|
milk
|
|
Sita
|
Six
|
chai
|
tea
|
|
Saba
|
Seven
|
kahawa
|
coffee
|
|
Nane
|
Eight
|
sukari
|
sugar
|
|
Tisa
|
Nine
|
mkate
|
bread
|
|
Kumi
|
Ten
|
mchuzi
|
soup/gravy
|
|
Tafadhali
|
Please
|
samaki
|
fish
|
|
Samahani
|
Excuse me
|
kuku
|
chicken
|
|
Asante
|
Thank you
|
salad
|
salad
|
|
Karibu
|
Welcome
|
nyama
|
meat
|
|
Mzee
|
Elder/gentleman
|
mayai
|
eggs
|
|
Mama
|
Mother
| - | - |
|
Msichana
|
Girl
|
Time:
|
|
Ndugu
|
Brother/friend
|
saa ngapi
|
What time is it?
|
|
Bwana
|
Mr/Sir
|
saa tatu
|
9:00 a.m. (third hour)
|
|
Bibi
|
Mrs/Madame
|
saa sita
|
noon
|
|
Ngoja kidogo
|
Wait a minute
|
asubuhi
|
morning
|
|
Jina lako ni nani?
|
What is your name
|
jioni
|
evening
|
|
Ninakwenda
|
I am going
|
usiku
|
night
|
|
Nyumba
|
House
|
leo
|
today
|
|
Ninakwenda nyumbani
|
I am going home
|
kesho
|
tomorrow
|
|
Toka
|
Get away! Go!
|
jana
|
yesterday
|
|
basi
|
enough! stop it!
|
juma pili
|
Sunday (2nd day)
|
|
kwaheri
|
goodbye
|
juma mosi
|
Saturday(1st day)
|
