These lists contains thousands of all the essential phrases for saying and understanding everything in english, when you need to express yourself correctly and fluently for daily use. Ugandans will know a few phrases, but it might be a bit of a struggle to communicate with swahili outside of the capital, kampala. Useful swahili phrases for volunteers verge magazine. Swahili speakers can also be found in surrounding countries, such as burundi and mozambique. A few of those online tools are usually swahili language digital books, elementary swahili words and phrases pdf sheets, swahili words and phrases with audio pod casts not to mention informative swahili language youtube video lessons. You can also check out the introduction to kiswahili language by abdulghany mohammed and kassim a. Therefore memorizing them will give you a 70% boost in the language. When prepping to volunteer, i used pimsleur swahili an audio learning method. The swahili phrases are helpful because they are used daily. Learning a few words and phrases before you visit this spectacular slice of africa is guaranteed to. So if you want to expand your language knowledge outside of. Alfons loogman, swahili grammar and syntax, pittsburgh.
From navigating around on public transport to ordering dinner in a good nearby cafe in kenya as well as just about any nation where they speak the swahili language, study the necessary swahili terms here to make your holiday far easier. Jun 14, 2019 kirundi basic phrases esther in grace. Useful phrases to know before traveling in thailand. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me. Swahilicommon phrases wikibooks, open books for an open. Learning the swahili verbs displayed below is vital to the language. Enjoy our list of swahili proverbs, swahili phrases and swahili sayings. Handy swahili phrases up to about ten million people speak swahili as a first language, but many other people speak it along the east coast of africa. In kenya and tanzania, swahili is an official language alongside english, and primary school children are usually taught in swahili. If you are about to travel to kenya and tanzania, this is exactly what you are looking for. Below, is a free, printable pocket guide of basic swahili words and phrases with corresponding english translations, to help you navigate your way in the city and be friendly to locals. The teach yourself swahili cd is a unique interactive swahili language course. Most of the phrasebooks include a pronunciation guide, a general phrase list, information.
English conversation and phrases pdf do you want to improve your knowledge of english by having the right phrases and expressions at all times. A selection of basic words and phrases to help you make children with a swahili speaking heritage feel welcome in your class, andor to support topic work based on kenya, uganda, tanzania, democratic republic of the congo, rwanda, burundi and other. Swahili is a word the arabs used to describe the coast and only later did it come to apply to east african coastal culture specifically. Mazrui about this course this is a unique teach yourself swahili course. Swahili sayings and quotes by here is a collection of swahili sayings and quotes from various authors, celebrities, famous persons, and other sources compiled by for you to read and enjoy. An introduction to swahili, including useful phrases for travelers. The most beautiful swahili words roll off the tongue and carry the effect of the message in their intonation.
Learn swahili useful phrases with free interactive flashcards. Skip to the bottom to add my favorite swahili phrases and proverbs. Basic swahili key phrases meant for visitors in english. Learning the swahili phrases displayed below is vital to the language. Learn the basic greetings in swahili with sellah from kenia. See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the phrase finder. Animals 2 birds 1 colours 1 directions 2 food 2 nature 2 numbers. In most languages a verb may agree with the person, gender, andor number of some of its arguments, such as its subject, or object.
Below is a list of the phrases and daily expressions in swahili. Often, swahili greetings are structured in a callandresponse format, where a certain initial greeting will require a particular response for example, shikamoo is always followed by marahaba. You will be able to obtain a good number of swahili language tools using the net to study the swahili words. We have made great efforts to provide in this course many useful swahili words that you will sure find handy in many practical situations. Lamu as a center of swahili language and cultures, would be a place of interest to students. Take these phrases with you on your mp3 player and as a printout. Language kiswahili swahili is the national language of kenya and tanzania, although the spoken language is different, with different words and phrases. Swahili is the most widely spoken language in subsaharan africa, and acts as the common tongue for most east africans although its not necessarily their first language.
Some pronunciation is provided in each section of this page in mp3 format. I cannot promise that you will know kirundi in 7 days, or even 7 weeks. This page will include greetings, questions, emergency and survival expressions, asking for direction, language practice, introducing yourself, holiday wishes, and finally some travel phrases. It is designed to give you a very easy way to learn to speak, read, and write swahili correctly at your own pace. Click on the links below to see a list of useful swahili holiday phrases which are sorted by theme. Download mp3 right click and choose save target as. Ashton, swahili grammar including intonation, london, longmans, 1944 2nd ed. Welcome to our seventh lesson about popular swahili phrases. If you are traveling to tanzania or east africa, soon then you may find it helpful to know how to say hello and goodbye as well as make a few exchanges with the locals in their language. Sep 30, 2019 swahili is the official language of various east african countries, including kenya and more recently rwanda, though its widely spoken throughout the region and often serves as the lingua franca for locals whose native languages are different. For example, swahili utilizes over noun classes, the equivalence of a romance language having genders.
Series produced in cooperation with our partners from. To be able to pronounce swahili words correctly, i strongly recommend the teach yourself swahili cd. Swahili phrases are a group of words functioning as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence. Memorizing this table will help you add very useful and important words to your swahili vocabulary. Apr 01, 2017 if you can learn these phrases you will master swahili language. If youre planning a trip to east africa, consider learning a few basic phrases of swahili before you go. Swahili is a bantu language of the nigercongo family and has a typical, complicated bantu structure. Many ugandans understand some swahili, although its rarely spoken outside the capital. While only 510 million people speak swahili as their first language, as a second. Swahilicommon phrases wikibooks, open books for an open world. Abdullah or the swahili pronunciation guide by thomas hinnebusch and sarah mirza. If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it by making a donationor by contributing in other ways. Swahili is identified as an official language in kenya and tanzania, but will also be useful to volunteers in rwanda, burundi, zambia, the democratic republic of the congo, somalia, and mozambique.
Swahili useful phrases eulingual language resources. How to say hi in swahili and other words and phrases to learn. Swahili english guide below, is a free, printable pocket guide of basic swahili words and phrases with corresponding english translations, to help you navigate your way in the city and be friendly to locals. Wikitravel users have collectively created a free swahili phrasebook with the goal of making it possible for travelers to get by while traveling in areas where swahili is spoken wikitravel phrasebooks are available in many languages and each one varies in depth and detail. Translation for useful in the free english swahili dictionary and many other swahili translations.
Below is a list of the phrases and daily expressions in swahili placed in a table. Translation for useful in the free englishswahili dictionary and many other swahili translations. For every travel phrase in swahili, therell be the english translation. Learn phrases in the swahili language online by selecting the swahili phrases that you want to learn from the list.
Useful words and phrases in swahili teaching resources. Car bicycle motorbike train boat aeroplane petrol mechanic. Below we picked 70% of the most commonly used words. Click on the english phrases to see them in many other languages. Recent student of swahili here, just some things ive realized or heard from other people. Apr 27, 2008 a selection of basic words and phrases to help you make children with a swahili speaking heritage feel welcome in your class, andor to support topic work based on kenya, uganda, tanzania, democratic republic of the congo, rwanda, burundi and other countries of east and central africa who speak swahili. Several of its members haveproduced valuable studies contributing to a better knowledgeof kiunguja and the other.
May 20, 2014 learn the basic greetings in swahili with sellah from kenia. Those who travel find that one of the best things about visiting a new place or country is the learning experience that can only be gained from traveling. Below we picked expressions that a new learner will find useful. The swahili phrases have audio recorded by a native speaker.
If you can learn these phrases you will master swahili language. If you like this site and find it useful, you can support it. Or you can get started with the core 2000 word list. Swahili language for beginners along with basic swahili. Watch the video lesson to learn the 80 common english phrases 80 common english phrases youtube. Kenyas two official languages are swahili also referred to as kiswahili and english. You dont use visual guides, and for the first time in learning a smattering of language for travel, this was the most successful method, i found. Ive been here for 3 months, and its just now clicking. Teach yourself swahili, by joan russell teach yourself, 2003 is one of the best.
Positive responses are the norm, even more so than in the west. Swahili verbs are words that convey action bring, read, walk, run, or a state of being exist, stand. Probably the easiest nonrelated to english language you can learn. Some swahili phrases learn with flashcards, games, and more for free. Useful swahili words and phrases those who travel find that one of the best things about visiting a new place or country is the learning experience that can only be gained from traveling. Here is a collection of swahili sayings and quotes from various authors, celebrities, famous persons, and other sources compiled by for you to read and enjoy. Here you can find the translation of the 50 most important words and expressions into swahili. The swahili vocabulary is the backbone for learning.
Swahili basics and useful phrases for travelers to east africa. Swahili may date back several thousand years, but it developed into the language we hear today with the arrival of arab and persian traders on the east african coast between 500 ad. In short, it is tough to speak swahili without feeling the emotion in every word, not to mention the languages ease of talking. The common 80 english phrases have been divided into a 18 topics, to better help you remember them and use them in the appropriate situation when expressing yourself in english.
Use them in ant way you wish and if you have some favorites you would like to add to the list please do so at the bottom of the page. Three full noun classes are devoted to different aspects of space and time. Click on the swahili phrases to listen to an audio recording of the pronunciation. Find out how to say hello, how to ask directions and talk about safari animals.
Swahili represents an african world view quite different. Up to about ten million people speak swahili as a first language, but many other people speak it along the east coast of africa. Swahili or kiswahili, is an official language of tanzania, kenya english is the official language the government of kenya and is widely spoken in urban areas, the democratic republic of the congo, rwanda and uganda. Swahili language for beginners along with basic swahili key. Choose from 500 different sets of swahili useful phrases flashcards on quizlet. These cover a wide variety of swahili topics, including the numbers in swahili, days of the week in swahili, swahili greetings and the months in swahili.
We have designed it to give you a very easy way to learn to speak, read, and even write swahili words correctly. In most languages a verb may agree with the person, gender, andor number. You dont use visual guides, and for the first time in learning a smattering of language for. To prepare for a trip, one of the best things a traveler can do is to learn a new language.