Swahili Greetings You Should Know
Swahili Greetings You Should Know

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About Swahili

Swahili (also known as Kiswahili) is the most commonly spoken language in sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya, Swahili is an official language along with English, and children are usually taught in Swahili in school.

The Basics of Saying Hello in Swahili
Besides the standard habari or jambo, I will teach you how to say even ‘good morning’ in Swahili (or good afternoon/evening) plus some other cool stuff that you can use while interacting with fun-loving youthful peers.

Chances are that you may not need to know all the greetings discussed in this article so it makes sense to first cover the basic greetings that are applicable in almost every situation. You may want to read to the bottom if you want to have a little more fun with your Swahili greetings, though.
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NOTE: (PRONUNCIATION GUIDE) – Swahili words are basically pronounced the way they are written. The stress in almost all instances is on the second last syllable. Habari would therefore be pronounced as haBAree and Jambo as JAmbo. The letter ‘i’ is pronounced as the ‘ee’ in ‘sweet’ and letter ‘u’ as the ‘oo’ in ‘pool’. There are no silent letters.
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There are basically five ways to say hello in Swahili:

  1. Hujambo or jambo (how are you?) – Sijambo (seeJAmbo) (I am fine / no worries)
  2. Habari? (any news?) – nzuri (nZOOree) (fine)
  3. U hali gani? (oo HAlee GAnee) (how are you) – njema (fine)
  4. Shikamoo (a young person to an elder) – marahaba
  5. For casual interactions: mambo? Or Vipi? Or Sema? (scroll down to street language section for explanations).

Other replies to the above greetings that might be used in place of nzuri:

  • njema (NJEma) – fine
  • salama (saLAAma) – peaceful / all’s well
  • sawa (SAwa) – okay
  • vyema (VYEma) – well
  • naendelea vyema (naendeLEa VYEma) – I am doing well

Now let’s dig deeper …

Asking ‘How Are You?’ in Swahili?

  • Hujambo (how are you? – to one person) – Sijambo (I am fine).
  • Hamjambo (how are you? – to two or more people) – Hatujambo (We are fine).
  • Habari? (literal translation is: news?) – nzuri (fine – to mean there is no bad news).
  • U hali gani (how are you – to one person) – nzuri (fine).
  • Mhali gani (how are you – to two or more people) – nzuri (fine).

Variants to Habari According to Time of Day

Habari? simply means news? As in ‘is there any news in your life I should know?’

The standard reply is nzuri to mean that everything is fine. If there is something troubling you then you can say mbaya (MBAya) which means bad. The other person will then proceed to ask what is wrong.

If you want to be specific – to state the time of day – you can use the following:

  • Habari za asubuhi (good morning) – nzuri (fine)
  • Habari za mchana (good afternoon)
  • Habari za jioni (good evening)
  • Habari za kutwa? ( how has your day been?)

Peers Greeting Each Other / Cool Street Language

Young people everywhere like to make language sound cool. Swahili speakers are no exception.

While walking the streets of a Kenyan town, you might hear some of these Swahili greetings. Most of them are informal and should not be used in formal writing.

  • Mambo (MAmbo) – What’s up?
  • Vipi? (VEEpee?) – how?
  • Sema? (SEma?) – speak?

The replies to these greetings can be:

  • Safi (SAfee) – Clean
  • Poa (POa) – Cool
  • Freshi (fREshee) – fresh (it is a swahilized slang version of the English word fresh)

Another informal greeting is:

Is vipi? (is how?) – is poa (is cool) …??? well, doesn’t make any sense but it sounds cool.

This is from Sheng – Swahili street slang that is a mixture of English and Swahili. Sheng is spoken by the youthful urban population mainly in Kenya but is slowly catching up in Tanzania.

Shikamoo?
It is not necessary that you use this greeting but it is important that you learn it so that when you encounter it somewhere you know what it means.

Shikamoo? (sheeKAmo) – Marahaba (maraHAba)
This greeting is used when a young person is greeting a significantly older person. It is used to show respect.

Shikamoo literally translates to ‘touching your leg’. The greeting therefore works one way and only a young person can initiate the conversation by saying “shikamoo?”

Bidding Goodbye in Swahili

  • Kwaheri (kwaHEree) (Goodbye)
  • Tuonane kesho (too-o-NAne Kesho) (see you tomorrow) – Inshallah (eenSHAllah) ( God willing)
  • Uende salama (oo-E-nde saLAma) (go with peace) – Tuonane inshallah (we will see each other God willing).

Goodnight in Swahili

  • Usiku mwema (ooSEEkoo mWEma) (Goodnight) – Wa buraha (wa booRAha) (with tranquility)
  • lala salama (sleep well / peacefully) – nawe pia (Nawe PEE-a) (you too)
  • Ndoto njema (NDOto NJEma) (sweet/good dreams) – Za mafanikio (za mafaneeKEEo) (of prosperity/success)

Other useful phrases that will come in handy

  • Asante “Thank you!” You will use this word the most in your conversations.
  • Sawa – “OK”
  • Karibu “Welcome” or Karibuni Welcome (to more than one person)
  • Sana(Very) used as in Asante-sana– Thank you VERY much.
  • Pole “I am sorry for your misfortune.” This applies to everything from getting chalk dust on your clothes, to tripping, dropping an item or sneezing.
  • Pole pole “Slowly, slowly.” Everything is pole pole in Africa.
  • Chakula “FOOD!” If you hear this word, walk towards the place you heard it.
  • Ndiyo / Hapana “Yes” and “No” respectively.
  • Tafadhali “Please”
  • Jina lako nani? – “What is your name?”
  • Jina langu ni John – “My name is John”

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19 Comments

  1. Busie

    I’m so happy to have found the page that’s teaches Swahili

    Thank you, I’m Ndebele from Zimbabwe

    Reply
  2. Tumusiime Deogratias

    This is the best website I’ve ever seen in my life

    Reply
  3. Kagaba Leticia Sunny

    I have loved this lesson thank you.

    Reply
  4. Jimmy Alal

    This page had been so helpful to me .
    Anyone who can volunteer to take me through kiswahili lessons ??

    Reply
    • Kopano

      Is curious to learn about this language called Swahili. I want to know it fluently.

      Reply
  5. Yuriy Novikov

    The best article about greetings in Swahili.
    Very helpful, a lot of thanks.
    Explanations of shikamoo and slang greetings present only here.

    Reply
  6. Jen belgica

    Thanks a million

    Reply
  7. Kopano

    I would like to volunteer to join in.

    Reply
  8. Matende SQUOTA

    Is curious to learn about this language called Swahili. I want to know it fluently.

    Reply
  9. Abdul Rahman

    Nice place to learn. Asante-sana

    Reply
  10. Mary Glory

    I liked de lessons thanx continue like dat.

    Reply
  11. Akan translators

    Wow, lessons are really awesome. Hoping to learn more as time goes on. Thank you mwalimu. Akan translators

    Reply
  12. Deneen A Adams

    Thanks 4 sharing!

    Reply
  13. Israel Godwin

    wow so very helpful 2 me (Asante sena )meaning tnk u very much!

    Reply
  14. Samuel James

    This is useful to me, asante sana for this page I’m willing to learn Swahili

    Reply
  15. Enna Sukutai Gudhlanga

    Asante sana for the Swahili teaching page. Am from Zimbabwe. Salamu kwafamilia

    Reply
  16. Daniel mayen buol

    I’m so glad for what i have get from this lesson,asante sana.

    Reply
  17. Ujaama Segano

    Thank you so much for this website it really reminded me of what my Swahilian friend tought me,,,the way I like Swahili I even think that maybe I belong there

    Reply
  18. Joseph

    Thanks for this page, it’s very useful. I am Joseph from Botswana, am a kalanga speaking….

    Reply

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