| Hello | Jambo |
Jambo is actually reserved for tourists, and is a quick way to tell
whether someone knows what they are doing or not. If a person
responds "jambo" it means, I do not know what I'm saying, please
speak to me in English! .. and it's OK to try to sell me whatever you
are trying to sell."
Hujambo? - How are you doing? (to one person)
Hamjambo? - How are you all doing? (more than one person)
Hawajambo? - How are they doing? (when asking about others, the
children at home, the family, etc...) Note that Hujambo and Habari can be used interchangeably. Greetings in Kiswahili are very important. Habari can be used by itself or with other words...
Habari za asubuhi? - how is your morning? (literally, what is the
The response is ALWAYS: kabisa can be added AFTER the three responses to mean completely/totally good, peaceful, clean |
|
| How are you? | Hujambo or Habari |
||
| Welcome | Karibu |
||
| Thank you | Asante |
||
| Please | Tafadhali |
||
| Goodbye | Kwaheri |
||
| Friend | Rafiki |
||
| Good | Vizuri |
||
| Bad | Mbaya |
||
| Food | Chakula |
||
| Milk | Maziwa |
||
| Coffee | Kahawa |
||
| Tea | Chai |
||
| Bread | Mkate |
||
| Butter | Siagi |
||
| Sugar | Sukari |
||
| Banana | Ndizi |
||
| Lion | Simba |
||
| Leopard | Chui |
||
| Giraffe | Twiga |
||
| Impala | Swala |
||
| Elephant | Tembo |
||
| Zebra | Pundamilia |
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