Lesson 6: Self-introduction in Swahili 1

The following are some of the most constituents used when doing self-introduction;

SWAHILI                                                              ENGLISH

Habari ya asubuhi	Good morning
Habari ya mchana	Good afternoon
Habari ya jioni	Good evening
Salama/nzuri	fine
Unazungumza Kiswahili?	Do you speak Swahili?
Ndiyo	Yes
Hapana. Ninazungumza Kiingereza. umejifunza wapi?	No. I speak English. where did you learn?
Jina lako nani? / Unaitwa nani?	What is your name?
Jina langu ni Jacob	My name is Jacob
Una miaka mingapi/una umri gani?	How old are you?
Nina miaka kumi na tisa	I am 19 years old
Unatokea wapi?	Where are you from?
Ninatokea Vietinamu	I am from Vietnam
Ulifika hapa lini?	When did you arrive here?
Nilifika juzi.	I arrived a day before yesterday.
Unafanya kazi gani?	What do you do?
Mimi ni mwalimu.	I am a teacher.
Kwanini umekuja Tanzania?	Why did you come to Tanzania?
Nimekuja hapa kwa ajili ya utalii.	I came here for tourism.
Umeoa? (question to a man)	Are you married?
Umeolewa? (Question addressed to a woman)	Are you married?
Ndio, nimeoa (response from a man).	Yes, I am married.
Hapana, sijaoa (response from a man).	No, I am not married.
Ndio, nimeolewa (response from a woman).	Yes, I am married.
Hapana, sijaolewa (response from a woman).	No, I am not married.
Familia yako iko wapi?	Where is your family?
Familia yako iko hapa?	Is your family here?
Ndio, familia yangu iko hapa.	Yes, my family is here.
Hapana, familia yangu iko nyumbani.	No, my family is at home.
Una atoto wangapi?	How many children do you have?
Nina atoto wawili.	I have two children.
Sina atoto.	I do not have children.
Mimi ninaishi hapa.	I live here.
Mume wako yuko wapi?	Where is your husband?
Mke wako yuko wapi?	Where is your wife?
Yuko nyumbani	He/she is at home
Nimefurahi kufahamiana na wewe.	I’m pleased to know you.
Nimefurahi kuonana na wewe.	I’m pleased to meet you.
mimi pia Tutaonana baadaye	me too We will meet later.
Sawa, kwaheri	Okay, Goodbye
Asante	Thanks

After studying the above commonly used phrases, can you understand the following dialogue?

Bakari:    Habari ya asubuhi.
Jacob:     Salama.
Bakari:    Unaitwa nani?
Jacob:     Ninaitwa Jacob.
Bakari:   Mimi ninaitwa Bakari.
Bakari:    Unazungumza Kiswahili?
Jacob:     Ndiyo.
Bakari:    Umejifunza wapi?
Jacob:      Tanzania.
Bakari:    Unatokea wapi?
Jacob:      Vietinamu
Bakari:     Umefika lini?
Jacob:      Nimefika juzi
Bakari:    Karibu Tanzania
Jacob:      Asante
Bakari:    Nimefurahi kuonana na wewe
Jacob:      Nimefurahi kufahamiana na wewe pia
Bakari:     Tutaonana baadaye
Jacob:       Sawa. Kwaheri
Bakari:     Asante

Have you figured out anything? Do you have any questions or need more clarifications? Please contact me.

Asking for direction 
Assume you are in Tanzania. Then you want to ask where is the market and how to get there. You meet a person and you ask him about it. Remember, in Tanzania, it is normal and free to ask for a direction. What matters a lot is politeness. You gonna be "A" and that guy is "B".

A: habari (hello)
B: salama (good/fine)
A: Samahani, jina langu ni Amanda. Ninaishi Masaki. Ninataka           kwenda sokoni, lakini sikujui. Ninaomba unioneshe njia (Sorry,       my name is Amanda. I`m living in Masaki. I want to go to the        market, but I don`t know the place. I`m asking you to show me        the way)
B: Sawa, hakuna shida. Unafuata njia hii moja kwa moja, baada ya       mita mia tatu utaona soko.(okay, no problem. you go through           this way straight, after three hundred metres you will see a               market)
A: Asante sana. Mungu akubariki (thank you very much. God               bless  you)
B: Karibu. (you are welcome)
A: Asante (thanks)


Hiring A Taxi
After landing around 14hrs in Tanzania, you would like to hire a taxi to rush you to a hotel. You gonna be A and the taxi driver being B.
A: Habari ya mchana (good afternoon)
B: Salama, pole na safari (Fine, sorry for the journey)
A: Asante (thanks)
B: Karibu (welcome)
A: Ninataka kwenda hoteli ya Kilimanjaro (I want to go at                     Kilimanjaro hotel)
B: Sawa, utanipa shilingi elfu kumi (Ok, you will give me ten               thousand shillings)
A: Sawa, hakuna shida. Twende. (Ok, no problem. Let`s go)
     (While on the way, you may have some conversation)
A: Samahani, unaitwa nani (Sorry, what is your name)
B: Jina langu ni Musa (My name is Musa)
A: Vizuri. Mimi jina langu ni Amanda. (Good. My name is                   Amanda)
B: Karibu Tanzania. Nimefurahi kuonana na wewe. Umetoka wapi       (welcome to Tanzania. Pleasure to meet you. Where are you             from)
A: Asante sana. Mimi nimetoka Marekani (Thank you very much.         I am from the USA)
B: Karibu. Tumeshafika hotelini (You are welcome. We have                already arrived at the hotel)
A. Ooh! Asante. Chukua pesa yako, tafadhali (Ooh! Thanks. take         your money, please)
B: Asante sana, karibu tena (Thank you very much. welcome               again)
A: Asante, kwaheri (Thanks, goodbye)

Asking for a room in a hotel
When in a hotel, you gonna book for a room. There, you meet someone in reception. You are A and the receptionist is B.
A: Habari. (hello)
B: Salama, jina langu ni Eliza, karibu sana (Fine, my name is               Eliza, you are warmly welcome)
A: Asante Eliza, jina langu ni Amanda, nimetoka Marekani.                 Ninataka chumba (Thanks Eliza, my name is Amanda, I`m               from the USA. I want a room)
B: Nimefurahi kuonana na wewe. chumba tunacho, utalipia                   shilingi laki moja tu kwa siku.(I`m glad to meet you. we have           a room, you will have to pay only100,000 Tanzania shillings)
A: Sawa (okay)
B: Tafadhali, jaza taarifa zako katika kitabu cha wageni (please,           provide your information in guest`s record book)
A: Hakuna shida, tayari (no problem, done)
B: Tafadhali, nifuate, ninataka nikuoneshe chumba chako (please,         come after me, I want to show you your room)
A. Asante (thanks)
B: Hiki ni chumba chako, kama utahitaji chochote, tafadhali,                 tupigie simu (this is your room, if you need anything, please,           call us)
A: Sawa (ok)
B: Karibu (you are welcome)



Important Swahili Words
1. Samahani (That means 'sorry'. Whenever you think you`re wrong, say samahani. That will help you out of trouble.)
    e.g. Samahani, ninaomba kukuuliza swali (sorry, I'm asking if I               may ask you a question)
    e.e. Samahani, tafadhali unisamehe (I`m sorry, please forgive                 me)

2. Asante (That means 'Thank you.' it is used as in English. Here,         we do use to appreciate when given a service of something)
     A. Leo nimekuletea zawadi (today I`ve brought you a gift)
     B. Asante, Mungu akubariki (Thank you, God bless you)

3. Kwaheri (Goodbye)
    A. Kwaheri, tutaonana kesho (Goodbye, we shall meet                           tomorrow)
    B. Kwaheri, karibu tena (goodbye, welcome again)

4. Tafadhali (Please)
    A. Tafadhali, ninaomba matunda (Please, I`m asking for fruits)