Names of Animals in Swahili

 I would like to share with you a bit about animals` names in Kiswahili. 

Animal = Mnyama

Animals = wanyama

Wild animals = wanyama pori

Domestic animals = wanyama wafugwao

Wanyama pori

1. Simba (lion)

2. Chui (Leopold) 

3. Duma (cheetah) 

4. Tembo - elephant 

5. Nyati - buffalo 

6. Kiboko - hippopotamus 

7. Mamba - crocodile 

8. Nyoka - snake

9. Swala - antelope 

10. Fisi - hyena

Wanyama wafugwao

1. Mbwa - dog

2. Paka - cat

3. Rafasi - horse 

4. Punda - donkey 

5. Ng'ombe- cow

6. Mbuzi - goat

7. Kondoo - sheep

8. Sungura - rabbit

Week days, months and years in Swahili

Week days (siku za wiki)
1	Jumatatu	Monday
2	Jumanne	Tuesday
3	Jumatano	Wednesday
4	Alhamisi	Thursday
5	Ijumaa	Friday
6	Jumamosi	Saturday
7	Jumapili	Sunday
Month (mwezi), months (miezi)
1	Januari / mwezi wa kwanza	January / first month
2	Februari / mwezi wa pili	February / second month
3	Machi / mwezi wa tatu	March / third month
4	Aprili / mwezi wa nne	April / forth month
5	Mei / mwezi wa tano	May / fifth month
6	Juni / mwezi wa sita	June / sixth month
7	Julai / mwezi wa saba	July / seventh month
8	Agosti / mwezi wa nane	August / eighth month
9	Septemba / mwezi wa tisa	September / ninth month
10	Oktoba / mwezi wa kumi	October / tenth month
11	Novemba / mwezi wa kumi na moja	November / eleventh month
12	Disemba / mwezi wa kumi na mbili	December / twelfth month
Year (mwaka), years (miaka)
2022		elfu mbili na ishirini na mbili
2021		Elfu mbili na ishirini na moja
2020		Elfu mbili na ishirini
2019		Elfu mbili na kumi na tisa
2018		Elfu mbili na kumi na nane
2017		Elfu mbili na kumi na saba
2016		Elfu mbili na kumi na sita
2015		Elfu mbili na kumi na tano
2014		Elfu mbili na kumi na nne
2013		Elfu mbili na kumi na tatu
2012		Elfu mbili na kumi na mbili
2011		Elfu mbili na kumi na moja
2010		Elfu mbili na kumi
2009		Elfu mbili na tisa
2008		Elfu mbili na nane
2007		Elfu mbili na saba
2006		Elfu mbili na sita
2005		Elfu mbili na tano
2004		Elfu mbili na nne
2003		Elfu mbili na tatu
2001		Elfu mbili na moja
2000		Elfu mbili
1999		Elfu moja mia tisa na tisini na tisa
1998		Elfu moja mia tisa na tisini na nane
1990		Elfu moja mia tisa na tisini
1980		Elfu moja mia tisa na themanini
1800		Elfu moja na mia nane
Decade		Muongo
Century		Karne
Millennium		Milenia

Time telling in Swahili

When it comes to telling time, Swahili has its own ways which are different from that of English language. Note that, 

• In Swahili, 24 hours have been divided into two groups: 12 in a day and 12 in the night
• Hours are counted from 7am to 18pm (during a day), and are being counted again from 19pm to 6am (during night). 
• When telling time, we normally add a word that describes whether that hour is during the night or in a day. 
• For instance, in a day, we add asubuhi (morning), Mchana (noon/afternoon) and jioni (evening). During the night we use usiku (night).
• NB: In Swahili culture, the mchana (noon and/or afternoon) is from 12pm to 14:59pm. Also, the period between 15pm to 15:59pm is called alasiri. Still don`t get confused, just take the asubuhi (morning), mchana (noon/afternoon), jioni (evening) and usiku (night). 
• In writings, we write as it is because in Swahili words are being pronounced as they are written. 
• The word saa has several meanings depending on the context. it may mean a watch or an hour. But in this context, the word saa means an hour. Also, about counting from moja (1), mbili (2) ... refer to lesson 10.

During a day (Wakati wa Mchana)

1. Saa moja asubuhi (1:00) - 7:00am
2. saa mbili asubuhi (2.00) - 8:00am
3. saa tatu asubuhi (3:00) - 9:00am
4. saa nne asubuhi (4:00) - 10:00am
5. saa tano asubuhi (5:00) - 11:00am
6. saa sita mchana (6:00) - 12:00pm
7. saa saba mchana (7:00) - 13:00pm
8. saa nane mchana (8:00) - 14:00pm
9. saa tisa alasiri (9:00) - 15:00pm
10. saa kumi jioni (10:00) - 16:00pm
11. saa kumi na moja jioni (11:00) - 17:00pm
12. saa kumi na mbili jioni (12:00) - 18:00pm

During the night (wakati wa usiku)

1. saa moja usiku (1:00) - 19:00pm
2. saa mbili usiku (2:00) - 20:00pm
3. saa tatu usiku (3:00) - 21:00pm
4. saa nne usiku (4:00) - 22:00pm
5. saa tano usiku (5:00) - 23:00pm
6. saa sita usiku (6:00) - 00:00am
7. saa saba usiku (7:00) - 1:00am
8. saa nane usiku (8:00) - 2:00am
9. saa tisa usiku (9:00) - 3:00am
10. saa kumi alfajiri (10:00) - 4:00am
11. saa kumi na moja alfajiri (11:00) - 5:00am
12. saa kumi na mbili asubuhi (12:00) - 6:00am

Telling an hour and its minutes (Kusoma saa na dakika zake)

(NB: the word kamili in this context means O`clock, dakika means minute(s))

1. saa moja kamili (during a day or night) - 7:00am
2. saa moja na dakika moja - 7:01am
3. saa moja na dakika mbili - 7:02am
4. saa moja na dakika tatu - 7:03am
5. saa moja na dakika nne - 7:04am
6. saa moja na dakika tano - 7:05am
7. saa moja na dakika sita - 7:06am
8. saa moja na dakika saba - 7:07am
9. saa moja na dakika nane - 7:08am
10. saa moja na dakika tisa - 7:09am
11. saa moja na dakika kumi - 7:10am
12. saa moja na dakika kumi na moja - 7:11am
13. saa moja na dakika kumi na mbili - 7:12am
14. saa moja na dakika kumi na tatu - 7:13am
15. saa moja na dakika kumi na nne - 7:14am
16. saa moja na dakika kumi na tano (saa moja na robo(robo = quater) - 7:15am 
17. saa moja na dakika kumi na sita - 7:16am
18. saa moja na dakika kumi na saba.... - 7:17am
19. saa moja na dakika ishirini ... 7:20am
20. saa moja na dakika thelathini (saa moja na nusu (nusu = half)) - 7:30am 
21. saa moja na dakika arobaini - 7:40am
22. saa moja na dakika hamsini - 7:50am
23. saa mbili kamili - 8:00am
24. saa mbili na dakika moja.... - 8:01am

When it is already 31 minutes, meaning that, 29 minutes to a certain hour, from there you can use a word kasoro like in the following:

1. saa mbili kasoro tatu (1:57) - 7:57am
2. saa nne kasoro robo (3:45) - 9:45am
3. saa tato kasoro kumi (4:500 - 10:50am
4. saa sita kasoro tano - (5:55) - 11:55am
5. saa saba kasoro ishirini (6:40) - 12:40pm......

Asking about time 

1. saa ngapi - what is the time?
2. hivi sasa ni saa ngapi - what the time is now?
3. tafadhali, hivi sasa ni saa ngapi - Please, what is the time?

Time telling in conversation 

Juma: Baba atakuja saa ngapi - when the father will come?

Asha: Atakuja saa kumi jioni - he will come at 16pm

Juma: Na mama je?

Asha: Mama atakuja saa mbili asubihi - Mother will come at 8am

Juma: Utaenda saa ngapi shuleni - when will you go to school?

Asha: Nitaenda saa moja asubuhi - I`ll go at 7am

Juma: sawa, asante - okay, thanks!

Asha: asante, kwa heri - thanks, goodbye.

Exercise (zoezi)

Can you tell the time in the following in Swahili? Please, practice yourself gradually, you will come to understand. If not, for further help, please contact me through haulejacob@yahoo.com or whatsapp 0758977510:

1

2

3

4

Are you having any difficulties? If yes, leave a comment or email me on haulejacob@yahoo.com  

Learn Swahili Food and Drinks

Tanzania is a country with approximate 100% Swahili speakers scattered all over the country. When you come, you will see that we do have our own traditional food and drinks that we enjoy a lot. Let's start with some few food names:

1. Ugali - ugali 
2. uji - porridge
3. uji wa ulezi - millet porridge 
4. mtori - this is like green banana soup/porridge; normally mixed with small pieces of meat.
5. ndizi - banana (can be just cooked as potatoes/sometimes is mixed with mead), can also be fried
6. mihogo - cassava. can be fried, when you walk on Dar es salaam streets in the morning and late evening you will find many are being prepared just along the street roads. or cooked with water but when ready we dry out the water. also, some prefer it with its soup, so they do add some salt, onion and even tomatoes.
7. kachumbari - is like chutney. we cut small pieces of tomatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, pepper, cucumber and we add salt and little water as well as a lemon if you have. you mix and leave it for a while before eating. we use it mostly when eating with pilau or mostly fried foods.
8. viazi vitamu - sweet potatoes. normally boiled or fried. we use as a part of breakfast together with a cup of tea
9. viazi mviringo - Irish potatoes. It can be cooked with soup, which can be mixed with meat. Eaten anytime. Normally it is used for chips.
10. bamia - ladyfingers. used as something to eat with ugali and can be added in any vegetable to be eaten with ugali or rice.
11. majimbi - they are like taro plants. resembling to sweet potatoes and normally are cooked for breakfast
12. karanga - groundnuts. Can be eaten as they are anytime. can be ground and mixed in vegetables, cooked bananas, porridge, etc
13. mbaazi - pigeon peas. Normally eaten with ugali.
14. uwele - bullrush millet.
15. nyanya - tomatoes
16. matembele - sweet potato leaves, used as a vegetable.
17. mchicha - spinach-like plant, used as a vegetable
18. kabichi - cabbage. It is used as a vegetable, and for making the kachumbari
19. wali/ubwabwa - rice (already cooked)
20. Biriani - the rice, with yellow colour because of the ingredients put, normally added with meat. Most of the people in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) do eat a lot on Fridays, holidays, celebrations etc
21. pilau - pilau
22. chipsi - chips 
23. chipsi mayai - the chips added with some eggs to make it look like big chapati. Very very very famous in Tanzania.
24. mishikaki - pieces of meat on spit/skewer, kebab, shish kebab.
25. mchemsho/supu - meat/fish soup. sometimes added with green banana/Irish potatoes
26. bumunda - It is like a fried bun. made up of the mixture of ripe banana and flour (normally maize or millet flour). It is mostly made in some rural areas, unlikely to be found in towns. 
27. maharage - beans. Normally used as a vegetable to eat with the ugali
28. nyama - meat.
29. mahindi ya kuchoma - Mahindi is Corns/maize. the green corn is being fried on charcoal, then we eat. very tasty
30. sambusa - samosa 
31. vitumbua - rice/maize bun
32. dagaa - sardines, anchovy. Eaten with ugali or rice
33. urojo - the steaf soup with lots of ingredients. mostly eaten in Zanzibar 
34. mrenda - a type of green vegetable that is used to eat with rice or ugali, but it is very slippery when u eat

Also, apart from the modern bear, we do have some drinks too:

1. Mnazi - the beer obtained from the young coconut tree
2. Ulanzi - the beer obtained from a young bamboo tree
3. Komoni - alcohol made from maize
4. chimpum - alcohol made from maize end products, normally is best when is being taken while still hot
5. mbege -  made from ripe bananas
6. wanzuki - normally is made from honey, or sometimes the mixture of sugar, water, and yeast

somo la 11: Introducing oneself and others

Introducing oneself and others (kujitambulisha na kutambulisha wengine)

Frazer meets John at Julius Nyerere International Airpot for the first time (Frazer anakutana na John katika uwanja wa ndege wa Mwalimu Nyerere kwa mara ya kwanza)

John:    Habari yako? (how are you)
Frazer: Salama, wewe je? (fine, and you?)
John:    Sijambo. Karibu Tanzania. (I`m fine. Welcome to Tanzania)
Frazer:  Asante sana. (thanks very much)
John:    Karibu. Jina langu ni John, wewe je? (You are welcome.                   My name is John, and you?)
Frazer:  Asante. Jina langu ni Frazer. (Thanks. I`m Frazer)
John:    Unamiaka mingapi (how old are you?)
Frazer: Ninamiaka arobaini, wewe je (I`m 40 years old, and you)
John:    Mimi ninamiaka thelathini (I`m 30 years old)
John:    Umetoka nchi gani? (In which country are you coming                    from?)
Frazer: Nimetoka Norway. (I`m from Norway)
John:    Sawa. Utakaa Tanzania kwa muda gani? (for how long will              you stay in Tanzania?)
Frazer: Nitakaa hapa miezi miwili (I will stay here for two months)
John:    Unatarajia kuembelea eneo gani? (which area are you                       expecting to pay a visit?)
Frazer: Nitatembelea hifadhi ya taifa ya wanyama, MIKUMI,                      SERENGETI, NGORONGORO na RUAHA. (I will go to                MIKUMI, SERENGETI and NGORONGORO national                    parks. 
Jihn:    Vizuri sana. Ni jambo zuri. (Very good. It is a great thing)
Frazer: Asante (Thanks)
John;    Nimefurahi kukutana na wewe (I`m happy  to meet you)
Frazer: Mimi pia (Me too)
John:   Sawa, tutaonana baadaye. (ok, we shall meet later)
Frazer: Sawa bwana John (Ok Mr. John)
John:   Kwa heri rafiki (Goodbye frind)
Frazer: Haya, kwa heri. (ok, goodbye) 


Frazer anamtembelea John na familia yake (Frazer visits John and his family)
Frazer: Hodi! (hello) (like nocking the door)
John:    Karibu sana Frazer (You`re warmly welcome Frazer)
Frazer: Asante, habari yako? (Thanks, how are you?)
John:   Salama, wewe je? (Fine, and you?)
Frazer: Nzuri tu (it is just fine)
john:    Karibu ndani (welcome in)
Frazer: Asante (thanks)
John:    Tafadhali, ukae (please, have a seat)
Frazer:  Ubarikiwe (be blessed) (Frazer sees many people in there)
John:    Hii ni familia yangu (this is my family)
Frazer: ninafurahi kuifahamu (i`m happy to know)
John:   Huyu ni mke wangu, na hawa ni watoto wangu (This is my              wife, and those are my children)

Lesson 10 (somo la 10). Counting in Swahili (how to count in Swahili?)

Counting numbers in Kiswahili (Kuhesabu namba kwa Kiswahili)

1 - Moja
2 - mbili
3 - tatu 
4 - nne
5 - tano
6 - sita
7 - saba
8 - nane
9 - tisa
10 - kumi
11 - kumi na moja
12 - kumi na mbili
13 - kumi na tatu
14 - kumi na nne
15 - kumi na tano
16 - kumi na sita
17 - kumi na saba
18 - kumi na nane
19 - kumi na tisa
20 - ishirini
21 - ishirini na moja 
22 - ishirini na mbili
23 - ishirini na tatu
24 - ishirini na nne
25 - ishirini na tano
26 - ishirini na sita
27 - ishirini na saba 
28 - ishirini na nane
29 - ishirini na tisa
30 - thelathini
31 - thelathini na moja
32 - thelathini na mbili
33 - thelathini na tatu
34 - thelathini na nne
35 - thelathini na tano
36 - thelathini na sita
37 - thelathini na saba
38 - thelathini na nane
39 - thelathini na tisa
40 - arobaini
41 - arobaini na moja 
42 - arobaini na mbili
43 - arobaini na tatu......
         (continue counting using the above system)
50 - hamsini
60 - sitini
70 - sabini
80 - themanini
90 - tisini
100 - miamoja (mia)
101 - miamoja na moja
102 - miamoja na mbili
103 - miamoja na tatu ....
         (continue counting using the above system)
200 - miambili
201 - miambili na moja
202 - miambili na mbili
203 - miambili na tatu .....
          (continue counting using the above system)
300 - miatatu
301 - miatatu na moja
302 - miatatu na mbili
303 - miatatu na tatu .......
          (continue counting using the above system)
400 - mianne
401 - mianne na moja
402 - mianne na mbili
403 - mianne na tatu.....
          (continue counting using the above system)
500 - mia tano
501 - mia tano na moja
502 - mia tano na mbili .....
         (continue counting using the above system)
600 - mia sita
601 - mia sita na moja
602 - mia sita na mbili .....
         (continue counting using the above system)
700 - mia saba
701 - mia saba na moja
702 - mia saba na mbili .....
          (continue counting using the above system)
800 - mia nane
801 - mia nane na moja
802 - mia nane na mbili ....
          (continue counting using the above system)
900 - mia tisa
901 - mia tisa na moja 
902 - mia tisa na mbili ....
         (continue counting using the above system)
1000 - elfu moja
1001 - elfu moja na moja
1010 - elfu moja na kumi
1100 - elfu moja na mia moja
1111 - elfu moja na mia moja kumi na moja
1112 - elfu moja na mia moja kumi na mbili
1500 - elfu moja na mia tano
2000 - elfu mbili
3000 - elfu tatu
4000 - elfu nne
5000 - elfu tano 
9999 - elfu tisa, mia tisa tisini na tisa....
         (continue counting using the above system)
10000 - elfu kumi
12000 - elfu kumi na mbili
19000 - elfu kumi na tisa
19999 - elfu kumi na tisa, mia tisa tisini na tisa
20000 elfu ishirini
30000 elfu thelathini
40000 elfu arobaini
50000 elfu hamsini....
100000 laki moja
200000 laki mbili
1000000 milioni moja
2000000 milioni mbili
3000000 milioni tatu .....
10000000 milioni kumi
100000000 milioni mia moja
1000000000 bilioni moja
1 000 000 000 000 tilioni moja

Kwanza - first
pili - second
tatu - third
nne - forth
tano - fifth
sita - sixth 
saba - seventh 
nane - eighth 
tisa - ninth
kumi - tenth