Swahili Language Guide and Medical Phrase Sheet
This guide is only an introduction to basic pronunciation and vocabulary. For a more comprehensive guide we recommend
either:
The Swahili Dictionary and Phrasebook by Nicholas Awade, The Rough Guide to Swahili, published by Rough Guides
Basic Pronunciation
a as in father
e eh (Like the "a" in "say" but without moving your mouth
i as in see
o oh (Like the "o" in "so" but without moving your mouth)
u as in doom
b as in bat
ch as in chop
d as in dad
dh as in this
f as in family
g as in game
gh halfway between ‘k’
in keep and ‘g’ in get
h as in home
j as in jump
k as in kennel
n as in neat
ng’ as in song
ny like the first ‘n’ in onion
p as in pin
r as in rabbit
kh like ‘ch’ in J.S. Bach s as in small
l as in long
m as in mill
sh as in shallow
t as in time
th as in thick
v as in vote
w as in women
y as in yolk
z as in zero
Stress nearly always falls on the next to last syllable, and accents mark which syllables to stress:
dáda (2 syllables) mlángo (3 syllables), nimechóka (4 syllables), tunafuráhi (5 syllables).
Greetings are important in East Africa and you don't launch into a conversation or even ask a
question without first saying, "Hello, how are you?"
ENGLISH
SWAHILI
GREETINGS
SALAMU
Hello
Jambo / hujambo / Salama
How are you?
Habari gani
Fine (response)
Nzuri
Goodbye
Kwa heri (one person) / Kwa herini (more than one person)
See You Later
Tutaonana
Nice to meet you
Nafurahi kukuona
Goodnight
Lala salama
How old are you?
¿Cuántos años tiene?
Where were you born?
¿Dónde nació?
Do you have health insurance? (only relevant in CR)
¿Tiene seguro social?
CIVILITIES
CIVILITIES
Yes
Ndiyo
No
Hapana
Thank you
Asante
Thank you very much
Asante sana
Please
Tafadhali
OK
Sawa
Excuse me
Samahani
You’re Welcome
Starehe
Can you help me?
Tafadhali, naomba msaada
What is your name?
Jina lako nani?
My name is
Jina langu ni …
Where are you from?
Unatoka wapi?
I’m from…
Natokea …
May I take a picture?
Naomba kupiga picha?
Do you speak English?
Unasema kiingereza?
Do you speak Swahili?
Unaseam Kiswahili?
Just a little bit
Kidogo tu!
How do you say in Swahili?
Unasemaje kwa Kiswahili?
I don’t understand
Sielewi
Friend
Rafiki
GETTING AROUND
KUPATA KUZUNGUKA
Where is the…
Ni wapi…
Airport
Unwanja wa ndege
Bus station
stesheni ya basi
Bus stop
Bas stendi
Taxi stand
Stendi ya teksi
Train Station
Stesheni ya treni
Bank
Benki
Market
Soko
Police Station
Kituo cha polisi
Tourist Office
Ofisi ya watali
Toliet/bathroom
Choo
What time is the … leaving?
Inaondoka saa … ngapi?
Bus
Basi
Minibus
Matatu (Kenya); dalla dalla (Tanzania)
Plane
Ndeg
Train
Treni/ gari la moshi
Is there a bus going to …?
Kuna basi ya …?
I’d like to buy a ticket
Nataka kununua tikiti
Is it near?
Ni karibu?
Is it far?
Ni mbali
There
Huko
Over there
Pale
Ticket
Tikiti
Where are you going?
Unakwenda wapi?
How much is the fare?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Hotel
Hoteli
Room
Chumba
Reservation
Akiba
Are there any vacancies for tonight?
Mna nafasi leo usiko? (Kenya: Iko nafasi leo usiku?)
No vacancies
Hamna nafasi. (Kenya: Hakuna nafasi)
How much is it per night?
Ni bei gani kwa usiku?
Mosquito Net
Chandalua
Swahili time starts at 6 am, not midnight. So if a Tanzanian tells you the bus leaves at 1 in the
morning, he probably means 7am. If he says the train leaves at 3 in the morning that would mean
9am. It's wise to double check. Interestingly, Ethiopians use the same clock, but they don't speak
Swahili.
DAYS
SIKU
Today
Leo
Tomorrow
Kesho
Yesterday
Jana
Now
Sasa
Later
Baadaye
Every day
Kila siku
Monday
Jumatatu
Tuesday
Jumanne
Wednesday
Jumatano
Thursday
Alhamisi
Friday
Ijumaa
Saturday
Jumamosi
Sunday
Jumapili
NUMBERS
HESABU
One
Mjoa
Two
Mbili
Three
Tatu
Four
Nne
Five
Tano
Six
Sita
Seven
Saba
Eight
Nane
Nine
Tisa
Ten
Kumi
Eleven
Kumi na mjoa (ten and one)
Tweleve
Kumi na mbili (ten and two)
Twenty
Ishirini
Twenty-One
Ishirni na mjoa (Twenty and one
Thirty
Thelathini
Fourty
Arobaini
Fifty
Hamsini
Sixty
Sitini
Seventy
Sabini
Eighty
Themanini
Ninety
Tisini
One hundred
Mia
Two hundred
Mia mbili
One thousand
Elfu
One hundred thousand
Laki
FOOD AND DRINKS
CHAKULA NA VINYWAJI
I'd like
Nataka
Food
Chakula
Hot/cold
ya moto/baridi
WAter
Maji
Hoter water
Maji ya moto
Drinking water
Maji ya Kunywa
Soda (soft drinks)
Soda
Beer
Bia
Milk
Maziwa
Meat
Nyama
Chicken
Nyama Kuku
Fish
Sumaki
Beef
Nyama ng’ombe
Fruit
Matunda
Vegatables
Mboga
ANIMALS
WANYAMA
Buffalo
Nyati / Mbogo
Cheetah
Duma / Chita
Cow
N’gombe
Elephant
Tembo / Ndovuh
Giraffee
Twiga
Goat
Mbuzi
Hippo
Kiboko
Hyena
Fisi
Leopard
Chui
Lion
Simba
Rhino
Kifaru
Warthog
Ngiri
Wildebeest
Nyumbu
Zebra
Punda milia
HEALTH
AFYA / UZIMA
Where can I find…
Naweza Kupata … wapi?
Doctor
Daktari / Mganga
Hospital
Hospitali
Medical Center
Matibabu
I'm sick
Mimi ni mgonjwa
I need a doctor
Nataka Kuona Daktari
It hurts here
Naumwa Hapa
Fever
Homa
Malari
Melaria
Headache
Umwa Kichwa
Diarrhoea
Harisha / Endesha
Vomiting
Tapika
Medicine
Dawa
BODY PARTS
SEHUMA YA MWILI
Ankle
Kifundo (ya mguu)
Arm
Mkono
Back
Mgongo
Bone
Mfupa
Buttock
Matako
Breats
Maziwa
Chest
Kifua
Chin
Kidevu
Ear
Shikio
Elbow
Kisugudi
Eyes
Macho
Face
Uso
Finger
Kidole
Foot
El pulgar
Genitals
Sehemu myeti
Hair
Nywele
Head
Kichwa
Heart
Moyo
Heel
Kisigino
Hip
Nyonga
Jaw
Taya
Kidneys
Mafigo
Knee
Goti
Leg
Mguu
Lip
Mdomo
Liver
Ini
Lung
Pafu
Mouth
Mdomo
Neck
Shingo
Nose
Pua
Shin
Muundi
Shoulder
Bega
Stomach
Tumbo
Teeth
Meno
Thigh
Paja
Throat
Roho
Thumb
Dole Gumba
Toe
Kidole cha mguu
Tongue
Ulimi
Tooth
Jino
Vein
Mishipa ya damu
Wrist
Kiganja
Womb
Fuko la uzazi
Umbilical
Kitovu
MEDICAL INSTRUCTIONS
MEDICAL MAELEKEZO
Pill
Kidonge
Pills
Vidonge
Once
Mara moja
Twice
Mara mbili
Three times
Mara tatu
Four times
Mara nne
Day
Siku
In the morning
Asubuhi
In the afternoon
Mchana
In the evening
Usiku
Teaspoon
Kijiko cha chai
One half
Bnusu
PHARMACY VOCABULARY
PHARMACY MSAMIATI
Take one pill before breakfast; wait for 40 minutes before
taking any food.
Kunywa kidonge kimoja kabla ya chai, subiri kwa dakika
arobaini (40) kabla ya kula chakula chochote.
After lunch and dinner, wait for 20 minutes and then chew
one pill.
Baada ya chakula cha mchana na usiku, subiri kwa dakika
ishirini (20) halafu tafuna tena kidonge kimoja.
Take ___(1 or 2) pills with abundant water at night.
Tumia (kidonge 1 au 2) ___ usiku na maji mengi ya kutosha
It is important that you finish all the treatment even if you
feel better.
Ni muhimu kumaliza tiba yote hata kama unajisikia vizuri
Take ____ pill(s) ONLY in case of fever or pain.
Tumia kidonge au vidonge ____ wakati wa homa au maumivu
tu.
Take ____( tablespoon(s); Teaspoon (s)) every ___hours.
Tumia kijiko/vijiko vya mezani _____; Kijiko/vijiko vya chai kila
baada ya masaa_______.
Take ____ (1, 2) pill(s) every ____ (6, 8) hours for _____(2, 3,
5, 7) days
Tumia ___ (kidonge 1, 2) kila baada ya masaa ___(6,8) kwa
siku____ (2,3,5,7).
Apply a small amount of the cream in the affected area
_____time (s) a day for ____ days.
Paka kiasi kidogo cha krimu kwenye eneo lililo athirika mara
______ kwa siku, kwa siku______.
Clean the area very well,dray and then apply a little bit of
the cream.
Safisha vizuri kabisa,kausha vizuri kisha paka kiasi kidogo cha
krimu.
Take ___ pill (s) with food every day.
Tumia kidonge, vidonge ___ kila siku na chakula.
Take ___pill (s) before going to bed for ____days.
Tumia kidonge, vidonge ___ kabla ya kulala kwa siku ___.
This medicine will make you a little sleepy. Please take it
only at night.
Dawa hii itakufanya ulale kidogo. Tafadhali itumie wakati wa
usiku tu.
Wash the head with this shampoo.
Safisha kichwa kwa dawa hii.
Put __drop (s) in each (ear/eye) every ____hour (s).
Weka tone, matone ___kwenye kila (Sikio/Jicho) kila baada ya
saa, masaa___.
Take these two pills at the same time with a lot of water.
Tumia vidonge hivi wakati huo huo na maji mengi.
Insert 1 ovule into your vagina at night for ___ nights.
Ingiza dawa 1(ovule) ndani ya uke wakati wa usiku kwa ____.