presentation meaning in swahili

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How to say "Presentation" in Swahili and 33 more useful words.

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• Suaheli-Dragoman : Swahili-German dictionary by topics, by Friedrich von Nettelbladt (1891)

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• Swahili etymological dictionary by András Rajki (2005)

• An anthology of proverbs in Kiswahili & translation into English & German, by Claudia Dal Bianco & Johanna Emig (2009)

• African aphorisms or Saws from Swahili Land , by William Ernest Taylor (1891)

• The terms for "emotion" in Swahili : a lexical analysis based on interviews with native speakers , by Rosanna Tramutoli, in Kervan (2019)

• Terminologia del corpo ed estensioni metaforiche  : swahili e zulu a confronto , in Kervan (2020)

• Translating Swahili linguistic terminology into Italian , Nordic Journal of African Studies (2020)

• Texts on textiles : proverbiality as characteristic of equivocal communication at the East African coast , by Rose Marie Beck, in Journal of African Cultural Studies (2005)

• Expanding the Swahili vocabulary : newly adopted words in Swahili in the field of information and communication technology, by Malin Petzell (2005)

• The adaptation of Swahili loanwords from Arabic , by Leonard Chacha Mwita, in Journal of Pan African studies (2009)

• A brief lexico-semantic study of French and Kiswahili by Lester Mtwana Jao, in Mambo (2015)

• Epenthetic vowels in Swahili loanwords by Andrew Harvey, in Journal of linguistics and language in education (2014)

• Phonological and semantic change in language borrowing : the case of Arabic words borrowed into Kiswahili , by Mohamed Abdulmajid Akidah, in International journal of education and research (2013)

• Historical inferences from Swahili etymologies par Thilo Schadeberg, in Unwritten testimonies of the African past (1989)

• Lugha ya mitaani in Tanzania : the poetics and sociology of a young urban style of speaking , with a dictionary comprising 1100 words and phrases, by Uta Reuster-Jahn & Roland Kießling, in Swahili Forum (2006)

• Swahili toponymy of past towns on the East African coast : "What's in a name?" , by Monika Baumanova & Rosanna Tramutoli, in Kervan (2022)

• University of Kansas : Swahili course

• Kiko : pronunciation & grammar (University of Georgia)

• Swahili course (+ video)

• Verbix : verb conjugation & Swahili-English translation

• Andika : Latin <> Arabic scripts of the Swahili language, online conversion

• The Swahili language and its early history , by Martin Walsh, in The Swahili world (2018)

• Swahili colloquial , course for beginners (2003)

• Swahili learners' reference grammar by Katrina Daly Thompson & Antonia Folárin Schleicher (2001)

• Swahili basic course , Foreign Service Institute (1968) (+ audio)

• Swahili language handbook by Edgar Polomé (1967)

• Swahili vowel harmony by Lutz Marten, in Working papers in linguistics and phonetics (1996)

• Noun classification in Swahili by Ellen Contini-Morava, University of Virginia

• The formation and syntax of contractions in Kiswahili with special emphasis on noun-possessive combination , by Titus Mpemba, in Journal of linguistics and language in education (2015)

• Swahili Forum : Journal for Swahili studies (since 1994)

• Swahili grammar and vocabulary by F. Burt (1910)

• A Handbook of the Swahili language , as spoken at Zanzibar , by Edward Steere, revised by Arthur Cornwallis Madan (1894)

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• Grammar of dialectic changes in the Kiswahili language by Chauncy Hugh Stigand (1915)

• Inkishafi : poem & translation into English, by William Ernest Taylor

• Aids to the study of Ki-Swahili by Mervyn Beech (1918)

• Grammaire kiswahili : Swahili grammar, by Henri Delaunay (1927)

• Grammaire des dialectes swahilis : grammar of the Swahili dialects, by Charles Sacleux (1909)

• Die syntaktischen Verhältnisse des Suaheli (syntax of Swahili) by Wilhelm Planert (1907)

• Suahili Konversations-Grammatik : Swahili grammar, by August Seidel (1900)

• Suaheli Handbuch (Swahili handbook) by Walter von Saint Paul Illaire (1890)

• The metrolingual use of Swahili in urban Ugandan landscapes and everyday conversation by Nico Nassenstein, in Multilingualism in the global South (2016)

• Mombasa's Swahili-based "Coasti slang" in a super-diverse space : languages in contact on the beach , by Nico Nassenstein, in African study monographs (2016)

• books & papers about the Swahili language: Google books | Internet archive | Academia | Wikipedia

• Youtube : 101 Swahili : vocabulary, common phrases, Swahili songs with lyrics and translation

• Mwananchi : newspaper (Tanzania)

• BBC - VOA - RFI - DW : news in Swahili

• Language and popular culture in Africa : texts in Swahili (popular culture) with translation into English or French

• LyrikLine : poems in Swahili, with translation (+ audio)

• Swahili-literatur : narratives in Swahili with translation into German

• A Shaba Swahili life history : text, translation and comments , by Jan Blommaert (2014)

• Mythical and archetypal images of the hero in Swahili literature : more than just warriors , by Graziella Acquaviva, in Kervan (2019)

• Identity and memory in Swahili war verses : the long road to an East African self (2019)

• Immagini e metafore vegetali nella poesia swahili  : dal seme alla pianta (Vegetal images and metaphors in Swahili poetry) (2016)

• Ritual practices, hypnotic suggestions and trance-like states in Swahili written literature , by Cristina Nicolini, in Kervan (2021)

• studies about the Swahili literature, by Xavier Garnier

• Le kiswahili entre Afrique, orient et occident  : quelle littérature pour une langue désancrée ? (2011)

• Traduire le swahili en français  : à propos de Nagona et Mzingile d'Euphrase Kezilahabi , in Études littéraires africaines (2012)

• La poésie orale swahili manganja by Pascal Bacuez, in Cahiers d'études africaines (2000) Swahili texts & translation into French

• Figures du politique en Afrique  : comment prendre en compte la littérature d'expression swahilie , by Mathieu Roy & Charles Mnyampala (2010)

• Mathias Mnyampala (1917-1969) : poésie d'expression swahilie et construction nationale tanzanienne , by Mathieu Roy, thesis (2013)

• Introduction au Diwani ya Mnyampala (Mathias Mnyampala's anthology) (2007)

• Poésie et philosophie d'expression swahilie en Tanzanie  : vision et transformation du monde dans le Diwani de Mathias Mnyampala , in Les Cahiers d'Afrique de l'Est (2012)

• Elisi katika nchi ya ajabu : translation into Swahili of the Lewis Carroll's book, Alice's adventures in wonderland (1940)

• Swahili tales as told by natives of Zanzibar , with translation into English, by Edward Steer (1870)

• Prosa und Poesie der Suaheli : Swahili prose and poetry, with translation into German, by Carl Velten (1907)

• Märchen und Erzählungen der Suaheli : Swahili tales & stories & translation into German (1898)

• Anthologie aus der Suaheli-litteratur : anthology of the Swahili literature & translation into German, by Carl Gotthilf Büttner (1894)

• BibleGateway : Biblia Takatifu , translation of the New Testament into Tanzanian Swahili (+ audio)

• Biblica : Biblia Takatifu , translation of the New Testament into Tanzanian Swahili (+ audio)

• WordProject : translation of the Bible into Tanzanian Swahili (+ audio)

• YouVersion : Biblia Habari Njema (1996)

Watu wote wamezaliwa huru, hadhi na haki zao ni sawa. Wote wamejaliwa akili na dhamiri, hivyo yapasa watendeane kindugu.

• Umoja wa mataifa ofisi ya idara ya habari taarifa ya ulimwengu juu ya haki za binadamu : translation into Swahili (+ audio)

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Presentation meaning in Swahili

Presentation meaning in Swahili. Here you learn English to Swahili translation / English to Swahili dictionary of the word ' Presentation ' and also play quiz in Swahili words starting with P also play A-Z dictionary quiz . To learn Swahili language , common vocabulary and grammar are the important sections. Common Vocabulary contains common words that we can used in daily life. This way to learn Swahili language quickly and learn daily use sentences helps to improve your Swahili language. If you think too hard to learn Swahili language, 1000 words will helps to learn Swahili language easily, they contain 2-letter words to 13-letter words. Below you see how to say Presentation in Swahili.

How to say 'Presentation' in Swahili

uwasilishaji

Learn also: Presentation in different languages

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Top 1000 swahili words.

Here you learn top 1000 Swahili words, that is separated into sections to learn easily (Simple words, Easy words, Medium words, Hard Words, Advanced Words). These words are very important in daily life conversations, basic level words are very helpful for beginners. All words have Swahili meanings with transliteration.

Daily use Swahili Sentences

Here you learn top Swahili sentences, these sentences are very important in daily life conversations, and basic-level sentences are very helpful for beginners. All sentences have Swahili meanings with transliteration.

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How To Say ‘Hello’ in Swahili, and Other Swahili Greetings!

So, you’re heading for Kenya to travel or work. Awesome! You’re in for an amazing adventure! It’s a beautiful country, steeped in a rich culture that may be very unlike your own.

However, showing respect to the locals is a big deal in every country around the world. A respectful manner and attitude could open doors for you that would otherwise remain mystifyingly closed. Aside from just knowing ‘Thank you’ in Swahili , greeting someone correctly in Swahili could incline a local to treat you more favorably than otherwise! So, the clever thing to do would be to learn Swahili greetings before you embark on your journey. Swahili greetings are different from other languages and probably not what you’d expect. But if learning how to say ‘Hello!’ in Swahili in easy and fun ways is important to you, you’ve come to the right place at SwahiliPod101 .

1. Must-Know Swahili Greetings

Start straight away with this greeting lesson. It’s short, but it packs a punch!

This short, but powerful lesson teaches you the basic ways to greet someone correctly in Swahili! At SwahiliPod101, you will be taught the correct pronunciation and intonation, as well as the correct times to greet in Swahili. And you will have fun!

The focus of this lesson is greetings in Swahili

Topic 1: How to greet when meeting

Sentence from the lesson: Habari! “Hello!”

It is the most commonly used informal greeting. Habari means “hi” or “hello.” We use it when we meet people. We can use this greeting with friends or relatives, but also with people we don’t know. And the formal way of greeting people is Shikamoo! During the evening we say: Habari ya jioni! Jioni is Swahili for “evening,” so Habari ya jioni means “good evening.” Habari and Habari ya jioni are used when we meet someone, but when we leave, we don’t say these greetings again.

Topic 2: How to use parting expressions

Sentence from the lesson: Kwaheri. “Goodbye.”

Kwaheri means “good-bye.” Finally, in Swahili we have an expression meaning “see you soon” that can be considered both formal and informal: Tuonane tena.

Language Tip

In formal situations, Kenyans commonly greet each other by shaking hands. But, if we meet someone we are very friendly with, we hug each other. Don’t be afraid to do it with your Kenyan friends—it’s normal!

2. Common Ways to Say Hello in Swahili

Standing at the airport in a foreign country for the first time can be a somewhat scary experience for anyone, especially if you need assistance. However, don’t worry – at SwahiliPod101 we teach you how to quickly get a local’s attention with friendly, correct Swahili greetings! You are more likely to get helped this way.

Here is our Swahili greetings list of all the general ways to address a person upon meeting. It is tailored for formal and informal situations.

1- Good morning.

Habari za asubuhi.

‘Good morning’ in Swahili is acceptable any time between approximately 5:30am and 12:00pm, when the day is still young. And smile – it’s the universal ice-breaker!

2- Good evening

Habari za jioni.

This greeting is one you would use casually when night begins to fall. Address your friends, close family or close acquaintances, and those who are not your superiors, with this phrase.

3- How are you?

U hali gani?

Show your friendly interest in another person’s well-being by asking this question. This is the casual greeting form that you would use with your friends and family. For the sake of the friendship, it would be good to listen carefully to the answer! It shows caring and selflessness on your part.

4- How have you been?

Umeshindaje?

This is a good question to ask someone you have not seen for a while. The inference is that some catching-up is needed!

5- What’s up?

An universally informal and energetic way to greet your friends or equals! Literally, it means ‘What’s going on in your life?’, yet often no answer is expected. It’s just a greeting! Crazy, right?!

6- Long time no see.

Siku nyingi sijakuona.

This phrase means is another greeting comment that means “I have not seen you for a while!” Often, no response is expected, except to reciprocate.

This is a friendly exclamation to greet your friends or equals with. Reserve its use more for people you see regularly!

8- Good afternoon.

Habari za mchana.

‘Good afternoon’ in Swahili is an informal greeting and is used during the second part of the day. The appropriate period falls, in most cultures, from 12:00am till sunset.

9- How’s it going?

Unaendelea aje?

This greeting phrase basically means the same as ‘How are things progressing?’, ‘How are things going in your life?’ or even ‘What’s up?’ Depending on the friendship, a lengthy answer is not always expected.

10- It’s nice to see you again.

Ni vizuri kukuona tena.

This friendly, welcoming phrase is best used after greeting someone you have not seen for a while. If you mean it, you will make the person feel special! This is a good thing to say to make someone feel welcome in Swahili.

11- How’s everything?

Kila kitu kiko vipi?

This is a variation of ‘How’s it going?’ Use casually with your equals or close acquaintances.

12- How’s your day?

Siku yako imekuaje?

Ask this when you’re speaking to your Swahili friend during the day. It’s a friendly phrase to start a conversation with.

Yo! is English slang and a universal greeting popular among young men of most nationalities. Rather don’t answer the phone with this, unless you know your caller well!

Suitable for use in most settings, situations and persons, this is an important Swahili greeting to know. Be sure to master this word first at SwahiliPod101!

15- It’s nice to meet you.

Ni vyema kukutana na wewe.

When meeting someone for the first time, this is a polite and friendly way to welcome them. It means you are happy to make their acquaintance.

3. Why Should You Choose SwahiliPod101 To Learn How To Greet In Swahili?

Online learning systems abound, and it’s not easy to know which one will suit your needs best. This means you have to be careful and select a system with a good reputation, and that has proven longevity. SwahiliPod101, which is part of InnovativeLearning.com , ticks all the boxes! With millions of lesson downloads and over a decade of teaching, we can say with confidence that this is one of the best language learning systems on the web. Why is it such an excellent system? Let us count the ways…

1- Video Presentations with Native Speakers

Friendly native Swahili speakers guide you step-by-step through the process of learning vocabulary, phrases and much more. They demonstrate correct pronunciation and emphasis of the words, so as to ensure that you speak like a native when you’re done! Watching the enthusiastic tutors makes not only for a pleasant and more personal experience – it also allows you to copy mouth and lip movements. It’s like learning from your own Swahili friend in your own home!

2- Superb Flexibility with 24/7 Access to Learning Material – Anywhere and on Any Device connected to the Internet!

PC, Android, iPhone, iPad, laptop, even TV – whatever device you prefer! Go online with our FREE app to do your lessons, no matter where you are or which device you are using. All you need is a good internet connection to log on and learn to speak Swahili at your own pace, in your own place!

3- Pronunciation Tool Ensures You Really Speak Swahili!

In any language, correct pronunciation is often crucial. The nuances in language require this, or you could find yourself saying things you don’t mean. You will find our Pronunciation Tool invaluable to wrap your mouth around the correct way to greet in Swahili!

4- Our Content is Always New and Dynamic

Every week, new audio and video lessons are uploaded, so as to keep our promise that learning Swahili with SwahiliPod101 is always fun and exciting! In addition, you will get access to bonus material and basic Swahili phrases . These are a fantastic way to build your comprehension and speaking skills!

5- Need to Fast Track your Learning? We Have the Solution!

Most learning activities are more fun when you’re not doing them alone. For this reason we developed Premium PLUS , which gives you a personal tutor – 24/7! Also, this way you’re likely to learn to speak Swahili much faster!

So, if our lively Swahili blog is not enough for you, just upgrade to Premium PLUS to get your very own teacher. Personalised goals and lessons based on your needs, assessment of your progress, non-stop feedback and many other super features makes this a very attractive option.

Say ‘Hello’ to a wonderful, exciting way to learn another language, and learn how to say ‘Hello’ in Swahili in no time! You will be very happy you did!

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Useful Swahili phrases

A collection of useful phrases in Swahili, a Bantu language spoken in much of east Africa by about 140 million people.

Jump to phrases

See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder . If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me .

Key to abbreviations: sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person), inf = informal

Corrections, recordings and translations from Ylanne Sorrows, Rushomesa Remigius, Dwayne Panzeter, Corona Cermak and EasySwahili

Download all the audio files (Zip format, 2MB)

If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me .

Information about Swahili | Phrases | Numbers | Time | Tower of Babel | Books about Swahili on: Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk [affilate links]

Other collections of Swahili phrases http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/swahili/guide/phrases.shtml http://www.glcom.com/hassan/lessons/useful_swahili_words.html http://goafrica.about.com/od/peopleandculture/a/swahili.htm http://wikitravel.org/en/Swahili_phrasebook https://www.easyswahili.com/2016/

Learn Swahili: For Beginners and Travellers

by G. O. Oyoo

- includes details of the Swahili alphabet and pronunciation; a guide to Swahili pronouns, sentence structure and sentence construction; useful words and phrases in various scenarios, and an English-Swahili dictionary.

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Phrases in Bantu languages

Bemba , Chichewa , Chokwe , Duala , Herero , Kikuyu , Kinyarwanda , Lingala , Lozi , Luganda , Ndebele (Northern - South Africa) , Ndebele (Northern - Zimbabwe) , Ndebele (Southern) Nkore , Northern Sotho , Oshiwambo , Shona , Southern Sotho (seSotho) , Swahili , Swati , Tsonga , Tswana , Tumbuka , Umbundu , Venda , Xhosa , Zulu

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Kasi ya sauti

Kutafsiri maandishi, matini chanzo, matokeo ya tafsiri, kutafsiri hati, buruta na udondoshe.

Tafsiri ya tovuti

Kutafsiri picha, imehifadhiwa.

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.

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.

There are basically five ways to say hello in Swahili:

• Hujambo or jambo (how are you?) – Sijambo (seeJAmbo) (I am fine / no worries)
• Habari? (any news?) – nzuri (nZOOree) (fine)
• U hali gani? (oo HAlee GAnee) (how are you) – njema (fine)
• Shikamoo (a young person to an elder) – marahaba
• 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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Home » Articles » Hello in Swahili – “Habari?” and 14 More Swahili Greetings (and Their Response!)

Full disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. ?

written by Kelsey Lechner

Reading time: 12 minutes

Published: May 23, 2022

Updated: May 27, 2022

Hello in Swahili – “Habari?” and 14 More Swahili Greetings (and Their Response!)

What if I told you there is no exact translation for “hello” in Swahili, and yet there are dozens of ways to greet people?

When you’re learning a new language, one of the first things you’ll want to know is how to say “hello.” Salutations are an essential part of the  Swahili language and culture , and Swahili is so rich in different types of hellos that conversations of greetings can continue for minutes.

Whether you are planning a trip to Tanzania or Kenya or just want to impress a friend, here are some of the most common “hello” phrases to help you sound like a native Swahili speaker!

Table of contents

• 6. Inakuwaje?
• 7. Unaendeleaje?
• 8. Umeamkaje?
• 9.Umeshindaje?

Beyond the Standard Responses

• 10. Hujambo?
• 11. Shikamoo
• 12. Salaam Alaikum
• 14. Habari za Siku Nyingi?
• 15. Pole na Kazi

Example Dialogue 1: Between Friends

Example dialogue 2: between a younger and older neighbor, “hello” in swahili, say “hello” in swahili to your friends: colloquial swahili greetings.

Swahili values friendliness. It’s important to learn the most common colloquial phrases to avoid sounding stiff.

Nearly all of the colloquial greetings are actually questions that require a certain response from the listener.

I will give you the most standard response for each set of questions, but also provide a section on words that can be flexibly applied as responses to any of the questions.

1.  Habari?

Habari  literally means “news”.

Habari  can be used in many different sentences, such as  Habari za asubuhi/mchana/jioni?  (literally “[What is] the news of the morning/afternoon/evening?”). This expresses how English speakers would say “good morning/afternoon/evening.”

You can add virtually any noun after  za , such as  kazi  (“work”) to ask “How’s work?” or  familia  (“family”) or  kwako  (“your place”) to ask “How’s your family?”

You will also hear  ya  instead of  za  (ex.  Habari ya asubuhi? ) with no change in meaning. Similarly  Habari yako/zako?  (“[What is] your news?”) as well. If you are asking two or more people, you would say  Habari yenu/zenu?  instead.

Habari  will sometimes be used alone (as just  Habari? ) or may be removed when a phrase trails after it, creating questions like  Za kwako?  and  Za jioni?

Standard response:  Nzuri

2.  Mambo?

Literally meaning “things” or “affairs,”  mambo  is the plural form of  jambo . It’s one of the most commonly used greetings in casual Swahili speech.

A quick note:  many foreigners will be told to greet people with  jambo , which was popularized by the hit song “Jambo Bwana.” However, you will almost never hear a native Swahili-speaking adult greeting other native speakers with  jambo . It’s mostly used just for tourists!

To sound like a local, use  mambo  instead.

Standard response:  Mazuri  or  poa  (“cool”)

3.  Vipi?

Vipi  literally means “how?” and can be used alone or in combination with another word or phrase. For example, you can pair it with  mambo  to become  Mambo vipi?  It’s as casual as “How’s it going?”

There is no particular standard reply, so you can respond with whatever you like from the section “Beyond the Standard Responses” below.

4.  Upo?

“You are [here]?” This is a contextual phrase that’s hard to translate literally and threw me off the first time I came across it. “Of course I’m here. You see me right here,” I thought.

However, I quickly realized this is another common greeting to ask how you are. It’s now one of my favorites for its simplicity and shortness!

It may also be used if the speaker hasn’t seen the listener for a bit.

If you are greeting two or more people, you will say  Mpo?  instead. You may also hear  -ko  replacing  -po  (resulting in  Uko? , etc.), although this is less common.

Standard response:  Nipo  (“I am” – for one person) or  tupo  (“we are” – for two or more people)

5.  Niambie

Niambie!  (“Tell me!”) This enthusiastic greeting is usually short for sentences like  niambie habari yako  (“tell me your news”). It’s not a question, but it’s still inquiring about how you are, usually between people who are already on friendly terms with each other.

You may also hear  sema  (“say”) used in the same way as  niambie  in this case.

There is no exact standard response, so you can say whatever you feel, such as  mzuri  (“good”),  niko poa  (“I’m cool”), or  sina jipya  (“I don’t have anything new”).

6.  Inakuwaje?

“How is it?” This is just about the same phrase as used in certain dialects of English.

7.  Unaendeleaje?

Unaendeleaje?  translates to “How have you been progressing?” It’s similar to the English “How have things been going?”

Although it is still fairly casual, it shows that you’re interested in the listener and their affairs on a deeper level than the greetings above. For this reason, you shouldn’t throw this phrase around quite as lightly to people you don’t know or are meeting for the first time.

You may also hear this as  Unaendelea vipi?  with  vipi  replacing the  je . This can also be applied to all of the phrases below ending in  je  with no change in meaning. If you are speaking to multiple people, say  Mnaendeleaje?

Standard response:  Ninaendelea vizuri  or simply  vizuri

8.  Umeamkaje?

This is a common way to greet someone you care about in the morning. Whereas English speakers ask, “How did you sleep?” Swahili speakers most commonly ask the question  Umeamkaje?  (“How did you wake up?”)

However, it is also possible to ask  Umelalaje  (“How did you sleep?”), although it is not used as frequently.

When greeting two or more people, use  Mmeamkaje?  instead.

Standard response:  Nimeamka vizuri,   vizuri,  or  salama  (“peaceful”)

9. Umeshindaje?

This phrase is pretty cool: “How have you won?” It’s similar to asking, “How was your day?”

Like the other phrases above, it is used to dig a little deeper. It is often used between friends, family, and community members. When asking this to multiple people, say  Mmeshindaje?

Standard response:  Nimeshinda vizuri  or simply  vizuri

You may have noticed that there is a vast array of different standard responses.

Swahili has over a dozen different noun classes  (somewhat comparable to genders in many European languages), and most nouns, verbs, and adjectives must match according to their class.

This is often thought to be the most difficult aspect of Swahili to get the hang of. This may seem daunting, but don’t worry: Here is a shortcut to have you mastering greetings in no time. There are a handful of responses that can be used for all of these greetings above that can be used regardless of noun class. They include (in descending order of slanginess):

• Salama  (“peaceful”)
• Safi  (“clean”)
• Poa  (“cool”)
• Freshi  (“fresh”)
• Shwari  (“calm”)

Therefore, when someone asks you,  Habari za asubuhi?  you can respond,  poa . When someone asks you,  Mambo?  you can respond,  poa . When someone asks you,  Upo?  you can respond,  nipo poa . And so on and so forth, with your choice of word from the list above, depending on how hip you want to seem.

The best part? Let me tell you.

Perhaps due to their near universal applicability, these are some of the most common responses you’ll hear in colloquial Swahili. They’re even more common than some of the standard responses.

Note that the older the other person is, the more likely they will stick to a phrase toward the top of the list, such as  salama  or the standard response.

Also, this list is not exhaustive. The responses include a vast array of  street slang that is ever evolving . While I was living in Tanzania, it seemed every month I learned a new slang response, like  mzuka  or  bie .These vary depending on what part of the Swahili-speaking world you are in or where the person you are talking to is from.

You can also strengthen any of the responses with  sana  (“very”),  kabisa  (“totally”), or  tu  (“just”). You can respond to greetings with phrases such as  nzuri sana,   nipo kabisa,  or  salama tu .

Keep in mind that even if you’re not doing well or feeling fine, you should generally still respond in a positive manner to Swahili greetings. Usually, people don’t say, “Bad” when asked, “How are you?”

If you are close with the other person and prefer to be honest on a rough day, you can express this with  siyo poa sana  (“I’m not very good”) or  hivyo hivyo tu  (“Just okay”).

Polite Greetings

Learning polite and formal Swahili is equally important as learning the colloquialisms.

There will be times when you want to be perceived as proper and showing respect, and here are the best ways to do so. Luckily in these cases, the standard responses are the only responses possible.

10.  Hujambo?

This greeting has roots in the word  jambo  introduced above and is a mildly formal way to greet someone. It’s more similar to “hello” than the colloquial “hi” in English.

The equivalent when speaking to multiple people is  Hamjambo?  This is often used when talking to strangers you don’t want to sound too casual with, when giving a speech, or when an older person greets a younger person.

Standard response:  Sijambo  (for one person) or  hatujambo  (for two or more people)

11.  Shikamoo

Swahili culture holds age and status in high regard. When you greet someone significantly older or with more authority than you, you are expected to show respect by using  shikamoo .

A child may use this toward an adult, a student toward a teacher, a young adult to an elderly neighbor, a citizen to an elected official, an employee to a boss, etc.

If you are greeting a group of people you want to show respect to, you can make this word plural by saying  shikamooni .

Standard response:  Marahaba

12.  Salaam Alaikum

The Swahili-speaking world is religiously diverse, and especially if you are in a predominantly Muslim area such as Zanzibar you will not want to miss using  Salaam Alaikum .

Literally meaning “Peace be upon you,” this is a  common greeting across the Islamic world , and you may find it spelled a few different ways in Swahili (such as  salam aleikum  or  a-salamu alaykum ).

Even if you are in a predominantly Christian area, if you know the listener is Muslim, feel free to use this phrase.

Standard response:  Walaikum assalam

Other Greetings

We’ve covered the most universally applicable phrases, but there are still a handful of greetings for specific situations we haven’t gotten to yet.

Check them out below!

13.  Hodi

Use  hodi  when you are entering someone’s home or room. It’s the English equivalent of saying, “knock knock,” or “Hello, anyone home?” You can also repeat the word twice with no change in meaning, so you can also say  hodi hodi .

If you are the listener, respond with “welcome”:  karibu  (to one person) or  karibuni  (to two or more people).

14.  Habari za Siku Nyingi?

Habari za Siku Nyingi?  is a Swahili version of “long time, no see,” and literally means, “What’s the news of many days?” The response would be the same as the other  habari  expressions in the first part of this article.

You may also be greeted with  siku nyingi sijakuona,  (“Many days I have not seen you.”). If you’re very close with the other person, you can almost jokingly accuse them with  Mbona huonekani?  (“Why don’t you appear?”).

There’s no standard response, and you can just greet the person back however you like.

15.  Pole na Kazi

Pole  is a quintessential Swahili word. It can mean anything from “sorry” to “slow,” and as we saw above,  kazi  means “work.”

This expression can be used when greeting someone who has been exerting effort at work or who has returned from their workplace, for example. It shows you appreciate that someone has worked hard– almost identical to  otsukaresama  in Japanese .

If you want to show your appreciation to the listener that they have also been working hard, you can respond with  pole na wewe  (“You too”) or otherwise simply  asante  (“Thank you”).

Sample Conversation

As I mentioned at the beginning, greetings in Swahili are so important that they can go on for several lines of dialogue. It’s actually quite rude to jump straight to the point without asking someone how they (and possibly their entire family) are doing first!

Here are two examples of dialogues showing how people may actually greet each other in Swahili (and in fact, may go on for much longer!)

Note that the second person uses a different greeting from the first.

A:  Upo? B:  Nipo. Mambo poa? A:  Mambo poa kabisa. Habari za familia? B:  Nzuri sana. Za kwako? A:  Salama tu.

A:  Shikamoo. B:  Marahaba. Hujambo? A:  Sijambo, asante. Habari za mchana? B:  Safi sana. Habari za kazi? A:  Habari za kazi nzuri.

There you have it! 15 greetings to use in Swahili.

Don’t worry if you can’t remember all of these phrases right now. If you are just starting out on your Swahili language journey, I recommend you choose just a couple of phrases. Use them until you get the hang of them.

If you are more experienced, try testing out a new greeting every now and then.

Tanzanians, Kenyans, and others from the Swahili-speaking world are incredibly welcoming people and will happily greet you in their language, so you’ll become a greeting master in no time!

Kelsey Lechner

Translator, teacher, interpreter

Kelsey is a writer, translator, and educator. She is an avid lover of dance, dogs, and tea. LinkedIn | Contently

Speaks: English, Japanese, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Swahili, Bengali

Vatican releases new norms on alleged supernatural phenomena

By Vatican News

A new document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published on Friday, May 17, has updated the norms for discerning alleged supernatural phenomena . The norms come into force on Sunday, May 19, the feast of Pentecost.

The document is preceded by a detailed presentation by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery, followed by an introduction and six possible conclusions. The procedure allows for faster decisions while respecting popular devotion.

As a rule, the Church’s authority will no longer be engaged to officially define the supernatural nature of a phenomenon, a process that can require large amounts time to thoroughly study an event.

Another new norm involves the explicit involvement of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which must approve the local bishop’s final decision and which has the authority to intervene motu proprio at any time.

Many cases in recent decades have involved the former Holy Office, even when individual bishops have expressed themselves. However, the interventions have usually remained behind the scenes and were never made public.

The Dicastery’s new explicit involvement also relates to the difficulty in circumscribing phenomena, which in some cases reach national and even global dimensions, “meaning that a decision made in one Diocese has consequences also elsewhere.”

Reasons for the new norms

The document originates from the long experience of the last century, which saw cases where the local bishop (or bishops of a region) rapidly declared a phenomenon’s supernatural nature, only for the Holy Office to express a different decision later. Other cases involved a bishop saying one thing and his successor deciding the opposite (regarding the same phenomenon).

Each event also required lengthy discernment periods to evaluate all elements in order to reach a decision on the supernatural nature or non-supernatural nature of the phenomena. These time periods sometimes contrasted with the urgency to give pastoral responses for the good of the faithful.

The Dicastery began revising the norms in 2019, leading to the current text approved by Pope Francis on May 4.

Spiritual fruits and risks

In his presentation, Cardinal Fernández explains that, “many times, these events have led to a great richness of spiritual fruits, growth in faith, devotion, fraternity, and service. In some cases, they have given rise to shrines throughout the world that are at the heart of many people’s popular piety today.”

However, there is also the possibility that “in some events of alleged supernatural origin,” serious issues that harm the faithful may arise. These include cases where from the alleged phenomena, “profit, power, fame, social recognition, or other personal interest” (II, Art. 15, 4°) are derived, even to the point of “exerting control over people or carrying out abuses (II, Art. 16).”

There may be “doctrinal errors, an oversimplification of the Gospel message, or the spread of a sectarian mentality.” There is the possibility of believers “being misled by an event that is attributed to a divine initiative but is merely the product of someone’s imagination, desire for novelty, tendency to fabricate falsehoods (mythomania), or inclination toward lying.”

General guidelines

According to the new norms, the Church will exercise her duties of discernment, based on the following:

“(a) whether signs of a divine action can be ascertained in phenomena that are alleged to be of supernatural origin; (b) whether there is anything that conflicts with faith and morals in the writings or messages of those involved in the alleged phenomena in question; (c) whether it is permissible to appreciate their spiritual fruits, whether they need to be purified from problematic elements, or whether the faithful should be warned about potential risks; (d) whether it is advisable for the competent ecclesiastical authority to realize their pastoral value” (I, 10).

However, “it is not foreseen in these Norms that ecclesiastical authority would give a positive recognition of the divine origin of alleged supernatural phenomena” (I, 11).

Therefore, as a rule, “neither the Diocesan Bishop, nor the Episcopal Conferences, nor the Dicastery will declare that these phenomena are of supernatural origin, even if a Nihil obstat is granted. It remains true, however, that the Holy Father can authorize a special procedure in this regard” (I, 23).

Possible conclusions regarding an alleged phenomenon

The discernment of an alleged supernatural phenomenon may reach the following six conclusions.

- Nihil Obstat : Without expressing any certainty about the supernatural authenticity of the phenomenon itself, many signs of the action of the Holy Spirit are acknowledged. The bishop is encouraged to appreciate the pastoral value and promote the dissemination of the phenomenon, including pilgrimages;

- Prae oculis habeatur : Although important positive signs are recognized, some aspects of confusion or potential risks are also perceived that require the diocesan bishop to engage in a careful discernment and dialogue with the recipients of a given spiritual experience. If there were writings or messages, doctrinal clarification might be necessary;

- Curatur : Various or significant critical elements are noted, but the phenomenon is already spread widely, and verifiable spiritual fruits are connected to it. Therefore, a ban that could upset the faithful is not recommended, but the local bishop is advised not to encourage the phenomenon;

- Sub mandato : The critical issues are not connected to the phenomenon itself but to its improper use by people or groups, such as undue financial gain or immoral acts. The Holy See entrusts the pastoral leadership of the specific place to the diocesan bishop or a delegate;

- Prohibetur et obstruatur : Despite various positive elements, the critical issues and risks associated with this phenomenon appear to be very serious. The Dicastery asks the local bishop to offer a catechesis that can help the faithful understand the reasons for the decision and reorient their legitimate spiritual concerns;

- Declaratio de non supernaturalitate : The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith authorizes the local bishop to declare that the phenomenon is found to be not supernatural based on concrete facts and evidence, such as the confession of an alleged visionary or credible testimonies of fabrication of the phenomenon.

Procedures to follow

The new norms then indicate the procedures to be implemented. It is up to the diocesan bishop to examine cases and submit their judgment to the Dicastery for approval. The bishop is asked to refrain from making public declarations about the authenticity or supernatural nature and to ensure there is no confusion or sensationalism.

If the elements of the case “seem sufficient,” the diocesan bishop will then set up an investigative commission, which should include at least one theologian, one canonist, and an expert chosen based on the nature of the phenomenon.

Positive and negative criteria

The document lays out several positive criteria to evaluate the alleged supernatural phenomenon.

These include: “the credibility and good reputation of the persons who claim to be recipients of supernatural events or to be directly involved in them, as well as the reputation of the witnesses who have been heard...; the doctrinal orthodoxy of the phenomenon and any messages related to it; the unpredictable nature of the phenomenon, by which it is evident that it is not the result of the initiative of the people involved; and, fruits of the Christian life” (II, 14).

The negative criteria involve: “the possibility of a manifest error about the event; potential doctrinal errors...; a sectarian spirit that breeds division in the Church; an overt pursuit of profit, power, fame, social recognition, or other personal interest closely linked to the event; gravely immoral actions…; psychological alterations or psychopathic tendencies in the person that may have exerted an influence on the alleged supernatural event; and, any psychosis, collective hysteria, and other elements traceable to a pathological context” (II, 15).

Finally, “the use of purported supernatural experiences or recognized mystical elements as a means of or a pretext for exerting control over people or carrying out abuses” (II, 16) is considered of particular moral gravity.

Regardless of the final approved determination, the diocesan bishop “must continue to watch over the phenomenon and the people involved, exercising his ordinary power” (II, 24).

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Swahili Greetings

The culture of greetings.

• Greetings are a large part of Swahili culture and communication. They can seem more elaborate and elongated than we are used to in English. For example, you might be asked how you are in several respects before conversation starts to flow in another direction.
• Very important to have proper greeting etiquette, especially in Tanzania or the more conservative Zanzibar.
• Greetings differ depending on the age and status of the person you are addressing.
• Answer and then ask your greeting question in an appropriate manner, indicative of respect.

FORMAL: GREETING YOUR ELDERS, PEOPLE IN HIGH(ER) POSITIONS

• Greeting: Shikamoo
• Directed at a group of people: Shikamooni
• It elicits the response: Marahaba
• Hujambo : How are you; more closely translates do “do you have any worries?”
• Sijambo indicates “I have no worries//I am ok.”
• If you are the person of a higher status: to ask a group of people how you all are doing, you would say:  “ Hamjambo?” The response would be “Hatujambo.”
• Habari is a version of “how are you,” that more explicitly translates to “news”;
• In terms of respect, it holds a neutral tone and can be directed at anyone.
• Habari zako? (how are you?)
• Habari za asubuhi/mchana/jioni/usiku? (How is the morning/afternoon/evening/night?)
• Habari za kutwa? (How is the whole day?)
• Habari za wiki/wikiendi? (How is/was the week/weekend?)
• … za mama, baba, dada, kaka, ndugu, rafiki (mom, dad, sister, brother, comrades, friends)
• …za nyumbani/chuoni/shuleni (..at home/at the university/at school)

ANSWERING HABARI

• Nzuri (good)
• Salama (peace, calm)
• Sawa (Okay)
• Njema (good/pleasant)
• Vyema (good/pleasant)

It’s not as common to respond with a “not good,” regardless of the circumstances in initial greetings. If you’re awful, a sawa tu (just ok) will suffice.

GOOD MORNING!

• Asubuhi njema !

COLLOQUIAL GREETINGS

• Colloquial, or “street” greetings are exchanged with peers.
• Mambo vipi ? This is one you will hear most often. The words can be put together, or asked by themselves. I.e., mambo or vipi . It means more or less “what’s up?” Vipi also means “how” but has been encompassed into greetings.
• Niaje ? (What’s up/how’s it going?)
• Unaendelaje ? (How’s it going? – more directly, how are you going?)
• Sema ? (Speak? – say what’s on your mind/the news/etc.)

You can add kaka (brother) or dada (sister) to these greetings. Vipi kaka ? Sema dada ?

Kaka and Dada are used commonly. In the Swahili language, familial words are exchanged as terms of endearment. A friend could be your brother/sister, as could a stranger. It is friendly, respectful, and welcoming to use these as much as you’d like (with peers)!

RESPONDING TO INFORMAL GREETINGS

• Poa – cool
• Safi – clean
• Bomba – coming from the English phrase “the bomb.”
• Freshi – fresh (English influenced)
• Or with any of the answers to habari ?

IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE…

• Announce your presence with “ Hodi !” It said with inflection like and means “Knock knock!”
• Greeting/invitation to enter is karibu (welcome) or karibu ndani (welcome inside).
• To thank more than one person you say asanteni

OTHER GREETINGS

• Greeting: Salaamaleikum ; Response: Aleikumsalama
• Greeting: Upo ? (you there?); Response: Nipo ! (I’m here!)
• Greeting: Uko salama ? (are you safe?; Response:  Niko salama ! (I am safe!)

POLE…

• Pole is used throughout conversation; however, you might hear it in an initial greeting if you have an apparent ailment/hardship
• Pole is an expression of sympathy.
• To express sympathy to multiple people, you say poleni.
• Usiku mwema (goodnight)
• Ndoto njema (sweet dreams)
• Lala salama (sleep peacefully)
• Kwa heri! (Bye!)
• Tuonane kesho (See you tomorrow)
• Tutaonana (We will see eachother)
• Mpaka badaaye (Until later)
• Badaaye (Later)

Resources for Self-Instructional Learners of Less Commonly Taught Languages Copyright © by University of Wisconsin-Madison Students in African 671 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Dictionary Swahili - English

Translations from dictionary swahili - english, definitions, grammar.

In Glosbe you will find translations from Swahili into English coming from various sources. The translations are sorted from the most common to the less popular. We make every effort to ensure that each expression has definitions or information about the inflection.

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