Important Swahili
jambo --
hello
habari? -- h
ow are you?
mzuri --
good/fine
mzuri sana --
very good/fine
asante --
thank you
asante sana --
thank you very much
kwaheri --
goodbye
mzungu --
white person
wazungu --
white people
nyama --
meat
nyama ngombe --
beef
mboga --
vegetables
duka la dawa --
pharmacy
Slang:
mambo vipi? --
How are you?
poa --
fine/good/cool
poa k'chisi --
excellent / cool bananas! (literally "cool, like a crazy man")
salaam alekum --
hello (only in Zanzibar)
alekum salaam --
hello (response, also only in Zanzibar)
mzungu chisi --
"crazy white man". This is a good, self-deprecating thing to say whenever you want to get a laugh out of someone!
Maasai
(Not necessary, but will impress any Maasai that you meet)
supai --
hello (to male)
epa --
hello (response to supai)
tarkenya --
hello (to female)
ecco --
hello (response to tarkenya)
siddai --
good (all purpose response) This is a good all-purpose word to use to any question that you don't understand.
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