at the Beverly Hills Lingual Institute
Did you know?
Africa has more languages than any other continent.
Hujambo! The name 'Swahili' is derived from the Arabic word 'sawahel,' which means 'coasts.' Swahili, or Kiswahili, is the language of people of the coast of East Africa, and can also be found in Central Africa. The national language of Kenya and Tanzania, it is also spoken in Uganda, Burundi, the Central Africal Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Comoro Islands, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Northern Zambia. Swahili counts some 150 million speakers, most of whom speak it as a second language. It is the seventh most widely spoken language in the world.
Swahili was originally written in Arabic script, although it has since adopted Roman letters. It has Arabic roots and uses many African loanwords. An estimated 20-30 percent of Swahili words—like darasa (class, or 'dars' in Arabic)—can be traced to Arabic, including the words for 'yes' (naam) and 'no' (la). There are also influences from English: the word for computer is kompyuta; radio is redio; television is televisheni; machine is mashine; bicycle is baisikeli; aeroplane is eropleni; police is polisi, and pencil is penseli.
Safari (journey) is a Swahili word, as is jenga (to build).
Swahili also counts Persian/ Farsi, Portuguese, German, and French influences. The word meza ('mesa,' in Portuguese) means 'table'; mvinyo ('wine') is borrowed from the Portuguese word 'vinyo,' and shule (from the German) means 'school.'
Hakuna Matata: 'No problems or worries.' Made famous by Disney's The Lion King (1994), it comes from two words: Hakuna (there is no) and Matata (worries or problems). Simba, the name of the main character, is simply the Swahili word for 'lion.' Among other names in the movie, Mufasa means 'king'; Taka, 'trash' or 'garbage'; Nala, 'beloved' or 'gift'; Sarabi, 'mirage'; Rafiki, 'friend'; Pumbaa or Pumbavu, 'foolish, stupid, or weak-minded,' and Shenzi, 'savage' or 'foolish.'
Common
Yes.
No.
Thank you.
Thank you. (to one person)
Thank you very much.
You're welcome.
How do you say… in Kiswahili?
Please help me with…
How will I get to ...?
How much is the fare?
Where are you from?
What did she say?
What is your name?
My name is…
What about you?
How are you?
I am well.
I am very well.
Hello.
Hello friend.
Hello everyone.
Nice to meet you.
I am from…
Goodnight.
Goodbye.
Ndiyo/ Naam.
Hapan/ La.
Asante.
Asanteni.
Asante sana.
Unakaribishwa.
Unasemaje… katika Kiswahili?
Naomba…
Nitafikaje…?
Nauli ni ngapi?
Unatoka wapi?
Alisemaje?
Unaitwaje? / Jina lako nani?
Ninaitwa…
Na wewe je?
Habari gani? / Habari yako?
Sijamo/ Nzuri.
Nzuri sana.
Hujambo/ Jambo.
Jambo bwama.
Hamjambo.
Nafurahi kukuona.
Natoka…
Lala salama.
Kwa Heri.
![Learn [LANGUAGE] in Los Angeles](images/640x360/languages/swahili/african-girls-learning.jpg "Learn Swahili in Los Angeles")
In the nineteenth century, Bishop Steere of Zanzibar regarded Swahili as the key to understanding the culture of East Africa. By learning Swahili, one also learns the cultural values of the Swahili-speaking people.
Swahili is the lingua franca of East Africa, a region of the world with a growing economy and an important trading route connection. The ports of Mombasa (Kenya) and Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania) are strategically situated as the entry point to the otherwise landlocked East and Central Africa. Knowledge of Swahili improves your chances of developing a rapport with customers, and opens up investment opportunities in rapidly expanding startups in mining, petroleum, and touring.
Swahili belongs to a group of languages called 'Bantu' (of which Kiganda, Kikamba, Kikuyu, Kinyanja, Kichaga, Kiluba, Kishona, Kizulu, Kikongo, and Kiduala are also a part). One of the characteristics of the Bantu languages is lack of articles and gender (masculine, feminine, neuter). The nouns in these tongues are grouped into 'classes' that include animate and inanimate. Swahili regularly uses eight noun classes.
All Swahili words end in a vowel.