Swahili Phrases: Greetings, Sentences & Sayings for Everyday Life

Swahili phrases and sentences for everyday life: the greetings locals really use, words you’ll hear everywhere, market talk, sayings and the basics, with translation and context.

Swahili phrases are short expressions you use to greet, thank, apologise, say goodbye or simply keep a friendly conversation going. In East Africa they matter more than in many other places, because good manners in Swahili are mostly about how you greet and how you show respect.

That’s why a plain word list isn’t enough. In more than 20 years of learning languages, from Norwegian to Danish and French, I’ve found that the first ten seconds of a conversation decide whether people switch to English or stay in their own language with you. In Swahili, those ten seconds are the greeting. On this page you’ll find the most common Swahili phrases and sentences, and for the ones that matter most, the situation in which locals actually use them.

Swahili, or Kiswahili, has more than 200 million speakers according to the United Nations, from Kenya and Tanzania to Uganda and the eastern Congo. The phrases below are standard Swahili and understood throughout the region.

Swahili greetings: why “jambo” is only the beginning

If you’ve been on safari, you know jambo. Here’s what most phrase lists don’t tell you: locals mainly use jambo with tourists. Among themselves, Swahili speakers greet differently, and the way you greet says a lot about you.

Three things are typical for Swahili greeting culture:

• The greeting comes first, always. You don’t walk into a shop and ask for the price. You greet, ask how the person is, wait for the answer, and only then come to your question. Skipping the greeting is considered rude.
• The answer is always positive. To Habari? (literally “What news?”) you answer nzuri (good) or salama (peaceful), even on a bad day. If something is wrong, you say it afterwards: Nzuri, lakini… (Good, but…).
• Age matters. In Tanzania especially, younger people greet elders with Shikamoo, a sign of respect. The elder answers Marahaba. Use it with older people at your guesthouse or in a village and you’ll see faces light up.

Add the time of day and you have the classic greeting: Habari za asubuhi? (How is your morning?), Habari za mchana? (How is your afternoon?) or Habari za jioni? (How is your evening?). With younger people and friends, the greeting is short and casual: Mambo?, answered with Poa or Safi.

Greet someone in Swahili

These greetings cover almost every situation, from formal to street casual:

English	Swahili	When to use it
Welcome!	Karibu!	Everywhere: at the door, in shops, at the airport
How are you? (formal)	Hujambo?	Polite and correct, answer: Sijambo (I’m fine)
Hello (tourist version)	Jambo!	Understood everywhere, but mainly used with visitors
How are you? / What news?	Habari?	The standard greeting, answer: Nzuri or Salama
Good morning (how is your morning?)	Habari za asubuhi?	Until about noon
Good afternoon	Habari za mchana?	Around midday and afternoon
Good evening	Habari za jioni?	From late afternoon
What’s up?	Mambo? / Vipi?	Friends and young people, answer: Poa or Safi
My respects (to an elder)	Shikamoo	Younger to older person, answer: Marahaba
Have a good day!	Siku njema!	When leaving
I’m glad to see you.	Nimefurahi kukuona.	Meeting friends or acquaintances

If you are greeted in Swahili, the best way to respond is as follows:

English	Swahili	IPA
Good / Fine.	Nzuri. / Salama.	[ˈnzu.ɾi] / [saˈla.ma]
Have a nice day too!	Na wewe uwe na siku njema!	[na ˈwɛ.wɛ ˈu.wɛ na ˈsi.ku ˈɲd͡ʒɛ.ma]
Thanks, it’s nice to see you too.	Asante, nimefurahi kukuona pia.	[aˈsan.te ni.me.fuˈɾa.hi ku.kuˈɔ.na ˈpi.a]

How is my conversation partner?

After the greeting, it’s polite to ask how the other person is doing. Here’s how you do it:

English	Swahili	IPA
How are you doing?	Habari yako?	[haˈba.ɾi ˈja.ko]
Are you doing well?	Unaendelea vizuri?	[u.na.en.deˈle.a viˈzu.ɾi]
How is work?	Habari za kazi?	[haˈba.ɾi za ˈka.zi]

If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with the following phrases:

English	Swahili	IPA
Thank you for asking, I am fine.	Asante kwa kuuliza, niko salama.	[aˈsan.te kwa ku.uˈli.za ˈni.ko saˈla.ma]
Thank you, I am fine.	Asante, niko salama.	[aˈsan.te ˈni.ko saˈla.ma]
Thank you, I am not doing so well.	Asante, siko vizuri sana.	[aˈsan.te ˈsi.ko viˈzu.ɾi ˈsa.na]
Thanks, I’m fine. How are you doing?	Asante, niko salama. Habari yako?	[aˈsan.te ˈni.ko saˈla.ma | haˈba.ɾi ˈja.ko]

Pole, karibu and hakuna matata: words you’ll hear every day

Some Swahili words have no real English equivalent. You’ll hear them dozens of times a day in Kenya or Tanzania, and using them correctly makes you sound far less like a visitor.

• Pole means “I’m sorry for you” or “I feel with you”. It’s not an apology. People say it when you’re tired, ill, when you trip over a step or after a long journey: Pole na safari (sorry for the tiring trip). You answer simply Asante. Pole sana is the stronger version.
• Pole pole means “slowly, slowly”, and it’s more an attitude than a phrase. You’ll hear it from guides on Kilimanjaro and from anyone who thinks you’re in too much of a hurry. A well-known saying goes with it: Haraka haraka haina baraka, hurry hurry has no blessing.
• Karibu means welcome, but also “you’re welcome” after asante, and “come in” or “please, help yourself”. Karibu chakula is an invitation to share a meal. Karibu tena means “come again”.
• Hakuna matata is real Swahili for “no problems”, and yes, people say it. In everyday life, though, you’ll more often hear hakuna shida, hamna shida or hamna tatizo, all meaning “no problem”. Hakuna matata is said with a wink, especially around tourists.
• Sawa means “okay”, “fine” or “agreed”. Sawa sawa is “absolutely fine”. It’s one of the most useful words you can learn.
• Mzungu is what children may call out when they see you: “white person” or “foreigner”. It’s usually curious and friendly, not an insult. A smile and Mambo! is the best reply.

Swahili phrases and sentences you should know

How do I say goodbye to someone in Swahili?

Saying goodbye to a friend or stranger in Swahili is not that difficult. Just use the following phrases:

English	Swahili	IPA
Goodbye! (to one person)	Kwaheri!	[kwaˈhɛ.ɾi]
Goodbye! (to several people)	Kwaherini!	[kwa.hɛˈɾi.ni]
Take care of yourself!	Jitunze!	[d͡ʒiˈtun.ze]
See you tomorrow	Tutaonana kesho	[tu.ta.oˈna.na ˈkɛ.ʃo]
See you soon	Tutaonana hivi karibuni	[tu.ta.oˈna.na ˈhi.vi ka.ɾiˈbu.ni]
See you later	Tutaonana baadaye	[tu.ta.oˈna.na ba.aˈda.je]
Good night	Usiku mwema	[uˈsi.ku ˈmwe.ma]
Sleep well	Lala salama	[ˈla.la saˈla.ma]
Talk to you later.	Tutaongea baadaye.	[tu.ta.oŋˈɡɛ.a ba.aˈda.je]
Nice to have met you!	Nimefurahi kukutana na wewe!	[ni.me.fuˈɾa.hi ku.kuˈta.na na ˈwɛ.wɛ]

How do I introduce myself in Swahili?

When travelling in Tanzania or Kenya, sooner or later you will come into contact with local people. Naturally, you’ll want to introduce yourself in Swahili and know who you’re talking to.

English	Swahili	IPA
My name is Jonas.	Jina langu ni Jonas.	[ˈd͡ʒi.na ˈlaŋ.ɡu ni ˈjo.nas]
What is your name?	Jina lako ni nani?	[ˈd͡ʒi.na ˈla.ko ni ˈna.ni]
What is your first name?	Jina lako la kwanza ni nani?	[ˈd͡ʒi.na ˈla.ko la ˈkwan.za ni ˈna.ni]
What is your surname?	Jina lako la ukoo ni nani?	[ˈd͡ʒi.na ˈla.ko la uˈko.o ni ˈna.ni]

If you want to tell people where you come from, the following sentences are useful:

English	Swahili	IPA
Where do you come from?	Unatoka wapi?	[u.naˈto.ka ˈwa.pi]
I am from London.	Ninatoka London.	[ni.naˈto.ka ˈlon.dɔn]
Are you from Birmingham?	Je, unatoka Birmingham?	[d͡ʒe u.naˈto.ka ˈbɪɾ.mɪŋ.əm]
No, I’m from Madrid.	Hapana, ninatoka Madrid.	[haˈpa.na, ni.naˈto.ka maˈdɾid]
Great, I’m from Madrid too.	Nzuri, pia ninatoka Madrid.	[ˈnzu.ɾi, ˈpi.a ni.naˈto.ka maˈdɾid]
Where do you live?	Unaishi wapi?	[u.naˈi.ʃi ˈwa.pi]
I live in Berlin.	Ninaishi Berlin.	[ni.naˈi.ʃi ˈbɛɾ.lin]

If you have problems with your Swahili, it is good to know which languages are still spoken:

English	Swahili	IPA
Do you speak English?	Unaongea Kiingereza?	[u.na.ɔŋˈɡɛ.a ki.i.ŋɛˈɾɛ.za]
Yes, I speak English.	Ndio, naongea Kiingereza.	[nˈdi.o na.ɔŋˈɡɛ.a ki.i.ŋɛˈɾɛ.za]
Yes, I speak some English.	Ndio, naongea Kiingereza kidogo.	[nˈdi.o na.ɔŋˈɡɛ.a ki.i.ŋɛˈɾɛ.za kiˈdɔ.ɡo]
No, I do not speak any English.	Hapana, siongei Kiingereza kabisa.	[haˈpa.na si.ɔŋˈɡɛ.i ki.i.ŋɛˈɾɛ.za kaˈbi.sa]
I only speak English.	Naongea Kiingereza tu.	[na.ɔŋˈɡɛ.a ki.i.ŋɛˈɾɛ.za tu]
I understand some Swahili.	Naelewa Kiswahili kidogo.	[na.ɛˈlɛ.wa ki.swaˈhi.li kiˈdɔ.ɡo]
Please speak slowly.	Tafadhali ongea pole pole.	[ta.faˈða.li ɔŋˈɡɛ.a ˈpɔ.le ˈpɔ.le]

Useful sentences with “I am…”

The following sentences will help you orientate yourself in Swahili and express your wishes and concerns:

English	Swahili	IPA
I am English.	Mimi ni Mwingereza.	[ˈmi.mi ni mwi.ŋɛˈɾɛ.za]
I am injured.	Nimejeruhiwa.	[ni.mɛ.d͡ʒɛ.ɾuˈhi.wa]
I am here.	Niko hapa.	[ˈni.ko ˈha.pa]
I am hungry.	Nina njaa.	[ˈni.na ˈɲd͡ʒa.a]
I am thirsty.	Nina kiu.	[ˈni.na ˈki.u]
I am single.	Mimi ni mseja.	[ˈmi.mi ni mˈsɛ.d͡ʒa]
I need help!	Nahitaji msaada!	[na.hiˈta.d͡ʒi m.saˈa.da]
I am tired.	Nimechoka.	[ni.mɛˈt͡ʃɔ.ka]
I am happy.	Nina furaha.	[ˈni.na fuˈɾa.ha]
I am sad.	Nina huzuni.	[ˈni.na huˈzu.ni]
I love you.	Nakupenda.	[na.kuˈpɛn.da]
I am ill.	Ninaumwa.	[ni.naˈu.mwa]
I am ready.	Niko tayari.	[ˈni.ko taˈja.ɾi]
I am busy.	Nina kazi nyingi.	[ˈni.na ˈka.zi ˈɲi.ŋɡi]
I am lost.	Nimepotea.	[ni.mɛ.pɔˈtɛ.a]
I am a tourist.	Mimi ni mtalii.	[ˈmi.mi ni m.taˈli.i]
I am new here.	Mimi ni mgeni hapa.	[ˈmi.mi ni mˈɡɛ.ni ˈha.pa]
I am sure.	Nina uhakika.	[ˈni.na u.haˈki.ka]
I am proud.	Ninajivunia.	[ni.na.d͡ʒi.vuˈni.a]
I am a teacher.	Mimi ni mwalimu.	[ˈmi.mi ni mwaˈli.mu]
I am late.	Nimechelewa.	[ni.mɛ.t͡ʃɛˈlɛ.wa]
I am 30 years old.	Nina miaka thelathini.	[ˈni.na miˈa.ka θɛ.laˈθi.ni]
I am in a hurry.	Nina haraka.	[ˈni.na haˈɾa.ka]
I am surprised.	Nimeshangaa.	[ni.mɛ.ʃaŋˈɡa.a]
I am angry.	Nimekasirika.	[ni.mɛ.ka.siˈɾi.ka]

Apologising in Swahili

Here’s how to apologise to a Swahili speaker. Remember: samahani is the real apology (and also “excuse me”), while pole only expresses sympathy.

English	Swahili	IPA
I apologise.	Naomba msamaha.	[naˈɔm.ba m.saˈma.ha]
Excuse me / Sorry.	Samahani.	[sa.maˈha.ni]
Sorry, that was not the intention.	Samahani, hiyo haikuwa nia yangu.	[sa.maˈha.ni ˈhi.jo ha.iˈku.wa ˈni.a ˈja.ŋɡu]
Sorry, I did not do it on purpose.	Samahani, sikufanya makusudi.	[sa.maˈha.ni si.kuˈfa.ɲa ma.kuˈsu.di]

Best wishes, congratulations and sympathy in Swahili

Whether it’s a birthday, a wedding, a trip or a loss, these are the phrases Swahili speakers use for good wishes and condolences:

English	Swahili	When to use it
Congratulations!	Hongera!	Weddings, births, exams, a new job
All the best! / Best wishes!	Kila la heri!	Before an exam, a new start, in cards and messages
Good luck!	Bahati njema!	Before something uncertain
Have a good trip!	Safari njema!	When someone travels
Happy birthday!	Heri ya siku ya kuzaliwa!	Birthdays
Happy New Year!	Heri ya Mwaka Mpya!	New Year
Merry Christmas!	Krismasi njema!	Christmas
Get well soon!	Pona haraka!	Illness
I’m very sorry (sympathy).	Pole sana.	Illness, accidents, bad news, also condolences
God bless you.	Mungu akubariki.	Common farewell and thank you, especially among Christians

At the market: Swahili phrases for shopping and haggling

Markets are where your Swahili pays off most. Prices for visitors are often a little higher, and a few phrases in Swahili change the tone of the whole conversation. Haggling is normal at markets, but always friendly: greet first, smile, and don’t push too hard over small amounts.

English	Swahili	Note
How much is it?	Bei gani?	The most important shopping phrase
How many shillings?	Shilingi ngapi?	Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda all use shillings
It’s too expensive.	Ni ghali sana.	Say it with a smile
Lower the price a little.	Punguza bei kidogo.	The polite haggling formula
I want this one.	Nataka hii.	Point at the item
No thank you, I don’t want it.	Hapana asante, sitaki.	Friendly but clear
Please.	Tafadhali.	Used less often than “please” in English

A typical conversation at the market

This short Swahili dialogue shows how greetings and haggling fit together. Note how the greeting comes before the question about the price:

• You: Habari za asubuhi, mama? (Good morning, madam? Literally: how is your morning?)
• Seller: Nzuri sana. Karibu! (Very good. Welcome!)
• You: Asante. Ndizi hizi bei gani? (Thank you. How much are these bananas?)
• Seller: Shilingi elfu moja. (One thousand shillings.)
• You: Aah, ni ghali kidogo. Punguza basi! (Oh, that’s a bit expensive. Lower it then!)
• Seller: Haya, mia nane. (Alright, eight hundred.)
• You: Sawa, nitachukua. Asante sana! (Okay, I’ll take them. Thank you very much!)
• Seller: Karibu tena! (Come again!)

Mama and baba (father) are respectful ways to address an older woman or man you don’t know. Younger people are often addressed as dada (sister) or kaka (brother).

Want to go further? Here’s how to learn Swahili step by step, from your first phrases to real conversations.

Swahili sayings and proverbs (methali)

Proverbs, called methali, are everywhere in Swahili culture. Parents use them to teach, speakers use them to make a point, and you’ll even see them printed on clothing: the kanga, the colourful cotton cloth worn by many women on the coast, traditionally carries a short saying along its border. Choosing which kanga to wear can be a quiet message in itself.

Here are some well-known Swahili proverbs and what they mean:

Swahili proverb	Literal translation	Meaning
Haraka haraka haina baraka.	Hurry hurry has no blessing.	Haste makes waste.
Pole pole ndio mwendo.	Slowly slowly is the way to go.	Steady progress gets you there.
Haba na haba hujaza kibaba.	Little by little fills the measure.	Small steps add up. Perfect for language learners.
Usipoziba ufa utajenga ukuta.	If you don’t fill the crack, you’ll build a wall.	Fix small problems before they grow.
Asiyefunzwa na mamaye hufunzwa na ulimwengu.	Whoever isn’t taught by their mother is taught by the world.	Life teaches what upbringing didn’t.
Mgeni njoo, mwenyeji apone.	Let the guest come so the host may prosper.	Guests bring blessings, a key idea of East African hospitality.

If you only memorise one, take haba na haba hujaza kibaba. Quote it to a Swahili speaker when they ask how you’re learning their language, and you’ll get a big laugh and a lot of sympathy.

Useful signs and notices in Swahili

Useful signs and messages in Swahili that you will often see.

English	Swahili	IPA
Danger!	Hatari!	[haˈta.ɾi]
Entrance	Kuingilia	[ku.i.ŋɡiˈli.a]
Toilet	Choo	[ˈt͡ʃɔ.ɔ]
Exit	Kutokea	[ku.tɔˈkɛ.a]
Attention!	Makini!	[maˈki.ni]
Police	Polisi	[pɔˈli.si]
Emergency services	Huduma za dharura	[huˈdu.ma za ðaˈɾu.ɾa]
Fire brigade	Kikosi cha zimamoto	[kiˈkɔ.si t͡ʃa zi.maˈmɔ.tɔ]
Passage forbidden.	Kupita kumekatazwa.	[kuˈpi.ta ku.me.kaˈta.zwa]
Caution!	Angalia!	[a.ŋɡaˈli.a]
This building is under video surveillance.	Jengo hili linachunguzwa kwa kamera.	[ˈd͡ʒɛ.ŋɡɔ ˈhi.li li.na.t͡ʃuŋˈɡu.zwa kwa kaˈme.ɾa]

Numbers to 25 in Swahili

Counting in Swahili is not that difficult. Here are the numbers in Swahili from 1 to 25.

English	Swahili	IPA
1	Moja	[ˈmɔ.d͡ʒa]
2	Mbili	[ˈmbi.li]
3	Tatu	[ˈta.tu]
4	Nne	[ˈn.nɛ]
5	Tano	[ˈta.nɔ]
6	Sita	[ˈsi.ta]
7	Saba	[ˈsa.ba]
8	Nane	[ˈna.nɛ]
9	Tisa	[ˈti.sa]
10	Kumi	[ˈku.mi]
11	Kumi na moja	[ˈku.mi na ˈmɔ.d͡ʒa]
12	Kumi na mbili	[ˈku.mi na ˈmbi.li]
13	Kumi na tatu	[ˈku.mi na ˈta.tu]
14	Kumi na nne	[ˈku.mi na ˈn.nɛ]
15	Kumi na tano	[ˈku.mi na ˈta.nɔ]
16	Kumi na sita	[ˈku.mi na ˈsi.ta]
17	Kumi na saba	[ˈku.mi na ˈsa.ba]
18	Kumi na nane	[ˈku.mi na ˈna.nɛ]
19	Kumi na tisa	[ˈku.mi na ˈti.sa]
20	Ishirini	[i.ʃiˈɾi.ni]
21	Ishirini na moja	[i.ʃiˈɾi.ni na ˈmɔ.d͡ʒa]
22	Ishirini na mbili	[i.ʃiˈɾi.ni na ˈmbi.li]
23	Ishirini na tatu	[i.ʃiˈɾi.ni na ˈta.tu]
24	Ishirini na nne	[i.ʃiˈɾi.ni na ˈn.nɛ]
25	Ishirini na tano	[i.ʃiˈɾi.ni na ˈta.nɔ]

Telling the time in Swahili: the day starts at sunrise

This is one of the most surprising things for visitors. Swahili time doesn’t count from midnight but from sunrise, which near the equator is roughly 6 a.m. all year. So the first hour of daylight, 7 a.m., is saa moja: “hour one”. Rule of thumb: add or subtract six hours.

Clock time	Swahili time	Literally
7 a.m.	Saa moja asubuhi	Hour one in the morning
10 a.m.	Saa nne asubuhi	Hour four in the morning
12 noon	Saa sita mchana	Hour six at midday
4 p.m.	Saa kumi jioni	Hour ten in the evening
8 p.m.	Saa mbili usiku	Hour two at night
What time is it?	Saa ngapi?	How many hours?

If a driver tells you he’ll pick you up at saa mbili, he means 8 o’clock, not 2. When in doubt, ask: Saa za Kiswahili au za Kizungu? (Swahili time or European time?).

The colours in Swahili

The most common colours in Swahili with phonetic transcription for pronunciation. Many colours are formed with rangi ya (the colour of), for example orange is “the colour of oranges”.

English	Swahili	IPA
Red	Nyekundu	[ɲɛˈkun.du]
Blue	Bluu / Samawati	[ˈblu.u] / [sa.maˈwa.ti]
Green	Kijani	[kiˈd͡ʒa.ni]
Yellow	Njano	[ˈɲd͡ʒa.nɔ]
Black	Nyeusi	[ɲɛˈu.si]
White	Nyeupe	[ɲɛˈu.pɛ]
Brown	Kahawia	[ka.haˈwi.a]
Orange	Rangi ya machungwa	[ˈɾa.ŋɡi ja maˈt͡ʃu.ŋɡwa]
Purple	Zambarau	[zam.baˈɾa.u]
Pink	Rangi ya waridi	[ˈɾa.ŋɡi ja waˈɾi.di]

Days of the week, months and seasons in Swahili

The Swahili week has a logic of its own. Saturday is Jumamosi, the “first” day after the Friday prayer (mosi means one), and the count continues: Sunday is Jumapili (two), Monday Jumatatu (three), Tuesday Jumanne (four), Wednesday Jumatano (five). Thursday and Friday, Alhamisi and Ijumaa, come from Arabic.

English	Swahili	IPA
Monday	Jumatatu	[d͡ʒu.maˈta.tu]
Tuesday	Jumanne	[d͡ʒu.maˈn.nɛ]
Wednesday	Jumatano	[d͡ʒu.maˈta.nɔ]
Thursday	Alhamisi	[al.haˈmi.si]
Friday	Ijumaa	[i.d͡ʒuˈma.a]
Saturday	Jumamosi	[d͡ʒu.maˈmɔ.si]
Sunday	Jumapili	[d͡ʒu.maˈpi.li]
January	Januari	[d͡ʒa.nuˈa.ɾi]
February	Februari	[fɛ.bɾuˈa.ɾi]
March	Machi	[ˈma.t͡ʃi]
April	Aprili	[aˈpɾi.li]
May	Mei	[ˈmɛ.i]
June	Juni	[ˈd͡ʒu.ni]
July	Julai	[d͡ʒuˈla.i]
August	Agosti	[aˈɡɔs.ti]
September	Septemba	[sɛpˈtɛm.ba]
October	Oktoba	[ɔkˈtɔ.ba]
November	Novemba	[nɔˈvɛm.ba]
December	Desemba	[dɛˈsɛm.ba]

Seasons: East Africa has no spring, summer, autumn and winter. The year is shaped by rain and heat, and Swahili names its seasons accordingly. Exact timing varies by region:

Swahili	Season	Roughly
Masika	Long rains	March to May
Kipupwe	Cool dry season	June to August
Vuli	Short rains	October to December
Kiangazi	Hot dry season	Between the rains, especially January and February

Frequently asked questions about Swahili phrases

How do you say hello in Swahili?

The most common greeting is Habari, meaning how are you or literally what news, answered with nzuri (good). Jambo is understood everywhere but is mainly used with tourists. With friends, people say Mambo, answered with poa. Elders are greeted respectfully with Shikamoo.

How do you say thank you in Swahili?

Thank you is asante, and thank you very much is asante sana. The usual reply is karibu, which means you’re welcome.

What does pole mean in Swahili?

Pole expresses sympathy, similar to I’m sorry for you. People say it when someone is tired, ill or has had bad luck, even after a long journey. It isn’t an apology. To apologise, you say samahani.

Do people in Kenya and Tanzania really say hakuna matata?

Yes, hakuna matata is real Swahili and means no problems. In everyday life, though, people more often say hakuna shida, hamna shida or simply sawa. Hakuna matata is often used playfully with tourists.

How do you tell the time in Swahili?

Swahili time starts counting at sunrise, around 6 a.m. So 7 a.m. is saa moja (hour one) and noon is saa sita (hour six). To convert, add or subtract six hours.

Related links

• Learn Swahili: how hard it is, how long it takes and where to start
• The different ways of learning languages
• Learning vocabulary successfully
• Motivated language learning
• Train your listening comprehension
• Learning languages quickly, is it possible?
• The different types of language learners

Prefer another language?

• 🇩🇪 – Floskeln auf Suaheli
• 🇳🇴 – Vanlige fraser på swahili