Learn Kiswahili
Kiswahili is basically a Bantu language with a very significant Arabic influence. Pure Kiswahili is spoken at the coast, and Nairobi's version, with its many Anglicisms. Kiswahili is the easiest language to pronounce in the word as all the words are pronounced as written, letter for letter. Kenya's other official language is English and is used widely in all walks of life. Kiswahili is a very beautiful and, as grammar books tell you, an easy language to grasp. For serious student the best book is simplified by P.M. Wilson but for the basics you can use Teach Yourself Swahili by Perrott. The following is just but a few to keep you in touch.
General, Food and drink
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English Hello How are you? Pepper I'm fine/good/well Vegetable Thank you Pudding Please/excuse me Ice Yes Beer No Coffee Now Tea More Water Today Milk Tomorrow Bread Yesterday Meat Hot Fish Cold Fruit Anyone at home? Butter Come in/Welcome Sugar Slowly Quickly Numbers Left one/two/three four/five/six Right Straight on seven/eight/nine The crowd/folk ten (eleven etc.) Mister twenty/fifty Mrs or Madam hundred/thousand Goodbye half/quater Phrases/Questions Where is ... ? I would like ... ... a good hotel food a chemist to sleep road or route a guide railway station I don't understand bus station Watch out! the W.C How many...? What time is it? a telephone
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Swahili Jambo Habari Yako? Pilipili Mzuri Mboga Asante sana Tamu tamu Tafadhali Barafu Ndio Tembo/Pombe Hapana Kahawa Sasa Chai Zaidi Maji Leo Maziwa Kesho Mkate Jana Nyama Moto Samaki Baridi Tunda Hodi? Siagi Karibu Sukari Polepole Upesi/haraka
Kushoto moja/mbili/tatu nne/tano/sita Kulia Moja kwa moja saba/nane/tisa Wananchi kumi (na moja etc.) Bwana ishrini/hamsini Memsahib mia moja/elfu moja Kwaheri nusu/robo
Wapi ... ? Ninataka ... .. hoteli mzuri chakula duka la dawa kulala barabara mwongozi stesheni la gari la moshi Sifahamu kituo cha basi Angalia! choo Ngapi? Saa ngapi? simu |
