Dialect map of Kenya - 325K (shows major Kenyan dialects by region).
Kenya's two main languages are English and Swahili. Unless you are hopelessly lost in the bush somewhere, you will probably be able to find someone who speaks English. Attempts to use Swahili are generally warmly received and can often help in conversations. Despite the widespread use of Swahili, most Kenyans have their own tribal language and view Swahili as a foreign language, as they do English.
Dialect map of Kenya - 325K (shows major Kenyan dialects by region).
Swahili is not a difficult language. It is pronounced pretty much as it looks. Nothing is silent and there are no real tricks.
Below is a small, categorized list of some words that might be helpful, as well as some online resources and dictionaries.
Greetings (and other basics)
Hello Jambo
No problems Sijambo
(response)
How are things? Habari?
Fine, etc. Nzuri
(response)
Goodbye to one/ Kwaheri/Kwaherini
goodbye to many
Come in Karibu
Thank you Asante
Mr. (respectful Bwana
- adult man)
Mrs., Miss Mama
(respectful-
adult woman
youth/youths kijana/vijana
child/children mtoto/watoto
What is your name? Jina lako nani?
My name is... Jina langu...
What are you called? Unaitwaje?
I am called... Nina itwa...
Numbers
1 moja
2 mbili
3 tatu
4 nne
5 tano
6 sita
7 saba
8 nane
9 tisa
10 kumi
11 kumi na moja
12-19 kumi na (mbili, tatu, etc.)
20 ishirini
21-29 ishirini na (moja, mbili, etc.)
30 thelathini
40 arobaini
50 hamsini
60 sitini
70 sabini
80 themanini
90 tisini
100 mia moja
121 mia moja na ishirini na moja
1000 elfu moja
Time
What time is it? Saa ngapi?
three o'clock saa tisa
quarter past na robo
half past na nusu
quarter to kasa robo
minutes dakika
early mapema
yesterday jena
today leo
tomorrow kesho
daytime mchana
nighttime usiku
dawn alfajiri
morning asubuhi
Days
Monday jumatatu
Tuesday jumanne
Wednesday jumatano
Thursday alhamisi
Friday ijumaa
Saturday jumamosi
Sunday jumapili
Verbs
Note that "ku" is the infinitive and generally separable.
to be able
(can) ku-weza
to be,
to become ku-wa
to bring ku-leta
to buy ku-nunua
to come kuja (irregular)
to come from ku-toka
to drink ku-nywa
to eat ku-la
to give ku-pa
to go kwenda (generally irregular)
to have ku-wa na
to hear ku-sikia
to know ku-jua
to like,
to love ku-penda
to look ku-tazama
to think ku-fikiri
to be tired ku-choka
to say,
to speak ku-sema
to see,
to meet ku-ona
to sleep ku-lala
to stay ku-kaa
to want ku-taka
Pronouns
Me, I Mimi, Ni
You Wewe, U
Him/Her Yeye
He/She A
Us, We Sisi, Tu
You (plural) Ninyi, M
Them, They Wao, Wa
Tenses
present -na-
past -li-
future -ta-
immediately past
or continuing -me-
Useful words
yes ndiyo
no hapana
expensive ghali sana
cheap rahisi
right kulia
left kushoto
up juu
down chini
friend rafiki
Pardon Samahani
Where is? Wapi?
here hapa
when? lini?
now sasa
soon sasa hivi
why? kwa nini?
because kwa sababu
who? nini?
what? nani?
which? gani?/gapi?
true kweli
and/with na
or au
(it) is/
(they) are ni
Useful phrases
I don't understand Sifahamu/Sielewi
I don't speak Swahili Sisemi kiswahili
How do you say in Swahili? Unasemaje kwa kiswahili...?
Could you repeat that? Sema tena
Speak slowly Sema pole pole
I don't know Sijui
Where can I stay? Naweza kukaa wapi?
Can I stay here? Naweza kukaa hapa?
How much? Ngapi?
How much is...? Pesa ngapi...?
What price? Bei gani...?
I want... Nataka...
I don't want... Sitaki...
Come down a little
(in price) Punguza kidogo
Bring me... Nilete...
Where are you going? Nenda wapi?
I'm going to... Nenda...
When does it leave? Inaondoka lini?
When will we arrive? Tutafiki lini?
I want to get off here Nataka kushuka hap
Let's go (carry on, etc.) Twende
straight ahead Moja kwa moja
Excuse me (let me
through) Hebu
Internet Living Swahili Dictionary - An excellent online resource which includes grammar notes, a multimedia pronunciation guide, and a dictionary.
Ethnologue - Languages of Kenya - A comprehensive listing with each language broken into its various dialects, number of speakers, etc.
Kiswahili Home Page - A good tutorial which is split into chapters. Includes a short history of the Kiswahili language.
Noun Classification in Swahili
ENGLISH-SWAHILI DICTIONARY AND SWAHILI-ENGLISH DICTIONARY, compiled by Madan (ISBN 082-888-458-7).
A STANDARD SWAHILI-ENGLISH DICTIONARY AND A STANDARD ENGLISH-SWAHILI DICTIONARY, Frederick Johnson (ISBN: 0-19-572006-7).
SWAHILI-ENGLISH DICTIONARY, edited by Charles Rechenbach (The Catholic University of America Press, 1968).
CONCISE SWAHILI AND ENGLISH DICTIONARY, compiled by D.V. Perrott (ISBN 0-340-54695-6).
A CONCISE ENGLISH-SWAHILI DICTIONARY, compiled by R. A. Snoxall (ISBN 0-19-639348-5).
SWAHILI-ENGLISH DICTIONARY, 1991, Gerald Feeley (ISBN 87-7028-638-8).
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