Getting Started: Sounds, Greetings, and Politeness

New Words and Phrases: Sounds, Greetings, and Politeness

In this step, you will learn core Swahili greetings and polite expressions. Pay attention to the sounds and repeat each word aloud using the pronunciation guide.

Language Pattern: Greetings and Politeness in Swahili

1. Call-and-response pattern in greetings

Swahili greetings often work in fixed pairs. When someone greets you in a certain way, there is a typical expected response.

1. “Hujambo” / “Sijambo”

• Hujambo (hoo-JAM-bo) — “Hello / Are you well?” (to one person)
• Sijambo (see-JAM-bo) — “I am fine.”

Example:

• Swahili: Hujambo? — Sijambo.
• English: Hello, are you well? — I am fine.

1. “Shikamoo” / “Marahaba” (respectful form)

• Shikamoo (shee-ka-MOH) — used by a younger person to greet an elder or someone you respect.
• Marahaba (ma-ra-HA-ba) — the standard reply from the elder or respected person.

Example:

• Swahili: Shikamoo, mama. — Marahaba.
• English: Greetings (with respect), ma’am. — I acknowledge your respect.

2. Using “Habari” to ask how someone is

Habari (ha-BAH-ree) literally means “news,” but in greetings it works like “How are you?” or “How is it?”

Common patterns:

• Habari? — “How are you?” / “How are things?”
• Habari za asubuhi? — “How are you this morning?”

Typical short answers might be:

• Nzuri. (n-ZOO-ree) — “Good.”
• Nzuri, asante. — “Good, thank you.”

(“Nzuri” is extra vocabulary beyond this module, but it is very common.)

3. Polite words in sentences

Polite expressions can be placed much like in English:

1. Tafadhali (ta-fa-DHA-lee) — “please”

• Can come at the beginning or end of a request.
• Swahili: Tafadhali, sema polepole.
• English: Please, speak slowly.

1. Asante (a-SAN-teh) — “thank you”

• Often used alone or followed by more detail.
• Swahili: Asante kwa msaada wako.
• English: Thank you for your help.

1. Samahani (sa-ma-HA-nee) — “sorry / excuse me”

• Use before asking a question or when apologizing.
• Swahili: Samahani, naweza kuuliza swali?
• English: Excuse me, may I ask a question?

4. Pronunciation notes

• Swahili vowels are short and clear, similar to Spanish:
• a as in “father” (e.g., asante)
• e as in “bed” (e.g., asante)
• i as in “machine” (e.g., hujambo)
• o as in “more” (e.g., hujambo)
• u as in “food” (e.g., hujambo)

• The “dh” in tafadhali is like the th in “this,” not like the th in “thing.”

By practicing these fixed greeting pairs and polite words, you can already handle many everyday encounters politely in Swahili.

Practice Dialogue: First Meeting in the Morning

In this conversation, a younger student meets an older neighbor in the morning. Notice how they use respectful and neutral greetings, plus polite words like “please,” “thank you,” and “sorry.”

Check Your Understanding: Greetings and Politeness

Answer this question to test your understanding of the greetings and polite expressions from this module.