Shopping and Markets: Asking for What You Need

New Words and Phrases (in English)

In this step you will learn useful Swahili words and phrases for shopping: how to ask for things, talk about prices, and buy what you need.

Language Pattern (in English)

1. Using polite requests: "Tafadhali, naomba..."

In Swahili, you can make a polite request with:

• "Tafadhali, naomba..." – Please, I would like...

Structure:

• Tafadhali (please) + naomba (I request / I would like) + item

Examples:

• Tafadhali, naomba maji. – Please, I would like water.
• Tafadhali, naomba mkate. – Please, I would like bread.

You can also use "Leta ... tafadhali." which is a little more direct:

• Leta kilo moja ya sukari, tafadhali. – Bring me one kilo of sugar, please.

2. Asking for prices with "bei"

The word "bei" means price.

Common patterns:

1. Bei ya X ni kiasi gani? – What is the price of X?

• Bei ya maziwa ni kiasi gani? – What is the price of milk?

1. Hii ni bei gani? – How much is this?

• Hii ni bei gani, tafadhali? – How much is this, please?

Notice:

• Hii = this (for one item near you)
• gani = which / what kind of; in "bei gani" it works like what price

3. Reacting to prices and negotiating

To say something is too expensive, use:

• Ni nyingi sana. – It is too much / too expensive.

You can make it more personal with kwangu (for me):

• Ni nyingi sana kwangu. – It is too much for me.

To ask for a better price, you can say:

• Naweza kupata bei ya mwisho? – Can I get your final price?

Here:

• Naweza = I can / can I
• kupata = to get
• bei ya mwisho = final price (literally: price of the end)

You can add tafadhali to keep it polite:

• Naweza kupata bei ya mwisho, tafadhali? – Can I get your final price, please?

Practice Dialogue (in English)

You are at a market buying fruit. Practice asking for prices, reacting to them, and asking for a final price.

Check Your Understanding (in English)

Answer this question about the shopping phrases you learned.