The post will introduce to the basic Swahili I learned while in Kenya. It was extremely important for me to learn a few terms so as not to completely give myself away as a foreigner :) The following were the ones I used the most.
1. Asante sana. Thank you very much. The word “sana” mean “very much” and is used with nearly every word you can imagine. I actually commented one day to Ruthie’s mom that everything was “sana” here…and she just laughed. Which I took as agreement. Haha!
2. The second word is practically married to the first – karibu. This word was actually the first one I learned. While still on the plane (Kenyan Airlines), I saw a magazine on the floor that said karibu. When I mentioned it to Ruthie, she said it meant “welcome.” And in Kenya, you are welcome everywhere. You walk up to someone’s house and it’s all “karibu, karibu.” You greet someone and it’s the same. You thank someone for welcoming you and they tell you you’re welcome. Haha! I love it.
3. One tradition I would love to carry over in the States and would work well in the dorms is using the word “hodi.” Basically how this one works is you approach a house, usually with the door open but the screen closed, and loudly call out “hodi!” It mainly means, “Hey, I’m here. Is it ok if I come in?” The correct and typical response is “karibu.” I definitely picked up on this greeting quickly. I could totally see walking up to a dorm room, cracking the door and yelling hodi, and hearing someone respond with karibu.
4. Habari? Mzuri (sounds almost like Missouri). It’s the equivalent to our, “How are you?” “Fine.” I heard this phrase over and over. It was nearly as common as the English “How are you?” I was constantly being asked by everyone, including kids who wouldn’t know what my response would mean if I even did respond. (P.S. Check my f/b page soon for a video demonstrating the ever present “How are you?” and the intonation the kids used when they asked this question.)
5. Another term I quickly learned was baridi sana. Very cold. Because of the refrigeration capabilities or lack thereof, the sodas are usually served warm. Ice is a luxury. So, the common situation was a glass bottle of soda served warm. At the Windsor, Ruthie ordered both of our drinks baridi sana. I, of course, knew what sana meant – they use it ALL the time. But I didn’t know baridi. She told me that it meant cold, and she also told me you had to specifically request it this way or they would serve it warm. Good to know for my Western tastes!
6. Jambo. Just a cheater’s way of saying, “Hello. I’m trying out my Swahili, but please don’t actually speak to me in Swahili or I won’t know what you’re saying.” The response is the same. “Jambo.” “Jambo.”
7. Bwana. Our equivalent of sir. It’s a term of respect and used often. It can also be used in reference to God such as in Bwana asifiwe, which means “the Lord be praised.”
8. Likewise, the term of respect for women is dada. This word means “sister.” At the clinic we worked, it was common for them to call the next person in line by dada or bwana. I love the sounds of these words.
9. Another relational term is baba, which means “dad” or “father.” I love how it’s so similar to abba but not quite the same. I could see myself using this term with my kids and their daddy one day :)
10. Ndio and hapana. Yes and No. The only way I could remember the difference is that the one that started with “n” in Swahili (ndio) was not the one that started with “n” in English (no). Haha!
So, there you have it. The top Swahili words any tourist should know. It made me feel just a little more like a native once I knew some of the common phrases they used :)
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