English is an official language and widely spoken in Nairobi, so you can live here without Swahili. But a few words go a long way - with the mama mboga, the conductor and the askari at the gate - and people notice the effort.
Greetings
| Swahili | Meaning | Reply |
|---|---|---|
| Habari? | How are you? (literally “news?”) | Nzuri - fine |
| Habari ya asubuhi? | Good morning | Nzuri |
| Mambo? | Hi, what’s up? | Poa - cool |
| Sasa? | Hi (Sheng) | Poa or Fiti |
| Shikamoo | Respectful greeting to an elder, more common on the coast | Marahaba |
| Karibu | Welcome | Asante |
| Kwaheri | Goodbye | Kwaheri |
“Jambo” is understood, but it mostly marks you as a tourist.
Everyday words
| Swahili | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Asante (sana) | Thank you (very much) |
| Tafadhali | Please |
| Ndiyo / Hapana | Yes / No |
| Sawa | OK, fine, agreed |
| Pole | Sorry (sympathy) |
| Samahani | Excuse me, sorry |
| Pole pole | Slowly |
| Haraka | Quickly |
| Maji | Water |
| Chakula | Food |
| Choo iko wapi? | Where is the toilet? |
In a matatu or taxi
| Swahili | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ni pesa ngapi? | How much is it? |
| Unaenda …? | Are you going to …? |
| Nashuka hapa | I’m getting off here |
| Shukisha hapa | Drop me here |
| Kulia / Kushoto | Right / Left |
| Moja kwa moja | Straight on |
| Simama | Stop |
Shopping and bargaining
| Swahili | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bei gani? | What’s the price? |
| Ni ghali sana | It’s too expensive |
| Punguza kidogo | Reduce it a little |
| Nitachukua | I’ll take it |
| Nataka … | I want … |
Numbers
| 1 moja | 2 mbili | 3 tatu | 4 nne |
| 5 tano | 6 sita | 7 saba | 8 nane |
| 9 tisa | 10 kumi | 20 ishirini | 50 hamsini |
| 100 mia | 1,000 elfu | 200 mia mbili | 1,500 elfu moja mia tano |
Prices in Sheng come with their own slang - “a thao” for a thousand shillings, for example.
Sheng
Sheng is Nairobi’s street slang, mixing Swahili, English and other languages, and it changes fast. A few that have lasted:
- Poa / Fiti - cool, fine
- Niaje? - how’s it going?
- Doh - money
- Mathree - matatu
- Shags - the rural home (upcountry)
Learning more
Swahili is phonetic and regular, which makes it one of the easier languages to start. Language schools in Nairobi offer short courses, and a weekly lesson with a tutor plus practice at the market works well.