Language/Swahili-individual-language/Vocabulary/How-to-Say-Hello-and-Greetings
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Rate this lesson: 
🤗 Swahili (individual language) Greetings for Everyday Life
Hi Swahili (individual language) learners! 😃
Do you want to learn how to say “Hello” in Swahili (individual language)?
Greetings are an important part of any language because they allow you to connect and communicate with others.
If you’re planning a trip to the country or are trying to learn Swahili (individual language), keep reading to discover some of the most important greetings.
Let’s get started! 🤗
Greetings
| English | Swahili (individual language) |
|---|---|
| general greeting spoken to a man | Habari bwana |
| general greeting spoken to a woman | Habari bibi |
| general greeting spoken to an elder man | Habari mzee |
| general greeting spoken to an elder woman | Habari mama |
| morning greeting | Habari za asubuhi |
| morning greeting | Habari ya asubuhi |
| afternoon greeting | Habari za mchana |
| afternoon greeting | Habari ya mchana |
| evening greeting | Habari za jioni |
| evening greeting | Habari ya jioni |
| how are you? | Habari yako? |
| reply to all greetings that begin with Habari | Nzuri |
| reply to all greetings that begin with Habari spoken in Kenya | Mzuri |
| general greeting spoken to a man | Hujambo bwana |
| general greeting spoken to a woman | Hujambo bibi |
| general greeting spoken to an elder man | Hujambo mzee |
| general greeting spoken to an elder woman | Hujambo mama |
| reply to Hujambo spoken to a man | Sijambo bwana |
| reply to Hujambo spoken to a woman | Sijambo bibi |
| reply to Hujambo spoken to an elder man | Sijambo mzee |
| reply to Hujambo spoken to an elder woman | Sijambo mama |
| general greeting spoken to a group of men | Hamjambo mabwana |
| general greeting spoken to a group of women | Hamjambo mabibi |
| reply to Hamjambo spoken to a man | Hatujambo bwana |
| reply to Hamjambo spoken to a woman | Hatujambo bibi |
| reply to Hamjambo spoken to an elder man | Hatujambo mzee |
| reply to Hamjambo spoken to an elder woman | Hatujambo mama |
| greeting spoken to tourists or by tourists (simplified version of the greetings above) | Jambo |
| welcome greeting spoken to one person | Karibu |
| welcome greeting spoken to a group | Karibuni |
| greeting spoken in passing | Salama |
| greeting spoken to an elder man (literally, "elder") | Shikamoo mzee |
| greeting spoken to an elder man (literally, "grandfather" | Shikamoo babu |
| greeting spoken to an elder man (literally "father") | Shikamoo baba |
| greeting spoken to an elder woman, used in Tanzania (literally, "grandmother") | Shikamoo bibi |
| greeting spoken to an elder woman, used in Kenya (literally, "grandmother") | Shikamoo nyanya |
| greeting spoken to an elder woman (literally, "mother") | Shikamoo mama |
| greeting spoken by elder men and women | Marahaba |
| greeting spoken by Muslims | Asalaamu alekum |
| reply to Asalaamu alekum | Wa alekum salaam |
| how are you? informal (literally, "how now?") | Vipi sasa? |
| how are you? informal (literally, "now?") | Sasa? |
| how are you? informal (literally, "thngs?") | Mambo? |
| reply to Sasa and Mambo | Fit |
| reply to Sasa and Mambo (literally, "cool") | Poa |
| reply to Sasa and Mambo (literally, "clean") | Safi |
| greeting spoken in the Pemba dialect of Kenya [swh-pem] | Chechei |
| greeting spoken to a group of people in the Bajuni dialect [swh-baj] | Hamuyambo |
| greeting spoken in the Unguja dialect of Tanzania [swh-ung] | Wambaje |
Sources
Polyglot Club thanks Jennifer Runner for her outstanding work in collecting some of the phrases for this Swahili (individual language) lesson. 👍
Her objective is, like the Polyglot Club, to promote intercultural communication and understanding and to raise awareness of linguistic diversity in the world. ✨
- More information on her website: http://users.elite.net/runner/jennifers/
Free Swahili (individual language) Lessons
Language Exchange
- Find members TEACHING Swahili (individual language)
- Find members LEARNING Swahili (individual language)
Forum
Tools
- Have your text CORRECTED in Swahili (individual language)
- VIDEOS to learn Swahili (individual language)