Lesson 2: Introducing Yourself and Greetings
First step in learning a new language is by learning the greetings and how to introduce oneself. In this lesson we will learn the basic greetings in Swahili and the basic phrases used for introducing oneself.
Expressions used for Greetings
Habari : is the most commonly used greeting in Swahili which can be used throughout the day. It is equivalent to “hello” in English.
Habari yako?: is used to greet someone you meet for the first time or someone you haven’t seen in a while. It can be loosely translated as “How are you?”
Habari ya asubuhi: is used to greet in the morning. The word “asubuhi” means “morning”. It is equivalent to “good morning” in English.
Habari za mchana: is used to greet in the afternoon. The word “mchana” means “afternoon”. It is equivalent to “good afternoon” in English.
Habari za usiku: is used to greet in the evening. The word “usiku” means “night”. It is equivalent to “good evening” in English.
Mambo: is commonly used among peers in place of Habari. It is also equivalent to “hello” in English language.
Hamjamboni: is used to greet more than one person. It is also equivalent to “hello everyone” in English language.
Niko salama: is the response you give when greeted. It is equivalent to “I’m fine” in English language.
Poa: is an informal response you give when greeted. It is equivalent to “fine” in English language.
Fiti: is also an informal response you give when greeted. It is also equivalent to “fine” or “good” in English language.
Nzuri: is also a response you give when greeted. It is also equivalent to “fine” or “good” in English language.
Expressions used for Introduction
Jina lako ni nani?: is a formal way of asking for someone’s name. It is equivalent to “what’s your name?” in English language. The word “jina” means “name” while “nani” means “who” in English language.
Jina langu ni… : is a formal way to tell your name. It is equivalent to “My name is ….?” in English language.
Mimi ni… : is another way to tell your name. It is equivalent to “I am ..name..?” in English language.
Nina furaha kukutana na wewe: is directly translated to “I am happy to meet you”. “Furaha” means “Happy”. “Wewe” means “You”. It is equivalent to “nice to meet you” or “pleased to meet you” in English language.