Hujambo! Habari Gani?
While many professionals, such as
Kilimanjaro guides, speak English in the Kilimanjaro region, the majority of
locals speak their own tribal languages or Kiswahili. To get to know your Kilimanjaro
team better, it will be to your advantage to learn a few phrases. They will
really appreciate your attempt to communicate with them! Here are some words and phrases to study on your way to Tanzania:
- Hello = Jambo / hujambo / Salama
- How are you? = Habari gani
- Fine (response) = Nzuri
- Goodbye = Kwa heri / Kwa herini (more than one person)
- See you tomorrow = Tutaonana kesho
- Nice to meet you = Nafurahi kukuona
- Goodnight = Lala salama
- Have a good night = Usiku mwema
- Friend = Rafiki
- Yes = Ndiyo
- No = Hapana
- Thank you = Asante
- Thank you very much = Asante sana
- Please = Tafadhali
- OK = Sawa
- Excuse me = Samahani
- You're Welcome = Karibu
- Today = leo
- Tomorrow = kesho
- Yesterday = jana
- Now = sasa
- Later = baadaye
- Every day = kila siku
- Monday = Jumatatu
- Tuesday = Jumanne
- Wednesday = Jumatano
- Thursday = Alhamisi
- Friday = Ijumaa
- Saturday = Jumamosi
- Sunday = Jumapili
- 1 = moja
- 2 = mbili
- 3 = tatu
- 4 = nne
- 5 = tano
- 6 = sita
- 7 = saba
- 8 = nane
- 9 = tisa
- 10 = kumi
- 11 = kumi na moja (ten and one)
- 12 = kumi na mbili (ten and two)
- 20 = ishirini
- 21 = ishirni na moja (twenty and one)
- 30 = thelathini
- 40 = arobaini
- 50 = hamsini
- 60 = sitini
- 70 = sabini
- 80 = themanini
- 90 = tisini
- 100 = mia
- 200 = mia mbili
- 1000 = elfu
- 100,000 = laki