The Waswahili Community Trust UK (Wadhamini wa jumuiya ya Waswahili)

Tutorial

Greetings form a very important part of the Swahili custom. The brief introduction of the Swahili greetings will be given after the vocabulary just below this part. The most important thing to remember now is that words are pronounced exactly as they are written, so simple, so have a go, and good luck to all our visitors:

Vocabulary

Mama / Mother | Baba / Father | Nyanya / Grandmother | Babu / Grandfather
Ndugu / Brother | Dada / Sister / Mjomba / Uncle / Shangazi / Aunt / Mashangazi / aunties
Mtoto / Young Man / Watoto / Young Men | Jirani / A neighbour | Majirani / Neighbours

Please try to learn all the vocabulary by heart, and practice what you learn.
Thank you
Asanteni

Hujambo mzee? - (in greeting one person) How are you an old man?

A reply : Sijambo - I am fine.

Hamjambo wazee? - (in greeting more than one person.

A reply : Hatujambo.

Habari? - Meaning news, what sort of news?

A reply:Nzuri or Njema meaning good or fine

It's so easy! Agreed, Why not practicing?

Introduction

Swahili language online here is for the beginners. This language is the most logical and very simple to understand, if one follows correctly its basic grammatical rules. And as said above, words are pronounced exactly as they are written. So make sure you follow the rules as explained here right from the very start and, you will have no problems.

In doing so, then it is very easy to become proficient in a very short possible time. Having said that my other request to you is to give yourself a good time for learning, and be patient, and everything will follow accordingly.

My own personal experience in teaching has been very successful. It's like having fun, I enjoyed it and my students enjoyed as well. therefore, enjoy yourself learning Swahili online. And remember to go step by step, as the famous Swahili proverb says:

" Haraka haraka haina baraka "
" Haste, haste, brings no blessings "

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Swahili Dictionary

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SECTION 1

The Personal Pronouns
Mimi - I	Wewe - You ( Singular )	Yeye - He / She
Sisi - We	Ninyi - You ( Plural )	Wao - They

NOTE!

( Yeye / He ) refers to both genders as shown above. It cannot refers to'it'.
And ( Wao / They ) is not to be used for 'things'

Section 2

Subject Prefix
Ni 1st person	U 2nd parson	A 3rd person
Tu We ( plural )	M You ( plural )	Wao They ( plural )

NOTE!
"Kuja": is as verb see above, and -LI- is a tense that comes before the Verb.
And Wao / They: This is not to be used for 'things'

Section 3

PAST TENSE

AND CONJUGATION

Tenses -LI-
Nilikuja - I came	Ulikuja - You Came	Alikuja - He Came
Tulikuja - We Came	Mulikuja - You Came ( Plural )	Walikuja - They Came

SECTION 4

PRESENT TENSE

AND CONJUGATION

Tenses -NA-
Ninakuja-I am Coming	Unakuja-You are Coming	Aanakuja-He is Coming
Tunakuja-We are Coming	Mnakuja- You are Coming	Wanakuja-They are Coming

SECTION 5

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

AND CONJUGATION

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE -A-
Naja-I Come	Waja-You Come	Aja-He Come
Twaja-We Come	Mwaja- You Come	Waja-They Come

SECTION 6

PERFECT TENSE

AND CONJUGATION

PERFECT TENSE -ME-
Nimekuja - I have come	Umekuja - You have come	Amekuja - He has come
Tumekuja - We have come	Mmekuja - You have come ( plural )	Wamekuja - They have come

SECTION 7

FUTURE TENSE

AND CONJUGATION

FUTURE TENSE -TA-
NItakuja - I shall come	Utakuja - You shall come	Atakuja - He will come
Tutakuja - We shall come	Mtakuja- You will come	Watakuja-They will come

More Lessons

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Thank you Asanteni

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Copyright© March 2003: The Waswahili Community Trust (UK)
Registered Charity:1083065

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