As I'll be spending quite some time in Tanzania this summer, I thought it would be important to learn some basic Swahili. I hope that by learning a little of the official language, I'll have an easier time connecting with the youth I'll be working with as well as an easier time living in a completely foreign country.
Swahili is spoken by various ethnic groups that live along the Indian Ocean coastline. It is the official language of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, however it is used by many East African countries as a lingua franca (a means to communicate among people who do not share a 'mother tongue').
My aim for this trip is to have an understanding of the basics: the alphabet and numbers, some adjectives and common nouns and verbs. I'm sure that my pronunciation will be atrocious, so here's hoping I'm a natural!
And as it turns out, the majority of you readers will also know a little bit of Swahili. If you've seen The Lion King, and unless you've been living under a rock for the last 20 or so years, you've got a couple of words and phrases up your sleeve!
Swahili from The Lion King:
Hakuna Matata (what a wonderful phrase) - It means "no worries" (no problem)
Simba -lion
Nala - gift
Pumbaa - dull-witted, stunned
Rafiki - friend
Useful Phrases:
Habari - Hello!
Jambo/Hujambo - Hello/How are you?
Nzuri sana - I am fine, thank you
Mbaya - bad
Ndiyo - yes
Hapana - no
Asante (sana) - thank you (very much)
Tafaddhali - please
Kwaheri - goodbye
Choo ni wapi? - Where is the bathroom?
Ukimwi - HIV/AIDS
Well that's a start. The pronunciation is killer, but I still have 88 days left to learn as much as I can!
Asante kwa kusoma! (Thank you for reading!)
-Mathayo (Matt)
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