Swahili Phrases

Swahili Phrases
Learning the Swahili Phrases is very important because its structure is used in every day
conversation. The more you practice the subject, the closer you get to mastering the Swahili
language. But first we need to know what the role of Phrases is in the structure of the grammar in
Swahili.
Swahili phrases are a group of words functioning as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence.
Here are some examples:
English Phrases
Phrases
hello
bye
congratulations
sorry
really

Swahili Phrases
jambo
kwaheri
pongezi
pole
kweli

As you can see from the example above, the structure of the Phrases in Swahili has a logical
pattern. Locate the Phrases above and see how it works with the rest of the sentence in Kiswahili.

List of Phrases in Swahili

Below is a list of the phrases and daily expressions in Swahili placed in a table. Memorizing this
table will help you add very useful and important words to your Swahili vocabulary.
English Phrases
a green tree
a tall building
a very old man
the old red house
a very nice friend

Swahili Phrases
Mti wa kijani Kibichi
Jengo ndefu
mzee mkongwe/ mtu mzee sana
Nyumba nyekundu iliozeeka sana
rafiki mzuri sana

I read a book sometimes

I will never smoke
are you alone?

Mimi husoma kitabu mara kwa mara

Sitawahi vuta sigara
Uko Pweke?

my car
green car
three cars
car garage

gari langu
gari la kijani kibichi
magari matatu
gereji la gari

English Phrases
outside the car

nje ya gari

Swahili Phrases

my book
my books
our daughter
our daughters
I'm cold
we're cold
his chickens
their chicken

kitabu changu
vitabu vyangu
binti wetu
binti wetu
nasikia baridi
tunasikia baridi
kuku wake
kuku wao

he is happy
she is happy
he is American
she is American

amefurahi
amefurahi
ni Mmarikani
ni Mmarikani

I can accept that

she added it
we admit it
they advised him
I can agree with that
she allows it
we announce it
I can apologize
she appears today
they arranged that
I can arrive tomorrow
she can ask him
she attaches that
we attack them
they avoid her
I can bake it
she is like him
we beat it
they became happy
I can begin that
we borrowed money
they breathe air
I can bring it
I can build that
she buys food

Naweza kukubali kwamba

aliongeza kuwa
tunakubali
walimshauri
nakubaliana na hayo
anaruhusu
tunatangaza
naomba msamaha
anaonekana leo
walipanga hivyo
nitawasili kesho
anaweza kumuuliza
yeye huunganisha hiyo
sisi huwashambulia
wamamuepuka
naweza kuipikia
yeye ni kama yeye
tuliipiga
walifurahi
nawesza kuanza
tulikopa pesa
wanapumua hewa
nitaileta
naweza kuijenga
yeye hununua chakula

English Phrases
we calculate it
they carry it
they don't cheat
she chooses him
we close it
he comes here
I can compare that
she competes with me
we complain about it
they continued reading
he cried about that
I can decide now
she described it to me
we disagree about it
they disappeared quickly
I discovered that
she dislikes that
we do it
they dream about it
I earned
he eats a lot
we enjoyed that
they entered here
he escaped that
I can explain that
she feels that too
we fled from there
they will fly tomorrow
I can follow you
she forgot me
we forgive him
I can give her that
she goes there
we greeted them
I hate that
I can hear it
she imagine that
we invited them
I know him
she learned it
we leave now

Swahili Phrases
sisi hufanya hesabu hii
wao huibeba
hawadangayi
yeye humchagua
sisi huifunga
yeye huja hapa
naweza kuilinganisha
yeye hushindana nami
sisi hulalamika juu yake
waliendelea kusoma
alilia juu yake
naweza kuamua sasa
alinielezea kuhusu
sisi hatukubaliani
walitoweka haraka
niligundua kwamba
yeye hapendi
sisi hufanya
wao huota juu yake
nimelipwa
yeye anakula sana
sisi tulifurahia
waliingia hapa
aliepuka hiyo
siwezi kueleza hayo
anahisi hivyo pia
sisi tulitoroka toka huko
wataondoka kwa ndege kesho
naweza kukufuata
alinisahau
tumemsamehe
naweza kumpa hiyo
yeye huenda huko
tulimsalimu
nadharau hiyo
Naweza kusikia
yeye hufikiri hivyo
tuliwakaribisha
Mimi namjua
alijifunza
twaondoka sasa

English Phrases
they lied about him
I can listen to that
she lost that
we made it yesterday
they met him
I misspell that
I always pray
she prefers that
we protected them
they will punish her
I can put it there
she will read it
we received that
they refuse to talk
I remember that
she repeats that
we see it
they sell it
I sent that yesterday
he shaved his beard
it shrunk quickly
we will sing it
they sat there
I can speak it
she spends money
we suffered from that
they suggest that
I surprised him
she took that
we teach it
they told us
she thanked him
I can think about it
she threw it
we understand that
they want that
I can wear it
she writes that
we talk about it
they have it
I watched it

Swahili Phrases
walimsingizia
naweza kusikiliza
alipoteza
tulifaulu jana
walikutana naye
siandiki vyema
mimi husali
anapendelea hiyo
tuliwatunza
watamuadhibu
naweza kuiweka pale
ataisoma
tulipokea hiyo
wanakataa kuongea
nakumbuka hayo
anarudia hiyo
tunaona
tunaiuza
nilituma hiyo jana
alimnyoa ndevu
ilipungua haraka
tutuimamba
walikaa hapo
nawaza kuisema
anatumia pesa
tuliteseka
sisi tunadokeza kuwa
nilimshangaza
alichukua hiyo
tunaifunza
Walituambia
alimshukuru
nitafikiria kuhusu
aliitupa
tunaelewa hivyo
wanataka hiyo
naweza kuivaa
anaandika hivyo
tunajadili kuhusu
wanayo
niliitazama

English Phrases
I will talk about it
he bought that yesterday
we finished it

nitaongea kuhusu
alinunua hiyo jana
tuliimaliza

Swahili Phrases

inside the house

outside the car
with me
without him
under the table
after tomorrow
before sunset
but I'm busy

ndani ya nyumba
nje ya gari
na mimi
pasipo yeye
chini ya meza
baada ya kesho
kabla ya machweo
lakini nina shughuli nyingi

he is not here
that is not my book
do not enter

hako hapa
hicho si kitabu changu
usiingie

where is he?
what is this?
why are you sad?
how do you want to pay?

yuko wapi?
ni kitu gani?
mbona una huzuni?
wataka kulipa vipi?

can I come?
is he sleeping?
do you know me?
do you have my book?
how big is it?
can I help you?
can you help me?
do you speak English?
how far is this?
what time is it?
how much is this?
what is your name?
where do you live?

naweza kuja?
amelala?
wanijua?
je, una kitabu changu?
waweza kueleza ukubwa wake?
ninaweza kukusaidia?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Waongea kiingereza
waweza kueleza umbali wake?
ni saa ngapi?
ni kiasi gani?
Jina lako?
Unaishi wapi?