73+ Essential Swahili Travel Phrases for Travelers to East Africa + Free Download

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Searching for essential Swahili travel phrases for your adventure in East Africa?

You are at the right place!

If you’re venturing into the land of The Lion King, knowing basic Swahili words will be your key to enriching African experiences. I’m talking beyond Swahili words in Lion King, like Hakuna Matata or Asante Sana. Those were easy swahili words to learn before traveling to Zanzibar, Tanzania. But there are other beautiful Swahili words you should know.

Learning some common Swahili phrases will be beneficial when visiting Tanzania and Zanzibar. Easy Swahili words will come in handy when on a safari in Kenya or when going on a gorilla trekking tour in Uganda or Rwanda. Want to know, what are those common words in Swahili for tourists?

🗩 If you have been wondering “What is Anja’s favorite Swahili word?”, you will find the answer hidden in the blog.

East Africa, or the land of Swahili, is a place that is on almost everyone’s bucket list. Scenery from the Lion King for nature lovers, safaris in Serengeti and Gorilla spotting for animal lovers, Zanzibar with pristine beaches for tropics enthusiasts, and Maasai culture paired with a rich history.

Knowing basic Swahili phrases when visiting countries from Tanzania and Kenya to Uganda and Rwanda. Swahili basic greetings beyond “Karibu sana” (You’re very welcome) will help you to speak to warm-hearted people of East Africa.

In this comprehensive guide on useful Swahili phrases for tourists, you’ll find important Swahili phrases for greetings, asking for directions, ordering food, bargaining at local markets, and much more. Inside the post you will also find a FREE Swahili phrases pdf, with Swahili sentences translated to English.

Let’s begin your easy Swahili adventure, one essential Swahili travel phrase at a time!

1. Where is Swahili spoken?

Did you know that around 15 million speak Swahili as a mother tongue and that there are around 85 million that speak Swahili as a second language?

That is a lot of Hakuna Matata’s and Polepole’s.

Swahili, also known as Kiswahili, is a language spoken in East Africa. It is the official language in Tanzania, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda. Swahili is used as a second language in various other countries in East Africa, like Rwanda and Burundi.

The Swahili language is widespread as a lingua franca across ethnic and linguistic groups in East Africa. It serves as a common language for trade, education, and social interactions among people with different mother tongues.

Due to its historical importance in trade and cultural exchanges along the East African coast, some Swahili words have been incorporated into the vocabulary of Arabic and Portuguese.

Because of a poetic sound, straightforward grammar, logical spelling, and simple pronunciation patterns, it is an easy language to learn. You can learn beautiful words in Swahili with online apps, by downloading a cheat sheet or coming to East Africa on a holiday.

2. Swahili language basics: alphabet and pronunciation

Before you proceed to the list of Swahili words every traveler to East Africa should know, it is important to familiarize yourself with Swahili language alphabet (Alfabeti ya Kiswahili) and how to pronounce a certain letter in a word.

Swahili alphabet has 29 letters. Most of them are similar to the letters in the English alphabet, without q and x. It does have some letter clusters that make the sounds dh, gh, ng, sh, and th.

Is Swahili easy to learn? Pronunciation of Swahili common words and phrases is phonetic. This means that each letter has only one specific sound and it is pronounced the same all the time. If you know the letter sound, you will know how to say it. So, it is easy to learn Swahili.

A simple guide to Swahili alphabet and pronunciation with similar English sounds:

a	car	gari	n	none	hakuna
b	bay	ghuba	ng	ring	pete
ch	cheetah	duma	o	ocean	bahari
d	dog	mbwa	p	plane	ndege
dh	though	ingawa	r	rainbow	upinde wa mvua
e	elephant	tembo	s	sun	jua
f	fun	furaha	sh	shop	duka
g	get	pata	t	time	wakati
gh	garage	karakana	th	thatch	nyasi
h	hole	shimo	u	moon	mwezi
i	see	ona	v	van	gari
j	jump	kuruka	w	win	kushinda
k	cow	ng’ombe	y	yellow	njano
l	lion	simba	z	zebra	pundamilia
m	monkey	tumbili

3. Essential Swahili travel phrases

3.1. Basic Swahili words and phrases

Those Swahili words to know combine expressions that showcase politeness and cultural respect, encouraging positive interactions with locals and serving as a basis for every communication.

ENGLISH	SWAHILI
Hi	Habari
Please	Tafadhali
Thank you	Asante
Excuse me	Nakuomba radhi
Sorry	Samahani
Yes / No	Ndiyo / Hapana
I don’t understand	Mimi sielewi
Do you speak [language]?	Unasema …?
What is the WiFi password?	Nenosiri la WiFi ni lipi?
Could you take my picture?	Unaweza kunipiga picha?
Where is the bathroom?	Bafu / Choo kiko wapi?

3.2. Common Swahili phrases for greetings and introductions

Common Swahili words and phrases for greetings lay the foundation for any interaction. Swahili african greetings phrases are allowing you to initiate conversations and make a positive first impression.

ENGLISH	SWAHILI
Hello	Jambo
Goodbye	Kwa heri
Good morning	Habari za asubuhi
Good day	Siku njema
Good evening	Habari za jioni
Good night	Lala Salama
Nice to meet you	Nafurahi kukuona
How are you?	Habari gani?
My name is …	Jina langu ni …
How do you say […] in [language]?	Unasemaje … kwa …
Speak slowly, please.	Ongea polepole, tafadhali.

3.3. Essential Swahili travel phrases for directions and getting around

Basic Swahili phrases for asking for directions will enable you to navigate unfamiliar streets and find your way around.

ENGLISH	SWAHILI
Where is …	Ni wapi …?
What time is …	… ni saa ngapi?
How do I get to …	Nawezaje kufika …
How far away is …	… ni umbali gani?
Do you have a map?	Je, una ramani?
When does the next … arrive?	… inayofuata inawasili lini?
How long does it take to get to….?	Inachukua muda gani kufika …?
here / there	hapa / pale
North / South / East / West	Kaskazini / Kusini / Mashariki / Magharibi
left / right / straight / back / up / down	kushoto / kulia / moja kwa moja / nyuma / juu / chini
car / bus / train / taxi / metro / plane	gari / basi / treni / magari-moshi ya chini ya ardhi / ndege
bathroom / restaurant / hotel / bank / pharmacy / hospital	bafu / mgahawa / hoteli / benki / duka la dawa / hospitali

3.4. Useful Swahili phrases for traveling when ordering food and drinks

Swahili language phrases for ordering meals, asking for recommendations, and specifying dietary preferences ensure enjoyable dining experiences and help you explore local cuisines.

ENGLISH	SWAHILI
Cheers!	Afya!/
Is this …	Hii ni …
I’m allergic to …	Nina mzio wa …
The bill, please.	Bili, tafadhali.
I would like to have …	Ningependa …
May I see the menu?	Ninaweza kuona menyu?
What do you recommend?	Je, unapendekeza nini?
vegetarian / vegan / gluten free	mlo wa mboga / mlo usio na nyama wala bidhaa za wanyama / mlo usio na gluteni
sweet / bitter / sour / salty / spicy	tamu / chungu / siki / chumvi / viungo
coffee / tea / water / juice / wine / beer	kahawa / chai / maji / juisi / divai / bia
milk / eggs / fish / peanuts / shellfish / wheat / soybeans	maziwa / mayai / samaki / karanga / samakigamba / ngano / soya

3.5. Basic Swahili phrases for shopping

Essential Swahili phrases for inquiring about prices, negotiating, and asking for sizes or colors are handy when exploring markets and boutiques.

ENGLISH	SWAHILI
How much?	Kiasi gani?
May I try this on?	Je, ninaweza kujaribu hii?
Do you have this in …	Je, una hii katika …?
Excuse me, I’m looking for …	Samahani, ninatafuta …
Is this on sale?	Hii inauzwa?
When do you open/close?	Je, unafungua/kufunga lini?
Do you accept credit cards?	Je, unakubali kadi za mkopo?
bigger / smaller	kubwa / ndogo
1 one / 2 two / 3 three / 4 four / 5 five / 6 six / 7 seven / 8 eight / 9 nine / 10 ten	1 moja / 2 mbili / 3 tatu / 4 nne / 5 tano / 6 sita / 7 saba / 8 nane / 9 tisa / 10 kumi
50 fifty / 100 hundred / 1000 thousand	50 hamsini / 100 mia / 1000 elfu
white / yellow / orange/ red / blue / green / pink / purple / grey / brown / black	nyeupe/ njano/ machungwa/ nyekundu/ bluu/ kijani / waridi/ zambarau / kijivu / kahawia / nyeusi

🗩 “What is Anja’s favorite Swahili word?” Rafiki, which means friend.

3.6. Useful phrases in Swahili for traveling when checking in a hotel

Phrases in Swahili you will need when checking in a hotel, asking for towels, Swahili common phrases for fixing air conditioning, enquiring what time is breakfast, and what is included in your room rate.

ENGLISH	SWAHILI
What time is …	… ni saa ngapi?
… is not working.	… haifanyi kazi.
Do you have WiFi?	Je, una WiFi?
Can I drink the tap water?	Je, ninaweza kunywa maji ya bomba?
breakfast / lunch / dinner	kifungua kinywa / chakula cha mchana / chakula cha jioni
toilet paper / key / towel	karatasi sashi / ufunguo / taulo
air conditioning / fan / heater / hairdryer	hali ya hewa / feni / kipasha moto / mashine ya kukausha nywele

3.7. Helpful Swahili phrases in case of emergencies

Here you will find helpful Swahili phrases in case of emergencies, natural disasters, or if you will be needing assistance in difficult or dangerous situations.

ENGLISH	SWAHILI
Help	Saidia
I am lost	Nimepotea
There is a …	Kuna …
Please call the …	Tafadhali piga simu kwa …
I lost my passport	Nilipoteza pasipoti yangu
My money was stolen	Pesa zangu ziliibiwa
fire / flood / earthquake	moto / mafuriko / tetemeko la ardhi
police / firemen / ambulance	polisi / wazima moto / gari la wagonjwa

3.8. Swahili words and phrases to compliment someone

If you’re like me and really love learning a few phrases in new languages, expand your study beyond the essential travel phrases and learn best Swahili words. I always learn how to say please and thank you, never visit without knowing the local word for “coffee” and never leave without knowing how to say;

ENGLISH	SWAHILI
Love	Mpenzi
Friend	Rafiki
You have beautiful eyes	Una macho mazuri
You have a beautiful smile	Una tabasamu zuri

4. Best language App for traveling abroad

Learning a language is a long process. If you think you won’t have time to learn basic Swahili words, or if the situations come your way when above mentioned common Swahili phrases won’t be enough, use Google Translate. This is my favorite language app, that I use on (almost) every trip.

4.1. Google Translate

Google Translate is the most popular language travel app that can be used everywhere. I personally use it on all my travels, when going to Tanzania to learn what some Swahili words mean, when in Mexico to help with my not-the-best Spanish, when in Italy, in Japan and other places.

I’m sure you are familiar with the language app already. The most obvious feature is it will help you translate the destination language into your own one. But the absolute best feature is that it can translate the text using ‘camera translation’.

All you have to do is open the app, point your camera toward the text in a foreign language and Google Translate will do the rest. Perfect for menus! It also translates text from the photos on your camera roll. And it also works offline, when you download the language pair on your phone.

Language: 133 languages
Download: iOS | Android | Website
Price: Free

5. Final thoughts on Essential Swahili Travel Phrases and Words

Whether it’s a warm greeting, ordering a meal, or expressing gratitude, basic phrases in Swahili not only open doors to easier communication, but also show respect and will help you to understand warm-hearted African people, and their culture in a different way.

Before traveling to Kenya, Tanzania or Uganda, learn Swahili language words that will help you to navigate through this movie-like African landscapes. How to say Hello in Kenyan language and how to say thank you in Tanzanian language. Common Swahili phrases for directions, Zanzibar phrases for ordering food, and checking in a hotel. 

Which of these useful Swahili phrases have you managed to memorize so far?
Let me know in the comments!

Safari Salama,
Anja

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