Salamu I: Hujambo #
Hujambo is one of the most common greetings in Swahili. It is usually used among agemates. However, if someone who is older than you greets you using hujambo, you respond to the greeting word and greet them back using an age appropriate greeting that we shall learn.
Mazungumzo I #
Asha: Hujambo, Ali?
Ali: Sijambo, Asha. Na wewe je, hujambo?
Asha: (Mimi) sijambo.
Ali: Kaka hajambo?
Asha: (Yeye) hajambo. Je, dada hajambo?
Ali: Hajambo pia.
Asha: Kwaheri Ali.
Ali: Kwaheri Asha.
Zoezi I: Hujambo
In pairs, practice to greet in Swahili using jambo
Mazungumzo II #
Ali: Hamjambo Asha na Jamila?
A & J: (Sisi) hatujambo Ali. Wewe hujambo?
Ali: (mimi) sijambo. Baba na mama hawajambo?
A & J: (wao) hawajambo, asante. Je, dada zako hawajambo?
Ali: (wao) hawajambo. Kwaherini.
A & J: Kwaheri, tutaonana baadaye.
Zoezi II: Hamjambo
In groups of 3s, practice to greet in Swahili using hamjambo.
Sarufi/Grammar: Swahili Pronouns #
You may have noticed that the jambo greeting changes depending on how many people are involved. The participants are indicated in the brackets in mazungumzo II above. There are 3 personal pronouns that exist both in singular and plural. The pronouns are also marked in verbs to make them grammartical as shown in the table below.
Singular #
Person
1st
2nd
3rd
Pronoun
Mimi /me or I
Wewe /you
Yeye /him or her
Pronoun and Verb itwa/called
Mimi ninaitwa Asha
Wewe unaitwa Ali
Yeye anaitwa Jamila
Plural #
Person
1st
2nd
3rd
Pronoun
Sisi/us or we
Nyinyi/ you all
Wao/they
Pronoun and Verb itwa/called
Sisi tunaitwa Wildcats
Nyinyi mnaitwa Buckeyes
Wao wanaitwa Spartan
Mazungumzo III #
Baraka: Hujambo rafiki?
Pili: Sijambo rafiki. Mimi ninaitwa Pili. Na wewe je, unaitwa nani?
Baraka: Mimi ninaitwa Baraka. Nimefurahi kukufahamu, Pili.
Pili: Nimefurahi kukufahamu pia, Baraka. Je, unatoka wapi?
Baraka: Mimi ninatoka Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Na wewe je, unatoka wapi?
Pili: Mimi ninatoka Mombasa, Kenya.
Baraka: Kwaheri Pili.
Pili: Kwaheri Baraka.
Zoezi III: Ninaitwa In pairs, greet each other and introduce yourselves in Swahili.
Salamu II: Habari Gani?/What is the News? #
The habari? habari gani? greeting is also a general form of greeting in Swahili. Just like with hujambo, it is mostly used among agemates. If an older person greets a younger person using the habari greeting, the younger person responds to the habari greeting and then greets the older person using the age appropriate greeting, shikamoo. The response to the habari greeting can either be nzuri, njema, salama, or safi, all which translate to fine or good. Just like with hujambo greeting, you can use the habari to inquire about the state of affairs of the person whom you are greeting such as work, school, pet, family, e.t.c.
Mazungumzo IV #
Bahati: Habari gani rafiki yangu?
Musa: Salama rafiki, jina langu ni Musa; ninatoka Nairobi, Kenya.
Bahati: Mimi ninaitwa Bahati; ninatoka Arusha, Tanzania. Habari za asubuhi?
Musa: Nzuri sana na wewe je?
Bahati: Safi. Habari za safari?
Musa: Njema. Nyumbani hawajambo?
Bahati: Hawajambo.
Musa: Karibu Nairobi.
Bahati: Asante.
Musa: Ninakutakia siku njema.
Bahati: Asante, ninakutakia siku njema pia.
Zoezi IV: Habari
In pairs, greet each other using habari/habari gani greeting, introduce yourselves, and bid each other goodbye.
How would you greet someone in Swahili using the habari greeting at the following times of the day?
Asubuhi
Mchana
Jioni
Usiku
How would you bid one goodbye in Swahili at the different times of the day shown below?
Asubuhi
Mchana
Jioni
Usiku
Salamu III: Hujambo?/Habari gani?/Shikamoo? #
In this section, we shall learn how to use the shikamoo greeting together with hujambo and habari greeting words. Shikamoo is used by a young person to an adult, professor, or parent figure.
Mazungumzo V: Mwanafunzi na Mwalimu #
Mwanafunzi: Shikamoo mwalimu.
Mwalimu: Marahaba. Hujambo?
Mwanfunzi: Sijambo, mwalimu. Habari za mchana?
Mwalimu: Salama, asante. Nyumbani hawajambo?
Mwanafunzi: Hawajambo.
Mwalimu: Karibu kiti.
Mwanafunzi: Asante sana, mwalimu.
Mazungumzo VI: Mwalimu na Wanafunzi #
Mwalimu: Hamjambo wanafunzi?
Wanafunzi: Hatujambo mwalimu, shikamoo?
Mwalimu: Marahaba. Habari za asubuhi?
Mwanafunzi I: Salama, asante.
Mwanafunzi II: Njema.
Mwanafunzi III: Nzuri sana.
Mwalimu: Karibuni ofisini.
Wanafunzi: Asante sana, mwalimu.
(baada ya mazungumzo/after the conversation)
Mwalimu: Kwaherini na muwe na siku njema.
Wanafunzi: Kwaheri na uwe na siku njema pia.
Zoezi V: Kazi ya Vikundi
In pairs, rehearse how you will initiate a Swahili conversation with your Swahili instructor during the office hour by using the age and time appropriate greetings.
Salamu IV: Mambo?/Mambo vipi?/Sasa?/Niaje? #
In this section, we shall focus on the informal greetings that Swahili speakers use in their informal interactions. You can use any of the following greeting words in informal greetings: mambo?, mambo vipi?, sasa?, or niaje?, all which translate to what’s up?/how is the going? The following responses are used interchangeably: poa, freshi, or fiti, all which translate to cool.
Mazungumzo VII: Mazungumzo ya vijana
Juma: Mambo vipi Tatu?
Tatu: Freshi! Niaje?
Juma: Poa sana. Za mchana?
Tatu: Safi! Mambo yanakwendaje?
Juma: Salama na wewe je?
Tatu: Freshi! Baadaye.
Juma: Baadaye.
Zoezi VI: Kazi ya Vikundi
In pairs, practice to use informal Swahili greetings.