• Uko aje, Alchemist iko wapi? ….. Hello, where is Alchemist located?
• Nitafikaje sokoni? ….. How will I get to the market?
• Ni mbali sana? …. Is it very far?
• Ni karibu na hapa? …. Is it close to here?
• Naweza tembea? ….. Can I walk?
• Naweza chukua boda? ….. Can I take a boda?
• Nitapata wapi apartment Westlands…. Where can I get an apartment in Westlands?
• Ni pesa ngapi?.... How much is it?
• Ninataka 2 bedroom…. I want 2 bedrooms
• Ningetaka yenye iko na bafu mbili….I want one with 2 bathrooms
• Unataka floor ya juu au chini …. Do you want a high floor or low floor
• Kuna lift? …. Is there a lift?

• Habari,uko aje?.... Hello, how are you?
• Unatoka wapi? …. Where are you from?
• Nimesafiri kutoka America…. I have travelled from America
• Mimi ni Mwingereza(British)..... I am British
• Uko na kitu ya kudeclare? …. Do you have anything to declare?
• Ndio,niko na zawadi …. I have gifts
• Zawadi = gift/s
• Uko na pombe yoyote? …. Do you have any alcohol
• Pombe = Alcohol
• Hapana,sina pombe yoyote.… No, I don’t have any alcohol
• Utakaa wapi? …. Where will you stay?
• Ninaweza kuona kadi yako ya vaccine?.... Can I see your vaccination card?
• Iko wapi ETA? … Where is your ETA?
• Utaenda aje kwa hoteli yako? …. How will you get to your hotel?
• Nitachukuliwa na gari ya hoteli….. I will be picked up by the hotel car
• Utarudi lini?.... When will you return?
• Nitarudi baada ya wiki moja…. I will return after 1 week
• Nitachukua suitcase yangu wapi? … Where do I pick up my suitcase?
• Kuna trafiki sana?....Is there a lot of traffic?
• Tutapitia njia gani?…. Which route do we take?
• Tunaweza pitia express way ni haraka…. We can use the express way it is faster.

• Habari,uko aje?.... Hello, how are you?
• Mimi ni Mwingereza(British)..... I am British
• Baa iko wapi? ….. Where is the bar?
• Ni pesa ngapi? …… How much is it?
• Karibu = welcome
• Ninataka chai = I want tea
• Unatoka wapi?..... Where are you from?
• Unaishi huku? …. Do you live here?
• Nitakunywa bia…. I will take a beer
• Ninakupenda = I like you
• Ninampenda = I like him/her
• Kusafiri = To travel
• Kuendesha = To drive/ride
• Kuenda = To go
• Safari = Trip
• Msafiri/wasafiri = Traveller/s
• Gari = Car
• Basi = Bus
• Matatu = Mini van
• Boda/pikipiki = Motorcycles
• Niko na = I have
• Uko na = You have
• Ako na = He/she has
• Tuko na = We have
• Mko na = You have
• Wako na = They have
• Iko na = It has
• Eee/ndio/ndiyo….yes
• Hapana/apana ….no
• Sawa …..ok
• Kukula = to eat
• Kukunywa = to drink
• Kulala = to sleep
• Kuamka = to wake up
• Kufanya kazi= to do work
• Kuenda = to go
• Kukuja = to come
• Kutaka = to want

• Habari,uko aje?.... Hello, how are you?
• Unatoka wapi? …. Where are you from?
• Nimesafiri kutoka America…. I have travelled from America
• Mimi ni Mwingereza(British)..... I am British
• Uko na kitu ya kudeclare? …. Do you have anything to declare?
• Ndio,niko na zawadi …. I have gifts
• Zawadi = gift/s
• Uko na pombe yoyote? …. Do you have any alcohol
• Pombe = Alcohol
• Hapana,sina pombe yoyote.… No, I don’t have any alcohol
• Utakaa wapi? …. Where will you stay?
• Ninaweza kuona kadi yako ya vaccine?.... Can I see your vaccination card?
• Iko wapi ETA? … Where is your ETA?
• Utaenda aje kwa hoteli yako? …. How will you get to your hotel?
• Nitachukuliwa na gari ya hoteli….. I will be picked up by the hotel car
• Utarudi lini?.... When will you return?
• Nitarudi baada ya wiki moja…. I will return after 1 week
• Nitachukua suitcase yangu wapi? … Where do I pick up my suitcase?
• Kuna trafiki sana?....Is there a lot of traffic?
• Tutapitia njia gani?…. Which route do we take?
• Tunaweza pitia express way ni haraka…. We can use the express way it is faster.

• Uko aje, Alchemist iko wapi? ….. Hello, where is Alchemist located?
• Nitafikaje sokoni? ….. How will I get to the market?
• Ni mbali sana? …. Is it very far?
• Ni karibu na hapa? …. Is it close to here?
• Naweza tembea? ….. Can I walk?
• Naweza chukua boda? ….. Can I take a boda?
• Nitapata wapi apartment Westlands…. Where can I get an apartment in Westlands?
• Ni pesa ngapi?.... How much is it?
• Ninataka 2 bedroom…. I want 2 bedrooms
• Ningetaka yenye iko na bafu mbili….I want one with 2 bathrooms
• Unataka floor ya juu au chini …. Do you want a high floor or low floor
• Kuna lift? …. Is there a lift

• Ninapatana na rafiki yangu kwa baa kutazama football…. I will meet with my friend at the bar to watch football
• Tutaenda wapi?...... Where are we going
• Tutaenda Barrel and Stools Westlands… We will go to Barrel and Stools
• Unatoka wapi?..... Where are you from?
• Unaishi huku? …. Do you live here?
• Umekuja kutembea au biashara?.... Are you here for a visit or business?
• Nimekuja vacation,kazi,.... I am here for vacation, work
• Unatoka Nairobi?.... Are you from Nairobi?
• Unaonaje Kenya?.... How do you find Kenya?
• Ninapenda culture, safari,watu…I love the culture, safari, people e.t.c
• Sipendi traffic ya Nairobi ….. I don’t like Nairobi traffic
• Nimefurahi kuongea na wewe…. I am happy to talk to you/was nice to chat with you.

• Habari,uko aje?..... Hello, How are you?
• Safari yako ilikuwa aje?......How was your trip?
• Ilikuwa mrefu na nimechoka…. It was long, and I’m tired
• Niko na njaa pia…. I’m also hungry
• Ninahitaji kukula alafu kulala….. I need to eat, then sleep
• Kuna maji kwa room(chumba).... Is there water in the room?
• Ndio, kuna friji …. Yes, there is a fridge
• Baa iko wapi? ….. Where is the bar?
• Pool iko wapi?..... Where is the swimming pool?
• Iko rooftop,iko nje….. It’s on the rooftop, outside
• Ninataka kuenda mahali(soko) … I want to go somewhere(Market, Mall, Bar)
• Nafaa kuchukua uber? … Should I order an Uber/Bolt?
• Ama kuna teksi nje?..... Or is there a taxi outside?
• Unaweza chukua yoyote…. You can take any
• Ninataka room yangu ioshwe…. Can I get my room cleaned
• Ninataka towels fresh…… I want fresh towels
• Unaweza nibadilishia towels…. Can you change my towels

• Ni pesa ngapi? …… How much is it?
• Karibu = welcome
• Unataka nini? = What do you want?
• Ninataka chai = I want tea
• Unataka kahawa = You want coffee
• Anataka maji = He/she wants water
• Unataka maji baridi? = Do you want cold water?
• Ndio/Eeee ninataka maji baridi = Yes, I want cold water.
• Hapana,ninataka maji moto = No, I want hot water
• Ninakunywa black coffee/ ninakunywa kahawa bila maziwa = I drink black coffee/coffee without milk.
• Unataka chai gani? = Which tea do you want?
• Na sukari au bila? = With sugar or without?
• Na maziwa au bila? = With milk or without?
• Bila = without
• Nini ingine? = What else?
• Nyama = Meat
• Kuku = Chicken
• Steak = Steak
• Samaki = Fish
• Viazi = Potatoes
• Mbuzi = Goat meat
• Choma = BBQ meat
• Utakunywa drink gani?..... Which drink will you have?
• Nitakunywa bia…. I will take a beer
• Bia gani?.... Which beer?
• Ninataka crafted beer….I want a crafted beer
• Kuna duck meat? …. Is there duck meat?
• Ninataka lamb chomps….I want lamb chops
• Kuna Indian Restaurant karibu?....
• Mayai = Eggs
• Unataka zitengenezwe aje? …..How would you like them served?
• Mayai fried, scrambled, poached… Fried eggs, scrambled, poached
• Bacon na sausages
• Baked beans
• Potatoes(viazi)
• Mushrooms
• Nyanya = Tomatoes

• Ni pesa ngapi? …… How much is it?
• Uko na..tembo,Impala, simba,kifaru…? Do you have…elephant?
• Kiboko = Hippo
• Kifaru = Rhino
• Nyati = Buffalo
• Simba = Lion
• Tembo/Ndovu = Elephant
• Niko nayo/sina ….. I have it/ I don’t have
• Unataka ngapi? …. How many do you want?
• Tuko na zingine …. We have more/others
• Uko na ya black(nyeusi).... Do you have black…
• Ninataka kununua Kenti cloth… I want to buy a kenti cloth
• Ndizi = Bananas
• Mananasi = Pineapples
• Maembe = Mangoes
• Nywele = Hair
• Nguo = Clothes
• Viatu = Shoes
• Kunyolewa = Haircut
• Nywele ni pesa ngapi…. How much is the hair?
• Unataka style gani? …. Which style do you want?
• Ninataka braids,conrows,.... I want braids, cornrows
• Ninataka haircut …. I want a haircut
• Nimependa hii nguo,viatu,kibeti…. I like this dress, shoes, and purse
• Nimependa hii shati,koti,trousa…..I like this shirt, jacket/coat, trousers
• Uko na size hii? ….. Do you have this size?
• Ninataka kununua shuka za kitanda ….. I want to buy bed linens
• Kununua = to buy
• Tafadhali badilisha shuka za kitanda,taulo…. Please change the beddings, towels…
• Balidisha = Change
• Ninataka kununua michoro(paintings), masks,picha…..I want to buy paintings, masks, pictures, Canva
• Nipe na bei ya Mkenya ….. Give me a Kenyan price
• Si bei ya Mzungu …. Not Mzungu price
• Bei ya kawaida …. Normal price
• Hii bei iko juu…. This price is high(expensive)

• Mambo vipi? Habari,Uko aje?.... How are you?
• Kuna jam sana… There is a lot of traffic
• au tutafika haraka? …. Or will we arrive quickly?
• Ni njia gani nzuri ya kupitia…. Which is the better route to take?
• Habari ya biashara? …. How is business?
• Mafuta ya gari imepanda bei …. The fuel price has gone up
• Ninakuona…I can see you
• Unaniona?… Do you see me?
• Unajua Stanley? …Do you know Stanley?
• Niko hapa nje… I am outside here
• Nipe dakika kidogo…Give me a few mins
• Ngoja kidogo…. Wait a little
• Unakaa vizuri …. You look good,sharp
• Uko na nguo mrembo …. That’s lovely dress
• Shukisha hapa…Drop me here
• Ninaenda… I am going,leaving
• Kuna mvua,jua kali,joto,baridi….There is rain,hot sun,hot weather,cold
• Ninapenda Kenya,nimekuja safari… I like Kenya,I have come for a safari
• Ninatoka Marekani/Uingereza…. I’m from UK,US.
• Mzungu = White person
• Wikendi hii kuna nini?.... What’s happening this weekend?
• Ni wapi kuna sherehe usiku?.... Where is the party tonight?
• Kuna mechi gani na wapi?... Is there a match and where?
• Wewe ni fan wa timu gani? …. Which team are you a fan of?
• Unapendekeza chakula kipi?...Which food do you recommend?
• Restauranti gani mzuri hii Nairobi?... Which restaurant is good in Nairobi?
• Bia gani bora?.... Which beer is better?
• Habari ya nyumbani,familia,maisha,wazazi?.... How is home,family,life,parents?
• Ni klabu/baa gani inashika sana/vibe mzuri?.... Which club/bar has a good vibe?
• Nitanunua raundi ya kwanza…. I will buy the first round

A(he/she)+na(tense)+ni(me)+penda(verb)= ananipenda

Anapenda mimi

Kupenda = To love/like

• Ninakupenda = I like you
• Ninampenda = I like him/her
• Ninawapenda = I like them
• Ninaipenda = I like it
• Unanipenda = You like me
• Unampenda = You like her
• Unatupenda = You like us
• Unawapenda = You like them
• Unaipenda = You like it
• Ananipenda = He likes me
• Anakupenda = She likes you
• Anatupenda = He likes us
• Anawapenda = He likes them
• Anaipenda = She likes it

Kusaidia = To help

• Ninakusaidia, Ninamsaidia, Ninawasaidia,Ninaisaidia
• Unanisaidia, Unamsaidia, Unatusaidia, Unawasaidia, Unaisaidia
• Ananisaidia, Anakusaidia, Anatusaidia, Anawasaidia, Anaisaidia
• Tunakusaidia, Tunamsaidia, Tunawasaidia, Tunaisaidia
• Mnanisaidia, Mnamsaidia, Mnawasaidia, Mnaisaidia
• Wananisaidia, Wanakusaidia, Wanamsaidia, Wanatusaidia, Wanawasaidia, Wanaisaidia

Safari ya Kenya
• Jana nililipa tikiti za ndege. Yesterday I paid for the plane tickets.
• Nitasafiri kutoka Marekani Agosti 23…. I will travel from America on August 23rd.
• Nitasafiri siku yote na nitafika siku ijayo. I will travel all night, and I will arrive the next day.
• Ninapanga kukaa Kilimani nikifika Nairobi. plan to stay in Kilimani when I arrive in Nairobi.
• Alafu nitakaa siku mbili Maasai Mara.Then, I will spend two days in Maasai Mara.
• Nikirudi ,nitakaa kwa hoteli Westlands. When I return, I will stay in a hotel in Westlands.
• Huko Westlands,nitakuwa ninatafuta nyumba ya kuishi.Over there in Westlands, I will look for somewhere to live.
• Pia,nitaenda kupiga sherehe wikendi.. Also, on the weekend I will go to party.
• Ninapanga kuenda Maasai Mara labda Jumatano kwa siku mbili. I plan to go to Maasai Mara, maybe for two days.
• Tutarudi Ijumaa mapema. We will return early Friday.
• Nitaenda na rafiki yangu wakili.I will go with my friend, the lawyer.
• Tutasafiri na ndege kutoka Uwanja wa ndege wa Wilson.We will fly from Wilson Airport
• Kabla ya kuenda Mara,nitakaa Stanley Sarova. Before I go to Mara, I will stay in Stanley Sarova
• Nikirudi nitakaa Westlands.When I return, I will stay in Westlands
• Ningependa kuona Mto wa Grumeti ambapo kuna Wildebeast.I would like to see the Grumeti River, where there is the Wildebeest migration
• Wildebeasts wanatoka/wanahamia Serengeti hadi Maasai Mara.Wildebeasts migrate from the Serengeti to the Maasai Mara.
• Pia tutatembelea kijiji cha Wamaasai.Also, we will visit the Maasai community.
• Ninataka kuruka kama Wamaasai,kuona manyatta na tamaduni zao. I want to see the Maasai jumping, to see their manyatta houses, and their culture.
• Ninataka kuona pia wakidunga ng’ombe na mkuki kutoa damu kama tamaduni yao.Also, I want to see them pierce the cows with an arrow and draw blood.

Travel Verbs
• Kusafiri = To travel
• Kuendesha = To drive/ride
• Kuenda = To go
• Kutembea = To walk
• Kutembelea = To visit
• Kukimbia = To run
• Kupanga = To plan
• Kutayarisha = To prepare
• Kuanza = To start
• Kumaliza = To finish
• Kuisha = To finish(things)
• Kuondoka = To leave/depart
• Kufika = To arrive
• Kurudi = To return
• Kutoka = To come from/from
• Kusubiri/Kungoja = To wait
• Kuchelewa = To be late
• Kupanda = To board/get in/go up/climb/to plant
• Kushuka = To alight/get off/go down
• Kuingia = To enter
• Kuzung’uka = To explore/go around
• Kubeba = To carry
• Kupotea = To be lost
• Kupoteza = To lose
• Kuuliza = To ask
• Kujibu = To answer
• Kuongea = To speak
• Kujua = To know
• Kusahau = To forget
• Kukumbuka = To remember
• Kuitisha = To ask for
• Kuagiza = To order

Usafiri(Transportation)
• Safari = Trip
• Msafiri/wasafiri = Traveller/s
• Gari = Car
• Basi = Bus
• Matatu = Mini van
• Boda/pikipiki = Motorcycles
• Ndege = Airplane/bird
• Barabara = Road
• Barabara kuu = Highway
• Baiskeli = Bicycle
• Boti = Boat
• Meli = Ship
• Treni/Garimoshi = Train
• Trafiki = Traffic
• Tikiti = Ticket
• Njia = way,path
• Stesheni/Kituo = Station
• Nauli = fare
• Ferri = ferry
• Abiria = Passenger/s

		Tenses      Negations
		-li-              -ku-
		-na-           "disappears"
		-me-          -ja-
		-ta-           -ta-
					

Present Tense(-na-) at the moment
• Ninaenda kazi,unaenda kazi,anaenda kazi,tunaenda kazi,mnaenda kazi,wanaenda kazi,inaenda kazi

Past tense(-li-) yesterday
• Nilienda kazi,ulienda kazi,alienda kazi,tulienda kazi,mlienda kazi,walienda kazi,ilienda kazi

Present perfect (-me-) just now or a few hrs ago/have
• Nimeenda kazi,umeenda kazi,ameenda kazi,tumeenda kazi,mmeenda kazi,wameenda kazi, Imeenda kazi

Future Tense (-ta-) soon/will
• Nitaenda kazi,utaenda kazi,ataenda kazi,tutaenda kazi,mtaenda kazi,wataenda kazi,itaenda kazi

Present tense I’m not
• Siendi kazi,huendi kazi,haendi kazi,hatuendi kazi,hamuendi kazi,hawaendi kazi,haiendi kazi

Past tense I did not
• Sikuenda kazi,hukuenda kazi,hakuenda kazi,hatukuenda kazi,hamkuenda kazi,hawakuenda kazi,haikuenda kazi

Present perfect I have not
• Sijaenda kazi,hujaenda kazi,hajaenda kazi,hatujaenda kazi,hamjaenda kazi,hawajaenda kazi,haijaenda kazi

Future tense I will not
• Sijaenda kazi,hujaenda kazi,hajaenda kazi,hatujaenda kazi,hamjaenda kazi,hawajaenda kazi,haijaenda kazi

• Ninataka chai,unataka chai,anataka chai,tunataka chai,mnataka chai,wanataka chai,inataka chai
• Nilitaka chai,ulitaka chai,alitaka chai,tulitaka chai,mlitaka chai,walitaka chai,ilitaka chai
• Nimetaka chai,umetaka chai,ametaka chai,tumetaka chai,mmetaka chai,wametaka chai,imetaka chai
• Nitataka chai,utataka chai,atataka chai,tutataka chai,mtataka chai,watataka chai,itataka chai

Negations
• Sitaki chai,hutaki chai,hataki chai,hatutaki chai,hamtaki chai,hawataki chai,haitaki chai
• Sikutaka chai,hukutaka chai,hakutaka chai,hatukutaka chai,hamkutaka chai,hawakutaka chai,haikutaka chai
• Sijataka chai,hujataka chai,hajataka chai,hatujataka chai,hamjataka chai,hawajataka chai,haijataka chai
• Sitataka chai,hutataka chai,hatataka chai,hatutataka chai,hamtataka chai,hawatataka chai,haitataka chai
• Kufika nyumbani

Verb Conjugation - To Work
• Nilikuwa kazi…. I was at work
• Nimekuwa kazi….I have been to work
• Niko kazi …. I am at work
• Nitakuwa kazi ….I will be at work
• Ulikuwa nyumbani….You were at home
• Walikuwa nyumbani….They were at home
• Tulikuwa nyumbani….We were at home
• Mlikuwa nyumbani… You all were at home
• Ilikuwa nyumbani…. It will be at home
• Leo nitaenda kazi
• Usiku nitaenda kunywa beer na rafiki
• Nitatazama football
• Sitafanya kazi kesho
• Ninataka kuangalia Website ya Swahili,nitatengeneza Youtube ya muziki wangu

Yesterdays details
• Jana nilienda kwa studio ya muziki.
• Niliimba sauti za wimbo wangu.
• Inachukua masaa manne.
• Inahitajika kuongezwa chombo cha ala(instrumental).
• Alafu tutaongezea maelewano kwa chorus.
• Baada ya hiyo,wimbo utatayarishwa kutolewa(kuchapisha)
• Baadae, nilirudi nyumbani.Nilipika chakula cha jioni,nilikula,alafu nilitazama football kati ya timu ya Netherlands na Morocco(Uholanzi na Morocco).
• Maisha ya Nairobi ya usiku inavutia.
• Kwa mfano,klabu za Nairobi zina tamaduni ambapo kuna Wazungu na wasichana wadogo Waafrika.

Negate these sentences
• Wikendi nilienda kwa hoteli na familia yangu.
• Wikendi sikuenda kwa hoteli na familia yangu(I did not go to the hotel with my family.)
• Nilisahau kupiga simu(Sikusahau kupiga simu = I forgot to make a phone call)
• Ako na mkutano kesho ( hana mkutano kesho = He doesn’t have a meeting tomorrow)
• Tuko na rafiki yetu ( hatuko na rafiki yetu = We are not with our friend)
• Mlihitaji maji (Hamhitaji maji = You don’t need water)
• Uliweza kupika (Hukuweza kupika = you were not able to cook)
• Wamefanya mazoezi (Hawajafanya mazoezi = They have not worked out)
• Anatazama live band (Hatazami live band = He is not watching a live band)
• Tulirudi nyumbani jana( Hatukurudi nyumbani jana = We didn’t return home yesterday)
• Umetafuta? (Hujatafuta = you didn’t look for)
• Iko na kazi mingi (haiko na kazi mingi = It doesn’t have lots of work)

Negations
• Always negate the prefixes
• Ni = si
• U = hu
• A = ha
• Tu =hatu
• M = ham
• Wa = hawa
• I = hai
• Negate the tenses(each tense is negated differently)

Past Tense
• -li- becomes -ku-

kunywa = drink
• Sikukunywa maziwa ….. I didn’t drink milk
• Hukukunywa bia…. You didn’t drink beer
• Hakukunywa bia … He/she didn’t drink beer
• Hatukukunywa chai
• Hamkukunywa chai
• Hawakukunywa chai
• Haikukunywa chai

safiri = travel
• Sikusafiri Mombasa
• Hukusafiri Mombasa
• Hakusafiri Mombasa
• Hatukusafiri Mombasa
• Hamkusafiri Mombasa
• Hawakusafiri Mombasa
• Haikusafiri Mombasa

penda = love/like
• Sikupenda football
• Hukupenda football
• Hakupenda football
• Hatukupenda football
• Hamkupenda football
• Hawakupenda football
• Haikupenda football

  Present perfect (-me- becomes -ja-)

  fika = arrive
  • Sijafika bado…. I haven’t arrived yet
  • Hujafika bado?.... You haven’t arrived yet?
  • Hajafika bado….. He hasn’t arrived yet
  • Hatujafika bado… We haven’t arrived yet
  • Hamjafika bado
  • Hawajafika bado
  • Haijafika bado
  enda = go
  • Sijaenda soko …. I haven’t gone to the market
  • Hujaenda soko
  • Hajaenda soko
  • Hatujaenda soko
  • Hamjaenda soko
  • Hawajaenda soko
  • Haijaenda soko
  pika = cook
  • Sijapika nyama
  • Hujapika nyama
  • Hajapika nyama
  • Hatujapika nyama
  • Hamjapika nyama
  • Hawajapika nyama
  • Haijapika nyama

• Mimi ni Emmah……I am Emmah
• Wewe ni Trevor ……You are Trevor
• Yeye ni Daktari……
• Sisi ni Waafrika……
• Nyinyi ni wazuri……
• Wao ni warefu…….
• Chakula ni mzuri……
• Kahawa ni moto
• To show the location(the verb to be)
• Niko nyumbani…..I’m at home
• Uko kazi ……You are at work
• Ako mbali…..He is far
• Tuko Marekani…..We are in America
• Mko kwa baa…….You all are at the bar
• Wako kwa hoteli…..They are at the hotel
• Gari iko nje………The car is outside
• Negations
• Siko
• Huko
• Hako
• Hatuko
• Hamko
• Hawako
• Haiko
• Siko kwa ofisi
• Huko Kenya
• Hako kwa bichi
• Hatuko hapa
• Hamko kazi
• Hawako kwa restauranti
• Haiko hapa

• Nilikuwa nyumbani…..
• Nimekuwa nyumbani…
• Niko nyumbani……
• Nitakuwa tense…..
• Ulikuwa nyumbani
• Umekuwa nyumbani
• Utakuwa nyumbani
• Alikuwa nyumbani
• Amekuwa nyumbani
• Ako nyumbani
• Atakuwa nyumbani
• Walikuwa Mombasa
• Wamekuwa Mombasa
• Wako Mombasa
• Watakuwa Mombasa
• Tulikuwa kwa baa
• Tumekuwa kwa baa
• Tuko kwa baa
• Tutakuwa kwa baa

• Niko na = I have
• Uko na = You have
• Ako na = He/she has
• Tuko na = We have
• Mko na = You have
• Wako na = They have
• Iko na = It has
• Niko na guitaa
• Niko na gari
• Uko na guitaa?
• Siko na guitaa….I don’t have a guitar
• Uko na gari?
• Siko na gari
• Ana gari
• Tuna gari
• Mna gari
• Wana gari
• Ina gari
• Negations
• Niko na = Siko na/sina
• Uko na = Huko na/huna
• Ako na = Hako na/hana
• Tuko na = Hatuko na/hatuna
• Mko na = Hamko na/hamna
• Wako na = Hawako na/hawana
• Iko na = Haiko na /haina
• Niko na pesa
• Siko na pesa
• Uko na nyumba?
• Huna nyumba?
• Ako na safari?
• Hana safari
• Tuko na kazi mingi?
• Hatuna kazi mingi
• Mko na maji
• Hamna maji
• Wako na watoto
• Hawana watoto
• Kahawa iko na maziwa?
• Kahawa haina maziwa

1. The Possessive Bases

The root words change depending on who the owner is:

• Jana nilienda Neasden, London, kutafuta nyumba.
• Hatukuona nyumba tunayopenda.
• Kwa hivyo,tulienda mahali pengine panaitwa Brixton.
• Tulipenda Brixton.Tulitembelea Agenti wa nyumba.
• Tuliona nyumba tunazopenda na kodi ni bei mzuri.
• Tulirudi kwa hoteli kupumzika.
• Baadae, tulienda kukula chakula cha jioni.
  
• Kesho nitapatana na kaka yangu na bibi yake.
• Watakuja na treni kutoka New Milton.
• Treni itachukua masaa mawili.
• Tutaenda kukula chakula cha mchana.
  
• Saa = time
• Masaa = hours
• Saa moja = 7 o’clock/an hour
• Masaa mawili = 2hrs
• Masaa matatu = 3hrs

1. The Possessive Bases

The root words change depending on who the owner is:

• -angu: My / Mine
• -ako: Your / Yours (singular)
• -ake: His / Her / Its
• -etu: Our / Ours
• -enu: Your / Yours (plural)
• -ao: Their / Theirs

Lets use the default prefix as y

yangu,yako,yake,yetu,yenu,yao

2. Adding prefixes

We add prefixes such as: y-, w-, z-, l-, depending on the object you possess.

NB: w- = for living things singular, z- = plural

Y- = other nouns and names of people like bab, mama, kaka, dada

Examples

• My child
• My coffee
• My wife
• My friend
• My house
• My work
• My phone
• My bed
• My food
• My day

Yours(yako)
• Your child…Mtoto wako
• Your coffee….Kahawa yako
• Your wife …. Bibi yako
• Your friend….Rafiki yako
• Your house….Nyumba yako
• Your work ….Kazi yako
• Your phone… Simu yako
• Your bed….Kitanda chako
• Your food….Chakula yako
• Your day ….Siku yako

His/hers(yake)
• Mtoto wake
• Kahawa yake
• Bibi yake
• Rafiki yake
• Nyumba yake
• Kazi yake
• Simu yake
• Kitanda chake
• Chakula yake
• Siku yake

Ours(yetu)
• Mtoto wetu
• Kahawa yetu
• Bibi zetu…Our wives zetu(ours in plural)
• Rafiki yetu
• Nyumba yetu
• Kazi yetu
• Simu yetu
• Kitanda chetu
• Chakula yetu
• Siku yetu

Yours.pl(Yenu)
• Mtoto wenu
• Rafiki yenu
• Kahawa yenu
• Bibi yenu
• Nyumba yenu
• Kazi yenu
• Simu yenu
• Kitanda chenu
• Chakula yenu
• Siku yenu

Theirs(Yao)
• Mtoto wao
• Rafiki yao
• Kahawa yao
• Bibi yao
• Nyumba yao
• Kazi yao
• Simu yao
• Kitanda chao
• Chakula yao
• Siku yao

Eee/ndio/ndiyo….yes

Hapana/apana ….no

Sawa …..ok

Baadae/baadaye ….later

Baada ya….After

Kabla ya …..Before

Tutaonana …. We’ll see each other

Uko wapi? ….Where are you?

Niko hapa ….I’m here

Unajua ….do you know?

Ninajua ….I know

Sijui ….I don’t know

Hakuna … There is no

Hakuna matatizo/shida….there is no problem

Hakuna hela/pesa …there is no money

Kuna baridi ….There is cold/it is cold

Uko na … you have

Niko na… I have

Siko na/sina … I don’t have

Uko na …. You have

Huko na …you don’t have

Ako na ….he/she has

Hako na …he/she doesn’t have

Tuko na …. We have

Hatuko na….we don’t have

Mko na …. You all have

Hamko na….you don’t have

Wako na …. They have

Hawako na….they don’t have

Iko na ….it has

Haiko na ….it doesn’t have

Bado ….not yet

Labda….maybe

Badala ya…instead of

Lakini ….but

Sina uhakika …. I am not sure

Uko na uhakika …are you sure

Ni ….is, am, are

Mzungu/Wazungu = white person/people

Jambo = tourist only

Mambo = local

Poa = good(cool)

Habari = formal/informal

Mzuri = good

Sasa, Niaje = Hello

Poa

Uko aje/vipi? = How are you?

Niko poa

Unaendelea aje? = How are you doing?

Poa

Tafadhali = Please

Ninaweza kupata kahawa tafadhali

Ninataka kahawa tafadhali (local)

Pole = Sorry

Pole pole = Slowly

Bara = Mainland, Continent

Barabara = Road

Samahani = Excuse me /Sorry (formal)

Sawa = Alright

Personal Pronouns Prefixes+tense+ verb

Mimi = me ni-

Wewe = you u-

Yeye = He/she a-

Sisi = we tu-

Nyinyi = you.pl m-

Wao = they wa-

(thing) i

Tenses

-li- = past tense

-me- = present perfect

-na- = present tense

-ta - = future tense

Mimi niliweza kupika….I was able to cook
Mimi ni+li+weza
Niliweza

Taka = want

• Nilitaka bia…. I wanted a beer
• Ulitaka bia …. You wanted a beer
• Alitaka bia…. He/she wanted a beer
• Tulitaka bia … We wanted a beer
• Mlitaka bia …. You all wanted a beer
• Walitaka bia …. They wanted a beer
• Ilitaka bia …. It wanted a beer

Enda = go

• Nilienda kwa baa …I went to the bar
• Ulienda kwa baa
• Alienda kwa baa
• Tulienda kwa baa
• Mlienda kwa baa
• Walienda kwa baa
• Ilienda kwa baa

Fanya = do

• Nilifanya kazi
• Ulifanya kazi
• Alifanya kazi
• Tulifanya kazi
• Mlifanya kazi
• Walifanya kazi
• Ilifanya kazi

Nini = What

Kwa nini/mbona………Why Kwa sababu…because of

Aje/vipi……………How

Wapi……….Where

Gani…….Which

Ngapi…….How much/many

Lini……….When

Nani………Who/what(name of a person)

Ipi………Which one

Muda gani……How long

Saa ngapi……..What time

Basic Verbs

Self Introduction

Courtesy Words

Greetings