Considered one of the world's easiest languages to pick up, Swahili developed to make communication between Arab and coastal African traders simpler. There are regional variations and dialects, with the standard format evolving from Zanzibar Swahili -- this was the form of the language Christian missionaries first transcribed using the Roman alphabet. The trick with Swahili is to sound out all the syllables that you see in the written form (which may vary from place to place, so take spelling variants with a pinch of salt) -- there are no silent letters or syllables. Bear in mind, too, that Swahili is not necessarily the first language for many of the people you will meet in East Africa. Many people, particularly outside Tanzania and away from the coast, speak only an informal or passable version of the language (in addition to their home tongue), and this may lack correct grammar, have a simplified vocabulary, and, ultimately, be no better than your own practiced attempts at blending in.
Dealing with Drivers
You'll inevitably be driven around for much of your time in Kenya and Tanzania, and there will be times when the style, pace, or attitude of your driver will make you nervous or uneasy. Here are a few essential terms that will help you get your point across -- firmly and in absolute terms -- when you need to modify your travel experience:
Simana! (Stop!)
Pole pole (Slowly)
Unaenda wapi? (Where are you going?)
Twende (Let's go)
Ngoja kidogo! (Hang on a moment!)
Basics
baridi- cold
bia/tembo- beer
chai- tea
chumvi- salt
kahawa- coffee
kali- hot (spicy)
mayai- eggs
maziwa- milk
mkate- bread
molo- hot (temperature)
na . . . /bila . . .- with . . . /without . . .
siagi- butter
sukari- sugar
unga- flour
wali- rice
Meat
kondo- lamb
kuku- chicken
mbuzi- goat
ng'ombei- beef
nguruwe- pork
nyama- meat
samaki- fish
steki- steak
Fruits & Vegetables
machungwa- oranges
maembe- mangoes
mahindi- corn
matunda- fruit
mboga- vegetables
nanasi- pineapple
nazi- coconuts
ndizi- bananas
ndimu- lemon
nyanya- tomatoes
papai- papaya
parachichi- avocado
pera- guava
viazi- potatoes
vitunguu- onions
Wildlife
chui- leopard
faru- rhinoceros
ndovu- elephant
nyati- buffalo
samba- lion
"Hatari!" -- While you may want to memorize the Big Five (named because they were traditionally, in the early days of safari-era hunting, the animals responsible for the largest number of human deaths in the bush), the words you'll be screaming from your tent to attract the attention of assistance will more likely be mdudu if there is an insect or bug, and -- more specifically -- mbu, when you're threatened by a mosquito, which is absolutely the biggest killer in Africa. The other creature you really don't want to find curled up in your tent -- or, indeed, slithering across your path -- is an nyoka, or snake. And if you come between a kiboko (hippopotamus) and the water, there's not very much use remembering how to pronounce its name. Incidentally, take heed of signs bearing the slogan Hakuna njia, as it means "No entry," while the Swahili word for danger is hatari and is likely to be accompanied on signboards by a fierce-looking skull and crossbones.
bweha- jackal
bweha masigio- bat-eared fox
duma- cheetah
fisi- hyena
fungo- civet
kanu- genet
mamba- crocodile
mbwa mwitu- wild dog/hunting dog
mondo- serval
paka pori- wild cat
papa- shark
simbamangu- caracal
choroa- oryx
kuru- waterbuck
mbuzi mawe- klipspringer
ngiri- warthog
nsya- duiker
nyamera- topi
paa- suni
pala hala- sable antelope
pofu- eland
punda milia- zebra
swala granti- Grant's gazelle
swala pala- impala
swala tomi- Thomson's gazelle
swala twiga- gerenuk
tandala- kudu
taya- oribi
tohe- reedbuck
twiga- giraffe
kakukuona- pangolin
kalasinga- De Brazza's monkey
kalunguyeye- hedgehog
kamandegere- springhare
kima- monkey
kindi- ground squirrel
kobe- tortoise
komba- bushbaby
kuku- chicken
mbega- Colobus monkey
mbuni- ostrich
mbuzi- goat
mbwa- dog
mjusi- lizard
muhanga- aardvark
ndege- bird
ng'ombe- cow
nguchiro- mongoose
nguruwe- pig
nungu- porcupine
nyani- baboon
nyegere- ratel
paka- cat
pembere- tree hyrax
pimbi- rock hyrax
punda- horse/donkey
sange- elephant shrew
soko- chimpanzee
sokwe- ape/chimpanzee
sunguru- rabbit/hare
tumbili- vervet monkey
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
