Teach Yourself Swahili (Chapter 3, Part 1)

Front 1

hotelinini

Back 1

in/at the hotel

Front 2

mapokezi

Back 2

reception counter, desk

Front 3

jina langu

Back 3

my name

Front 4

chumba changu

Back 4

my room

Front 5

nilipiga simu

Back 5

I telephoned

Front 6

jana

Back 6

yesterday

Front 7

kuwekesha

Back 7

to reserve, book (a room)

Front 8

samahani!
msamaha!

Back 8

apologies!

Front 9

-subiri

Back 9

wait

Front 10

chumba cha mtu mmoja

Back 10

a single room

Front 11

leo

Back 11

today

Front 12

chenye

Back 12

with, having

Front 13

choo

Back 13

lavatory, toilet

Front 14

bafu

Back 14

bath, shower

Front 15

ghorafa ya tatu

Back 15

third floor

Front 16

sipendi

Back 16

I don't like/want

Front 17

-penda

Back 17

like

Front 18

ghorafa ya juu (N)

Back 18

top floor

Front 19

ghorofa ya kwanza (N)

Back 19

first floor

Front 20

lakini

Back 20

but

Front 21

kidogo

Back 21

small (room)

Front 22

si kitu (kitu means thing)

Back 22

it's nothing, it doesn't matter

Front 23

kitafaa

Back 23

it (i.e. room) will do, will be suitable

Front 24

-ondoka

Back 24

leave a place, set off

Front 25

kesho

Back 25

tomorrow

Front 26

chumbani

Back 26

in/at/to the room

Front 27

plural of chakula

Back 27

vyakula
food

Front 28

plural of chandalua

Back 28

vyandalua
mosquito net

Front 29

plural of cheti

Back 29

vyeti
note, brief letter, receipt

Front 30

plural of chungu

Back 30

vyungu
earthenware cooking pot

Front 31

plural of kiazi

Back 31

vaizi
sweet potato

Front 32

plural of kichwa

Back 32

vichwa
head

Front 33

plural of kijiko

Back 33

vijiko
spoon

Front 34

plural of kikapu

Back 34

vikapu
basket

Front 35

plural of kikombe

Back 35

vikombe
cup

Front 36

plural of kisu

Back 36

visu
knife

Front 37

plural of kitabu

Back 37

vitabu
book

Front 38

plural of kitanda

Back 38

vitanda
bed

Front 39

plural of kiti

Back 39

viti
chair

Front 40

plural of kutuo cha ndege
(also kiwanja cha ndgege)

Back 40

vituo vya ndege
(viwanja vya ndege)
airport

Front 41

plural of kituo cha polisi

Back 41

vituo vya polisi
police station

Front 42

plural of kiboko

Back 42

viboko
hippopotamus

Front 43

plural of kifaru

Back 43

vifaru
rhinocerous

Front 44

plural of kijana

Back 44

vijana
young person, older child (pre-adolescent)

Front 45

plural of kiongozi

Back 45

viongozi
leader

Front 46

plural of kipofu

Back 46

vipofu
blind person

Front 47

plural of kiwete

Back 47

viwete
lame person

Front 48

plural of kiziwi

Back 48

viziwi
deaf person

Front 49

tukae wapi?

Back 49

where shall we sit? (here: -kaa = sit)

Front 50

tukae pale

Back 50

let's sit over there

Front 51

dirisha

Back 51

window

Front 52

je

Back 52

well, now then, hi there!

Front 53

wali

Back 53

cooked rice

Front 54

kwa

Back 54

with

Front 55

samaki

Back 55

fish

Front 56

namna

Back 56

kind, sort, type

Front 57

gani

Back 57

what

Front 58

sijui

Back 58

I don't know

Front 59

changu

Back 59

a kind of sea-fish
(also tangu)

Front 60

ala! (ala)

Back 60

an expression of surprise

Front 61

jina lake

Back 61

it's name

Front 62

kwa kiswahili

Back 62

in swahili

Front 63

ndio

Back 63

an emphantic form of ni, is or (in this case) are

Front 64

nguru

Back 64

kingfish

Front 65

basi

Back 65

so, now, well

Front 66

haya basi

Back 66

ok then, well, now

Front 67

biriani

Back 67

a highly-spiced rice and meat dish

Front 68

kabisa

Back 68

extremely, very...indeed

Front 69

pamoja na

Back 69

together with

Front 70

viungu

Back 70

spices and seasonings, flavourings

Front 71

kama

Back 71

like, such as

Front 72

iliki

Back 72

cardamom seeds

Front 73

dalasini

Back 73

cinnamon

Front 74

bizari

Back 74

curry powder, ingredients of curry powder

Front 75

-ona

Back 75

see, feel

Front 76

ghali

Back 76

expensive

Front 77

ninyi (or nyinyi)

Back 77

you

Front 78

-(ku)la

Back 78

eat

Front 79

nyama ya ng'ombe (N)

Back 79

beef (literally meat of cow)

Front 80

mi

Back 80

short form of mimi, I

Front 81

kuku

Back 81

chicken

Front 82

maandazi, mahamri

Back 82

doughnut-like buns containing cardamom seeds

Front 83

matango

Back 83

cucumbers

Front 84

mishikaki

Back 84

kebabs

Front 85

mahindi

Back 85

maize (sweetcorn)

Front 86

gunzi

Back 86

maize cob

Front 87

muhogo

Back 87

cassava root and plant

Front 88

nyama ya mbuzi (N)

Back 88

goat meat

Front 89

nyanya (N)

Back 89

tomatoes

Front 90

vibibi (Ki/Vi)

Back 90

small pancakes

Front 91

vitumbua (Ki/Vi)

Back 91

rice buns

Front 92

vitunguu (Ki/Vi)

Back 92

onions

Front 93

Kwa nini?

Back 93

For what?
Why?

Front 94

hodari

Back 94

brave

Front 95

maskini

Back 95

poor

Front 96

rahisi

Back 96

easy/cheap

Front 97

safi

Back 97

clean, honest, straightforward

Front 98

tajiri

Back 98

rich

Front 99

kila

Back 99

each (goes before the noun)

Front 100

kina
(or akina)

Back 100

the group associated with...(goes before the noun)
very familiar term. You can only use kina/akina successfully if you are sure your hearer knows which particular group you have in mind

Front 101

Ahadi ni deni

Back 101

A promise is a debt.

Front 102

Kuuliza si ujinga

Back 102

To ask is not stupidity.

Front 103

Mtu ni watu.

Back 103

A person is people. (No man is an island.)

Front 104

kiasi (Ki/Vi)

Back 104

amount

Front 105

malazi

Back 105

accomodation, bedding

Front 106

kutoka (kwa)

Back 106

from

Front 107

taslim (N)

Back 107

total cash payment

Front 108

kwenye

Back 108

at/on