Translation and Vocabulary Building

Mimi ninaitwa Peter.
My name is Peter.

Ninatoka Uingereza.
I am coming from United Kingom.

In UK we speak English, but here you use Swahili.
Huko Uingereza sisi huzungumza Kiingereza, lakini hapa mnatumia Kiswahili.

Je, wewe unaitwa nani ?
What is your name ?

Unafanya kazi gani?
What kind of work do you do?

Unasoma?
Are you studying?

Ni shida kupata viza?
Is it a problem to get visa?

Unashangaa tabia zetu Wazungu?
Are you surprised by our habits?

Sisi si rafiki sana sio?
We are not very friendly people, aren't we ?


WORDPLAY

Remember:
a,e, i, o, u.

ba, be, bi, bo, bu.

cha, che, chi, cho, chu.

da, de, di, do, du ?

These are part of Kiswahili syllabi. Let us try to build some word using them:

abe!- a polite form of answering someone older than you!

bia- beer.

bua-dry part of maize, sugarcane or someother plant.

beba-carry.

baa- a place to drink, catastrophe.

bubu-dumb person.

bodaboda- a passenger motorcycle.

cheche- spark

chuchu-nipple

cheo- position of importance

chuo- college

choo- toilet

bucha-butcher

doda- fail to sell, spoileld


By this time you should have an English-Swahili Dictionary!

(Note-we shall provide a letter a mini dictionary for essential Kiswahili words.)