Swahili for Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organized
Part 1: Getting Started with Swahili
Part 2: Swahili in Action
Part 3: Swahili on the Go
Part 4: The Part of Tens
Appendices
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Getting Started with Swahili
Chapter 1 The Swahili You Already Know
Recognizing Familiar Words and Phrases from Pop Culture
Discovering Swahili Words that Sound Familiar in English
Introducing the Swahili Alphabet
Discovering simple Swahili sounds
Tackling Swahili consonant clusters
dh
gh
ng’
Ny
th
Chapter 2 Getting Started with Basic Expressions
Greeting People
Saying “hello” in informal situations
Saying “hello” in formal situations
Asking about peoples’ day using “habari”
Saying goodbye
Introducing Yourself
Stating your name
Asking “What is your name?”
Getting Personal
Stating where you come from/live
Talking about nationalities
Listing the languages you speak
Asking what do you study/where do you study?
Asking about occupations
Chapter 3 Navigating Nouns and Pronouns in Swahili
Introducing Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns in the singular form
Personal pronouns in the plural form
Personal pronouns in sentences
Introducing Swahili Noun Classes
M/Wa noun class
Ji/Ma noun class
M/Mi noun class
N/N noun class
Ki/Vi noun class
U/N noun class
U/U noun class
PA/KU/MU noun class
Chapter 4 Adding Action to Your Words: Verbs
Recognizing the Infinitive Verb Form
Using Verbs in Sentences
Using Verbs in the Correct Tense
The present tense
The past tense
The future tense
The perfect tense
The habitual tense
Negating Actions Described by Verbs
The present tense
The past tense
The future tense
The perfect tense
The habitual tense
Chapter 5 Getting Your Numbers and Dates Right
Using Cardinal Numbers
Counting 0–10
Counting 11–100
Counting 101–1,000,000
Using Ordinal Numbers
Asking For (and Giving Out) Phone Numbers
Requesting and Giving Addresses
Asking “How Old Are You?” and Stating Your Age
Identifying Years in Swahili
Getting Familiar with the Calendar
Naming the days of the week
Identifying months by name and numbers
Reading and writing dates in Swahili
Talking about birthdays
Understanding Swahili Time
Distinguishing between day and night in the 12-hour clock system
Working with hours and minutes
Using the correct time phrases
For example:
Stating the time
Part 2 Swahili in Action
Chapter 6 Making Small Talk
Revealing Your Marital Status
As a man
As a woman
Talking about Your Family
Introducing immediate family relationships
Introducing extended family relationships
Asking probing questions about family using “do you have. . .?”
Talking about Pets
Using Numbers as Adjectives
Identifying Professions
Responding to “what do you do?”
Revealing your family members’ professions
Having Fun
Describing your hobbies
Talking about errands, chores, and daily activities
Describing Your Routine
Using sequence adverbs in sentences: from . . . to, before, after, and more
Making Plans
Chapter 7 Finding Your Way
Getting from Place to Place
Identifying places and landmarks
Asking where questions
Getting answers to your location questions
Giving Directions
Using prepositions to give directions
Using imperatives to give directions
Chapter 8 Eating in and Dining Out
Choosing Food Options for All Times of the Day
Having breakfast
Eating lunch
Having supper
Beverages
Snacking
Sharing a Meal with Others
Stating food preferences
Making food allergies known
Eating at a Restaurant
Ordering from a menu
Paying your bill
Chapter 9 Using Technology to Keep in Touch
Talking and Texting with Cellphones
Asking someone to call you
Asking to speak with someone
Leaving a message
Texting to check in
Making Arrangements over the Phone
Staying Informed through the Internet
Familiarizing yourself with basic technology terms
Engaging over email
Socializing on social media
Chapter 10 Shopping Made Easy
Shopping at Flea Markets
Buying fruits
Getting vegetables
Purchasing meat
Adding spices to your list
Understanding units of measurement
Dealing with Money
Dealing with Kenyan and Tanzanian currencies
Asking for prices
Bargaining with sellers
Delving into Comparative Adjectives
Chapter 11 Dressing Your Best
Dressing for Different Occasions and Local Weather
Identifying Swahili Cultural Clothing and Their Uses
The kanga
The shuka
The kitenge
Introducing Swahili Terms for Types Clothing
Dressing casually
Dressing formally
Describing Clothes
Chapter 12 Swahili at Work
Getting Down to Work
Interacting with your colleagues
Finding people or things at the office
Attending meetings
Making introductions
Speaking up in a meeting
Making the Rounds: Business Dinners
Drinking politely
Declining drinks
Part 3 Swahili on the Go
Chapter 13 Planning a Safari
Choosing a Travel Destination
Looking at national parks
Visiting heritage sites and museums
Taking in the beaches
Communicating with a Travel Agency
Articulating your expectations
Figuring out your to-do list
Checking on the weather
Packing for Your Trip
Chapter 14 Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, Buses, and More
Taking Flights
Navigating Road Transport
Taking daladala/matatu
Traveling by bus
Hailing and arranging taxi pickups
Using smaller vehicles (tuktuk, motorcycle, bicycle)
Traveling by train
Using Ships of All Kinds
Taking Ferry/Boats/Water Bus Rides
Chapter 15 Arranging Accommodations
Describing Different Spaces in Your Apartment/Home
The sitting room
The dining room
The bedroom
The kitchen
The bathroom
Finding a Place to Stay
Asking about amenities using “kuna”
Stating your wishes using “-nge-”
Making a reservation
Stating your length of stay
Comparing prices for different room offers
Checking into the hotel
Checking out of the hotel
Renting an Apartment
Narrowing down your search area
Communicating with leasing agents
Communicating with landlords
Understanding your lease restrictions
Chapter 16 Taking Care of Your Health
Parts of the Body
Identifying the external body parts
Listing major internal body parts
Describing Different Feelings/States
Talking about how you feel
Asking about feelings
Reacting to other’s feelings
Seeking Medical Attention
Locating a physician
Explaining your symptoms
Understanding the Doctor’s/Pharmacist’s Instructions: Using Object Pronouns
Part 4 The Part of Tens
Chapter 17 Ten Common Swahili Proverbs and Their Meanings
Haraka Haraka haina baraka/ Polepole ndio mwendo
Yaliyopita si ndwele, tugange yajayo
Mtaka cha mvunguni sharti ainame
Maziwa/maji yakimwagika hayazoleki
Mficha uchi hazai
Jogoo wa shamba hawiki mjini
Asiyesikia la mkuu huvunjika guu
Mwenda tezi na omo marejeo ni ngamani
Mtaka yote hukosa yote
Mgema akisifiwa tembo hulitia maji
Chapter 18 Ten Ways to Pick Up Swahili Quickly
Watching Swahili Movies and TV Shows
Listening to Swahili Songs
Watching the Swahili News
Reading Swahili Newspapers
Listening to Swahili Radio Stations
Watching Swahili Content Creators on Social Media
Conversing with Swahili Speakers
Traveling to a Swahili-speaking Country
Reading Swahili Children’s Books
Listening to Swahili Podcasts
Chapter 19 Ten Words You Should Never Say in Swahili
Tomba
Mkundu
Ng’ombe
Mbwa koko
Mboro
Kuma
Shenzi
Matako yako
Kumamako
Malaya
Part 5 Appendixes
Appendix A Swahili Noun Classes
Swahili Noun Class Agreements
Appendix B Swahili Verbs
Past Tense
Regular Swahili verbs ending with “a” in the past tense
Monosyllabic Swahili verbs in the past tense
Borrowed Swahili verbs ending with “e, i, u” in the past tense
Present Tense
Regular Swahili verbs ending with “a” in the present tense
Monosyllabic Swahili verbs in the present tense
Borrowed Swahili verbs ending with “e, i, u” in the present tense
Future Tense
Regular Swahili verbs ending with “a” in the future tense
Monosyllabic Swahili verbs in the future tense
Borrowed Swahili verbs ending with “e, i, u” in the future tense
Perfect Tense
Regular Swahili verbs ending with “a” in the perfect tense
Monosyllabic Swahili verbs in the perfect tense
Borrowed Swahili verbs ending with “e, i, u” in the perfect tense
Habitual Tense
Regular Swahili verbs ending with “a” in the habitual tense
Monosyllabic Swahili verbs in the habitual tense
Borrowed Swahili verbs ending with “e, i, u” in the habitual tense
The Verb “Kuwa” (To Be)
Present tense
Past tense
Future tense
Present tense
Past tense
Future tense
Tense Negation: Past Tense
Regular Swahili verbs ending with “a”
Monosyllabic Swahili verbs
Borrowed Swahili verbs ending with “e, i, u”
Tense Negation: Present Tense
Regular Swahili verbs ending with “a”
Monosyllabic Swahili verbs
Borrowed Swahili verbs ending with “e, i, u”
Tense Negation: Future Tense
Regular Swahili verbs ending with “a”
Monosyllabic Swahili verbs
Borrowed Swahili verbs ending with “e, i, u”
Tense Negation: Present Perfect Tense
Regular Swahili verbs ending with “a”
Monosyllabic Swahili verbs
Borrowed Swahili verbs ending with “e, i, u”
Tense Negation: Habitual Tense
Regular Swahili verbs ending with “a”
Monosyllabic Swahili verbs
Borrowed Swahili verbs ending with “e, i, u”
The Verb “Kuwa” (To Be)
Present negation
Past negation
Future negation
The Verb “Kuwa na” (To Have)
Present negation
Past negation
Future negation
Appendix C Swahili-English Mini-Dictionary
A
B
CH
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
English-Swahili Mini-Dictionary
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
Appendix D Answer Key
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Index
EULA