When you meet an older person, you should greet him or her with respect:
Shikamoo!
If you're talking to an old man, you can say
Shikamoo mzee
Or to an old woman
Shikamoo mama
They will reply 'marahaba' (this word is only used as the reply to 'shikamoo').
***
You will hear the word karibu (welcome) very often. You should reply 'asante' (thank you), or even asante sana (thank you very much).
If you are talking to more than one person, karibu becomes karibuni.
Similarly, if you are thanking more than one person, asante becomes asanteni.
***
People call "hodi!" if they are going into someone else's house or room, to mean "can I come in?"
Someone inside will reply 'karibu', "welcome, come in."
***
Apart from greetings with 'jambo?' and 'habari?', people may also greet you with
Mzima?
The reply is the same word, mzima. It means 'whole' or 'complete'.
Or they may say
Salama?
And again you reply with the same word, salama. This means 'safe, secure'.
Both are simply greetings, to which the reply is always positive.
***
Sorry Samahani
Sorry, I don't understand Samahani, sifahamu
Say that again please Sema tena, tafadhali
Speak slowly Sema polepole
To sympathise with someone, for example if they've had bad news or a bad experience, say pole. People say pole all the time, to express sympathy for everything. You're walking down the road in the sun? Pole, someone will say, because you might be a bit hot and tired. You tripped over? Pole. You just found out you have a terminal illness? Pole. Maybe pole sana.
(Pole is not the same as polepole, which means 'slow' or 'slowly'.)
***
When you're saying goodbye....
Tutaonana! See you
Baadaye Later
Kwaheri Goodbye (if you're going away for longer). This becomes kwaherini, if you're
talking to more than one person.
Shikamoo!
If you're talking to an old man, you can say
Shikamoo mzee
Or to an old woman
Shikamoo mama
They will reply 'marahaba' (this word is only used as the reply to 'shikamoo').
***
You will hear the word karibu (welcome) very often. You should reply 'asante' (thank you), or even asante sana (thank you very much).
If you are talking to more than one person, karibu becomes karibuni.
Similarly, if you are thanking more than one person, asante becomes asanteni.
***
People call "hodi!" if they are going into someone else's house or room, to mean "can I come in?"
Someone inside will reply 'karibu', "welcome, come in."
***
Apart from greetings with 'jambo?' and 'habari?', people may also greet you with
Mzima?
The reply is the same word, mzima. It means 'whole' or 'complete'.
Or they may say
Salama?
And again you reply with the same word, salama. This means 'safe, secure'.
Both are simply greetings, to which the reply is always positive.
***
Sorry Samahani
Sorry, I don't understand Samahani, sifahamu
Say that again please Sema tena, tafadhali
Speak slowly Sema polepole
To sympathise with someone, for example if they've had bad news or a bad experience, say pole. People say pole all the time, to express sympathy for everything. You're walking down the road in the sun? Pole, someone will say, because you might be a bit hot and tired. You tripped over? Pole. You just found out you have a terminal illness? Pole. Maybe pole sana.
(Pole is not the same as polepole, which means 'slow' or 'slowly'.)
***
When you're saying goodbye....
Tutaonana! See you
Baadaye Later
Kwaheri Goodbye (if you're going away for longer). This becomes kwaherini, if you're
talking to more than one person.
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