There are various ways of greeting people. The type of greeting depends on whether it is between people who know each other or not, between an older person and a younger one, etc.

Below you will find 4 dialogues:

• Dialog 1: Greeting between people who know each other
• Dialog 2: Greetings with more than one person
• Dialog 3: Greetings between a younger and older person
• Dialog 4: A detailed greeting

Mazungumzo 1: Greeting between people who know each other

Amina and Bakari are friends. Amina meets Bakari at the market and they exchange greetings.

	Amina:	hujambo Bakari?
	Bakari:	sijambo Amina. na wewe hujambo?
	Amina:	sijambo. habari gani?
	Bakari:	nzuri.

Maneno mapya

Swahili		Translation
Bakari		name of a male person
Amina		name of a female person
hujambo		how are you
sijambo		I am fine
habari		news
wewe		you (singular)
habari gani?		what's new/how are you?

Grammatical notes

Hujambo may be followed by the name of the person greeted such as: Bwana (Mister), Bi (lady/Ms.), mwalimu (teacher), rafiki (friend).

	hujambo bi. Mwajuma?		how are you Ms. Mwajuma?
	sijambo		I am fine
	hujambo bwana Mhina?		how are you mister Mhina?
	hujambo mwalimu Zuberi?		how are you teacher Zuberi?
	habari gani mama Anna?		what's the news mother of Anna?
	nzuri/njema		good/fine
	nzuri sana		very good
	habari		what's the news?
	nzuri/njema/salama		fine

You're ready to do Exercise 1 (in the Exercises section below).

Mazungumzo 2: Greetings with more than one person

	mwalimu:	hamjambo wanafunzi?
	wanafunzi:	hatujambo mwalimu.
	mwalimu:	habari za asubuhi?
	wanafunzi:	nzuri.
	mwalimu:	habari za masomo?
	wanafunzi:	nzuri tu.

Maneno mapya

Swahili		Translation
asubuhi		morning
masomo		studies
mwalimu		teacher
wanafunzi		students
nzuri tu		just fine

Grammatical notes

• hamjambo? "how are you all doing?" is a form used when greeting two or more people.
• hatujambo "we are fine" is the answer to hamjambo?
• When inquiring about the listener's state of affairs, such as studies, work, home, relatives, etc. the formula is: Habari + NOUN

	habari za kazi?		how is your work?
	habari za masomo?		how are your studies?
	habari za nyumbani?		how is everything at home?
	habari za wanafunzi?		how are the students doing?
	habari za jioni?		how are you this evening?

You're ready to do Exercise 2 (in the Exercises section below).

Mazungumzo 3: Greetings between a younger and older person

	Daudi:	shikamoo babu
	Babu:	marahaba mjukuu. habari za siku nyingi?
	Daudi:	salama tu
	Babu:	habari za masomo?
	Daudi:	nzuri kidogo babu
	Babu:	wazazi nyumbani hawajambo?
	Daudi:	hawajambo.
	Babu:	Fatuma hajambo?
	Daudi:	hajambo
	Babu:	haya kwa heri mjukuu
	Daudi:	kwa heri ya kuonana babu

Maneno mapya

Swahili		Translation
kidogo		little
kwa heri (ya kuonana)		goodbye, see you later
mjukuu		grandchild
babu		grandfather
na		and
haya		okay
wazazi		parents

Cultural notes

• Shikamoo is a greeting used by younger person to show respect to an elder.
• Marahaba is the answer to shikamoo.

You're ready to do Exercise 3 (in the Exercises section below).

Mazungumzo 4: A detailed greeting

	Kibibi:	hodi! hodi!
	Zubeda:	karibu
	Kibibi:	asante. habari za hapa nyumbani?
	Zubeda:	nzuri. tafadhali, karibu kiti. je, Salim hajambo?
	Kibibi:	hajambo. je, watoto wazima?
	Zubeda:	wote wazima
	Kibibi:	haya kwaheri rafiki yangu
	Zubeda:	kwa heri ya kuonana

Maneno mapya

Swahili		Translation
hodi		may I come in
karibu		welcome; come in
tafadhali		please
karibu kiti		take a seat
watoto wazima?		how are the children doing?
rafiki		friend
wote		all
hapa		here
nyumbani		at home

You're ready to do Exercise 4.

EXERCISES

• Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks
• Exercise 2: Translation
• Exercise 3: Multiple Choice
• Exercise 4: Sentence Completion