Cafe and restaurant in Swahili
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen. Play the ten Swahili words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Swahili phrases in this lesson
- Meza kwa watu wawiliMEH-za kwa WAH-too wa-WEE-lee
- A table for two
- Menyu, tafadhaliMEH-noo, ta-fa-DHA-lee
- The menu, please
- Unapendekeza nini?oo-na-pen-deh-KEH-za NEE-nee
- What do you recommend?
- Sili...SEE-lee
- I don't eat...
- Nina mzio wa...NEE-na m-ZEE-oh wa
- I'm allergic to...
- NyamaNYAH-ma
- Meat
- KukuKOO-koo
- Chicken
- Samakisa-MAH-kee
- Fish
- Ni tamu sananee TAH-moo SAH-na
- It's delicious
- Kwa afya!kwa AH-fya
- Cheers
Watu means people, wawili is two. Reservations are rare except in high-end restaurants. Walking in is normal; staff will seat you or direct you to a table.
Menus exist in fancier restaurants, simpler places post prices on a board or you ask what is available today. Asking "kuna nini leo?" (what is there today?) gets you the actual options.
"Sili nyama", I don't eat meat.
Nyama choma, grilled meat, is the social meal.
Literally "it is very sweet", used for anything tasty.
Literally "to health", the standard toast. Raise your glass, make eye contact, and say it. In formal settings, a longer "kwa afya yenu" (to your health) is used. The response is to repeat it back.