Shops and hotels in Swahili
Open, closed, a bag, the wifi password: the checkout and the front desk. 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
- Una...?OO-na
- Do you have...?
- ...iko wapi?EE-koh WAH-pee
- Where is...?
- WaziWAH-zee
- Open
- Imefungwaee-meh-FOON-gwa
- Closed
- Mfuko?m-FOO-koh
- A bag?
- Ghali sanaGHAH-lee SAH-na
- Too expensive
- Nimeweka nafasinee-meh-WEH-ka na-FAH-see
- I have a reservation
- Kifungua kinywa kimejumuishwa?kee-foon-GOO-a KEE-nywa kee-meh-joo-moo-EE-shwa
- Is breakfast included?
- Nenosiri la wifi ni lipi?neh-noh-SEE-ree la WAI-fai nee LEE-pee
- What's the wifi password?
- Naweza...?na-WEH-za
- Can I...?
The shop question: "una mkate?" (do you have bread?). Wa ni to ask about a category: "una nyama yenye?" (do you have any meat?). Markets have abundant stock but specific items may need asking.
"Choo kiko wapi?", where is the toilet? The prefix shifts with the noun.
Plastic bags cost extra in many shops. Mfuko means bag, kete is a woven basket. Bringing your own is economical and environmentally sensible, though plastic bags are still ubiquitous in markets.
Bargaining is expected at markets.
Literally "I have set aside a place".
Kifungua kinywa is literally "mouth opener".
Nenosiri is literally "secret word".