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Swahili to English Translator

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How Swahili and English compare

Shared writing system

Swahili and English are both written in Latin, so the translated output uses characters you already recognise. You can usually read the result aloud without transliteration, though spelling conventions and accented characters still differ.

Unrelated language families

Swahili belongs to the Niger-Congo family while English belongs to the Indo-European family. With no shared ancestry there are few cognates to fall back on, so idioms and fixed expressions rarely map word-for-word. Short, literal sentences translate more accurately than figurative ones.

Matching sentence structure

Both languages follow subject-verb-object (SVO) order, so clauses usually keep their shape during translation. Words tend to land in a similar position, which makes it easier to check a translation against the original even without fluency.

Speakers

Swahili: Approximately 100 million speakers, making it a widely spoken language in East Africa and a lingua franca for the region. English: Approximately 1.5 billion people speak English to varying degrees of proficiency, with around 360 million native speakers.

Common Swahili phrases in English

Everyday phrases translated from Swahili to English — useful for travel, conversation and learning.

Greetings

Habari
Hello
Habari za asubuhi
Good morning
Habari za mchana
Good afternoon
Habari za jioni
Good evening
Usiku mwema
Good night
Kwaheri
Goodbye
Tuonane baadaye
See you later
Tuonane kesho
See you tomorrow
Karibu
Welcome
Habari yako?
How are you?
Sijambo, asante
I am fine, thank you
Uwe na siku njema
Have a good day

Courtesy

Tafadhali
Please
Asante
Thank you
Asante sana
Thank you very much
Mnakaribishwa
You are welcome
Ndiyo
Yes
Hapana
No
Samahani
Excuse me
Samahani
I am sorry
Hakuna tatizo
No problem
Bila shaka
Of course
Hongera sana
Congratulations
Bahati nzuri
Good luck

Introductions

Jina lako ni nani?
What is your name?
Nimefurahi kukutana nawe
Nice to meet you
Unatoka wapi?
Where are you from?
Una umri gani?
How old are you?
Mimi ni mwanafunzi
I am a student
Niko hapa likizo
I am here on holiday
Niko hapa kwa kazi
I am here for work
Huyu ni rafiki yangu
This is my friend

Numbers

Moja
One
Mbili
Two
Tatu
Three
Nne
Four
Tano
Five
Sita
Six
Saba
Seven
Nane
Eight
Tisa
Nine
Kumi
Ten
Mia moja
One hundred
Elfu moja
One thousand

Time and dates

Leo
Today
Kesho
Tomorrow
Jana
Yesterday
Sasa
Now
Baadaye
Later
Ni saa ngapi?
What time is it?
Asubuhi
In the morning
Wakati wa jioni
In the evening
Jumatatu
Monday
Ijumaa
Friday
Wiki ijayo
Next week
Saa moja
One hour

Directions and travel

Bafuni iko wapi?
Where is the bathroom?
Kituo cha gari moshi kiko wapi?
Where is the train station?
Uwanja wa ndege uko wapi?
Where is the airport?
Nitafikaje huko?
How do I get there?
Pinduka kushoto
Turn left
Geuka kulia
Turn right
Nenda mbele moja kwa moja
Go straight ahead
Iko karibu
It is near
Ni mbali
It is far
Nimepotea
I am lost
Nahitaji teksi
I need a taxi
Je, ninaweza kununua tikiti wapi?
Where can I buy a ticket?
Tikiti ni shilingi ngapi?
How much is the ticket?
Je, ni salama kutembea?
Is it safe to walk?

Food and restaurants

Nina njaa
I am hungry
Nina kiu
I am thirsty
Maji, tafadhali
Water, please
Jedwali la watu wawili, tafadhali
A table for two, please
Menyu, tafadhali
The menu, please
Je, unapendekeza nini?
What do you recommend?
Ningependa hii
I would like this
Ni ladha
It is delicious
Mswada, tafadhali
The bill, please
Sili nyama
I do not eat meat
Nina mzio wa chakula
I have a food allergy
Kahawa
Coffee
Chai
Tea
Mkate
Bread

Shopping and money

Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
How much does this cost?
Ni ghali sana
It is too expensive
Je, unakubali kadi za mkopo?
Do you accept credit cards?
Natafuta tu
I am just looking
Nitaichukua
I will take it
Fungua
Open
Imefungwa
Closed
Kiingilio
Entrance
Toka
Exit
Soko liko wapi?
Where is the market?

Emergency and health

Msaada
Help
Piga daktari
Call a doctor
Piga polisi
Call the police
Nahitaji msaada
I need help
Mimi ni mgonjwa
I am sick
Hospitali iko wapi?
Where is the hospital?
Duka la dawa liko wapi?
Where is the pharmacy?
Inauma hapa
It hurts here
Nahitaji daktari
I need a doctor
Je, kuna hospitali karibu?
Is there a hospital nearby?

Getting help with language

Je, unazungumza Kiingereza?
Do you speak English?
Sielewi
I do not understand
Ninaelewa
I understand
Tafadhali ongea polepole
Please speak slowly
Tafadhali rudia hilo
Please repeat that
Tafadhali iandike
Please write it down
Hii ina maana gani?
What does this mean?
Unasemaje hili?
How do you say this?
Ninajifunza
I am learning
Naongea kidogo
I speak a little
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Can you help me?
Sijui
I do not know

Translations are generated automatically and may vary by region or context.

About English Language

Geographical Distribution

English is a global language, spoken as a first language in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It is also widely used as a second language worldwide.

Alphabet

Uses the Latin alphabet. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z

Vowels

aeiousometimes y

Consonants

bcdfghjklmnpqrstvwxyz

Phonetics

Features a complex phonetic system with significant variations in accent and pronunciation across different regions. Includes around 44 phonemes in Received Pronunciation and diphthongs and triphthongs.

Grammar and Syntax

Typically follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) word order. Known for its relatively flexible syntax and extensive use of auxiliary verbs.

Loanwords

English vocabulary includes a vast number of loanwords from Latin, French, Norse, and many other languages, reflecting its historical development and adaptability.

Language Family

Part of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family.

Writing Systems

Currently uses the Latin script, with a history of using other scripts such as Old English runes and the Anglo-Saxon futhorc

Writing System History

The Latin script was adopted during the medieval period, replacing the earlier runic alphabets used by Anglo-Saxon settlers.

Total Number of Speakers

Approximately 1.5 billion people speak English to varying degrees of proficiency, with around 360 million native speakers.

About Swahili Language

Geographical Distribution

Spoken in several countries in East Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mozambique, as well as in the African Great Lakes region.

Alphabet

Uses the Latin alphabet, with additional letters CH (ch as in 'church'), DH (dh as in 'this'), GH (gh as in 'giant'), KH (kh as in 'khan'), NG' (ng as in 'sing'), NY (ny as in 'canyon'), SH (sh as in 'shoe'), TH (th as in 'thin'), UU (uu as in 'boot'), and vowels with diacritical marks (É as in 'é', Ó as in 'ó').

Vowels

a (ah as in 'father')e (eh as in 'pet')i (ee as in 'meet')o (oh as in 'go')u (oo as in 'boot')É (eh as in 'é')Ó (oh as in 'ó')

Consonants

b (b as in 'bat')c (c as in 'cat')d (d as in 'dog')dh (dh as in 'this')f (f as in 'fox')g (g as in 'go')gh (gh as in 'giant')h (h as in 'house')j (j as in 'jump')k (k as in 'kat')kh (kh as in 'khan')l (l as in 'love')m (m as in 'mat')n (n as in 'nut')ng (ng as in 'sing')ny (ny as in 'canyon')p (p as in 'pat')r (r as in 'red')s (s as in 'sat')sh (sh as in 'shoe')t (t as in 'tot')th (th as in 'thin')u (u as in 'put')uu (uu as in 'boot')v (v as in 'vat')w (w as in 'wet')y (y as in 'yes')z (z as in 'zoo')

Phonetics

Features a distinctive set of sounds, including the 'dh' sound (like 'th' in 'this') and the 'kh' sound (like 'ch' in 'loch').

Grammar and Syntax

Subject-verb-object (SVO) order predominates. Features complex verb conjugation and an extensive noun class system.

Loanwords

Includes words from Arabic, Portuguese, English, and other languages due to historical and modern influences.

Language Family

Part of the Bantu language family, under the Niger-Congo language group.

Writing Systems

Currently uses the Latin script. Historically, also used the Arabic script.

Writing System History

Transitioned from Arabic to Latin script during the colonial period.

Total Number of Speakers

Approximately 100 million speakers, making it a widely spoken language in East Africa and a lingua franca for the region.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about our translation service

  • 1Type or paste the Swahili text.
  • 2Click on the Translate button.
  • 3Translated English text appears instantly.
  • 4Copy or download translated text.

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