Jambo!! Swahili has quickly become my favorite language to listen to and attempt to speak. I figured I would share some of the things I've learned with everyone.
There are over 100 languages spoken in Tanzania, with Swahili and English being the two official languages. English is widely spoken in any major city (Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Dodoma, Moshi, Arusha) or by anyone working in the tourist industry. Our Kili guide told us that those students who continue on to advancing level education (our equivalent: high school) will have their lessons taught in English and are therefore usually fluent.
So what have we learned this far?? The locals like to test out whether you know whats up or not. The exchange of words that occurs countless times a day as I walk down the street is almost like an initiation to their country.
It goes something like this:
(street guy): Jambo!
Me: Jambo!
(street guy): Mambo!
Me: Poa
(street guy): Habari?
Me: Nzuri
(street guy): *smile* Karibu
Me: Asante
End interaction.
Repeat about every four steps when a new person realizes you are wandering around a not very touristy area :)
And what that translates to....
(street guy): Hello!
Me: Hello!
(street guy): Hello/how are you (casual)!
Me: Chill, cool, fine
(street guy): How are you (formal)?
Me: Good
(street guy): *smile* Welcome (meaning, you are welcome to my country/city/town)
Me: Thank you.
So how that works is.....
Jambo is the touristic greeting that they say to everyone and that everyone knows. People who have been in Tanzania for more than a few days will recognize the more authentic greeting of Mambo, to which your response should always be "Poa." Here's where the magic happens. If a local says Mambo to you, and you answer Poa back, they know that you are not "just" a tourist, but you have been in their country for a bit and have been paying attention. They seem to greatly appreciate the fact that you know how to answer this greeting, and always respond with a smile. Once you have been "accepted", they will ask how you are and welcome you to their country. "Karibu" is a word used very frequently here, and it almost always appears to be a very genuine statement. It is used to mean "You are welcome" in response to thank you, but also to welcome you to a building or to their country.
A few other fun words we have learned (for those of you who have traveled with Katy or I before, you know neither one of us is ever without a notebook and a pen....this way we are able to write down anything we hear along the way that we want to remember):
Rafiki- friend (the Lion King names come from this Swahili word)
Mgumu- badass, my favorite (we were trying to describe one of the porters to our guide and he gave us this translation)
Mufasa- (also a Swahili word, long before the movie, means right or correct)
Tafadhali- please
Hakuna Matata (I think this has become Katy's all time favorite phrase, again, long before the Lion King, and means no worries. It's pretty much the answer to any question you have).
Dowa- medicine
Nimeondoka- ah, man (you have to hear us say this one, its more fun :)
La la salama: Sleep well
Simama!! - STOP! (said fiercly by me over and over to the street cats that sit under your feet while you eat and meow and meow)
Afia- bless you
And my favorite phrase from the mountain (besides polepole, of course): "Tuna cheza karata!!!!" (said harshly and quickly)- means "We are playing cards!!!!!"
We know a handful more, but I don't want to bore you with the complete list.
It's funny how knowing a few phrases here and there can really get you far and earn you the respect of the locals. Katy and I were on the daladala (local transport, basically a beat up van that seats 12 people. They put about 25-30 people in one of these and you just get out and on whenever you feel like it, costs 300 shillings per time you get on (about 20 cents). Anyway, back to the daladala. In my numerous daladala rides over the past two weeks, we have ALWAYS been the only Westerners on it. One day, an elderly woman was really looking at me like I was nuts for taking this local transport......until she sneezed and I said "Afia." You would have think I just handed her a million dollars. A huge smile spread across her face, she said "Asante," and we were officially welcome on the daladala.
There are over 100 languages spoken in Tanzania, with Swahili and English being the two official languages. English is widely spoken in any major city (Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, Dodoma, Moshi, Arusha) or by anyone working in the tourist industry. Our Kili guide told us that those students who continue on to advancing level education (our equivalent: high school) will have their lessons taught in English and are therefore usually fluent.
So what have we learned this far?? The locals like to test out whether you know whats up or not. The exchange of words that occurs countless times a day as I walk down the street is almost like an initiation to their country.
It goes something like this:
(street guy): Jambo!
Me: Jambo!
(street guy): Mambo!
Me: Poa
(street guy): Habari?
Me: Nzuri
(street guy): *smile* Karibu
Me: Asante
End interaction.
Repeat about every four steps when a new person realizes you are wandering around a not very touristy area :)
And what that translates to....
(street guy): Hello!
Me: Hello!
(street guy): Hello/how are you (casual)!
Me: Chill, cool, fine
(street guy): How are you (formal)?
Me: Good
(street guy): *smile* Welcome (meaning, you are welcome to my country/city/town)
Me: Thank you.
So how that works is.....
Jambo is the touristic greeting that they say to everyone and that everyone knows. People who have been in Tanzania for more than a few days will recognize the more authentic greeting of Mambo, to which your response should always be "Poa." Here's where the magic happens. If a local says Mambo to you, and you answer Poa back, they know that you are not "just" a tourist, but you have been in their country for a bit and have been paying attention. They seem to greatly appreciate the fact that you know how to answer this greeting, and always respond with a smile. Once you have been "accepted", they will ask how you are and welcome you to their country. "Karibu" is a word used very frequently here, and it almost always appears to be a very genuine statement. It is used to mean "You are welcome" in response to thank you, but also to welcome you to a building or to their country.
A few other fun words we have learned (for those of you who have traveled with Katy or I before, you know neither one of us is ever without a notebook and a pen....this way we are able to write down anything we hear along the way that we want to remember):
Rafiki- friend (the Lion King names come from this Swahili word)
Mgumu- badass, my favorite (we were trying to describe one of the porters to our guide and he gave us this translation)
Mufasa- (also a Swahili word, long before the movie, means right or correct)
Tafadhali- please
Hakuna Matata (I think this has become Katy's all time favorite phrase, again, long before the Lion King, and means no worries. It's pretty much the answer to any question you have).
Dowa- medicine
Nimeondoka- ah, man (you have to hear us say this one, its more fun :)
La la salama: Sleep well
Simama!! - STOP! (said fiercly by me over and over to the street cats that sit under your feet while you eat and meow and meow)
Afia- bless you
And my favorite phrase from the mountain (besides polepole, of course): "Tuna cheza karata!!!!" (said harshly and quickly)- means "We are playing cards!!!!!"
We know a handful more, but I don't want to bore you with the complete list.
It's funny how knowing a few phrases here and there can really get you far and earn you the respect of the locals. Katy and I were on the daladala (local transport, basically a beat up van that seats 12 people. They put about 25-30 people in one of these and you just get out and on whenever you feel like it, costs 300 shillings per time you get on (about 20 cents). Anyway, back to the daladala. In my numerous daladala rides over the past two weeks, we have ALWAYS been the only Westerners on it. One day, an elderly woman was really looking at me like I was nuts for taking this local transport......until she sneezed and I said "Afia." You would have think I just handed her a million dollars. A huge smile spread across her face, she said "Asante," and we were officially welcome on the daladala.
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