Dialogue

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
In this lesson, we’ll help you check in! In Kenya, there are hotels, guesthouses and hostels, among many other types of accommodation. Let’s jump right into the lesson!
BODY
In Kenya, when you get to a hotel and you want to check in, you can use two possible phrases. If you have already booked the room and you want to say, “I have a reservation under the name David” in Swahili, it is
Tayari ninahifadhi katika jina Daudi.
Let’s break it down:
(slow) Tayari ninahifadhi katika jina Daudi.
Once more:
Tayari ninahifadhi katika jina Daudi.
The first word, tayari, means “already.”
(slow) tayari
tayari
The word that follows, ninahifadhi, is a one-word sentence meaning “I have a reservation.” Let’s break it down further:
nina means “I have.”
(slow) nina
nina
Whereas hifadhi means “reserve”
(slow) hifadhi
hifadhi
Together we have
(slow) ni - na - hi - fa - dhi
ninahifadhi
Next we have katika which means “under”
(slow) katika
katika
Then we have jina for “name”
(slow) jina
jina
Then you have the name, which in this case is Daudi for “David.”
(slow) Tayari ninahifadhi katika jina Daudi .
Tayari ninahifadhi katika jina Daudi .
So if your name is “Jones”, you would say
Tayari ninahifadhi katika jina Jones.
(slow) Tayari ninahifadhi katika jina Jones.
Tayari ninahifadhi katika jina Jones.
Or “I have a reservation under the name of Jones.”
If you have not booked the room yet, the phrase “I would like a room” in Swahili is
Ningelipenda kuhifadhi chumba.
Let’s break it down:
The first word, ningelipenda, means “I would like to”
(slow) ningelipenda.
ningelipenda
Then comes kuhifadhi, which means “to reserve.”
(slow) kuhifadhi
kuhifadhi
As you recall, chumba means “room.”
(slow) chumba
chumba
All together:
Ningelipenda kuhifadhi chumba.
(Slow) Ningelipenda kuhifadhi chumba.
Ningelipenda kuhifadhi chumba.
“I would like one room.”
You will most likely be asked, “Can I get your name, please.” In Swahili, this is
Waweza kunipa jina lako tafadhali?
Let’s break it down:
(slow) Waweza kunipa jina lako tafadhali?
Once more:
Waweza kunipa jina lako tafadhali?
The first word, waweza, implies “could you.”
(slow) waweza
waweza
It is followed by kunipa, which means “give me.”
(slow) kunipa
kunipa
You can recall that jina means “name.” The word that follows, lako, means “your”
(slow) lako
lako
tafadhali of course means “please”.
Altogether, that’s
(slow) Waweza kunipa jina lako tafadhali?
Waweza kunipa jina lako tafadhali?
“Could I get your name, please?”
Please note, this phrase is only used in highly official situations, so don’t try to start a conversation with this line in Kenya. People will think you’re the police!
You might also be asked, “Can you spell it?” In Swahili, this is
Waweza kukitahajia?
Let’s break it down:
(slow) Waweza kukitahajia?
Once more:
Waweza kukitahajia?
The first word, waweza, means “could you.”
(slow) waweza
waweza.
The next word, kukitahajia, means “spell it.”
(slow) kukitahajia
kukitahajia
All together:
(slow) Waweza kukitahajia?
Waweza kukitahajia?

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