Learn the question How are you? in Swahili and how to answer it
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| Eric: Top 25 Swahili Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 16 “How are you?” in Swahili |
| (In each lesson of this 25 part series, you'll encounter a common question for Swedish learners, and then learn how to answer like a native. You'll learn how these key phrases work by breaking them down into each component. Then, through repetition and new vocabulary, you'll expand your understanding of the question, its answers, and any variations.) |
| In this lesson, you'll learn how to respond to the common question “How are you?” In Swahili this is |
| Medina: Habari yako? |
| Eric: The first word in the question is |
| Medina: habari |
| Eric: meaning “how are” in English. |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) habari |
| Eric: Listen again and repeat. |
| Medina: habari |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: This pattern of first introducing a word at natural speed, providing the translation, breaking it down, and then giving it again at natural speed will be repeated throughout the series. Try to speak aloud as often as possible. The next word in the question is |
| Medina: yako |
| Eric: meaning “yours” or in this case, “you” |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) yako |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Medina: yako |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: Listen to the entire question and repeat. |
| Medina: Habari yako? |
| {pause} |
| Eric: (You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies.) Master the following pattern and responses to the question “How are you?” |
| Medina: Niko mzima. |
| Eric: "I'm fine.” You’ll hear it one more time, slowly. Repeat the phrase. |
| Medina: (Slow) Niko mzima. |
| {pause} |
| Eric: Let's break it down from the beginning. The first word is |
| Medina: Niko |
| Eric: meaning “I am.” |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) niko |
| Eric: Now repeat |
| Medina: niko |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: Next is |
| Medina: mzima |
| meaning “fine” |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) mzima |
| Eric:Now repeat. |
| Medina: mzima |
| {Pause} |
| {Pause}Eric: Listen to the speaker say “I'm fine” and then repeat. |
| Medina: Niko mzima. |
| {pause}Eric: To use a different phrase, replace “fine” with “okay” |
| Medina: sawa |
| Eric: “okay” |
| Medina: (slow) sawa (regular) sawa |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “okay” |
| Medina: Niko sawa. |
| Eric: It mostly stays the same, simply replace “fine” with “okay” Say “I'm okay.” |
| {pause} |
| Medina: Niko sawa. |
| Eric: To express a different feeling, replace “okay” with “pretty good.” |
| Medina: vizuri kabisa |
| Eric: “pretty good” |
| Medina: (slow) vizuri kabisa (regular) vizuri kabisa |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “pretty good.” |
| Medina: Niko vizuri kabisa. |
| Eric: Again, it’s almost the same, we just replace “okay” with “pretty good.” Let’s practice. Say “I'm pretty good.” |
| {pause} |
| Medina: Niko vizuri kabisa. |
| Eric: For more practice, replace “pretty good” with “wonderful.” |
| Medina: salama |
| Eric: “wonderful” |
| Medina: (slow) salama (regular) salama |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “wonderful.” |
| Medina: Niko salama. |
| Eric: It’s almost the same, we just replace “pretty good” with “wonderful.” Now say, “I'm wonderful.” |
| {pause} |
| Medina: Niko salama. |
| Eric: To say “I’m not fine” in a simple way, just say |
| Medina: Siko vyema. |
| Eric: This is literally “I’m not well” in English. Let's hear it slowly. |
| Medina: (Slowly) Siko vyema. |
| Eric: And one more time at normal speed. |
| Medina: Siko vyema. |
| Eric: Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you’re visiting Kenya and someone asks you how you are. You’re fine. How would you answer? |
| Medina: Habari yako? (five seconds) Niko mzima. |
| Eric: Now imagine you’re okay. Respond to the question. |
| Medina: Habari yako? (five seconds) Niko sawa. |
| Eric: Imagine you’re pretty good. Answer the speaker's question. |
| Medina: Habari yako? (five seconds) Niko vizuri kabisa. |
| Eric: Imagine you're wonderful. What do you say? |
| Medina: Habari yako? (five seconds) Niko salama. |
| Eric: You want to ask someone how they’re doing. Ask the question. |
| (5 seconds) |
| Medina: Habari yako? |
| {pause} |
| Eric: Now it's time to answer the question with how you’re actually feeling. |
| Medina: Habari yako? |
| {pause} |
| Eric: This is the end of Lesson 16. |
Comments
Hide