One of my favorite things while traveling in Tanzania was learning the language. In Africa, the people learn their tribal tongue as their first language, and Kiswahili as their second. Seeing as how there are many, many tribes throughout Africa (and therefore many dialects), Kiswahili was created to unite all of the African people.

These are some words & phrases I learned:

Jambo! - Hello

Habari yako? - How are you?

Nzuri - Good 

Jina lako ni nani? - What is your name?

Asante - Thank you

Karibu - Welcome/you are welcome

Thafadhali - Please

Mambo! - How’s it going?

Poa - It’s cool/it’ s going

Nimetoka Amerika - I am from America

Naipenda - I like

Habari za asubuhi - Good morning

Poa kichizi kama ndizi! - Fresh like a banana!

Pole - Sorry

Mzungu - White/western person

Nakupenda - I love you

Remember your favorite childhood movie, “The Lion King”? You learned some Kiswahili & you didn’t even know it!

Rafiki - Friend

Simba - Lion

Mufasa - King

Pumbaa - Pig

Hakuna matata - No worries

Being able to learn some of the language was gratifying, not just because it’s intriguing to learn a new tongue, but because it allowed me to better connect to the local people. I feel that as I greeted the locals in their language, they were appreciative of me learning a part of their culture.

I intend to study more Kiswahili while I’m at home, in hopes of returning to Africa someday.