Looking for practical Alur to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Alur phrase first, then the Swahili translation (Swahili) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Swahili.
Tip: pick five Swahili phrases from the greetings section and use them in a real message today. Small daily practice beats cramming before a trip.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Alur to Swahili translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Salam
Habari
Matur nuwun
Asante
Selamat pagi
Habari ya asubuhi
Selamat sore
Habari ya mchana
Selamat malam
Habari ya jioni
Selamat bobo
Usiku mwema
Sampai jumpa
Tutaonana baadaye
Selamat tinggal
Kwaheri
Sapa nama mu?
Jina lako nani?
Nama ku John
Jina langu ni John
Kabar apa?
Habari gani?
Senang bertemu denganmu
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Nyo nyi ngana Inggris?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Nyo ngana Hindi badi.
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Nyo ngana nyo.
Sielewi.
Tolong nyi lempang.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Nyo bisa nyi lagi?
Unaweza kusema tena?
Di mana kamar mandi?
Choo kiko wapi?
Nyo nyi ka pusat kota?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Belok kiri.
Geuka kushoto.
Belok kanan.
Geuka kulia.
Nyi terus.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Berapa harga tiket?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Satu tiket, tolong.
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Apakah jauh dari sini?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Nyo hilang.
Nimepotea.
Di mana bisa beli kartu SIM?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Iyo
Ndio
Ayi
Hapana
Mungkin
Pengine
Ngeye
Ninakubaliana
Ayi ngeye
Sikubaliani
Iya, enak
Inasikika vizuri
Napa pendapatmu?
Unafikiriaje?
Bisa bantu saya?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Saya butuh bantuan
Nahitaji msaada
Tunggu sebentar
Subiri kidogo
Saya minta maaf
Ninasikitika
Tidak masalah
Hakuna shida
Selamat
Hongera
Selamat ulang tahun
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Semoga selamat dalam perjalanan
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Dika stasiun kereta?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Dika halte bis?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Platform mana?
Ni jukwaa gani?
Jam berapa ia berangkat?
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Apa ini jalan yang benar?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Iya dekat sini
Iko karibu hapa
Iya jauh dari sini
Iko mbali na hapa
Bisa tunjukkan di peta?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Berhenti di sini, tolong
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Berapa lama waktu yang dibutuhkan?
Inachukua muda gani?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Berapa harga ini?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Itu terlalu mahal.
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Apakah ada yang lebih murah?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Bisa bayar pakai kartu?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Saya mau meja untuk dua.
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Tagihan, tolong.
Tafadhali, bili
Apakah layanan sudah termasuk?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Saya vegetarian.
Mimi ni mboga
Tidak ada makanan pedas, tolong.
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Ini enak.
Hii ni tamu
Bisa minta menu?
Naweza kupata menyu?
Segelas air, tolong.
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Bisa ngelap polisi
Piga simu polisi
Bisa ngelap ambulans
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Aku butuh dokter
Nahitaji daktari
Aku merasa sakit
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Aku alergi kacang tanah
Nina mzio wa karanga
Di mana rumah sakit terdekat?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Sakit di sini
Inaniuma hapa
Aku kehilangan paspor
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Bisa telepon hotelku?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Tolong!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ngomong bareng kowe
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Ayo kita atur rapat
Tuweke mkutano
Jam pira sing cocog kanggo kowe?
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Aku bakal ngirim laporan dina iki
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Apa kita bisa ngomong sesuk?
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Mangga deleng file sing dilampirake
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Matur nuwun kanggo wektu kowe
Asante kwa muda wako
Aku ngarep-arep bisa kerja bareng kowe
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Apa kowe bisa nerangake titik kuwi?
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Ayo aku bali menyang kowe
Nitarudi kwako
Wektu pungkasan yaiku Jumuah
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.