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Common Chichewa to Swahili phrases

100 practical Chichewa to Swahili phrases for travel, study, work, and daily conversation.

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Looking for practical Chichewa to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Chichewa 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: when a Swahili phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Chichewa wording — noticing word order differences helps you understand grammar naturally.

Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Chichewa 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.

  1. Moni

    Habari

  2. Zikomo

    Asante

  3. M'mawa wabwino

    Habari ya asubuhi

  4. Masana abwino

    Habari ya mchana

  5. Madziwabwino

    Habari ya jioni

  6. Usiku wabwino

    Usiku mwema

  7. Tiwonana

    Tutaonana baadaye

  8. Tsalani bwino

    Kwaheri

  9. Dzina lako ndi ndani?

    Jina lako nani?

  10. Dzina langa ndi John

    Jina langu ni John

  11. Muli bwanji?

    Habari gani?

  12. Ndikufuna kukumana nanu

    Nafurahi kukutana na wewe

Useful phrases for travellers

Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.

  1. Mukulankhula Chingerezi?

    Unazungumza Kiingereza? (Mukulankhula Chingerezi?)

  2. Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino

    Sizungumza Hindi vizuri. (Sindikulankhula Hindi bwino)

  3. Sindikumva

    Sielewi. (Sindikumva)

  4. Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono

    Tafadhali ongea polepole. (Chonde lukani pang'onopang'ono)

  5. Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?

    Unaweza kusema tena? (Mungathe kutero kwachiwiri?)

  6. Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?

    Choo kiko wapi? (Kuti ndi kuti chimbudzi?)

  7. Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?

    Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji? (Ndingapite bwanji ku mseu wa mzinda?)

  8. Pangani kumanzere

    Geuka kushoto. (Pangani kumanzere)

  9. Pangani kumanzere

    Geuka kulia. (Pangani kumanzere)

  10. Pitani mwachindunji

    Nenda moja kwa moja. (Pitani mwachindunji)

  11. Ndi ndalama zingati?

    Nauli ni kiasi gani? (Ndi ndalama zingati?)

  12. Tiket imodzi, chonde

    Tiketi moja, tafadhali. (Tiket imodzi, chonde)

  13. Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?

    Je, ni mbali na hapa? (Ndi kutali bwanji kuchokera pano?)

  14. Ndakhalapo

    Nimepotea. (Ndakhalapo)

  15. Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?

    Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi? (Ndingatengere kuti SIM card?)

Everyday conversation

Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.

  1. Inde

    Ndio

  2. Ayi

    Hapana

  3. Mwina

    Pengine

  4. Ndikugwirizana

    Ninakubaliana

  5. Sindikugwirizana

    Sikubaliani

  6. Zimakoma

    Inasikika vizuri

  7. Mumaganiza chiyani?

    Unafikiriaje?

  8. Mungandithandize?

    Unaweza kunisaidia?

  9. Ndikufuna thandizo

    Nahitaji msaada

  10. Dikirani pang'ono

    Subiri kidogo

  11. Ndikupemphera

    Ninasikitika

  12. Palibe vuto

    Hakuna shida

  13. Zikomo

    Hongera

  14. Tsiku lobadwa labwino

    Siku ya kuzaliwa njema

  15. Pita bwino

    Safari njema

Directions and getting around

Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.

  1. Kuti ndi kuti sitima?

    Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?

  2. Kuti ndi kuti malo otsetsereka?

    Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?

  3. Ndi chigawo chiti?

    Ni jukwaa gani?

  4. Ndi nthawi iti imatenga?

    Inatoka saa ngapi?

  5. Kodi iyi ndi njira yoyenera?

    Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?

  6. Ili pafupi pano

    Iko karibu hapa

  7. Ili kutali pano

    Iko mbali na hapa

  8. Kodi mungandionetse pa mapu?

    Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?

  9. Khalani pano, chonde

    Simama hapa, tafadhali

  10. Zimatenga nthawi yaitali bwanji?

    Inachukua muda gani?

Shopping and dining

Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.

  1. Zimatenga ndalama zingati?

    Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?

  2. Izi ndizokwera mtengo kwambiri.

    Hiyo ni ghali sana

  3. Kodi muli ndi chinthu chotsika mtengo?

    Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?

  4. Ndingathe kulipira ndi khadi?

    Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?

  5. Ndikufuna tebulo la anthu awiri.

    Ningependa meza ya watu wawili

  6. Chikonthe, chonde.

    Tafadhali, bili

  7. Kodi ntchito yakhala mu mtengo?

    Je, huduma imejumuishwa?

  8. Ndine mvegetarian.

    Mimi ni mboga

  9. Osati chakudya chotentha, chonde.

    Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili

  10. Izi ndizochuluka.

    Hii ni tamu

  11. Ndingathe kupeza menyu?

    Naweza kupata menyu?

  12. Galasi ya madzi, chonde.

    Tafadhali, glasi ya maji

Emergencies and health

Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.

  1. Fufuzani apolisi

    Piga simu polisi

  2. Fufuzani ambulansi

    Piga simu ya wagonjwa

  3. Ndikufuna dokotala

    Nahitaji daktari

  4. Ndikumva kutopa

    Ninajisikia mgonjwa

  5. Ndine wosokoneza ndi ma nuts a phala

    Nina mzio wa karanga

  6. Kuti ndi kuti chibadwe chachikondi?

    Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?

  7. Kukonda apa

    Inaniuma hapa

  8. Ndapeza pasipoti yanga

    Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu

  9. Mungafufuze hotelo yanga?

    Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?

  10. Thandizani!

    Nisaidie!

Work and business

Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.

  1. Ndikuyamikira kukumana nanu

    Nafurahi kukutana nawe

  2. Tiyeni tikhazikitse meeting

    Tuweke mkutano

  3. Ndi nthawi yanji yomwe ikugwira ntchito kwa inu?

    Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?

  4. Ndzatumiza lipoti lero

    Nitaituma ripoti leo

  5. Tingathe kulankhula mawa?

    Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?

  6. Chonde pezani fayilo yowonjezedwa

    Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa

  7. Zikomo chifukwa cha nthawi yanu

    Asante kwa muda wako

  8. Ndikuyembekezera kugwira ntchito nanu

    Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe

  9. Mungathe kuthetsa mfundo imeneyo?

    Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?

  10. Nditheke kubwerera kwa inu

    Nitarudi kwako

  11. Nthawi yotsiriza ndi Lachisanu

    Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa

Time, days and numbers

Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.

  1. Ndi nthawi yanji?

    Ni saa ngapi?

  2. Ndi nthawi itatu.

    Ni saa tatu.

  3. Lero

    Leo

  4. Mawa

    Kesho

  5. Ch yesterday

    Jana

  6. Lolemba

    Jumatatu

  7. Lachiwiri

    Jumanne

  8. Lachitatu

    Jumatano

  9. Chimodzi

    Moja

  10. Chiwiri

    Mbili

  11. Chitatu

    Tatu

  12. Kumi

    Kumi

  13. Zana

    Mia moja

  14. Pafupifupi

    Nusu

  15. Zambiri

    Zaidi

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