Looking for practical Kinyarwanda to Swahili phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Kinyarwanda 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: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Swahili-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Kinyarwanda 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.
Muraho
Habari
Urakoze
Asante
Bwakire bwiza
Habari ya asubuhi
Nimugoroba mwiza
Habari ya mchana
Mwaramutse mwiza
Habari ya jioni
Ijoro ryiza
Usiku mwema
Tuzabonana nyuma
Tutaonana baadaye
Murabeho
Kwaheri
Witwa nde?
Jina lako nani?
Nitwa John
Jina langu ni John
Umeze ute?
Habari gani?
Nishimiye kukumenya
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Uravuga Icyongereza?
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Sinavuga Hindi neza
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Sinumva
Sielewi.
Nyabuneka vuga buhoro
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Wabivuga ukundi?
Unaweza kusema tena?
Aho ubwiherero buri he?
Choo kiko wapi?
Nagenda nte ku mugi?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Hindukira ibumoso
Geuka kushoto.
Hindukira iburyo
Geuka kulia.
Genda imbere
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Igiciro ni ikihe?
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Itike imwe, nyabuneka
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Ni kure hano?
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Ndi mu kaga
Nimepotea.
Nshobora kugura SIM card he?
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Yego
Ndio
Oya
Hapana
Birashoboka
Pengine
Ndemeranya
Ninakubaliana
Sinemeranya
Sikubaliani
Birumvikana neza
Inasikika vizuri
Ubitekerezaho iki?
Unafikiriaje?
Urashobora kumfasha?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Nkeneye ubufasha
Nahitaji msaada
Tegereza gato
Subiri kidogo
Ndakwinginze
Ninasikitika
Nta kibazo
Hakuna shida
Ibyishimo
Hongera
Isabukuru nziza
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Ugire urugendo rwiza
Safari njema
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Aho ikigo cy'igariyamoshi kiri?
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?(Aho ikigo cy'igariyamoshi kiri?)
Aho ahagarara bisi?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?(Aho ahagarara bisi?)
Ni iyihe platform?
Ni jukwaa gani?(Ni iyihe platform?)
Igihe izava ryari?
Inatoka saa ngapi?(Igihe izava ryari?)
Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?(Ese iyi niyo nzira nziza?)
Iri hafi hano
Iko karibu hapa(Iri hafi hano)
Iri kure hano
Iko mbali na hapa(Iri kure hano)
Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita?
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?(Ushobora kumfasha ku ikarita?)
Hagarara hano, nyabuneka
Simama hapa, tafadhali(Hagarara hano, nyabuneka)
Bifata igihe kingana iki?
Inachukua muda gani?(Bifata igihe kingana iki?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Iyi igura angahe?
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Ibyo ni ibihenze cyane.
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Ufite ikintu cyoroheje?
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Nshobora kwishyura n'ikarita?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Nashaka ameza y'abantu babiri.
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Ndagusabye, umwenda.
Tafadhali, bili
Serivisi irimo?
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Ndi umunyvegetari.
Mimi ni mboga
Ntimukanyuze ibiryo birimo umunyu.
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Ibi biraryoshye.
Hii ni tamu
Nshobora kubona urutonde rw'ibiryo?
Naweza kupata menyu?
Ndagusabye, igikombe cy'amazi.
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Hamagara polisi
Piga simu polisi
Hamagara ambulance
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Nkeneye umuganga
Nahitaji daktari
Ndumva ndwaye
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Mfite allergie ku mbuto z'ihene
Nina mzio wa karanga
Ihagararanye ry'ubuvuzi rihe?
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Birambabaza hano
Inaniuma hapa
Nabuze pasiporo yanjye
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Urashobora guhamagara hoteli yanjye?
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Fasha!
Nisaidie!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nishimiye guhura nawe
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Reka dushyireho inama
Tuweke mkutano
Ni ryari byakugendekera?
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Nzohereza raporo uyu munsi
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Dushobora kuvugana ejo?
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Nyamuneka reba dosiye iri hano
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Urakoze ku gihe cyawe
Asante kwa muda wako
Ntegereje gukorana nawe
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Wansobanurira icyo kibazo?
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Nzakugarukira
Nitarudi kwako
Igihe ntarengwa ni ku wa gatanu
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.