Looking for practical Swahili to Alur phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Swahili phrase first, then the Alur translation (Alur) — 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 Alur.
Tip: when a Alur phrase looks unfamiliar, compare it with the Swahili 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 Swahili to Alur 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.
Habari
Salam
Asante
Matur nuwun
Habari ya asubuhi
Selamat pagi
Habari ya mchana
Selamat sore
Habari ya jioni
Selamat malam
Usiku mwema
Selamat bobo
Tutaonana baadaye
Sampai jumpa
Kwaheri
Selamat tinggal
Jina lako nani?
Sapa nama mu?
Jina langu ni John
Nama ku John
Habari gani?
Kabar apa?
Nafurahi kukutana na wewe
Senang bertemu denganmu
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Unazungumza Kiingereza?
Nyo nyi ngana Inggris?
Sizungumza Hindi vizuri.
Nyo ngana Hindi badi.
Sielewi.
Nyo ngana nyo.
Tafadhali ongea polepole.
Tolong nyi lempang.
Unaweza kusema tena?
Nyo bisa nyi lagi?
Choo kiko wapi?
Di mana kamar mandi?
Ninafika vipi katikati ya jiji?
Nyo nyi ka pusat kota?
Geuka kushoto.
Belok kiri.
Geuka kulia.
Belok kanan.
Nenda moja kwa moja.
Nyi terus.
Nauli ni kiasi gani?
Berapa harga tiket?
Tiketi moja, tafadhali.
Satu tiket, tolong.
Je, ni mbali na hapa?
Apakah jauh dari sini?
Nimepotea.
Nyo hilang.
Ninaweza kununua kadi ya SIM wapi?
Di mana bisa beli kartu SIM?
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Ndio
Iyo
Hapana
Ayi
Pengine
Mungkin
Ninakubaliana
Ngeye
Sikubaliani
Ayi ngeye
Inasikika vizuri
Iya, enak
Unafikiriaje?
Napa pendapatmu?
Unaweza kunisaidia?
Bisa bantu saya?
Nahitaji msaada
Saya butuh bantuan
Subiri kidogo
Tunggu sebentar
Ninasikitika
Saya minta maaf
Hakuna shida
Tidak masalah
Hongera
Selamat
Siku ya kuzaliwa njema
Selamat ulang tahun
Safari njema
Semoga selamat dalam perjalanan
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kituo cha treni kiko wapi?
Dika stasiun kereta?
Kituo cha basi kiko wapi?
Dika halte bis?
Ni jukwaa gani?
Platform mana?
Inatoka saa ngapi?
Jam berapa ia berangkat?
Je, hii ndiyo njia sahihi?
Apa ini jalan yang benar?
Iko karibu hapa
Iya dekat sini
Iko mbali na hapa
Iya jauh dari sini
Unaweza kunionesha kwenye ramani?
Bisa tunjukkan di peta?
Simama hapa, tafadhali
Berhenti di sini, tolong
Inachukua muda gani?
Berapa lama waktu yang dibutuhkan?
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
Hii inagharimu kiasi gani?
Berapa harga ini?
Hiyo ni ghali sana
Itu terlalu mahal.
Je, una kitu chochote cha bei nafuu?
Apakah ada yang lebih murah?
Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?
Bisa bayar pakai kartu?
Ningependa meza ya watu wawili
Saya mau meja untuk dua.
Tafadhali, bili
Tagihan, tolong.
Je, huduma imejumuishwa?
Apakah layanan sudah termasuk?
Mimi ni mboga
Saya vegetarian.
Tafadhali, sina chakula chenye pilipili
Tidak ada makanan pedas, tolong.
Hii ni tamu
Ini enak.
Naweza kupata menyu?
Bisa minta menu?
Tafadhali, glasi ya maji
Segelas air, tolong.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Piga simu polisi
Bisa ngelap polisi
Piga simu ya wagonjwa
Bisa ngelap ambulans
Nahitaji daktari
Aku butuh dokter
Ninajisikia mgonjwa
Aku merasa sakit
Nina mzio wa karanga
Aku alergi kacang tanah
Hospitali iliyo karibu iko wapi?
Di mana rumah sakit terdekat?
Inaniuma hapa
Sakit di sini
Nimepoteza pasipoti yangu
Aku kehilangan paspor
Unaweza kupiga simu hoteli yangu?
Bisa telepon hotelku?
Nisaidie!
Tolong!
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Nafurahi kukutana nawe
Ngomong bareng kowe
Tuweke mkutano
Ayo kita atur rapat
Ni saa ngapi inakufaa?
Jam pira sing cocog kanggo kowe?
Nitaituma ripoti leo
Aku bakal ngirim laporan dina iki
Tunaweza kuzungumza kesho?
Apa kita bisa ngomong sesuk?
Tafadhali pata faili iliyoambatishwa
Mangga deleng file sing dilampirake
Asante kwa muda wako
Matur nuwun kanggo wektu kowe
Natarajia kufanya kazi na wewe
Aku ngarep-arep bisa kerja bareng kowe
Unaweza kufafanua hiyo pointi?
Apa kowe bisa nerangake titik kuwi?
Nitarudi kwako
Ayo aku bali menyang kowe
Muda wa mwisho ni Ijumaa
Wektu pungkasan yaiku Jumuah
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.