Through the Seasons

It’s Been a While

I put my Swahili book down and haven’t looked at it again since my pronunciation lesson.  So, here we go.  Now I’m moving onto greetings.  Courtesy is very important in Africa so not only are there proper greetings but guidelines for who addresses who first and how to address people older rather than younger.

Here’s what I learned today:

Hujambo, bwana?  =  How are you, sir?

Hujambo, bibi?  =  How are you, lady/Mrs/Miss/Ms?

Hujambo, mama?  =  How are you, Mrs/Miss/Ms/mother/woman?

Sijambo  =  I’m fine.

Habari za safari?  =  How is/was your trip?

Habari za asubuhi?  =  How is your morning?

Njema  =  Good

Nzuri  =  Good/Fine

Hamjambo  =  How are you?  (to more than one person)

Hatujambo  =  We’re fine.

Ndugu  =  comrade or friend (used to address that friend emphasizing solidarity of you and that person)  So, if I saw Mya at church I would say, “Hujambo, ndugu?”  And she would say, “Sijambo, ndugu.”  (This word is used [this way] only in Tanzania.)

It is important to use titles when addressing people.  They can be used alone or followed by the person’s name.  Bibi is shortened to Bi. when followed by a person’s name.  (So, I would be called Bi. Dana.)  Where bibi and mama are both used, bibi is slightly more formal, and some use it for younger women.  Bibi is also sometimes used to mean grandmother.  Confused yet?  I am too.  I think I’ll stick with mama until I hear different.

Sometimes a married woman is addressed as Mama followed by the name of her oldest child.  So Jonathan’s mother would be referred to as Mama Charles.  Where two names for someone is used, the second name is usually the name of the person’s father.  So I would be called Bi. Dana Dale.

Well, that’s Dialogue 1.  I’ll be practicing this for some time and then moving onto Dialogue 2.  That next lesson covers visiting someone at their home and telling someone where you’re from.  (In Spanish I would say I’m an Americano.  I’ve peeked ahead and it’s just not that simple in Swahili.)

Stay tuned.