Translate English to Swahili
Swahili (Kiswahili) is spoken by over 100 million people across East Africa, serving as a lingua franca in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and beyond. It is one of the official languages of the African Union. Whether you are doing business in Nairobi, preparing for a safari, or connecting with Swahili-speaking communities, paste your English text above.
Common English to Swahili translations
| English | Swahili | Pronunciation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | Habari | hah-BAH-ree | ||
| Good morning | Habari ya asubuhi | hah-BAH-ree yah ah-soo-BOO-hee | ||
| Thank you | Asante | ah-SAHN-teh | ||
| Please | Tafadhali | tah-fah-THAH-lee | ||
| How much is this? | Bei gani hii? | bay GAH-nee hee | ||
| Where is the bathroom? | Choo iko wapi? | choh EE-koh WAH-pee | ||
| I do not understand | Sielewi | see-eh-LEH-wee | ||
| Can you help me? | Unaweza kunisaidia? | oo-nah-WEH-zah koo-nee-sah-EE-dee-ah | ||
| I would like tea | Ninataka chai | nee-nah-TAH-kah CHAI | ||
| The bill, please | Bili, tafadhali | BEE-lee tah-fah-THAH-lee | ||
| Nice to meet you | Nimefurahi kukuona | nee-meh-foo-RAH-hee koo-koo-OH-nah | ||
| Goodbye | Kwaheri | kwah-HEH-ree | ||
| I need a doctor | Ninahitaji daktari | nee-nah-hee-TAH-jee dahk-TAH-ree | ||
| Excuse me | Samahani | sah-mah-HAH-nee |
Tips for English to Swahili translation
Swahili uses noun classes instead of grammatical gender. There are about 18 noun classes, each with its own prefix. Mtu (person) belongs to class 1, watu (people) to class 2, kitabu (book) to class 7, vitabu (books) to class 8. The class prefix affects adjectives, verbs, and pronouns that agree with the noun. This system replaces the masculine/feminine distinction found in European languages.
Swahili verbs are built by stacking prefixes and suffixes around a root. Ninakupenda means “I love you” and breaks down as ni (I) + na (present tense) + ku (you) + penda (love). This agglutinative structure packs a full English sentence into a single word. Understanding the prefix slots helps verify translations.
Swahili vocabulary draws from Bantu roots, Arabic, Persian, Portuguese, German, and English. Arabic influence is especially strong in trade, religion, and formal vocabulary: kitabu (book) from Arabic kitab, safari (journey), duka (shop). English loanwords are common in modern Swahili, especially for technology.
Swahili uses the Latin alphabet with no special characters or diacritics. Spelling is highly phonetic: every letter is pronounced, and there are no silent letters. This makes Swahili one of the easiest African languages to read aloud for English speakers. The main pronunciation challenge is the “ng” sound at the beginning of words like ng'ombe (cow).
About the Swahili language
Swahili is a Bantu language that developed as a trade lingua franca along the East African coast over a thousand years ago. Contact with Arab, Persian, and later European traders enriched its vocabulary while the grammar remained firmly Bantu. Today it is the national language of both Kenya and Tanzania and is spoken across Uganda, the DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, and Somalia.
Swahili is increasingly studied as a foreign language worldwide and is offered at many major universities. It has a growing body of literature, including works by Nobel Prize-winning author Abdulrazak Gurnah, who writes in English but draws deeply on Swahili culture. The African Union adopted Swahili as one of its official languages, reflecting its role as the most widely spoken African language.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. No sign-up, no fees.
Standard Swahili based on the Tanzanian/Kenyan standard.
Yes. Click the speaker icon. Swahili pronunciation is very regular and phonetic.
Considered one of the easier African languages for English speakers. The Latin alphabet, phonetic spelling, and SVO word order are familiar. Noun classes are the main challenge.
Good for everyday use. Professional review for official or published texts.
No. Standard Latin alphabet with no diacritics or extra letters.
Visit our Swahili to English page.
Yes. Nothing stored.
Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique, Somalia, and others.
Over 60 pairs including Arabic, French, Portuguese, Amharic, and more.
Need the reverse? Try Swahili to English translation.
