hakuna matata

From hakuna + matata (“troubles”), literally “there are no problems”.

compound

No worries, take it easy, hakuna matata.


ninakupenda

Compound present-tense verb form made up of ni- (1st person singular subject marker) + -na- (present tense) + -ku- (2nd person singular object marker) + penda (“to love”, verb stem). This form is a more colloquial way of saying the phrase. A more formal way to say it is nakupenda.


nakupenda

Compound general-tense verb form made up of n- (1st person singular subject marker, with reduction) + -a- (general tense) + -ku- (2nd person singular object marker) + penda (“to love”, plain form).


karibu

From Arabic قَرِيب (qarīb, “nearby”), also used to welcome a visitor in Omani Arabic. The sense "you're welcome" is a calque of English you're welcome.

you're welcome! (response to being thanked)


jambo

jambo class V (canonical)
mambo class VI (plural)

From -amba (“to say”), ultimately from Proto-Bantu [Term?]. Compare with a similar derivation in Zulu into.


nzuri

(greeting) I'm fine (response to "how are you?")


heko

congratulations! (expressing praise and approval)


asante

asante class IX (canonical)
asante class X (plural)
ahsante (alternative)
asanti (alternative)

Borrowed from Omani Arabic احسنت (aḥsant, “thank you”), from Arabic أَحْسَنْتَ (ʔaḥsanta, “well done”).


vipi

[[Appendix:Swahili_noun_classes#Ki-vi class|vi class_((VIII))]] inflected form and adverbial form of -pi ("which")


hujambo

Contraction of huna jambo (literally “You do not have anything”).


sijambo

Contraction of sina jambo (literally “I don't have anything”).


hodi

Borrowed from Omani Arabic هود (hūd ~ hōd).

bor+

may I come in? (said to request entrance, as a verbal form of knocking on a door)


shukrani

sw-noun

shukrani class IX (plural shukrani class X)

shukrani class IX (canonical)
shukrani class X (plural)
shukurani (alternative)
shukran (alternative)


kwa heri

From kwa (“by, with”) + heri (“happiness”).


habari ya jioni

good evening (greeting used in the evening)


habari ya asubuhi

good morning (greeting used in the morning)


lala salama

sleep safely (said to someone who is going to sleep)


pongezi kwa siku ya kuzaliwa

Literally, “congratulations for the day of birth”.


asubuhi ya leo

sw-noun

asubuhi ya leo class IX (plural asubuhi za leo class X)

asubuhi ya leo class IX (canonical)
asubuhi za leo class X (plural)


jioni ya leo

jioni ya leo class IX (plural jioni za leo class X)

jioni ya leo class IX (canonical)
jioni za leo class X (plural)


nakumiss

Unadapted borrowing from English miss, in combination with -na- (“present tense marker”) + -ku- (“you”).

af

2022 June 18, Samuel Maina, “"Nakumiss!" Kajala ashindwa kuvumilia upweke nyumbani baada ya Harmonize kusafiri”, in Radio Jambo:

Diddy aliendelea kwa kuandika, "Tulikuwa ni zaidi ya marafiki wa karibu, zaidi ya soul mate, tulikuwa zaidi ya ujinga mwengine, na nakumiss sana."

2018 November 19, “Diddy asema haya siku tatu baada ya kifo cha Kim”, in Muungwana:


sijui

From si- (“I do not”) + -jua (“to know”).


karibu kiti

have a seat (polite directive to sit down)