alleluia

Ultimately from Hebrew הַלְּלוּיָהּ (“Praise Jah!”).

der

הַלְּלוּיָהּ


jo

Manze jo!

(Sheng) added for emphasis to the end of a sentence


hela

Probably from dialectal Arabic هَلَا (halā). Compare also هَلُمَّ (halumma).

مُيُ وَاغُ نِنِ هُزُدُكَانِ ، لِكُغُرِيِلُ هِيْلَ نِنْنِ ،

R. Allen (1946) “Inkishafi—a translation from the Swahili”, in African Studies, volume 5, number 4, →DOI, pages 243–249

Soul, why not awake? Hi! what is it that cheats you?

Moyo wangu nini huzundukani, likughuriyelo hela ni-n'ni?


inshallah

Borrowed from Arabic إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللَٰه (ʔin šāʔa llāh, literally “if God has willed [it]”).

bor+

إِنْ شَاءَ ٱللَٰه


salama

From the Arabic root س ل م (s l m), most likely سَلَامَة (salāma).


fiti

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


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)


safi

der

Arabic صَافِي (ṣāfī)

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


kimya

From Arabic كِيمِيَاء (kīmiyāʔ, “chemistry”), it being a discreet art.


aleluya

Alternative form of alleluia (“hallelujah”)


sema

informal greeting; also used to continue a conversation


karibuni

plural of karibu: welcome! (to multiple people)


afya

bless you (said to somebody who has sneezed)


jambo

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


ndiyo

From ndi- + -yo, literally "it is (it/those)".


nzuri

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


heko

congratulations! (expressing praise and approval)


asante

asante! (canonical)
asanteni (plural)
ahsante (alternative)
asanti (alternative)

→ Nubi: asanti

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


vipi

(colloquial) Clipping of mambo vipi: how are you?


hujambo

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


sijambo

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


poa

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


eti

excuse me; hey there (said to request someone's attention)


poleni

plural of pole: sorry (to multiple people)


masalkheri

Borrowed from Arabic مَسَاء اَلْخَيْر (masāʔ al-ḵayr).

bor+

مَسَاء اَلْخَيْر


hodi

Borrowed from Omani Arabic هود (hūd ~ hōd).

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


tafadhali

Borrowed from Arabic تَفَضَّل (tafaḍḍal).


marahaba

The correct response of a superior after his/her inferior says shikamoo.


shikamoo

shikamooni (plural)
shikamuu (alternative)
shikamu (alternative)

A shortening of -shika miguu ya ("to fall at one's feet").

Used by an inferior to greet a superior.


shukrani

shukurani (alternative)
shukran (alternative)

Shukrani kwako bwana!


samahani

From Arabic سامِحْنِي (sāmiḥnī, “excuse me”), from سامَحَ (sāmaḥa).

excuse me, sorry (said as a request for an apology)


s.a.w.w.

An initialism formed from Arabic صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ (ṣallā llāhu ʕalayhi wasallama).

der

صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ


kwa heri

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


ndio

From ndi- + -o, literally "it is (them/it/those)".


habari ya jioni

good evening (greeting used in the evening)


habari ya asubuhi

good morning (greeting used in the morning)


aisee

Used to express surprise or strong emotion.


lala salama

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


wallahi

Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wa-llāh, literally “by God”).


asanteni

asanteni! (canonical)
ahsanteni (alternative)

plural of asante: Thank you! (to multiple people)


yaani

Ultimately from Arabic يَعْنِي (yaʕnī, “[he/she/it] means”).

der

(adverbial, conjunctive, prepositional, or adjectival) in other words, actually, namely, to wit, kind of, somewhat, id est, that is, meaning, you know


siyo

From si- + -yo, literally "it is not (them/it/those)".

siyo leo!


jamani

Borrowed from Arabic يَا مَانّ (yā mānn).


mungu baba

(mildly blasphemous) An expression of anger, frustration, excitement, shock, awe, dismay. Like oh my God.


kumradhi

kumradhini (plural)
kunradhi (alternative)


kumbe

An expression of astonishment, like behold!


abee

Borrowed from Arabic لَبَّيْكَ (labbayka).

answer given in response to being called


binuru

Borrowed from Arabic بِنُورٍ (bi-nūrin, literally “with light”).

The reply to alamsiki (“good night, goodbye”)


saseni

(Sheng) plural of sasa: hello (to multiple people)


sabalkheri

Borrowed from Arabic صَبَاح الخَيْر (ṣabāḥ al-ḵayr).

صَبَاح الخَيْر

subalkheri (alternative)
subulkheri (alternative)


bila shaka

you're welcome! (response to being thanked)


tafadhalini

plural of tafadhali: please (to multiple people)


hongereni

plural of hongera: congratulations (to multiple people)


pongezeni

plural of pongezi: congratulations (to multiple people)


shikamooni

Used by an inferior to greet superiors (to multiple people)


Mungu akubariki

From Mungu (“God”) + akubariki. The second word can be analyzed as a- + -ku- + -bariki.


asanti

Alternative form of asante (“thank you”)


shabashi

Borrowed from Iranian Persian شاباش (šâbâš)


karibu tena

come again (polite farewell, inviting return visit)


haidhuru

never mind, no problem, it does not matter, no bother


kumamake

From kuma + mamake, literally “his/her mother's pussy”.

compound

(vulgar, offensive) An insulting expression of contempt.