Swati phrasebook
Swati (siSwati) is a language spoken by the Swati people of the Nguni group in Eswatini and South Africa with approximately 2.5 million speakers.
Pronunciation guide
[edit]Phrase list
[edit]Basics
[edit]- Hello
- Sawubona.
- How are you?
- Unjani?.
- I am fine
- Ngikhona/Ngiyaphila.
- I am fine, thank you
- Ngikhona, ngiyabonga.
- Stay well
- Sala kahle.
- Travel Safely
- Hamba Kahle.
- Good evening
- Lishonile.
- Good luck
- ngikufisela inhlanhla.
- Long time no see
- Mehlo madzala
- What's your name?
- Ungubani ligama lakho?.
- My name is...
- Ligama lami ngu...
- Where are you from?
- Uwakuphi?.
- I'm from...
- Ngiwase...
- Pleased to meet you
- Ngiyajabula kukwati.
- Goodbye
- Sala kahle.
- Good luck!
- Inhlanhla lenhle!
- Cheers! Good Health!
- Imphilo lenhle!.
- Have a nice day!
- Ube nelusuku loluhle.
- Speak to me in Swazi
- Khuluma nami ngesiSwati.
- How do you say... in Swazi?
- Kusho kutsini kutsi... ngesiSwati?.
- Excuse me
- Ngicela uphindze angikeva.
- How much is this?
- Kubita malini loku?.
- Sorry
- Ngiyacolisa Ncesi.
Problem/Emergency
[edit]- Go away!
- Hamba! Suka!.
- Leave me alone!
- Ngiyekele!
- Help!
- Ngicela lusito!
- Fire!
- Umlilo!
- Stop!
- Vimbani!
- Call the police!
- Bitani bafana bembumbe!
Numbers
[edit]- 1
- kunye
- 2
- kubili
- 3
- kutsatfu
- 4
- kune
- 5
- kusihlanu
- 6
- kusitfupha
- 7
- kusikhombisa
- 8
- kusiphohlongo
- 9
- kuyimfica
- 10
- kulishumi
- 11
- lishumi nakunye
- 12
- lishumi nakubili
- 13
- lishumi nantsatfu
- 14
- lishumi nakune
- 15
- lishumi nanhlanu
- 16
- lishumi nasitfupha
- 17
- lishumi nasikhombisa
- 18
- lishumi nasiphohlongo
- 19
- lishumi nemfica
- 20
- emashumi lamabili
- 21
- emashumi lamabili nakunye
- 22
- emashumi lamabili nakubili
- 23
- emashumi lamabili nantsatfu
- 24
- emashumi lamabili nakune
- 25
- emashumi lamabili nanhlanu
- 26
- emashumi lamabili nasitfupha
- 27
- emashumi lamabili nasikhombisa
- 28
- emashumi lamabili nasiphohlongo
- 29
- emashumi lamabili nemfica
- 30
- emashumi lamatsatfu
- 40
- emashumi lamane
- 50
- emashumi lasihlanu
- 60
- emashumi lasitfupha
- 70
- emashumi lasikhombisa
- 80
- emashumi lasiphohlongo
- 90
- emashumi layimfica
- 100
- likhulu
- 200
- emakhulu lamabili
- 300
- emakhulu lamatsatfu
- 1,000
- inkhulungwane
- 2,000
- tinkhulungwane letimbili
- 1,000,000
- sigidzi
Time
[edit]Clock time
[edit]Duration
[edit]- In the morning
- ekuseni
- Mid-day
- emini
- In the afternoon
- entsambama
- Yesterday
- Itolo
- Today
- Namuhla
- Tomorrow
- Kusasa
Days
[edit]- Saturday
- Lisontfu
- Monday
- Umsombuluko
- Tuesday
- Lesibili
- Wednesday
- Lesitsatfu
- Thursday
- Lesine
- Friday
- Lesihlanu
- Saturday
- Umgcibelo
Months
[edit]- January
- nguBhimbidvwane
- February
- yiNdlovana
- March
- yiNdlovulenkhulu
- April
- nguMabasa
- May
- yiNkhwekhweti
- June
- yiNhlaba
- July
- nguKholwane
- August
- iNgci
- September
- iNyoni
- October
- iMphala
- November
- Lweti
- December
- yiNgongoni
Colors
[edit]- Green
- luhlata
- Red
- bovu
- Blue
- luhlata sasibhakabhaka
- Black
- mnyama
- Brown
- sundvu
- White
- mhlophe
- Yellow
- mtfubi
Transportation
[edit]- Minibus
- ikhumbi
- Train
- Sitimela
- Ship
- Ukhumbi
- Car
- imoto
- Van/pickup truck
- iveni
- Bicycle
- Libhayisikili
- Plane
- Indiza
- Horse
- Lihhashi
- Bus
- Ibhasi
- Motorcycle
- Sidududu
Part of the body
[edit]- Face
- buso
- Eyes
- emehlo
- Ears
- tindelebe
- Mouth
- umlomo
- Eyebrows
- emashiya
- Nose
- imphumulo
- Tooth/Teeth
- litinyo / ematinyo
- Forehead
- simongo
- Eyelash
- tinkhope
- Hair
- tinwele
Family (Umndeni)
[edit]- Father
- Babe
- Mother
- Mage
- Brother
- Booti
- Sister
- Sisi
- Grandmother
- Gogo
- Grandfather
- Mkhulu
Food
[edit]- Milk
- Lubisi
- Cheese
- Shizi
- Yogurt
- Yogathi
- Meat
- Inyama
- Fish
- Inhlanti
- Chicken meat
- Inyama yenkhukhu
- Beef meat
- Inyama yenkhomo
- Pork meat
- Inyama yengulube
- Sausage
- Livosi
- Grain
- Libele.
- Rice
- Lilayisi
- Maize Meal
- Imphuphu
- Soft porridge
- Indengane
- Porridge
- Umncushu
- Marula Fruit Drink
- Buganu
- Tripe
- Kwangekhatsi
- Jute Soup
- Ligusha
Learning more
[edit]