Swahili

We are all multilingual, not least myself, and without even knowing it even before arriving in Africa, I had a few words already.

My cool paternal grandfather passed on his love of Tarzan movies to me, so words like simba (lion),and bwana (white master) are already familiar. But these aren’t gonna really help me too much as I spend the next few months kicking around in Central Africa.

Jambo is the usual greeting offered to non-blacks offering a choice of two responses
1) Jambo – I’m good, now talk to me in English
2) Sijambo – I’m good and I am prepared to try my luck in Swahili.

Not surprisingly however, i am still well into the first category.

Nonetheless i am determined to progress , I know how to recognise, use and respond to Hujambo and Hubari - How are you?, to thank – asante, and ask for a minibus and guesthouse – daladala and guesti respectively.

The numbers are tricky, but i endeavour to use the Swahili language guide in their Africa book to assist me. Slowly slowly i fear. My goal is to sijambo a greeting. Whether or not i understand the reply is another matter entirely.