A collection of useful phrases in Swati, a Bantu language spoken in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and South Africa.
See these phrases in any combination of two languages in the Phrase Finder. If you can provide recordings, corrections or additional translations, please contact me.
Key to abbreviations: sg = singular (said to one person), pl = plural (said to more than one person).
| Phrase | siSwati (Swati) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Wemukelekile (sg) Nemukelekile (pl) |
| Hello (General greeting) | Sawubona (sg - Do you see me?) Sanibonani (pl - Do you see me all?) Yebo (reply = yes) |
| How are you? | Unjani? (sg) Ninjani? (pl) |
| Reply to 'How are you?' | Ngikhona, wena ke? (sg) Sikhona, nine ke? (pl) Ngiyaphila, wena ke? (sg) Siyaphila, nine ke? (pl) |
| Long time no see | Mehlo madzala ("long eyes") |
| What's your name? | Ungubani ligama lakho? |
| My name is ... | Ligama lami ngu ... |
| Where are you from? | Uwakuphi? Uchamuka kuphi? Usuka kuphi? |
| I'm from ... | Ngiwase ... Ngiwa ... |
| Pleased to meet you | Ngiyajabula kukwati |
| Good morning (Morning greeting) |
Kusile sihlobo sami |
| Good afternoon (Afternoon greeting) |
Sawubona emini yantsambama |
| Good evening (Evening greeting) |
Lishonile sihlobo sami |
| Good night | Busuku lobuhle Ulalekahle (sg) Nilalekahle (pl) |
| Goodbye (Parting phrases) |
Sala kahle (sg - stay well) Salani kahle (pl) Hamba kahle (sg - go well) |
| Good luck! | Inhlanhla lenhle! |
| Cheers! Good Health! (Toasts used when drinking) |
Imphilo lenhle! |
| Have a nice day | Ube nelusuku loluhle! |
| Bon appetit / Have a nice meal |
|
| Bon voyage / Have a good journey |
Ube neluhambo loluhle! Ube neluhambo loluphephile! (sg) Nibe neluhambo loluphephile! (pl) |
| Yes | Yebo |
| No | Cha Chake |
| Maybe | Mhlawumbe |
| I don't know | Angati |
| Do you understand? | |
| I understand | |
| I don't understand | Angiva |
| Please speak more slowly | Shano kancane, ngiyacela |
| Please say that again | Ngicela uphindze |
| Please write it down | Ngicela ubhale phansi Ngicela nibhale phansi Sicela nibhale phansi Sicela ubhale phansi |
| Do you speak English? | Uyasatiyini siNgisi? Uyasikhuluma yini siNgisi? |
| Do you speak Swazi? | Uyasati yini siSwati? |
| Yes, a little (reply to 'Do you speak ...?') |
Yebo, kancane |
| Do you speak a language other than Swazi? |
|
| Speak to me in Swazi | Khuluma nami ngesiSwati |
| How do you say ... in Swazi? | Kusho kutsini kutsi ... ngesiSwati? |
| Excuse me | Ngicela uphindze angikeva Lucolo |
| I would like ... | Ngicela ... |
| How much is this? | Kubita malini loku? Malini? |
| Sorry | Ngiyacolisa Ncesi |
| Please | Ngiyacela |
| Thank you | Ngiyabonga Ngiyabonga kakhulu |
| Reply to thank you | Wemukelekile |
| Where's the toilet / bathroom? | Iphi indlu lencane? Ungakuphi umthoyi? |
| This gentleman will pay for everything | Lomnaketfu utobhadalela konkhe |
| This lady will pay for everything | Lodzadzewetfu utobhadalela konkhe |
| Would you like to dance with me? | Ungatsandza yini kujayiva nami? Ungatsandza yini kutovocavoca nami? |
| Do you come here often? | |
| I miss you | Ngikukhumbulile |
| I want you | Ngiyakufuna Ngiyakukhanuka |
| I love you | Ngiyakutsandza |
| Get well soon | Ululame masinyane |
| Go away! | Hamba! Suka! |
| Leave me alone! | Ngiyekele! |
| Help! | Ngicela lusito! |
| Fire! | Umlilo! |
| Stop! | Vimbani! |
| Call the police! | Bitani bafana bembumbe! Bitani emaphoyisa! |
| Christmas greetings | Khisimusi lomuhle |
| New Year greetings | Jabulani, ngumnyaka lomusha! |
| Easter greetings | Liphasika lelihle |
| Birthday greetings | Lusuku lwekutalwa loluhle |
| One language is never enough | Lulwimi lunye alweneli |
| My hovercraft is full of eels |
Corrections and additions by Ndumiso Eugene Khumalo
If you would like to make any corrections or additions to this page, or if you can provide recordings, please contact me.
Information about Swazi | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel
Other collections of Swati phrases
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Swazi_phrasebook
https://ss.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Basic_words_in_Swati_(s%C3%ADNg%C3%ADsi)
http://lincayam.blogspot.co.uk/p/speak-siswati-like-true-swazi.html
http://www.royaljoziniaccommodation.co.za/some-local-words-and-phrases-that-will-enhance-your-swazi-adventure/
http://www.salanguages.com/siswati/words.htm
http://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/audio/languagelessons/swaziland/SZ_siSwati_language_Lessons.pdf
http://bryanmarsh.myadventures.org/?filename=siswati-lesson
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