Seline Okeno & Asmaha Heddi 
Swahili For Dummies 

Learn the official language of Kenya and Tanzania

Swahili For Dummies will teach you the basics of Swahili, so you can start conversing in Africa’s language of commerce. This book introduces you to the foundations of Swahili grammar and enables you to engage in basic conversations. With the simplified Dummies learning process, you’ll quickly get a grasp on the language, without complex terms and confusing explanations. You’ll also move through the book at a comfortable pace, so you’ll be familiar with what you’ve learned before moving on to more complex stuff. Focus on communication and interaction in everyday situations, so you can actually use the language you’re studying–right away.

* Understand the basics of Swahili

* Learn everyday words and phrases

* Gain the confidence to engage in conversations in Swahili

* Communicate while traveling and talk to Swahili-speaking family members

Swahili For Dummies is for readers of all ages who want to learn the basics of Swahili in a no-stress, beginner-friendly way. Swahili teachers will also love sharing this practical approach with their students.

Table of Content

Introduction 1

Part 1: Getting Started with Swahili 7

Chapter 1: The Swahili You Already Know 9

Chapter 2: Getting Started with Basic Expressions 19

Chapter 3: Navigating Nouns and Pronouns in Swahili 35

Chapter 4: Adding Action to Your Words: Verbs 57

Chapter 5: Getting Your Numbers and Dates Right 81

Part 2: Swahili in Action 111

Chapter 6: Making Small Talk 113

Chapter 7: Finding Your Way 131

Chapter 8: Eating in and Dining Out 145

Chapter 9: Using Technology to Keep in Touch. 157

Chapter 10: Shopping Made Easy 173

Chapter 11: Dressing Your Best 187

Chapter 12: Swahili at Work 199

Part 3: Swahili on the Go 213

Chapter 13: Planning a Safari 215

Chapter 14: Getting Around: Planes, Trains, Taxis, Buses, and More 229

Chapter 15: Arranging Accommodations 243

Chapter 16: Taking Care of Your Health 261

Part 4: The Part of Tens 275

Chapter 17: Ten Common Swahili Proverbs and Their Meanings 277

Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Pick Up Swahili Quickly 283

Chapter 19: Ten Words You Should Never Say in Swahili 287

Part 5: Appendixes 291

Appendix A: Swahili Noun Classes 293

Appendix B: Swahili Verbs 297

Appendix C: Swahili-English Mini-Dictionary 311

Appendix D: Answer Key 329

Index 335

About the author

Seline Ayugi Okeno was born and raised in Siaya, Kenya. She holds a B.Ed. Arts from Maseno University in Kenya and an M.A. in Applied Lin-guistics from Ohio University. She is currently a Swahili and English Teaching Fellow at The University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

Asmaha Heddi hails from Arusha, Tanzania. She is a Kiswahili lecturer at the University of Kansas. She holds a B.A. from the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from Ohio University.