声音、问候，和一个词的形状。

One

这是一门什么样的语言。

What kind of language this is.

这门语言管自己叫 Kiswahili——前缀 ki- 标记语言，所以法语在这里叫 Kifaransa。它通行于坦桑尼亚、肯尼亚、乌干达、刚果（金）东部、卢旺达和布隆迪，是东非的通用语，母语者加二语者远超一亿。

The language calls itself Kiswahili — the prefix ki- marks languages, which is why the same prefix turns up in Kifaransa, French. It is spoken across Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, eastern DRC, Rwanda and Burundi, and serves as the lingua franca of East Africa for well over a hundred million first- and second-language speakers.

结构上它属于班图语族，与中非和南部非洲几百种语言同源。但词汇里有三到四成借自阿拉伯语——那是沿斯瓦希里海岸一千年贸易留下的沉积。Habari、asante、tafadhali、kitabu、safari、dhahabu、thamani 全是阿拉伯语。此外还有葡萄牙语、波斯语、印地语和英语的薄层。

Structurally it is Bantu, related to several hundred languages across central and southern Africa. But something between thirty and forty per cent of the vocabulary is borrowed from Arabic — the residue of a thousand years of trade along the Swahili coast. Habari, asante, tafadhali, kitabu, safari, dhahabu, thamani are all Arabic. Smaller layers come from Portuguese, Persian, Hindi and English.

Two

发音。

Pronunciation.

三条永不破的规则 Three rules that never break

没有哑音。写出来的每个字母都要读出来。不存在英语 psychology 里那个不发音的 p。

Nothing is silent. Every letter written is a letter pronounced. There is no equivalent of the p in English psychology.

每个元音自成一个音节。Alama 是 a-la-ma。Umoja 是 u-mo-ja。Habari 是 ha-ba-ri。

Every vowel is its own syllable. Alama is a-la-ma. Umoja is u-mo-ja. Habari is ha-ba-ri.

重音落在倒数第二个音节。ha-ba-ri、ki-ta-bu、ni-me-fu-ra-hi。没有什么要背的；规则是死的。

Stress falls on the second-to-last syllable. ha-ba-ri, ki-ta-bu, ni-me-fu-ra-hi. There is nothing to memorise; the rule holds.

五个元音 The five vowels

每个元音只有一个值，跟西班牙语或汉语拼音一样——绝不像英语元音那样一个字母好几种读法。

Each has exactly one value, as in Spanish or Mandarin pinyin — never the several values an English vowel can take.

元音 / Vowel	读作 / Value	例词 / Example	含义 / Meaning
a	啊 as in father	alama	标志、路牌 sign, road sign
e	诶 as in bet	embe	芒果 mango
i	衣 as in machine	ingia	进入 enter
o	喔 as in or	ona	看见 see
u	乌 as in flute	umoja	团结 unity

辅音 The consonants

练法是每个辅音后面加一个 a 来读：ba、cha、da、dha，依此类推。

Drill them by adding a to each: ba, cha, da, dha, and so on.

字母 / Letter	例词 / Example	含义 / Meaning	怎么读 / How it sounds
b	baba	爸爸 father	同英语 as in English
ch	chache	少 few	同 church as in church
d	dada	姐妹 sister	同英语 as in English
dh	dhahabu	黄金 gold	浊 th，同 this voiced th, as in this
f	fanya	做 do, make	同英语 as in English
g	gani?	哪个？ which?	硬 g，同 go hard g, as in go
gh	ghali	贵 expensive	喉部摩擦——法语 r、阿拉伯语 غ a scrape at the back of the throat
h	habari	消息 news	同英语 as in English
j	jana	昨天 yesterday	同英语 as in English
k	kaka	兄弟 brother	同英语 as in English
l	lala	睡 sleep	同英语 as in English
m	mama	妈妈 mother	同英语 as in English
n	nani?	谁？ who?	普通的 n as in English
ng	ngano	小麦 wheat	两个音都出来，如 finger both sounds land
ng’	ng’ambo	对岸 the other shore	只有鼻音，如 sing 词尾，不放 g the nasal only, no g release
ny	nyani	狒狒 baboon	西班牙语 ñ Spanish ñ
p	pata	得到 get, obtain	同英语 as in English
r	rafiki	朋友 friend	舌尖轻轻一弹 a single light tap of the tongue
s	saba	七 seven	同英语 as in English
sh	shahada	证书 certificate	同英语 as in English
t	tano	五 five	同英语 as in English
th	thamani	价值 value	清 th，同 thing voiceless th, as in thing
v	vaa	穿 wear	同英语 as in English
w	watu	人们 people	同英语 as in English
y	yai	鸡蛋 egg	同英语 as in English
z	zawadi	礼物 gift	同英语 as in English

ng’ 的绕口令 The tongue-twister for ng’

Ng’ang’a alining’ang’ania ng’ombe aliyeng’ang’ania.

大意：Ng’ang’a 把那头挣脱开的牛从我手里抢了过去。Ng’ombe 是牛；-ng’ang’ania 是"死抓着不放地争夺"。它本来就不该好念。 · Roughly: Ng’ang’a wrestled off me the cow that had pulled itself loose. It is not supposed to be easy.

语调承担情绪吗？ Does intonation carry emotion?

课上有人问，答案是承担——不是通过某种专门的语法，而是像所有语言那样。音高、重音和说法本身告诉你对方是在提问、惊讶还是生气。这东西很难教，但对母语耳朵是显而易见的。

Asked in class, and the answer was yes — not through any dedicated grammar, but the way every language does it. Pitch, stress and delivery are what tell you whether someone is asking, surprised or angry. It is hard to teach and obvious to a native ear.

Three

名词类，以及为什么整句都跟着它走。

Noun classes, and why the whole sentence follows them.

每个斯瓦希里语名词一出生就属于某个类，由它开头的那个音节标出来。这件事之所以要紧，是因为类支配所有回指这个名词的成分——我的、你的、这个、好的，以及动词自己的前缀。类搞错了，句子就跟自己不一致。

Every Swahili noun is born into a class, marked by the syllable it starts with. This matters because the class governs everything that refers back to that noun — my, your, this, good, and the verb’s own prefixes. Get the class wrong and the sentence disagrees with itself.

先学这五类 The five to learn first

类 / Class	单数 / Sg.	复数 / Pl.	例 / Example
人 (1/2) People	m-, mw-	wa-	mtu → watu，人 person
树与自然物 (3/4) Trees	m-, mw-	mi-	mti → miti，树；moyo → mioyo，心 tree; heart
杂类 (5/6) Miscellany	常常看不见，有时 ji- often invisible	ma-	jina → majina，名字；yai → mayai，蛋 name; egg
物 (7/8) Things	ki-, ch-	vi-, vy-	kitu → vitu，东西；kitabu → vitabu，书 thing; book
N 类 (9/10) The N class	单复同形 singular and plural identical		nyumba，房子；habari，消息 house; news

两个陷阱。人类和树类单数都取 m-，只能靠意思分开。杂类往往完全不显前缀——jina、gari、yai、swali、jambo、embe——于是 ma- 复数成了唯一线索。一点安慰：多数阿拉伯语借词落在 N 类，那里单复同形。 · Two traps: the people class and the tree class both take m-; and the miscellany class often shows no prefix at all.

一致关系怎么运作 Agreement in practice

"我的"只有一个词根，-angu。变的是它戴的帽子。

There is one root for my, -angu. What changes is the hat it wears.

类 / Class	我的 / my	你的 / your	好的 / good	整句 / Full sentence
人 People	wangu	wako	mzuri	mtu wangu ni mzuri
树 Trees	wangu	wako	mzuri	moyo wangu ni mzuri
杂类 Miscellany	langu	lako	zuri	jina langu ni zuri
物 Things	changu	chako	kizuri	kitu changu ni kizuri
N 类 N class	yangu	yako	nzuri	nyumba yangu ni nzuri

所以 moyo wangu（我的心）和 jina langu（我的名字）不是两个不同的"我的"。它们是同一个词根戴了两顶不同的帽子——moyo 属树类，jina 属杂类。

So moyo wangu and jina langu are not two different words for my. They are one root under two different hats.

-angu	-ako	-ake	-etu	-enu	-ao
我的 my	你的 your	他／她的 his / her	我们的 our	你们的 your (pl.)	他们的 their

nzuri、njema、salama 为什么长这样 Why they look the way they do

三个都能回答 Habari gani?——nzuri 是词根 -zuri（好）戴上 N 类的帽子；njema 是词根 -ema（好、善）戴同一顶帽子，中间为发音塞进一个 j；salama 是阿拉伯语借词，意思是"平安"，而阿拉伯语形容词不跟任何东西一致，永远保持原形。ghali（贵）、rahisi（容易）、muhimu（重要）、safi（干净）同理。

All three answer Habari gani? — nzuri is the root -zuri under the N-class hat; njema is the root -ema under the same hat, with a j slipped in for pronunciation; salama is an Arabic loan meaning peace, and Arabic adjectives do not agree with anything. The same holds for ghali, rahisi, muhimu, safi.

完整一览，备查 The full set, for reference

类 / Class	前缀 / Prefix	装什么 / What it holds	例 / Example
1/2	m-, mw- / wa-	人 people	mtu / watu
3/4	m-, mw- / mi-	树、身体部位、自然物 trees, body parts, natural things	mti / miti
5/6	ji- 或无 / ma-	杂类、成对物、水果 miscellany, pairs, fruit	jina / majina
7/8	ki-, ch- / vi-, vy-	物件、语言、指小 objects, languages, diminutives	kitu / vitu
9/10	N- / N-	动物、借词 animals, loanwords	nyumba, habari
11	u-	细长物 long thin things	ukuta → kuta，墙 wall
14	u-	抽象名词，无复数 abstractions, no plural	umoja, uhuru
15	ku-	动词不定式 infinitives	kusoma，阅读 reading
16/17/18	pa-, ku-, mu-	处所 place	mahali

Four

动词是一列火车。

The verb is a train.

斯瓦希里语的动词与其说是一个词，不如说是一串按固定顺序挂好的车厢：谁 — 什么时候 — 对谁 — 词根 — a。

A Swahili verb is not a word so much as a sequence of carriages in a fixed order: who — when — to whom — the root — a.

第一节车厢：谁 Carriage one: who

代词 / Pronoun	意思 / Meaning	前缀 / Prefix	配 -toka（来自）
mimi	我 I	ni-	ninatoka
wewe	你 you	u-	unatoka
yeye	他／她 he / she	a-	anatoka
sisi	我们 we	tu-	tunatoka
ninyi	你们 you (pl.)	m-	mnatoka
wao	他们 they	wa-	wanatoka

独立代词可省，前缀不可省。Ninatoka China 已经是完整句子，加上 mimi 只是加强语气。而 Mimi natoka——丢掉前缀——直接是错的。另外 yeye 同时覆盖他和她：这门语言不标性别。前缀分两行记：ni-u-a，tu-m-wa。

The standalone pronoun is optional; the prefix is not. Ninatoka China is a complete sentence, and adding mimi only adds emphasis. Mimi natoka, with the prefix dropped, is simply wrong. Note also that yeye covers he and she alike — the language marks no gender. Learn the prefixes in two rows: ni-u-a, tu-m-wa.

第二节车厢：什么时候 Carriage two: when

标记 / Marker	意义 / Sense	例句 / Example	中文 / Meaning
-na-	现在 present	Ninasoma Kiswahili.	我在学斯瓦希里语。 I am learning Swahili.
-li-	过去 past	Nilikula yai jana.	我昨天吃了鸡蛋。 I ate an egg yesterday.
-me-	完成 perfect	Nimepata kitabu.	我拿到书了。 I have got the book.
-ta-	将来 future	Tutaonana kesho.	我们明天见。 We will meet tomorrow.
-ki-	如果、当 if, when	Mungu akipenda.	神若愿意。 God willing.

一个好用的检查法：肯定式动词的第二个音节永远是时态标记——ni-na-toka、u-li-lala、ni-me-pata、tu-ta-onana。否定式另有一套。

A useful check: in an affirmative verb, the second syllable is always the tense marker. Negatives work differently.

第三节车厢：对谁 Carriage three: to whom

我 / me	你 / you	他她 / him, her	我们 / us	你们、他们 / you (pl.), them
-ni-	-ku-	-m-	-tu-	-wa-

可选，插在词根之前：kukujua 是 ku（不定式"去"）+ ku（宾语"你"）+ jua（知道）——去认识你。

Optional, and slotted in before the root: kukujua is ku (the infinitive to) + ku (you) + jua (know) — to know you.

拼起来 Assembling them

零件 / Parts	动词 / Verb	意思 / Meaning
ni + na + soma	ninasoma	我在读 I am reading
u + li + soma	ulisoma	你读了 you read
tu + ta + soma	tutasoma	我们将读 we will read
ni + me + furahi	nimefurahi	我很高兴 I am glad
a + li + ni + andika	aliniandika	他写信给我 he wrote to me
wa + na + ongea	wanaongea	他们在说话 they are talking

六个人称乘五个时态是三十个形式，第一学期的动词大多住在这张网格里。

Six persons across five tenses is thirty forms, and most of a first term’s verbs live inside that grid.

否定 Negation

现在时的否定用自己的一套主语前缀，把 -na- 整个去掉，并把词尾的 a 变成 i。

In the present, the negative takes its own subject prefix, drops -na- entirely, and turns the final a into i.

肯定 / Affirmative	否定 / Negative	意思 / Meaning
ninajua	sijui	我不知道 I don’t know
unajua	hujui	你不知道 you don’t know
anajua	hajui	他不知道 he doesn’t know
ninaona	sioni	我看不见 I don’t see

我 / I	你 / you	他她 / he, she	我们 / we	你们 / you (pl.)	他们 / they
si-	hu-	ha-	hatu-	ham-	hawa-

这一行前缀在 Note 02 里会再出现一次——把 jambo 挂上去，就是 sijambo / hujambo / hajambo 那整套。 · This row returns in Note 02: attach jambo and you have the whole greeting paradigm.

时态 / Tense	否定形状 / Negative shape	例 / Example
现在 present	si- + 词根 + i	sisomi，我不读 I don’t read
过去 past	si-ku-	sikusoma，我没读 I didn’t read
将来 future	si-ta-	sitasoma，我不会读 I won’t read
尚未 not yet	si-ja-	sijasoma，我还没读 I haven’t read yet

两个很能干活的后缀 Two suffixes that do a lot of work

-ana 把动作变成相互的：ona 看见 → onana 相见；kuta 遇到 → kutana 相遇；penda 爱 → pendana 相爱；jua 知道 → juana 相识。

-ana makes an action reciprocal: ona → onana; kuta → kutana; penda → pendana; jua → juana.

-w- 把它变成被动：ita 叫 → itwa 被叫；penda → pendwa 被爱；jaali 恩准 → jaaliwa 蒙准。所以 Unaitwa nani? 字面是"你被叫作谁？"

-w- makes it passive: ita → itwa; penda → pendwa; jaali → jaaliwa. This is why Unaitwa nani? is literally you are called who?

以后会学 / Also coming	功能 / Function	例 / Example
-ia / -ea	为、向 for, to	andika 写 → andikia 写给 write → write to
-ika / -eka	状态、可能 state, possibility	vunja 打破 → vunjika 破了 break → be broken
-isha / -esha	使动 cause to	soma 读 → somesha 教 read → teach
-ua	反向 reversal	funga 关 → fungua 开 close → open

三个小零件 Three smaller pieces

-je 贴在动词末尾，问"怎么"：Unasemaje? 这个怎么说？Unaitwaje? 你叫什么？Na wewe je? 你呢？

-je sticks to the end of a verb and asks how.

na 意为"和、跟"，与代词缩合：nami、nawe、naye、nasi、nanyi、nao。它同时也表示"有"——Nina swali，我有个问题，这里的 ni + na 根本不是时态。靠上下文分辨。

na means with and contracts with pronouns. It also means have — Nina swali, I have a question, where ni + na is not a tense at all. Context decides.

-ni 加在名词后面把它变成处所：nyumba 房子 → nyumbani 在家；shule → shuleni 在学校。

-ni on the end of a noun makes it a location.

疑问词 Question words

词 / Word	意思 / Meaning	位置 / Where it goes
nani	谁 who	只用于人——包括问名字时 people only, including when asking a name
nini	什么 what	用于物 things
wapi	哪里 where	—
gani	哪个、什么样的 which, what kind	放在名词后：nchi gani, lugha gani, habari gani
-je	怎么 how	后缀在动词上 suffixed to the verb
ngapi	多少 how many	还没讲 not yet covered

Jina lako nani? 字面是"你的名字是谁？"，意思是"你叫什么名字"。语境压过字面。

Jina lako nani? is literally your name is who? and means what is your name. Context outranks the literal reading.

Five

对话，逐句拆解。

The dialogue, line by line.

问候 Greeting

Jambo 是事情、麻烦。Hu-jambo 是"你没有事"，si-jambo 是"我没有事"——两句都是否定，这一来一往字面上是一对否认。对一群人：Hamjambo? 和 Hatujambo. 冲着游客说的那个光秃秃的 Jambo! 是简化版，本地人之间很少这么用。

Jambo is a matter or affair. Hu-jambo is you have no matter; si-jambo is I have no matter — both are negatives, and the exchange is literally a pair of denials. To a group: Hamjambo? and Hatujambo. The bare Jambo! aimed at tourists is a simplification locals rarely use with each other.

问近况 Asking after things

框架是 Habari za ___?，其中 za 是 N 类的所属连接词。回答永远是上面那三个词之一。

The frame is Habari za ___?, where za is the N-class possessive. The answer is always one of the three words above.

Swahili	字面 / Literally	什么时候用 / When
Habari za asubuhi?	早晨的消息 news of the morning	早上问候 morning greeting
Habari za mchana?	中午的 of the midday	下午早些时候 early afternoon
Habari za jioni?	傍晚的 of the evening	晚上 evening
Habari za kazi?	工作的 of the work	问对方的工作 asking about someone’s job
Habari za nyumbani?	家里的 of the home	问候家人 asking after the family
Habari za shule?	学校的 of the school	对学生 to a student
Habari za tangu jana?	自昨天以来 since yesterday	昨天刚见过 you met yesterday
Habari za tangu juzi?	自前天以来 since the day before	前天见过 you met two days ago
Habari za siku nyingi?	许多天的 of the many days	好久不见 long time no see

名字 Names

Jina 属杂类，所以是 lako 和 langu。问句里没有系动词；答句补上 ni。其他说法：Wewe unaitwa nani?（你被叫作谁）、Wewe unaitwaje?（你怎么被称呼），回答用 Mimi ninaitwa ___。把问题推回去：Na wewe je?

Jina is miscellany class, hence lako and langu. The question carries no verb to be; the answer supplies ni. Alternatives: Wewe unaitwa nani?, Wewe unaitwaje?, answered with Mimi ninaitwa ___. To turn it back: Na wewe je?

你从哪里来 Where you are from

Swahili	问的是 / Asks for	说明 / Note
unatoka wapi?	哪里（不限） anywhere	通用问法 the general question
unatoka nchi gani?	哪个国家 which country	nchi，国家 nchi, country
unatoka mkoa gani?	哪个大区 which region	坦桑尼亚的行政单位 Tanzanian administrative unit
unatoka kaunti gani?	哪个县 which county	肯尼亚 2010 年宪法后的单位，借自英语 Kenyan unit since 2010, from English

Note 02 补上了 jimbo gani?（哪个州／省）和 mji gani?（哪个城市）。 · Note 02 adds jimbo gani? and mji gani?

幸会 Pleased to meet you

kukujua 里那两个 ku 是两种东西：第一个是不定式的"去"，第二个是宾语的"你"。Kukutana 是 ku + kuta（遇到）+ ana（互相）。

The two ku in kukujua are different animals: the first is the infinitive to, the second is the object you. Kukutana is ku + kuta (meet) + ana (each other).

告别 Leaving

Swahili	中文 / Meaning	什么时候用 / When
Kwaheri.	再见 goodbye	通用 general
Kwaheri ya kuonana.	再见，直到我们再见 goodbye until we meet	中性 neutral
Kwaheri, tutaonana baadaye.	待会儿见 see you later	同一天 same day
Kwaheri, tutaonana kesho.	明天见 see you tomorrow	已经说定 settled
Kwaheri, tutaonana Mungu akipenda.	神若愿意，我们会再见 we’ll meet, God willing	留有余地 leaves it open
Kwaheri, tutaonana tukijaaliwa.	若蒙恩许，我们会再见 if we are granted it	同上，更含蓄 the same, more oblique

Kwaheri 是 kwa（带着）+ heri（祝福、好运）——阿拉伯语 khayr。对一群人说 Kwaherini。Tutaonana 是 tu + ta + onana，将来时遇上互动后缀。

Kwaheri is kwa (with) + heri (blessing, good fortune) — Arabic khayr. To a group, Kwaherini. Tutaonana is tu + ta + onana, the future tense meeting the reciprocal suffix.

最后两个告别式的差别在于把施动者放在哪里。Mungu akipenda 是主动的，主语是神——等同于 inshallah。Tukijaaliwa 是 tu（我们）+ ki（如果）+ jaali（恩准，来自阿拉伯语）+ w（被动）："若我们蒙准"，恩准者不点名。这两句在沿海的穆斯林社群和内陆的基督教地区都说，说了并不比"回头见"多出几分虔诚。

The two closing formulas differ in where they put the agent. Mungu akipenda is active, with God as subject — the equivalent of inshallah. Tukijaaliwa is tu (we) + ki (if) + jaali (grant, from Arabic) + w (passive): if we are granted it, with the granter left unnamed. Both are said across the coast’s Muslim communities and the Christian interior alike, and saying them signals no more piety than see you around does.

完整走一遍 The whole thing

Swahili	中文	English
A: Hujambo?	你好吗？	How are you?
B: Sijambo.	我很好。	I’m fine.
A: Habari gani?	近况如何？	What’s the news?
B: Nzuri.	好。	Good.
A: Nzuri pia. Jina lako nani?	我也好。你叫什么名字？	Good here too. What is your name?
B: Jina langu ni ___. Na wewe je?	我的名字是 ___。你呢？	My name is ___. And you?
A: Jina langu ni ___. Wewe unatoka wapi?	我的名字是 ___。你从哪里来？	My name is ___. Where do you come from?
B: Mimi ninatoka ___. Na wewe je?	我来自 ___。你呢？	I come from ___. And you?
A: Mimi ninatoka ___.	我来自 ___。	I come from ___.
B: Nimefurahi kukutana nawe.	很高兴与你相遇。	I’m glad to have met you.
A: Na mimi pia. Kwaheri, tutaonana kesho.	我也是。再见，明天见。	And I too. Goodbye, see you tomorrow.

Six

课堂求生。

Surviving the classroom.

Swahili	中文 / Meaning	由什么构成 / Built from
Tafadhali	请 please	阿拉伯语 Arabic
Tafadhali, ingia.	请进。 please come in	ingia，进入 ingia, enter
Sema tena.	再说一遍。 say it again	sema 说 + tena 再 sema + tena
Rudia.	重复。 repeat	rudia，重复 rudia, repeat
Unasemaje ___ katika Kiswahili?	___ 用斯瓦希里语怎么说？ how do you say ___ in Swahili?	u-na-sema-je + katika，在……里 + katika, in
Nini maana ya ___?	___ 是什么意思？ what does ___ mean?	nini 什么 + maana 意思 + ya 的 nini + maana + ya
Nina swali.	我有个问题。 I have a question	ni + na（有），不是时态 not a tense
Asante.	谢谢。 thank you	对一群人 asanteni；asante sana 非常感谢 asanteni to a group
Karibu.	欢迎；不客气。 welcome; you’re welcome	一个词，两份工 one word, both jobs
Sijui.	我不知道。 I don’t know	si-ju-i，否定现在时 the negative present

Seven

词里带着什么。

What the words carry.

亲属词比亲属关系宽 Kinship terms are wider than kinship

Dada 和 kaka，姐妹和兄弟，可以随意用在亲近的朋友身上。管谁叫 dada 说明关系近，不说明你们同父母。

Dada and kaka are used freely for close friends. Calling someone dada says the relationship is close, not that you share parents.

在肯尼亚，mama 可以扩展到任何跟你母亲年纪相仿的女性——在 matatu 上称呼一位陌生人 mama 是寻常礼貌，不是在断言她有孩子。

In Kenya, mama extends to any woman of roughly your mother’s age — addressing a stranger on a matatu as mama is ordinary courtesy, not a claim about who her children are.

Nyanya 不这样延展。它指你自己的祖母，不是对年长女性的泛称。它同时也是西红柿。

Nyanya does not stretch the same way. It means your own grandmother and is not a general term for older women. It also means tomato.

同一个词，换个国家 The same word, a different country

词 / Word	肯尼亚 / Kenya	坦桑尼亚 / Tanzania
nyanya	奶奶；西红柿 grandmother; tomato	西红柿（有些地方叫 tungule） tomato (in places, tungule)
bibi	妻子 wife	奶奶 grandmother

两件小事 Two smaller things

课上一度岔开去讲，为什么这么多语言都用 ba 和 ma 的音来造"父亲"和"母亲"——斯瓦希里语的 baba 和 mama、汉语的爸爸和妈妈——以及格鲁吉亚语把两者对调了：那里 mama 是父亲，deda 才是母亲。

Class went sideways for a while onto why so many languages build mother and father out of ba and ma sounds — Swahili baba and mama, Mandarin bàba and māma — and onto Georgian, which reverses them: mama is father there, deda is mother.

Ng’ambo 意为对岸，引申为国外——从东非出发，别处就意味着跨过印度洋。Ninatoka ng’ambo，我从海外来；ng’ambo ya barabara，马路对面。

Ng’ambo means the far shore, and by extension abroad — from East Africa, anywhere else means crossing the Indian Ocean.

阿拉伯语落在哪里 Where the Arabic sits

借词聚集在几个可辨认的位置：宗教与命运（jaali、heri）、抽象概念（thamani、maana）、贸易与器物（dhahabu、kitabu、shahada）、礼貌用语（asante、tafadhali、karibu、habari、salama）以及一天的时段（asubuhi、jioni）。一千年的沿海接触，至今还清清楚楚写在客套话里。

The loans cluster in recognisable places: religion and fate, abstractions, trade and objects, courtesy and times of day. A thousand years of coastal contact, still legible in the politeness formulas.

Eight

词汇。

Vocabulary.

名词 Nouns

Swahili	中文	English	Class
baba / mama	爸爸／妈妈	father / mother	N
dada / kaka	姐妹／兄弟，也用于好友	sister / brother, also close friends	N
nyanya	奶奶；西红柿	grandmother; tomato	N
bibi	妻子（肯）／奶奶（坦）	wife (KE) / grandmother (TZ)	N
rafiki	朋友	friend	N
mtu / watu	人／人们	person / people	people
Mungu	神	God	people
moyo / mioyo	心	heart	trees
jina / majina	名字	name	miscellany
jambo / mambo	事情	matter, affair	miscellany
yai / mayai	鸡蛋	egg	miscellany
embe / maembe	芒果	mango	miscellany
swali / maswali	问题	question	miscellany
maisha	生活	life	miscellany, pl. only
kitabu / vitabu	书	book	things
chakula / vyakula	食物	food	things
Kiswahili	斯瓦希里语	the Swahili language	things
habari	消息	news	N
nyumba / nyumbani	房子／在家	house / at home	N
shule, kazi	学校，工作	school, work	N
nchi, mkoa, kaunti	国家，大区，县	country, region, county	N / trees / N
barabara, lugha	马路，语言	road, language	N
ng’ambo	对岸、海外	the far shore, abroad	N
ng’ombe, nyani, ngano	牛，狒狒，小麦	cow, baboon, wheat	N
dhahabu, thamani, shahada, zawadi	黄金，价值，证书，礼物	gold, value, certificate, gift	N
alama, maana, heri	标志，意思，祝福	sign, meaning, blessing	N
umoja	团结	unity	class 14
matatu	小巴（肯尼亚）	minibus (Kenya)	N

动词 Verbs

词根 / Root	中文	English	课上出现 / As heard in class
-toka	来自	come from	Ninatoka China.
-soma	读、学	read, study	Ninasoma Kiswahili.
-fanya	做	do, make	Unafanya nini?
-lala	睡	sleep	Ulilala wapi jana?
-pata	得到	get, obtain	Nimepata kitabu.
-kula	吃	eat	Nilikula yai jana.
-jua	知道	know	Sijui.
-ona / -onana	看见／相见	see / see one another	Kwaheri ya kuonana.
-kutana	相遇	meet	Nimefurahi kukutana nawe.
-ita / -itwa	叫／被叫	call / be called	Unaitwa nani?
-furahi	高兴	be glad	Nimefurahi.
-penda	爱、愿意	love, be willing	Mungu akipenda.
-sema / -ongea	说／交谈	say / talk	Sema tena.
-rudia / -ingia	重复／进入	repeat / enter	Rudia. Tafadhali, ingia.
-vaa	穿	wear	—
-jaaliwa	蒙准	be granted	tukijaaliwa
-ng’ang’ania	死抓着争夺	grapple over, cling to	绕口令 the tongue-twister

形容词、时间词及其他 Adjectives, time words, and the rest

Swahili	中文 / Meaning	是否一致 / Agrees?
-zuri, -ema	好 good	是：nzuri, mzuri, kizuri, njema yes
-chache, -ingi	少，多 few, many	是 yes
salama, ghali	平安，贵 fine (peaceful), expensive	否——阿拉伯语借词 no — Arabic

时间 / Time	中文 / Meaning	其他 / Other	中文 / Meaning
asubuhi / mchana / jioni	早上／中午／傍晚 morning / midday / evening	ni	是 is
jana / juzi	昨天／前天 yesterday / day before	na	和；有 and, with; have
leo / kesho	今天／明天 today / tomorrow	pia	也 also
siku / baadaye	天／稍后 day / later	katika	在……里 in
tangu / tena	自从／再 since / again	tano, saba, themanini	5, 7, 80

Nine

练习。

Drills.

一 — 把整段对话变成复数 One — put the whole dialogue into the plural

单数 / Singular	复数 / Plural
Hujambo?	Hamjambo?
Sijambo.	Hatujambo.
Jina lako nani?	Majina yenu nani?
Jina langu ni ___	Majina yetu ni ___
Wewe unatoka wapi?	Ninyi mnatoka wapi?
Mimi ninatoka ___	Sisi tunatoka ___
Nimefurahi kukujua.	Tumefurahi kuwajua.
Na mimi pia.	Na sisi pia.
Kwaheri.	Kwaherini.

二 — 用 -soma 造六个动词 Two — build six verbs from -soma

我在读；你读了；他将读；我们读过了；如果你们读；我不读。

I am reading; you read; he will read; we have read; if you (pl.) read; I don’t read.

ninasoma	ni + na + soma
ulisoma	u + li + soma
atasoma	a + ta + soma
tumesoma	tu + me + soma
mkisoma	m + ki + soma
sisomi	si + som + i

三 — 给"我的"配对帽子 Three — fit the right hat to “my”

jina langu	杂类 miscellany
moyo wangu	树类 trees
kitabu changu	物类 things
nyumba yangu	N 类 N
rafiki yangu	N 类——但强调"人"时也听到 wangu N — though wangu is heard when the person is being emphasised

四 — 用斯瓦希里语说 Four — say it in Swahili

早上好。 Good morning.	Habari za asubuhi?
你叫什么名字？ What is your name?	Jina lako nani? / Unaitwa nani?
我来自中国。 I come from China.	Ninatoka China.（也作 Uchina）
我不知道。 I don’t know.	Sijui.
我有个问题。 I have a question.	Nina swali.
再见，明天见。 Goodbye, see you tomorrow.	Kwaheri, tutaonana kesho.

五 — 三个鼻音，念出声 Five — three nasals, out loud

ngano — 小麦：n 和 g 两个音都出来，如 finger。

ng’ambo — 对岸：只有鼻音，如 sing 的词尾。

nyanya — 奶奶：西班牙语 ñ。

ngano — both n and g land. ng’ambo — the nasal alone. nyanya — Spanish ñ.

Appendix

Sheng，不在教学大纲上。

Sheng, which was not on the syllabus.

Sheng 是肯尼亚年轻人说的城市混合语，尤以内罗毕为盛。语法是斯瓦希里语的；词汇取自英语、基库尤语、卢奥语、卢希亚语，外加源源不断的自造词。名字本身就是 Swahili 加 English。它在 1960、70 年代内罗毕东区那些多族群的社区里成形，变化之快、分区之细，以至于家长常常听不懂自己的孩子。

Sheng is the urban mix spoken by young people in Kenya, above all in Nairobi. The grammar is Swahili; the vocabulary draws on English, Kikuyu, Luo, Luhya and a steady supply of coinages. The name is Swahili plus English. It emerged in the multi-ethnic estates of Nairobi’s Eastlands in the 1960s and 70s, and it changes fast enough, and by neighbourhood, that parents routinely cannot follow their children.

学校通常把它当作对标准斯瓦希里语的败坏加以禁止。但它还是进了广告、广播、Genge 和 Gengetone 音乐，以及政治口号。几个还在流通的词：msee（家伙）、mbogi（一伙人）、dem（女孩）、Kanairo（内罗毕）、mbao（二十先令）、soo（一百）。

Schools generally ban it as a corruption of standard Kiswahili. It has nonetheless moved into advertising, radio, Genge and Gengetone, and political slogans.

还有一点值得注意，与俚语本身无关：在一个政治沿着族群线运行的国家里，Sheng 是少数几种不沿着那条线走的公共语言之一。它是内罗毕用来跨过那些线说话的东西。

Worth noticing for a reason beyond slang: in a country where politics runs along ethnic lines, Sheng is one of the few public languages that does not. It is what Nairobi talks across those lines in.