Meeting People, Part 2: Greetings & Goodbyes

Greetings & Goodbyes
Kusalimiana na kuaga
You can never spend too long exchanging greetings in East Africa. They vary depending on whether you’re speaking to one person or several, or to an older or younger person. People often spend a few minutes with hands clasped, catching up on all the latest news. You may notice many gestures that accompany greetings – respectful curtsies, grasped upper forearms, hand kisses or cool handshakes. Expect to shake hands often in East Africa. If your right hand is full or dirty, offer your wrist instead.
Hi there
The most common greet is habari (lit: news). The variations on this greeting are many. Common ones include salama (lit: safe) instead of habari, which may be dropped from the greeting altogether: (Habari) Za leo? (lit: news of today). You can use salama to greet anybody you pass or to reply to any greeting.
Hello/How are you?	Habari?	Ha-ba-ree
What’s the news?	Habari gani?	Ha-ba-ree ga-nee
How are you all?	Habari zenu?	Ha-ba-ree zay-noo
How’s everyone at home?	Habari za nyumbani?	Ha-ba-ree zaa nyoom-ba-nee
How’s work?	Habari za kazi?	Ha-ba-ree za ka-zee
Good…	Habari za…?	Ha-ba-ree za…
day	leo	lay-oh
morning	asubuhi	a-soo-boo-hee
afternoon	mchana	m-cha-na
evening	jioni	jee-oh-nee
You can reply to almost any habari greeting using nzuri, salama, or safi (fine). If things are just OK, add tu (only) after any of these replies. Even if things are really bad, most people will reply to greetings with nzuri ro (lit: only fine), rather than mbaya (bad). If things are really good, you can add sana (very), or kabisa (totally) instead of tu.
What’s your name?	Jina lako nani?	Jee-na la-koh na-nee
My name is…	Jina langu ni…	Jee-na lan-goo nee…
I’d like to introduce you to…	Huyu ni…	Hoo-yoo nee…
This is my…	Huyu ni…	Hoo-yoo nee…
child	mtoto wangu	m-toh-toh wan-goo
colleague	mwenzi wangu	mwayn-zee wan-goo
friend	rafiki yangu	ra-fee-kee yan-goo
husband	mume wangu	moo-may wan-goo
partner (intimate)	mpenzi wangu	m-payn-zee wan-goo
wife	mke wangu	m-kay wan-goo
I’m pleased to meet you	Nafurahi kukufahamu	Na-foo-ra-hee koo-koo-fa-ha-moo
See you later	Baadaye	Ba-a-da-yay
Goodbye	Tutaonana	Too-ta-oh-na-na
Bye	Kwa heri	Kwa hay-ree
Good night	Usiku mwema	oo-see-koo mway-ma
Bon voyage!	Safari njema!	Sa-fa-ree n-jay-ma