Jina langu ni Matt

Matt: Habari yako
Driver: nzuri
Driver: na wewe je
Matt: nzuri pia

I think I accomplished the some embryonic dialogue with our driver as he laughs and drives away.

Kiswahili lessons with a jolly Kenyan named Ezekiel. My opportunity to learn some actual Swahili phrases other than just sawa sawa (fine fine) and sema (talk to me). Our introduction a brief history of Africa, swahili and the root of the endless number of African languages.



Ezekiel wrongly informed us that Africa's +1000 languages all stemmed from only four root languages. My research found that all of Africa's languages actually spawned from six root languages. We weren't expecting a history lesson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Africa

Ezekiel informs us that greetings are the most important thing in Kenyan culture so this is where we start. The pronunciation of the words is like they are written except the vowels are pronounced like the vowels in Spanish. The first lesson visiting someone:

Matt: Hodi (hello)
Fellow student: Karibu (welcome)
Matt: Asante (thank you)
Fellow student: Karibu Keti (welcome have a seat)
Matt: Asante
Matt: Habari yani (what's up)
Fellow student: Nzuri (good)
Fellow student: Na wewe je (and you)
Matt: Nzuri pia (good also)

Our second lesson entailed additional greetings all of which start with:

Habari za (How are or good)

Good morning > Habari za asubuhi
Good afternoon > Habari za mchana (swallow the 'm')
Good evening > Habari za jioni (used from 4:30 until 7pm or right before the sun sets)
Good Night > Habari za usiku (this is for the Nairobian night life and should be used until 5am)

And my favorite....

lala salama > literally sleep peacefully or good night

Finally, Jina langu ni Matt

This could come in handy even though everyone speaks English. I am eager to utilize my newly discovered words in a cohesive yet foreign code.