I Just Did My First Swahili Lesson

Sherri · #1 03-18-2008, 09:27 PM

I finished my first lesson in Swahili! It's a pretty difficult language, but at least all the vowels have only one sound, so that helps. The words pretty much are spelled just like they sound. But there are weird prefixes that change with the pronouns. Example:

fahamu - understand (verb)
wafahamu - you understand
nafahamu - I understand
sifahamu - I don't understand

I haven't even learned he/she or we or they. Strange that the pronoun changes to make it negative.

Anyway, it's interesting and it's stretching my 51 year old mind!! But I figure I'm not getting any younger, so I might as well learn something. When I return to Kenya, they will be so surprised that I will be able to communicate a little! (kidogo = "a little"). Impressed yet?

Sister Alvear · #2 03-18-2008, 09:29 PM

girl, you can do it! What course are you using?

marthaolivia · #3 03-18-2008, 09:39 PM

Nafahamu kidogo.. You're a teacher already! You just gave me my first lesson. Sounds interesting..

Sherri · #4 03-18-2008, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

girl, you can do it! What course are you using?

I'm using Pimsleur. The Swahili choices are pretty limited, but I looked at a few on the web before I bought these CD's. I wish there was a textbook too, but they want you to learn totally by listening. I don't know for sure that I'm spelling some of the words right, but the spelling is pretty simple. I'm writing down all new words in my notebook.

They kind of roll their "r's" like Spanish. It did say that there was a lot of Portuguese influence in the language; not sure why.

Sherri · #5 03-18-2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marthaolivia

Nafahamu kidogo.. You're a teacher already! You just gave me my first lesson. Sounds interesting..

Their word for God is "Mungu" pronounced "moon-goo". I learned that while I was there, and I just think it's the coolest sounding word. It sounds very primal or something. LOL!

Elizabeth · #6 03-18-2008, 09:49 PM

Sherri,

Keith and I are going to see our Kenyan friends Sat. They are having a baby shower and inviting everyone they know, which includes several pastors from all around Nor Cal.

Now I can share a new word with them!

berkeley · #7 03-18-2008, 09:54 PM

That's cool. Swahili...

marthaolivia · #8 03-18-2008, 09:55 PM

Their word for God is "Mungu" pronounced "moon-goo". I learned that while I was there, and I just think it's the coolest sounding word. It sounds very primal or something. LOL!

Is "God" the first word that you learned? How is "Jesus" pronounced? I love to see His name in different languages.

Sherri · #9 03-18-2008, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeanie

Sherri,

Keith and I are going to see our Kenyan friends Sat. They are having a baby shower and inviting everyone they know, which includes several pastors from all around Nor Cal.

Now I can share a new word with them!

Bwana Yezu is Lord Jesus (actually "Sir" Jesus). They say Praise the Lord by saying Bwana Asifiwe, or something like that. It sounds like "Ah-si-fee-way". Not sure how to spell it, but they all say it.

"Jambo" is hello, so that always works! LOL! It's pronounced like "jahm-bow".

Sherri · #10 03-18-2008, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marthaolivia

Their word for God is "Mungu" pronounced "moon-goo". I learned that while I was there, and I just think it's the coolest sounding word. It sounds very primal or something. LOL!

Is "God" the first word that you learned? How is "Jesus" pronounced? I love to see His name in different languages.

Jesus is spelled Yezu (yay-zoo). Mungu is one of the words that stuck out to me when they were interpreting the preaching. Also "baba" which I think is Father.