The Focus of this Lesson is Passing Greetings
Habari yako?
"Hello"

Habari yako is a general phrase for passing greetings. The verb is in the second person singular since it's referring to one person. The greeting is popular between two people who might or might not have met before. Most often the answer is mzuri sana which is Swahili for "I am fine." Uko mzima is a courteous way of asking someone if they feel okay. The phrase can also be appropriately used to get to know the condition of a sick person. The answer is constructed using the verb mzima and the adverb kabisa. The resulting reply is niko mzima kabisa. This is a typical answer but there might be other answers such as mimi simbaya sana meaning "I am not too bad."

The Verb Habari

The phrase used to greet people is habari yako. The second word yako is a singular pronoun. To greet more than one person, the second word would be yenu. Habari is also the Swahili word for "news."

For example:

1. Habari yako dada?
   "How are you sister?" (singular)
2. Mzuri sana.
   "I am very fine."
3. Habari yenu nyote?
   "How are you all?" (plural)
4. Mzuri sana.
   "We are very fine."
5. Umeona habari za runinga leo? (here the word habari means news)
   "Have you watched the news on TV today?"
6. Ndio.
   "Yes I have."

Examples from this lesson:

1. Habari yako dada?
   "How are you sister?" (singular)
2. Mzuri sana.
   "I am very fine."
3. Habari yenu nyote?
   "How are you all" (plural)
4. Mzuri sana.
   "We are very fine."

Examples from this dialogue:

1. Habari yako
   "How are you" - (one person)
2. Habari yenu
   "How are you all" (many people)

Sample Sentences

Habari yako Juma.

Habari yenu Musa na Rehema.

Language Tip

The word habari in Swahili is used as a greeting and to inquire about the condition of something or somewhere. To form a phrase, the word comes first and then the subject follows. For instance, Habari ya gari lako? meaning "how is your car?"

Habari is a word that can be used with people you meet for the first time or with people you know. It is used to inquire about the wellbeing of something or someone. For greeting purposes, you can say habari yako? and you can also add the name of the subject at the end. For example, habari yako Juma? If you are addressing more than one person you can say habari yenu? Yako is singular while yenu is plural. If you want to know about something like a city you may say habari ya Nairobi? meaning "how is Nairobi?"

Mzuri sana is a phrase that is used to reply to greetings. It means "I am fine." The sana word is used to add emphasis so you may choose to just say mzuri. The phrase can also be used to inform about something or somewhere. For example, it can be a reply to the concern habari ya Nairobi? The reply could be: mzuri sana meaning that Nairobi is doing well.

Uko Mzima is a phrase that is used as a continuation of greetings. The phrase is made up of Uko + mzima. Uko is used in place of "are you" and Mzima is Swahili for "fine." It is mostly used with people who know each other formally. It follows habari yako just like in the dialogue. To reply to this, you can use the phrase niko mzima kabisa. This means "I am totally fine."

When to Greet People in Kenya

Passing greetings are common in Kenya whether the two people know each other or not. People exchange greetings in the street, in lifts and churches, among other public places. Greetings are also a part of introductions before you explain why you are in a place. You are considered to have good manners if for example you use general greetings before buying something from a shopkeeper. If you are not too sure about how to address the subject, you can simply say one word habari and you will be safe.

It is a polite and friendly gesture to shake hands, though it is not a must. Close relatives, friends and colleagues may hug but that depends on the level of friendship.