Learn the question How old are you? in Swahili and how to answer it
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| Eric: Top 25 Swahili Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 11 “How old are you?” in Swahili. (In each lesson of this 25 part series, you'll encounter a common question for Swahili learners, and then learn how to answer like a native. You'll learn how these key phrases work by breaking them down into each component. Then, through repetition and new vocabulary, you'll expand your understanding of the question, its answers, and any variations.) |
| In this lesson, you'll learn how to respond to the common question “How old are you?” In Swahili this is |
| Medina: Uko na miaka ngapi? |
| Eric: The first word in the question is |
| Medina: uko |
| Eric: meaning “you” in English. |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) uko |
| Eric: Listen again and repeat. |
| Medina: uko |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: This pattern of first introducing a word at natural speed, providing the translation, breaking it down, and then giving it again at natural speed will be repeated throughout the series. Try to speak aloud as often as possible. The next word in the question is |
| Medina: na |
| Eric: meaning “have” |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) na |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Medina: na |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: Listen to the first two words of the question and repeat. |
| Medina: uko na |
| {pause} |
| Eric: Next is |
| Medina: miaka |
| Eric: meaning “years” |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) miaka |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Medina: miaka |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: Listen to the first three words of the question and repeat. |
| Medina: uko na miaka |
| {pause} |
| Eric: And after that we have |
| Medina: ngapi |
| Eric: meaning “how many” |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) ngapi |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Medina: ngapi |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: Listen to the entire question and repeat. |
| Medina: uko na miaka ngapi |
| {pause} |
| Eric: (You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies.) Master the following pattern and responses to the question “How old are you?” |
| Medina: Niko na miaka kumi na nane. |
| Eric: "I'm eighteen years old.” Listen again as the phrase is repeated slowly. Repeat the phrase. |
| Medina: (Slow) Niko na miaka kumi na nane. |
| {pause} |
| Eric: Let's break it down from the beginning. The first word is |
| Medina: Niko |
| Eric: meaning “I.” |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) Niko |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Medina: Niko |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: And next is |
| Medina: na |
| Eric: meaning “have” in English. |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) na |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Medina: na |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: And next we have |
| Medina: “miaka” |
| Eric: meaning “years.” |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) miaka |
| Eric:Now repeat. |
| Medina: miaka |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: And after that, |
| Medina: kumi na nane |
| Eric: meaning “eighteen” |
| Medina: (Slow, by syllable) kumi na nane |
| Eric: Now repeat. |
| Medina: Kumi na nane |
| {Pause} |
| Eric: Listen to the speaker say “I'm eighteen years old” and then repeat. |
| Medina: Niko na miaka kumi na nane. |
| {pause} |
| Eric: For a different answer, replace “eighteen” with “twenty years old.” |
| Medina: Miaka ishirini |
| Eric: “Twenty years old” |
| Medina: (slow) miaka ishirini (regular) miaka ishirini |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “twenty years old.” |
| Medina: Niko na miaka ishirini. |
| Eric: It’s almost the same, simply replace “eighteen” with “twenty.” Say “I'm twenty years old.” |
| {pause} |
| Medina: Niko na miaka ishirini. |
| Eric: For more practice, replace “twenty years old” with “eight years old.” |
| Medina: miaka nane |
| Eric: “eight years old” |
| Medina: (slow) miaka nane (regular) miaka nane |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “eight years old.” |
| Medina: Niko na miaka nane. |
| Eric: Here we just replace “twenty” with “eight.” Say “I'm eight years old.” |
| {pause} |
| Medina: Niko na miaka nane. |
| Eric: Now let’s replace “eight years old” with “forty-five years old.” |
| Medina: miaka arobaini na tano |
| Eric: “forty-five years old” |
| Medina: (slow) miaka arobaini na tano (regular) mika arobaini na tano |
| Eric: Listen to the phrase again, this time with “forty-five years old.” |
| Medina: Niko na miaka arobaini na tano. |
| Eric: It mostly stays the same, simply replace “eight” with “forty-five.” Say “I'm forty-five years old.” |
| {pause} |
| Medina: Niko na miaka arobaini na tano. |
| Eric: Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you’re visiting Kenya and someone asks you how old you are. You’re eighteen. What do you say? |
| Medina: Uko na miaka ngapi? (five seconds) Niko na miaka kumi na nane. |
| Eric: Imagine you’re twenty years old. Respond to the question. |
| Medina: uko na miaka ngapi? (five seconds) Niko na miaka ishirini. |
| Eric: Now imagine you’re eight years old. Answer the speaker's question. |
| Medina: Uko na miaka ngapi? (five seconds) Niko na miaka nane. |
| Eric: Imagine you're forty-five years old. How do you respond? |
| Medina: uko na miaka ngapi? (five seconds) Niko na miaka arobaini na tano. |
| Eric: You want to ask someone how old they are. Ask the question. |
| (5 seconds) |
| Medina: Uko na miaka ngapi? |
| {pause} |
| Eric: This is the end of Lesson 11. |
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