The Kiswahili way of writing is not hard for an English speaker because it follows the same alphabet with only a few differences. The Swahili alphabet is also simple because it is phonetic; you read what you see; what you write is what you read. Some sounds are not exactly identical to English ones, so we are going to look at how to pronounce each of these Swahili sounds and letters.
Kiswahili Vowels
and their sounds
|
Swahili alphabet |
Pronunciation in English |
Swahili pronunciation examples |
|
A |
Father, car |
Kama, baba |
|
E |
Bet, bed |
Yeye, pete |
|
I |
See, |
Kiti, viti |
|
O |
Go |
Moto, joto |
|
U |
mood |
Huru, nusu |
Kiswahili Consonants
Letters Q and X
do not exist in the Swahili alphabet, and letter C comes as a combination of
CH.
|
Swahili alphabet |
Pronunciation in English |
Swahili pronunciation examples |
|
B |
Bake |
Baba |
|
D |
Day |
Dada |
|
F |
Far |
Fanya |
|
G |
Go |
Goti |
|
H |
Hat |
Hata |
|
J |
Jar |
Jana |
|
K |
Keep |
Kiti |
|
L |
Lion |
Lala |
|
M |
Moon |
Mama |
|
N |
Not |
Nono |
|
P |
Pull |
Papa |
|
R |
Rake |
Rangi |
|
S |
Sack |
Sasa |
|
T |
Top |
Tatu |
|
V |
Very |
Vazi |
|
W |
Wake |
Wewe |
|
Y |
Yes |
Yeye |
|
Z |
Zoo |
Zuri |
Swahili consonant
letters combinations
|
Swahili alphabet |
Pronunciation in English |
Swahili pronunciation examples |
|
Ch |
Choice |
Chote |
|
Dh |
Either |
Fedha |
|
Gh |
French r |
Ghali |
|
Kh |
German ch in Bach |
Khadija |
|
Sh |
Ship |
Shika |
|
Th (soft sound) |
Think |
Thelathini |
|
Ny |
Canyon |
Nyanya |
|
Ng |
Finger |
Nguo |
|
Ng’ |
Sing |
Ng’ombe |