Swahili I/Numbers and Time

1-10
1 = Moja (adj. -moja) 2 = Mbili (adj. -wili) 3 = Tatu (adj. -tatu) 4 = Nne (adj. -nne) 5 = Tano (adj. -tano) 6 = Sita 7 = Saba 8 = Nane 9 = Tisa/Kenda Kenda is used in a different dialect mostly from Burundi, Rwanda and D.R.C but Tisa is used by Tanzania and Kenya more often.

10 = Kumi

10-20
11 = Kumi na moja (Na = And -> Kumi na moja = Ten and One) 12 = Kumi na mbili 13 = Kumi na tatu ... 20 = Ishirini (21 = Ishirini na moja... )

Tens
30 = Thelathini 40 = Arobaini 50 = Hamsini 60 = Sitini 70 = Sabini 80 = Themanini 90 = Tisini

100+
100 = Mia moja (101 = Mia moja na moja... ) 200 = Mia mbili ... 1,000 = Elfu

Time
Swahili time is expressed very differently from standard time in other parts of the world. Instead of midnight and noon, Swahili time is based on sunset and sunrise. As most Swahili-speaking countries are located near the equator, sunset and sunrise are mostly constant year-round, and defined to be 6:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M., respectively in standard time. Hence, 6:00 A.M. is the zero hour (0:00 or 12:00) in Swahili time, 7:00 A.M. is the first hour of the day (1:00 in the Morning) and so on. An easy translation to Swahili time is to subtract six hours from the standard clock time, which is how many natives adjust. For example, 11:30 A.M. in standard time is 5:30 in the morning in Swahili time. Instead of A.M. and P.M., Swahili time expresses the hour followed by the portion of the day.
 * Alfajiri = early morning, before the sun has fully risen
 * Asubuhi = morning, roughly between sunrise and noon
 * Mchana = daytime, between sunrise 6:A.M. and sunset 6:00 P.M.
 * Jioni = evening, between sunset 6:P.M. and sunrise 6:00 A.M.
 * Usiku = night time, from sunset until early morning again

As with standard time, the hour (saa) is expressed first, followed by the minutes (dakika). There are also abbreviations for half past (nusu, half) and others (kasorobo, less a quarter). Here are some examples of time-telling to help you understand how it is done.

Advice
You should make flashcards for these with the actual digits on one side and the Swahili word on the other and quiz yourself, looking at both sides and saying, aloud, what is on the other.

Exercises
/Exercises/