Directions

1. Hoteli iko wapi?

   Ho-te-li i-ko wa-pi?

   Where is the hotel?

   Usage

   Asking where the hotel or accommodation is located

   Grammar Note

   "Iko" is the locative form of the copula "kuwa". It changes based on noun class — "yuko" is used for people.

2. Nenda moja kwa moja

   Nen-da mo-ja kwa mo-ja

   Go straight ahead

   Usage

   Directing someone to go straight

   Grammar Note

   "Moja kwa moja" is an idiomatic phrase for "straight ahead". Swahili imperatives generally use the bare verb stem.

3. Geuka kushoto baada ya benki

   Ge-u-ka ku-sho-to baa-da ya ben-ki

   Turn left after the bank

   Usage

   Giving directions to turn left at a landmark

   Grammar Note

   "Kushoto" (left) and "kulia" (right) are locative nouns with the "ku-" prefix. "Baada ya" means "after" in time or space.

4. Ni mbali kiasi gani?

   Ni mba-li ki-a-si ga-ni?

   How far is it?

   Usage

   Asking how far away a destination is

   Grammar Note

   The opposite of "mbali" is "karibu" (near/close). "Kiasi gani" asks about amount or degree — equivalent to "how much".

5. Tafadhali nionyeshe kwenye ramani

   Ta-fa-dha-li ni-o-nye-she kwe-nye ra-ma-ni

   Please show me on the map

   Usage

   Asking someone to point out a location on a map

   Grammar Note

   "Kwenye" (at/on) is a locative preposition. Swahili has multiple locative classes: "-ni" suffix, "ku-", and "pa-" for specific locations.

6. Kuna kivuko cha boti?

   Ku-na ki-vu-ko cha bo-ti?

   Is there a boat crossing?

   Usage

   Asking about ferry or boat crossings, common when visiting islands like Zanzibar

   Grammar Note

   "Kuna" is the Swahili existential ("there is/are"). "Kivuko" is the nominal form of "kuvuka" (to cross).

7. Njia hii inaelekea wapi?

   Nji-a hi-i i-na-e-le-ke-a wa-pi?

   Where does this road lead?

   Usage

   Confirming which direction a road or path leads

   Grammar Note

   "Njia" belongs to the n/n noun class. "Kuelekea" (to head toward) is a directional verb common in giving directions.

8. Niko karibu na stendi ya basi?

   Ni-ko ka-ri-bu na sten-di ya ba-si?

   Am I near the bus station?

   Usage

   Checking whether you are close to the bus station

   Grammar Note

   "Niko" is the first-person locative copula ("I am located"). "Stendi" (bus stand) is borrowed from English and used across East Africa.

9. Nipigie simu unapochanganyikiwa

   Ni-pi-gi-e si-mu u-na-po-cha-nga-nyi-ki-wa

   Call me when you get confused

   Usage

   Telling someone to call you if they get lost after giving directions

   Grammar Note

   "Piga simu" (to call) literally means "strike the phone", and "-napo-" builds a "when" clause. The subject is the listener (u-napo-; ni-napo- would mean "when I get confused"), and since they are to call the speaker, the verb takes the applicative -pigia with the object prefix ni-.

10. Naweza kupata teksi hapa?

    Na-we-za ku-pa-ta tek-si ha-pa?

    Can I get a taxi here?

    Usage

    Asking whether a taxi is available at your current location

    Grammar Note

    "Hapa" (here), "huko" (there), and "kule" (over there) are the main Swahili locative adverbs. "Teksi" is borrowed from English.

11. Kulia

    Right

    Usage

    Point to this to indicate right in a taxi; "geuka kulia" is "turn right". The identically spelled verb "kulia" means "to cry", so gesture as you show it

    Grammar Note

    Also used in the phrase "mkono wa kulia" (the right hand).

12. Kushoto

    Left

    Usage

    Point to this to indicate left in a taxi; "geuka kushoto" is "turn left"

    Grammar Note

    Also used in the phrase "mkono wa kushoto" (the left hand).

13. Moja kwa moja

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    Show this to say "keep going straight"; short enough to read at the wheel

    Grammar Note

    Literally "one by one"; it also means "directly" or "straight away".

14. Rudi nyuma

    Go back

    Usage

    Use this when you have overshot and need the driver to turn back

    Grammar Note

    "Rudi" is the imperative "return" and "nyuma" means "behind".

15. Simama

    Stop

    Usage

    Show this to have a vehicle stop. The same word also means "stand up", so to be dropped off it is safer to say "shusha hapa" (let me off here)

    Grammar Note

    An imperative. On a daladala or matatu the standard shout to get off is "shusha!"

16. Kaskazini

    North

    Usage

    The compass direction; it also appears in place names, e.g. "Kaskazini Pemba" for northern Pemba

17. Kusini

    South

    Usage

    The compass direction, common in place and district names

18. Mashariki

    East

    Usage

    The compass direction; "Afrika Mashariki" is East Africa

19. Magharibi

    West

    Usage

    The compass direction; the same word also means sunset or evening

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