Markets & Souvenirs

1. Bei yake ni ngapi?

   How much does this cost?

   Usage

   Asking price at a market

   Grammar Note

   "ngapi" asks about amount or price

2. Naweza kupunguza bei?

   Can I negotiate the price?

   Usage

   Attempting to bargain

   Grammar Note

   "Naweza" = "I can"

3. Nitatoa shilingi elfu tano.

   I'll offer five thousand shillings.

   Usage

   Proposing a lower price

   Grammar Note

   ni-ta-toa = 1sg + future ta- + stem. The future of -pa ("give") would be Nitakupa, but for naming a price the natural verb is -toa, "to put out".

4. Naweza kupata punguzo?

   Can I get a discount?

   Usage

   Asking for bulk or last-item discount

   Grammar Note

   "kupata" = "to get/obtain"

5. Je, hii imefanywa kwa mkono au hapa nchini?

   Is this handmade or locally made?

   Usage

   Checking origin of craft item

   Grammar Note

   "imefanywa" = passive perfect of "fanya"

6. Hii imefanywa kwa nyenzo gani?

   What material is this made of?

   Usage

   Asking about material

   Grammar Note

   "gani" = interrogative adjective

7. Mnaweza kuifunga kama zawadi?

   Can you gift-wrap this?

   Usage

   Requesting gift wrapping

   Grammar Note

   "-i-" object infix "it"

8. Soko la usiku liko wapi?

   Where is the night market?

   Usage

   Asking for night market location

   Grammar Note

   "liko wapi" = "where is it"

9. Naweza kupata risiti?

   Can I have a receipt?

   Usage

   Requesting a receipt

   Grammar Note

   "risiti" is a loanword from English

10. Soko linafungua na kufunga saa ngapi?

    What are the market opening hours?

    Usage

    Checking market hours

    Grammar Note

    "saa ngapi" = "what time"

11. Ninatazama tu, asante.

    I'm just looking, thank you.

    Usage

    Response to vendor approach

    Grammar Note

    "tu" = restrictive adverb "only"

12. Je, mnakubali malipo ya kadi?

    Do you accept card payment?

    Usage

    Checking if card is accepted

    Grammar Note

    "mnakubali" = "you (pl) accept"

13. Ninanunua hii kama zawadi ya kumbukumbu.

    I'm buying this as a souvenir.

    Usage

    Stating souvenir purchase intent

    Grammar Note

    "kama" = "as/like"

14. Je, hii inaweza kutumwa nje ya nchi?

    Can this be shipped internationally?

    Usage

    Asking about international shipping

    Grammar Note

    "kutumwa" = passive infinitive of "tuma"

15. Bidhaa yako bora au mpya zaidi ni ipi?

    What's your best or freshest item?

    Usage

    Asking for best or freshest product

    Grammar Note

    "zaidi" = comparative "more"

16. Bei hii inaweza kushuka?

    Is this price negotiable?

    Usage

    Asking if price is negotiable

    Grammar Note

    "inaweza kushuka" = "it can go down"

17. Una saizi nyingine?

    Do you have a different size?

    Usage

    Looking for different size

    Grammar Note

    "nyingine" = "other" for N-class nouns

18. Hii ni ghali sana.

    This is too expensive.

    Usage

    Expressing item is too expensive

    Grammar Note

    "sana" = intensifier "very"

19. Kitunguu

    Onion

    Usage

    Point to this to buy onions at a market; a heap on the stall will be called by the plural "vitunguu"

    Grammar Note

    A class 7 noun; the plural is "vitunguu."

20. Kitunguu saumu

    Garlic

    Usage

    Garlic; drop "saumu" and you have asked for onions, so always keep it. Also spelled "kitunguu swaumu"

    Grammar Note

    A class 7 noun; the plural is "vitunguu saumu."

21. Pilipili

    Chili

    Usage

    The hot chili. Watch the modifiers: "pilipili hoho" is a sweet bell pepper and "pilipili manga" is black pepper

    Grammar Note

    A class 9/10 noun, unchanged in the plural.

22. Dhania

    Coriander / Cilantro

    Usage

    The word market sellers use in both Tanzania and Kenya; the dictionary form "giligilani" is rarely heard in daily life

    Grammar Note

    A class 9/10 noun borrowed from Indian languages, unchanged in the plural.

23. Tangawizi

    Ginger

    Usage

    Ginger; "chai ya tangawizi", ginger tea, is an East African staple

    Grammar Note

    A class 9/10 noun, unchanged in the plural.

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