Money & Exchange

1. Bei yake ni ngapi?

   Bei ya-ke ni nga-pi?

   How much does it cost?

   Usage

   Asking the price of something at a market or shop

   Grammar Note

   "Ngapi" is the interrogative for quantity — "how many/how much". "Bei" (price) is borrowed from Arabic "bay'" (trade).

2. Naweza kulipa kwa kadi?

   Na-we-za ku-li-pa kwa ka-di?

   Can I pay by card?

   Usage

   Asking if credit or debit card payment is accepted

   Grammar Note

   M-Pesa mobile money is dominant in East Africa; mobile transfers often replace cash and card payments.

3. Nataka kubadilisha pesa

   Na-ta-ka ku-ba-di-li-sha pe-sa

   I want to exchange money

   Usage

   Exchanging foreign currency at a money changer or bank

   Grammar Note

   "Pesa" is the common word for money. Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda each use their own shilling currency.

4. Kuna ATM karibu na hapa?

   Ku-na ATM ka-ri-bu na ha-pa?

   Is there an ATM near here?

   Usage

   Looking for an ATM to withdraw cash

   Grammar Note

   ATMs accepting Visa/Mastercard are available in major East African cities and tourist areas.

5. Ninaweza kupata risiti?

   Ni-na-we-za ku-pa-ta ri-si-ti?

   Can I get a receipt?

   Usage

   Requesting a receipt after making a purchase

   Grammar Note

   "Risiti" is borrowed from English "receipt". Swahili often adapts loanwords to fit its phonological patterns.

6. Punguza bei kidogo tafadhali

   Pun-gu-za bei ki-do-go ta-fa-dha-li

   Please lower the price a little

   Usage

   Bargaining for a lower price at a market or souvenir shop

   Grammar Note

   Bargaining is common in East African markets. The initial price is often negotiable — polite haggling is culturally expected.

7. Ninaomba chenji

   Ni-na-om-ba chen-ji

   I'd like my change, please

   Usage

   Asking for change after paying

   Grammar Note

   "Chenji" is borrowed from English "change". Small coins can be scarce in East Africa, so having exact change is helpful.

8. Bei ya dola moja ni shilingi ngapi?

   Bei ya do-la mo-ja ni shi-li-ngi nga-pi?

   How many shillings is one dollar?

   Usage

   Asking about the exchange rate between US dollars and local shillings

   Grammar Note

   "Shilingi" is borrowed from British "shilling". Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda each have separate shilling currencies.

9. Nimetozwa pesa zaidi

   Ni-me-to-zwa pe-sa za-i-di

   I was overcharged

   Usage

   Disputing an overcharge or incorrect bill

   Grammar Note

   The verb -lipwa means "to be paid" (to receive money), so Nililipwa kwa ziada would say "I was paid extra" — the opposite of the intended sense. "To charge" is -toza, passive -tozwa; ni-me-tozwa = "I have been charged".

10. Je, mnakubali M-Pesa?

    Je, mna-ku-ba-li M-Pesa?

    Do you accept M-Pesa?

    Usage

    Asking if M-Pesa mobile payment is accepted — the dominant payment system in East Africa

    Grammar Note

    M-Pesa, developed by Safaricom, revolutionized payments across East Africa. The name combines "mobile" + Swahili "pesa" (money).

11. Amana

    Deposit

    Usage

    A refundable deposit paid when checking into a hotel or renting equipment.

12. Kurejesha pesa

    Refund

    Usage

    Use when asking to get money back.

13. Dhamana

    Security deposit

    Usage

    A more formal term for a security deposit, e.g. for contracts.

14. Malipo ya awali

    Prepayment

    Usage

    Use when referring to payment made in advance.

15. Malipo ya ziada

    Extra charge

    Usage

    Use when referring to an additional fee charged afterward.

16. Ada ya huduma

    Service fee

    Usage

    Use when referring to a fee charged for a procedure or service.

17. Pesa taslimu

    Cash

    Usage

    To say you will pay in cash; mobile money (M-Pesa) is the default in both Tanzania and Kenya, so it is worth spelling out which you mean

    Grammar Note

    "Taslimu" is Arabic in origin, meaning "in ready money"; "fedha taslimu" is an equally common wording.

18. Kadi ya benki

    Bank card

    Usage

    To say you want to pay by card; bare "kadi" also covers SIM cards and membership cards, so add "ya benki" when money is involved

    Grammar Note

    "Kadi" is a class 9/10 loan from English, unchanged in the plural.

19. Kila mtu alipe chake

    Everyone pays their own

    Usage

    Show this to split the bill by person, or to ask for separate checks

    Grammar Note

    "Alipe" is the subjunctive "let each pay"; "chake" is the class 7 possessive, "his or her own share".

20. Lipa yote pamoja

    Pay it all together

    Usage

    Show this to have the whole table put on one bill

    Grammar Note

    "Lipa" is the imperative "pay"; "yote" is "all" and "pamoja" is "together".

21. Chenji

    Change (money back)

    Usage

    The word for your change; small notes are often scarce, so ask "una chenji?" before handing over a big bill

    Grammar Note

    A class 9/10 loan from English "change", unchanged in the plural.

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