Latest / Learn Swahili with Fexingo / Ordering Mandazi in Swahili
Transcript
- Lucas: Welcome back to Learn Swahili with Fexingo. I am Lucas, and this is Luna. Luna: Hi everyone. It is so good to be back with you all. We are ready to learn some new Swahili today. Lucas: Yes. Last week we talked about ordering pilau. That was a big meal. Today we are going smaller. Something sweet. Luna: Oh, I love sweets. Is it cake? Or maybe ice cream? Lucas: Not quite. It is a fried dough pastry. Very common in East Africa. It is called mandazi. Luna: Mandazi. Okay. I think I have heard that word before. It sounds delicious. Lucas: It is. Let us start with the most important phrase. If you want mandazi, you say: Nataka mandazi. Luna: Nataka mandazi. Wait, let me try that. na ta ka man da zee. Nataka mandazi. Lucas: Perfect. Exactly right. Nataka means I want. Mandazi is the food. So, Nataka mandazi. Luna: I want mandazi. Got it. That is very simple. I like simple. Lucas: It is useful. Imagine you are at a street stall. You smell something frying. You want to buy some. Luna: Okay, so I walk up and I say: Nataka mandazi. Then what do I say? Lucas: You might ask about the price first. A good question is: Bei gani ya mandazi? Luna: Bei gani ya mandazi? Let me repeat that. Bei gani ya mandazi. How much for the mandazi? Lucas: Exactly. Bei gani means how much. Ya means of. So, Bei gani ya mandazi? Luna: Bei gani ya mandazi. That makes sense. I can ask the price before I buy. Lucas: Yes. And if the price is good, you can compliment them. Say: Mandazi ni nzuri sana. Luna: Mandazi ni nzuri sana. Oh, I know this one. Ni nzuri means is nice. Sana means very. So, very nice. Lucas: Right. Mandazi ni nzuri sana. The mandazi is very good. It is a nice thing to say. Luna: I feel like I could really use these phrases soon. Speaking of which, I am getting hungry just talking about it. Lucas: Me too. In Swahili, you can say: Nina njaa. Luna: Nina njaa. Yes! I remember this from earlier episodes. Nina means I have. Njaa means hunger. So, I have hunger. Lucas: Correct. Nina njaa. I am hungry. It is a great reason to buy mandazi. Luna: So, let me put it all together. I walk up. I say: Nina njaa. Then I say: Nataka mandazi. Lucas: Good start. Then you ask: Bei gani ya mandazi? And when you get them, you say: Tafadhali nipe mandazi. Luna: Tafadhali nipe mandazi. Please give me mandazi. Okay, let me practice that whole sequence. Lucas: Go ahead. Take your time. Luna: Nina njaa. Nataka mandazi. Bei gani ya mandazi? Tafadhali nipe mandazi. Mandazi ni nzuri sana. Lucas: That was excellent. You sounded like a local. Really well done. Luna: Thank you, Lucas. I feel confident now. I think I will go find some mandazi after this episode. Lucas: That is a great idea. By the way, if Fexingo has been helping you make actual progress with this language, consider supporting us. We deliberately don't run ads on these. If you want to support that choice, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, that helps keep the show running smoothly. Thanks for listening, everyone. Lucas: Back to our phrases. Let us review Nataka mandazi one more time. Luna: Nataka mandazi. I want mandazi. Simple and clear. Lucas: And Bei gani ya mandazi? Luna: Bei gani ya mandazi. How much for mandazi? Lucas: Perfect. Keep practicing these until we chat again.