Learn to Speak Chichewa
Over 15 million people in southern Africa speak Chichewa which is named after Chewa, the largest of the ancient tribes in the area that spoke it.
Chichewa is one of the official languages of Malawi (and some other countries nearby) although nearly everyone in the country speaks English as their everyday language.[edit] Vowels
All vowels are pronounced "pure" and as in Italian.
Vowels
a as in "father"
e like 'e' in "bed" or 'ei' in "weigh"
i as in "machine"
o like 'o' in "vote"
u like 'oo' in "hoop"
Consonants
Note that the consonants 'n' and 'm' can form initial clusters as in ndapita ("I'm going") or mpingo ("church").
- b
- like 'b' in "bed" (this English sounding explosive "b" is usually preceded by "m" to make a consonant blend)
- b
- like 'b' in the American southern dialect "down by the Bayou" (implosive 'b')
- c, ch
- like 'ch' in "chip" (without aspiration)
- d
- like 'd' in "dog" (this English sounding explosive 'd' never begins a word)
- d
- like 'd' in the American southern dialect "Down by the bayou" or the modern slang, "Dude!" (implosive 'd')
- di
- like 'dzi'
- f
- like 'ph' in "phone"
- g
- like 'g' in "go", like 'j' in "jello"
- h
- like 'h' in "help", emphasized in diphthongs
- j
- like 'dg' in "edge"
- k
- like "sKat" (unaspirated 'k')
- kh
- like 'c' in "cat"
- l
- like 'l' in "love"
- m
- like 'm' in "mother"
- n
- like 'n' in "nice"
- ng
- like 'ng' in "song" plus a hard 'g' afterward (two sounds)
- ng'
- like 'ng' in "song" (one sound)
- ny
- like 'ņ' in Spanish maņana
- p
- like "sPat" (unaspirated 'p')
- ph
- like 'p' in "pig"
- r
- pronounced softly like 'l', often interchangeable
- s
- like 'ss' in "hiss"
- si
- like 'she' in "sheet"
- t
- like "sTop" (unaspirated 't')
- th
- like 't' in "top"
- tch
- like 'ch' in "chip" (normally aspirated)
- w
- like 'w' in "wheel"
- ŵ
- bilabial fricative (IPA [ɸ], not found in English), best said like a weak 'w' edging towards 'f'
- z
- like 'z' in "adze"
Basics
- Hello. Moni
- Sir (or) Mister
- Abambo
- Madam
- Amayi
- How are you?
- Muli bwanji?
- Fine, thank you. (And you?)
- Ndiri bwino.(Kaya inu? [or] Kaya anzathu?)
- What is your name?
- Dzina lanu ndani?/Dzina lanu ndi yani?
- My name is ______ .
- Dzina langa ndi ______ .
- Please.
- chonde
- Thank you.
- Zikomo. (very common - ends most conversations)
- Yes
- Ee / Eya / Inde (can also mean "indeed").
- Truly (or) Really
- Ndithu
- No
- Iyayi (used strongly) or ayi (more polite)
- Bad
- Woipa (person), or choipa (thing)
- Excuse me
- Zikomo
- I'm sorry.
- Pepani
- "See you later"/We shall meet.
- Tionana
- Goodbye (meaning, I'm going.)
- Ndapita
- Have a safe journey
- Yendani bwino / Muyende bwino
- Stay well
- Tsalani bwino / Mutsale bwino
- I don't speak Nyanja.
- Sindimalankhula chinyanja.
- Do you speak English?
- Mumalankhula chizungu/chingelesi?
- Is there someone here who speaks English?
- Alipo munthu pano olankhula chizungu?
- Help me!
- Mundithandize!
- Don't be rude (or) cheeky
- Osapanga chipongwe
- Swear words
- Mau Otukwana
- Good morning.
- Mwauka bwanji? / Mwadzuka bwanji? (greeting) Ndadzuka bwino (response)
- Good afternoon.
- Mwasewela bwanji? (greeting) Ndasewela bwino (response)
- Good evening.
- Mwachoma bwanji (greeting) Ndachoma bwino (response)
- Good night.
- Usiku wabwino
- Sleep well.
- Gonani bwino or Mugone bwino
- I don't understand
- Sindimvetsa or sindikumvetsa
- I know
- Ndidziwa
- I don't know
- Sindidziwa
- I want
- Ndifuna
- I don't want
- Sindikufuna
- I heard
- Ndamva
- I didn't hear
- Sindinamva
- Where is the toilet?
- Chimbuzi chili kuti?
- Ladies (toilet)
- Chimbuzu cha Akazi (Gentlemen - never ask for the Kazi..!!)
- Gents (toilet)
- Chimbuzi cha Amuna
- White person
- Mzungu / Azungu (plural)
- Indian
- Mmwenye / Amwenye