too much Kiswahili!

Some of the locals speak English in Kiswahili way.  I have heard these words during some of my conversations with the locals around me. They add “e” but they pronounce it as “eh”- soft “e”.

• friendeh – friend
• househ - house
• hoteleh – hotel
• bageh – bag – “bage” is actually the Kiswahili of bag
• stoveh - stove
• magazineh - magazine
• restauranteh - restaurant
• foodeh - food
• milkeh – milk
• cleaneh – clean
• breadeh – bread
• turneh – turn
• righteh - right
• magazineh – magazine

So, the first time I’ve heard these words, I thought I haven’t heard them right.  Some of my “Kiswahnglish” (Kiswahili-English words) moments.

How are you my friendeh? 

Sorry, that’s not my name. (my reply)

Do you eat breadeh?

Is that a food?

Where is your househ?

My househ? Who is that?

You go righteh (when I asked for a direction).

Sorry, is that a street name?

I will hold your bageh?

Hold what?

Kiswahili references provided by the Program Office

I’ve been here now for more than 4 months.  My ears have learned to decipher Kiswahnglish vocabularies.  I hope that when I am going back to my home country, I will not speak English in a Kiswahili way.

“Listening is the beginning of understanding”.