Swahili: Reading 1 – Jane and Tom

A short graded reader using only words from the earlier pages. Read the Swahili first, then check the translation.

Swahili	English
Jane ni mwanafunzi.	Jane is a student.
Yeye anatoka Marekani.	She comes from America.
Anaishi New York.	She lives in New York.
Yeye anasoma Kiswahili.	She studies Swahili.
Yeye anapenda Kiswahili.	She likes Swahili.
Tom ni rafiki wa Jane.	Tom is Jane’s friend (friend of Jane).
Yeye pia anatoka Marekani.	He also comes from America.
Tom pia anasoma Kiswahili.	Tom also studies Swahili.
Tom na Jane ni wanafunzi na wanapenda Kiswahili.	Tom and Jane are students and they like Swahili.
Wao wanakaa Tanzania sasa.	They live in Tanzania now.
Wanasoma Kiswahili huko Tanzania.	They study Swahili there in Tanzania.
Jane na Tom si Watanzania, wao ni Wamarekani.	Jane and Tom are not Tanzanians, they are Americans.
Jane na Tom wanasema Kiswahili kidogo tu.	Jane and Tom speak only a little Swahili.
Wao wanasoma Kiswahili sasa.	They are studying Swahili now.
Bob na Alice wanatoka Tanzania.	Bob and Alice come from Tanzania.
Wao wanakaa Dar es Salaam.	They live in Dar es Salaam.
Bob na Alice si Wamarekani, wao ni Watanzania.	Bob and Alice are not Americans, they are Tanzanians.
Wao wanasema Kiswahili na Kiingereza.	They speak Swahili and English.
Baba yake Bob ni Mtanzania.	Bob’s father is Tanzanian.
Yeye anatoka Tanzania na anakaa Tanzania pia.	He comes from Tanzania and lives in Tanzania too.

Notice

a- (he/she) becomes wa- (they) when the subject is plural: anasoma → wanasoma.
ni / si: ni Wamarekani (are Americans), si Watanzania (are not Tanzanians).
Kiswahili, Kiingereza: languages take Ki-; people take M-/Wa-.

Corrected from the original: “Tanaznia”, “Tazania” → Tanzania; “Wamerkani” → Wamarekani; “hili Tanzania” → huko Tanzania; “Baba Bob” → Baba yake Bob.