Swahili
Kiswahili
Atlantic-Congo · Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Congo - Kinshasa, Rwanda, Burundi
Endangerment: Safe — Spoken by all generations and learned naturally by children.
Hujambo, nimefurahi kukutana nawe.
The North Wind and the Sun
Upepo wa kaskazini na jua walikuwa wakibishana kuhusu nani kati yao alikuwa na nguvu zaidi. Wakati huo, msafiri aliyevaa koti la joto alikuwa akija njiani. Wawili hao walikubaliana kwamba yule ambaye angefanikiwa kwanza kumvua msafiri koti lake angehesabiwa kuwa na nguvu zaidi. Upepo wa kaskazini ulivuma kwa nguvu zake zote, lakini kadiri ulivyovuma kwa nguvu, ndivyo msafiri alivyozidi kujifunika koti lake. Mwishowe, upepo wa kaskazini ulikata tamaa. Kisha jua liliwaka kwa joto, na msafiri akavua koti lake mara moja. Hivyo upepo wa kaskazini haukuwa na budi kukiri kwamba jua lilikuwa na nguvu zaidi yake.
- Nouns are sorted into several 'noun classes', each with its own prefix. The plural of 'mtu' (person) is 'watu' (people).
- Adjectives and verbs also change their beginnings to match the noun class.
- In most words, the stress falls on the second-to-last syllable.
- Lots of words come from Arabic. Even the name 'Kiswahili' comes from an Arabic word meaning 'coast'.