10+ Ways To Say Thank You in Swahili

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Asante or asante sana are the most common ways to say “thank you” in Swahili.

Yet while these are enough to get by 90% of all situations, you will need to know a little bit more to fully integrate yourself with the Swahili community and the good people of East Africa.

I live in Kenya and speak Swahili all the time, and so I am going to give you some deep insights into our language in a way that you won’t find in language courses.

This is because the language changes based on context, and you will be surprised that you could use a word that means completely different from thank you, but when used in a certain context it actually ends up meaning the same as thank you.

If that sounds confusing, don’t worry as I will break it down beginning with formal ways to say thank you and then dive into how to say it in slang, and this is where the context really matters.

Let’s get started.

The 6 Common Ways Of Saying Thank You In Swahili

1. Asante – “Thank You”

This is the most basic way and you can use it regardless of whether the situation is formal or informal.

For example, if you are at a hotel, shop, market, etc, it would be very courteous to say asante when you get served.

You can also use this word when you are on the phone with someone and they agree to help you with something or provide you with the information you need. Just say, sawa, asante. This means “ok, thank you”.

Example:

Person 1: ulipitisha ujumbe wangu? – “Did you pass my message?”
Person 2: ndio – “yes.”
Person 1: sawa, asante – “okay, thank you.”

2. Asante Sana – “Thank You Very Much”

Like the previous word, asante sana can be used in formal and informal situations to show gratitude.

It is almost the same as the plain asante, only that this shows much more emphasis, since sana means very.

You can use it when someone does something that requires a lot of appreciation and you want to say thank you very much.

Example:

Person 1: asante sana kwa kunipokea – “thank you so much for hosting me”
Person 2: karibu. – “thank you.”

3.asante, Nashukuru – “Thank You, I’m Glad”

This literally means “I thank you”.

It’s just like saying asante sana, only that it sounds a bit formal or highly respectful.

You can use it if you want to please a friend or to someone in authority.

An example would be if you asked directions and someone showed you the way, then you can say nashukuru to show a deep sense of gratitude.

Example:

Person 1: unaweza nikopesha shilingi milioni moja? – “Would you please lend me a million shillings?”
Person 2: sawa. Hakuna shida – “okay, no problem”
Person 1: asante, nashukuru. – “thank you, I’m glad.”

4. Umefanya Vizuri – “That’s Nice Of You.”

Sometimes you may want to use a word which doesn’t directly mean thank you, but in regards to the context then it will amount to saying thank you in Swahili.

Such a word is umefanya vizuri, which means “well done” or “that’s nice of you”, and you can use it to show appreciation for a good job or service rendered.

This word can be used alone or you could add some spice to it by combining it with asante, which then becomes* asante, umefanya vizuri*.

A point to note though is that this should not be used to your seniors but typically to kids and people who are in your service.

Example:

Person 1: ulikumbuka kununua mkate? – “did you remember to buy bread?”
Person 2: ndio, na nikauweka pia. – “yes, and I packed it too”
Person 1: umefanya vizuri – “you have done well” (thank you)

5. hivyo Ni Vizuri Sana Kwako – “That’s Very Nice Of You!”

There are countless instances in which this word can be used, and while it may not be the easiest, it will elicit the most puzzled response from the person you are speaking to, and they will regard you very highly from that point onwards.

This is very similar to umefanya vizuri and they can be used interchangeably.

Person 1: ulikumbuka kununua mkate? – “did you remember to buy bread?”
Person 2: ndio, na nikauweka pia – “yes, and i packed it too.”
Person 1: hivyo ni vizuri sana kwako – “that’s very nice of you!”

6. shukran – “Thank You”

This is just an addition which I have reserved for last because it’s the least common way of saying thank you in Swahili and you will hardly come across it.

People will however use it to create an impression or to sound formal and you can also use it in very formal situations or when you deliberately want to impress someone.

Example:

Person 1: Nimepika kuku vile unavyopenda – “I’ve cooked chicken the way you like it”
Person 2: shukran – “Thank you”

Now go ahead and impress your friends!

How To Use Asante In A Sentence

I am now going to introduce you to one word, and this will greatly improve how you say thank you in Swahili.

This word is kwa, and it’s the English equivalent of “for,”.

For instance, if someone serves you tea, you normally say “thank you for the tea”, and in Swahili you’d also say it the same way, except that Swahili words don’t use the definite article “the”, but only the word itself, and so “the tea” would be just “tea”.

If you were to say “thank you for the food in Swahili”, you would therefore say asante kwa chakula, whose translation is “thank you for food”.

Obviously if you were to think about it that way in English, you’d find that it doesn’t sound quite right, but Swahili words don’t have articles and so they are pronounced just the way they are.

I will now give you a few words that you could use regularly, and if you know any other words and you want to express gratitude for that item then say asante followed by kwa and then mention the item you are thankful for.

If this sounds confusing, remember kwa means “for” and it’s just like saying “thank you for _____” in English.

7 Examples Explaining How To Use “Thank You For” In Swahili

1. Asante Kwa Kuja – “Thanks For Coming”

One of the easiest things about Swahili is that it relates very closely to English, and many words can be directly translated.

Asante kwa kuja therefore means “thanks for coming”, and you can use it to appreciate someone who shows up for an event or comes to visit you.

2. Asante Kwa Kunifikiria – “Thank You For Thinking About Me”

If someone goes out of their way to do something for you, it would not be enough to say the usual asante.

It would be better if you expressed gratitude in a deeper way, and the way to do this is by saying the Swahili equivalent of “thank you for your consideration”, or “thank you for thinking about me”.

For example, let’s assume you went out for a hike and you didn’t carry enough snacks because you didn’t expect to be out for long. Your friend then carries extra snacks, which he offers you because yours have run out. In this case you would say, asante kwa kunifikiria.

3. Asante Kwa Kunikumbuka – “Thank You For Remembering Me”

If you travel to East Africa as a tourist, you will definitely make many friends who will stay in touch with you long after you have gone back to your country.

Such people will sometimes write to check up on you, and when you receive a message from someone you had almost forgotten about, it would be highly courteous to acknowledge their effort by saying asante kwa kunikumbuka.

4. Asante Kwa Zawadi – “Thank You For The Gift”

Many times you are going to receive gifts from people in East Africa.

When this happens, the way to show gratitude is by saying, asante kwa zawadi, which means thank you for the gift.

If you are far from that person, you could also send a personalised note with the closing remarks of asante kwa zawadi and your friend will be very pleased to hear that.

5. Asante Kwa Chakula – “Thanks For Food”

A common practice in East Africa is to offer food or tea to a visitor.

The people are generally honoured to have visitors, whether they are close acquaintances, relatives or even random guests, and they show their appreciation by offering them tea or food.

If you are a traveller in East Africa, be prepared to be pampered with food and drink, and your host will generally not expect you to refuse it, so try to accept just a little even if you are full.

The way to say “thank you for food” in Swahili is asante kwa chakula and if you are offered tea, then respond by saying asante kwa chai, which means “thank you for the tea”, and your host will be elated.

6. Asante Kwa Muda Wako – “Thank You For Your Time”

If you are in East Africa as a traveller, you will often seek the services of a guide or maybe you could have a friend showing you around.

It is good to appreciate them for the time they have spared to help you out, and the way to show this kind of gratitude is by saying asante kwa muda wako, which means “thank you for your time”.

This can be particularly helpful when you are parting or in the evening after you have spent a significant time of the day together.

Another instance where this can be applicable would be if you were on the phone or chatting with someone for an extended period of time, and you feel the need to thank them for their time.

Now you know what to tell your next travel advisor.

7. Asante Kwa Maneno Mazuri – “Thank You For The Kind Words”

While you may not find many instances where you have to use these words, asante kwa maneno mazuri translates to “thank you for your kind words”.

This would come in handy if someone has said something nice to you, like for instance appreciating your visit and wishing you a safe journey back home.

2 Ways To Respond To Thank You In Swahili

1. Karibu – “Welcome”

Just like asante, the most basic and common way of saying “welcome” in Swahili is karibu.

You will hear this being used everywhere, and it will work 100% of the time, regardless whether the situation is formal or informal.

Take note however, because there is another translation of karibu, which means “close by” or “near”.

Do not worry, however, because if the word karibu is used in the context of describing how far or close something is, it will always be used in conjunction with another word, and never by itself.

Here’s an example to explain this:

Person 1: Ako wapi dereva? – “ Where is the driver?”
Person 2: Ako karibu kufika. – “He’s almost here.”

In the above sentence you can see that the word karibu has not been used alone, but if it were to be used to mean “welcome”, it would have been used alone.

Here’s an example:

• Driver: nimefika na mzigo wako – “I have arrived with your package.”
  Person 1: asante – “thank you”
• Driver: karibu – “welcome”

2. Karibu Sana – “You’re Very Welcome”

If you want to put emphasis on saying welcome, you can then add the word sana at the end.

This means “very much” or “a lot”, and you can use it to express a heartfelt welcome.

In most cases, this happens when someone has been kind to you and you feel the need to reciprocate for that kindness, and when you do something for them and they say asante, then you can say karibu sana.

Example:

Person 1: hii ni zawadi niliyokununulia – “Here’s a gift I bought for you.”
Person 2: asante – “thank you”
Person 1: karibu sana – “welcome”

A Final Word On Saying “Thank You” in Swahili

The people of East Africa are generally very welcoming and like to appreciate visitors, and they’ll go out of their way to make you feel at home.

While you can get by just by speaking English, you will be very well received if you can speak some Swahili beyond the usual jambo.

By the way, don’t say jambo, no one says that.

That aside, you will surprise a lot of people if you can use some of the words I have explained above, and you’ll find that even if you are travelling as a group of visitors you will receive special attention and the locals will want to associate with you more.

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