Learn Swahili! Watch The Lion King :)

Well, ask your parents first.  But if you’ve ever seen The Lion King, you already know some Swahili!  Let me fill you in. 

First off, the word “Safari” (meaning going to see the animals in East Africa) actually just means “journey” in Swahili.  

This was a sign at the Dar es Salaam Airport.  Literally it means "Good Journey!"

Ok, so back to the Lion King.  Remember this guy?

 

"Simba" means "lion" in Swahili

 "Nala" means "gift"

"Rafiki" means "friend"

So if you want to say, "Welcome, friend!" You'd say, "Karibu, Rafiki!"  

(I hear this a lot in Tanzania, usually from people I don't know.  Sometimes I feel like Simba below!)

(I'm a little shy sometimes!)

"Pumbaa" means "slow thinking"

And that famous song, "Hakuna Matata?"  Literally, Hakuna Matata means "no worries..." but if I ever said that in Tanzania the people would laugh.  They never say that.  Instead, they say "Hamna shida" (Haam-na shee-da) which means the same thing. :)

So there you go! You already probably knew more Swahili than you thought!  Here are a few of the other animal names that aren't mentioned in the movie.

"tembo" means elephant

"twiga" means giraffe.

(think about how they eat "twigs" off trees with their long necks, and you'll remember!)

"duma" means cheetah

"tumbili" is the actual name for a small monkey in Swahili

So even though they call him Rafiki, he could have been named "Tumbili!"

"Kufaru" means rhino

"Punda milia" means zebra

(Punda is actually the word for a donkey, so punda milia means striped donkey!)

"Kuru" means waterbuck (or antelope)

To learn more Swahili, including more animal names, head HERE!

(Screenshots from www.lionkingpride.net)