50+ Amazing Swahili Quotes and Sayings (Translations Included)

Swahili quotes and sayings hit different when said in Kiswahili, and only if you understand it will you be able to know just how different a quote, word or saying hits when said in the Swahili language.

In this article, we have a list of the best Swahili quotes & sayings about life, love, relationships and success among other Kiswahili quotes.

Did you know, Kiswahili (Swahili) is a national language in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and an official language of the East African Community which comprises Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan.

Its use is spreading to southern, western and northern Africa.

Furthermore, Swahili is among the 10 most widely spoken languages in the world, with more than 200 million speakers.

With no particular order, below are amazing Kiswahili sayings and quotes each translated into English.

So if you are looking for Swahili quotes with English translation for you to understand the Swahili quote, then these sayings below are made just for you.

Swahili Sayings and Quotes:

Huwezi kufika mia kama haujaanza mmoja – You can not get to a hundred without starting with one.

Mioyo mia itakuwa chache sana kubeba upendo wangu wote kwako

• A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you

Upendo ni upendo tu. Haiwezi kuelezwa – Love is just love. It can never be explained

Wacha yote unayofanya, ufanye kwa upendo – Let all that you do be done in love.

Jina jema hungara gizani – A good name shines in the dark.

Nimekupenda – I’ve got a crush on you

Unasura nzuri sana – You’re so handsome.

Hiari ya shinda utumwa – Voluntary is better than force.

Jitihadi haiondoi kudura – Effort will not counter faith.

Kila chombo kwa wimblile – Every vessel has its own waves.

Kinywa ni jumba la maneno – Mouth is the home of words.

Kuishi kwingi ni kuona mengi – To live long is to see much.

Daima bidii, kamba hukata jiwe – Forever persist, a rope cuts stone.

Dalili ya mvua mawingu – Clouds are the sign of rain.

Damu nzito kuliko maji – Blood is thicker than water.

Debe tupu haliachi kuvuma – An empty pot makes the loudest noise.

Elfu huanzia moja – A thousand begins with one.

Mchimba kisima hungia mwenyewe – He who digs a pit will fall into it himself.

Mfuata nyuki hakosi asali – One who follows bees will never fail to get honey.

Msema pweke hakosi – One who talks to himself cannot be wrong.

Mwamini Mungu si mtovu – He who trusts in God lacks nothing.

Elimu haina mwisho – Education never ends.

Haba na haba hujaza kibaba – Little by little fills up the measure.

Hapana marefu yasio na mwisho – There is no distance that has no end.

Heri kufa macho kuliko kufa moyo – It is better to lose your eyes than to lose your heart.

Heri kujikwa kidole kuliko ulimi – Better to stumble with toe than toungue.

Kupoteya njia ndiyo kujua njia – To get lost is to learn the way.

Kutoa ni moyo usambe ni utajiri – Charity is the matter of the heart not of the pocket.

Lipitalo, hupishwa – Things don’t just happen by accidents.

Majumba makubwa husitiri mambo – Big houses conceal a lot.

Mchezea zuri, baya humfika – He who ridicules the good will be overtaken by evil.

Mwekaji kisasi haambiwi mwerevu – He who nurses vegeance is not called wise.

Paka akiondoka, panya hutawala – when the cat goes away, mice reign.

Si kila mwenye makucha huwa simba – Not all that have claws are lions.

Taratibu ndiyo mwendo – Slowly is indeed the way to walk.

Ukupigao ndio ukufunzao – What beats you is what teaches you.

Umoja ni nguvu – Unity is strength.

Wapingapo fahali wawili, ziumiazo ni nyasi – When two bulls fight, it is the grass that suffers.

Adui wa mtu, ni mtu – The enemy of man is man.

Afya ni bora kuliko mali – Health is better than wealth.

Ahadi ni deni – A promise is a debt.

Akili ni mali – Knowledge is wealth.

Akili nyingi huondoa maarifa – Too many ideas drive wisdom away.

Baada ya dhiki faraja – After hardship comes relief.

Bilisi wa mtu ni mtu – The evil spirit of a man is a man.

Chema chajiuza, kibaya chajitembeza – A good thing sells, a bad thing advertises.

Je, utakuwa Valentine wangu? – Will you be my Valentine?

Una maanisha mengi sana kwangu – You mean so much to me.

Nakufikiria sana kama zaidi ya rafiki – I think of you as more than a friend

Wewe ni mrembo sana – You’re so beautiful.