sawubona
The English phrase 'good morning' is translated into Swati as sawubona.
sawubona is used as a standard greeting, such as 'good morning' or 'hello', when encountering someone for the first time in the morning.
Meaning: when seeing someone for the first time in the morning (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, sawubona means 'I see you'.
Which one should you use?
While sawubona is used when addressing a single person, you should use sanibona if you are greeting more than one person.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are greeting more than one person, use sanibona instead of sawubona.
When do people say it?
When someone greets you with sawubona, a common response is Yebo, sawubona, which means 'Yes, I see you'.
Did you know?
- While sawubona means 'I see you', it is part of a linguistic group called the Bantu languages. This group includes Zulu, Xhosa and Shona, meaning this greeting is understood by millions of people across Southern Africa.
- In traditional Swati culture, the greeting process is often an extended dialogue. After the initial sawubona, it is customary to ask about the other person's health and family before beginning the actual purpose of the conversation.
- In many Southern African contexts, the act of 'seeing' someone through this greeting is tied to the concept of making someone feel truly visible and valued.
Examples in context
- Sawubona, unjani?Good morning, how are you?
- Sawubona, nina nonke.Good morning, all of you.
Example conversation
Sibusisiwe and Sipho meet on the street early in the morning.
- SibusisiweSawubona, Sipho.Good morning, Sipho.
- SiphoYebo, sawubona, Sibusisiwe.Yes, good morning, Sibusisiwe.
- SibusisiweUnjani?How are you?
- SiphoNgikhona, unjani wena?I am well, how are you?
