habari
/hɑˈɓɑ.ɾi/
In Swahili, habari is a general greeting used to say hello or to ask how someone is.
The word habari is commonly used as a greeting, similar to how 'hello' is used in English.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, habari means 'news'.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English greetings such as 'Hello', habari is grammatically a noun. Because of this, the phrase functions more like asking 'What is the news?' than a direct command or exclamation.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The variation Mambo vipi? is frequently used in Kenya and Uganda.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can create the common question habari gani?, meaning 'what is the news?' or 'how are things?', by adding the interrogative adjective gani (which/what kind).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables and the stress is on the second syllable: /hɑˈɓɑ.ɾi/.
When do people say it?
When someone asks habari?, a common and standard response is nzuri, which means 'good'.
Did you know?
- The word habari is a direct descendant of the Arabic word ḵabar, which means 'news' or 'information'.
- In many East African cultures, using habari without a proper, respectful pause or a handshake can be seen as rushed or impolite. The greeting is often a social ritual rather than a quick exchange of information.
- Although habari is the standard greeting, using the slang mambo can signal a shift in social status or age. Using mambo with an elder instead of habari may be considered too informal or disrespectful.
Examples in context
- Habari yako?How are you?
- Habari za asubuhi.Good morning.
- Habari za leo?How is today going?
Example conversation
Zuwena and Said meet on the street.
- ZuwenaHabari, Said!Hello, Said!
- SaidNzuri, Zuwena. Habari yako?Good, Zuwena. How are you?
- ZuwenaSijambo, asante.I am fine, thank you.
- SaidKaribu sana.You are very welcome.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry habari, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries habari, CC BY-SA 4.0.
