sawubona
The Swati word for hello is sawubona.
Sawubona is a common formal way to say hello, and it carries the meaning of "I see you".
Meaning: greeting (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word sawubona literally means "I see you".
How does it change in a sentence?
Use sawubona when greeting a single person. When greeting multiple people or wanting to show respect to an elder, use the plural form sanibonani, which means "we see you all". For an informal way to ask how someone is, you can use Wena unjani?, which translates to "you, how are you?"
When do people say it?
When someone says sawubona, a common response is to say yebo, sawubona (yes, hello). The word yebo means "yes" and is often used as a response to the greeting.
Did you know?
- In Swati culture, using the plural greeting sanibonani for a single person is not just for elders but is a way to acknowledge the ancestors who accompany that person.
- Because 'seeing' someone is central to the greeting, failing to make eye contact during a greeting can make the use of sawubona feel insincere.
- Although Swati and Zulu are different languages, the greeting sawubona is nearly identical in both, reflecting their shared Nguni linguistic roots.
Examples in context
- Sawubona, unjani?Hello, how are you?
- Sawubona, mngane wami.Hello, my friend.
Example conversation
Zanele meets Sipho on the street.
- ZaneleSawubona, Sipho!Hello, Sipho!
- SiphoSawubona, Zanele. Unjani?Hello, Zanele. How are you?
- ZaneleNgikhona, ngiyabonga.I am well, thank you.
- SiphoNami ngikhona.I am well too.
