Writing regularly is essential for learning Swahili. These exercises take learners from individual words to sentences, paragraphs and short compositions.
Exercise 1: Introduce yourself
Write five sentences about yourself.
Use:
- Jina langu ni…
- Ninaishi…
- Ninatoka…
- Mimi ni…
- Ninapenda…
Exercise 2: Describe your family
Write five to ten sentences about your family.
Include:
- number of family members
- parents
- brothers and sisters
- where they live
- what they do
Exercise 3: Describe your day
Write about your daily routine.
Try to use:
- ninaamka
- ninaenda
- nafanya
- ninakula
- narudi
- ninalala
Exercise 4: Describe your home
Write a paragraph describing your home.
Include:
- rooms
- furniture
- colours
- location
- people who live there
Exercise 5: Write about your favourite food
Answer these questions:
- Chakula chako unachopenda ni kipi?
- Kwa nini unakipenda?
- Unakula mara ngapi?
- Nani anakipika?
Exercise 6: Write about yesterday
Write 8–10 sentences about what you did yesterday.
Try to use past-tense verbs such as:
- nilikwenda
- nilisoma
- nilikula
- nilizungumza
- nilifanya
Exercise 7: Write about tomorrow
Write 8–10 sentences about your plans for tomorrow.
Use future forms such as:
- nitaenda
- nitasoma
- nitafanya
- nitakutana
Exercise 8: Describe a person
Describe a friend or family member.
Include:
- name
- age
- appearance
- occupation
- personality
- hobbies
Exercise 9: Write a short dialogue
Write a conversation between two people meeting for the first time.
Include greetings, names, nationality, location and occupations.
Exercise 10: Write a short story
Write a 100-word story in simple Swahili.
Give your story:
- a beginning
- a middle
- an ending
Do not worry about using complicated vocabulary. Focus on clear, correct sentences.