Safari Vocabulary
On safari, you will constantly hear these Swahili animal names — your guide uses them, and they are often the official names in the parks:
| German | Swahili | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Lion | Simba | Sim-ba |
| Elephant | Tembo / Ndovu | Tem-bo / N-do-wu |
| Leopard | Chui | Tschu-i |
| Rhinoceros | Kifaru | Ki-fa-ru |
| Buffalo | Nyati / Mbogo | Nja-ti / M-bo-go |
| Giraffe | Twiga | Twi-ga |
| Hippopotamus | Kiboko | Ki-bo-ko |
| Cheetah | Duma | Du-ma |
| Zebra | Punda Milia | Pun-da Mi-li-a |
| Wildebeest | Nyumbu | Njum-bu |
| Crocodile | Mamba | Mam-ba |
| Hyena | Fisi | Fi-si |
| Warthog | Ngiri | N-gi-ri |
| Eagle | Tai | Ta-i |
| Monkey | Tumbili / Nyani | Tum-bi-li / Nja-ni |
| Snake | Nyoka | Njo-ka |
Useful Safari Phrases
| German | Swahili |
|---|---|
| Stop! (There is an animal) | Simama! |
| Where is the lion? | Simba yuko wapi? |
| Look left/right! | Angalia kushoto/kulia! |
| Beautiful! | Nzuri sana! |
| Thank you, great guide! | Asante, dereva mzuri! |
| Good morning (Game Drive) | Habari ya asubuhi! |
Fun Fact: Many Swahili words have become known worldwide through Disney: Simba (lion), Rafiki (friend), Hakuna Matata (no problem), Pumba (derived from Pumbavu — "dumb/naive") — all real Swahili!
