Everything below is what a beginner actually needs first: greetings, polite words, numbers, family, food, time and getting around. Each entry shows the Kikuyu spelling, the English meaning, and a respelling with the stressed syllable in capitals so you can say it out loud without guessing.
First words Greet someone and be polite
Wĩ mwega Hello Nĩ ngatho Thank you Wamũkĩrwo Welcome Tigwo na wega Goodbye Ĩĩ Yes Aca No Ndagũthaitha Please Nĩ njũguĩte Sorry Meeting people Introduce yourself and ask how someone is
Rĩĩtwa rĩakwa nĩ Amara My name is Amara Wĩĩtagwo atĩa? What is your name? Ũhoro waku? How are you? Ndĩ mwega I am fine Maĩ Water Irio Food Mũrata Friend Nyũmba House Counting Numbers one to five and market basics
Ĩmwe One Igĩrĩ Two Ithatũ Three Inya Four Ithano Five Ndũnyũ Market Maĩ Water Nĩ shĩlingi cigana? How much is it? Mbeca Money Questions people ask about Kikuyu Is Kikuyu hard to learn? Tone distinguishes words that look identical in writing. Some dialects differ noticeably in vocabulary. Proverbs are used in ordinary conversation, not just in speeches. Where is Kikuyu spoken? Central Kenya — around 8 million. Writing system: Latin alphabet.
Can I learn Kikuyu for free? Yes. This phrasebook is free to read, and SemaSoma gives you the first three units of the course plus 15 translations a day before anything is paid.