Learning how to tell time in Swahili (Saa za Kiswahili) is one of the most interesting parts of learning the language.

Why?

Because it’s completely different from the Western system.

And it’s actually very simple once you understand why it works the way it does.

In this guide, I’ll break down exactly how to read a Swahili clock, the vocabulary you need, and how to avoid being late for your next meeting in Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.

The logic behind Swahili time

To understand Swahili time, you have to look at the geography.

Swahili is spoken in East Africa, which lies right along the Equator. This means that sunrise and sunset happen at almost the same time every single day of the year.

• The sun rises at 6:00 a.m.
• The sun sets at 6:00 p.m.

In the Western world, our day “starts” at midnight (12:00 a.m.).

In Swahili culture, the day starts when the sun comes up.

Therefore, 7:00 a.m. is the 1st hour of the day.

So, when you want to say “7:00 a.m.”, you literally say “Hour one” (Saa moja).

Here is my favorite trick to calculate it quickly:

Just draw a clock face. Look at the number you want to say in English, and look directly across to the opposite number. That is the time in Swahili.

Or, simply add or subtract 6 from the English time.

If it’s 3:00 p.m. in English, you add 6. The answer is 9. So, it’s Saa tisa (Hour nine).

Vocabulary for hours 1-12

To tell time, you need to know your Swahili numbers from 1 to 12.

The word for “Time”, “Hour”, and “Clock” is the same word: Saa.

Here is a simple conversion table to help you memorize them.

Note that the word kamili is often added at the end to mean “exactly” or “o’clock”.

For example: Saa tatu kamili (9:00 o’clock sharp).

Times of the day (AM and PM)

You might be wondering, “Khadija, if 7:00 a.m. is Saa moja, what is 7:00 p.m.?”

It is exactly the same: Saa moja.

Swahili does not use “AM” or “PM”. Instead, we describe the time of day using specific words.

• Asubuhi (Morning) – From 6 a.m. to 11:59 a.m.
• Mchana (Afternoon/Daytime) – From 12 p.m. to 3:59 p.m.
• Jioni (Evening) – From 4 p.m. to 6:59 p.m.
• Usiku (Night) – From 7 p.m. to 3:59 a.m.
• Alfajiri (Early morning/Dawn) – From 4 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.

So, to be specific, you just add these words after the time.

Minutes, half hours, and quarters

Telling the exact minute works very similarly to English. We use two main connector words:

1. Na (And) – used for “past”.
2. Kasoro (Less) – used for “to”.

The word for “minutes” is dakika.

Past the hour (Na)

If it is 7:10 a.m. (Ten minutes past hour one), you say: Saa moja na dakika kumi.

Often, in casual speech, people drop the word dakika and just say the number.

Vocabulary note:

• Robo = Quarter
• Nusu = Half

To the hour (Kasoro)

When the minutes go past the half-hour mark (30), Swahili speakers usually count forward to the next hour, just like saying “quarter to” in English.

You use the word kasoro (less).

If it is 7:50 a.m., that means it is ten minutes to 8:00 a.m.

In Swahili, 8:00 a.m. is Saa mbili. So we say:

Asking “What time is it?”

Now that you can say the time, you need to know how to ask for it.

The most common phrase is extremely simple.

If you want to be polite or ask a stranger, you might add “samahani” (excuse me) at the start.

Example conversation

Here is how a typical conversation might look between two friends, Juma and Asha.

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Swahili time might seem “backwards” at first, but it is actually just “sun-based”.

Remember these three rules:

1. Standard time minus or plus 6 = Swahili time.
2. Use na for minutes past, and kasoro for minutes to.
3. Add the time of day (asubuhi, mchana, usiku) to be specific.

Don’t worry if you get it wrong a few times. Even native speakers will sometimes clarify by asking saa za Kizungu? (English time?) just to be sure!

Look at your clock right now. What time is it in Swahili?