Greetings
Lesson 1 of 7≈ 10 min
Greeting is a ritual
In the Comoros and Mayotte, not greeting upon arrival is a social offence. Greeting properly is a sign of respect, openness, and status relative to the other person.
You already know most everyday greetings (cf. M2.1). This lesson puts them back in their canonical sequence and introduces variants based on who you're talking to.
Everyday greetings
| Phrase | Translation | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Jeje ! | Hi! How's it going? | Among peers, young, informal |
| Jeje wanyu ! | Hello to you (pl.)! | To a group or polite plural |
| Kwezi ! | Hello (respectful) | To an elder, respectful |
| Wa fetre ? | How are you? | Question, casual register |
| Tsa fetre. | I'm fine. | Standard reply to Wa fetre |
| Marahaba ! | Thanks! / Honour! | Universal, reply to a compliment |
| Kwaheri ! | Goodbye! | Universal, end of conversation |
| Hodi ! | May I come in? | Before entering someone's home |
| Karibu ! | Welcome! | Reply to Hodi, welcomes a visitor |
Listening
- Jeje !
- Kwezi !
- Wa fetre ? / Tsa fetre.
- Marahaba !
The canonical order
When meeting someone, the expected sequence is:
1. Greeting: Jeje (among peers) or Kwezi (to an elder)
2. State question: Wa fetre ?
3. Standard reply: Tsa fetre, ewa. (I'm fine, yes.)
Skipping a step — greeting then jumping straight to business — feels abrupt. Take your time. It's a mark of civility, not a formality.
Greeting a group
To greet several people, use the polite plural wanyu (« to you (pl.) », class 2). So Jeje wanyu ! (« hello to you »).
This plural is also used for a single elder out of deference — like the French formal « vous ».
Practice
How do you greet an elder?
You say ___!
Standard reply to Wa fetre?
You reply ___.
Mini-quiz
What is the canonical greeting order?
1. Greeting, 2. ___, 3. Reply.
Greeting by the time of day (shimaoré)
From the Nisusoma shimaore booklet (CASNAV, 2019, p. 48-49).
| Time | Greeting | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 6 h – 10 h | habari za asubuhi ? | what news this morning? |
| 10 h – 12 h | habari za mtsana ? | what news? |
| 12 h – 17 h | habari za ujoni ? | what news this afternoon? |
| after 5 pm | habari za uku ? | what news this evening? |
Who are you talking to?
From the Nisusoma shimaore booklet (CASNAV, 2019, p. 41 et 48-49).
| Greeting | Reply | When |
|---|---|---|
| jeje | ndjema | between peers, or to someone younger |
| kwezi | mbona | to an elder, to a dignitary |
| assalam alaikum | wa alaikum salam | Muslim greeting: « peace be upon you » |
| hodi ! | karibu ! | to announce yourself at the door; « come in! » |
Practice — greeting properly
You greet an elder with kwezi. They reply…
kwezi → ___.
It's 4 pm. You ask for news:
habari za ___?
On to polite expressions
Thanks, okay, I'm tired, I love you — the next lesson also unpacks the verb uvendza (« to love ») and its agglutinative structure.