Habari za siku nyingi! Unaendeleaje?

Long time no see! How have you been doing?

Breakdown of Habari za siku nyingi! Unaendeleaje?

• habari za siku nyingi: long time no see (greeting after a long absence)
• unaendeleaje: how have you been doing?

Questions & Answers about Habari za siku nyingi! Unaendeleaje?

What does Habari za siku nyingi! literally mean?

Literally, it is something like news of many days.

• habari = news, information, how things are
• za = of
• siku nyingi = many days

But as a fixed expression, it is used more naturally like:

• Long time no see!
• It’s been a long time!

So the literal meaning is less important than the idiomatic use.

Is Habari za siku nyingi! a common greeting?

Yes. It is a natural way to greet someone you have not seen for a while.

You would use it when:

• you meet an old friend
• you run into someone after a long time
• you want to warmly acknowledge that it has been a while

It is friendly and conversational.

Why is it za in Habari za siku nyingi?

Za is a possessive/agreement word meaning of or about, and it agrees with habari.

In Swahili, these linking words change depending on the noun class. Since habari belongs to a class that takes za, you get:

• habari za... = news/information of/about...

So Habari za siku nyingi is structurally something like the news of many days.