Hakuna shida; nimekaribia.

No problem; I am almost there.

Breakdown of Hakuna shida; nimekaribia.

• nimekaribia: I am almost there
• hakuna shida: no problem

Questions & Answers about Hakuna shida; nimekaribia.

What does hakuna shida mean literally, and how natural is it?

Literally, hakuna shida means there is no problem or there’s no trouble.

It is a very natural everyday expression in Swahili. Depending on context, it can mean:

• No problem
• That’s fine
• Don’t worry
• It’s okay

So it works a lot like casual English reassurance.

Why is it hakuna and not just a word meaning no?

Hakuna is not just a standalone word for no. It comes from the verb kuwa (to be) and is used as an existential expression meaning there is not / there are not.

So:

• Hakuna shida = There is no problem
• Hakuna watu = There are no people

This is why Swahili uses hakuna here instead of a simple direct equivalent of English no.

Why doesn’t hakuna seem to change even though shida is a noun?