SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/sw-habari-reply-nzuri

Someone asks you 'Habari gani?' Which reply means 'fine' or 'good'?

Nzuri, meaning good or fine.

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  1. Hapana
  2. Kwaheri
  3. Nzuri ✔

Why: Habari gani literally asks 'what news?' The usual answers are nzuri, njema, salama or safi, all meaning fine or good. Hapana means no and kwaheri means goodbye.

Huh, didn't know that: Swahili speakers rarely answer a greeting with bad news; even on a rough day 'sawa tu' (just okay) is enough.

The dad joke
What's the news? Nzuri! No news is good news, and good news is nzuri.
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References

Answer: Nzuri. Habari gani literally asks 'what news?' The usual answers are nzuri, njema, salama or safi, all meaning fine or good. Hapana means no and kwaheri means goodbye.

  1. Northwestern University, Elementary Swahili: Greetings nulib-oer.github.io/swahili/topics/greetings
    The response to the habari greeting can either be nzuri , njema , salama , or safi
    Checked 2026-10-12.
  2. University of Georgia Kiswahili, Unit 1 Grammar africa.uga.edu/Kiswahili/doe/unit_01/unit1grammar.html
    Habari literally means news.
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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