Bedeutung
Announcing presence at a door.
Kultureller Hintergrund
In Zanzibar, doors are often left open, but the 'Hodi' is strictly enforced. It is common to say 'Hodi' even if you can see the person sitting in the living room. In urban areas like Dar es Salaam, 'Piga hodi' is used at apartment doors. If there is a doorbell, people often ring it AND say 'Hodi' simultaneously. In fast-paced Nairobi, 'Hodi' is still used, but it might be shortened or followed quickly by 'Sasa' (How are things). In villages, 'Hodi' is shouted from the edge of the property (the 'ua') because there may not be a fence or a front door.
Wait for the answer
The biggest mistake is saying 'Hodi' and walking in at the same time. You MUST wait for the 'Karibu'.
The 'Hodi' Volume
Adjust your volume. A soft 'hodi' for a bedroom door, a loud 'HODI!' for a front gate.
Bedeutung
Announcing presence at a door.
Wait for the answer
The biggest mistake is saying 'Hodi' and walking in at the same time. You MUST wait for the 'Karibu'.
The 'Hodi' Volume
Adjust your volume. A soft 'hodi' for a bedroom door, a loud 'HODI!' for a front gate.
Don't use at shops
If you say 'Hodi' in a busy supermarket, people will look at you strangely. Use it for personal spaces.
Double it up
Saying 'Hodi hodi' makes you sound much more like a native speaker and less like a textbook.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to complete the visiting ritual.
Mgeni: ______ hodi! Mwenyeji: Karibu ndani!
The verb 'piga' is the standard collocate for 'hodi'.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Which phrase is best for entering a doctor's office?
You use 'Hodi' plus the title of the person you are visiting.
Complete the dialogue with the most culturally appropriate response.
Juma: Hodi hodi nyumbani! Mariamu: ___________!
The only correct response to 'Hodi' is 'Karibu'.
Choose the sentence that describes a past action correctly.
Yesterday, I knocked at the door.
'Nilipiga' uses the past tense marker '-li-'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Where to Piga Hodi
Always
- • Homes
- • Offices
- • Bedrooms
Never
- • Markets
- • Streets
- • Banks
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenMgeni: ______ hodi! Mwenyeji: Karibu ndani!
The verb 'piga' is the standard collocate for 'hodi'.
Which phrase is best for entering a doctor's office?
You use 'Hodi' plus the title of the person you are visiting.
Juma: Hodi hodi nyumbani! Mariamu: ___________!
The only correct response to 'Hodi' is 'Karibu'.
Yesterday, I knocked at the door.
'Nilipiga' uses the past tense marker '-li-'.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYou can, but it's considered a bit 'baridi' (cold). Adding the verbal 'Hodi' makes it much warmer and more polite.
Wait a few seconds and try again (Hodi hodi!). If after three times there is no answer, it is polite to leave.
It is both! It is the standard polite way to enter any space, from a hut to a palace.
No, 'Hodi' is only for arrival. When leaving, you say 'Kwa heri' (Goodbye) or 'Tutaonana' (See you later).
Yes! It's a cute way to start a chat, like saying 'Anyone there?' or 'Knock knock'.
The word 'Hodi' doesn't change, but the response does. For one person, 'Karibu'. For many people, 'Karibuni'.
In writing, it's usually 'Piga hodi'. When spoken at a door, it's always an exclamation: 'Hodi!'
Literally yes, but in Swahili it's used for many actions like 'piga picha' (take a photo) or 'piga pasi' (to iron clothes).
Yes, and they are expected to! It shows they have been raised with good 'adabu' (manners).
Even if the door is wide open, you MUST say 'Hodi' and wait for 'Karibu' before entering.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Karibu
similarWelcome
Gonga mlango
similarKnock on the door
Ingia
builds onEnter
Bisha hodi
synonymTo knock/announce
Hodi hodi
specialized formKnock knock
