Language lesson
🇰🇪 Kiswahili
Kiswahili grew on the Indian Ocean coast where Bantu communities traded with Arab, Persian and Indian merchants. It is an official language of the African Union and the easiest African language for most beginners.
- Spoken in
- Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, DR Congo, Rwanda
- Speakers
- Over 200 million speakers
- Language family
- Niger-Congo · Bantu branch, with Arabic loanwords
Lesson one
How it sounds.
Not tonal. Stress almost always falls on the second-to-last syllable, and vowels are clean: a-e-i-o-u as in Spanish.
Say it out loud
Seven phrases to start with.
- Jambo / HabariHello / How are things?say it: JAM-bo · ha-BA-ree
- NzuriGoodsay it: n-ZOO-ree
- KaribuWelcomesay it: ka-REE-boo
- Asante sanaThank you very muchsay it: a-SAN-teh SA-na
- TafadhaliPleasesay it: ta-fa-DHA-lee
- Jina langu ni…My name is…say it: JEE-na LAN-goo nee
- KwaheriGoodbyesay it: kwa-HEH-ree
Behind the words
Culture notes.
- 'Hakuna matata' really is everyday speech — it means 'there are no problems'.
- Elders are greeted with 'Shikamoo', answered with 'Marahaba'.
- Taarab music and Swahili poetry (utenzi) carry centuries of coastal history.
Practise today: Greet with 'Habari?', reply 'Nzuri', and close every exchange with 'Asante sana'.