Swahili Language

Swahili language, also known as Kiswahili, is a Bantu language spoken primarily by the Swahili people in Tanzania, Kenya, and Mozambique along the East African coast and adjacent islands. With over 200 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken languages in Africa. Swahili has a significant number of loanwords from Arabic, Portuguese, English, and German, with around fifteen percent of its vocabulary consisting of Arabic loanwords. It serves as one of the official languages of the East African Community countries and is a lingua franca in various regions of East and Southern Africa. The language’s history dates back to interactions between Arab traders and Bantu inhabitants on the East African coast, leading to its emergence as a prominent language in the region. Swahili’s influence extends beyond its native speakers, with efforts to promote its usage in education and regional integration across Africa.

Learn Swahili

The official languages are Swahili and English. In primary schools all the lessons are in Swahili. English is widely spoken and understood. It’s used as second official language, as commercial language as well as teaching language for some subjects in secondary school. Your effort to speak Swahili or few words of Swahili will be appreciated. Otherwise there are more then 120 tribal languages and dialects. Arabic language is widely spoken in the coastal areas, especially on Zanzibar.

Greetings,introductions/Maamkizi