Learn Swahili with the Vocabo Chrome Extension
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Master Swahili vocabulary while browsing the web. Free Chrome extension for language learners. Swahili is spoken by 100+ million people. Swahili opens doors to East African culture, safari tourism, and growing economies.
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About Swahili
Swahili is the most widely spoken African language and a lingua franca of East Africa.
Speakers
100+ million
Language Family
Bantu
Writing System
Latin alphabet
Difficulty
Medium
Spoken in
Why Learn Swahili?
Swahili opens doors to East African culture, safari tourism, and growing economies.
Common Swahili Words
Start your Swahili journey with these essential words and phrases.
Jambo
Hello
JAHM-bo
Asante
Thank you
ah-SAHN-tay
Tafadhali
Please
tah-fah-THAH-lee
Ndiyo
Yes
n-DEE-yo
Hapana
No
hah-PAH-nah
Maji
Water
MAH-jee
Chakula
Food
chah-KOO-lah
Rafiki
Friend
rah-FEE-kee
Upendo
Love
oo-PEN-do
Kwaheri
Goodbye
kwah-HEH-ree
Nyumba
House
NYOOM-bah
Kitabu
Book
kee-TAH-boo
History of Swahili
Swahili developed along the East African coast from Bantu languages with Arabic influence through centuries of trade. The name comes from Arabic 'sahil' (coast). Swahili spread inland during the 19th century and became a language of resistance against colonialism. Today, it's an African Union official language.
Is Swahili Hard to Learn?
Swahili uses the Latin alphabet with consistent spelling. Its noun class system (like grammatical gender but with more categories) is the main challenge. No tones, regular pronunciation, and simple phonetics make it approachable. Arabic loanwords add familiar vocabulary.
Similar Languages to Swahili
If you're interested in Swahili, you might also want to explore these related languages:
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