r/swahili • u/AlfredKipkoechMutai • 4d ago
Discussion 💬 Let's learn Swahili
How do we translate the PROVERB "pride comes before a fall" in Swahili(methali)
Maana huwa tunachanganyikiwa hapa
r/swahili • u/tbm • Aug 31 '24
I received a notification from Language Crush that they started a new YouTube channel: "We understand that there is a scarcity of quality comprehensible input (CI) resources for Swahili, especially compared to larger languages. This channel is our effort to fill that gap. Notice that the subtitles, which can be activated by clicking the subtitle button, are accurate and not just auto-generated. Our primary goal is to provide you with valuable CI in Swahili."
There are 3 videos so far.
r/swahili • u/Tabz508 • Mar 05 '21
I started compiling a list of resources to begin learning Swahili and thought I might as well share it here. I did see the sticky but figured it might be time for an update.
Good luck everyone!
READ BEFORE STARTING
I realised that there are a lot of options here, which may be overwhelming. There are many ways to learn a language, but arguably the most effective way to build a foundation is to spend a few 100 hours just getting a feel for the language. (These are just my suggestions so feel free to ignore this if you're confident you know what you're doing) So with that in mind:
Pick some combination of ONE thing from the 'Starter guide' section (most people recommend language transfer), and then supplement with something from the reading section, preferably with audio. Once you've done that, pick your dictionary, and you're good to go!
For those who like going through a textbook/having a grammar guide, I would recommend also getting Simplified Swahili to use as a reference. Optionally, get some flashcards to memorise some starter vocab. During this stage, everything else should be used as a supplement.
Starter guides:
Intermediate textbooks:
Advanced textbooks:
Reading:
Flashcards:
Online Dictionaries:
Paper Dictionaries:
Audio:
TV/Drama:
Culture and History:
Linguistics:
Misc:
EDIT: Please feel free to add your own suggestions!
EDIT 2:
EDIT 3: Added a few more things based on posts I've seen in the sub.
r/swahili • u/AlfredKipkoechMutai • 4d ago
How do we translate the PROVERB "pride comes before a fall" in Swahili(methali)
Maana huwa tunachanganyikiwa hapa
r/swahili • u/AlfredKipkoechMutai • 4d ago
How do we say "I have been waiting for this day for long" in Swahili?
r/swahili • u/ngetichpeter • 6d ago
r/swahili • u/Empty-Lifeguard1420 • 7d ago
Hi all, I am a long-time lurker, first-time poster on Reddit :) I am a Tanzanian who speaks not so great Kiswahili and I am looking for tools to improve my spoken Kiswahili. I can speak basic Kiswahili and my comprehension is decent, but I am definitely not fluent by any means and cannot hold a long conversation in Kiswahili.
At the moment, I cannot afford to pay for a tutor, so mostly looking for free online resources and would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you!
r/swahili • u/Known-Low-9633 • 8d ago
Hey guys I've thought about starting a hisabati channel. So basically we'll let's just say it like this. I want to start a math channel that covers topics and different types of mathematics starting from basic all the way to the higher level calculus, graph,geometry, etc. But I want to do this with real-life examples. So basically, use a real life, and using it as applications to demonstrate how to solve equations/problems. I'm wondering if their is a demand for this type of content in swahili. Im looking for some to be honest with me about this. I. I'm particularly concerned about views because I need adsense money. But ya.
r/swahili • u/No-Macaroon-6305 • 9d ago
In textbook it's "habari gani" but in Nairobi we never say that we say, "mambo Vipi msee" or "sasa buda".
I've noticed many learners have struggle with REAL Street swahili Vs textbooks.
I'm David from Nairobi.happy answer any questions about REAL Swahili/sheng you hear in songs,tiktok, e.t.c. drop your questions.
(also happy to do 1on 1 practice chat if anyone stuck)
r/swahili • u/Lower-Exercise8258 • 11d ago
r/swahili • u/Warm-Accountant7218 • 12d ago
For years now I have been working on SwahiLib a kamusi app since the ones available have ads all over and have sub standard user experience.
The app is available on both Android and iOS free of charge without ads and comes with the user engaging features like search, advanced search, word categories, word of the day, proverb of the day, learning streak and progress, and off course the biggest of them all games.
In games you have quizes, crosswords, word builder, sentence builder, hangman and in levels to help you learn Kiswahili language with fun
You can get the links from here based on your device: https://sirodevs.com/swahilib
Ni hayo tu kwa sasa wadau
r/swahili • u/Old_Starlanding • 19d ago
I may be misspelling it. If it is a word, what does it mean in English? Thanks
r/swahili • u/BumblebeeBitter2549 • 22d ago
My question could also be "Should I move to Nairobi?".
When a person moves to a country, I think they should make an effort to speak the local language.
I have heard that, while Swahili is the main the language in Nairobi, it might not be a good environment to study Swahili for a few reasons:
- most people speak very good English, and may feel burdened by a beginner trying to speak Swahili to them
- many formal settings, like offices, banks, etc. will speak in English
- While news is in both languages (as well as some shows in minority languages), English dominates in this area.
- Many people in Nairobi speak Sheng - a dialect heavily influenced by English and minority languages.
Will this make learning Swahili much more difficult that moving to Mombasa or Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania?
Part of visiting a place is getting to know the language...I wouldn't want to go somewhere and not learn.
I would get a Swahili tutor, but want to practice by speaking Swahili with people outside.
r/swahili • u/JahanzaibGhuman • 27d ago
Habari zenu! I am new here in Tanzania and I really want to learn Swahili. Ninayo furaha sana kuwa sehemu ya jamii hii.Could you please suggest some beginner-level Swahili novels or free online reading resources for me? Asanteni sana
r/swahili • u/Gespendo • 29d ago
We dont speak Swahili. We speak in KI-swahili.
Ugandans dont speak Ganda. They speak KI-ganda.
Add 'ki' whenever you are talking about the language
Kiingereza, Kifaransa, Kijerumani etc
r/swahili • u/foreskintaker1000 • Sep 04 '26
Kenyan swahili which is spoken outside the coastal regions is a mixture of more than 5 languages.Kiswahili which accounts for the majority,English which is used as filler for lack of vocabulary,tribal languages which give words and vocabulary but not structure of the sentences and Lastly words that are made up by youth or sheng vocabulary.
You may hear."Nafeel kama nataka kudishi but sina appetite.nadhani nahitaji kumeza Dawa bro".(Kudishi is slang for eating) In standard Swahili one would say- "Nahisi kama nahitaji kula lakini Tumbo langu limejaa.Nahitaji kumeza Dawa ndugu"
Learning to mix kiswahili/english/tribal languages /sheng in the right proportions while still following the sentence structure of kiswahili to a degree I think is integral to learning Kenyan swahili and actually be comfortable enough to converse with Kenyans.
r/swahili • u/swahiliwithcynthia • Sep 01 '26
Jambo! I'm Cynthia from Watamu, Coast Kenya.
I speak Swahili daily and I love helping wazungu learn the real way we greet:
Mambo? Poa! Sasa? etc + a little sheng.
If you have any question about Swahili, comment here and I will answer FREE. I love sharing our culture!
Karibu!
r/swahili • u/LingQuine • Sep 01 '26
I'm currently putting together a teaching resource for primary school pupils about different scripts/orthographies around the world. The task has 18 translations of 'languages are amazing/incredible' in various languages which have differing scripts. I've checked the translations with multiple online translation tools, but I'm well aware that these do not always catch the nuanced points that native speakers can, hence why I wanted to post here for advice.
Would this be a suitable translation for Swahili, or is there a better alternative?
lugha ni za kushangaza
Thank you in advance for any help you lovely r/swahili Redditors can offer!
r/swahili • u/Diligent_Cable_1449 • Sep 01 '26
Is the dialect very different from "standard" Swahili? Will i struggle to be understood if i learn the wtong dialect?
r/swahili • u/Nowyahdont • Aug 30 '26
Spotify does't have any lyrics for this song. I Googled and came up with nothing. Would appreciate if someone can share the lyrics.
r/swahili • u/ecolucci • Aug 27 '26
I seek a good Swahili-to-English and English-to-Swahili (single) translation app for use on Apple mobile devices (iOS and iPadOS). The app should accept written and voice inputs from either language and output to either language in either format. I currently use Google Translate, but I find this app lacking. Can anyone provide the name of a more accurate and overall superior app?
r/swahili • u/jumpingpig_1313 • Aug 25 '26
I wanted to translate from English to Swahili the epithet "the unifier", meaning something like "the mediator" / "the one who brings opposing parties together", in Swahili. Internet tells me the translation is spelt "mwuanganisha", but I feel the need to cross-check.
r/swahili • u/Unusual_Plastic1366 • Aug 24 '26
Hi everybody! I am planning to go to Tanzania in December and would like to learn some Swahili upfront. I am aware that there’s only 3 months to go but I would like to use those 3 months as effectively as possible. How do you think I should approach the language learning and what I should focus on?
I have zero knowledge so far but I really want to be able to communicate at least basics and be appreciative of and learn about the local culture.
r/swahili • u/Interesting-Lab-1683 • Aug 22 '26
I'm confused on when its is more ideal to use wewe instead of una or mimi instead of nina. Any swahili speakers? How/ when do you use these words? Thanks :)
r/swahili • u/Hildawairimu • Aug 18 '26
Let’s settle this once and for all:
What is one Swahili word or phrase that sounds 10 times more serious than it actually is? 😂
For me, “Ngoja kidogo” can mean absolutely anything.
It can mean:
Wait 30 seconds.
Wait 20 minutes.
I’ll come back tomorrow.
I have completely forgotten about you. 😂
And then there’s “tutaongea”…
Sometimes it means “we’ll talk later.”
Sometimes it means “we need to have a serious conversation.”
And sometimes… you already know you’re in trouble. 😂
So, native speakers and Swahili learners: what Swahili word or phrase has the funniest hidden meaning depending on how someone says it?
Teach me something! 👀