Swahili

East Africa · languages · communication

A huge language family. Swahili belongs to the Bantu language group, which is a massive family of languages spoken across Africa. It's also called Kiswahili by people who speak it.

Millions speak it. Between 150 to 200 million people speak Swahili, either as their main language or as a second language they learned. That makes it one of the most spoken languages in Africa.

Tanzania and Kenya. Most people who grew up speaking Swahili live in Tanzania and Kenya, two countries in East Africa. You'll also find Swahili speakers in Mozambique and other nearby areas.

A connecting language. Swahili helps people from different ethnic groups and countries understand each other, kind of like a bridge between communities. Many people learn it as a second language to communicate with neighbors.