How many versions of Swahili are there?

There are about 15 main Swahili dialects, as well as several pidgin forms in use.

Is Kenyan and Tanzanian Swahili the same?

Although Swahili is the official language of both Tanzania and Kenya, there are actually quite a few differences between the way Tanzanians and Kenyans speak the language. For one, Tanzanians tend to speak more formally while Kenyans tend to speak a much more colloquial or casual form of Swahili.

What is the difference between Swahili and Kiswahili?

While “Swahili” can refer to the people, the culture, and the language, it is the commonly accepted way of referring to the language when speaking (or writing) English. When speaking the language, the language is called Kiswahili. By contrast, the people are referred to as watu waswahili, and the culture is uswahili.

Is Sheng spoken in Tanzania?

Sheng is a Swahili and English-based cant, perhaps a mixed language or creole, originating among the urban youth of Nairobi, Kenya, and influenced by many of the languages spoken there….Sheng slang.

What does the word Swahili mean in English?

Definition of Swahili 1 : a member of a Bantu-speaking people of Zanzibar and the adjacent coast. 2 : a Bantu language that is a trade and governmental language over much of East Africa and in the Congo region.

Where is Swahili spoken?

Swahili (also known as Kiswahili) is the most commonly spoken language in sub-Saharan Africa. In Kenya, Swahili is an official language along with English, and children are usually taught in Swahili in school.

Why is Swahili so difficult to learn?

The language rolls off the tongue and it is difficult to speak Swahili without feeling the emotion behind the words. Swahili is heavily influenced by Arabic. In fact, the word ‘Swahili’ itself is Arabic for ‘coastal people’. The flows and patterns are strong reflections of Arabic influence.

How did Swahili become the official language of Tanzania?

Swahili was later adopted by European colonialists, especially the Germans, who used it extensively as the language of administration in Tanganyika, thus laying the foundation for its adoption as a national language of independent Tanzania.

What is the meaning of Kiswahili?

The name comes from the Arabic word sawaahili (سواحلي), which means “of the coasts”, which you would use to refer to coastal people. When you add the ki – prefix to the word to form Kiswahili, it changes the meaning to “language of the coastal people”. Kiswahili is what we call the language when speaking Swahili.