Learn Swahili
with Ling

Use our comprehensive lessons, conversation topics, and more to connect with those closest to you

Used by 5M Ling Learners

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What makes learning with Ling special

Interactive exercises

Improve your pronunciation by starting a conversation with our app’s interactive chatbot

Engaging activities

Practice your skills with mini-games and track your progress with fun quizzes

Mix of languages

Choose from over 60 languages, both big and small, and listen to audio from native speakers

Proven results

Backed by linguistic research, our learning methods can help you achieve fluency in record time

Master 4 language skills in 10 minutes a day

1
1-3 minutes to learn new vocabulary
Select a language, lesson, and topic of study. Get introduced to new vocabulary and any relevant grammar tips.
2
3-5 minutes to review
Quick comprehension checks! You might be asked to match the photo with the word, sort the sentence, or match the cards together.
3
3-5 minutes to test your listening skills
Listen to the conversation between two native speakers. Next, fill in the blanks of their conversation accordingly.
4
Done!
Did that seem too easy? Don’t worry, Ling offers lessons for all 5 language levels, from beginner to advanced.

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Frequently asked questions about learning Swahili

Is It Hard To Learn Swahili?

According to the Foreign Insitute Service, the Swahili language is classified as a category III language alongside Indonesian and Malaysian. So, learning Swahili isn’t as hard as you might think.

 

However, here are a couple of things in the Swahili language that may prove difficult for new language learners:

 

  • Noun Forms: Swahili has eighteen genders, so those might be challenging to learn at first, especially if your native language doesn’t use genders.
  • Verb Forms: Swahili’s verb forms can be long and confusing for new language learners, but with enough practice, they will become easy to grasp.

 

Want to see for yourself how difficult the Swahili language is? Use the Ling app! With over 200 Swahili lessons, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the language.

How Can I Teach Myself Swahili?

Yes, it is possible to teach yourself Swahili if you have the right motivation and resources in place. If you are wondering how to learn Swahili, refer to the tips below.

 

  • Start with the basics: Learn basic words, sentence structures, and grammar rules first. One way to do this is by using a good language learning app, like Ling. The Ling app offers fun, bite-sized lessons on how to read, write, listen, and speak Swahili. Not to mention, the app’s cutting-edge AI features when it comes to speaking exercises.
  • Find good learning materials: Language learning becomes a lot easier when you use the right resources. Luckily, there are a lot of videos, audio, and other material for learning the Swahili language. Start by determining your learning style and then find the right learning resource to match that style.
  • Focus on speaking: Another great way to learn Swahili fast is to practice speaking. Find native Swahili speakers that you can practice speaking with or other people studying the Swahili language like you. Practicing with other people will improve your vocabulary retention and improve your overall Swahili pronunciation.
Why Should I Learn Swahili?

Apart from the fact that Swahili is spoken by more than 100 million people worldwide and is the official language of three countries, here are some other reasons why you should learn Swahili.

 

  • Important for business expansion: Africa has over 2,000 languages, with Swahili being one of the most popular. East Africa, where Swahili is prominent, is known for its rich mineral resources, natural reserves, and tourism attractions. This means that Swahili is a great language to learn for prospective business owners looking to expand their products to the Eastern part of Africa.
  • Discover the beautiful culture of Africa: If you are a fan of the natural landscape, you must have heard of the Masai Mara National Reserve where you see animals like the Grevy’s Zebra, the Somali Ostrich, and Giraffes. East Africa is filled with beautiful landscapes, cultures, people, and history. One of the best ways to learn about this culture and connect with the locals on a deeper level is to learn Swahili!
How Long Does It Take To Learn Swahili Fluently?

Swahili, according to the Foreign Institute Service, requires 900 hours to reach proficiency. To put that into perspective, if you studied for 2 hours per day, it would take about a year.

 

Remember that this time can be shortened or lengthened depending on the learner’s linguistic background and native language.

 

If you want to be fluent in reading, writing, listening, and speaking Swahili, then use the Ling app. With over 200 Swahili lessons, you can learn all the most essential Swahili vocabulary and phrases, not to mention grammar tips and sentence structure patterns.