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Why Learn Swahili?
Native to East Africa, Swahili is spoken by more than 5 million people as their first language, while an additional 80 million speak it as a second language. The official language of four countries (Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania), Swahili is also the preeminent language of the African Union, the Southern African Development Community, and the East African Community.
Whether you’re planning a trip to East Africa, have connected with some relatives in the area, or would simply like to expand your cultural understanding, you can learn Swahili the easy way with Pimsleur. All of our language courses, including Swahili, use what’s known as the Pimsleur Method™, a unique combination of scientifically proven techniques that focus on Graduated Interval Recall, the Principle of Anticipation, Core Vocabulary, and Organic Learning.
Once you learn the Swahili language with Pimsleur, you’ll open doors you never thought possible. Take our Swahili lessons to:
- Converse confidently with native Swahili speakers while traveling.
- Gain a deeper understanding of different East African cultures within the Swahili speaking world.
- Broaden your knowledge as you learn to speak Swahili.
- And much more!
The Best Way to Learn the Swahili Language
Pimsleur’s instruction method is the fastest, most efficient way to learn Swahili. Thanks to our one-of-a-kind combination of teaching methods, you’ll quickly grasp key words within the Swahili language. With 30-minute Core Lessons, you can get up and running with this new language at home, on the go, or anywhere in between. Plus, Pimsleur also has reading lessons, a Voice Coach AI tool to gather feedback on pronunciation, Speed Round games as you grow your knowledge base, and Speak Easy challenges to review your Swahili conversations with written transcripts.
Learn by listening and actually speaking – that’s how a toddler learns a new language, and Pimsleur’s learning tools help you learn Swahili by hearing the language’s words, phrases, and pronunciation. This approach ensures you’ll learn the language more efficiently than traditional methods primarily focused on reading and grammar.
Better yet, you can listen and learn anywhere. Pimsleur enables you to take Swahili lessons while taking a walk, tending your garden, or doing the laundry. Education on the go, at your fingertips –it’s just one more reason our customers love our language learning app!
Why Choose Pimsleur for Swahili Lessons?
Pimsleur doesn’t just teach you new words – we put you in complete control of your pursuit of learning Swahili. We empower you to speak confidently in everyday, useful conversation. From asking directions to ordering from a Swahili menu, Pimsleur holds the key to learn the Swahili language the easy, enjoyable way!
Speak Swahili with Confidence. Read like a Native.
Through his research, Dr. Pimsleur found that traditional teaching methods like memorizing vocabulary, conjugating verbs, and practicing grammar actually SLOW DOWN your ability to learn Swahili. He called them the kiss of total silence because they made it nearly impossible to speak the Swahili language. It's the reason learning a language feels so difficult, when it should feel totally natural.
It makes sense when you think about it. Have you ever seen a toddler memorizing vocabulary lists? Or picking out parts of speech in a sentence diagram? Of course not. Children learn language the way we were meant to ‐ by listening. That's because we are hardwired to remember sounds and store them in our memory automatically.
It's the same way you pick up a song on the radio. You don't have to study the lyrics or understand musical notes and chords to remember a song. Chances are, if you hear a song once you can sing along the next time you hear it.
Don't miss out. Try learning Swahili with Pimsleur today while your first week is FREE!
Common Questions About Learning Swahili
Is Swahili a difficult language to learn?
How long does it take to learn Swahili?
What are the main challenges when learning the Swahili language?
Swahili has “noun classes” (also known to native speakers as “word classes”). Unlike English, Swahili assigns this “class category” to mostly nouns, so you’ll have to remember to speak a certain way when discussing everything – people, tools, places, natural objects, even fruits and vegetables. Swahili's phonetic system is relatively straightforward compared to some other languages, but these sounds aren’t directly relatable to English speakers. Swahili has many sounds not found in English. One example is nasal consonants, such as [ŋ] (as in "sing"), which appears in words such as "ngoma" (drum). Another one is the “sh” sound; Swahili uses the [ʃ] sound (as in "shoe"), which is also present in English, but the way it interacts with other sounds may vary.
While this might sound difficult, Pimsleur will guide you through the different guidelines and rules as you continue to learn Swahili and build confidence with each passing lesson. Swahili has other challenges as well, and our Swahili courses will help you overcome these obstacles.
How important is pronunciation in learning Swahili?
Is the Swahili course suitable for complete beginners?
Unaweza kuanza kutoka mraba mmoja na Pimsleur na kujifunza Kiswahili. As Swahili speakers say, “You can start from square one with Pimsleur and learn Swahili.” Our learning platform is flexible and accessible enough for any skill level, from complete beginners to people who’ve had some experience with the Swahili language. Three-quarters of Pimsleur learners learn the Swahili language in their spare time, and many beginner-level learners excel with a convenient language teaching program – and it doesn’t get any more convenient (or collaborative) than Pimsleur. Sign up for a Premium or All Access subscription, and start taking Swahili lessons today!
