Learn to speak Swahili from Udemy

What's inside

Learning objective

Greet people in swahili, interact in a market and have a foundation for more advanced studies in swahili

Syllabus

Welcome students

Intro

Basic Greetings, Personal Pronouns and Pronunciation

Lecture 2: Basic Greetings

This Quiz will test the student's knowledge on the topic of Swahili greetings / Maamkio.

This will test the student's knowledge on Swahili Personal Pronouns

Students will be tested on their knowledge of Swahili Nouns classes

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides practical language skills for travelers planning a trip to East Africa, enabling basic conversations and interactions in Swahili-speaking regions

Focuses on building a foundational understanding of Swahili, covering greetings, numbers, days, and basic grammar, which is ideal for beginners

Explores Swahili noun classes, offering insights into the structure and grammar of the language, which may appeal to students interested in linguistics

Includes downloadable flashcards and practice exercises, supporting independent learning and self-study of Swahili vocabulary and grammar

Offers a concise introduction to Swahili, enabling learners to quickly grasp basic conversational skills and foundational knowledge of the language

Sets the foundation for deeper studies in Swahili, but learners should expect to dedicate additional time and resources to achieve fluency

Reviews summary

Basic swahili conversation fundamentals

According to learners, this course offers a solid foundation in basic Swahili, focusing on practical communication for everyday situations like greetings and market interactions. Many praise the native speaker instruction, finding the pronunciation clear and helpful. The inclusion of downloadable flashcards and dialogues is frequently mentioned as a valuable resource for practice. While it successfully introduces grammar concepts like noun classes, some students find these sections challenging and feel they require additional study or practice outside the course. The course is widely considered an excellent starting point, especially for those planning travel or seeking a basic introduction, but it does not delve into advanced grammar or fluency. Recent reviews suggest the content remains relevant for beginners.

Ideal for those starting from scratch.

"As someone with absolutely no prior Swahili knowledge, this course was perfect for getting started."

"This is definitely a beginner-level course, great if you've never studied Swahili before."

"It's designed very well for someone just beginning their language learning journey."

"If you're looking for a first step into Swahili, this is a solid option."

Flashcards and dialogues aid learning and practice.

"The downloadable flashcards were incredibly useful for vocabulary memorization."

"I found the dialogues between native speakers very helpful for hearing the language used in context..."

"The flashcards provided made reviewing vocabulary much easier."

"...The dialogues are a great way to hear natural conversation speed and flow."

Provides a good introduction to core Swahili basics.

"This course gave me a great starting point with basic greetings, numbers, and common phrases for travel."

"It covers the fundamental building blocks needed to start understanding and speaking simple Swahili sentences."

"I now feel confident handling basic interactions like saying hello or asking for prices at a market."

"Excellent introduction to the very basics needed for conversation."

High-quality instruction from a native speaker.

"Hearing a native speaker really helped me grasp the correct pronunciation and intonation."

"The instructor is a native speaker, which made the lessons feel authentic and helpful for learning how real Swahili sounds."

"I appreciated learning from someone who lives and speaks the language daily in Kenya."

"Learning from a native speaker was a huge plus for pronunciation."

Focuses on basics, not advanced fluency.

"If you already know some Swahili, this course will likely be too basic for you."

"Don't expect to become fluent after this course, but it gives you the tools for basic interaction."

"This course is great for laying a foundation but you will definitely need further resources to reach intermediate or advanced levels."

"It clearly states it's a foundation, and it delivers on that, but isn't a complete path to fluency."

Noun classes require extra effort to grasp.

"The section on noun classes was difficult for me; I had to spend a lot of extra time practicing to understand it."

"While the course introduces noun classes, I felt I needed more detailed explanations or practice exercises on this topic."

"Understanding the different noun classes was probably the hardest part of the course."

"The grammar explanations, especially noun classes, felt a bit rushed and challenging to fully absorb just from the lectures."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Learn to speak Swahili with these activities:

Review Basic Swahili Vocabulary

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Reinforce foundational vocabulary to prepare for the course's lessons on greetings, numbers, and basic interactions.

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Find a list of the 100 most common Swahili words.
Create flashcards for each word with English translations.
Practice the flashcards daily for at least 15 minutes.

Explore 'Lonely Planet Swahili Phrasebook & Dictionary'

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Expand your vocabulary and learn useful phrases for travel and daily interactions by using a Swahili phrasebook.

View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Lonely Planet Swahili Phrasebook & Dictionary'.
Browse the phrasebook and identify phrases relevant to your interests.
Practice using the phrases in conversations with native speakers or language partners.

Read 'Swahili Grammar and Workbook'

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Supplement the course with a grammar workbook to gain a deeper understanding of Swahili sentence structure and verb conjugations.

View Putting Knowledge to Work on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Swahili Grammar and Workbook'.
Work through the chapters on noun classes and verb tenses.
Complete the exercises in each chapter to test your understanding.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Swahili Language Learning Journal

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Document your Swahili learning journey in a journal, tracking your progress, reflecting on challenges, and solidifying new vocabulary and grammar.

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Create a physical or digital journal for your Swahili studies.
Write daily or weekly entries about what you have learned.
Include new vocabulary, grammar rules, and cultural insights.
Reflect on your progress and identify areas for improvement.

Noun Class Repetition Drills

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Master Swahili noun classes through repetitive drills, improving your ability to correctly use prefixes and form plurals.

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Create a list of nouns from each Swahili noun class.
Practice saying the nouns aloud with their correct prefixes.
Test yourself on the noun classes by identifying the correct prefix for a given noun.

Create a Swahili Conversation Video

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Practice speaking Swahili by creating a short video of a basic conversation, reinforcing vocabulary and pronunciation.

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Write a short script for a simple conversation in Swahili.
Record yourself speaking the conversation with a friend or language partner.
Edit the video and add subtitles in English and Swahili.
Share the video online and get feedback from native speakers.

Curate a Swahili Learning Resource List

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Compile a list of useful Swahili learning resources, including websites, apps, books, and podcasts, to create a personalized learning toolkit.

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Search online for Swahili learning resources.
Evaluate the resources based on their quality and relevance.
Organize the resources into a list with descriptions and links.
Share the list with other Swahili learners.

Career center

Learners who complete Learn to speak Swahili will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Tour Guide

A tour guide, especially in East Africa, should possess a grasp of Swahili, which helps to create an immersive and engaging experience for travelers. This course can help someone who wants to be a tour guide build a foundation in Swahili covering basic greetings, numbers, and market interactions. The course's emphasis on spoken language and dialogues are very helpful for a tour guide, who must clearly communicate with local populations. This course introduces students to the core elements of the language, which are all critical for a successful tour guide. The course also provides a foundation for further studies in Swahili.

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Translator

A translator converts written or spoken material from one language into another, and this course provides the foundation for becoming a Swahili translator. Although this course focuses on foundational conversation, it also provides a firm base in grammar and vocabulary, which help translators. The course includes a number of useful grammar lessons, including possessives, personal pronouns, and noun classes as well as downloadable flashcards that could form the basis of a comprehensive study of the language. The course content, by focusing on core conversation, will give a translator the ability to quickly understand the basics of any text or audial file.

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Cultural Liaison

A cultural liaison works to bridge the gap between different cultures, often in international settings, and needs to build rapport with speakers of Swahili. This course may be useful to a cultural liaison as it introduces basic Swahili, which helps one communicate effectively with Swahili speakers. The course includes dialogues, which help the cultural liaison develop effective communication skills. The flashcards and vocabulary instruction will help a cultural liaison to better understand the nuances of the language. This course introduces core communication skills and cultural understanding, which are both useful to a cultural liaison.

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International Aid Worker

An international aid worker often works in settings where Swahili is spoken, and this course may be useful for such a position. The course helps a person build a foundation in Swahili, which helps a person communicate with local populations. The course, taught by a native Swahili speaker from Kenya, also provides cultural context. The course also covers basic interactions and conversations, which builds a strong base that will be helpful for an international aid worker. The dialogues with native speakers will be invaluable in developing real-world Swahili communication skills.

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Journalist

A journalist who covers East Africa may find this course helpful, as it provides an introduction to Swahili. The course includes instruction in basic conversation, which will be quite useful for a journalist who needs to interview sources. The course also includes vocabulary related to numbers, market interactions and common greetings. This course’s instruction in noun classes and sentence structure form a strong base necessary to understanding and communicating in Swahili. The course may be useful for a journalist wishing to better understand the region.

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Immigration Officer

An immigration officer may encounter individuals who speak Swahili, making this course helpful in performing their duties. The course content provides a foundation in Swahili, which will help someone who works as a immigration officer conduct simple interviews with a Swahili speaker. The course focuses on practical communication, including greetings and basic conversations. The course additionally emphasizes vocabulary, which is useful for an immigration officer. The lessons and materials provide a strong start for communication with Swahili speakers.

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Foreign Diplomat

A foreign diplomat posted in East Africa should know Swahili, and this course can help provide them with a foundation in the language. The course introduces relevant vocabulary, including greetings, numbers, and market interactions. The course materials include dialogues between native speakers, which can help the diplomat develop their listening comprehension. The course's focus on practical conversations will help a diplomat conduct basic interactions in Swahili, and the grammar lessons will help form a base for further learning. The course may be useful to anyone wishing to study Swahili for work in diplomacy.

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Market Researcher

A market researcher working in East Africa should possess a foundation in Swahili, which this course helps provide. The course's instruction in basic conversation and vocabulary, including numbers and market interactions, helps with gathering information. Course materials, including dialogues between native speakers, will also help a market researcher. This course’s emphasis on practical conversation, as well as vocabulary and pronunciation, will greatly benefit a market researcher.

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Teacher

A teacher, especially one who teaches or works with Swahili speakers, may find this course useful. The course will help the teacher grasp the basics of Swahili, which will assist in communication with students or families. The course provides a foundation in Swahili grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and practical conversation, which could all be useful to a teacher. This course could provide the teacher with a firm base from which further learning should derive.

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Sales Representative

A sales representative who works in East Africa might find this course helpful, as it provides them with basic Swahili conversation skills. The course focuses on practical interactions, such as greetings, numbers, and bargaining, which are relevant to a sales professional working in a market. The course's dialogues between native speakers are also useful for developing conversational abilities. This course helps a sales representative to adapt to East Africa.

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Customer Service Representative

A customer service representative who interacts with Swahili speaking clients will find this course useful as it provides a basic understanding of the language and culture. This course provides a basic introduction to greetings, numbers, and common expressions, which can facilitate better communication. The course's conversational focus and emphasis on dialogues will help a customer service representative who might only need basic Swahili for customer interactions. The course content covers the essentials necessary to communicating with Swahili speakers.

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Logistics Coordinator

A logistics coordinator working in regions where Swahili is spoken may find this course useful, as it provides a basic understanding of the language. The course provides practical vocabulary, such as numbers, which could be useful to a logistics coordinator. The course's emphasis on conversation and dialogue will also be valuable. This course can help a logistics coordinator build foundational communication skills necessary for work in places where Swahili is spoken.

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Researcher

A researcher working on a project that involves Swahili may find this course useful as it provides language skills. This course introduces basic conversation, grammar, and vocabulary. The course's emphasis on dialogues and flashcards also provides real-world examples, that make this a good starting point for language study. The course provides a foundation for further studies in Swahili and may be useful for a researcher in the initial stages of a study.

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Volunteer Coordinator

A volunteer coordinator working with Swahili speaking communities may find this course helpful, as it introduces the basics of the language. The course introduces basic greetings and practical vocabulary. The dialogues between native speakers may also assist volunteer coordinators in their work. The course provides a foundational understanding of Swahili conversation, which may be useful to a volunteer coordinator who works with Swahili speakers.

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Social Worker

A social worker who works with Swahili-speaking populations may find this course useful, as it provides an introduction to the language. The course provides foundational skills in Swahili conversation, and it focuses on practical language that allows a social worker to begin communicating with clients. The course's focus on dialogues and flashcards will serve as a good starting point for better understanding Swahili. This course provides a base for effective communication when working with Swahili speaking people.

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Learn to speak Swahili

What's inside

Learning objective

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Basic swahili conversation fundamentals

Activities

Career center

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