Learn Swahili : The Top Swahili Language School in 2025
You can now Learn Swahili at The Language School in Kenya. We are one of the best language schools in Kenya, offering Swahili classes. Moreover, we have developed a solid reputation and experience in teaching Swahili to foreigners in East Africa since 2010, and our students learn to speak Swahili fast.
Swahili is the undisputed king of African languages. Thus, it is the most studied African language in the world and the most taught in institutions of higher learning abroad. Similarly, it is also one of the six languages of the African Union. Therefore, this shows the growing stature of the Kiswahili language in communication in Africa.
As a result, we are now recognized as the best Swahili language school in Nairobi to learn Swahili lessons and culture. Additionally, we have native Swahili teachers to take you through Swahili classes in person or online.
Further, with our new campus in Zanzibar, we are now ready for top-quality instruction in Swahili in East Africa. Our time-tested teaching methods for the Swahili language are suited for adult learning and will ensure that you learn to speak Swahili like a native speaker.
We propose different Swahili classes from Swahili for Beginners to Advanced Swahili. In addition, we can offer the Swahili lessons on a tailor-made basis upon request for individuals for small and large groups. In brief, our Swahili lessons are suitable for individuals, groups, or organizations.
Our in Kenya 2025
Introduction to Swahili 2025
Kiswahili Lessons for Beginners
We offer short courses in Swahili language. Thus, we have carefully designed the Swahili classes for Beginners course for you if you want to speak Kiswahili within the shortest time possible.
In addition, our students come from different countries and cultures. So, if you are an expatriate or a foreigner working in Kenya or East Africa, this is especially for you. You could be working with local communities or are planning to settle in Kenya.
Likewise, if wish to learn Swahili to integrate seamlessly into the local culture, this is the ideal Swahili course for you.
We offer different levels of Kiswahili language lessons as described below. Therefore, the courses take different durations to complete. Further, we can tailor our programs to suit your needs and convenience.
Moreover, we have Swahili classes for the whole family. This is ideal if you want to learn together as a family. Similarly, our teacher can come to your place or you can come to our Swahili language school.
Target Group: Missionaries, expats, volunteers, and Kenyans in the Diaspora, university students abroad
Learn Swahili At Your Convenience
Before COVID-19 pandemic, many people had not discovered the convenience of learning Swahili online. Now, many learners have discovered that you can learn any course virtually from the comfort of your home or office and this is gaining popularity by day.
As a result, this has created a new normal of working and studying. This includes learning, thanks to rapid advancements in technology. From now forward, you can now take Kiswahili classes from your bedroom. Yes, you got me right. From your bed, office or even from your kitchen.
The Language School in Kenya is one of the best language schools to learn Swahili online. We are among the pioneers to adapt this new way of learning Swahili to foreigners online. Students in foreign universities taking African studies and Kiswahili language can also learn Swahili online.
Further, we offer different Kiswahili courses online. Whether it Swahili for kids or Swahili for adults, anyone is covered in our innovative approach to learning Swahili. The Swahili classes can be arranged according to your convenience and needs. We also know your schedule could be busy. That’s why we have made the Swahili lessons to be as flexible and interactive as possible.
Swahili Summer School Immersion Program 2025
We regularly organize summer school programs for Swahili classes in Kenya, Zanzibar or mainland Tanzania. Certainly, there is no better way to learn Swahili than in the native countries where Swahili is spoken as a first language!
Thus, these customized, academic Swahili courses are excellent for students pursuing Swahili language in universities abroad. In addition, we have so far held successful programs to students from the USA and the UK pursuing Masters and PhD programs. They study courses like Comparative Literature, African Studies, History and Government, Psychology, Anthropology, etc.
Our past students have come from The Michigan State University (MSU) and The University of Michigan, Manitoba University Canada, London School of Economics (LSE), Sciences PO (Paris), and many others.
Moreover, we have recently opened the Zanzibar Campus in Zanzibar Island, the cradle of the standard Swahili language, for this purpose. The Zanzibar Campus welcomed its first student under this program in August 2019. The student is currently a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature.
Target Group: International University students taking African studies, Anthropology, History, Literature and related fields.
Swahili Classes for Families : Ideal for Families
We have carefully designed the perfect solution for families that want to learn Swahili together. Families can now learn and practise Swahili together. The parents can be learn Swahili while their kids are also learning Swahili at the same time. Therefore, the Kiswahili classes are organized separately due to the needs of each age group.
This program is ideal for families planning to settle in Kenya, Tanzania or Zanzibar, or in any country in East Africa. It’s awesome to be able to communicate effectively with the local people in their language in a new country, especially when the success of your mission depends on it.
We have expert Kiswahili teachers for kids, youth, and adults. Our approach focuses on similar age groups due to their similar interests, learning abilities, and approaches. This makes sure everyone is well catered for.
Missionaries and other expatriates coming to settle in East Africa will greatly benefit from this Kiswahili Classes for Families program.
Levels
This is the introduction of Swahili language to beginners. It is designed to enable learners develop the ability to communicate with ease with other Swahili speakers.
Additionally, this course is intended for students with little or no knowledge of Kiswahili. The course begins with basic Swahili lessons such as greetings and winds up with lessons of self-expression in everyday life e.g. at grocery stores, at bank, at post office, making telephone calls etc.
The major goals are to enable students to develop communicative skills in Swahili through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. At the end of the course the student will be able to use a set of communication tools to comprehend and speak about a set of social situations.
Moreover, the student will be able to communicate and discuss basic personal history, leisure time activities, and work situations and use Swahili for day-to-day activities such as visiting the market. Essential skills such as asking and answering simple questions will be mastered
ELEMENTARY 1 – 60 hrs
Elementary Swahili Level 1 is a continuation of Beginners Swahili Level A1 (or equivalent). Therefore the course aims to build on existing knowledge of Swahili. It will also provide a broader understanding of Swahili language and culture.
Teaching is predominantly in Swahili and students are expected to prepare for class discussions and presentations. Effective communication in Swahili is the aim of this course.
Students will be expected to participate in ‘real life’ situations through role-play. For example, bargaining for goods at a local market. Students will form discussion groups to express thoughts and opinions. There will be written work involving translation.
At the end of Swahili Elementary 1, students will be able to understand more advanced grammatical structures and engage in discussions of a more complex nature.
ELEMENTARY 2 – 60 hrs
Elementary Swahili classes – 2 is designed for those learners who have completed Elementary Swahili 1. Therefore, the course aims at further immersion in use of the Swahili and its cultural context. Further, teaching is predominantly in Swahili and students are expected to prepare for class discussions and presentations. Effective communication in Swahili is the aim of this course.
Moreover, students will be expected to participate in ‘real life’ situations through role play. For example, bargaining for goods at a local market. Students will form discussion groups to express thoughts and opinions. There will be written work involving translation.
At the end of Swahili Elementary 2, students will have achieved a basic level of fluency in the spoken language and will have a good working knowledge of advanced grammatical structures.
Finally, there’s nothing better than being able to express yourself confidently to your clients and colleagues.
The Kiswahili Intermediate level deals with more advanced forms of expression, grammar and vocabulary required for an intermediate qualification.
Therefore, it will equip the learner with language skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking) and cultural information to make one a competent user of Swahili.
Additionally, the course will provide the learner with the opportunity to enhance soft skills such as collaboration and respect for others’ opinions. Others are etiquette, planning and managing one’s learning, etc
At the end of the Swahili course, the learner should be able to speak Swahili with confidence and be able to do the following tasks:
- Make traveling arrangements in Swahili;
- Describe leisure activities;
- Express and defend an opinion on an issue;
- Explain dreams and hopes;
- Write simple texts on familiar topics;
- Discuss political and economic activities;
- Write an official letter;
- Translate documents from Swahili to English and vice-versa;
- Highlight the main points of a newspaper article, news item, etc;
- Write short poems;
- Read and answer questions on short Swahili narratives;
- Discuss social issues such as marriage, art, dances, etc;
- Explain environmental issues such as climate change, sanitation, water, etc.;
- Answer questions on an extract of a Swahili novel;
- Work effectively in groups;
- Respect netiquette;
- Plan and manage one’s learning (learning autonomy).
Study Options for Swahili Classes
Firstly, there are several study options we have tailored to your needs and convenience. You may want to complete one level in a matter of days or weeks. For example, you can take Immersion program, which will take 5 weeks to learn Beginners Swahili. Therefore, the same duration applies to level A2. This is ideal for those who want to settle in a new language and environment soonest.
Yet some students are comfortable with a slow paced program. If you are busy at work, you can take a less intense program like the extensive or standard option, but this will take a little longer to complete one level. This entirely depends on you!
Study Options & Course Duration
| Options | Hours / day | Lesson / Week | Hours / Month |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Standard |
1.5 |
3 |
24 |
|
Semi Intensive |
2 |
4 |
32 |
|
Intensive |
2 |
5 |
40 |
|
Super Intensive |
3 |
5 |
60 |
|
Immersion |
5 |
5 |
100 |
Importance of Learning Swahili
Connect Seamlessly With Every Swahili Speaker
Almost everyone in East Africa, speaks Kiswahili. From Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, southern Somalia, Zanzibar, the Comoros, and Southern Malawi up to the Sultanate of Oman. Swahili, also called Kiswahili in its native name, is a Bantu language. It’s also the first language of the Swahili people.
Swahili, (or Kiswahili as it is called in Swahili language) is the most important and widely studied indigenous language of Africa. Moreover, It is the national and official language of Kenya and Tanzania.
As a result, it is spoken as a native language on the East coast of Africa. Similarly, it is native to the islands adjacent to the coast from Southern Somalia down through the Kenyan and Tanzanian coasts.
Language of Global Media
Radio broadcasts such as the British Broadcast Corporation air Swahili language programs. Similarly, the Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, Radio China International, Radio Japan also air the Kiswahili broadcasts.
Moreover, we hear Kiswahili in songs of famous singers such as Miriam Makeba and in popular films like the Lion King. African-Americans refer to their annual cultural festival as Kwanzaa. It is derived from the Swahili word kwanza or ‘first.’
Most Studied African Language
Swahili, undoubtedly is the king of African languages. It’s stature and importance continues to grow by the day. Several countries in Africa have adopted Kiswahili as one of their languages and is being taught in schools. It will soon become the language to unite Africa.
Academic institutions from Japan in the east to Mexico in the west teach Swahili. It can be used to fulfill language requirements. The study of Swahili also provides interesting issues regarding language policies and language planning.
Whatever the area of research one is in, be it linguistics, anthropology, geography, archaeology, or even sociology, knowledge of Swahili and its many varieties is essential if one is working in the East African region.
There are many benefits of speaking the Swahili language. This includes the fact that it serves as a good vehicle to accessing Swahili culture. Kiswahili has a long written tradition and remarkable history.
Finally, speaking Kiswahili enhances the credibility of researchers interested in East Africa. Moreover, it endears them unto the host community.
A Rich Culture & History
Swahili has a long history and culture. It dates from the time of Arabian traders over many centuries. Under the influence of Arabs, Swahili became the lingua franca of the several closely related Bantu-speaking tribal groups.
Much of Swahili’s Bantu vocabulary has cognates in the Pokomo, Taita and Mijikenda languages. Additionally, it has relies on, to a lesser extent, other East African Bantu languages.
Learning Kiswahili therefore enhances your integration into the local culture. In addition, it will enhance your work experience. Lastly, it will endears you much unto the local community.
The success of your mission may well depend on your ability to learn and speak Swahili. This will enhance effective communication which is a recipe for success in any undertaking. We are here to ensure you succeed with us.