RESOURCES FOR LEARNING SWAHILI

Here are the resources I consider essential to learn how to speak Swahili.

NATIVE
SPEAKERS:
18,000,000

OFFICIAL
LANGUAGE IN:
4 COUNTRIES

Full disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.



FAVORITE COURSES AND APPS TO IMPROVE YOUR SWAHILI

SwahiliPod101 - Offers an innovative, fun, and easy to use language learning system that is designed to get you speaking from the very first lesson. Learn at your own convenience and pace with our short, effective, and fun audio podcast lessons, a comprehensive, state-of-the-art Learning Center, and a vibrant user community.

Glossika Swahili - Sentences and repetition are used to teach. Glossika teaches you Swahili in context by combining the "mass sentence approach" with an innovative spaced repetition system. This course is ideal for upper-beginner to advanced students.

Assimil Swahili - The Assimil method for teaching foreign languages is through the listening of audio cd's and the reading of an accompanying book, one side native language, one side foreign language. This method is focused on learning whole sentences, for an organic learning of the grammar. It begins with a long passive phase of only reading and listening, and eventually adds active exercises.

Ling - Learn and play with Master Ling, an interactive platform filled with language courses, quizzes, and fun mini-games! Lessons are taught through engaging games, such as picture matching, flashcards, and sentence arrangement to keep you up and going. Plus, it’s got an engaging chatbot you can practice with!

Mango Languages - Mango utilizes its proprietary methodology, engaging interface, and easy, intuitive interactive tools to deliver practical conversational skills and valuable cultural insight for new languages. Lessons include strategically placed memory-building exercises to help users remember what they are learning in addition to critical thinking exercises, which help them to intuitively understand the language and adapt it to similar conversations.

Bluebird Languages - Bluebird uses the proven “spaced repetition” learning method to optimize both acquisition and retention. This, combined with instruction in 97% of the world’s most-spoken languages and our special building-block approach, will have you speaking and understanding the language of your choice in record time.

SWAHILI TUTORS: PRACTICE WITH NATIVE SPEAKERS

My method to learning a new language is to speak it from the beginning. I recommend the following tool for this:

Italki - On Skype, it links you with native Swahili speakers for spoken practice. You may pay for (affordable) one-on-one video sessions with Swahili teachers or discover a free language exchange partner! This link will take you directly to the site's Swahili instructors.

LEARN HOW TO READ AND WRITE IN SWAHILI

Colloquial Swahili - Colloquial Swahili provides a step-by-step course in Swahili as it is written and spoken today.

Teach Yourself: Complete Swahili Beginner to Intermediate Course - A Teach Yourself Guide provides you with a clear and comprehensive approach to Swahili, so you can progress quickly from the basics to understanding, speaking, and writing Swahili with confidence.

RESOURCES FOR INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED SWAHILI LEARNERS

LingQ - 1000s of hours of Swahili podcasts, audiobooks, interviews, courses, and more immerses you in a world of engaging Swahili material. Then, whenever you come across a word you don't recognize, you may use LingQ's SRS learning features to store it for later review.

SWAHILI LEARNING WEBSITES YOU MUST USE

In your Swahili study sessions, you'll come back to these materials again and again.

Forvo – Find out how to pronounce any Swahili word. Simply put the word you're looking for into the search bar in Swahili!

START SPEAKING SWAHILI RIGHT NOW

Pimsleur – The Pimsleur method is perfect for you if you want to start speaking right away. Learn anywhere, anytime in just 30 minutes a day. Learn a language while cooking, commuting, exercising and more! Have the flexibility to practice when it’s convenient for you.

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