Kenya Language
The breed of languages spoken in Kenya
Kenya is a linguistically diverse country. If you visit Kenya, being able to speak some basic Swahili will win you many smiles and it's fun too! Knowledge of Swahili becomes even more essential if you stay or work outside the urban areas and in remote parts of Kenya where most people do not speak English. Apart from English and Swahili which are the official languages each of the 42 ethnic groups has its own unique language.
Official Languages
English is a heritage from Kenya's British colonial past. English is the language of business in Kenya and mode of instruction in Kenyan schools.
Swahili is the national language of Kenya. It is an African language that unifies and spoken by almost 100 percent of the Kenya population. Even the illiterate of Kenyans know some basic Swahili. The purest form of Kiswahili is spoken along the Coast where the native Swahili people live. Besides Kenya, Swahili is one of the main African languages spoken in other countries such as Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda and Zaire.
Indigenous Languages in Kenya
The ethnic languages are spoken mostly in rural settings and at home where all members belong to the same ethnic group. The most dominant of the indigenous languages are Kikuyu, Dholuo and Luhya.
Kikuyu is the language of the Kikuyu people, Kenya's largest ethnic group. It is closely related to the Embu, Mbeere, and Meru languages spoken by neighboring communities in the Mount Kenya region.
The Kikuyu language is widely spoken in Kenyan towns, even by members of other ethnic groups. This is particularly true in business. Since Kikuyu people run the majority of the businesses, it is common to find people conducting business in Kikuyu language. Other businesspeople have therefore had to adapt and learn kikuyu as a matter of necessity.
The Luhya language is not one single language. Rather it is a collection of mutually understood dialects spoken by the Luhya people of Western Kenya. The Luhya are the second biggest ethnic group after the Kikuyu. The two biggest Luhya sub-tribes are Maragoli and Bukusu.
Dholuo is the language of the Luo people, the third most populous ethnic group. The language is so melodical that other Kenyans find it fascinating to listen to.
Sheng
Sheng a popularly spoken slang in the Nairobi capital of Kenya is a mixture of Swahili and English with a sprinkling of other indigenous languages. Sheng is more than just a slang. It's a lifestyle especially among the Nairobi youth who today are more fluent in Sheng than in the purer form of Kiswahili.
Here's some basic Swahili to get you by in Kenya:
Greeting
| Hello | Jambo |
| Good morning | Habari ya asubuhi |
| Good afternoon | Habari ya mchana |
| Good evening | Habari ya jioni |
| Good night | Usiku mwema |
Polite Expressions
| Thank you | Asante |
| Excuse me | Samahani |
| Can I please have.. | Tafadhali nipatie.. |
| Please | Tafadhali |
| You are welcome | Karibu |
| Sorry | Pole |
| No problem | Hakuna matata! |
Introduction
| My name is.. | Ninaitwa / Jina langu ni.. |
| What is your name? | Unaitwa nani? |
| Where are you from? | Unatoka wapi? |
| I come from.. | Ninatoka.. |
Other important English to swahili expressions
| How much money? | Shillingi ngapi? |
| Don't worry | Usijali |
| Safe journey | Safari njema |
| Water | Maji |
| Do you speak english? | Unajua kizungu? |
| Pardon | Samahani |
| Good / Fine | Sawa / Sawasawa |
| Listen | Sikiza |
| What? | Nini? |
| Why? | Kwa nini? |
| Where? | Wapi? |
| Who? | Nani |