Learn to speak Swahili  

Swahili Language

Swahili CD-ROM
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Where does Swahili come from?
The Swahili language is one of the Bantu languages, which form a branch of the Niger-Congo family. Swahili is one of the most widely spoken African tongues.

The name Swahili is derived from an Arabic word meaning 'coastal'. It developed among Arabic speaking settlers, in about the 7th century.

How many people speak Swahili?
Swahili is the mother tongue of perhaps only a million people, but at least 10 million more speak it fluently as a second language .

In how many countries?
It is the official language of both Tanzania and Kenya, and is also spoken in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Zaire.

Swahili Culture

Swahili Music and Dance
Tarab or 'Tarabu' music in Swahili, is one of the most ancient forms of entertainment on the Eastern Coast of Africa. It's a fusion of Swahili tunes sung in rhyme form, along with Arabic or Indian melodies. Traditionally, Tarabu was performed at weddings and social gatherings.

Swahili Food and Drink
The East African diet is starch based, with millet, sorghum, bananas and milk (mostly found as curds and whey) as foundations. East African cuisine is also distinctive for the almost total absence of meat. Cattle, sheep and goats tend to be regarded as a form of currency, as opposed to food.

The many pilaf dishes and the use of steamed and spiced rice, pomegranate juice, saffron, cloves and cinnamon in East African dishes reflect the influence of the Arabic culture. The Portuguese influence on East African cuisine is shown in the use of orange, lemon, and lime, derived from their Asian colonies. They also brought foods from the New World, such as chillies, peppers, corn, tomato, pineapples and banana. In addition to growing cashews, Mozambique is best known for its 'piripiri', or hot pepper dishes, which are Portuguese in origin.

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This is an excitingly different language learning series. Talk Now! uses games and quizzes as a basis for making the learning process fun, easy and relaxing. There is no better way to teach an old dog new tricks and this fun element of the program means that your fears are forgotten as you absorb words and phrases without even realising you are learning them.

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