Swati (siSwati)

Swati is part of the Nguni group of Bantu languages and is spoken by about 1.5 million people in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and South Africa. It is one of the eleven official languages in South Africa and is taught in the schools of Eswatini, and in some South African schools. Swati, which is also known as Swazi, is closely related to Phuthi, a language spoken in Lesotho, and to Zulu, Ndebele and Xhosa.

Swati has four main varietes: Lubombo, Hhohho, Manzini and Shiselweni, which correspond with the four administrative regions of Eswatini.

Swati alphabet and pronunciation

Swati alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Swati (Excel)

Sample text in Swati

Bonkhe bantfu batalwa bakhululekile balingana ngalokufananako ngesitfunti nangemalungelo. Baphiwe ingcondvo nekucondza kanye nanembeza ngakoke bafanele batiphatse nekutsi baphatse nalabanye ngemoya webuzalwane.

Sample videos

Information about Swazi | Phrases | Numbers | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about Swati languages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swati_language
http://www.southafrica.com/languages/swati/
http://www.cyberserv.co.za/users/~jako/lang/siswati/

Swati phrases
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Swazi_phrasebook
https://ss.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Basic_words_in_Swati_(s%C3%ADNg%C3%ADsi)
http://lincayam.blogspot.co.uk/p/speak-siswati-like-true-swazi.html
http://www.royaljoziniaccommodation.co.za/some-local-words-and-phrases-that-will-enhance-your-swazi-adventure/
http://www.salanguages.com/siswati/words.htm
http://files.peacecorps.gov/multimedia/audio/languagelessons/swaziland/SZ_siSwati_language_Lessons.pdf
http://bryanmarsh.myadventures.org/?filename=siswati-lesson

Bantu languages

Bangi, Basaa, Bemba, Bena, Benga, Bukusu, Bulu, Chichewa, Chokwe, Chuwabu, Comorian, Digo, Duala, Eton, Ewondo, Fang, Ganda/Luganda, Gogo, Gusii, Gwere, Haya, Herero, Ikizu, Jita, Kamba, Kiga, Kikuyu, Kimbundu, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Kisi, Kongo, Konjo, Koti, Kunda, Kuria, Lambya, Lingala, Loma, Lozi, Luba-Katanga, Luchazi, Lunda, Luvale, Makaa, Makonde, Makhuwa, Mandekan, Maore, Masaaba, Mbunda, Mende, Mongo, Mushungulu, Mwani, Nande, Nkore, North Teke, Northern Ndebele (South Africa), Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe), Northern Sotho, Nyamwezi, Nyakyusa, Nyemba, Nyole, Nyungwe, Nzadi, Oroko, OshiWambo, Punu, Ronga, Sena, Sengele, Shona, Soga, Songe, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Sukuma, Swahili, Swati, Tanga, Tembo, Tonga, Tshiluba, Tsonga, Tswa, Tswana, Tumbuka, Umbundu, Venda, Xhosa, Yao, Yasa, Zigula, Zinza, Zulu

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 09.03.24

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