No tones, but prefixes matter
Swahili has no tones, but “M-” vs “Wa-” changes everything. “Mtoto” = child, “Watoto” = children. Lina will catch it.
Learn Swahili · 2Lingua
Learn Swahili by speaking it. 🇹🇿
Don't just memorize words. Have real conversations with Lina — greet Mama Ntilie at the food stall, bargain at Kariakoo Market, joke with your cousins in Nairobi. Like a tutor, but for $7 a month.
30 min/day voice • Report card after every chat • No download
See Lina in action
Lina plays Mama Ntilie
LinaKaribu! Habari yako? Unataka nini leo?Welcome! How are you? What would you like today?
YouNzuri sana, asante. Ninataka ugali na nyama choma.Very good, thanks. I want ugali and grilled meat.
LinaSawa! Na pilipili? Unataka maji pia?OK! With chilli? Do you want water too?
✅ “Ninataka ugali” = perfect - you used “I want” correctly
💡 Tip: In Swahili, you don't say “I am hungry” with “to be”. You say “Nina njaa” = “I have hunger”. Lina will teach you these.
Why Swahili is different
Polite vs casual
Learn when to say “Shikamoo” (respect to elders) vs “Jambo” (casual). Get it wrong and Lina corrects you.
Real life, not textbook
Markets, dala-dala buses, chai time, family visits — not just "the cat is on the table."
What you'll learn
- Week 1Greetings for morning, afternoon, night + introducing yourself + “Shikamoo”
- Week 2Market + food - ordering, prices, bargaining at Kariakoo
- Week 3Family + respect - elders, titles, “pole” and “asante”
- Week 4Daily life - transport, phone calls, small talk, directions
5 phrases you'll speak today
A free preview. Press ▶ to hear each one, then say it out loud.
- 1Jambo!Hello! (casual)
- 2Habari yako?How are you?
- 3Asante sanaThank you very much
- 4Jina langu ni...My name is...
- 5Bei gani?How much is it?
Conversations with Lina work in Swahili today. The phrasebook, stories and podcasts are in Spanish and German so far; more languages are coming.
Free vs paid for Swahili
FREE
- Read this page
- The 5 phrases above
- 1 free text demo with Lina (3 min)
PAID · $7/mo
- 30 min/day voice with Lina in Swahili
- Unlimited text chat
- Full report cards
- Full phrasebook
- Unlimited vocabulary garden
Swahili questions
Is Swahili hard?
It's one of the easiest African languages for English speakers — no tones, words are pronounced as written. Most learners can order food in 1 week.
Kenyan or Tanzanian Swahili?
We teach standard Swahili used in both, with notes when Nairobi slang differs from Dar es Salaam.
Can I learn for travel?
Yes, perfect for safari, Zanzibar, business in East Africa.
Does Lina understand Sheng?
Lina understands common Nairobi Sheng words and will tell you when you're being too formal.