Swahili, or Kiswahili, is an official language in Tanzania and Kenya and a working language of the African Union. Estimates of how many people speak it run from about 100 million to more than 200 million, and most of them speak it as a second language. Many apps teach Swahili words and phrases, and fewer give you real Swahili to read and listen to once you know the basics.
Here are the apps and services that teach Swahili, grouped by what they help you do. You can start with one and add another when you need it.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
Bubblegum suits learners who want Swahili built around their own lives. Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, what you want to learn. She writes lessons for your level and helps you understand the words and grammar. You can read and listen, and ask her about anything that is unclear. News and stories give you more Swahili to read about music, food, family, and other things you care about.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum does not replace real Swahili voices. For recorded speakers, Pimsleur and Mango are the better fit, and for conversation, try the apps in Learn With People.
- Read Swahili lessons for free.
- Lessons fit your level, interests, and goals.
- Read and listen to news and stories in Swahili about things you care about.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, so you review them by reading instead of using flashcards.
- Lesson audio uses AI voices, not recordings of Swahili speakers.
- You cannot import your own books or articles.
- The free plan includes one new custom lesson each day.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Follow a Swahili Course
If you want someone to choose what comes next, start here. These apps give you an ordered path through Swahili words and sentences.
Duolingo
Duolingo's page lists 666,000 learners for its Swahili course. It is a good way to start with first words and sentences. Add a grammar resource or a tutor when you want to know why Swahili words change.
- A free Swahili course for English speakers.
- Game-like lessons built for about five minutes of practice.
MobileWeb
Memrise
Memrise teaches Swahili words and phrases for real situations. You watch native speakers say them, and you can practice speaking with an AI partner.
- More than 300 lessons on topics such as travel, work, and food.
- More than 130 videos of native speakers.
MobileWeb
Mango Languages
Mango Languages teaches Swahili through conversations. You can compare your pronunciation with a native speaker's recording. Check your local library first, since many libraries include Mango.
- Grammar notes, culture notes, and thousands of native-speaker recordings.
- Many public libraries give free access with a library card.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Ling
Ling teaches Swahili in short lessons with grammar tips. In its Dialog feature, you take part in a conversation by picking the best reply.
- Speaking practice from hundreds of real-life dialogues.
- Lessons you can download for offline practice.
- Flashcards
Mobile
Practice Speaking and Listening
Pimsleur
Pimsleur suits learners who want to start speaking before they read much. You hear a prompt, answer out loud, and then hear the answer.
- 30 audio lessons of about 30 minutes each.
- Speak Easy Conversations and digital flash cards alongside the audio.
MobileWeb
Build Vocabulary
Drops
Drops lets you swipe and tap your way through Swahili words in short sessions. Topics include animals and food.
- More than 2,500 Swahili words and phrases.
- Five-minute word games with pictures.
Mobile
uTalk
uTalk uses short lessons with native-speaker audio and memory games. You can pick a topic to start with, or begin with first words and greetings.
- More than 2,500 words and phrases in more than 60 topics.
- Record your voice and compare it with native speakers.
MobileWeb
Clozemaster
Clozemaster asks you to fill in the missing word in a Swahili sentence. You can pick from choices or type the answer, and words you miss come back for review.
- Learn each Swahili word inside a real sentence.
- Sentences come in order from the most common words.
MobileWeb
Read and Listen to Swahili
LingQ
LingQ is a reading and listening app. You tap words you do not know to see what they mean and save them for review. It can also bring in Swahili from sources such as YouTube videos, podcasts, and ebooks.
- Swahili audio lessons with matching text, plus 62 Mini Stories read aloud by a native speaker.
- Save new words as you read and review them later.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Learn With People
Choose a tutor if you want teaching and correction. Choose a language exchange if you want a practice partner and are happy to help with English in return.
italki
italki's tutor profiles show Swahili teachers from Kenya and Tanzania, some with more than ten years of teaching experience.
- Choose a Swahili tutor and book lessons that fit your schedule.
- Tutors offer conversation practice, grammar lessons, and beginner courses.
MobileWeb
Preply
Preply lists Swahili tutors, including tutors from Kenya. Read their profiles to find one who fits your level and goals.
- Filter Swahili tutors by price, availability, and background.
- Browse tutor pages for advanced learners, adults, and native speakers.
MobileWeb
HelloTalk
HelloTalk has a page for finding Swahili language partners. Chat by message, then join a voice room when you want to speak.
- Practice Swahili in voice rooms and live streams.
- Share posts and get corrections from the community.
Mobile
More Ways to Read, Listen, and Study
Free courses from public sources are easy to find for Swahili. Live Lingua hosts the Peace Corps Kiswahili Language Manual for Tanzania, which has 76 lessons with vocabulary, dialogues, grammar notes, and exercises. It also hosts three Swahili courses from the Foreign Service Institute, with audio you can practice along with.
For real Swahili at natural speed, try the news. The University of Wisconsin's list of useful Swahili websites recommends BBC News Swahili, DW Kiswahili, and Mwananchi, a Tanzanian news site.
When you need a word, MobiTUKI is a Swahili-English dictionary from the Institute of Kiswahili Research at the University of Dar es Salaam. It has more than 14,000 entries and works offline on iPhone and Android.
Learn Swahili in Your Language
These counts cover menu-language choices, including script variants. Other apps’ counts and full lists come from their iPhone listings. Lesson explanations and other platforms may differ.
| App | Supported Display Languages | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 74 | Full list
|
| Duolingo | 32 | Full list |
| Memrise | 22 | Full list |
| Mango Languages | 2 | Full list |
| Ling | 67 | Full list |
| Pimsleur | 3 | Full list |
| Drops | 16 | Full list |
| uTalk | 1 | Full list |
| Clozemaster | 37 | Full list |
| LingQ | 17 | Full list |
| italki | 19 | Full list |
| Preply | 19 | Full list |
| HelloTalk | 16 | Full list |
Other Apps We Looked At (8)
- SwahiliPod101Audio and video Swahili lessons in five levels, from Absolute Beginner to Advanced, with new lessons each week and live group classes.
- NKENNEAn app for African languages that includes Swahili, with conversational audio lessons, time-synced captions, a learner community, and live tutoring with native speakers.
- SebmitaA free app with short, game-like lessons for African languages, including Swahili, that cover speaking, reading, listening, and writing.
- Language TransferA free audio course where a teacher talks a beginner through Swahili vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. It needs no sign-up and has no ads.
- GlossikaSentence-based audio training with Swahili levels from A1 to C1 and more than 5,000 words and sentences.
- TalkpalAn AI chat partner that gives feedback on your Swahili pronunciation.
- TandemLists Swahili among its languages, with language exchange pages for Dar es Salaam and Nairobi.
- Simply Learn SwahiliA free app with Swahili flashcards and spaced repetition.
Common Questions
Which Swahili app should a beginner choose?
Start with Duolingo if you want a free course, or Drops if you want to learn words with pictures. Add Pimsleur if you want to speak from the start, or Mango if your library offers it. Bubblegum suits learners who want lessons around their own interests. Swahili uses the Latin alphabet, so you do not need to learn a new script first.
Can I learn Swahili for free?
Yes. Duolingo's Swahili course is free, and many libraries give free access to Mango. Language Transfer has a free audio course, and Live Lingua hosts free Peace Corps and Foreign Service Institute courses. Bubblegum's lesson library is free to read too.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. You can read the free lesson library and ask Poppy for one new custom lesson each day on iPhone and Android. Become a Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons and to support our team.
Sources
- UNESCO: World Kiswahili Language Day
- Wikipedia: Swahili language
- IOL: African Union adopts Swahili as official working language
- Live Lingua: Peace Corps Kiswahili Language Manual for Tanzania
- Live Lingua: Free FSI Swahili courses
- University of Wisconsin: Useful Swahili websites
- MobiTUKI Swahili-English dictionary
- Bubblegum
- Duolingo
- Memrise
- Mango Languages
- Ling
- Pimsleur
- Drops
- uTalk
- Clozemaster
- LingQ
- italki
- Preply
- HelloTalk
Checked on October 4, 2026 against each app's own pages.
