Swahili?

Former Member · January 2006

Anybody learnt swahili or got any tips on how to learn it? I did french and german GCSE and got A* and A respectively and did A-Level french so should be good at learning languages but I'm going to Tanzania for three weeks over easter to do some charity work and some adventurous training and I need to learn as much swahili as possible but it just isn't sinking in. Any advice would be appreciated x

Former Member · January 2006

You'll find loads of people speak English over there anyway. Or they did in the places I went.

What have you got to learn it by? My dad bought me "Teach Yourself Swahili" which was quite good for a holiday type thing...

Former Member · January 2006

I thought they would speak English a lot like when I went to India I didn't learn any of the languages in places we went but the organisation we're going with has told us to learn some and when we get out there we will be given a couple of lessons but they expect us to know some already.

I have been given some phrases and verbs and thins that they think will be useful to us but maybe a CD would be good so I can hear what it is supposed to sound like. I just don't have much time as I'm studying at uni and preparing for my placement year and I'm in the army so have training which all takes time. I need something that will make it sink in quickly and I don't want to spend too much either!

Was the "Teach Yourself Swahili" that your dad gave you a book?

Former Member · January 2006

Try this

You may find that in some parts of Tanzania, Swahili isn't the first language of ordinary people and I'm sure if it's anything like Uganda the educated classes and those working in tourism will have reasonable English. English and Swahili are the official languages and a few Swahili phrases may help a bit, but I don't think you could ever hope to become fluent before you get there.

I hope you have a fab time though. :thumb:

Former Member · January 2006

if You're going to a big city / town then I'm sure loads will speak english but if you're going somewhere remote then they might not .. going to remote parts of Africa is fun, the kiddies are so cute .. and they all come out to see you cos the don't get to see people of different races all the time, they might take a look at you and think you've just landed from another planet!!

Former Member · January 2006

Kentish wrote:

Try this

You may find that in some parts of Tanzania, Swahili isn't the first language of ordinary people and I'm sure if it's anything like Uganda the educated classes and those working in tourism will have reasonable English. English and Swahili are the official languages and a few Swahili phrases may help a bit, but I don't think you could ever hope to become fluent before you get there.

I hope you have a fab time though. :thumb:

Thanks very much! I shall see if I can see a book like that on ebay to see if its a bit cheaper otherwise I may well just get that!! Thank you.

Former Member · January 2006

DiamondGeezer wrote:

if You're going to a big city / town then I'm sure loads will speak english but if you're going somewhere remote then they might not .. going to remote parts of Africa is fun, the kiddies are so cute .. and they all come out to see you cos the don't get to see people of different races all the time, they might take a look at you and think you've just landed from another planet!!

I found that with the children when i went to India. The kids swarmed round us and wouldn't let go of us, it was so nice and they were so happy even though they had so little. They especially loved the camera!

Swahili?

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