2,000+ Heritage Languages
Heritage Languages
Explore the rich linguistic heritage of Africa. Learn phrases, discover language families, and help preserve endangered tongues.
Language Families
Niger-Congo
The world's largest language family by number of languages
700+ million
speakers
Languages
YorubaIgboSwahiliZuluShonaAkan+2 more
West Africa • Central Africa • East Africa • Southern Africa
Afroasiatic
Ancient family spanning North and East Africa
500+ million
speakers
Languages
ArabicAmharicHausaOromoTigrinyaSomali+1 more
North Africa • Horn of Africa • Sahel
Nilo-Saharan
Diverse family across the Sahara and Nile regions
50+ million
speakers
Languages
DinkaLuoKanuriMaasaiNubianFur+1 more
Sudan • South Sudan • Chad • Kenya • Tanzania
Khoisan
Ancient click languages of Southern Africa
400,000+
speakers
Languages
!KungKhoekhoeSandaweHadza
Botswana • Namibia • South Africa • Tanzania
Featured Languages
Swahili
Kiswahili
Jambo
Lingua franca of East Africa, blending Bantu and Arabic influences
100+ million
Learn more
Tanzania •Kenya •Uganda •DRC •Rwanda
Yoruba
Èdè Yorùbá
Bawo ni
Tonal language with rich oral tradition and diaspora presence
45+ million
Learn more
Nigeria •Benin •Togo •Brazil •Cuba
Amharic
አማርኛ
ሰላም (Selam)
Official language of Ethiopia with unique Ge'ez script
32+ million
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Ethiopia
Hausa
Harshen Hausa
Sannu
Major trade language of West Africa with extensive literature
70+ million
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Nigeria •Niger •Ghana •Cameroon
Zulu
isiZulu
Sawubona
Most widely spoken home language in South Africa
12+ million
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South Africa •Zimbabwe •Lesotho
Igbo
Asụsụ Igbo
Nnọọ
Language of the Igbo people with many dialects
30+ million
Learn more
Nigeria
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