Swati language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Swazi |
|
|---|---|
| SiSwati | |
| Native to | Swaziland, South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique |
| Native speakers | 2.3 million (2006–2011)e18 2.4 million L2 speakers in South Africa (2002) |
| Language family |
Niger–Congo
|
| Writing system | Latin (Swazi alphabet) Swazi Braille |
| Official status | |
| Official language in | Swaziland South Africa |
| Guthrie code | S.43 |
| Linguasphere | 99-AUT-fe |
SiSwati (also known as Swazi) is a language spoken mainly in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) and South Africa. It belongs to the Bantu languages family, specifically the Nguni group. About 1.5 million people speak SiSwati. It is one of the eleven official languages in South Africa.
SiSwati is taught in schools in Eswatini. It is also taught in some schools in South Africa. This language is quite similar to other languages like Phuthi (spoken in Lesotho), Zulu, Ndebele, and Xhosa.
Where is SiSwati Spoken?
SiSwati is the main language of Eswatini, a country in Southern Africa. It is also widely spoken in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa. You can also find SiSwati speakers in parts of Lesotho and Mozambique.
Different Ways of Speaking SiSwati
Just like many languages, SiSwati has different ways of being spoken, called dialects or varieties. There are four main varieties of SiSwati. These varieties are named after the four main areas (administrative regions) in Eswatini:
- Shiselweni
- Hhohho
- Manzini
- Lubombo
People from these different regions might have slight differences in how they pronounce words or use certain phrases. However, they can still understand each other easily.
See also
In Spanish: Idioma suazi para niños
