Approximately Different Languages | 70 Are Spoken in Africa 2025

Different Languages

5 min read

When people search for “approximately different languages are spoken in Africa”, they’re usually curious about the rich diversity of African languages.

Africa is often called the cradle of humanity, and its linguistic variety proves why. With thousands of dialects and distinct tongues, every word spoken on this continent tells a story of history, culture, and connection.

This blog will not only explain the phrase “approximately different languages are spoken in Africa”, but also give you 70 examples of African languages with translations, pronunciations, and example sentences.

That way, you can learn how languages shape communication across the continent and use them in everyday conversations, cultural exchanges, or even travel.

How to Say “Language” in 70 Different African Languages

Swahili (🇰🇪) – Lugha | Pronunciation: loo-ghah | Example: Kiswahili ni lugha nzuri. (Swahili is a beautiful language.)
Zulu (🇿🇦) – Ulimi | Pronunciation: oo-lee-mee | Example: IsiZulu ulimi oluhle. (Zulu is a beautiful language.)
Xhosa (🇿🇦) – Ulwimi | Pronunciation: ool-wee-mee | Example: Ulwimi lwesiXhosa lulungile. (The Xhosa language is good.)
Afrikaans (🇿🇦) – Taal | Pronunciation: taahl | Example: Afrikaans is ’n maklike taal. (Afrikaans is an easy language.)
Amharic (🇪🇹) – ቋንቋ (Kwan’kwa) | Pronunciation: kwan-kwa | Example: አማርኛ ቋንቋ ነው። (Amharic is a language.)
Tigrinya (🇪🇷) – ቋንቋ (Kwan’kwa) | Pronunciation: kwan-kwa | Example: ትግርኛ ቋንቋ ይጠቅማል። (Tigrinya is a useful language.)
Oromo (🇪🇹) – Afaan | Pronunciation: ah-fahn | Example: Afaan Oromoo ni bareeddu. (Oromo is beautiful.)
Somali (🇸🇴) – Af | Pronunciation: ahf | Example: Af-Soomaali waa luqad fiican. (Somali is a good language.)
Hausa (🇳🇬) – Harshe | Pronunciation: har-sheh | Example: Hausa harshe ne mai kyau. (Hausa is a good language.)
Yoruba (🇳🇬) – Ede | Pronunciation: eh-deh | Example: Ede Yoruba dara pupo. (Yoruba is very good.)
Igbo (🇳🇬) – Asụsụ | Pronunciation: ah-soo-soo | Example: Asụsụ Igbo mara mma. (Igbo is beautiful.)
Shona (🇿🇼) – Mutauro | Pronunciation: moo-tah-oo-roh | Example: Mutauro weChiShona wakaisvonaka. (Shona is beautiful.)
Ndebele (🇿🇼) – Ulimi | Pronunciation: oo-lee-mee | Example: IsiNdebele ulimi oluhle. (Ndebele is a beautiful language.)
Chewa (🇲🇼) – Chilankhulo | Pronunciation: chee-lahn-khoo-loh | Example: Chichewa ndi chilankhulo chabwino. (Chewa is a good language.)
Bemba (🇿🇲) – Ulimi | Pronunciation: oo-lee-mee | Example: IciBemba ulimi wabwino. (Bemba is a good language.)
Sesotho (🇱🇸) – Puo | Pronunciation: poo-oh | Example: Sesotho ke puo e ntle. (Sesotho is a beautiful language.)
Setswana (🇧🇼) – Puo | Pronunciation: poo-oh | Example: Setswana ke puo e ntle. (Setswana is a beautiful language.)
Venda (🇿🇦) – Luambo | Pronunciation: loo-ahm-boh | Example: Luambo lwa Venda lwo nakisa. (Venda is nice.)
Tsonga (🇿🇦) – Ririmi | Pronunciation: ree-ree-mee | Example: Xitsonga i ririmi ra kahle. (Tsonga is a good language.)
Ganda (🇺🇬) – Olulimi | Pronunciation: oh-loo-lee-mee | Example: Oluganda lulimi olulungile. (Ganda is a good language.)
Luo (🇰🇪) – Dho | Pronunciation: dhoh | Example: Dholuo en dho maber. (Luo is a good language.)
Kinyarwanda (🇷🇼) – Ururimi | Pronunciation: oo-roo-ree-mee | Example: Ururimi rw’Ikinyarwanda ni rwiza. (Kinyarwanda is nice.)
Kirundi (🇧🇮) – Ururimi | Pronunciation: oo-roo-ree-mee | Example: Ururimi rw’Ikirundi ni rwiza. (Kirundi is nice.)
Lingala (🇨🇩) – Lokota | Pronunciation: loh-koh-tah | Example: Lingala ezali lokota malamu. (Lingala is good.)
Kongo (🇨🇩) – Lingi | Pronunciation: lin-ghee | Example: Kikongo ezali lingi malamu. (Kongo is a good language.)
Wolof (🇸🇳) – Lakk | Pronunciation: lahk | Example: Wolof lakk bu baax la. (Wolof is good.)
Fula (🇸N/🇬M/🇳E) – Pular | Pronunciation: poo-lahr | Example: Pular ena jeyaa. (Fula is beautiful.)
Bambara (🇲🇱) – Kan | Pronunciation: kahn | Example: Bamanankan ka kan kelen ye. (Bambara is one language.)
Mandinka (🇬🇲) – Kango | Pronunciation: kahn-go | Example: Mandinka kango ke. (Mandinka is a language.)
Songhai (🇲🇱/🇳E) – Koyra | Pronunciation: koy-rah | Example: Songhai koyra baani. (Songhai is a language.)
Tuareg (🇳E) – Tamasheq | Pronunciation: tah-mah-shek | Example: Tamasheq is spoken in the desert.
Berber (🇲🇦) – Tamaziɣt | Pronunciation: tah-mah-zeet | Example: Tamaziɣt d tameslayt n lḥub. (Berber is a language of love.)
Arabic (North Africa) (🇪🇬/🇲🇦/🇩🇿) – لغة (Lugha) | Pronunciation: loo-ghah | Example: اللغة العربية جميلة. (Arabic is beautiful.)
Kabyle (🇩🇿) – Taqbaylit | Pronunciation: taq-bye-leet | Example: Taqbaylit d tameslayt tameɣruft. (Kabyle is an old language.)
Tamasheq (🇲🇱) – Tamahaq | Pronunciation: ta-mah-haq | Example: Tamahaq is spoken among Tuareg.
Mossi (🇧🇫) – Lèm | Pronunciation: lehm | Example: Mooré lèm ka baase. (Mossi is a great language.)
Dagbani (🇬🇭) – N-yɛla | Pronunciation: nyeh-lah | Example: Dagbani n-yɛla ka yɛla. (Dagbani is a language.)
Ewe (🇬🇭/🇹🇬) – Gbè | Pronunciation: gbeh | Example: Eʋegbe ƒe gbè lɔlɔ̃. (Ewe is a sweet language.)
Ga (🇬🇭) – Kɛlɛ | Pronunciation: keh-leh | Example: Ga kɛlɛ yɛ fɛɛ. (Ga language is good.)
Akan (🇬🇭) – Kasa | Pronunciation: kah-sah | Example: Twi kasa yɛ dɛ. (Twi is nice.)
Fang (🇬🇶/🇬A) – Nsú | Pronunciation: en-soo | Example: Fang nsú mɔ. (Fang is a language.)
Sango (🇨🇫) – Ngbandi | Pronunciation: ng-ban-dee | Example: Sango ezali ngbandi. (Sango is a language.)
Kanuri (🇳🇪/🇳G) – Kanembu | Pronunciation: kah-nen-boo | Example: Kanuri language is spoken in Nigeria.
Tiv (🇳🇬) – Taren | Pronunciation: tah-ren | Example: Tiv taren u sha. (Tiv is a language.)
Idoma (🇳🇬) – Ede | Pronunciation: eh-deh | Example: Idoma ede ka ma. (Idoma is a language.)
Nupe (🇳🇬) – Tsó | Pronunciation: tsoh | Example: Nupe tsó ga da. (Nupe is a language.)
Ibibio (🇳🇬) – Ekpo | Pronunciation: ek-poh | Example: Ibibio ekpo enye. (Ibibio is a language.)
Efik (🇳🇬) – Ufok | Pronunciation: oo-fok | Example: Efik ufok mma. (Efik is a good language.)
Kikuyu (🇰🇪) – Gĩkũyũ | Pronunciation: gee-koo-yoo | Example: Gĩkũyũ nĩ rurimi rwakwa. (Kikuyu is my language.)
Meru (🇰🇪) – Kimeru | Pronunciation: kee-meh-roo | Example: Kimeru is spoken in Kenya.
Kamba (🇰🇪) – Kikamba | Pronunciation: kee-kahm-bah | Example: Kikamba is spoken in Kenya.
Pokomo (🇰🇪) – Kipokomo | Pronunciation: kee-poh-koh-moh | Example: Kipokomo is spoken along Tana River.
Chaga (🇹🇿) – Kichaga | Pronunciation: kee-chah-gah | Example: Kichaga is spoken near Kilimanjaro.
Sukuma (🇹🇿) – Kisukuma | Pronunciation: kee-soo-koo-mah | Example: Kisukuma is widely spoken in Tanzania.
Makonde (🇹🇿/🇲🇿) – Shimakonde | Pronunciation: shee-mah-kon-deh | Example: Shimakonde is spoken in Mozambique and Tanzania.
Yao (🇲🇿/🇲🇼) – Chiyao | Pronunciation: chee-yah-oh | Example: Chiyao is spoken in Malawi and Mozambique.
Tswana (🇧🇼) – Puo | Pronunciation: poo-oh | Example: Setswana ke puo e ntle. (Setswana is beautiful.)
Herero (🇳🇦) – Otjiherero | Pronunciation: oh-jee-heh-reh-roh | Example: Otjiherero is spoken in Namibia.
Nama (🇳🇦) – Khoekhoegowab | Pronunciation: khoe-khoe-go-wab | Example: Nama is spoken by the Nama people.
Chewa (🇲🇼) – Chilankhulo | Pronunciation: chee-lahn-khoo-loh | Example: Chichewa is a national language of Malawi.
Fon (🇧🇯) – Fɔngbè | Pronunciation: fohn-gbeh | Example: Fɔngbè is spoken in Benin.
Edo (🇳🇬) – Ẹdo | Pronunciation: eh-doh | Example: Ẹdo is spoken in Edo State, Nigeria.
Bassa (🇱🇷) – Bassa | Pronunciation: bah-sah | Example: Bassa is spoken in Liberia.
Kpelle (🇱🇷/🇬🇳) – Kpɛlɛ | Pronunciation: kp-eh-leh | Example: Kpelle is a major Liberian language.
Vai (🇱🇷) – Vai | Pronunciation: vai | Example: Vai is known for its script.
Krio (🇸🇱) – Krio | Pronunciation: kree-oh | Example: Krio is widely spoken in Sierra Leone.
Temne (🇸🇱) – Themne | Pronunciation: tem-neh | Example: Temne is spoken in Sierra Leone.
Mende (🇸🇱) – Mɛnde | Pronunciation: men-deh | Example: Mende is another Sierra Leonean language.
Dogon (🇲🇱) – Toro | Pronunciation: toh-roh | Example: Dogon is spoken in Mali.