Each of South Africa’s 11 languages has a fascinating vocabulary, with some words and phrases influenced by other languages, and many unique to that language. Learn a little South African with these animations.

Most tourist guides to South Africa give you only basic phrases – hello, goodbye, how much? But our languages are richer and more complex than that.
Get the flavour of South Africa’s languages, and learn to speak them a little, with these animations.

• Read more: The 11 languages of South Africa

Afrikaans

isiNdebele

isiXhosa

isiZulu

Sesotho

Sesotho sa Leboa

Setswana

siSwati

Tshivenda

Xitsonga

… and English

Finally, when you’re in South Africa

… learn to say the name of the country you’re in.

Researched, written and designed by Mary Alexander.
Updated 28 February 2018.

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