Do you want to access the African market? Is your product or service suited to one of the world’s largest continents? It’s time to think about translating and localizing your content. There are over 1000 African languages, so deciding which one to offer your product or service in can be difficult. Fortunately, we’ve compiled a list of the top ten languages spoken in Africa.
![Top 11 Most Popular African Languages](https://jaybesttrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/images-2022-11-07T220059.803.jpeg)
This list of languages is not in any particular order:
1. SWAHILI
Swahili is the most widely spoken language in Africa, with between 100 and 150 million native speakers. Swahili, a ‘Bantu’ language, appears to have descended from other languages like as Arabic. This is the official language of Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kenya, although it is also spoken in Ethiopia, Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, southern Somalia, northern Mozambique, and the Comoros Islands. Swahili is the primary medium of teaching in schools, and it is not considered a difficult language to master, especially if you already know some Arabic.
2. AMHARIC
Amharic is one of the most widely spoken languages in Ethiopia, with about 20 million speakers. It is the world’s second most spoken Semitic language, after Arabic, and is related to Hebrew, Tigrinya, and other Middle Eastern languages. Amharic is written in the exceedingly distinctive Ge’ez writing system known as ‘fidel.’
3. YORUBA
Yoruba is one of West Africa’s most widely spoken languages, with approximately 30 million speakers in Nigeria, Benin, and Togo combined. This African language comprises about 15 dialects, including Ekiti, Ijebu, Oworo, Ijesha, and Akoko.
4. OROMO
Oromo is a prominent language spoken in nations such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Egypt. This language is spoken by around 30 million people, accounting for more than 40% of Ethiopia’s population. Between 1974 and 1991, the Oromos were barred from writing this language. In fact, it was considered a felony. Later, however, Oromo intellectuals adopted a Latin script, which was then used to teach reading and writing.
5. Hausa
Hausa is one of Nigeria’s official languages, with approximately 40 million speakers spread over the continent. It is also spoken in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Congo, Eritrea, Germany, Ghana, Niger, Sudan, Togo, and other North African nations. Hausa is one of the most advanced languages in Africa, employing both the Boko and Latin alphabets.
6. IGBO
IGBO is also spoken in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea, in addition to Nigeria. This popular African language is spoken by 20 million people and has over 20 distinct dialects, including Owerri, Eche, and, of course, Central Igbo. Because English is the primary literary language taught in Nigerian schools, most Igbo speakers are claimed to be bilingual in English.
7. ZULU
Zulu is one of South Africa’s most frequently spoken languages, with approximately 10 million people speaking it. Zulu is a Bantu language that is closely linked to Xhosa and Ndebele. Indeed, Zulu and Xhosa have such similar dialects that many people mistake them for one language.
8. SHONA
Shona is an African language spoken by approximately 10 million people and is most commonly heard in Zimbabwe with English. There are three Shona dialects: Karanga, Zezuru, and Korekore. Shona, a Bantu/Nguni language, use the Latin script as its writing system.
9. ARABIC
Arabic is spoken by 280 million people globally and is also spoken in Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Libya, Tunisia, and Eritrea. There is Modern Standard Arabic, which is mostly utilized in communication with the majority of Arabic speakers. This is the dialect used to write the language, and it may be found in media and publications. Classical Arabic, on the other hand, is mostly used to acquire the language academically.
10. PORTUGUESE
Did you know that Portuguese is the official language of six African countries? These countries are known as “Lusophone Africa,” and include Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Sao Tome & Principe, and Equatorial Guinea. Portuguese is spoken as a first language by around 14 million people on this continent, with an additional 30 million speaking it as a second language.
11. FRENCH
“Francophone Africa” consists of 26 African countries: Gabon, Mauritius, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Sao Tome & Principe are among the top French-speaking countries on this continent. Aside from these, French is spoken in North African nations such as Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. Over 120 million Africans speak French.
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