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Languages · Africa

Flag of TanzaniaWhat Language Do They Speak in Tanzania?

The official languages of Tanzania are Swahili and English. In total about 113 living languages are spoken there, the most common being Swahili (90%), Swahili (90%) and English (69%).

2
Official languages
113
Living languages · #16
0
Regional official languages
34
Endangered languages

Official languages of Tanzania

Official

Swahili

Kiswahili

90% of the population · Atlantic-Congo

Official

English

69% of the population · Indo-European

Most spoken languages in Tanzania

90%
Swahili Official
90%
English Official
69%
9%
4%
3%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
Share of the population who speak the language (first or second language).

Languages commonly listed for Tanzania

BondeiChaga and PareDigoGogoHaHayaHehetLuguruMakondeNyakusaNyamweziSambaaShambalaSwahili

Languages of neighbouring countries

Flag of MozambiquePortuguese
Flag of KenyaEnglish
Flag of BurundiEnglish
Flag of MalawiEnglish
Flag of DR CongoFrench
Flag of UgandaEnglish
Flag of ZambiaEnglish
Flag of RwandaEnglish

All languages of Tanzania (113)

LanguageSpeakers hereFamilyStatus
Swahili61,000,000 · 90%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Swahili60,715,890 · 90%Atlantic-CongoOfficial
English46,548,849 · 69%Indo-EuropeanOfficial
Sukuma5,869,202 · 9%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Segeju2,600,000 · 4%Atlantic-CongoVulnerable
Nyamwezi2,226,249 · 3%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Makonde1,686,552 · 3%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Gogo1,400,000 · 2%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Machinga1,400,000 · 2%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Ndonde Hamba1,400,000 · 2%BookkeepingThreatened
Nyakyusa-Ngonde1,400,000 · 2%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Haya1,300,000 · 2%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Bena (Tanzania)1,146,855 · 2%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Shambala1,146,855 · 2%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Masai1,011,931 · 2%NiloticSafe
Ha990,000 · 1%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Mbunga944,469 · 1%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Hehe810,000 · 1%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Asu (Tanzania)809,545 · 1%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Luguru690,000 · 1%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Nilamba680,000 · 1%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Nyiha (Tanzania)660,000 · 0.98%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Mochi600,000 · 0.89%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Nyaturu600,000 · 0.89%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Benamanga590,000 · 0.87%——
Rangi586,920 · 0.87%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Machame499,219 · 0.74%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Rombo499,219 · 0.74%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Vunjo499,219 · 0.74%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Mwera (Chimwera)470,000 · 0.7%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Mwera (Nyasa)470,000 · 0.7%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Iraqw460,000 · 0.68%Afro-AsiaticSafe
Nyambo400,000 · 0.59%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Zigula360,000 · 0.53%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Ngoni (Tanzania)310,000 · 0.46%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Zaramo290,000 · 0.43%Atlantic-CongoNearly extinct
Kagulu240,000 · 0.36%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Ndali220,000 · 0.33%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Ngindo220,000 · 0.33%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Fipa200,000 · 0.3%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Jita200,000 · 0.3%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Sumbwa190,000 · 0.28%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Pogolo180,000 · 0.27%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Safwa160,000 · 0.24%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Magoma150,000 · 0.22%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Hangaza150,000 · 0.22%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Matengo150,000 · 0.22%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Shubi150,000 · 0.22%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Rwa148,416 · 0.22%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Kinga140,000 · 0.21%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Zinza140,000 · 0.21%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Sangu (Tanzania)134,924 · 0.2%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Ngulu130,000 · 0.19%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Kwaya120,000 · 0.18%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Gorowa110,000 · 0.16%Afro-AsiaticThreatened
Ndendeule100,000 · 0.15%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Kerewe100,000 · 0.15%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Lambya100,000 · 0.15%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Suba-Simbiti100,000 · 0.15%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Subi100,000 · 0.15%——
Zanaki100,000 · 0.15%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Kwere98,000 · 0.15%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Pangwa95,000 · 0.14%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Datooga88,000 · 0.13%NiloticSafe
Kara (Tanzania)86,000 · 0.13%Atlantic-CongoVulnerable
Mpoto80,000 · 0.12%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Kisankasa79,000 · 0.12%BookkeepingVulnerable
Sagala79,000 · 0.12%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Kimbu78,000 · 0.12%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Matumbi72,000 · 0.11%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Ndengereko72,000 · 0.11%Atlantic-CongoVulnerable
Rufiji72,000 · 0.11%BookkeepingSafe
Malila65,000 · 0.1%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Sandawe60,000 · 0.09%—Threatened
Ndamba55,000 · 0.08%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Ngurimi55,000 · 0.08%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Ikizu53,000 · 0.08%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Konongo51,000 · 0.08%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Ruwila51,000 · 0.08%——
Bondei50,000 · 0.07%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Kutu45,000 · 0.07%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Bende40,000 · 0.06%Atlantic-CongoVulnerable
Tongwe40,000 · 0.06%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Ikoma-Nata-Isenye36,000 · 0.05%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Nyika (Tanzania)35,000 · 0.05%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Vidunda32,000 · 0.05%Atlantic-CongoVulnerable
Alagwa30,000 · 0.04%Afro-AsiaticVulnerable
Ndwewe30,000 · 0.04%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Bungu30,000 · 0.04%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Pimbwe29,000 · 0.04%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Vwanji28,000 · 0.04%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Isanzu26,000 · 0.04%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Temi25,000 · 0.04%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Mbugwe24,000 · 0.04%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Wanda24,000 · 0.04%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Rungwa18,000 · 0.03%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Kabwa14,000 · 0.02%Atlantic-CongoVulnerable
Burunge13,000 · 0.02%Afro-AsiaticVulnerable
Doe10,000 · 0.01%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Kisi10,000 · 0.01%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Vinza10,000 · 0.01%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Kahe9,130 · 0.01%Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Taveta8,000 · 0.01%Atlantic-CongoSafe
Mbugu7,000 · 0.01%Atlantic-CongoVulnerable
Nindi5,700 · 0.01%Atlantic-CongoVulnerable
Kami (Tanzania)5,500 · 0.01%Atlantic-CongoMoribund
Dhaiso5,000 · 0.01%Atlantic-CongoVulnerable
Gweno2,500 · 0%Atlantic-CongoVulnerable
Hadza1,000 · 0%—Vulnerable
Makwe—Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Cutchi-Swahili—Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Manda (Tanzania)—Atlantic-CongoThreatened
Nyiha (Malawi)—Atlantic-CongoThreatened

Frequently asked questions

What language do they speak in Tanzania?

The official languages of Tanzania are Swahili and English. In total about 113 living languages are spoken there, the most common being Swahili (90%), Swahili (90%) and English (69%).

What is the official language of Tanzania?

Swahili and English.

Is English spoken in Tanzania?

Yes — English is official in Tanzania, spoken by about 69% of people.

How many languages are spoken in Tanzania?

About 113 living languages — #16 in the world for linguistic diversity. 34 of them are endangered.

Data: Languages of the World dataset (MIT) — ISO 639-3, Glottolog (CC BY 4.0), Unicode CLDR, Google LinguaMeta (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata; country lists: samayo/country-json (MIT).

Tanzania country profileLanguages by country