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How to Use Swahili Numbers for Daily Usage

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Especially if you’re planning a prolonged visit to Kenya, using the correct Swahili numbers for counting in Swahili could be very important! Number systems are the other alphabet in any language. In fact, it is a language all of its own, and it serves a multitude of excellent purposes.

Table of Contents

  1. A Brief History of Counting and Number Systems
  2. Why is it Important to Learn Swahili Numbers?
  3. Learning Swahili Numbers
  4. Why Choose SwahiliPod101 to Learn all about Swahili Numbers?

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1. A Brief History of Counting and Number Systems

Abacus

1. The Ishango Bone

The origin of counting, and with it numbers, is not clear to historians. While their art showed that prehistoric man had a concept of numbers, the first indication of a formal system was found to be only between 20,000 and 35,000 thousand years old. This discovery came around 1960 in the form of the so-called Ishango Bone found in the Congo, Central Africa.

The 10cm/4 inch piece of bone was a fibula from a baboon. It showed markings with a neat, unified pattern of small lines – far too organized and sophisticated to have formed spontaneously. Archeologists believe that those thin markings were carved to keep score of, or count, something. The lines seemed to represent a sequence of prime numbers and a series of duplications. Some even called it the first-ever pocket calculator!

2. Mesopotamia and Greece

Yet, evidence suggests that it wasn’t until about 4,000 years ago that humans truly started counting and using numbers. Together with the development of civilization came developed agriculture, and the need for measurement and score-keeping was increased.

For this reason, a formal number system and mathematics were developed first in the Middle East, in what was then called Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was roughly situated in the area of modern-day Iraq and Kuwait. Allegedly, the system was pretty simple at first. Citizens used tokens that represented a certain number of items, such as one token equalling four goats, etc. This eventually evolved into a system of score marks pressed into clay, which ultimately went on to influence Greek mathematics.

3. Hindu-Arabic Numbers

Zero, meanwhile, was conceived later and elsewhere. Inspired by the Hindu religion, which allows for the concept of infinity and eternity, the Indians invented a symbol to represent nothing. The magic of the zero lies not in itself but its combination with other numbers.

The Indians were also the creators of today’s numbers, which are often referred to as Hindu-Arabic numbers. These comprise one or a combination of just ten symbols or digits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 0.

Europe learned of this numeric system only around 1200 A.D., when they were introduced to it by an Italian mathematician called Leonardo Pisano Bigollo.

Pisano, also known as Fibonacci, is famous for the discovery of a mathematical sequence with countless applications. Yes, math buffs, it’s the well-known Fibonacci sequence, also called the Golden Mean.

The Roman numeric system, which was clumsy next to the newer inventions, gradually lost popularity in the West. It’s from here that they “slowly spread to conquer the world,” as Steven Law puts it.

2. Why is it Important to Learn Swahili Numbers?

For us at SwahiliPod101, this is an easy question to answer! Because we know that numbers are a global unifier.

Counting and numbers have made our lives easier since they were first formulated, even in their most primitive forms.

Numbers in Industry

Without knowing your numbers, you can’t properly communicate about or deal with the following:

1) Your date/time of birth, i.e., your age: This is vital information to be able to give to people like doctors, employers, law enforcement, and so forth.

2) Banking: Worldwide, our monetary systems are built on numbers. Interest, credit scores, and loans all rely on math beyond simple finger counting.

3) Time: Without knowing how to say numbers, you can’t talk or ask about the time and expect to get a useful response. You don’t want to miss an appointment or schedule something for the wrong hour!

4) Ordering data: Numbers bring order to a mostly random life! Scientists even say that numbers and the way they are organized underpin the whole universe. From using them to count your meals’ calories and the number of likes your posts get on social media, to drawing up intricate data charts and explaining existence itself – numbers are what makes these things possible.

All of the above and more are reasons why it is important to know your numbers if you plan on travelling or becoming a foreign worker abroad, in Kenya or anywhere else!

Little Girl Counting

3. Learning Swahili Numbers

Now, let’s explore the Swahili number system a bit more! Take a look at this infographic.

Language Numbers

Can you make out for yourself what the Swahili numbers between one (1) and nine (9) look and sound like? Easy, right?

Or, if you struggled a bit, no problem. Why not listen to how Swahili numbers one (1) through ten (10) sound when pronounced by our native Swahili speaker and friendly SwahiliPod101 teacher?

Then, share with us in the comments your native language’s romanized pronunciation of your number system. We’d love to see all the different ways the same numbers can be pronounced!

Hand With a Thumbs Up

When you have mastered the first ten numbers, you have basically nailed the most significant part of the number system. Well done! Curious to learn the numbers from eleven upward? No problem! Why not subscribe and enroll with us now to immediately enjoy this lesson, teaching you all about Swahili numbers eleven (11) to one hundred (100)?

Finally, if you’re curious how the numbers look once you’ve broken one hundred, why not check out our Swahili number vocabulary page? You can see the numbers we’ve just covered, all the way up to four thousand (4,000). Plus, you can also see the Swahili words for different numbers used in example sentences, to get an idea of how you can use them in your day-to-day conversations!

4. Why Choose SwahiliPod101 to Learn all about Swahili Numbers?

SwahiliPod101, like all Innovative Language Learning ventures, takes the pain out of learning a new language by adding a lot of fun. It’s never an easy thing to learn a new language, but we formulated all your lessons so they’re nicely bite-sized, and geared to keep you motivated!

Also, we created a great number of fantastic tools to help keep struggle and boredom out of the learning process.

  • Fun and Easy Learning: It’s a commonly-known fact that when learning is made easy and fun, student motivation rises. And as motivation rises, so does the effort to learn – what a beautiful cycle! SwahiliPod101’s language learning system is designed to get you speaking from the onset. Learn at your own convenience and pace with our short, effective, and fun audio podcast lessons. Our Learning Center is comprehensive and state-of-the-art, with a vibrant user community to connect with! Our lessons are recorded with native hosts and voice actors, providing a diverse range of dialects in your lessons. You can be confident that native speakers will understand you when speaking Swahili!
  • Innovative Learning Tools and Apps: We make it our priority to offer you the best learning tools! These include apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, and Mac OSX; eBooks for Kindle, Nook, and iPad; audiobooks; Roku TV and so many more. This means that we took diverse lifestyles into account when we developed our courses, so you can learn anywhere, anytime on a device of your choice. How innovative!
  • Free Resources: Sharing is caring, and for this reason, we share many free resources with our students. For instance, start learning Swahili with our basic online course by creating a lifetime account – for free! Also get free daily and iTunes lessons, free eBooks, free mobile apps, and free access to our blog and online community. Or how about free Vocabulary Lists? The Swahili dictionary is for exclusive use by our students, also for free. There’s so much to love about SwahiliPod101…!
  • Live Hosts and One-on-One Learning: Knowledgeable, energetic hosts present recorded video lessons, and are available for live teaching experiences if you upgrade. This means that in the videos, you get to watch them pronounce those tongue-twisters as if you’re learning live! Add octane to your learning by upgrading to Premium Plus, and learn two times faster. You can have your very own Swahili teacher always with you, ensuring that you learn what you need, when you need to – what a wonderful opportunity to master a new language in record time!
  • Start Where You Are: You don’t know a single Swahili word? Not to worry, we’ve absolutely got this. Simply enroll in our Absolute Beginner Pathway and start speaking from Lesson 1! As your learning progresses, you can enroll in other pathways to match your Swahili level, at your own pace, in your own time, in your own place!

So, why wait? Sign up with SwahiliPod101 right away! Also, let us know in the comments if you’ve used this blog post, or any of the free lessons anywhere to master Swahili numbers. Or, even better – share your birthdate using what you’ve learned!

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How to Say Sorry in Swahili

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Learn how to apologize in Swahili – fast and accurately! SwahiliPod101 makes it easy for you to make amends. Start with a bonus, and download your FREE cheat sheet – How to Improve Your Swahili Skills! (Logged-In Member Only)

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Table of Contents

  1. Common Ways to Say Sorry in Swahili
  2. How To Refuse Something Politely in Swahili
  3. Audio Lesson – Survival Phrases “How to Say Sorry”
  4. Why You Will NOT Be Sorry For Learning Swahili through SwahiliPod101

1. Common Ways to Say Sorry in Swahili

3 Ways to Say Sorry

Nobody’s perfect, not anywhere in the world. Everybody makes mistakes, and does and says regrettable things. Then it’s time to apologize, as saying ‘I’m sorry’ is not in vain. It can be very healing! Did you know that hearing a sincerely-meant apology can have a noticeable effect on a person’s body? Research has shown that it slows down breathing and heart rate, and even causes a drop in blood pressure.

Sometimes we cannot fix what’s broken, but we can make the experience a bit easier for anyone who suffered on account of our thoughtless actions or words.

Here are a number of ways to say sorry in Swahili. In any language, just make sure you really mean it! An insincere apology will not go down well with anyone.

Woman Apologizing

Samahani.
I’m sorry

These words should precede anything else you have to say. Use them sincerely and whenever you are clearly in the wrong. Acknowledging your guilt and apologizing for any wrongdoing will lift your spirits too! Often, remorse can eat away at us, and a simple ‘I’m sorry’, in Swahili or any other language, can open the door for forgiveness and resolution of a bad situation. It can be a true gift!

Ningependa kuomba msamaha.
I would like to apologize.

This is a slightly more formal way to say ‘I’m sorry’ in Swahili. Use this phrase if you’re addressing your superiors and/or elders.

Mimi kwa dhati naomba msamaha.
I sincerely apologize.

If you feel strongly about your apology, this is another slightly more formal phrase to use. Keep it handy for graver errors, or you might come across as insincere!

Sitafanya hivyo tena.
I won’t do it again.

A promise you can only make if you intend to keep it! Few things feel as bad as having to hear repeated apologies from someone for the same behavior – it means the ‘sorry’ is not sincere. Don’t be that person!

Nitahakikisha sitafanya makosa hii tena.
I’ll make sure not to make this mistake again.

A beautifully strong phrase! Again, say this only if you mean it – not just in the moment, but always! A bit more formal, this is an especially good phrase to use when apologizing to superiors and/or elders. It will make an especially good impression at the workplace, where accountability is an excellent quality to display!

Sikumaanisha hivyo.
I didn’t mean that.

This is a tricky one… What did you mean, then?! Clear up any confusion with sincerity. Also, use this phrase only if the harm done or mistake made was due to an accident, and then admit to thoughtlessness on your part, if appropriate.

Ni kosa langu.
It’s my fault.

If the fault is really yours, own up to it. You will gain respect in the eyes of others! However, don’t take the blame when it’s not truly yours. It won’t be good for you, and ultimately you will not be respected much for it.

Samahani kwa kuwa na ubinafsi.
I’m sorry for being selfish.

This is a good phrase to keep handy, especially for your close relationships. It is difficult to admit you’re selfish, isn’t it?! However, it’s good to know when to be honest. We get used to our loved ones, which often means we forget that they need our good manners and unselfish behavior just as much as strangers do.

Natumai umenisamehe mimi.
I hope you will forgive me.

This is a polite and gentle wish that can smooth over many harsh feelings. It also shows that the other person’s opinion and forgiveness are important to you.

Nachukua jukumu kamili.
I take full responsibility.

This strong statement is similar to admitting that an error or transgression was your fault. It speaks of courage and the willingness to take remedial action. Good one to use…if you mean it!

Singefanya hayo.
I shouldn’t have done it.

This phrase is fine to use if you did or said something wrong. It shows, to an extent, your regret for having done or said what you did, and demonstrates that you understand your role in the mistake.

Pole kwa ajili ya kukurudishia pesa yako kama nimechelewa.
Sorry for giving your money back late.

It’s rotten to have to loan money! Yet, it’s equally rotten to have to ask for the repayment of a loan. So, do your best not to pay late in the first place, but if it can’t be helped, this would be a good phrase to use!

Tafadhali usinikasirikie mimi.
Please don’t be mad at me.

Well, this is not a very advisable phrase to use if you are clearly in the wrong. If someone is justifiably angry with you, asking them not to be mad at you would be an unfair expectation. However, if you did something wrong by accident, and if the consequences were not too serious, this request would be OK.

Pole nimechelewa.
Sorry I’m late.

Punctuality is valued in most situations, but if you really cannot help being late, then apologize! This way you show respect for your host, and win their approval.

Samahani kwa kuwa mbaya kwako.
I apologize for being mean to you.

Acknowledging your own meanness towards someone is no small thing, so good for you! Use this apology only if your intention is to seriously address your mean tendencies, or these words could become meaningless over time.

2. How To Refuse Something Politely in Swahili

Woman Refusing

Congratulations! Now you know how to apologize in Swahili! After you have apologized for a mistake, focus on fixing whatever you can, and don’t punish yourself over something that cannot be taken back or reversed. That’s healthy for you! Regret can eat away at the soul, and even destroy it. It is ultimately a useless emotion if it consumes you.

However, in language, we use apologies not only when we’ve transgressed or made mistakes. They come in handy in other situations too, when there has been no wrongdoing. Sometimes we need to express regret for having to refuse a gift, an offer, or an invitation. This can be somewhat tricky. Learn from specialists at SwahiliPod101 about how to use the correct Swahili words for this kind of ‘sorry’!

3. Survival Phrases “How to Say Sorry”

Say Sorry

On the run and need a quick lesson on how to say sorry in Swahili? Don’t fret, just listen and repeat! Click here for a recorded short lesson and learn how to give the perfect apology, with perfect pronunciation in Swahili. A little can go a long way, and you will sound like a native!

4. Why You Will NOT Be Sorry For Learning Swahili through SwahiliPod101

Man Looking at Computer

Online learning is here to stay, that’s a fact. In 2015, the Digital Learning Compass Partnership released a report based on surveys to determine online enrollment trends in US institutions for higher education. Thirty percent of all their students learned online! And the number is growing! However, how can you be sure you will not regret your choice of an online language learning school? First, look at the school’s credentials and what it has to offer…

  • Fun and Easy Learning: It’s a commonly-known fact that when learning is made easy and fun, student motivation rises. And as motivation rises, so does the effort to learn – what a beautiful cycle! SwahiliPod101’s language learning system is designed to get you speaking from the onset. Learn at your own convenience and pace with our short, effective and fun audio podcast lessons. Our Learning Center is comprehensive and state-of-the-art, with a vibrant user community to connect to! Our lessons are recorded with native hosts and voice actors, providing a diverse range of dialects in your lessons. You can be confident that native speakers will understand you when speaking Swahili!
  • Innovative Learning Tools and Apps: We make it our priority to offer you the best learning tools! These include apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Mac OSX; eBooks for Kindle, Nook, and iPad; audiobooks; Roku TV and so many more. This means that we took diverse lifestyles into account when we developed our courses, so you can learn anywhere, anytime on a device of your choice. How innovative!
  • Free Resources: Sharing is caring, and for this reason, we share many free resources with our students. For instance, start learning Swahili with our basic online course by creating a lifetime account – for free! Also get free daily and iTunes lessons, free eBooks, free mobile apps, and free access to our blog and online community. Or how about free Vocabulary Lists? The Swahili dictionary is for exclusive use by our students, also for free. There’s so much to love about SwahiliPod101…!
  • Live Hosts and One-on-One Learning: Knowledgeable, energetic hosts present recorded video lessons, and are available for live teaching experiences if you upgrade. This means that in the videos, you get to watch them pronounce those tongue-twisters, as if you’re learning live! Add octane to your learning by upgrading to Premium Plus, and learn two times faster. Your can have your very own Swahili teacher always with you, ensuring that you learn what you need, when you need to – what a wonderful opportunity to master a new language in record time!
  • Start Where You Are: You don’t know a single Swahili word? Not to worry, we’ve absolutely got this. Simply enroll in our Absolute Beginner Pathway and start speaking from Lesson 1! As your learning progresses, you can enroll in other pathways to match your Swahili level, at your own pace, in your own time, in your own place!

After this lesson, you will know almost every ‘sorry for’ in Swahili, but don’t let it be that you’re sorry for missing a great opportunity. Learning a new language can only enrich your life, and could even open doors towards great opportunities! So don’t wonder if you’ll regret enrolling in SwahiliPod101. It’s the most fun, easy way to learn Swahili!

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Language Learning Tips: How to Avoid Awkward Silences

Avoid Awkward Silences

Yes, even beginners can quickly learn conversational Swahili well enough to carry on real conversations with native speakers. Of course, beginners won’t be able to carry a conversation the same way they could in their native language. But, just knowing a few tips like which questions to ask to keep a conversation going are all you need to speak and interact with real native speakers! But before we get to specific suggestions, let’s first take a closer look at how having real Swahili conversations is so vital to your mastery of the language.

Learning to Carry a Conversation is Vital to Mastery of Any Language

Communicating with other people is the very point of language and conversation is almost second nature in our native tongue. For beginners or anyone learning a new language, conversations aren’t easy at all and even simple Swahili greetings can be intimidating and awkward.

However, there are 3 vital reasons why you should learn conversational Swahili as quickly as possible:

  • Avoid Awkward Silences: Nothing kills a conversation faster than long periods of awkward silence, so you need practice and specific strategies to avoid them.
  • Improve the Flow of Conversation to Make a Better Impression: When you know what to say to keep a conversation going, communication becomes much easier and you make a better impression on your listener.
  • Master the Language Faster: Nothing will help you learn to speak Swahili faster and truly master the language than having real conversations with native speakers. Conversations quickly expose you to slang, cultural expressions, and vocabulary that force you to absorb and assimilate information faster than any educational setting—and that’s a great thing!

But how can you possibly have real conversations with real Swahili people if you are just starting out?

3 Conversation Strategies for Beginners

Conversation

1. Ask Questions to Keep a Conversation Going

For beginners and even more advanced speakers, the key is to learn to ask questions to keep a conversation going. Of course, they can’t be just random questions or else you may confuse the listener. But, by memorizing a few key questions and the appropriate time to use them, you can easily carry a conversation with minimal vocabulary or experience. And remember, the more Swahili conversations you have, the quicker you will learn and master the language!

2. Learn Core Vocabulary Terms as Quickly as Possible

You don’t need to memorize 10,000’s of words to learn conversational Swahili. In fact, with just a couple hundred Swahili words you could have a very basic Swahili conversation. And by learning maybe 1,000-2,000 words, you could carry a conversation with a native speaker about current events, ordering in restaurants, and even getting directions.

3. Study Videos or Audio Lessons that You Can Play and Replay Again and Again

If you want to know how to carry a conversation in Swahili, then you need exposure to native speakers—and the more the better. Ideally, studying video or audio lessons is ideal because they provide contextualized learning in your native language and you can play them again and again until mastery.

SwahiliPod101 Makes it Easier and More Convenient Than Ever to Learn Conversational Swahili

Learning Swahili

For more than 10 years, SwahiliPod101 has been helping students learn to speak Swahili by creating the world’s most advanced online language learning system. Here are just a few of the specific features that will help you learn conversational Swahili fast using our proven system:

  • The Largest Collection of HD Video & Audio Lessons from Real Swahili Instructors: SwahiliPod101 instructors have created hundreds of video and audio lessons that you can play again and again. And the best part is: They don’t just teach you Swahili vocabulary and grammar, they are designed to help you learn to speak Swahili and teach you practical everyday topics like shopping, ordering, etc!
  • Pronunciation Tools: Use this feature to record and compare yourself with native speakers to quickly improve your pronunciation and fluency!
  • 2000 Common Swahili Words: Also known as our Core List, these 2,000 words are all you need to learn to speak fluently and carry a conversation with a native speaker!

In all, more than 20 advanced learning tools help you quickly build vocabulary and learn how to carry a conversation with native speakers—starting with your very first lesson.

Conclusion

Although it may seem intimidating for a beginner, the truth is that it is very easy to learn conversational Swahili. By learning a few core vocabulary terms and which questions to ask to keep a conversation going, just a little practice and exposure to real Swahili conversations or lessons is all it really takes. SwahiliPod101 has created the world’s largest online collection of video and audio lessons by real instructors plus loads of advanced tools to help you learn to speak Swahili and carry a conversation quickly.

Act now and we’ll also include a list of the most commonly used questions to keep a conversation going so you can literally get started immediately!

How to Start Thinking in Swahili

Learn 4 tools and techniques to stop translating in your head and start thinking in Swahili

Going through Swahili lessons is enough to get by and learn the basics of Swahili, but to truly become fluent you need to be able to think in Swahili. This will allow you to have conversations with ease, read smoothly, and comprehensively understand natives. To do this, you need to go beyond just completing daily or weekly lessons.

We naturally translate in our heads because it’s viewed as the easiest way to learn the definitions needed when learning a language. This way of learning can actually hinder your skills and fluency later on. If your brain has to make neural connections between the word you’re learning, what it means in your native tongue, and the physical object the connection will not be nearly as strong. When you bypass the original translation between Swahili and your native language then there is a more basic and strong connection between just the Swahili vocabulary word and the tangible object.

start thinking in Swahili

In this blog post, you will learn the 4 important techniques to easily and naturally begin to speculate about the daily occurrences in your life. The best part is all of these techniques are supported and can be achieved through SwahiliPod101.com.

Create Your Free Lifetime Account and Start Learning the whole Swahili Language from the Beginning!

1. Surround yourself with Swahili

Surround Yourself

By surrounding yourself with Swahili constantly you will completely immerse yourself in the language. Without realizing it you’ll be learning pronunciation, sentence structures, grammar, and new vocabulary. You can play music in the background while you’re cooking or have a Swahili radio station on while you study. Immersion is a key factor with this learning process because it is one of the easiest things to do, but very effective. Even if you are not giving the program your full attention you will be learning.

One great feature of SwahiliPod101.com is the endless podcasts that are available to you. You can even download and listen to them on the go. These podcasts are interesting and are perfect for the intention of immersion, they are easy to listen to as background noise and are interesting enough to give your full attention. Many of them contain stories that you follow as you go through the lessons which push you to keep going.

2. Learn through observation
learn through observation

Learning through observation is the most natural way to learn. Observation is how we all learned our native languages as infants and it’s a wonder why we stop learning this way. If you have patience and learn through observation then Swahili words will have their own meanings rather than meanings in reference to your native language. Ideally, you should skip the bilingual dictionary and just buy a dictionary in Swahili.

SwahiliPod101.com also offers the materials to learn this way. We have numerous video lessons which present situational usage of each word or phrase instead of just a direct translation. This holds true for many of our videos and how we teach Swahili.

3. Speak out loud to yourself
talk to yourself

Speaking to yourself in Swahili not only gets you in the mindset of Swahili, but also makes you listen to how you speak. It forces you to correct any errors with pronunciation and makes it easy to spot grammar mistakes. When you speak out loud talk about what you did that day and what you plan to do the next day. Your goal is to be the most comfortable speaking out loud and to easily create sentences. Once you feel comfortable talking to yourself start consciously thinking in your head about your daily activities and what is going on around you throughout the day.

With SwahiliPod101.com you start speaking right away, not only this, but they have you repeat words and conversations after a native Swahili speaker. This makes your pronunciation very accurate! With this help, you are on the fast path to making clear and complex sentences and then actively thinking about your day.

4. Practice daily

If you don’t practice daily then your progress will be greatly slowed. Many people are tempted to take the 20-30 minutes they should be practicing a day and practice 120 in one day and skip the other days. This isn’t nearly as effective because everyday you practice you are reinforcing the skills and knowledge you have learned. If you practice all in one day you don’t retain the information because the brain can realistically only focus for 30 minutes at most. If you’re studying for 120 minutes on the same subject little of the information will be absorbed. Studying everyday allows you to review material that you went over previous days and absorb a small amount of information at a time.

It’s tough to find motivation to study everyday, but SwahiliPod101.com can help. It’s easy to stay motivated with SwahiliPod101.com because we give you a set learning path, with this path we show how much progress you’ve made. This makes you stick to your goals and keep going!

Conclusion

Following the steps and having patience is the hardest part to achieving your goals, it’s not easy learning a new language. You are essentially teaching your brain to categorize the world in a completely new way. Stick with it and you can do it just remember the 4 tools I taught you today! With them, conversations, reading, and understanding will become much easier. The most important thing to remember is to use the tools that SwahiliPod101.com provides and you will be on your way to being fluent!

Learn Swahili With SwahiliPod101 Today!

5 Ways To Improve Your Swahili Speaking Skills

5 Ways To Improve Your Swahili Speaking Skills

Speaking is usually the #1 weakness for all Swahili learners. This is a common issue among language learners everywhere. The reason for this is obvious: When language learners first start learning a language, they usually start with reading. They read online articles, books, information on apps and so on. If they take a class, they spend 20% of their time repeating words, and 80% of the time reading the textbook, doing homework or just listening to a teacher. So, if you spend most of your time reading instead of speaking, you might get better at reading but your speaking skills never grow. You get better at what you focus on.

So if you want to improve you speaking skills, you need to spend more of your study time on speaking. Here are five tips to help you get started:

1. Read out loud
If you’re listening to a lesson and reading along, read out loud. Then re-read and speed up your tempo. Do this again and again until you can speak faster. Try your best to pronounce the words correctly, but don’t obsess about it. Read swiftly, emote and put some inflection on the sentences. Reading aloud helps to train the muscles of your mouth and diaphragm to produce unfamiliar words and sounds.

Read out loud!

2. Prepare things to say ahead of time.
As you may know from experience, most learners run out of things to say. But, if you prepare lines ahead of time, you won’t be at a loss for words in conversations. This will help you not only to learn how to say the words, but how to say them in the right context. A good way to prepare yourself before conversations is with our Swahili Pronunciation Series, which teaches you how to pronounce Swahili letters easily:

Click here to learn proper Swahili pronunciation.

3. Use shadowing (repeat the dialogues as you hear them).
Shadowing is an extremely useful tool for increasing fluency as well as improving your accent and ability to be understood. Shadowing helps create all the neural connections in your brain to produce those words and sentences quickly and accurately without having to think about it. Also, as mentioned in tip #1, shadowing helps develop the muscle memory in all the physical parts responsible for the production of those sounds. Depending on what your primary and target languages are, it’s quite likely that there are a lot of sounds your mouth just isn’t used to producing. Shadowing can be done, for example, when watching TV shows or movies or listening to music.

Each one of our lessons begins with a dialogue. Try to shadow the conversation line by line, and you’ll be mastering it in no time.

Click here to for a FREE taste of our Absolute Beginner series!

4. Review again and again.
This is the key to perfection, and we can’t emphasize it enough. Most learners don’t review! If you review and repeat lines again and again, you’ll be speaking better, faster and with more confidence.

Review again and again

5. DON’T BE AFRAID TO MAKE MISTAKES!
You’d be surprised by how many people try to avoid talking! The more you speak, the faster you learn – and that is why you’re learning Swahili. Practice speaking every chance you get: whether it’s ordering coffee, shopping or asking for directions.

Sneak Peek: Review More Swahili with This Feature, Badges & Your 26% OFF

Click here to get 26% OFF + A FREE Audiobook!

Hello Listener,

You’ll want to know about these 2 new Swahili learning tools and features. They’re great for reviewing, motivation and progress. One is an unofficial sneak peek.

So what are they? The brand new Achievement Badges and the Word Bank! And… if you want to master Swahili, unlock our proven learning system at 26% OFF and get a Bonus 6.5-hour Audiobook!

In this month’s newsletter:

  1. 72 Hours Left! Click here to get 26% OFF + FREE 6.5-Hour Audiobook
  2. New Feature! Achievement Badges Now Available for Premium PLUS
  3. Sneak Peek: Save & Review Vocab with this Study Tool


1. Ends Friday! Learn Swahili with 26% OFF & a FREE Audiobook!
No school. No stress. Learn Swahili at your pace and start speaking in minutes with effective lessons! ‘Til Friday only, get 26% OFF any 1- or 2-year plan and a BONUS Swahili Audiobook as a 2-for-1 deal. You get access to 50+ hours of audio and video lessons by teachers, lesson notes, motivational progress stats, apps, study tools and more. Just $2.96/month and up to $62.40 OFF. Hurry! Ends Friday, 8/28/2015!

Click here to learn Swahili and get 26% OFF. Up to $62.40 in savings.
(The free 6.5-hour Swahili audiobook will be inside your welcome email)

2. NEW Feature! Learn and Stay Motivated with NEW Achievement Badges
Learning Swahili? You deserve recognition and motivation. So, if you’re a Premium PLUS member… you can now unlock new badges as your Swahili improves. Your Premium PLUS teacher will give out badges as you complete weekly assignments. The result? You master more Swahili, unlock badges for your progress, and stay motivated to keep going.

Click here to learn about the Premium PLUS Achievement Badges!

3. Here’s a Sneak Peek at the Newly Redesigned Word Bank!
We haven’t fully announced this yet… but here’s a sneak peek! The Word Bank – your personal collection of words and phrases – is better than ever. What’s new? First, a shiny new design. You can sort and manage your vocab and phrases with custom labels. And feel free to print out your entries as physical study material or export them as files! Not a Premium member? Take advantage of the 26% discount by Friday.

Premium Users: Click here to access the New Word Bank!
(Note: You must be logged in to access this)

To your fluency,
Team SwahiliPod101

P.S. We’re giving you a BONUS 6.5-Hour Audiobook. Get 26% OFF by Friday!
No school or textbooks necessary to learn Swahili! In fact, you get a FREE Audiobook when you get 26% OFF any 1- or 2-year plan. Master Swahili in LESS time with this 2-for-1 deal! Unlock our learning system – over 50 hours of audio and video lesson by real teachers and more! Just $2.96/month and up to $62.40 OFF. Hurry! Ends Friday, 8/28/2015!

Ends Friday! Click here to learn Swahili and Get 26% OFF!
(Your FREE Audiobook will instantly be available in your welcome email)

Click here to get 26% OFF + A FREE Audiobook!

6 Reasons to Learn a Language Before You Travel

6 Reasons to Learn a Language Before You Travel

There are plenty of destinations where you can get by with English, but sometimes you want to do better than just ‘get by’. Here are 6 reasons you should learn the basics of the language of your next trip destination.

What are the 6 reasons you should learn the basics of the language of your next trip destination?

1. You will be able to discover your destination better than other tourists.
Getting by is one thing, but actually experiencing a trip abroad is quite another. No amount of guidebooks and online research can compensate for a basic lack of language ability. Speaking the language of your destination permits you to explore that destination beyond the regular tourist traps. Your language skills will not only allow you to dig into all the hidden gems of your destination, but they will also allow you to mingle with the locals to get a true experience on your holiday. Think of it this way: you’re not restricted to talking to the people at the tourist desk anymore.

2. Knowing how to communicate with local police or medical personnel can be life-saving.
Before you leave for your destination, make sure you learn how to ask for help in that destination’s local tongue. Do you know how to ask the waiter if this dish has peanuts in it? Or tell your host family that you’re allergic to fish? Can you tell the local doctor where it hurts? Moreover, an awareness of an environment improves your chance of remaining safe inside it. For example, walking around a busy marketplace, dazzled by an unfamiliar language, signs and accents will instantly render any tourist a more attractive mark for pickpockets. Communicating with other people, asking questions and looking confident will make you look like a semi-local yourself, and will ward off potential thieves.

Click here for Swahili Survival Phrases that will help you in almost every situation

3. It helps you relax.
Traveling is much less stressful when you understand what that announcement at the airport was saying, or if this bus line reaches your hotel. These things stress you out when traveling and they disappear when you understand the language. This allows you to focus on planning your trip in a better, easier way.

Speaking the language can provide you with a way to get to know people you’d never otherwise have the opportunity to speak with.

4. Speaking the language can provide you with a way to get to know people you’d never otherwise have the opportunity to speak with.
Sometimes those relationships turn into friendships, and other times they’re nothing more than a lively conversation. Either way, as Nelson Mandela said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” When you approach someone – even staff at a store or restaurant – with English, rather than their own language, an invisible divide has already been erected. Making even a small effort to communicate in the language of the place you’re visiting can go a long way and you’ll find many more doors open up to you as a result.

Click here for to for essential Swahili vocabulary you need to know to start a conversation with anyone

If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.

5. You’ll be a better ambassador for your country.
If we’re honest with ourselves, we know very little about other countries and cultures, especially the local politics. And what we do know is often filtered to us by the media, which tends to represent only certain interests. When you can speak the local language, you’re able to answer questions that curious locals have about your country and culture. Are you frustrated with how your country is presented in global news? Are you embarrassed by your country’s leaders and want to make it clear that not everyone is like that where you’re from? This is a very good opportunity to share your story with people who have no one else to ask. We all have a responsibility to be representatives of the place we come from.

6. Learning another language can fend off Alzheimer’s, keep your brain healthy and generally make you smarter.
For more information, check out this blog post about the 5 Benefits of Learning a New Language.

You’re Too Cool for School: Master Swahili at 26% OFF & Get a FREE Audiobook

Click here to get 26% OFF & a free Audiobook!

Hello Listener,

Did you start this year out with a resolution to learn Swahili? Haven’t found time to make it happen yet? Well, with students everywhere going back to school this month… Now’s a perfect time to renew your dream of truly learning Swahili.

Even if you’re a complete beginner. Even if you’re out of school…
You can and will learn Swahili with 50+ hours of lessons from real teachers. The Too Cool for School Sale at SwahiliPod101 starts today:

Click here to get 26% OFF & a free Audiobook!
Click here to get 26% OFF & a free Audiobook!

Start speaking Swahili from your very first lesson and get our entire Swahili learning system at 26% OFF! That’s just $2.96/month with Basic or $7.40/month with Premium and up to $62.40 in savings. So if you upgrade now, you instantly receive:

How does it work? And how will you learn Swahili?
Learning Swahili in a class simply isn’t an option for most of us with work, family and busy schedules. Between the excessive costs and the inconveniences of getting to class and working around someone else’s schedule, classrooms aren’t realistic.

But at SwahiliPod101, you get fun, effective and proven lessons from real Swahili teachers. The entire learning system was designed to help you overcome the obstacles of traditional classes, because:

  • SwahiliPod101 is a Mere Fraction of the Cost of Classrooms
  • You Get 50+ Hours of Audio & Video Lessons from Real Swahili Teachers
  • You Access Lessons & Study Tools With Your Computer or Any Mobile Device
  • You Learn at Your Own Pace and When It’s Convenient For You
  • There Are No Extra Textbooks To Buy (But you do get a FREE Audiobook!)

Click Here to Get 26% Off Any Annual Subscription & A Swahili Audiobook FREE!

That’s right: You learn whenever and wherever is convenient for you and at a pace you choose! And during the Too Cool for School Sale, just sign up for any annual Basic or Premium subscription by clicking on any link and we’ll instantly discount the price by 26%!

And with a Premium plan, you’re unlocking the entire system….

  • Exclusive! App for the iPhone, iPad or Android
  • Full Lesson Library Access: 280+ Swahili Lessons
  • Read Along with Every Lesson with PDF Lesson Notes
  • Get Instructor Feedback & Comments on Each Lesson
  • Stay Motivated & See Your Progress Grow with Progress Tracking
  • Know Which Lesson to Study Next with Learning Guidance
  • Hear the Conversation Line by Line with the Line by Line Dialogue
  • Get Full Lesson Transcripts, Translations & Review Tracks
  • Get Extra Practice with Review Quizzes for Every Lesson
  • Master Swahili Words Fast with Smart Online Flashcards
  • Reach Conversational Fluency with the 2,000 Top Swahili Word List
  • Save Words & Phrases for Later Review with the Word Bank
  • Perfect Your Pronunciation with Voice Recording Tools
  • 24/7 Access via Any Device with Internet Access
  • Get All the Vocab from a Lesson Season with Season Vocabulary
  • Exclusive! Create Your Own Word Lists with the Custom Lists App
  • …and much more!

Click here to get UNLIMITED access for just $0.24/day or $7.40/month!
(Your FREE Audiobook will instantly be available in your welcome email.)

So for the next few days, that means you gain full access to our Basic plan for as low as just $2.96 per month or our most popular Premium plan for just $7.40 a month – a mere fraction of what you would pay for traditional classroom instruction!

Don’t Forget Your FREE Swahili Audiobook!
Get the best of both worlds with real-life conversation and the in-depth explanations of a textbook! Listen to over 6.5 hours of lessons and read along with 200+ pages. You’ll get your free Audiobook instantly when you upgrade, inside the welcome email.

Click Here To Learn Swahili At 26% OFF & Get Your Free Audiobook!

And Upgrading is Risk-Free.

Remember, you get a 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee so if plans change or you are anything less than thrilled with our language learning system – we’ll promptly refund your entire order without any hassles or questions.

But hurry: Although it’s never too late to make a fresh start and realize your dream of learning Swahili, the Too Cool for School Sale ends soon, so….

Click here to learn Swahili with 50+ hours of Swahili lessons & save up to $62.40
(Your FREE Audiobook will instantly be available in your welcome email.)

To Making a Fresh Start,

Team SwahiliPod101

P.S. All subscriptions are fully backed by our 60-day money-back guarantee meaning you can lock in your savings now and if you later decide that you’re not learning Swahili as fast as you’d like, then we’ll refund your entire subscription amount. You have nothing to lose but you have to ACT NOW before this Too Cool for School Sale ends!

Click here to get UNLIMITED Swahili learning for just $0.24/day or $7.40/month!
(Your FREE Audiobook will instantly be available in your welcome email.)

3 Consistent Ways You’ll Learn Swahili Fast: All New Lessons, Word Lists & 29% OFF!

Get a hot 29% OFF!

Hi there Listener,

When you’re learning Swahili and want real progress…look for the consistent method. One that’s non-stop and keeps you going. What’s a good one? SwahiliPod101 Lessons – free audio and video lessons, every week. In fact, a new season of lessons has started this month that you can grab. Anything else? Vocab lists, where you learn new words and phrases all the time. And don’t forget that our 29% OFF Summer of Swahili Sale ends Friday!

In this month’s newsletter…

  1. Sale Ends Friday! Click Here to Get 29% OFF Basic or Premium!
  2. A New Season Has Started: New, Free, Weekly Swahili Lessons
  3. Free Feature Alert: Speak More Swahili With Word & Phrase Lists

1. Summer of Swahili Sale ends Friday! Get a HOT 29% OFF!
Want to speak and understand Swahili like a native speaker? Get 29% OFF and start speaking Swahili with lessons by real teachers. Unlock our entire Swahili course and learning system – 50+ hours of audio and video lessons, mobile apps, lesson notes, study tools and more! Just $2.84/month and up to $69.60 OFF! Ends 7/31/2015!

Click Here to Save up to $69.60 on the Most Effective Swahili Course!
(Discounted prices ONLY available until Friday, July 31st, 2015!)

2. New Lessons Started this July – Here’s the 2015 Lesson Schedule!
Now, we know that you want more lessons. They’re non-stop, free and get you speaking more Swahili in minutes. So, you should know that new lessons and seasons started on July 6th. What kind of lessons? And what days do they come out on? Check the publishing schedule. And if you want to get our entire system – over 50+ hours of lessons – grab the 29% discount above!

Click Here to See the New Lesson Publishing Schedule!

3. Free Feature Alert: Speak More Swahili with Word & Phrase Lists
Here’s another non-stop way to boost your Swahili – Swahili Word and Phrase Lists. They’re based on holidays, current events and all-around useful topics. Our listeners learned how to talk about their summer plans in Swahili with a recent list! Just click below, access any list and review with definitions, sample sentences and audio pronunciation.

Click Here to Access the Free Swahili Word & Phrase Lists.

To your Swahili fluency,

Team SwahiliPod101

P.S. Ends Friday! Get a HOT 29% OFF the Most Effective Swahili Course!
Ready to master more Swahili this summer? Get 29% OFF any plan and start speaking Swahili with lessons by real teachers. Unlock our ENTIRE learning system – 50+ hours of audio and video lessons, mobile apps, lesson notes, study tools and more! Just $2.84/month and up to $69.60 OFF! Ends 7/31/2015!

Click Here to Get 29% OFF the Most Effective Swahili Course!
(Discounted prices ONLY available until Friday, July 31st, 2015!)

Get a hot 29% OFF!

Your Summer of Swahili Starts Now! Get 29% OFF Lessons from Swahili Teachers

Get a hot 29% off!

Hello Listener,

The Summer of Swahili is in full swing at SwahiliPod101. That means we’re helping thousands of people like you to learn Swahili this summer! Yes, we are helping to make your dream of learning Swahili easier and more affordable with a LIMITED TIME 29% OFF Basic and Premium.

Up to $69.60 in savings! Click here to get a BIG 29% OFF!
Click here to get 29% off!

Ready to learn Swahili? During our Summer of Swahili Sale, you gain full access to our ENTIRE learning system – 50+ hours of Swahili audio and video lessons from real Swahili teachers, exclusive apps, plus loads of additional study tools and resources for just…

But you might be wondering: Which plan do I choose?

Great question. The answer depends on your goals, budget and situation but here are a few guidelines to help you choose. People choose the Basic plan when:

  • Budget is a primary issue
  • They have plenty of time and want to learn at a comfortable pace
  • There’s no pressing need to learn Swahili by a set date

With Basic, you get just the Basics of SwahiliPod101 – the effective lessons and on-the-go mobile access. You can learn at your pace with:

  • Full Access to 280+ Audio & Video Lessons
  • Full Access to PDF Lesson Notes for Each Lesson
  • Instructor Feedback & Comments on Each Lesson
  • 24/7 Access via Any Media Device with Internet Access

Click here to save 29% on Any 1-, 3-, 6-, 12- or 24-month plan!

People choose the Premium plan when:

  • They’re low on time but truly want to learn
  • They want to learn Swahili faster than traditional methods
  • They want UNLIMITED access to the entire learning system

With Premium, you get unlimited SwahiliPod101 accessAll lessons, lesson notes, study tools, smart flashcards, apps and more – and dramatically reduce your learning time. Premium is our most popular plan and is the fastest track to learning Swahili.

  • Exclusive! App for the iPhone, iPad or Android
  • 280+ Audio & Video Lessons from Swahili Teachers
  • PDF Lesson Notes for Each Lesson to Read Along With
  • Premium Study Tools: 2,000 Swahili Words List, Smart Flashcards, Word Bank, Lesson Checklists and More!
  • Voice Recording Tools to Perfect your Swahili Pronunciation
  • Line-by-Line Dialog Translations & Review Quizzes
  • Progress Tracking & Guidance For Your Swahili Lessons
  • Feedback & Comments From Our Swahili Instructors
  • 24/7 Access via Any Media Device with Internet Access
  • All Resources Available in Electronic Downloadable Format
  • Exclusive! Custom Lists App to Create Your Own Swahili Word Lists
  • …and more!

Click here to unlock unlimited Premium access for just $7.10/month or $0.23/day!

So essentially, if you are in no rush and want to learn Swahili, then select Basic. But, if you want full access to more than a dozen time-saving tools and resources so you can learn Swahili as quickly as possible, then Premium is best for you.

But no matter which plan you choose, you get a full 29% off any length Basic or Premium plan during the Summer of Swahili sale. Don’t delay. This ends July 31st, 2015.

Click here to save 29% on 1-, 3-, 6-, 12- or 24-month Basic or Premium!

Just select the plan that works best for you and remember:

Your investment is 100% risk-free. Your purchase is backed by a 60-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not speaking Swahili as fast as you’d like and if you’re not blown away by the results, simply contact us for a full refund. So what are you waiting for?

Click here to get 29% OFF plus UNLIMITED access to ALL lessons, tools and apps!

To a Summer of Mastering Swahili,

Team SwahiliPod101

P.S. Stop “dreaming about your dream” of learning Swahili and make it a reality by signing up during our Summer of Swahili Sale. With Premium, you get UNLIMITED access to our Swahili learning system and save up to $69.60 instantly!

Click here to save $69.60 and learn Swahili with lessons from real teachers!