Swazi or siSwati is a Bantu language of the Nguni group spoken in Eswatini and South Africa by the Swati people. The number of speakers is estimated to be in the region of 2.4 million. The language is taught in Eswatini and some South African schools in Mpumalanga, particularly former KaNgwane areas.
siSwati
What are Swati people known for?
The Swazi, who are chiefly agriculturists and pastoralists, numbered about 1,810,000 in the late 20th century. The language of the Swazi, called Swati or Swazi, belongs to the Benue-Congo group of the Niger-Congo languages; with the Zulu and the Xhosa, the Swazi form the southern Nguni ethnolinguistic group.
What is hello in Swati?
Sawubona
Useful phrases in Swati (siSwati)
| Phrase | siSwati (Swati) |
|---|---|
| Welcome | Wemukelekile (sg) Nemukelekile (pl) |
| Hello (General greeting) | Sawubona (sg – Do you see me?) Sanibonani (pl – Do you see me all?) Yebo (reply = yes) |
| How are you? | Unjani? (sg) Ninjani? (pl) |
Which countries speak Swati?
Swati is part of the Nguni group of Bantu languages and is spoken by about 1.5 million people in Swaziland (Eswatini) and South Africa. It is one of the eleven official languages in South Africa and is taught in the schools of Swaziland (Eswatini), and in some South African schools.
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