Kiswahili is the glue that binds Tanzania together. It’s essentially a Bantu tongue, enriched by thousands of loan words, primarily Persian and Arabic, but also Hindi, Portuguese, German and English.
Kiswahili is pronounced exactly as it’s written, with the stress nearly always on the penultimate syllable. Where an apostrophe precedes a vowel (eg ng’ombe; cattle), the vowel is accentuated, something like a gulp.
The ability to pepper conversation with appropriate proverbs (methali) is also much admired in Tanzania – as elsewhere in Africa. The pithier sayings even find their way onto kangas worn by women, to express sentiments that might be taboo if spoken aloud.
Here are a few of our favourites, taken from the new Rough Guide to Tanzania. For more inspiration, read our run-down of the best things to do in Tanzania.
Kila ndege huruka na mbawa zake
© GUDKOV ANDREY/Shutterstock
haraka haraka haina baraka
Atangaye na jua hujuwa
Moyo wa kupenda hauna subira
© Pixeljoy/Shutterstock
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Fadhila ya punda ni mateke
Heri kufa macho kuliko kufa moyo
Asifuye mvuwa imemnyea
Asisa firie nyota ya mwenzio
© danm12/Shutterstock
Fumbo mfumbe mjinga mwerevu huligangua
Penye nia ipo njia
Ukipenda boga penda na ua lake
Mwenye pupa hadiriki kula tamu
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Vadim Petrakov/Shutterstock
Heri kujikwa kidole kuliko ulimi
Kizuri chajiuza kibaya chajitembeza
Explore more of Tanzania with the Rough Guide to Tanzania. Compare flights, find tours, book hostels and hotels for your trip, and don’t forget to purchase travel insurance before you go.