The official languages of Kenya are English and Swahili.
Is English widely spoken in Kenya?
The country’s two official languages — and the ones you’ll hear and see used most frequently — are English and Swahili, which is considered the lingua franca of southeastern Africa for its widespread usage and ubiquity in the areas of trade, commerce, communications and education.
Why is English the official language in Kenya?
At the time of colonization, Swahili had already been established as a trade language in most parts of the East African coast and it was also used in education. The British administration decided to reduce the influence of Swahili and make English the medium of instruction in Kenyan schools.
What is Kenya’s national language?
Кения/Официальные языки
Is English used in Kenya American or British?
The British reduced the influence of Swahili and made English the medium of instruction in Kenyan schools. English remained in official use after Kenya’s independence on 12 December 1963. The official languages of Kenya are English and Swahili, with the latter also recognised as the national language.
How do u say hello in Kenya?
The most common greeting among those who speak Swahili is ‘Hujambo’ (‘Hello’) or the more colloquial greeting of ‘Jambo’. Both greetings can be responded with the phrase ‘sijambo’, which means ‘I am well’. Other common greetings in contemporary Kenya include ‘sasa’ or ‘Mambo’.
What is the most popular language in Kenya?
Swahili. Swahili is one of the major languages used in Kenya. The language is also recognized by law as the official language in the country. The Swahili language is also used as the lingua franca by most people in the country.
What percentage of Kenya speaks English?
The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language estimates English-speakers in Kenya to constitute 9 percent of the population of 25 million, or about 2.24 million people, while the BBC World Service estimates 3.4 million adult English speakers there.
What language is spoken in Nairobi Kenya?
There are two official languages in Kenya: English and Swahili (Kiswahili).
What percentage of Swahili is English?
Origin
| Donor languages | Percentage |
|---|---|
| English | 4.6% |
| Portuguese | 0.9-1.0% |
| Hindi | 0.7-3.9% |
| Persian | 0.4-3.4% |
What is the native language of East Africa?
Swahili to become East Africa’s official language. The EAC is made up of five countries, namely Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.
How many language groups are there in Kenya?
Broadly, there are three language groups in Kenya, namely Bantu, Nilotic and Cushitic, and each group includes more than five languages which makes Kenya as a multilingual country with about forty-two languages.
How many languages are in East Africa?
List of official, national and spoken languages of Africa. Africa is a continent with a very high linguistic diversity, there are an estimated 1500-2000 African languages. gathering appoximately 140 languages with some eleven millions speakers scattered in Central and Eastern Africa.
Which countries use UK English?
British English (BrE) is a term used to distinguish the form of the English language used in the British Isles from forms used elsewhere. It includes all the varieties of English used within the Isles, including those found in England, Scotland, Wales, and the island of Ireland.
Does Europe use British or American English?
The European Union uses British English for translation. In fact, when I am in doubt, I ask my clients whether they want European or American English.
Is British or American English more popular?
Americans also outnumber Britons: People are more likely to encounter one of the 260 million Yanks than one of the 55 million Brits. “It’s more practical to speak and understand American English these days,” says Bezouglyi, who adds there are more Americans than Britons in Russia today.