Typing a lot of Swahili? Get faster with free lessons and a speed test.
Practise Swahili typingOnline Swahili Keyboard – Type in Swahili Instantly
All Keyboards is a free online Swahili keyboard. Swahili is written in the Latin alphabet with no special letters, so you type on the standard QWERTY layout – or speak and let voice typing write for you. Copy, download, share or translate your Swahili text in one click.
How to Use the Swahili Keyboard
- Start typing. Click the keys of the on-screen keyboard, or type on your own keyboard – Swahili needs no special letters.
- Use Shift and Caps Lock. Shift types one capital letter; Caps Lock keeps capitals on.
- The apostrophe in ng'. Type ' for the sound ng' (as in "singer"): ng'ombe, cow.
- Type by voice. Click the microphone and speak Swahili – your words appear as text (works in Chrome and Edge).
- Save or share your text. Use the toolbar to download, copy, print, share on WhatsApp or by email, or translate your text.
About the Swahili Language
Swahili (Kiswahili) is a Bantu language of the Niger-Congo family and the most widely spoken language of East Africa. It is the national language of Tanzania and Kenya, an official language of Uganda and Rwanda, and an official language of the African Union. Swahili grew up on the coast of the Indian Ocean, where it took many words from Arabic, Persian, Portuguese, English and Hindi – chai (tea) and duka (shop) among them.
- Script
- Latin alphabet (24 letters, no q or x)
- Language family
- Bantu (Niger-Congo)
- Official status
- National language of Tanzania and Kenya; official in Uganda and Rwanda; African Union language
- Related languages
- Comorian, Kikuyu, Zulu, other Bantu languages
How old is Swahili?
Swahili developed on the East African coast over a thousand years ago. The oldest surviving manuscripts, written in the Arabic script, date from the early 18th century; the Latin alphabet came into use in the 19th century.
How many people speak Swahili?
About 100 million people or more speak Swahili, most of them as a second language; around 15–20 million speak it as their first language.
Where is Swahili spoken?
Swahili is spoken in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the eastern DR Congo, Mozambique and the Comoros.
World Kiswahili Language Day is celebrated on 7 July.
Common Swahili Phrases
A greeting and everyday phrases, to see how Swahili looks. Click a phrase to add it to the text box.
Swahili Alphabet at a Glance (Alfabeti)
Swahili uses 24 Latin letters – no q or x, and c only in ch – and five pure vowels. Words are read exactly as they are written.
Vowels irabu 5
A E I O U
Written as full letters at the start of a word or on their own.
Consonants konsonanti 18
- B to K
- B D F G H J K
- L to S
- L M N P R S
- T to Z
- T V W Y Z
Every letter that is not a vowel.
Letter pairs herufi mbili 7
ch dh gh ny sh th ng'
Two letters, one sound.
Numerals
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
moja, mbili, tatu … – Swahili uses the international digits.
Hear every letter and practise reading on the Swahili alphabet page.
Swahili Keyboard – Frequently Asked Questions
How do I type in Swahili?
Click the keys of the on-screen Swahili – QWERTY keyboard, or type on your own keyboard – each key types the Swahili character shown on it.
Is the online Swahili keyboard free?
Yes. The keyboard, translator, typing tutor and image to text tool are free to use, with no sign-up and nothing to install.
Do I need to install Swahili fonts?
No. The page loads a Unicode font for the Latin script, so Swahili text shows correctly in any modern browser, and the text you copy works in WhatsApp, Word and email.
How many letters does the Swahili alphabet have?
The Swahili alphabet has 24 letters, 5 vowels and 7 letter pairs. See every letter with its pronunciation on the alphabet page.
Where is Swahili spoken?
Swahili is spoken in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the eastern DR Congo, Mozambique and the Comoros.
Can I translate Swahili text?
Yes. Type your text, choose a language next to Translate and press the button – the translator opens with your text translated into English or any other supported language.
Can I type Swahili by voice?
Yes. Click the microphone in the text box and speak in Swahili – it works in Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
Last updated