Millions of people speak a variety of languages across Africa (Image: Getty)
From the bustling markets of West Africa to the serene landscapes of Southern Africa, the continent boasts an extraordinary variety of linguistic diversity with thousands of languages spoken across its regions.
The linguistic richness reflects Africa’s traditions, cultures and complex history. While an estimated 237 million people in Africa speak English with 130 million being fluent, it is often used alongside their native tongue.
Throughout the years, English has evolved in some regions to such an extent that native English speakers might struggle to understand it.
This is the case of Pidgin English, widely used in countries like Ghana and Nigeria where around 75 million people in these countries are proficient in Pidgin English.
From the melodic rhythms of Swahili spoken along East Africa’s coast to the Berber languages echoing through the mountains of Morocco, each language tells the unique story of its people and culture. Here are the 10 most spoken languages other than English, according to Berlitz.
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Arabic and berber languages are spoken across North Africa (Image: Getty)
What are the most spoken languages in Africa?
1.Arabic
There are a total of around 150 million people speaking the language. It is the most spoken language in Africa and the sixth in the world.
It includes various dialects such as Tunisian, Egyptian, and Sudanese among others. It is deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric of North Africa, including in countries like Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.
It plays a central role in literature, education and media while shaping the cultural landscape of the region.
A number of people speak French in DRC (Image: Getty)
2. French
The country with the most French speakers is not France, but the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
With a population of more than 100 million people, the country has an estimated 40 million French speakers, making it the largest Francophone country in the world by the number of French speakers.
A total of 29 countries in Africa have French as an official language, including Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Gabon and more.
It is estimated that 120 million people in Africa speak French, mostly in West Africa, Central Africa and North Africa.
3. Swahili
As a lingua franca in East Africa, it is widely spoken across countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and DRC. With more than 80 million people speaking the language, it plays a vital role in bridging communication between diverse ethnic groups.
Hakuna Matata is a famous Swahili phrase that has gained widespread recognition in the West, largely thanks to Disney’s The Lion King. It means “No worries” or “No problem”.
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Amharic is the official language of Ethiopia (Image: Getty)
4. Hausa
This language is spoken by the Hausa people in the northern parts of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, the southern parts of Niger and Chad, with minorities in Ivory Coast.
Spoken by around 70 million people, it boasts a rich oral literature and a collection of proverbs reflecting the cultural heritage of its speakers.
5. Amharic
It is the official language of Ethiopia and one of the most widely spoken languages in the Horn of Africa.
It belongs to the Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family and uses the unique Ge’ez script.
It is spoken by around 57 million people, and has a rich and varied literature, with a range of poems, religious texts and modern novels.
6.Yoruba
Being one of the most influential ethnic languages in Afric , it is spoken primarily in Nigeria, and in parts of Benin and Togo.
There is a standard form of Yoruba, but various dialects due to the language being used in different regions.
It uses the Latin alphabet, using some additional characters to represent specific sounds.
It is spoken by around 45 million people, making it the sixth most spoken language in Africa.
7. Oromo
With around 40 million people speaking Oromo, the language is the seventh most spoken language in Africa. This Cushitic language is mainly used in Ethiopia and Kenya by the Oromo people.
Traditionally, the language was passed down orally, and it has a rich oral literature.
It is being used by the Oromo people for storytelling, poetry and songs. Gadaa, the traditional system of governance and societal organisation among the Oromo is also expressed in the language.
It has now a growing presence in the media, including radio,television and newspapers.
8. Igbo
The eighth most spoken language in Africa is one of Nigeria’s major languages. It is primarily used in the southeastern region, in states such as Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
There are around 40 million people speaking the language, which features folktales, proverbs and songs.
It is a tonal language, with the meaning of a word changing based on its tone. It can alter its meaning completely, making correct pronunciation vital for clear communication.
It is used in a variety of religious contexts, both in Christian churches and in traditional African religions.
9. Portuguese
There are around 30 million people in Africa who speak Portuguese as it is the official language of several African countries including Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Similar to French and English, the language’s presence in Africa is primarily a legacy of colonial history. It left a significant imprint on the continent.
Portuguese in Africa is often influenced by local African languages. Cape Verdean Creole, spoken in Cape Verde, is a Creole language with heavy Portuguese influence.
10. Zulu
Last but not least, Zulu is a Bantu language and one of South Africa’s 11 official languages. With around 27 million people speaking Zulu, it is the 10th most spoken language in Africa.
It is known for its distinctive click consonants and is widely spoken in KwaZulu-Natal proving and urban areas across South Africa.
