The Swahili alphabet has 24 letters. It uses the same Latin script as English but excludes the letters Q and X. Each letter makes one consistent sound — Swahili is almost perfectly phonetic, so what you see is what you say.
Tap the speaker icon next to any word below to hear it pronounced by a native-style voice.
Reviewed by Native Swahili speakers from Tanzania
Reviewed by our Tanzania-based editorial team · Updated April 17, 2026
A
Asante
Thank you
B
Baba
Father
C
Chai
Tea
D
Dada
Sister
E
Elimu
Education
F
Farasi
Horse
G
Gari
Car
H
Habari
News / Hello
I
Imba
Sing
J
Jambo
Hello
K
Karibu
Welcome
L
Lugha
Language
M
Mama
Mother
N
Nyumba
House
O
Ondoka
Leave / Go
P
Paka
Cat
R
Rafiki
Friend
S
Simba
Lion
T
Tembo
Elephant
U
Upendo
Love
V
Vitabu
Books
W
Watoto
Children
Y
Yai
Egg
Z
Zawadi
Gift
Free printable: Swahili alphabet poster
All 24 letters, each with a Swahili word, a picture and where the word comes from, plus the five vowel sounds.
Free with Jambo Daily, our one-Swahili-word-a-day email. Unsubscribe any time.
🔤 Phonetic language: Swahili is almost perfectly phonetic — each letter makes one consistent sound. Unlike English, there are no silent letters or surprising pronunciation rules.
🎵 Vowels matter: Swahili has five vowel sounds (a, e, i, o, u) that are always pronounced the same way: a as in "father", e as in "bed", i as in "see", o as in "go", u as in "moon".
📖 No Q or X: The Swahili alphabet has 24 letters, excluding Q and X. Words borrowed from other languages that use these letters are adapted.
🎯 Practice daily: Pick 3–5 letters each day. Say the word, listen to the pronunciation, and try using it in a sentence. Consistency beats intensity!
A beautifully illustrated alphabet book brings each Swahili letter to life.