Languages Used

Languages Used

English and Swahili are the two official languages. You can get by with English in the larger cities and when dealing with those connected to the tourism industry as well as the well-educated upper class, but, outside of that, a few words of Swahili go a long way.

Tribal languages, such as Maa spoken by the Maasai, are commonplace in more remote areas. You will still usually be able to find a local who can speak Swahili — although in such areas a guide will be indispensable. Sheng (a slang of English, Kiswahili and local languages) is spoken mostly by urban youths.