Harsunan Kenya

According to Ethnologue, there are a total of 68 languages spoken in Kenya. This variety is a reflection of the country's diverse population that includes most major ethnoracial and linguistic groups found in Africa (see Languages of Africa).

Languages spoken locally belong to three broad language families: Niger-Congo (Bantu branch) and Nilo-Saharan (Nilotic branch), spoken by the country's Bantu, Nilotic populations and the Cushitic, Afroasiatic language family respectively. The Arab ethnic minority speak languages belonging to the separate Afroasiatic family, with the Hindustani and British residents speaking languages from the Indo-European family.^[2]

Kenya's various ethnic groups typically speak their mother tongues within their own communities. The two official languages, English and Swahili, are used in varying degrees of fluency for communication with other populations. Today, English is the official language in Kenya, while Swahili enjoys the status of the national language.

British English is primarily used in Kenya. Additionally, a distinct local dialect, Kenyan English, is used by some communities and individuals in the country, and contains features unique to it that were derived from local Bantu languages such as Kiswahili and Kikuyu.^[3] It has been developing since colonisation and also contains certain elements of American English. English is widely spoken in commerce, schooling and government.^[4] Peri-urban and rural dwellers are less multilingual, with many in rural areas speaking only their native languages.^[5]

Manyan Harsuna

The 2019 census reports the largest communities of native speakers in Kenya as follows:

• Bantu
  • Kikuyu 8.1 million
  • Kamba 4.7 million
  • Luhya 10 million
    • (incl. Bukusu 1.2 million)
  • Gusii 2.7 million
  • Meru 2.0 million
  • Mijikenda/Giriama ca. 1 million
• Nilotic
  • Dholuo 5.0 million
  • Kalenjin languages 4.6 million
    • (Kipsigis 1.9 million, Nandi 940,000)
  • Maasai 1.2 (1.9 million including Tanzania)
  • Turkana 1.0 million
• Cushitic
  • Oromo (over 48 million incl. Ethiopia)
    • Borana, 3.4 million speakers in 2010
    • Orma, 659,000 speakers in 2015
  • Somali 2.8 million (22 million incl. Ethiopia and Somalia)

kananan Harsuna

Languages spoken by the country's ethnic minorities include:

• Afroasiatic languages
  • Cushitic^[6][7]
    • Rendille, 60,000 speakers in 2015^[8]
  • Semitic
    • Arabic
• Indo-European
  • Hindi
  • English
• Bantu
  • Swahili

• Linguistic map of Kenya at Muturzikin.com
• Ethnologue page for Kenya
• National Public Radio story about Kisii language from All Things Considered program, April 29, 2006
• PanAfriL10n page on Kenya

Samfuri:Languages of KenyaSamfuri:Kenya topicsSamfuri:Africa in topicSamfuri:English official language clickable map