Countries
African Union, Democratic Republic of the Congo, East African Community, Kenya
  
Malaysia, Mauritius, Puducherry, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu
  
National Language
Burundi, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, South Sudan, Tanzania
  
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu
  
Second Language
Not spoken in any of the countries
  
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, kerala, Puducherry
  
Speaking Continents
Africa
  
Asia
  
Minority Language
Not spoken in any of the countries
  
Canada, Malaysia, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles
  
Regulated By
Chama cha Kiswahili cha Taifa (Kenya)
  
Official language Commission of Government of Tamil Nadu, Thanjavur Tamil University
  
Interesting Facts
- Swahili language has borrowed many words from Arabic language.
- The oldest written scripts in swahili language were found in 18th century.
- Tamil is the oldest language in the world. Tamil was spoken in South India more than 5000 years ago.
- The first legally recognized Classical Language of India is Tamil.
Similar To
Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi Languages
  
Malayalam
  
Derived From
Arabic Language
  
Not Available
  
Alphabets in
Swahili-Alphabets.jpg#200
  
Tamil-Alphabets.jpg#200
  
Phonology
  
  
Scripts
Latin
  
Tamil
  
Writing Direction
Not Available
  
Left-To-Right, Horizontal
  
Hard to Learn
  
  
Hello
Habari
  
வணக்கம் (Vanakkam)
  
Thank You
Asante
  
நன்றி (Naṉṟi)
  
How Are You?
Habari gani?
  
நீங்கள் எப்படி இருக்கிறீர்கள்? (Nīṅkaḷ eppaṭi irukkiṟīrkaḷ?)
  
Good Night
Usiku mwema
  
நல்ல இரவு (Good night) / irravu vanakkam (Good night)
  
Good Evening
Habari za jioni
  
நல்ல மாலை (Nalla mālai)/ மாலை (irravu vanakkam)
  
Good Afternoon
nzuri Alasiri
  
பிற்பகல் வணக்கம் (perpagal vanakkam)
  
Good Morning
Habari za asubuhi
  
காலை வணக்கம் (Kaalai Vanakkam)
  
Please
tafadhali
  
தயவு (Tayavu)
  
Sorry
pole
  
மன்னிக்கவும் (Maṉṉikkavum)
  
Bye
bye
  
சென்று வருகிறேன் (Sendru Varukiren)
  
I Love You
nakupenda
  
நான் உன்னை காதலிக்கிறேன் (Naan Unnai Kadalikiren)
  
Excuse Me
Samahani
  
என்னை மன்னியுங்கள் (Eṉṉai maṉṉiyuṅkaḷ)
  
Dialect 1
Kiunguja
  
Kongu
  
Where They Speak
Zanzibar island
  
Kongu
  
Dialect 2
Kimrima
  
Madurai Tamil
  
Where They Speak
Dar es Salaam
  
Madurai, South Tamil Nadu
  
Dialect 3
Kimgao
  
Tirunelveli Tamil
  
Where They Speak
Kilwa
  
South Tamil Nadu, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli
  
How Many People Speak?
150.00 million
  
13
78.00 million
  
21
Speaking Population
Not Available
  
Native Speakers
15.00 million
  
40
70.00 million
  
15
Second Language Speakers
Not Available
  
8.00 million
  
24
Native Name
Not Available
  
தமிழ்
  
Alternative Names
Kisuaheli, Kiswahili
  
Damulian, Tamal, Tamalsan, Tambul, Tamili
  
French Name
swahili
  
tamoul
  
German Name
Swahili
  
Tamil
  
Pronunciation
Not Available
  
[t̪ɐmɨɻ]
  
Ethnicity
Swahili people or Waswahili
  
Tamil people or Tamilans
  
Origin
6th century
  
300 BC
  
Language Family
Niger-Congo Family
  
Dravidian Family
  
Subgroup
Benue-Congo
  
Not Available
  
Branch
Bantu
  
Not Available
  
Language Forms
  
  
Early Forms
No early forms
  
Old Tamil and Middle Tamil
  
Standard Forms
Swahili
  
Modern Tamil
  
Language Position
Not Available
  
Signed Forms
Not Available
  
Signed Tamil
  
Scope
Individual, Macrolanguage
  
Individual
  
ISO 639 1
sw
  
ta
  
ISO 639 2
  
  
ISO 639 2/T
swa
  
tam
  
ISO 639 2/B
swa
  
tam
  
ISO 639 3
swa
  
tam
  
ISO 639 6
Not Available
  
tam
  
Glottocode
swah1254
  
tami1289, oldt1248
  
Linguasphere
99-AUS-m
  
tami1289
  
Types of Language
  
  
Language Type
Living
  
Living
  
Language Linguistic Typology
Not Available
  
Subject-Object-Verb
  
Language Morphological Typology
Not Available
  
Not Available