Languages
Sixteen ways to say hello.
Eleven South African languages and five international languages — each taught with the art, culture and people who speak it. Pick a greeting below to meet its language.
Every path is the same wherever you start: structured lessons by level and category, stories, games, and live classes with real educators.
South African languages
Eleven official languages, one home.
Sawubona.
isiZuluSay it: sah-wu-BAW-nah — hello, literally “we see you.”
South Africa's most widely spoken home language — and the language that gives Luthando App its name: uthando means love.
- Lessons by level and category, from first sounds to conversation
- Letters & Sounds for the very beginning: alphabet, vowels, sounds
- Bedtime stories, games and live classes with vetted educators
Molo.
isiXhosaSay it: MAW-law — hello, to one person. To a group, it's molweni.
The Nguni language famous for its click consonants — learners hear every sound from real speakers, not robots.
- Audio-first lessons so the clicks come naturally
- Stories and comprehension exercises rated by parents
- Live classes and one-on-one tutoring bookable in the app
Lumela.
SesothoSay it: loo-MEH-lah — hello, literally “agree / believe.”
Official on both sides of the border — in South Africa and in Lesotho, the mountain kingdom.
- Structured lessons with audio, pictures and quizzes
- Games — Hangman, Memory Match, Word Scramble, Quiz Challenge
- Live group and one-on-one classes with vetted educators
Dumela.
SetswanaSay it: doo-MEH-lah — hello to one person; dumelang to many.
Spoken across South Africa's North West and beyond — it's also the national language of Botswana.
- Early Childhood and Foundation Phase curriculum tracks
- Playroom videos — a child-safe, swipeable feed
- Live classes from open groups to private tutoring
Ndaa.
TshivendaSay it: n-DAH — a respectful hello.
The language of the Venda people of Limpopo, with its own beautiful letters — ṱ, ḓ, ṋ, ḽ — that learners meet from the first lesson.
- Letters & Sounds built for Tshivenda's unique alphabet
- Lessons by level and category with native-speaker audio
- Stories, games and live classes
Avuxeni.
XitsongaSay it: ah-voo-SHEH-nee — good morning, hello.
Spoken in Limpopo and Mpumalanga — and across the borders into Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
- Structured lessons with audio, images and assessments
- Daily game challenges, leaderboards and achievements
- Live classes with vetted Xitsonga educators
Hallo.
AfrikaansSay it: hah-LAW — hello. Goeie môre is good morning.
Born at the Cape and spoken across South Africa and Namibia — a first language for millions of South Africans of every background.
- Lessons from first words to confident conversation
- Stories with gentle comprehension questions
- Live classes, games and videos
Hello.
EnglishThe bridge language — and a learning path of its own.
South Africa's lingua franca. On Luthando App it's a full learning path too — school readiness for little ones, confidence for adult learners.
- Early Childhood and Foundation Phase tracks
- Letters & Sounds: alphabet, vowels, phonics
- Stories, games and live classes
Thobela. NEW
SepediSay it: taw-BEH-lah — a respectful hello.
Sesotho sa Leboa, the language of Limpopo — one of South Africa's most widely spoken home languages.
- Lessons by level and category, from first sounds to conversation
- Stories and games for young learners
- Live classes as educator availability grows
Sawubona. NEW
isiNdebeleSay it: sah-wu-BAW-nah — hello.
The Nguni language of Mpumalanga, famous worldwide for the bold geometric art of the Ndebele people.
- Lessons by level and category with native-speaker audio
- Stories and games for young learners
- Live classes as educator availability grows
Sawubona. NEW
siSwatiSay it: sah-wu-BAW-nah — hello.
The gentle Nguni language of Eswatini and Mpumalanga, sung as much as it is spoken.
- Lessons by level and category with native-speaker audio
- Stories and games for young learners
- Live classes as educator availability grows
International languages
New doors, opening.
Five international languages, marked NEW in the app — three African connectors, plus French and Portuguese.
Jambo. NEW
SwahiliSay it: JAHM-boh — hello.
East Africa's great connector, spoken from Kenya and Tanzania deep into the continent.
- Structured lessons with native-speaker audio
- Games and quizzes for daily practice
- Live classes as educator availability grows
Mhoro. NEW
ShonaSay it: m-HAW-raw — hello.
Zimbabwe's most widely spoken language — and a heritage language for many families in South Africa.
- Lessons by level and category
- Stories and games for young learners
- Live classes as educator availability grows
Mbote. NEW
LingalaSay it: m-BAW-teh — hello.
The musical language of Kinshasa and the Congo River — the sound of rumba and soukous.
- Structured lessons with audio and quizzes
- Games for playful, daily practice
- Live classes as educator availability grows
Bonjour. NEW
FrenchSay it: bon-ZHOOR — hello, good day.
Spoken across more than twenty African countries — a global language and a bridge across the continent.
- Structured lessons with audio and quizzes
- Games for playful, daily practice
- Live classes as educator availability grows
Olá. NEW
PortugueseSay it: oh-LAH — hello.
The language of Mozambique and Angola, right on South Africa's doorstep — and of Brazil and Portugal beyond.
- Structured lessons with audio and quizzes
- Games for playful, daily practice
- Live classes as educator availability grows
Start with a greeting.
Sawubona — we see you.
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