Languages of Kenya

68 languages of the index are spoken in Kenya; 2 have official status (English and Swahili). The country has about 48.5 m inhabitants (2017).

68 languages8 endangered or dormantAfricaISO KE / KEN

Official languages

engEnglishIndo-European · 1.13 bn0 · International swaSwahiliNiger–Congo · 15.4 m

All languages spoken in Kenya

Language	ISO	Family	Countries	Speakers	Vitality
engEnglish	`eng`	Indo-European	+93	1.13 bn	0 · International
araArabicاللُّغَة العَرَبِيّة	`ara`	Afroasiatic	+36	315.4 m	Safe
panPunjabiپنجابی	`pan`	—	+15	125 m	Safe
swhKiswahilikiswahili	`swh`	Niger–Congo	+3	98.3 m	1 · National
tamTamilதமிழ்	`tam`	Dravidian	+5	83 m	2 · Provincial
ormOromoAfaan Oromoo	`orm`	Afroasiatic		36 m
somSomaliAf-Soomaali	`som`	Afroasiatic	+1	16.2 m	1 · National
swaSwahiliKiswahili	`swa`	Niger–Congo	+10	15.4 m
kikGikuyuGĩkũyũ	`kik`	Niger–Congo		6.6 m	5 · Developing
ayhHadhrami Arabicاللهجة الحضرمية	`ayh`	Afroasiatic	+5	4.5 m	6a · Vigorous
kamKamba	`kam`	Niger–Congo		3.9 m	4 · Educational
luoDholuo	`luo`	Nilo-Saharan		3 m	5 · Developing
ksbShambala	`ksb`	Niger–Congo		664,000	6a · Vigorous
ragLogooli	`rag`	Niger–Congo		618,300	4 · Educational
dugKiduruma	`dug`	Niger–Congo		397,000	5 · Developing
ebuEmbu	`ebu`	Niger–Congo		320,000	5 · Developing
nydNyole	`nyd`	—		310,000	5 · Developing
thkTharaka	`thk`	Niger–Congo		176,000	5 · Developing
bjiBurji	`bji`	Afroasiatic		70,100	4 · Educational
dshDaasanach	`dsh`	Afroasiatic		60,500	5 · Developing
kcnNubi	`kcn`	Arabic-based pidgin and creole languages		42,000	6b · Threatened
ssnWaata	`ssn`	Afroasiatic		12,600	6a · Vigorous
dalDahalo	`dal`	Afroasiatic		400	8a · Moribund
masMaasai	`mas`	Nilo-Saharan			5 · Developing
luyLuhya	`luy`	Niger–Congo
merMeru	`mer`	Niger–Congo			4 · Educational
guzGusii	`guz`	Niger–Congo
tuvTurkana	`tuv`	Nilo-Saharan			5 · Developing
teoTeso	`teo`	Nilo-Saharan			5 · Developing
relRendille	`rel`	Afroasiatic			6a · Vigorous
davTaita	`dav`	Niger–Congo			5 · Developing
eloEl Molo	`elo`	Afroasiatic			9 · Dormant
klnKalenjin	`kln`	Nilo-Saharan
muuYaaku	`muu`	—			8a · Moribund
bobAweer	`bob`	Afroasiatic			6a · Vigorous
saqSamburu	`saq`	—			6a · Vigorous
xkiKenyan Sign Language	`xki`	—			5 · Developing
kujKuria	`kuj`	Niger–Congo			5 · Developing
digDigo	`dig`	Niger–Congo			5 · Developing
pkoPökoot	`pko`	Nilo-Saharan			5 · Developing
pkbPokomo	`pkb`	Niger–Congo			5 · Developing
gaxBorana	`gax`	Afroasiatic			5 · Developing
orcOrma	`orc`	Afroasiatic			6a · Vigorous
bxkBukusu	`bxk`	Niger–Congo			4 · Educational
okiOgiek	`oki`	Nilo-Saharan			8b · Nearly Extinct
cohChonyi	`coh`	Niger–Congo			6a · Vigorous
tuyTugen	`tuy`	Nilo-Saharan			6a · Vigorous
nsgNgasa	`nsg`	Nilo-Saharan			10 · Extinct
niqNandi	`niq`	Nilo-Saharan			5 · Developing
nyfGiryama	`nyf`	Niger–Congo			5 · Developing
omtOmotik	`omt`	Nilo-Saharan			8a · Moribund
lsmsaamia	`lsm`	Niger–Congo			5 · Developing
sgcKipsigis	`sgc`	Nilo-Saharan			5 · Developing
enbMarkweta	`enb`	Nilo-Saharan			5 · Developing
mlkIlwana	`mlk`	Niger–Congo			5 · Developing
spySabaot	`spy`	Nilo-Saharan			5 · Developing
cuhChuka	`cuh`	Niger–Congo			6a · Vigorous
tecTerik	`tec`	Nilo-Saharan			6a · Vigorous
eyoKeiyo	`eyo`	Nilo-Saharan			6a · Vigorous
sgmSinga	`sgm`	Niger–Congo			10 · Extinct
tvsTaveta	`tvs`	Niger–Congo			5 · Developing
mwsMwimbi-Muthambi	`mws`	Niger–Congo			6a · Vigorous
lwgWanga	`lwg`	Niger–Congo			4 · Educational
lkbLukabaras	`lkb`	Niger–Congo			5 · Developing
lksOlushisa	`lks`	Niger–Congo			4 · Educational
lrmOlumarama	`lrm`	Niger–Congo			4 · Educational
ltoOlutsotso	`lto`	Niger–Congo			4 · Educational
ltsLutachoni	`lts`	Niger–Congo			5 · Developing

68 languages · click a column to sort · source: Wikidata