African Languages at UCLA
Swahili advertisement from Arusha, Tanzania

African Languages at UCLA

Learn about African languages taught at UCLA.

"Upon entering UCLA's African Studies program I found learning an African language challenging. I had resisted the idea for months, convincing myself that cross-cultural differences could be mended with Euro-Western languages, namely, English and French, in Anglophone and Francophone Africa. However, it wasn't until my final year at UCLA when I traveled to Uganda for research and returned to Ghana for leisure that I realized how limited the English language can be. My American-centric thinking was challenged by the mere fact that language is a channel for personal expression, especially for bi- or multi-lingual speakers who may speak a common language, but prefer other mechanisms in which they can express themselves. This epiphany enabled me to understand intergenerational communication gaps between older and younger people in Uganda. Now I recognize the importance of learning African languages. For me, speaking African languages has meant building relationships and respect and gaining knowledge on cultural norms and idiosyncrasies."

– Marcelle Little, MA in African Studies, 2009

UCLA offers regular instruction in:

  • Swahili
  • Modern Standard and Colloquial Egyptian Arabic
  • Afrikaans

In the 2009-10 academic year the following are being offered:

  • ElementarySwahili
  • ElementaryYoruba
  • Intermediate Zulu (via distance learning with UC-Berkeley)
  • Elementary Wolof (via distance learning with UC-Berkeley)
  • Arabic at all levels

Fall 2009 African Languages Conversation Tables:

Many of these classes have conversation tables, open to the public, at or outside of Northern Lights (North Campus Student Union coffee house), unless location is otherwise specified.  If the schedule you are looking for is not listed here, check back or contact Dr. Katrina Thompson

Elementary Swahili

  • Mondays 2-3 p.m.

  • Tuesdays 2-3 p.m.

  • Fridays 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Elementary Yoruba

  • Mondays 6-7 p.m.

We are also able to offer other languages during Summer Sessions. Recent offerings have included:

2006 Amharic, Swahili, Yoruba

2007 Amharic, Swahili, Zulu

2008 Igbo, Swahili, Tigrinya

Students interested in another language in the summer should submit an expression of interest via email.

Summer 20010 TAships are available.  View our website for more info.

Other African Languages

Other African languages are ocassionally taught as tutorials under faculty supervision using Linguistics, Library, and Instructional Media Center resources; Amharic, Bambara, Cape Verde Creole, Chichewa, Ewe, Kimbundu, Sotho, Yoruba, and Wolof have been given over the years.  Students interested in requesting such a course should contact our African languages coordinator, Katrina Daly Thompson.

For more info please contact:
Katrina Daly Thompson
310-825-4405
kdthompson@humnet.ucla.edu