A Guide to Swahili Translation Services

If you have been looking to expand your business into Africa, it’s likely you will have heard of the Swahili language. Containing a rich mix of dialects, Swahili is the mother-tongue of many people in Africa. In fact, it has been around for centuries. At Absolute Translations, we are an industry-leading translations company who have extensive experience in delivering Swahili translation services. In this week’s blog, the team have put together a comprehensive guide to Swahili.

What is Swahili?

Swahili is an East African language that integrates a mix of Bantu and Arabic. Often referred to as Kiswahili, it was originally developed due to decades of East African coastal trade. ‘Swahili’ is the plural of the Arabic word ‘Sahil’. This translates to ‘coast’ and the ‘Ki’ at the start means ‘costal language’. Over the years, the language has merged, drawing influence from English, Persian and German. Swahili is the official language of Kenya and Tanzania, and has around 100 million native speakers worldwide.

How can Swahili translation services benefit your business?

To further develop your business, you may be looking to start trading in East Africa. This means Swahili translation services would be essential. As a language that developed from trading, any business prepared to translate documents and other materials will stand a head above the rest. Consequently, they will be open to more trading opportunities.

Additionally, using professional translation services is important is because of the relationship you keep with your international customers and consumers. Without translations, there is likely to be confusion and language barriers when trying to communicate with potential target audiences. This can result in the loss of sales. In the past, companies that have expanded into a global market have advertised their products with incorrect translations. This has resulted in embarrassing mishaps. An example of this is Pepsi’s attempted expansion into China in the 1960’s. Their slogan “Come alive with the Pepsi Generation” translated to, “Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead”. Although not only entirely wrong, it is considered culturally insensitive.

What can Absolute Translations do for me?

The team at Absolute Translations are all native speakers who live and work throughout East Africa to deliver localised and accurate translations. We believe that the best translations come from those who have intimate and personal experiences with the language. This enables our translators to deliver the most accurate and reliable Swahili translation services by staying up to date with colloquial terms and trends. We work with many globally recognised clients to ensure their messages translate correctly across the world.

If you want to find out more information about our Swahili translation services, why not get in touch with our team today on 0333 577 0767, or main@absolutetranslations.com.