Peace Corps. An Introduction to the Chichewa Language

Peace Corps/Malawi. — 19 p.Chichewa language is spoken in almost all parts of Malawi. There are several other languages and dialects spoken in different regions for instance, Chitumbuka, Chiyao, Chilomwe, Chitonga, Chisena, Chilambia and Chinkhonde. It should be emphasized here that the basic grammatical structure is almost the same for all the languages. The difference is in terms of vocabulary, intonations and pronunciation. As for the Chichewa alphabet, some letters do not exist i.e. “Q”and “X”. The letter “C” always carries an “H”. This short introduction is designed to give you a glimpse of whatthe Chichewa Language is like before you arrive in Malawi.