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🇸🇴Somalia, Ethiopia (Ogaden), Kenya, Djibouti

Learn Somali with real humans

Somali is spoken by 20 to 25 million people in the Horn of Africa, in Somalia, the Ogaden region of Ethiopia, northeastern Kenya and Djibouti. It is a Cushitic language (within the Afro-Asiatic family), a distant cousin of Amharic and Oromo. Somali is unique in Africa: it was officially written for the first time in 1972, using the Latin alphabet, a strong political choice. The Somali diaspora in Europe (especially in the UK, the Netherlands and Scandinavia) numbers over one million people.

Small groupsNative teachersTwice a week
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First words in Somali
Maalin wanaagsan / Sideed tahay?, Good day / How are you?
NA-bad / MA-lin wa-NAAG-san / si-DEED ta-HAY
Nabad, Hello / Peace
Formal greeting
Did you know? Somali is reputed to be one of the world's richest languages in oral poetry. Somali culture is built around the poetic tradition, poets (gabay) were central political and moral figures in nomadic society. Thousands of poems were passed down orally for centuries before being written down. Somali also has tones, word stress is phonemic and can distinguish between words. A typological curiosity: Somali is a verb-final (SOV) language and uses suffixes to mark grammatical function, similar to Latin.
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Live classes

Learn Somali live with a native teacher

2 live classes per week in small groups. Ask questions, practice conversation, progress fast.

Native teacher in class - Somali | TargumiConversation with a teacher - Somali | Targumi
2
classes per week
Small
groups
100%
certified native teachers
Live classes

Your typical Somali week

2 live video classes per week, Mondays and Thursdays at 8pm (Paris time). Small groups.

Week of
1 – Jun 7, 2026

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Risk-free trial · 30-day refund · Small groups of 2-5

The platform

Progress in Somali between classes, at your own pace

Interactive lessons with native audio, vocabulary, dialogues and quizzes. Everything you need to reinforce your skills between live sessions.

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Access all interactive exercises and online courses.

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Risk-free trial · 30-day refund · Small groups of 2-5

The community

Join Targumi's Somali community

Dedicated WhatsApp group, exchanges between learners, resource sharing. You're never alone in your learning journey.

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Free · Lifetime access · Native speakers present

Full program

Your Somali curriculum

Exactly what you'll find inside the platform: 50 modules, 0+ structured lessons, quizzes and exercises.

The method

Our method for learning Somali

Step 01

Quick level test

Assess your current knowledge in 5 minutes

Step 02

Structured modules

Progressive learning path with native audio and exercises

Step 03

Interactive live classes

2 sessions per week with your native teacher

Step 04

Level certification

Validate your progress with an official certificate

Why Targumi

What makes us different for Somali

100+
Available languages

Including rare languages you won't find anywhere else.

30
Free trial days

Try everything with no commitment. Classes, exercises, community.

3-en-1
Complete platform

Video classes + interactive exercises + WhatsApp community. All included.

24/7
Unlimited access

Learn whenever you want. Exercises and content are available 24/7.

The curriculum

What you'll learn in Somali

A curriculum designed to get you speaking Somali in the situations that actually matter to you.

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  1. 01
    Conversational Somali from Mogadishu and the diaspora
  2. 02
    Somali Latin alphabet: phonetic spelling and pronunciation
  3. 03
    Tones and accents: standard Somali vs regional dialects
  4. 04
    Somali nomadic culture: oral poetry, xeer and hospitality
  5. 05
    Somali for humanitarian professionals in the Horn of Africa
  6. 06
    Business Somali: Djibouti as a regional commercial hub

Start Somali now

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about learning Somali

Somali presents specific challenges: SOV word order (subject-object-verb), lexical tones, a grammatical case system and a gender distinction (masculine/feminine) that is sometimes unpredictable. On the other hand, the alphabet is Latin and the spelling is highly phonetic, which makes reading easier. With a native teacher, oral progress can be quick: everyday vocabulary is accessible within 3-4 months of regular effort.
Yes, this is one of the top motivations for our Somali learners. NGOs (UNHCR, MSF, IRC, UNICEF) operating in Somalia, Kenya (Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps) or Ethiopia (Ogaden) have a real need for staff who speak Somali. The ability to communicate directly with communities without an interpreter considerably improves the effectiveness of humanitarian work and the trust built with beneficiaries.
The Somali community in France is estimated at 30,000 to 50,000 people, mainly in Paris, Strasbourg and Lyon. That's smaller than in the UK or Scandinavia, but the presence is real. In addition, Djibouti, the former 'French Somali Coast', maintains historical ties with France, and Somali is widely spoken there alongside French and Afar.
The Somali spoken in Djibouti is very close to standard Somali. The main difference is the influence of French (rather than English as in Somalia or Kenya) in borrowed vocabulary. Djibouti has two official languages, French and Arabic, but Somali (and Afar) are the native languages of the majority of the population. A speaker of standard Somali will be understood without problem in Djibouti.
For a survival level (introducing yourself, asking for directions, ordering food, shopping), count on 2-3 months with 2 classes per week. For fluent conversational level, count on 12-18 months. The main challenge is the tones and word order. The American Foreign Service Institute ranks Somali among the 'difficult' languages (level 3 out of 4) for English speakers.
Targumi offers 3 plans: quarterly, yearly, and lifetime access. All plans include live small-group classes with native teachers, interactive lessons, and the community. See full pricing on the pricing page.
100% online. Live classes happen twice a week in small groups via Google Meet. You can join from anywhere in the world. The mobile and web app stay accessible 24/7 for interactive lessons.
Yes. Targumi offers a 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans. If you are not satisfied, just email [email protected] for a full refund.
You can cancel anytime from your profile (“My subscriptions” section) with no hidden fees. Your access stays active until the end of your paid period.
Reviews

They are learning Somali with Targumi

Verified learner testimonials.

C

Been on Targumi for 3 months. The small group format is exactly what I needed. My teacher takes time to correct accent, it's precious. Made more progress in 3 months than in 2 years of regular apps.

CamilleVerified purchase
D

What sold me is you actually speak from class one. No 10 hours of theory before opening your mouth. And the platform between classes is well-built, I revise on the morning commute.

DamienVerified purchase
S

Honestly I had doubts at first because I'd tried plenty of methods without sticking. This is different, the teacher knows their stuff, adapts to your level, and we have fun on top of it. 6 months in and still motivated.

SorayaVerified purchase
A

Really good experience overall, the rhythm between live classes and independent practice is well-balanced. Small note: the mobile app lags sometimes, but the teaching content is well worth the price.

AntoineVerified purchase
E

The thing that makes a real difference compared to other platforms: teachers are native and trained. You feel it, especially on accent and everyday expressions you don't learn in textbooks.

EmilyVerified purchase
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  • Live classes 2x/week with a native teacher
  • Full learning platform (videos, quizzes, audio exercises)
  • Small group classes: you actually practice
  • Private WhatsApp community
  • 24/7 access from mobile and desktop
  • Level certificate
  • Shareable account
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