Chichewa Language

Chichewa also known as Chewa or Chinyanja or Nyanja is a language spoken in Central and Southern regions of Malawi, Tete and Niassa provinces of Mozambique, Central and Eastern Provinces of Zambia and Mashonaland Central province of Zimbabwe by the Achewa people.

Chichewa language has approximately 12,000,000 native speakers.

A person who speaks Chichewa is known as Mchewa.

Chichewa is an official language in Malawi.

The language has 7 dialects; Chitumbuka, Chiyao, Chilomwe, Chitonga, Chisena, Chilambia and Chinkhonde.

The language is called 'the language of the Chewa people' in Malawi and 'the language of the lake' in Zambia.

Dictionary of popular Chichewa words

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This page was last updated on November 3, 2025

Chewa/Chinyanja/Nyanja/Chichewa

Native to

Botswana , Eswatini , Malawi , Mozambique , Zambia , Zimbabwe

Estimated Native Speakers

12,000,000

Region

Central and Southern regions of Malawi, Tete and Niassa provinces of Mozambique, Central and Eastern Provinces of Zambia and Mashonaland Central province of Zimbabwe

Status

Active

The Atyap People , The Chewa festival of the dead