Visited 2 days ago
Mwalimu Tina 🎓
English
Native
Swahili
French
Luganda
Luo
Spanish

From United States

Living in Kigoma, United Republic of Tanzania

Fulbright Scholar & Bilingual Anthropologist 🇹🇿 🇺🇸 Swahili Teacher & English Conversation Karibu! Welcome! As an anthropologist, I'm curious about the connection between language and culture. I became fluent in Swahili through nine years of immersion in Tanzania—from daily conversations to eventually completing my Master’s degree at the University of Dar es Salaam. Having built fluency from zero helps me understand the challenges of learning a language, and I use unique strategies to help my students. For seven years, I’ve taught Swahili and English to refugees from Congo and learners worldwide. My style is practical, down-to-earth, and relevant (with plenty of humor!). Whether we work in Swahili or English, my goal is to help you feel capable and confident. 🇹🇿🇨🇩🇰🇪 Swahili with "The Other Mwalimu" I provide structured, step-by-step lessons that are personalized to your goals. No rote memorization or outdated tourist Swahili. We speak authentic, everyday Swahili, naturally integrating grammar—like noun classes and tenses. I specialize in working with researchers, missionaries, and relatives of Swahili speakers who want to connect deeper with family and friends. 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇬🇧 English: If you want to speak English naturally like you're talking to a friend, you've found your teacher. We'll improve your fluency through real-world conversations—culture, geography, history, arts, sciences, you name it! I love meeting people around the world and helping intermediate speakers feel comfortable and build confidence in English. I look forward to the journey with you!
My teaching material
  • PDF file
  • Text Documents
  • Presentation slides/PPT
  • Audio files
  • Image files
  • Video files
  • Articles and news
  • Graphs and charts
  • Homework Assignments
Read more

Interests

Travel
Reading
History
Science
Music
Trial Lesson
29 lessons completed
USD 17.00+
🔑 UNLOCK KISWAHILI 🚪 Custom Curriculum for Partners & Family Members 🇹🇿🇨🇩🇰🇪 Step-by-Step Swahili Acquisition (A1-B2)
A1-B2
Language Essentials
218 lessons completed
USD 21.11+
20% off
Mazungumzo kwa Kiswahili 💯 Real Conversations 🇹🇿 Speaking, Listening Comprehension, Advanced Grammar, Reading 🗣️📖 (Levels B1-C2)
B1-C2
Conversation
69 lessons completed
USD 21.11+
20% off
📚 Grammar Mastery: Noun Classes, Verb Extensions, and Tenses ✚ Customized Language Services 📝 (Levels B1-C2)
B1-C2
Language Essentials
26 lessons completed
USD 21.11+
20% off
Swahili for Two: Study Together 🌱 Grow Together 👩🏼‍💻👨🏾‍💻🧑🏻‍💻 (NEW!) Levels A1-C2
A1-C2
Language Essentials
6 lessons completed
USD 27.50+
20% off
Travel and Cultural Consulting for Visitors and New Residents of East Africa (NEW!)
A1-C2
Conversation
0 lessons completed
USD 21.11+
20% off
Based on your timezone (UTC)
5.0
67
Reviews
99%
Attendance
100%
Respond
All
English
Swahili
Pronunciation·4
Structured lessons·10
Patient·2
Provides materials·4
For beginners·44
Lisa Badger
11 Swahili lessons
Teacher’s pick
Mwalimu Tina is an exceptional teacher. She has self-designed a curriculum that she trusts, merging several sources. But she is also adaptable. She can pivot to focus on topics you want to discuss. Best of all, I feel that she truly cares about her students’ progress. She is the only language teacher I have ever had who keeps notes on each of your lessons, sends a written reminder of homework and has a WhatsApp group for you to connect with her other Swahili students. 👍🏼
Student Kiki Morgan
Kiki Morgan
22 Swahili lessons
Teacher’s pick
Mwalimu Tina is perhaps the most dedicated swahili teacher on the platform right now. Her knowledge of what tools and methods adult learners need for learning a language have been more than helpful in my learning journey. She energetic and adaptive, and designs her lessons around the interests of her students. Highly recommended for any beginners in Swahili!
biragi kasali
8 English lessons
I have been taking English lessons with Mwalimu for a couple of weeks, and I have already seen a big improvement in my pronunciation and vocabulary. She is helpful , supportive, and explains things clearly. She has really helped me improve my English and become more confident when speaking. Since Swahili is my native language, I really appreciate her support. I highly recommend her!
elisa b
27 Swahili lessons
Teacher’s pick
I'm very happy with Tina. She makes a personal plan for you. my Swahili improves every time! I am very happy with her, she is very creative, which makes the lessons interesting and fun. I'm going to Tanzania next month so we'll adjust it accordingly. I got a lot of good tips for when I go there. she really thinks along!!!
Jonathan Walker
17 Swahili lessons
I’ve been learning Swahili with Mwalimu Tina for almost three months, and have found the experience motivating, encouraging and incredibly helpful. I’m actually making gains with the language, something I thought was almost impossible before. Mwl Tina creates the perfect conditions for a serious learning environment. She uses science-backed methods, a diverse and creative range of sources for her curriculum, and ensures that I’m progressing before moving to the next stage. She has a very keen attention to detail. I particularly love how she approaches language learning not just as a cognitive exercise, but also as a physical practice to engage the oral muscles, enunciate and get the right cadence. My listening comprehension has improved significantly due to her emphasis on listening and speaking using real world applications. I also appreciate the cross-cultural perspective that she brings, and her training as an Anthropologist offers a unique perspective and approach to learning!
Student Natalia Burdina
Natalia Burdina
11 English lessons
Mwalimu Tina is not only a knowledgeable and attentive teacher, but also a truly engaging conversation partner. She always supports discussions on topics that are interesting and relevant to me, which makes every lesson both enjoyable and valuable. I benefit not only from her clear explanations and guidance, but also from the opportunity to practice English through meaningful conversations. I highly recommend learning with her.