Swahili teacher Xavery Mpombo

Xavery Mpombo

Smart Lesson
Professional Teacher
Teaches
Swahili
Native
English
Speaks
Spanish
French
German
Russian
Speak Swahili with confidence. Highly qualified professional teacher with 7+ years experience.
From United Republic of TanzaniaLiving in Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania (22:17 UTC+03:00)
About Me
italki teacher since Oct 1, 2021
InterestsHistoryTravelBusiness & FinanceTech
Hi, I'm Xavery. I've been teaching Swahili full-time for over 7 years and have worked with students from more than 50 countries. I hold a bachelor's degree from Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania, and I'm certified by BAKITA, the National Swahili Council of Tanzania, which is the official authority on Swahili language standards. The thing I'm proudest of is that most of my students stay with me for months or years. I focus on getting you to speak Swahili the way people in Tanzania and Kenya actually speak it day to day. Grammar gets explained clearly when it comes up, vocabulary is built around situations you'll really use, and you'll be making your own sentences from early on. Most new students arrive nervous about making mistakes. In my experience, that goes away faster than you'd expect. I keep a written progress log for every student. Before each lesson, I check where we left off and decide what to work on next. You'll always know what we're doing and why, and if something isn't clicking, I notice it and we adjust. My students are a mix: complete beginners, people preparing for safari trips or missionary work, professionals doing business in East Africa, university students and researchers, and people reconnecting with Tanzanian or Kenyan family. I'm comfortable working with all of them. When you're ready, book a trial lesson. We'll talk about your goals, do a short piece of real teaching, and you'll leave with a clear sense of how I work.
My teaching material
  • PDF file
  • Text Documents
  • Audio files
  • Image files
  • Video files
  • Flashcards
5.0
Rating
245
Students
2831
Lessons
100%
Attendance rate
100%
Response rate

Swahili Lessons

Swahili
English
Trial Lesson
140 lessons completed
USD 10.00+
Swahili for Fluency — Beginner Friendly
A1 -  C2

Language Essentials

1,755 lessons completed
USD 19.00+
Package with 11% off
Swahili for Your Tanzania Trip — Real Language You'll Actually Use
A1 -  C2

Conversation

519 lessons completed
USD 20.00+
Package with 9% off

Availability

316 Reviews

All
English
Swahili
Avigael Hereford
274 Swahili lessons
Teacher’s pick
Xavery began teaching our elementary school age children about a year and a half ago. They knew no Kiswahili. He worked with them for about half an hour 2-4 times per week. They are now conversational. He is patient and engaging. He continually tries to think of new ways to explain and engage our children. He is encouraging and kind!
Feb 15, 2026
Student Laura
Laura
112 Swahili lessons
Teacher’s pick
I'm so thankful and grateful to be formally learning noun classes with a native certified Swahili teacher! For me, this is the trickiest part of learning Swahili and Xavery is the best teacher to help guide you through this. I love his verb perspective approach, it is helping to unlock the mysteries of this new grammatical concept for me. Asante sana kwa kazi yako, Xavery. Wewe ni mwalimu bora!
Jun 3, 2023
Eamonn Patrick
33 Swahili lessons
My last few months with Xavery have been one of my favorite learning experiences to date. I originally heard about him through a friend who studied with him years ago, and I plan to recommend him to everyone I know. His approach is incredibly low-stress, and he arrives to every lesson in a great mood, ready to help. His greatest strength is his ability to make the class genuinely fun; it’s easy to show up consistently when you know you’re going to have a great time while learning an invaluable skill like Swahili. I can't thank you enough for the time you invested into me, asante sana, Xavery!
Mar 20, 2026
Student Charlie Rosen
Charlie Rosen
32 Swahili lessons
Teacher’s pick
English speakers who want to learn Swahili - Xavery is 100% your best option!! I went from not speaking a single word of Swahili besides “hakuna matata” to being able to make small talk and have surface level conversation in only a few short months to prepare for a trip to Tanzania. He has a VERY excellent grasp on how to teach a language effectively, and a very good instinct for understanding common mistakes from English speakers because he is also a great English speaker himself who has learned from the other direction. I have had many language teachers over the years and I can tell you Xavery is one of the best I’ve had. Truly a great teacher who communicates concepts effectively, and on top of that, is an incredibly kind and patient person! Look no further!! Xavery should be your Swahili teacher!
Jul 24, 2024
Robert
26 Swahili lessons
Xavery helped me prepare for my ILR Swahili exam by sharpening my vocabulary and focusing on key weaknesses. Thanks to his guidance, I was able to achieve a 3+ on my official exam. He is a great teacher and I recommend him to any one who has interest in learning Swahili.
Apr 2, 2026
Eamonn Patrick
33 Swahili lessons
I absolutely love learning Swahili thanks to Xavery.
Mar 13, 2026
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