Learning the Languages

It is interesting to know that English is the joint 5th most spoken language in South Africa - but is the business language of choice.

Just out of interest, how many of you have attempted/learnt some of the official languages of South Africa (excluding English)?

"According to the 2001 census, isiZulu is the mother tongue of 23.8% of South Africa's population, followed by isiXhosa at 17.6%, Afrikaans at 13.3%, Sesotho sa Leboa at 9.4%, and Setswana and English each at 8.2%.

Sesotho is the mother tongue of 7.9% of South Africans, while the remaining four official languages are spoken at home by less than 5% of the population each.

SOUTH AFRICAN LANGUAGES 2001 
Language    % of total
Afrikaans       13.35%
English          8.20%
IsiNdebele       1.59%
IsiXhosa        17.64%
IsiZulu         23.82%
Sesotho sa Leboa 9.39%
Sesotho          7.93%
Setswana         8.20%
SiSwati          2.66%
Tshivenda        2.28%
Xitsonga         4.44%
Other            0.48%
TOTAL          100.00%

* Spoken as a home language
Source: Census 2001"

Read more: http://www.southafrica.info/about/peopl … z24xGXciSy

I am learning Afrikaans - although my husband is Afrikaans so I have a learnign advantage. I am not fluent but can understand most conversations (if I concentrate) and can respond with simple sentences. So no deep and meangingful debates yet but I will get there!

I would also like to learn [Southern] Sesotho, the other language of the Free State.