Language in Malawi

Of the two official languages Chichewa is more commonly spoken, with English being the second. It is a sign of respect to be able to greet people in their own language so it is a good idea to learn some of the basic phrases.

For travelling Caucasians, you may hear the phrase Mzungu being uttered. The word means 'white person', but is not considered derogatory. A polite way to address any Malawian man is Bambo which literally means "father". For women the equivalent is "Mai".

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