This app offers a fun and interactive way for children aged 2-12 to learn South African languages. Through a virtual journey across the country, kids engage in colorful lessons, games, and collect virtual souvenirs, making language acquisition an adventure.
2.0
October 30, 2026
Mahlahle has a fresh new look, built around a journey across all nine provinces of South Africa. Each province has its own topic, from time and colours to family, food and wild animals. LEARN THROUGH PLAY Children explore step by step through short lessons, picture word books and games like Pop it, Match it, Sort it and Odd one out. Every word is spoken aloud, so even little ones who can’t read yet can listen, tap and learn. They collect souvenirs and beads along the way. 11 LANGUAGES TO EXPLORE Afrikaans joins isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sepedi, Setswana, Sesotho, Xitsonga, siSwati, Tshivenḓa, isiNdebele and Khoikhoi. Khoikhoi words and phrases now play real recorded voices. FOR GROWN-UPS A clearer Progress page shows streaks, time spent and what’s coming next, and it’s easy to change course or language. If you’ve used Mahlahle before, just sign in and your account comes across. DISPLAY LANGUAGES To focus on the best experience for South African families, the app is now in English only. Portuguese, French, Spanish and Chinese are no longer available as display languages.
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Mahlahle supports 11 South African languages: Afrikaans, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Khoikhoi, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, siSwati, Tshivenḓa, and Xitsonga. Children can hear and say each word with real recordings and natural voices.
Mahlahle uses a playful approach with colorful lessons, interactive games, and friendly characters. Children hear words, see them in pictures, and say them aloud, with instructions read out loud for independent play.
The app features various games designed for learning through play, including counting, matching, sorting, and finding pairs. These games help reinforce vocabulary and concepts learned in the lessons.
Progress is visualized through collectible items like streaks, beads, and gold necklaces, as well as virtual souvenirs earned from exploring different provinces. This provides a sense of achievement for young learners.
Yes, Mahlahle is designed for children as young as 2 years old. The app features audio instructions and visual cues, allowing children who cannot read to play and learn independently.
Mahlahle has an age rating of 4+. The app's content and gameplay are tailored for children within this age range, focusing on engaging and age-appropriate learning experiences.
Mahlahle offers a free version to explore. A subscription unlocks all provinces, games, and word books, with options for Premium Monthly at $3.99 and Premium Yearly at $29.99.
No, Mahlahle is ad-free. The app focuses on providing an uninterrupted learning experience for children, with optional in-app purchases for full content access.
