Why Swahili is hard for most tools
Swahili is a Bantu language built on noun classes. The class of a noun governs the subject prefix on the verb and the agreement on every adjective around it. Get the class wrong and the whole sentence stops agreeing with itself.
SubX keeps noun-class agreement consistent across subject, verb and adjective.
What the output actually looks like
| English | Swahili |
|---|---|
| We move at midnight. | Tunaondoka usiku wa manane. |
| Don't look back. | Usirudi nyuma. |
| This is our only chance. | Hii ni nafasi yetu pekee. |
| I told you not to come here. | Nilikuambia usije hapa. |
| She's been waiting since morning. | Amekuwa akingoja tangu asubuhi. |
Real output from SubX, not a mock-up.
Who uses this
Filmmakers and editors subtitling for audiences in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and the wider East African coast, where Swahili is spoken by over 200 million people. Nollywood and independent productions adding Swahili subtitles for distribution. Creators on YouTube and streaming platforms opening their back catalogue to an audience that most subtitle tools simply cannot serve.
How it works
Upload an .srt file in your browser, choose English as the source and Swahili
as the target, and download the translated file. Timings and numbering come back exactly as
they went in, so the file drops straight back onto your timeline. If you use
DaVinci Resolve Studio, SubX Studio runs the same translation on your active
timeline without leaving the app.
No subtitle file to hand? Grab a sample from the homepage and try it in under a minute.
Other languages
SubX covers 41 languages, including 20 Nigerian languages.