The Southern Bantu languages are large group of Bantu languages

Bantu languages

The Bantu languages constitute a traditional sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages. There are about 250 Bantu languages by the criterion of mutual intelligibility, though the distinction between language and dialect is often unclear, and Ethnologue counts 535 languages...

, largely validated in Janson (1991/92). They are nearly synonymous with Guthrie's Bantu zone S, apart from the exclusion of Shona

Shona languages

The Shona languages are a clade of Bantu languages coded Zone S.10 in Guthrie's classification. According to Nurse & Philippson , the languages form a valid node. They are:...

 and the inclusion of Makua. They include all of the important Bantu languages of South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, Botswana

Botswana

Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...

, and Mozambique

Mozambique

Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...

.

Languages

Language groups are followed by their code in the Guthrie classification.

• Makua (P30) [see]
• Chopi ? (S60): Chopi
  Chopi language
  Chopi, also spelled Copi, Tschopi, and Txopi, is a Bantu language spoken along the southern coast of Mozambique....
  
  , Tonga
• Nguni languages (S40)
  • Zunda: *Xhosa
    Xhosa language
    Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa. Xhosa is spoken by approximately 7.9 million people, or about 18% of the South African population. Like most Bantu languages, Xhosa is a tonal language, that is, the same sequence of consonants and vowels can have different meanings when said...
    
    , *Zulu
    Zulu language
    Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
    
    , *Northern Ndebele
    Northern Ndebele language
    The Northern Ndebele language, isiNdebele, or Ndebele is an African language belonging to the Nguni group of Bantu languages, and spoken by the Ndebele or Matabele people of Zimbabwe. It is commonly known as Sindebele....
    
    
  • Tekela
    Tekela languages
    The Tekela languages are a group of related languages that, along with Zunda languages, are a subdivision of the Nguni branch belonging to the larger Bantu family.Tekela languages include:* Swazi * Phuthi * Bhaca, Hlubi, Cele and Lala....
    
    : *Swati
    Swati language
    The Swazi or Swati language is a Bantu language of the Nguni group spoken in Swaziland and South Africa by the Swazi people. The number of speakers is estimated to be in the region of 3 million. The language is taught in Swaziland and some South African schools in Mpumalanga and KaNgwane areas...
    
    , Phuthi
    Phuthi language
    Phuthi is a Nguni Bantu language spoken in southern Lesotho and areas in South Africa adjacent to the same border. The closest substantial living relative of Phuthi is Swati , spoken in Swaziland and the Mpumalanga province of South Africa...
    
    , *Southern Ndebele
    Southern Ndebele language
    The Southern Ndebele language is an African language belonging to the Nguni group of Bantu languages, and spoken by the amaNdebele . There are two dialects of Southern Ndebele in South Africa:* the Northern Transvaal Ndebele or Nrebele...
    
    , Lala.
• Sotho–Tswana (S30 + K20): *Tswana
  Tswana language
  Tswana or Setswana is a language spoken in Southern Africa by about 4.5 million people. It is a Bantu language belonging to the Niger–Congo language family within the Sotho languages branch of Zone S , and is closely related to the Northern- and Southern Sotho languages, as well as the Kgalagadi...
  
  , Tswapong, Kgalagadi
  Kgalagadi language
  SheKgalagari is one of the languages spoken in Botswana, along the South African border and in Namibia. SheKgalagari is spoken by about people. SheKgalagari is the autoglottonym or name of the language used by its native speakers as defined by the United Nations, Kgalagadi is the...
  
  .
  • Sotho
    Sotho languages
    The Sotho–Tswana languages are a group of closely related Southern Bantu languages spoken in Southern Africa that include:*Tswana , Sotho , Northern Sotho *Lozi...
    
    : Birwa, *Northern Sotho (Pedi), *Southern Sotho (Sotho), Lozi
    Lozi language
    Lozi, also known as siLozi and Rozi, is a Bantu language of the Niger–Congo language family within the Sotho languages branch of Zone S , that is spoken by the Lozi people, primarily in southwestern Zambia and in surrounding countries...
    
    .
• Tswa–Ronga ? (S50): Ronga, Tswa, Gwamba, *Tsonga
  Tsonga language
  The Tsonga or Xitsonga language is spoken in southern Africa by the Tsonga people, also known as the Shangaan.- Classification :Tsonga belongs to the Bantu branch of the Niger–Congo languages...
  
  
• *Venda
  Venda language
  Venda, also known as or , is a Bantu language and an official language of South Africa. The majority of Venda speakers live in the northern part of South Africa's Limpopo Province, but about 10% of speakers live in Zimbabwe. The Venda language is related to Kalanga which is spoken in Botswana...
  
  (S20)

* Official languages

The validity of Chopi and Tswa–Ronga as branches is in doubt.

Some classifications prior to Janson added retained Shona

Shona languages

The Shona languages are a clade of Bantu languages coded Zone S.10 in Guthrie's classification. According to Nurse & Philippson , the languages form a valid node. They are:...

 as a coordinate branch, along with Nyasa

Nyasa languages

The Nyasa languages are an apparently valid genealogical group of Bantu languages. With the reassignment of a couple Guthrie Zone N languages to other branches, Nyasa is essentially synonymous with Zone N. The languages and their Guthrie identifications are:...

, or excluded Makua.