How many Languages does Lupita Nyong’o speak?

Academy award winning actress Lupita Nyong’o has been on a tear since her breakthrough performance in 12 years a Slave.

But did you know that this Kenyan Mexican actress can express herself on and off the big screens in multiple languages?

Find out what languages Lupita Long can speak and some key insights about your favorite Star Wars character.

How Many Languages does Lupita Nyong’o speak?

Life circumstances led to the birth of Academy award Winning actress Lupita Nyong’o in Mexico though both of her parents come from beautiful Kenya.

She was primarily raised in Nairobi, Kenya before briefly studying Spanish in Mexico and later perfected her English in America at Hampshire College and Yale University.

Overall, Lupita Nyong’o speaks 4 languages including Spanish, English, Swahili and Luo her native language.

The first name Lupita is a rare and unusual one for an African girl.

In the case of Lupita Nyong’o, the mystery comes from her being born in Mexico City on the first day of March 1983.

Her father Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o was a visiting professor at the time of her birth in the capital city of Mexico.

Therefore, she saw the day on that side of the world and within a year, her family returned to Kenya.

This makes Lupita Nyong’o Kenyan-Mexican with Luo descent from both her parents’ sides.

That is quite unique if you ask me.

Does Lupita Nyong’o speak any Kenyan language?

Lupita Nyong’o ever first language to learn and speak is her native Luo language which is also called Dholuo in Kenya and Tanzania.

It is spoken by nearly 4.2 million people in this geographical location.

She is very proud of her ancestral cultural heritage as depicted by her enthusiasm when her maternal grandfather, professor Mathew Buyo agreed to translate her New York bestselling book SULWE in her mother tongue of Luo.

We can see where Lupita Nyong’o gets her smarts from: Her father was a political science professor while her grandfather is also a scholar in education who helps edify the minds of future generations.

What Languages do People speak in Kenya?

The other language Lupita Nyong’o grew up speaking in Kenya is Swahili.

This is because Swahili and English are the two most spoken languages in Kenyan not withstanding Kikuyu and Luhya, two powerful regional languages.

Can Lupita Nyong’o speak Spanish?

Lupita Nyong’o is fully fluent in Spanish not so much because she was born in Mexico.

But rather because when she was 16 years old, her parents decided to broaden her mind by sending her to study Spanish in her birth country.

She did so for seven months while living in Taxco, Guerrero and studying at the Universidad NAcional Autonoma de Mexico’s Learning Centre for Foreigners.

How many Languages does Lupita Nyong'o speak - the triple threat: beauty, smart and polyglot
Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o can speak 4 languages

How well does Lupita Nyong’o speak Spanish?

Lupita has fully mastered Spanish even though she is shy about it in some public interviews.

The simple fact that she is willing to embrace her other cultural heritage by catering to Spanish speaking media like the Telemundo as shown in the video below is a great testament to her passion for the language.

What is Lupita Nyong’o Accent?

Lupita Nyong’o English accent does not reflect the fact that she lives in Brooklyn, New York.

She strikes me as a person who learned proper English from Day 1.

Remember, she comes from a long lineage family of scholars.

Her English voice is soft and does not convey any hesitation or need for closed captions as it is sometimes the case for English speakers from Africa.

As for her Spanish accent, I failed to notice any to be frank listening to many of her interviews.

In fact, it is quite rare to spot an accent in Spanish language as the language is so free flowing for those who have fully mastered it.

And such is the case for the captivating and alluring Kenya pride Lupita Nyong’o.

What other Languages does Luputa Nyong’o speak?

From her social media channels, we know that Lupita loves traveling.

She recently visited Italy during an extensive stay there she did not just enjoy the beautiful Italian food.

She must have certainly brushed up on her Italian speaking skills.

Lupita Nyong’o Full Bio

Lupita Nyong’o has a large family with 5 brothers and sisters.

Lupita Nyong’o Quick Bio
Full Name Lupita Amondi Nyong’o
Date of Birth (Age) March 1, 1983, Mexico City, Mexico
Occupation Actress | Author | Producer
Books Sulwe
Parents Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o & Dorothy Nyong’o
Siblings 1 sister and 1 brother | Esperanza and Peter
Awards 2014 Academy Award Winner
Quick Facts about Lupita Nyong’o

Several of her cousins are eminent people in the United States and Africa.

Her father Peter Anyang’ is a former political science professor who recently was elected Governor of Kisumu County, Kenya.

Lupita Nyong’o movies

Over the last decade alone, fans across the globe have come to witness the rise of Lupita Nyong’o acting skills through very commercially successful movies such as the Start Wars trilogy in 2015, 2017 and 2019.

Her role as Nakia in Black Panther will soon see its second installment in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Here is the rest of her young yet very productive filmography to date.

East River [2008]12 Years a Slave [2013]Star Wars: Teh Force Awakens [2015]Queen of Katwe [2016]
Star Wars: The Last Jedi [2017]Black Panther [2018]Little Monsters [2019]Us [2019]
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker [2019]The 355 [2022] Black Panther: Wakanda Forever [2022]
Lupita Nyong’o movies

What is Lupita Nyong’o Net worth?

Aside from her income from very successful movies in the Box office, Lupita Nyong’o is a New York Times bestselling author since 2019 with the children book Sulwe.

The book SULWE has over 7 international languages translations to date proving the impact of the Academy Award winning actress on young girls of color in the world.

While inspiring and empowering others like her embrace their uniqueness and build their self-esteem, Lupita Nyong’o has amassed over $10 million of net worth according to the latest analysis by Forbes and Business Insiders.

Lupita Nyong’o in social media

Lupita is quite active in all of her social media channels while keeping fans appraised of her activities.

She often shares short videos of her either exercising, enjoying good food or travel destinations.

Below is an example of such liked posts.

Instagram | (@lupitanyongo) | 10M FollowersFacebook | Lupita Nyong’o | 4M Followers
Twitter | (@LupitaNyongo) | 2M FollowersIMDb | Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o social media channels

Here is an example of such liked posts on Twitter.

People also Ask FAQs about Lupita Nyong’o Languages

How many siblings does Lupita Nyong’o have?

The name Lupita is short for Guadalupe in Mexican language.

Her parents picked it because it is a tradition for People of Luo descent to name kids based on the event of the Day.

Lupita ais the second of six children so her parents must have been very creative in picking their names.

She has a sister named Esperanza to match the “Mexican theme” while one of her brothers is called Peter.

Aside from her direct 5 brothers and sisters, she has several illustrious cousins including Tavia Nyong’o a scholar and professor at New York University or Isis Nyong’o a media technology expert who Forbes touted as one of Africa’s most powerful young women.

How many Oscars does Lupita Nyong’o have?

Lupita has been acclaimed for her work in the seventh Art since her debut in 2005.

Her contributions in 12 Years a Slave won her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2014.

That is the only Academy Award to her credit so far.

However, she has several upcoming projects which are likely to provide big opportunities for recognition.

On such production is the on-screen portrayal of Patricia Noah, the mother of fellow African polyglot Trevor Noah based on his book Born a Crime.

How many languages does Lupita Nyong'o speak - Does Trevor Noah also speak Swahili ?

How Many Languages Fellow African and Swahili speaking Polyglot Trevor Noah can Speak?

Who is Lupita Nyong’o husband?

Lupita has been very secretive about her romantic life.

So far, nothing has been reported regarding her marital status as she continues to focus on her expanding career.

By her own account, she is getting pressure for her mother to settle down and create her own family.

Should that change in the future, we shall promptly update you.

Who inspired Lupita to be become an actress?

Lupita Nyong’o credits Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey performances in the Color Purple movie for her choice in considering the path of professional actress.

FINAL THOUGHTS on Lupita Nyong’o Spoken Languages

Lupita Nyong’o is a beautiful and charismatic multi-talented actress who speaks 4 languages who is on her way to inspire many future generations to embrace and build on their diversity.

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