There are sixteen Liberian tribes and each one has its unique language. The languages originate from the Niger-Congo classification and are divided into three major language groups which are the Kwa, Mel and Mende. The languages also have subgroups which are accents and dialects based on the location of the subgroups.

Just like the French speak French, the English speak Engligh, and the Dutch speak Dutch, so tribal Liberians speak the same languages as the tribe names. Therefore, the Bassa speak Bassa, Vai speak Vai, Mano speak Mano, and so forth.

The Kwa tribes are mostly in south central and eastern Liberia, except Belleh which is in the north west. The Mel group is mostly in the west with the Kissi in the northern borders with Guinea and Sierra Leone. Mende being the largest language group is concentrated in the north central region of the country with the Vai in the south west.

These tribes and related languages are not just in Liberia. Ancient African migrations, European and American colonization, and the Scramble for Africa also impacted Liberia where some tribes were divided by national borders and are therefore present in neighboring countries of Guinea, Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone.