Wawle
Baoulé
Niger-Congo (Kwa, Tano)
Baoulé (Wawle) is the largest Akan language of Côte d'Ivoire, spoken in the central regions around Bouaké, Yamoussoukro, and Dimbokro. The Baoulé people migrated west from Asante (modern Ghana) in the 18th century under Queen Pokou, who legendarily sacrificed her son to ensure safe passage across the Comoé river, and now form one of the largest ethnic groups in Côte d'Ivoire. Baoulé has two phonemic tones and ATR vowel harmony typical of Kwa Niger-Congo.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Baoulé
Water
nzue
/nzue/
Fire
sin
/sĩ/
Sun
wia
/wia/
Moon
anglo
/aŋlo/
Star
nzraama
/nzraːma/
Mother
nin
/nĩ/
Father
baba
/baba/
I
mín
/mĩ́/
You
wɔ
/wɔ/
Name
dunman
/dũmã/
Eye
nyrun
/ɲɾũ/
Hand
sa
/sa/
Heart
awlɛn
/awlɛ̃/
Love
klo
/klo/
Tree
waka
/waka/
House
sua
/sua/
Dog
alua
/alua/
Cat
bisua
/bisua/
Eat
di
/di/
Drink
nɔ
/nɔ/
One
kun
/kũ/
Two
nɲɔn
/ɲɔ̃/
Hello
akwaba
/akwaba/
Thank you
moh
/mo/
Good
kpa
/kpa/
Words compared
Compared with related Niger-Congo (Kwa, Tano) languages
| Meaning | Baoulé | Nzima | Akan (Twi) | Northern Embera | Rwa | Ewondo | Assyrian Neo-Aramaic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nzue /nzue/ | nzule /nzule/ | nsuo /nsuo/ | do /do/ | mende /mende/ | medzim /medzim/ | ܡܝܐ /mijja/ |
| Fire | sin /sĩ/ | sinya /sinja/ | ogya /odʑa/ | tu /tu/ | msika /msika/ | ndoa /ndoa/ | ܢܘܪܐ /nura/ |
| Sun | wia /wia/ | ewia /ewia/ | owia /owia/ | hewa /hewa/ | mlao /mlao/ | dzōb /dʒoːb/ | ܫܡܫܐ /ʃimʃa/ |
| Moon | anglo /aŋlo/ | siane /sjane/ | ɔsrane /ɔsrane/ | ahuru /ahuɾu/ | mwere /mwere/ | ngɔn /ŋɡɔn/ | ܣܗܪܐ /sahra/ |
| Star | nzraama /nzraːma/ | nzonlenle /nzɔnlɛnlɛ/ | nsoromma /n̩sòròmmá/ | chidua /tʃidua/ | nyenyeri /ɲeɲeri/ | ôtɛtɛ /ótɛtɛ/ | ܟܵܘܟ݂ܒ݂ܵܐ /ˈkoxwa/ |
| Mother | nin /nĩ/ | enwo /enwo/ | ɛna /ɛna/ | papa /papa/ | mama /mama/ | nyia /ɲia/ | ܝܡܐ /jimma/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | papa /papa/ | agya /adʑa/ | apa /apa/ | baba /baba/ | tara /taɾa/ | ܒܒܐ /baba/ |
| I | mín /mĩ́/ | me /mè/ | me /mɪ̀/ | mʉ /mɨ/ | inyi /iɲi/ | ma /má/ | ܐܵܢܵܐ /ˈʔɑːnɑ/ |
| You | wɔ /wɔ/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | wo /wʊ̀/ | bʉ /bɨ/ | uwe /uwe/ | wa /wá/ | ܐܲܢ݉ܬ /ʔat/ |
| Name | dunman /dũmã/ | duma /duma/ | din /dín/ | trʉ̃ /tɾɨ̃/ | irina /irina/ | jôé /ʒóé/ | ܫܸܡܵܐ /ˈʃɪmma/ |
| Eye | nyrun /ɲɾũ/ | anye /anje/ | aniwa /aniwa/ | tau /tau/ | liso /liso/ | dzìs /dʒis/ | ܥܝܢܐ /ʕajna/ |
| Hand | sa /sa/ | ɛsa /ɛsa/ | nsa /nsa/ | jua /xua/ | mkono /mkono/ | woó /woʔo/ | ܐܝܕܐ /iːða/ |
| Heart | awlɛn /awlɛ̃/ | ahonle /ahonle/ | akoma /akoma/ | ƀakhuru /ɓakuɾu/ | ngiti /ŋɡiti/ | nlem /nlem/ | ܠܒܐ /libba/ |
| Love | klo /klo/ | ɛlɔlɛ /ɛlɔlɛ/ | ɔdɔ /ɔdɔ/ | ãỹba /ãɨba/ | lumbo /lumbo/ | nye'e /ɲeʔe/ | ܚܘܒܐ /xubba/ |
| Tree | waka /waka/ | baka /baka/ | dua /dua/ | bakuru /bakuɾu/ | mte /mte/ | elé /ele/ | ܐܝܠܢܐ /ilana/ |
| House | sua /sua/ | suakɛ /suakɛ/ | efie /efie/ | te /te/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nda /nda/ | ܒܝܬܐ /beθa/ |
| Dog | alua /alua/ | kraman /kraman/ | kraman /kraman/ | usa /usa/ | mboha /mboha/ | mvu /mvu/ | ܟܠܒܐ /kalba/ |
| Cat | bisua /bisua/ | agyinamoa /adʑinamoa/ | agyinamoa /adʑinamoa/ | misu /misu/ | paka /paka/ | esìŋga /esiŋɡa/ | ܩܛܘ /qaːtu/ |
| Eat | di /di/ | di /di/ | didi /didi/ | ko /ko/ | kuria /kuria/ | di /di/ | ܐܟܠ /axil/ |
| Drink | nɔ /nɔ/ | nu /nu/ | nom /nom/ | dorrare /doraɾe/ | kunyua /kuɲua/ | nyu /ɲu/ | ܫܬܐ /ʃate/ |
| One | kun /kũ/ | kʊ /kʊ/ | baako /baːko/ | aba /aba/ | mongo /moŋɡo/ | fok /fok/ | ܚܕ /xa/ |
| Two | nɲɔn /ɲɔ̃/ | nwiɔ /nwiɔ/ | mmienu /m̩mìɛ̀nu/ | umé /ume/ | iwi /iwi/ | bɛ̌ /bɛ̌/ | ܬܪܹܝܢ /treːn/ |
| Hello | akwaba /akwaba/ | akwaaba /akʷaːba/ | akwaaba /akʷaːba/ | sake bia /sake bia/ | kira /kiɾa/ | mbɔlɔ /mbɔlɔ/ | ܫܠܡܐ /ʃlaːma/ |
| Thank you | moh /mo/ | medaase /medaase/ | medaase /medaase/ | bia bara /bia baɾa/ | asante /asante/ | akiba /akiba/ | ܒܣܝܡܐ /basima/ |
| Good | kpa /kpa/ | kpa /kpa/ | pa /pa/ | bia /bia/ | kya /kja/ | mbaŋ /mbaŋ/ | ܛܒܐ /tˤaba/ |
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