Kɔlɔ
Ewondo
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Beti)
Ewondo is a Beti-Pahuin Bantu language of southern Cameroon, the most widely spoken language of Yaoundé, the capital city — functioning as a regional lingua franca. ~580K L1 speakers; many L2 across Cameroon's Centre Region. Closely related to Bulu and Fang. Notable for the Mvet musical-bard epic tradition (shared with Fang), the Bikut-si dance music genre, and the language of Manu Dibango's compositions. Latin orthography standardized 1990s; used in primary education and Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) regional broadcasting. Bantu A72 zone.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Ewondo
Water
medzim
/medzim/
Fire
ndoa
/ndoa/
Sun
dzōb
/dʒoːb/
Moon
ngɔn
/ŋɡɔn/
Mother
nyia
/ɲia/
Father
tara
/taɾa/
Eat
di
/di/
Drink
nyu
/ɲu/
Love
nye'e
/ɲeʔe/
Heart
nlem
/nlem/
Tree
elé
/ele/
House
nda
/nda/
Dog
mvu
/mvu/
Cat
esìŋga
/esiŋɡa/
Hand
woó
/woʔo/
Eye
dzìs
/dʒis/
Hello
mbɔlɔ
/mbɔlɔ/
Thank you
akiba
/akiba/
One
fok
/fok/
Good
mbaŋ
/mbaŋ/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Beti) languages
| Meaning | Ewondo | Bulu | Fang | Kikongo | Meta' | Aghem | Lingala |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | medzim /medzim/ | medim /medim/ | mendim /mendim/ | maza /maza/ | mə /mə/ | mê' /meʔ/ | máí /mai/ |
| Fire | ndoa /ndoa/ | ndoa /ndoa/ | ndoa /ndoa/ | tiya /tija/ | mɔŋ /mɔŋ/ | ìmáa' /imáaʔ/ | mɔ́tɔ /mɔtɔ/ |
| Sun | dzōb /dʒoːb/ | zobé /zobe/ | zòp /zop/ | ntangu /ntaŋɡu/ | nyam /ɲam/ | kû' /kuʔ/ | mói /moi/ |
| Moon | ngɔn /ŋɡɔn/ | ngon /ŋɡon/ | ngɔn /ŋɡɔn/ | ngonda /ŋɡonda/ | nuŋ /nuŋ/ | nâa' /naːʔ/ | sánzá /sanza/ |
| Mother | nyia /ɲia/ | nyia /ɲia/ | nyia /ɲia/ | mama /mama/ | ma /ma/ | mò /mo/ | mamá /mama/ |
| Father | tara /taɾa/ | tata /tata/ | tara /tara/ | tata /tata/ | ta /ta/ | tâ /ta/ | tatá /tata/ |
| Eat | di /di/ | dzia /dʒia/ | di /di/ | ku dia /ku dja/ | mé /me/ | nîa /nia/ | kolía /kolia/ |
| Drink | nyu /ɲu/ | nyu /ɲu/ | nyu /ɲu/ | ku nua /ku nua/ | nyo /ɲo/ | nyâa /ɲaː/ | komɛ́la /komɛla/ |
| Love | nye'e /ɲeʔe/ | nye'a /ɲeʔa/ | ndzem /ndzem/ | zola /zola/ | kɔŋ /kɔŋ/ | nkòŋ /ŋkoŋ/ | bolíngo /boliŋɡo/ |
| Heart | nlem /nlem/ | nlem /nlem/ | nle /nle/ | ntima /ntima/ | mu /mu/ | mwâ /mwa/ | motéma /motema/ |
| Tree | elé /ele/ | élé /ele/ | eli /eli/ | nti /nti/ | ti /ti/ | kpa' /kpaʔ/ | nzété /nzete/ |
| House | nda /nda/ | nda /nda/ | nda /nda/ | nzo /nzo/ | nda /nda/ | ndô /ndo/ | ndáko /ndako/ |
| Dog | mvu /mvu/ | mvu /mvu/ | mvu /mvu/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbu /mbu/ | mbî /mbi/ | mbwá /mbwa/ |
| Cat | esìŋga /esiŋɡa/ | esinga /esiŋɡa/ | esin /esin/ | nyau /ɲau/ | guŋ /ɡuŋ/ | gò /ɡo/ | nyáu /ɲau/ |
| Hand | woó /woʔo/ | wo /wo/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | koko /koko/ | boa /boa/ | kwô' /kwoʔ/ | lobɔ́kɔ /lobɔkɔ/ |
| Eye | dzìs /dʒis/ | zis /zis/ | dis /dis/ | disu /disu/ | dzi /dzi/ | dyiá /djia/ | líso /liso/ |
| Hello | mbɔlɔ /mbɔlɔ/ | mbolo /mbolo/ | mbolo /mbolo/ | mboté /mbote/ | mɔlɔŋ /mɔlɔŋ/ | kâa' /kaːʔ/ | mbóte /mbote/ |
| Thank you | akiba /akiba/ | akiba /akiba/ | akiba /akiba/ | matondo /matondo/ | nfɔn /nfɔn/ | ŋyaa' /ŋjaːʔ/ | matɔ́ndɔ /matɔndɔ/ |
| One | fok /fok/ | fok /fok/ | bok /bok/ | mosi /mosi/ | mɔ /mɔ/ | mò /mo/ | mɔ̌kɔ́ /mɔkɔ/ |
| Good | mbaŋ /mbaŋ/ | mbamba /mbamba/ | mbeng /mbeŋ/ | mbote /mbote/ | mwa /mwa/ | mwâ' /mwaʔ/ | malámu /malamu/ |
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