Chimakonde
Makonde
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Yao-Makonde)
Makonde (Chimakonde, also Shimakonde) is a Bantu language straddling the Tanzania-Mozambique border on the Makonde Plateau. The Makonde people are world-famous for their ebony sculpture tradition (mapiko masks, lipico ceremonial objects) — UNESCO recognised the Makonde Mapiko masquerade as Intangible Heritage in 2008. The Mozambican Makonde led the FRELIMO armed struggle for independence (1964-74), giving the language strong political identity south of the border. Northern (Tanzania) and southern (Mozambique) varieties differ noticeably; the boundary is partly the Ruvuma River.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Makonde
Water
mashi
/maʃi/
Fire
moto
/moto/
Sun
lyuva
/ʎuβa/
Moon
mwedi
/mwedi/
Star
ntondwa
/ntondwa/
Mother
mama
/mama/
Father
baba
/baba/
I
une
/une/
You
uve
/uve/
Name
lina
/lina/
Eye
liso
/liso/
Hand
nkono
/nkono/
Heart
mtima
/mtima/
Love
kupenda
/kupenda/
Tree
mti
/mti/
House
nyumba
/ɲumba/
Dog
nshenye
/nʃeɲe/
Cat
paka
/paka/
Eat
kulya
/kuʎa/
Drink
kukumbila
/kukumbila/
One
nimo
/nimo/
Two
vavili
/vaʋili/
Hello
nakushukuru
/nakuʃukuɾu/
Thank you
nashukuru
/naʃukuɾu/
Good
shibwana
/ʃibwana/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Yao-Makonde) languages
| Meaning | Makonde | Sangu | Yao | Shambala | Sena | Nyamwezi | Nyaturu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mashi /maʃi/ | ameenzi /ameːnzi/ | mesi /mesi/ | mazi /mazi/ | madzi /madzi/ | minzi /minzi/ | maazi /maːzi/ |
| Fire | moto /moto/ | umoto /umoto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | lyuva /ʎuβa/ | liluga /liluɡa/ | lyuwa /ʎuwa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | izuba /izuβa/ | nzua /nzua/ |
| Moon | mwedi /mwedi/ | umwesi /umwesi/ | mwesi /mwesi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | ng'wezi /ŋweːzi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ |
| Star | ntondwa /ntondwa/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | ndondwa /ndondwa/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyeezi /ɲeˈɲeːzi/ | nyeenyeeri /ɲeːɲeːri/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | amao /amaː/ | mama /mama/ | mai /mai/ | mayu /majʊ/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | atati /atati/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | tata /tata/ |
| I | une /une/ | une /une/ | une /une/ | niye /nije/ | ine /ine/ | nene /ˈnene/ | une /une/ |
| You | uve /uve/ | uwe /uwe/ | mmwe /mːwe/ | weye /weje/ | iwe /iwe/ | gwegwe /ˈɡweɡwe/ | uwe /uwe/ |
| Name | lina /lina/ | litawa /litawa/ | lina /lina/ | izina /izina/ | dzina /dzina/ | lina /ˈlina/ | izina /izina/ |
| Eye | liso /liso/ | iliho /iliho/ | liso /liso/ | izo /izo/ | diso /diso/ | liso /liso/ | iriiso /iɾiːso/ |
| Hand | nkono /nkono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | ngaila /ŋɡaila/ | ukono /ukono/ | nkono /nkono/ | ikobo /ikoβo/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ |
| Heart | mtima /mtima/ | umutima /umutima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | umutima /umutima/ |
| Love | kupenda /kupenda/ | ulungu /uluŋɡu/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | kwenda /kwenda/ | kufuna /kufuna/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ |
| Tree | mti /mti/ | umuti /umuti/ | mtela /mtela/ | mti /mti/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | mti /mti/ | umuti /umuti/ |
| House | nyumba /ɲumba/ | inyumba /iɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | kaya /kaja/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Dog | nshenye /nʃeɲe/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ |
| Eat | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuya /kuja/ | kudya /kudja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuria /kuɾia/ |
| Drink | kukumbila /kukumbila/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| One | nimo /nimo/ | imo /imo/ | mo /mo/ | imo /imo/ | posi /posi/ | imo /imo/ | umwe /umwe/ |
| Two | vavili /vaʋili/ | avili /aβili/ | iŵili /iβili/ | mbili /mbili/ | piŵiri /piwiri/ | ibili /iβili/ | aviri /aβiri/ |
| Hello | nakushukuru /nakuʃukuɾu/ | mbasala /mbasala/ | salama /salama/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | mwadzukabwanji /mwadzukabwandʒi/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ |
| Thank you | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | nashukulu /naʃukulu/ | nakwete /nakwete/ | asante /asante/ | ndatenda /ndatenda/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | asante /aˈsante/ |
| Good | shibwana /ʃibwana/ | kwifwa /kwifwa/ | chechete /tʃetʃete/ | hedi /hedi/ | nadidi /nadidi/ | lihi /lihi/ | kihi /kihi/ |
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