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
20 core words in Makonde
Water
mashi
/maʃi/
Fire
moto
/moto/
Sun
lyuva
/ʎuβa/
Moon
mwedi
/mwedi/
Mother
mama
/mama/
Father
baba
/baba/
Eat
kulya
/kuʎa/
Drink
kunwa
/kunwa/
Love
kupenda
/kupenda/
Heart
mtima
/mtima/
Tree
mti
/mti/
House
nyumba
/ɲumba/
Dog
nshenye
/nʃeɲe/
Cat
paka
/paka/
Hand
nkono
/nkono/
Eye
liso
/liso/
Hello
nakushukuru
/nakuʃukuɾu/
Thank you
nashukuru
/naʃukuɾu/
One
nimo
/nimo/
Good
shibwana
/ʃibwana/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Yao-Makonde) languages
| Meaning | Makonde | Shambala | Sangu | Nyamwezi | Sena | Yao | Sukuma |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mashi /maʃi/ | mazi /mazi/ | ameenzi /ameːnzi/ | minzi /minzi/ | madzi /madzi/ | mesi /mesi/ | minzi /minzi/ |
| Fire | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | umoto /umoto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | lyuva /ʎuβa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | liluga /liluɡa/ | izuba /izuβa/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | lyuwa /ʎuwa/ | ilyuva /iʎuβa/ |
| Moon | mwedi /mwedi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | umwesi /umwesi/ | ng'wezi /ŋweːzi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwesi /mwesi/ | ng'wezi /ŋweːzi/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mayu /majʊ/ | mai /mai/ | amao /amaː/ | mayu /maju/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | atati /atati/ | baba /baba/ |
| Eat | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuya /kuja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kudya /kudja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ |
| Drink | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kuhwa /kuhwa/ |
| Love | kupenda /kupenda/ | kwenda /kwenda/ | ulungu /uluŋɡu/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | kufuna /kufuna/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ |
| Heart | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | umutima /umutima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | ngholo /ŋɡoːlo/ |
| Tree | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | umuti /umuti/ | mti /mti/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | mtela /mtela/ | mti /mti/ |
| House | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | inyumba /iɲumba/ | kaya /kaja/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | kaya /kaja/ |
| Dog | nshenye /nʃeɲe/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | kalulu /kalulu/ |
| Hand | nkono /nkono/ | ukono /ukono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | ikobo /ikoβo/ | nkono /nkono/ | ngaila /ŋɡaila/ | nkhono /ŋkono/ |
| Eye | liso /liso/ | izo /izo/ | iliho /iliho/ | liso /liso/ | diso /diso/ | liso /liso/ | liso /liso/ |
| Hello | nakushukuru /nakuʃukuɾu/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | mbasala /mbasala/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | mwadzukabwanji /mwadzukabwandʒi/ | salama /salama/ | mwangaluka /mwaŋɡaluka/ |
| Thank you | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | asante /asante/ | nashukulu /naʃukulu/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | ndatenda /ndatenda/ | nakwete /nakwete/ | nakulumba /nakulumba/ |
| One | nimo /nimo/ | imo /imo/ | imo /imo/ | imo /imo/ | posi /posi/ | mo /mo/ | imo /imo/ |
| Good | shibwana /ʃibwana/ | hedi /hedi/ | kwifwa /kwifwa/ | lihi /lihi/ | nadidi /nadidi/ | chechete /tʃetʃete/ | shihi /ʃihi/ |
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