Kanuri
Nilo-Saharan (Saharan)
Kanuri is the language of the Kanuri people of the Lake Chad basin, descended from the medieval Kanem-Bornu empire (c. 700–1900 CE) — one of the largest and longest-lived African polities. Spoken by ~9.6M people across Nigeria (Borno State), Niger, Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, and Libya. One of the largest Nilo-Saharan languages, Kanuri is part of the Saharan branch (with Tubu and Zaghawa). Has a 6-tone system and implosive consonants ɓ, ɗ, ʄ — typical Nilo-Saharan features. Historically written in Ajami (Arabic-derived script) for Islamic religious contexts; today also Latin script. The Kanembu liturgical Kanuri preserves classical religious vocabulary.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Kanuri
Water
nji
/ndʒi/
Fire
kannu
/kanːu/
Sun
kiŋal
/kiŋal/
Moon
kəmbal
/kəmbal/
Star
shílówù
/ʃilowu/
Mother
ya
/ja/
Father
aba
/aba/
I
wu
/wu/
You
nyi
/ɲi/
Name
cû
/tʃu/
Eye
shim
/ʃim/
Hand
musko
/musko/
Heart
karkə
/karkə/
Love
nem-shanu
/nem ʃanu/
Tree
kasua
/kasua/
House
fato
/fato/
Dog
keri
/keri/
Cat
yaba
/jaba/
Eat
bayem
/bajem/
Drink
simem
/simem/
One
tilo
/tilo/
Two
ndi
/ndi/
Hello
lafiya
/lafija/
Thank you
gushibe
/ɡuʃibe/
Good
ngewu
/ŋɡewu/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Nilo-Saharan (Saharan) languages
| Meaning | Kanuri | Xaasongaxango | Eastern Maninka | Western Maninkakan | Kita Maninkakan | Hiri Motu | Luo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nji /ndʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | ranu /ɾanu/ | pi /pi/ |
| Fire | kannu /kanːu/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | lahi /lahi/ | mach /matʃ/ |
| Sun | kiŋal /kiŋal/ | tile /tile/ | tile /tile/ | tile /tile/ | tle /tle/ | dina /dina/ | chieng' /tʃieŋ/ |
| Moon | kəmbal /kəmbal/ | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | hua /hua/ | dwe /dwe/ |
| Star | shílówù /ʃilowu/ | lolo /lolo/ | lolo /lolo/ | lolo /lolo/ | lolo /lolo/ | hisiu /hisiu/ | sulwe /sulwe/ |
| Mother | ya /ja/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | na /na/ | ba /ba/ | sina /sina/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | aba /aba/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | tama /tama/ | baba /baba/ |
| I | wu /wu/ | ne /ne/ | ne /ne/ | ne /ne/ | ne /ne/ | lau /lau/ | an /an/ |
| You | nyi /ɲi/ | i /i/ | i /i/ | i /i/ | i /i/ | oi /oi/ | in /in/ |
| Name | cû /tʃu/ | tɔɔ /tɔː/ | tɔɔ /tɔː/ | tɔɔ /tɔː/ | tɔɔ /tɔː/ | ladana /laˈdana/ | nying /ɲiŋ/ |
| Eye | shim /ʃim/ | ɲa /ɲa/ | ɲa /ɲa/ | nya /ɲa/ | ña /ɲa/ | matana /matana/ | wang' /waŋ/ |
| Hand | musko /musko/ | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | ima /ima/ | lwedo /lwedo/ |
| Heart | karkə /karkə/ | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | kudouna /kudouna/ | chuny /tʃuɲ/ |
| Love | nem-shanu /nem ʃanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | lalokau /lalokau/ | hera /hera/ |
| Tree | kasua /kasua/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | au /au/ | yath /jaθ/ |
| House | fato /fato/ | so /so/ | lu /lu/ | so /so/ | so /so/ | ruma /ɾuma/ | ot /ot/ |
| Dog | keri /keri/ | wulu /wulu/ | wuli /wuli/ | wulu /wulu/ | wulu /wulu/ | sisia /sisia/ | guok /ɡuok/ |
| Cat | yaba /jaba/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | nyaakuma /ɲaːkuma/ | ñaakuma /ɲaːkuma/ | pusi /pusi/ | paka /paka/ |
| Eat | bayem /bajem/ | domu /domu/ | domu /domu/ | don /don/ | don /don/ | ania /ania/ | chiemo /tʃiemo/ |
| Drink | simem /simem/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | inua /inua/ | madho /maðo/ |
| One | tilo /tilo/ | kele /kele/ | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | ta /ta/ | achiel /atʃiel/ |
| Two | ndi /ndi/ | fila /fila/ | fila /fila/ | fila /fila/ | fila /fila/ | rua /rua/ | ariyo /arijo/ |
| Hello | lafiya /lafija/ | i ni sogoma /i ni soɡoma/ | i ni se /i ni se/ | i ni sögöma /i ni soɣoma/ | i ni soɣoma /i ni soɣoma/ | namona /namona/ | misawa /misawa/ |
| Thank you | gushibe /ɡuʃibe/ | i ni baara /i ni baːɾa/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃe/ | i ni baara /i ni baːɾa/ | i ni baara /i ni baːɾa/ | tanikiu /tanikiu/ | erokamano /erokamano/ |
| Good | ngewu /ŋɡewu/ | nyi /ɲi/ | ka ɲi /ka ɲi/ | nyuman /ɲuman/ | ñuman /ɲuman/ | namo /namo/ | maber /maber/ |
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