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
20 core words in Kanuri
Water
nji
/ndʒi/
Fire
kannu
/kanːu/
Sun
kiŋal
/kiŋal/
Moon
kəmbal
/kəmbal/
Mother
ya
/ja/
Father
aba
/aba/
Eat
bayem
/bajem/
Drink
simem
/simem/
Love
nem-shanu
/nem ʃanu/
Heart
karkə
/karkə/
Tree
kasua
/kasua/
House
fato
/fato/
Dog
keri
/keri/
Cat
yaba
/jaba/
Hand
musko
/musko/
Eye
shim
/ʃim/
Hello
lafiya
/lafija/
Thank you
gushibe
/ɡuʃibe/
One
tilo
/tilo/
Good
ngewu
/ŋɡewu/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Nilo-Saharan (Saharan) languages
| Meaning | Kanuri | Olkol | Xaasongaxango | Maranao | Dyula | Eastern Maninka | Luo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nji /ndʒi/ | kupa /kupa/ | ji /dʒi/ | ig /iɡ/ | ji /dʒi/ | ji /dʒi/ | pi /pi/ |
| Fire | kannu /kanːu/ | paral /paɻal/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | apoy /apoj/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | tasuma /tasuma/ | mach /matʃ/ |
| Sun | kiŋal /kiŋal/ | naŋkari /naŋkaɻi/ | tile /tile/ | alongan /aloŋan/ | tile /tile/ | tile /tile/ | chieng' /tʃieŋ/ |
| Moon | kəmbal /kəmbal/ | kakal /kakal/ | kalo /kalo/ | bolan /bolan/ | kalo /kalo/ | kalo /kalo/ | dwe /dwe/ |
| Mother | ya /ja/ | ngangi /ŋaŋi/ | ba /ba/ | ina /ina/ | ba /ba/ | ba /ba/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | aba /aba/ | kaba /kaba/ | fa /fa/ | ama /ama/ | fa /fa/ | fa /fa/ | baba /baba/ |
| Eat | bayem /bajem/ | ngarinya /ŋaɻiɲa/ | domu /domu/ | mangan /maŋan/ | dun /dun/ | domu /domu/ | chiemo /tʃiemo/ |
| Drink | simem /simem/ | kupa nyaa /kupa ɲaː/ | min /min/ | minom /minom/ | min /min/ | min /min/ | madho /maðo/ |
| Love | nem-shanu /nem ʃanu/ | kanyji /kaɲɟi/ | kanu /kanu/ | kalimo /kalimo/ | kanu /kanu/ | kanu /kanu/ | hera /hera/ |
| Heart | karkə /karkə/ | piku /piku/ | dusu /dusu/ | pusoʔ /pusoʔ/ | dusu /dusu/ | dusu /dusu/ | chuny /tʃuɲ/ |
| Tree | kasua /kasua/ | warray /waɾaj/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | kayo /kajo/ | yiri /jiri/ | yiri /jiɾi/ | yath /jaθ/ |
| House | fato /fato/ | mariŋ /maɻiŋ/ | so /so/ | walay /walaj/ | so /so/ | lu /lu/ | ot /ot/ |
| Dog | keri /keri/ | kunpa /kunpa/ | wulu /wulu/ | aso /aso/ | wulu /wulu/ | wuli /wuli/ | guok /ɡuok/ |
| Cat | yaba /jaba/ | paka /paka/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | pusa /pusa/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | jakuma /dʒakuma/ | paka /paka/ |
| Hand | musko /musko/ | mara /maɻa/ | bolo /bolo/ | lima /lima/ | bolo /bolo/ | bolo /bolo/ | lwedo /lwedo/ |
| Eye | shim /ʃim/ | mil /mil/ | ɲa /ɲa/ | mata /mata/ | ɲɛ /ɲɛ/ | ɲa /ɲa/ | wang' /waŋ/ |
| Hello | lafiya /lafija/ | palya /paʎa/ | i ni sogoma /i ni soɡoma/ | kapian /kapijan/ | i ni soɣoma /i ni soɣoma/ | i ni se /i ni se/ | misawa /misawa/ |
| Thank you | gushibe /ɡuʃibe/ | marlu /maɻlu/ | i ni baara /i ni baːɾa/ | salamat /salamat/ | i ni ce /i ni tʃe/ | i ni se /i ni se/ | erokamano /erokamano/ |
| One | tilo /tilo/ | kuyu /kuju/ | kele /kele/ | isa /isa/ | kelen /kelen/ | kelen /kelen/ | achiel /atʃiel/ |
| Good | ngewu /ŋɡewu/ | palya /paʎa/ | nyi /ɲi/ | mapia /mapija/ | ɲuman /ɲuman/ | ka ɲi /ka ɲi/ | maber /maber/ |
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