Luganda
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu)
Luganda is the most widely spoken Bantu language of Uganda, native to the Buganda kingdom around Kampala. It has 10 noun classes, vowel length contrasts, and a tonal system distinguishing lexical and grammatical meanings.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Luganda
Water
amazzi
/amaːzːi/
Fire
omuliro
/omuliɾo/
Sun
enjuba
/eɲɟuba/
Moon
omwezi
/omwezi/
Star
emmunyeenye
/emːuɲeːɲe/
Mother
maama
/maːma/
Father
taata
/taːta/
I
nze
/nze/
You
ggwe
/ɡːwe/
Name
erinnya
/eriɲːa/
Eye
eriiso
/eɾiːso/
Hand
omukono
/omukono/
Heart
omutima
/omutima/
Love
okwagala
/okwaːɡala/
Tree
omuti
/omuti/
House
ennyumba
/eɲɲumba/
Dog
embwa
/embwa/
Cat
kkapa
/kːapa/
Eat
kulya
/kulja/
Drink
kunywa
/kuɲʷa/
One
emu
/emu/
Two
bbiri
/bːiri/
Hello
oli otya
/oli otja/
Thank you
webale
/weːbale/
Good
kirungi
/kiɾuŋɡi/
Computer
kompyuta
/kompjuta/
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu) languages
| Meaning | Luganda | Soga | Runyankole | Tooro | Nyoro | Chiga | Nyaturu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | amazzi /amaːzːi/ | amaaji /amaːdʒi/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | maazi /maːzi/ |
| Fire | omuliro /omuliɾo/ | omuliro /omuliɾo/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | enjuba /eɲɟuba/ | enjuba /eɲɟuba/ | izooba /izoːba/ | eizooba /eizoːba/ | eizooba /eizoːba/ | eizooba /eizoːba/ | nzua /nzua/ |
| Moon | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ |
| Star | emmunyeenye /emːuɲeːɲe/ | emunyeenye /emuɲeːɲe/ | enyonyoozi /eɲoɲoːzi/ | enyunyunzi /eɲuɲuːnzi/ | enyunyuunzi /eɲuɲuːnzi/ | enyonyoozi /eɲoɲoːzi/ | nyeenyeeri /ɲeːɲeːri/ |
| Mother | maama /maːma/ | maama /maːma/ | maawe /maːwe/ | nyinya /ɲiɲa/ | nyinya /ɲiɲa/ | nyina /ɲina/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | taata /taːta/ | taata /taːta/ | tata /tata/ | isho /iʃo/ | isho /iʃo/ | ishe /iʃe/ | tata /tata/ |
| I | nze /nze/ | nze /nze/ | nyowe /ɲowe/ | nyowe /ɲowe/ | nyowe /ɲowe/ | nyowe /ɲowe/ | une /une/ |
| You | ggwe /ɡːwe/ | gwe /ɡwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | uwe /uwe/ |
| Name | erinnya /eriɲːa/ | erinnya /erinɲa/ | eiziina /eiziːna/ | ibara /iβara/ | ibara /iβara/ | eiziina /eiziːna/ | izina /izina/ |
| Eye | eriiso /eɾiːso/ | eriiso /eɾiːso/ | eriiso /eriːso/ | eriiso /eriːso/ | eriiso /eriːso/ | eriisho /eriːʃo/ | iriiso /iɾiːso/ |
| Hand | omukono /omukono/ | omukono /omukono/ | omukono /omukono/ | omukono /omukono/ | omukono /omukono/ | omukono /omukono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ |
| Heart | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | umutima /umutima/ |
| Love | okwagala /okwaːɡala/ | kwagala /kwaɡala/ | rukundo /rukundo/ | kugonza /kuɡonza/ | kugonza /kuɡonza/ | kukunda /kukunda/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ |
| Tree | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | umuti /umuti/ |
| House | ennyumba /eɲɲumba/ | enju /eɲɟu/ | enju /endʒu/ | enju /endʒu/ | enju /endʒu/ | enju /endʒu/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Dog | embwa /embwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ |
| Cat | kkapa /kːapa/ | enkaaku /eŋkaːku/ | kapa /kapa/ | paaka /paːka/ | paaka /paːka/ | kapa /kapa/ | paka /paka/ |
| Eat | kulya /kulja/ | kulya /kulja/ | kurya /kurja/ | kulya /kulja/ | kulya /kulja/ | kurya /kurja/ | kuria /kuɾia/ |
| Drink | kunywa /kuɲʷa/ | kunywa /kuɲʷa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| One | emu /emu/ | ndala /ndala/ | emwe /emwe/ | emoi /emoi/ | emoi /emoi/ | rumwe /rumwe/ | umwe /umwe/ |
| Two | bbiri /bːiri/ | bbiri /biri/ | ibiri /iβiri/ | ibiri /iβiri/ | ibiri /iβiri/ | ibiri /iβiri/ | aviri /aβiri/ |
| Hello | oli otya /oli otja/ | mwaakire /mwaːkiɾe/ | agandi /aɡandi/ | oraire ota /oraire ota/ | oraire ota /oraire ota/ | oraire /oraire/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ |
| Thank you | webale /weːbale/ | weebale /weːbale/ | webare /webare/ | webale /webale/ | webale /webale/ | webare /webare/ | asante /aˈsante/ |
| Good | kirungi /kiɾuŋɡi/ | bulungi /buluŋɡi/ | kirungi /kiruŋɡi/ | kurungi /kuruŋɡi/ | kurungi /kuruŋɡi/ | kurungi /kuruŋɡi/ | kihi /kihi/ |
| Computer | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
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