Lomongo
Mongo
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Mongo)
Mongo (Lomongo, also Nkundo when including the Nkundo dialect) is a Central Bantu language of the equatorial rainforest in the Cuvette Centrale of the Congo Basin. Spoken by the Mongo people, one of the largest ethnic clusters in the DRC, along the Congo River from Mbandaka deep into the rainforest. Has 7 vowels and Bantu noun-class agreement; the Hulstaert dictionary (1957) remains the standard reference.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Mongo
Water
nzá
/nzá/
Fire
mokɛ́
/mokɛ́/
Sun
lokɔlɔ
/lokɔlɔ/
Moon
nzɔnzɔ
/nzɔnzɔ/
Mother
nyangó
/ɲaŋɡó/
Father
ise
/ise/
Eat
kolya
/koʎa/
Drink
kome'la
/komela/
Love
boláŋo
/bolaŋo/
Heart
mongúma
/moŋɡúma/
Tree
boléi
/boléi/
House
ndako
/ndako/
Dog
mbwa
/mbwa/
Cat
nyaú
/ɲaú/
Hand
lokáko
/lokáko/
Eye
liso
/liso/
Hello
losáko
/losáko/
Thank you
olɛli
/olɛli/
One
etomelá
/etomelá/
Good
mpɔlɔ
/mpɔlɔ/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Mongo) languages
| Meaning | Mongo | Lingala | Tetela | Sukuma | Nyamwezi | Kikongo | Luvale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nzá /nzá/ | máí /mai/ | ashi /aʃi/ | minzi /minzi/ | minzi /minzi/ | maza /maza/ | meya /meja/ |
| Fire | mokɛ́ /mokɛ́/ | mɔ́tɔ /mɔtɔ/ | lokombu /lokombu/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | tiya /tija/ | kakahya /kakahja/ |
| Sun | lokɔlɔ /lokɔlɔ/ | mói /moi/ | ondelo /ondelo/ | ilyuva /iʎuβa/ | izuba /izuβa/ | ntangu /ntaŋɡu/ | likumbi /likumbi/ |
| Moon | nzɔnzɔ /nzɔnzɔ/ | sánzá /sanza/ | ngondo /ŋɡondo/ | ng'wezi /ŋweːzi/ | ng'wezi /ŋweːzi/ | ngonda /ŋɡonda/ | kakweji /kakwedʒi/ |
| Mother | nyangó /ɲaŋɡó/ | mamá /mama/ | nyema /ɲema/ | mayu /maju/ | mayu /majʊ/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | ise /ise/ | tatá /tata/ | shi /ʃi/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | tata /tata/ | tata /tata/ |
| Eat | kolya /koʎa/ | kolía /kolia/ | kolya /koʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | ku dia /ku dja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ |
| Drink | kome'la /komela/ | komɛ́la /komɛla/ | konwa /konwa/ | kuhwa /kuhwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | ku nua /ku nua/ | kunwa /kunwa/ |
| Love | boláŋo /bolaŋo/ | bolíngo /boliŋɡo/ | langɔ /laŋɡɔ/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | zola /zola/ | zangi /zaŋɡi/ |
| Heart | mongúma /moŋɡúma/ | motéma /motema/ | utema /utema/ | ngholo /ŋɡoːlo/ | mtima /mtima/ | ntima /ntima/ | mutima /mutima/ |
| Tree | boléi /boléi/ | nzété /nzete/ | etamba /etamba/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | nti /nti/ | mutondo /mutondo/ |
| House | ndako /ndako/ | ndáko /ndako/ | mbongo /mboŋɡo/ | kaya /kaja/ | kaya /kaja/ | nzo /nzo/ | zuvo /zuvo/ |
| Dog | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwá /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | kawa /kawa/ |
| Cat | nyaú /ɲaú/ | nyáu /ɲau/ | paka /paka/ | kalulu /kalulu/ | paka /paka/ | nyau /ɲau/ | katako /katako/ |
| Hand | lokáko /lokáko/ | lobɔ́kɔ /lobɔkɔ/ | lonya /loɲa/ | nkhono /ŋkono/ | ikobo /ikoβo/ | koko /koko/ | livoko /livoko/ |
| Eye | liso /liso/ | líso /liso/ | diso /diso/ | liso /liso/ | liso /liso/ | disu /disu/ | liso /liso/ |
| Hello | losáko /losáko/ | mbóte /mbote/ | nyongo /ɲoŋɡo/ | mwangaluka /mwaŋɡaluka/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | mboté /mbote/ | mwane /mwane/ |
| Thank you | olɛli /olɛli/ | matɔ́ndɔ /matɔndɔ/ | toleko /toleko/ | nakulumba /nakulumba/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | matondo /matondo/ | nasakwilila /nasakwilila/ |
| One | etomelá /etomelá/ | mɔ̌kɔ́ /mɔkɔ/ | ɔtɔi /ɔtɔi/ | imo /imo/ | imo /imo/ | mosi /mosi/ | -mwe /mwe/ |
| Good | mpɔlɔ /mpɔlɔ/ | malámu /malamu/ | lɔlɔ /lɔlɔ/ | shihi /ʃihi/ | lihi /lihi/ | mbote /mbote/ | -mwaza /mwaza/ |
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