Chiluvale
Luvale
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Luyana)
Luvale (Chiluvale) is a Bantu K language spoken in the Angola-Zambia borderlands. The Luvale people are one of the seven recognized "Bantu of Zambia" official-language groups. The language has tone and Bantu noun-class agreement and is closely related to Lunda (lun) within the K14 group. Notable for the Likumbi Lya Mize cultural festival and the makishi masquerade tradition (UNESCO Intangible Heritage 2008).
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Luvale
Water
meya
/meja/
Fire
kakahya
/kakahja/
Sun
likumbi
/likumbi/
Moon
kakweji
/kakwedʒi/
Mother
mama
/mama/
Father
tata
/tata/
Eat
kulya
/kuʎa/
Drink
kunwa
/kunwa/
Love
zangi
/zaŋɡi/
Heart
mutima
/mutima/
Tree
mutondo
/mutondo/
House
zuvo
/zuvo/
Dog
kawa
/kawa/
Cat
katako
/katako/
Hand
livoko
/livoko/
Eye
liso
/liso/
Hello
mwane
/mwane/
Thank you
nasakwilila
/nasakwilila/
One
-mwe
/mwe/
Good
-mwaza
/mwaza/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Luyana) languages
| Meaning | Luvale | Kaonde | Sangu | Herero | Nyaturu | Kuanyama | Luba-Kasai |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | meya /meja/ | mema /mema/ | ameenzi /ameːnzi/ | omeva /omeva/ | maazi /maːzi/ | omeva /omeva/ | mâyi /maːji/ |
| Fire | kakahya /kakahja/ | mujilo /mudʒilo/ | umoto /umoto/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | moto /moto/ | omundilo /omundilo/ | kapia /kapia/ |
| Sun | likumbi /likumbi/ | juba /dʒuba/ | liluga /liluɡa/ | eyuva /ejuva/ | nzua /nzua/ | etango /etaŋɡo/ | dîba /diːba/ |
| Moon | kakweji /kakwedʒi/ | ñondo /ɲondo/ | umwesi /umwesi/ | omueze /omueze/ | umweri /umweɾi/ | omwedi /omwedi/ | ngondo /ŋɡondo/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | bama /bama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | meme /meme/ | mâmu /maːmu/ |
| Father | tata /tata/ | batata /batata/ | baba /baba/ | tate /tate/ | tata /tata/ | tate /tate/ | tâtu /taːtu/ |
| Eat | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuja /kudʒa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuriya /kurija/ | kuria /kuɾia/ | lya /ʎa/ | kudia /kudia/ |
| Drink | kunwa /kunwa/ | kutoma /kutoma/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | nwa /nwa/ | kunua /kunua/ |
| Love | zangi /zaŋɡi/ | butemwe /butemwe/ | ulungu /uluŋɡu/ | orusuvero /orusuvero/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | ohole /ohole/ | dinanga /dinaŋɡa/ |
| Heart | mutima /mutima/ | muchima /mutʃima/ | umutima /umutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | umutima /umutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | mucima /mut͡ʃima/ |
| Tree | mutondo /mutondo/ | kichi /kitʃi/ | umuti /umuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | umuti /umuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | mutshi /mut͡ʃi/ |
| House | zuvo /zuvo/ | nzubo /nzubo/ | inyumba /iɲumba/ | ondjuwo /ondʒuwo/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | eumbo /eumbo/ | nzubu /nzubu/ |
| Dog | kawa /kawa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | ombwa /ombwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | ombwa /ombwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | katako /katako/ | kapuso /kapuso/ | paka /paka/ | okatjiru /okat͡ʃiru/ | paka /paka/ | okatufi /okatufi/ | nyao /ɲao/ |
| Hand | livoko /livoko/ | kuboko /kuboko/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | eke /eke/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | eke /eke/ | tshianza /t͡ʃianza/ |
| Eye | liso /liso/ | jiso /dʒiso/ | iliho /iliho/ | eho /eho/ | iriiso /iɾiːso/ | eho /eho/ | dîsu /diːsu/ |
| Hello | mwane /mwane/ | mwapoñai /mwapoɲai/ | mbasala /mbasala/ | wa penduka /wa penduka/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ | wa hala po /wa hala po/ | moyo /mojo/ |
| Thank you | nasakwilila /nasakwilila/ | nasakwilila /nasakwilila/ | nashukulu /naʃukulu/ | okuhepa /okuhepa/ | ahsante /ahsante/ | pandula /pandula/ | tuasakidila /tuasakidila/ |
| One | -mwe /mwe/ | umo /umo/ | imo /imo/ | -mwe /mwe/ | umwe /umwe/ | -mwe /mwe/ | umue /umue/ |
| Good | -mwaza /mwaza/ | kyawama /kjawama/ | kwifwa /kwifwa/ | -wa /wa/ | kihi /kihi/ | -wa /wa/ | bimpe /bimpe/ |
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