Oshindonga
Ndonga
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Southwest)
Ndonga (Oshindonga) is one of two main standard varieties of Oshiwambo (alongside Kwanyama / Oshikwanyama), spoken in north-central Namibia and southern Angola. A Bantu R-zone language closely related to Herero and the wider Central African Bantu cluster. It is the more widely written variety and is taught in Namibian schools as a national language. The Aawambo people are the largest ethnic group in Namibia, and Oshiwambo broadcasting has a strong national profile.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Ndonga
Water
omeya
/omeja/
Fire
omulilo
/omulilo/
Sun
etango
/etaŋɡo/
Moon
omwedhi
/omweði/
Mother
meme
/meme/
Father
tate
/tate/
Eat
lya
/ʎa/
Drink
nwa
/nwa/
Love
ohole
/ohole/
Heart
omutima
/omutima/
Tree
omuti
/omuti/
House
egumbo
/eɡumbo/
Dog
ombwa
/ombwa/
Cat
okashima
/okaʃima/
Hand
oshikaha
/oʃikaha/
Eye
eho
/eho/
Hello
wa lalapo
/wa lalapo/
Thank you
tangi
/taŋɡi/
One
-mwe
/mwe/
Good
-nawa
/nawa/
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Southwest) languages
| Meaning | Ndonga | Kuanyama | Herero | Umbundu | Runyankole | Sangu | Luvale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | omeya /omeja/ | omeva /omeva/ | omeva /omeva/ | ovava /ovava/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | ameenzi /ameːnzi/ | meya /meja/ |
| Fire | omulilo /omulilo/ | omundilo /omundilo/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | ondalu /ondalu/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | umoto /umoto/ | kakahya /kakahja/ |
| Sun | etango /etaŋɡo/ | etango /etaŋɡo/ | eyuva /ejuva/ | ekumbi /ekumbi/ | izooba /izoːba/ | liluga /liluɡa/ | likumbi /likumbi/ |
| Moon | omwedhi /omweði/ | omwedi /omwedi/ | omueze /omueze/ | osãi /osãi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | umwesi /umwesi/ | kakweji /kakwedʒi/ |
| Mother | meme /meme/ | meme /meme/ | mama /mama/ | inã /inã/ | maawe /maːwe/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | tate /tate/ | tate /tate/ | tate /tate/ | tate /tate/ | tata /tata/ | baba /baba/ | tata /tata/ |
| Eat | lya /ʎa/ | lya /ʎa/ | kuriya /kurija/ | okulya /okulja/ | kurya /kurja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ |
| Drink | nwa /nwa/ | nwa /nwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | okunwa /okunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ |
| Love | ohole /ohole/ | ohole /ohole/ | orusuvero /orusuvero/ | ocisola /otʃisola/ | rukundo /rukundo/ | ulungu /uluŋɡu/ | zangi /zaŋɡi/ |
| Heart | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | utima /utima/ | omutima /omutima/ | umutima /umutima/ | mutima /mutima/ |
| Tree | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | umuti /umuti/ | mutondo /mutondo/ |
| House | egumbo /eɡumbo/ | eumbo /eumbo/ | ondjuwo /ondʒuwo/ | onjo /ondʒo/ | enju /endʒu/ | inyumba /iɲumba/ | zuvo /zuvo/ |
| Dog | ombwa /ombwa/ | ombwa /ombwa/ | ombwa /ombwa/ | ombwa /ombwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | kawa /kawa/ |
| Cat | okashima /okaʃima/ | okatufi /okatufi/ | okatjiru /okat͡ʃiru/ | ocikangu /otʃikaŋɡu/ | kapa /kapa/ | paka /paka/ | katako /katako/ |
| Hand | oshikaha /oʃikaha/ | eke /eke/ | eke /eke/ | oluwoko /oluwoko/ | omukono /omukono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | livoko /livoko/ |
| Eye | eho /eho/ | eho /eho/ | eho /eho/ | iso /iso/ | eriiso /eriːso/ | iliho /iliho/ | liso /liso/ |
| Hello | wa lalapo /wa lalapo/ | wa hala po /wa hala po/ | wa penduka /wa penduka/ | oloi /oloi/ | agandi /aɡandi/ | mbasala /mbasala/ | mwane /mwane/ |
| Thank you | tangi /taŋɡi/ | pandula /pandula/ | okuhepa /okuhepa/ | twalipata /twalipata/ | webare /webare/ | nashukulu /naʃukulu/ | nasakwilila /nasakwilila/ |
| One | -mwe /mwe/ | -mwe /mwe/ | -mwe /mwe/ | imwe /imwe/ | emwe /emwe/ | imo /imo/ | -mwe /mwe/ |
| Good | -nawa /nawa/ | -wa /wa/ | -wa /wa/ | vyali /vjali/ | kirungi /kiruŋɡi/ | kwifwa /kwifwa/ | -mwaza /mwaza/ |
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.