Eshisango
Sangu
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Western Tanzania)
Sangu (Eshisango, also Kisangu) is a Bantu F13 language of the Usangu plains in southwestern Tanzania, near the Ruaha National Park. The Sangu people were historically rivals of the Hehe (Hehe-Sangu wars of the 19th century under chiefs Mkwawa and Mwinyikupinga), and developed a distinctive cattle-herding identity that contrasts with neighboring Bantu agricultural societies. Despite the small modern speaker base, retains active intergenerational transmission in rural communities.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Sangu
Water
ameenzi
/ameːnzi/
Fire
umoto
/umoto/
Sun
liluga
/liluɡa/
Moon
umwesi
/umwesi/
Star
nyenyezi
/ɲeɲezi/
Mother
mama
/mama/
Father
baba
/baba/
I
une
/une/
You
uwe
/uwe/
Name
litawa
/litawa/
Eye
iliho
/iliho/
Hand
ukuboko
/ukuboko/
Heart
umutima
/umutima/
Love
ulungu
/uluŋɡu/
Tree
umuti
/umuti/
House
inyumba
/iɲumba/
Dog
imbwa
/imbwa/
Cat
paka
/paka/
Eat
kulya
/kuʎa/
Drink
kunwa
/kunwa/
One
imo
/imo/
Two
avili
/aβili/
Hello
mbasala
/mbasala/
Thank you
nashukulu
/naʃukulu/
Good
kwifwa
/kwifwa/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Western Tanzania) languages
| Meaning | Sangu | Nyaturu | Makonde | Asu | Nyamwezi | Shambala | Yao |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ameenzi /ameːnzi/ | maazi /maːzi/ | mashi /maʃi/ | mende /mende/ | minzi /minzi/ | mazi /mazi/ | mesi /mesi/ |
| Fire | umoto /umoto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | mshika /mʃika/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | liluga /liluɡa/ | nzua /nzua/ | lyuva /ʎuβa/ | idhuva /iðuʋa/ | izuba /izuβa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | lyuwa /ʎuwa/ |
| Moon | umwesi /umwesi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ | mwedi /mwedi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | ng'wezi /ŋweːzi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwesi /mwesi/ |
| Star | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyeenyeeri /ɲeːɲeːri/ | ntondwa /ntondwa/ | nyenyeri /ɲeɲeri/ | nyenyeezi /ɲeˈɲeːzi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | ndondwa /ndondwa/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mayu /majʊ/ | mama /mama/ | amao /amaː/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | tata /tata/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | atati /atati/ |
| I | une /une/ | une /une/ | une /une/ | mine /mine/ | nene /ˈnene/ | niye /nije/ | une /une/ |
| You | uwe /uwe/ | uwe /uwe/ | uve /uve/ | uwe /uwe/ | gwegwe /ˈɡweɡwe/ | weye /weje/ | mmwe /mːwe/ |
| Name | litawa /litawa/ | izina /izina/ | lina /lina/ | izina /izina/ | lina /ˈlina/ | izina /izina/ | lina /lina/ |
| Eye | iliho /iliho/ | iriiso /iɾiːso/ | liso /liso/ | iiso /iːso/ | liso /liso/ | izo /izo/ | liso /liso/ |
| Hand | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | nkono /nkono/ | mkono /mkono/ | ikobo /ikoβo/ | ukono /ukono/ | ngaila /ŋɡaila/ |
| Heart | umutima /umutima/ | umutima /umutima/ | mtima /mtima/ | ngiti /ŋɡiti/ | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | mtima /mtima/ |
| Love | ulungu /uluŋɡu/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | kupenda /kupenda/ | lumba /lumba/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | kwenda /kwenda/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ |
| Tree | umuti /umuti/ | umuti /umuti/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | mtela /mtela/ |
| House | inyumba /iɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | kaya /kaja/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Dog | imbwa /imbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | nshenye /nʃeɲe/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ |
| Eat | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuria /kuɾia/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kurya /kuɾja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuya /kuja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ |
| Drink | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kukumbila /kukumbila/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ |
| One | imo /imo/ | umwe /umwe/ | nimo /nimo/ | imwe /imwe/ | imo /imo/ | imo /imo/ | mo /mo/ |
| Two | avili /aβili/ | aviri /aβiri/ | vavili /vaʋili/ | avili /aβili/ | ibili /iβili/ | mbili /mbili/ | iŵili /iβili/ |
| Hello | mbasala /mbasala/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ | nakushukuru /nakuʃukuɾu/ | shiloi /ʃiloi/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | salama /salama/ |
| Thank you | nashukulu /naʃukulu/ | asante /aˈsante/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | mwasanga /mwasaŋɡa/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | asante /asante/ | nakwete /nakwete/ |
| Good | kwifwa /kwifwa/ | kihi /kihi/ | shibwana /ʃibwana/ | mwamba /mwamba/ | lihi /lihi/ | hedi /hedi/ | chechete /tʃetʃete/ |
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