Cisena
Sena
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Senga-Sena)
Sena (Cisena) is a Bantu language of central Mozambique and southern Malawi, anchored on the Lower Zambezi River around Beira and Tete. Closely related to Nyanja/Chichewa (ny) and Tumbuka (tum) within the Eastern Bantu N group. The historical centre of Sena identity is the lower Zambezi valley, where it was a major trade language during the Portuguese colonial Prazo system (16th-19th c.). Diocesan publications in Sena (Catholic, since the 19th century) and active Mozambican radio broadcasting maintain it.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Sena
Water
madzi
/madzi/
Fire
moto
/moto/
Sun
dzuwa
/dzuwa/
Moon
mwedzi
/mwedzi/
Star
nyenyezi
/ɲeɲezi/
Mother
mai
/mai/
Father
baba
/baba/
I
ine
/ine/
You
iwe
/iwe/
Name
dzina
/dzina/
Eye
diso
/diso/
Hand
nkono
/nkono/
Heart
mtima
/mtima/
Love
kufuna
/kufuna/
Tree
mtengo
/mteŋɡo/
House
nyumba
/ɲumba/
Dog
mbwa
/mbwa/
Cat
paka
/paka/
Eat
kudya
/kudja/
Drink
kumwa
/kumwa/
One
posi
/posi/
Two
piŵiri
/piwiri/
Hello
mwadzukabwanji
/mwadzukabwandʒi/
Thank you
ndatenda
/ndatenda/
Good
nadidi
/nadidi/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Senga-Sena) languages
| Meaning | Sena | Chewa | Shambala | Tumbuka | Shona | Nyaturu | Ndau |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | madzi /madzi/ | madzi /madzi/ | mazi /mazi/ | maji /madʒi/ | mvura /mvuɾa/ | maazi /maːzi/ | mvura /mvuɾa/ |
| Fire | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | muriro /muɾiɾo/ |
| Sun | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | zuva /zuva/ | nzua /nzua/ | zuva /zuva/ |
| Moon | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ |
| Star | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ | nyeenyeeri /ɲeːɲeːri/ | nyenyedzi /ɲeɲedzi/ |
| Mother | mai /mai/ | amayi /amaji/ | mama /mama/ | amama /amama/ | amai /amai/ | mama /mama/ | amai /amai/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | abambo /abambo/ | baba /baba/ | adada /adada/ | baba /baba/ | tata /tata/ | baba /baba/ |
| I | ine /ine/ | ine /ine/ | niye /nije/ | ine /ine/ | ini /ini/ | une /une/ | ini /ini/ |
| You | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | weye /weje/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | uwe /uwe/ | iwe /iwe/ |
| Name | dzina /dzina/ | dzina /dzina/ | izina /izina/ | zina /zina/ | zita /zita/ | izina /izina/ | zina /zina/ |
| Eye | diso /diso/ | diso /diso/ | izo /izo/ | jiso /dʒiso/ | ziso /ziso/ | iriiso /iɾiːso/ | ziso /ziso/ |
| Hand | nkono /nkono/ | dzanja /dzandʒa/ | ukono /ukono/ | woko /woko/ | ruoko /ɾwoko/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | chanza /tʃanza/ |
| Heart | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | umutima /umutima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ |
| Love | kufuna /kufuna/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | kwenda /kwenda/ | kutemwa /kutemwa/ | rudo /ɾudo/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | rudo /ɾudo/ |
| Tree | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | mti /mti/ | khuni /kʰuni/ | muti /muti/ | umuti /umuti/ | muti /muti/ |
| House | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | imba /imba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Dog | mbwa /mbwa/ | galu /ɡalu/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | ncheŵe /ntʃewe/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | imbga /imbɡa/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | mphaka /mpʰaka/ | paka /paka/ | chona /tʃona/ | katsi /katsi/ | paka /paka/ | kiti /kiti/ |
| Eat | kudya /kudja/ | kudya /kudja/ | kuya /kuja/ | kurya /kuɾja/ | kudya /kudja/ | kuria /kuɾia/ | kudya /kudʒa/ |
| Drink | kumwa /kumwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ |
| One | posi /posi/ | chimodzi /tʃimodzi/ | imo /imo/ | cimoza /tʃimoza/ | potsi /potsi/ | umwe /umwe/ | chimwe /tʃimwe/ |
| Two | piŵiri /piwiri/ | awiri /awiri/ | mbili /mbili/ | ŵiŵiri /βiβiɾi/ | piri /piri/ | aviri /aβiri/ | piri /piɾi/ |
| Hello | mwadzukabwanji /mwadzukabwandʒi/ | moni /moni/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | monire /moniɾe/ | mhoro /mhoɾo/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ | mhoroi /mhoɾoji/ |
| Thank you | ndatenda /ndatenda/ | zikomo /zikomo/ | asante /asante/ | yewo /jewo/ | maita /maita/ | asante /aˈsante/ | ndatenda /ndatenda/ |
| Good | nadidi /nadidi/ | chabwino /tʃabwino/ | hedi /hedi/ | cwemi /tʃwemi/ | chakanaka /tʃakanaka/ | kihi /kihi/ | kanaka /kanaka/ |
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