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
20 core words in Sena
Water
madzi
/madzi/
Fire
moto
/moto/
Sun
dzuwa
/dzuwa/
Moon
mwedzi
/mwedzi/
Mother
mai
/mai/
Father
baba
/baba/
Eat
kudya
/kudja/
Drink
kumwa
/kumwa/
Love
kufuna
/kufuna/
Heart
mtima
/mtima/
Tree
mtengo
/mteŋɡo/
House
nyumba
/ɲumba/
Dog
mbwa
/mbwa/
Cat
paka
/paka/
Hand
nkono
/nkono/
Eye
diso
/diso/
Hello
mwadzukabwanji
/mwadzukabwandʒi/
Thank you
ndatenda
/ndatenda/
One
posi
/posi/
Good
nadidi
/nadidi/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Senga-Sena) languages
| Meaning | Sena | Chewa | Shambala | Makonde | Nyamwezi | Yao | Shona |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | madzi /madzi/ | madzi /madzi/ | mazi /mazi/ | mashi /maʃi/ | minzi /minzi/ | mesi /mesi/ | mvura /mvuɾa/ |
| Fire | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | zuwa /zuwa/ | lyuva /ʎuβa/ | izuba /izuβa/ | lyuwa /ʎuwa/ | zuva /zuva/ |
| Moon | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwedi /mwedi/ | ng'wezi /ŋweːzi/ | mwesi /mwesi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ |
| Mother | mai /mai/ | amayi /amaji/ | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mayu /majʊ/ | amao /amaː/ | amai /amai/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | abambo /abambo/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | atati /atati/ | baba /baba/ |
| Eat | kudya /kudja/ | kudya /kudja/ | kuya /kuja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kudya /kudja/ |
| Drink | kumwa /kumwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ |
| Love | kufuna /kufuna/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | kwenda /kwenda/ | kupenda /kupenda/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | rudo /ɾudo/ |
| Heart | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mtima /mtima/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ |
| Tree | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | mtela /mtela/ | muti /muti/ |
| House | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | kaya /kaja/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | imba /imba/ |
| Dog | mbwa /mbwa/ | galu /ɡalu/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | nshenye /nʃeɲe/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | mphaka /mpʰaka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | katsi /katsi/ |
| Hand | nkono /nkono/ | dzanja /dzandʒa/ | ukono /ukono/ | nkono /nkono/ | ikobo /ikoβo/ | ngaila /ŋɡaila/ | ruoko /ɾwoko/ |
| Eye | diso /diso/ | diso /diso/ | izo /izo/ | liso /liso/ | liso /liso/ | liso /liso/ | ziso /ziso/ |
| Hello | mwadzukabwanji /mwadzukabwandʒi/ | moni /moni/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | nakushukuru /nakuʃukuɾu/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | salama /salama/ | mhoro /mhoɾo/ |
| Thank you | ndatenda /ndatenda/ | zikomo /zikomo/ | asante /asante/ | nashukuru /naʃukuɾu/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | nakwete /nakwete/ | maita /maita/ |
| One | posi /posi/ | chimodzi /tʃimodzi/ | imo /imo/ | nimo /nimo/ | imo /imo/ | mo /mo/ | potsi /potsi/ |
| Good | nadidi /nadidi/ | chabwino /tʃabwino/ | hedi /hedi/ | shibwana /ʃibwana/ | lihi /lihi/ | chechete /tʃetʃete/ | chakanaka /tʃakanaka/ |
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