Ateso
Nilo-Saharan (Eastern Nilotic, Teso-Turkana)
Ateso is an Eastern Nilotic language closely related to Karamojong and Turkana, spoken by the Iteso people of eastern Uganda and western Kenya. It is the most widely spoken Nilotic language in Uganda after Acholi-Lango.
Where it is spoken
31 core words in Ateso
Water
akipi
/akipi/
Fire
akim
/akim/
Sun
akolong
/akoloŋ/
Moon
elap
/elap/
Star
akoloit
/akoloit/
Mother
toto
/toto/
Father
papa
/papa/
I
eong
/eɔŋ/
You
ijo
/idʒo/
Name
ekiror
/ekiror/
Eye
akongu
/akoŋɡu/
Hand
akan
/akan/
Heart
etau
/etau/
Love
akimina
/akimina/
Tree
ekitoi
/ekitoi/
House
ekal
/ekal/
Dog
ekingok
/ekiŋɡok/
Cat
ekapa
/ekapa/
Eat
akinyam
/akiɲam/
Drink
akimat
/akimat/
One
ediopet
/ediopet/
Two
iarei
/iarei/
Hello
yoga
/joɡa/
Thank you
eyalama
/ejalama/
Good
ejok
/edʒok/
Words compared
Compared with related Nilo-Saharan (Eastern Nilotic, Teso-Turkana) languages
| Meaning | Ateso | Samburu | Maasai | Bari | Runyankole | Adi | Tetum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | akipi /akipi/ | nkare /ŋkaɾe/ | ɛŋare /ɛŋare/ | piong /piɔŋ/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | ihi /ihi/ | bee /beː/ |
| Fire | akim /akim/ | nkima /ŋkima/ | ɛnkima /ɛŋkima/ | kima /kima/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | emi /emi/ | ahi /ahi/ |
| Sun | akolong /akoloŋ/ | lakwa /lakʷa/ | enkolong /eŋkoloŋ/ | kolong /koloŋ/ | izooba /izoːba/ | donyi /doɲi/ | loron /loɾon/ |
| Moon | elap /elap/ | lapa /lapa/ | olapa /olapa/ | nyepo /ɲepo/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | polo /polo/ | fulan /fulan/ |
| Star | akoloit /akoloit/ | lakira /lakira/ | olakira /olakira/ | toŋ /toŋ/ | enyonyoozi /eɲoɲoːzi/ | takar /takar/ | fitun /ˈfitun/ |
| Mother | toto /toto/ | yieyo /jiejo/ | yieyio /jiejio/ | mama /mama/ | maawe /maːwe/ | ane /ane/ | inan /inan/ |
| Father | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | papa /papa/ | baba /baba/ | tata /tata/ | abu /abu/ | aman /aman/ |
| I | eong /eɔŋ/ | nanu /nanʊ/ | nanʉ /nanʊ/ | nan /nan/ | nyowe /ɲowe/ | ngo /ŋo/ | ha'u /haʔu/ |
| You | ijo /idʒo/ | iye /ije/ | iyie /ijie/ | do /do/ | iwe /iwe/ | no /no/ | ó /ɔ/ |
| Name | ekiror /ekiror/ | nkarna /ŋkarna/ | enkarna /eŋkarna/ | karin /karin/ | eiziina /eiziːna/ | amin /amin/ | naran /ˈnaran/ |
| Eye | akongu /akoŋɡu/ | nkoŋu /ŋkoŋu/ | ɛŋɔŋu /ɛŋɔŋu/ | kongi /koŋɡi/ | eriiso /eriːso/ | amik /amik/ | matan /matan/ |
| Hand | akan /akan/ | nkaina /ŋkaina/ | ɛŋaina /ɛŋaina/ | kindiyo /kindijo/ | omukono /omukono/ | ali /ali/ | liman /liman/ |
| Heart | etau /etau/ | ltau /ltau/ | oltau /oltau/ | lo /lo/ | omutima /omutima/ | gangki /ɡaŋki/ | fuan /fuan/ |
| Love | akimina /akimina/ | eitalu /eitalu/ | eitalu /eitalu/ | ondu /ondu/ | rukundo /rukundo/ | kanom /kanom/ | domin /domin/ |
| Tree | ekitoi /ekitoi/ | lchani /ltʃani/ | olchani /oltʃani/ | kute /kute/ | omuti /omuti/ | esing /esiŋ/ | ai /ai/ |
| House | ekal /ekal/ | nkang /ŋkaŋ/ | eng'aji /ɛŋadʒi/ | kadi /kadi/ | enju /endʒu/ | oekum /oekum/ | uma /uma/ |
| Dog | ekingok /ekiŋɡok/ | ldia /ldia/ | oldia /oldia/ | ngoʼlo /ŋoʔlo/ | embwa /embwa/ | eki /eki/ | asu /asu/ |
| Cat | ekapa /ekapa/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | lupa /lupa/ | kapa /kapa/ | mero /meɾo/ | busa /busa/ |
| Eat | akinyam /akiɲam/ | anya /aɲa/ | anya /aɲa/ | nyo /ɲo/ | kurya /kurja/ | dod /dod/ | han /han/ |
| Drink | akimat /akimat/ | oŋg /oŋɡ/ | oŋg /oŋɡ/ | mwoi /mwoi/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | tunam /tunam/ | hemu /hemu/ |
| One | ediopet /ediopet/ | obo /obo/ | obo /obo/ | kelo /kelo/ | emwe /emwe/ | ako /ako/ | ida /ida/ |
| Two | iarei /iarei/ | aare /aːre/ | aare /aːre/ | ŋaba /ŋaba/ | ibiri /iβiri/ | anyi /aɲi/ | rua /ˈrua/ |
| Hello | yoga /joɡa/ | sopa /sopa/ | sopa /sopa/ | gwon /ɡwon/ | agandi /aɡandi/ | nasi sukna /nasi sukna/ | bondia /bondia/ |
| Thank you | eyalama /ejalama/ | ashe /aʃe/ | ashe /aʃe/ | mungari /muŋɡari/ | webare /webare/ | nasi /nasi/ | obrigadu /obɾiɡadu/ |
| Good | ejok /edʒok/ | supat /supat/ | sidai /sidai/ | ru /ru/ | kirungi /kiruŋɡi/ | atom /atom/ | di'ak /diʔak/ |
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