Umbundu
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Southwest)
Umbundu is the largest indigenous Bantu language of Angola, with ~6M speakers, native to the central plateau (Bié, Huambo provinces). It is one of six recognized national languages of Angola (along with Kimbundu, Kikongo, Chokwe, Nganguela, and Kwanyama). Historically a major language of trade with the Portuguese empire from the 16th c. onwards, and the language of the Ovimbundu people who formed important pre-colonial kingdoms (Bailundu, Bié, Huambo). Bantu noun-class system with extensive concord; tones; rich verbal morphology with TAM markers. Major Umbundu literature includes traditional praise poetry and modern educational/religious texts.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Umbundu
Water
ovava
/ovava/
Fire
ondalu
/ondalu/
Sun
ekumbi
/ekumbi/
Moon
osãi
/osãi/
Mother
inã
/inã/
Father
tate
/tate/
Eat
okulya
/okulja/
Drink
okunwa
/okunwa/
Love
ocisola
/otʃisola/
Heart
utima
/utima/
Tree
omuti
/omuti/
House
onjo
/ondʒo/
Dog
ombwa
/ombwa/
Cat
ocikangu
/otʃikaŋɡu/
Hand
oluwoko
/oluwoko/
Eye
iso
/iso/
Hello
oloi
/oloi/
Thank you
twalipata
/twalipata/
One
imwe
/imwe/
Good
vyali
/vjali/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Southwest) languages
| Meaning | Umbundu | Herero | Kuanyama | Runyankole | Ndonga | Chiga | Luvale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | ovava /ovava/ | omeva /omeva/ | omeva /omeva/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | omeya /omeja/ | amaizi /amaizi/ | meya /meja/ |
| Fire | ondalu /ondalu/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | omundilo /omundilo/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | omulilo /omulilo/ | omuriro /omuriro/ | kakahya /kakahja/ |
| Sun | ekumbi /ekumbi/ | eyuva /ejuva/ | etango /etaŋɡo/ | izooba /izoːba/ | etango /etaŋɡo/ | eizooba /eizoːba/ | likumbi /likumbi/ |
| Moon | osãi /osãi/ | omueze /omueze/ | omwedi /omwedi/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | omwedhi /omweði/ | omwezi /omwezi/ | kakweji /kakwedʒi/ |
| Mother | inã /inã/ | mama /mama/ | meme /meme/ | maawe /maːwe/ | meme /meme/ | nyina /ɲina/ | mama /mama/ |
| Father | tate /tate/ | tate /tate/ | tate /tate/ | tata /tata/ | tate /tate/ | ishe /iʃe/ | tata /tata/ |
| Eat | okulya /okulja/ | kuriya /kurija/ | lya /ʎa/ | kurya /kurja/ | lya /ʎa/ | kurya /kurja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ |
| Drink | okunwa /okunwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | nwa /nwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | nwa /nwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ |
| Love | ocisola /otʃisola/ | orusuvero /orusuvero/ | ohole /ohole/ | rukundo /rukundo/ | ohole /ohole/ | kukunda /kukunda/ | zangi /zaŋɡi/ |
| Heart | utima /utima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | omutima /omutima/ | mutima /mutima/ |
| Tree | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | omuti /omuti/ | mutondo /mutondo/ |
| House | onjo /ondʒo/ | ondjuwo /ondʒuwo/ | eumbo /eumbo/ | enju /endʒu/ | egumbo /eɡumbo/ | enju /endʒu/ | zuvo /zuvo/ |
| Dog | ombwa /ombwa/ | ombwa /ombwa/ | ombwa /ombwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | ombwa /ombwa/ | embwa /embwa/ | kawa /kawa/ |
| Cat | ocikangu /otʃikaŋɡu/ | okatjiru /okat͡ʃiru/ | okatufi /okatufi/ | kapa /kapa/ | okashima /okaʃima/ | kapa /kapa/ | katako /katako/ |
| Hand | oluwoko /oluwoko/ | eke /eke/ | eke /eke/ | omukono /omukono/ | oshikaha /oʃikaha/ | omukono /omukono/ | livoko /livoko/ |
| Eye | iso /iso/ | eho /eho/ | eho /eho/ | eriiso /eriːso/ | eho /eho/ | eriisho /eriːʃo/ | liso /liso/ |
| Hello | oloi /oloi/ | wa penduka /wa penduka/ | wa hala po /wa hala po/ | agandi /aɡandi/ | wa lalapo /wa lalapo/ | oraire /oraire/ | mwane /mwane/ |
| Thank you | twalipata /twalipata/ | okuhepa /okuhepa/ | pandula /pandula/ | webare /webare/ | tangi /taŋɡi/ | webare /webare/ | nasakwilila /nasakwilila/ |
| One | imwe /imwe/ | -mwe /mwe/ | -mwe /mwe/ | emwe /emwe/ | -mwe /mwe/ | rumwe /rumwe/ | -mwe /mwe/ |
| Good | vyali /vjali/ | -wa /wa/ | -wa /wa/ | kirungi /kiruŋɡi/ | -nawa /nawa/ | kurungi /kuruŋɡi/ | -mwaza /mwaza/ |
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