5 vowels A, E, I, O and U – If 2 vowels follow each other each retain their own pure sound.
Consonants generally have a similar sound as English with the following exceptions:
‘j’ is pronounced as ‘dj’
‘ch’ is softer than in English
‘ph’ is a breathy ‘p rather than ‘f” as in English
‘r’ is often interchangeable with ‘l’
Phrases and helpful words:
Hello - Moni
How are you? - Muli bwanji?
Fine (and you?) - Ndiri bwino (kaya inu?)
I don’t understand - Sindikumva
Thank you - Zikomo – or ziko
What’s your name? - Dzina lanu ndani?
I want…/I don’t want - Ndikufuna…/Sindikufuna
Goodbye - Khalani Bwino
animal - nyama · meat - nyama
arrive - fika · milk - mkaka
chicken - nkhuku · mosquito - udzudzu
elephant - njobvu · name - dzina
English - Chizungu · near - pafupi
far - kutali · no - ai
fish - nsomba · person - munthu
food - kudya · rain - mvula
friend - bwenzi · salt - mchere
egg - dzira · tent - hema
enough - basi · today - lero
god - mulungu · tomorrow - m’mawa
government - boma · water - madzi
house - nyumba · yes - inde
large - kula · yesterday - dzulo
hospital/health center - chipatala
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3 comments:
Cool~ any language where the word for animal is exactly the same as the word for meat gets points in my book.
don't forget "Chipatala" which means hospital/health center
Thanks Kwang,
I will update the post with this important word.
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