Umbundu

Umbundu
South Mbundu
Úmbúndú
Native to	Angola
Ethnicity	Ovimbundu
Native speakers	7,000,000 (2018)
Language family	Niger–Congo? Atlantic–Congo Volta-Congo Benue–Congo Bantoid Southern Bantoid Bantu (Zone R) Umbundu
Official status
Official language in	Angola (national)
Language codes
ISO 639-2	umb
ISO 639-3	umb
Glottolog	umbu1257
Guthrie code	R.11
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Umbundu, also known as Angolan, South Mbundu (autonym úmbúndú), one of many Bantu languages, is the most widely-spoken autochthonous language of Angola. Its speakers are known as Ovimbundu, an ethnic group that constitutes a third of Angola's population and whose homeland is the Central Highlands of Angola and the coastal region west of the highlands, including the cities of Benguela and Lobito. Because of recent internal migration, there are now also large communities in the capital, Luanda, and in its surrounding province, as well as in Lubango.

Phonology

Sample words and phrases

• Welcome – Ukombe weya ("The guests have come")
• Hello – Wakolapo? (sg); Wakolipo? (pl)
• How are you? – Wakolapo? (sg); Wakolipo? (pl)
• I'm fine thanks, and you? – Ndakolapo ("I'm fine"); Twakolapo ("We're fine")
• What's your name? – Velye olonduko vene? (frm); Helye onduko yove? (inf)
• My name is... – Onduko yange ame...
• Where are you from? – Pi ofeka yove? ("Where is your country?")
• I'm from... – Ofeka yange... ("My country is...")
• Good morning – Utanya uwa
• Good afternoon – Ekumbi liwa
• Good evening – Uteke uwa
• Good night – Uteke uwa; Pekelapo ciwa ("Sleep well")
• Goodbye – Ndanda. ("I went")
• Do you speak English? – Ove ovangula inglese?
• Do you speak Umbundu? – Ove ovangula umbundu?
• Sorry – Ngecele (sg); Twecele (pl)
• Please – Ndinge ohenda. ("Give me pity")
• Thank you – Ndapandula (sg); Twapandula (pl)
• Reply – Lacimwe

Sample text

Omanu vosi vacitiwa valipwa kwenda valisoka kovina vyosikwenda komoko. Ovo vakwete esunga kwenda, kwenda olondunge kwenje ovo vatêla okuliteywila kuvamwe kwenda vakwavo vesokolwilo lyocisola.

Translation: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." (Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

References

Further reading

• Valente, José Francisco (1964). Gramática umbundu: a língua do centro de Angola [Umbundu Grammar: The Language of Central Angola] (in Portuguese). Lisboa: Junta de Investigações do Ultramar.
• Schadeberg, Thilo C. (1982). "Nasalization in Umbundu". Journal of African Languages and Linguistics. 4 (2): 109–132. doi:10.1515/jall.1982.4.2.109. hdl:1887/8809. S2CID 56021379.
• Childs, Gladwyn M. (1949). Umbundu Kinship and Character: Being a Description of Social Structure and Individual Development of the Ovimbundu. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-8357-3227-4. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)

External links

• English-Umbundu language resources on the web (Mofeko)
• Educação (in Portuguese) – Umbundu lessons at Nação Ovimbundu
• Umbundu – alphabet at omniglot.com
• Dictionary Umbundu – Medical Hospital Nossa Senhora da Paz, Cubal, Angola.