Embu | |
---|---|
Kiembu | |
Native to | Kenya |
Region | Eastern Province, Embu District |
Ethnicity | Embu, runyejes people |
Native speakers | 320,000 (2009 census)[1] |
Niger–Congo?
| |
Dialects |
|
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | ebu |
Glottolog | embu1241 |
E.52 [2] |
Embu, also known as Kîembu, is a Bantu language of Kenya. It is spoken by the Embu people, also known as the Aembu (sg. Muembu). Speakers of the Embu language can also be found in neighboring districts/counties and in the diaspora.
The language is closely related to the Kikuyu and Kimeru languages.
Dialects
[edit]Embu has two known dialects; Mbeere (Mbere, Kimbeere) and Embu proper.[1][3] Native Embu speakers can also tell apart a speaker from areas close to Mount Kenya, because they speak with a slight dialect locally called Kiruguru (Kirũgũrũ).
Sample Translations
[edit]Sample translations of words from English to Kiembu. Note: Accented characters or diacritical mark are not shown[why?] in the following two tables.
English | Kiembu |
---|---|
mouth | kanyua |
eye; eyes | ritho; metho |
head; heads | kiongo; ciongo |
hair | njuiri (no plural) |
tooth; teeth | igego; magego |
tongue; tongues | rurimi; irimi |
nose; noses | inyiuru; manyiuru |
ear; ears | gutu; matu |
neck; necks | ngingo (no plural) |
hand; hands | njara (no plural) |
throat; throats | mumero; mimero |
breast; breasts | nyondo |
arm; arms | kivi;ivi |
claw; claws | ngunyu |
nail; nails | ngunyu |
leg; legs | kuguru; maguru |
foot; feet | kuguru; maguru or gitende; itende |
buttock; buttocks | itina; matina |
belly, stomach | nda, ivu |
navel | ikonye |
intestines | mara |
blood | nthakame |
urine | mathugumo |
bone; bones | ivindi; mavindi |
skin | ngothi |
wing; wings | ithagu; mathagu |
feather; feathers | ivuta; mavuta |
school | cukuru |
church | kanitha |
horn; horns | ruvia; ivia, mvia |
tail; tails | mukia; mikia |
human being(s)/person(s) | mundu; andu |
man; men | mundu murume; andu arume |
woman; women | mutumia; atumia or mundu muka; andu aka |
husband; husbands | muthuri; athuri |
child; children | mwana; ciana |
name; names | riitwa; mariitwa |
sky | matu/iguru |
night | utuku |
moon | mweri |
sun | riua |
wind | ruvuvo |
cloud; clouds | itu; matu |
dew | ime |
rain | mbura |
ground | nthi |
sand | muthanga |
path/road | gacira/njira |
water | manji or mai |
stream/river | karunji/runji |
sweat | nthithina |
hill/mountain | karima/kirima |
house; houses | nyomba |
fire | mwaki |
firewood | ruku (singular); nguu (plural) |
smoke | ndogo |
ash | muu |
knife; knives | kaviu; tuviu |
rope; ropes | mukanda; mikanda |
spear; spears | itumu; matumu |
war | mbaara |
animal; animals | nyamu |
meat | nyama |
dog; dogs | ngui |
elephant; elephants | njogu |
goat; goats | mburi |
bird; birds | giconi; iconi |
tortoise | nguru |
snake | njoka |
fish | nthamaki |
louse; lice | muthui; mithui |
egg; eggs | itumbi; matumbi |
tree; trees | muti; miti |
bark | ikoni |
English | Kiembu |
---|---|
lake/sea/ocean | iria |
lakes/seas/oceans | maria |
leaf; leaves | ithangu; mathangu |
root; roots | muri; miri |
salt | cumbi |
oil/fat | maguta |
hunger(general) | ng’aragu |
hunger for meat | ngumba |
iron (metal) | cuma |
one | Imwe |
two | Igiri |
three | Ithatu |
four | Inya |
five | Ithano |
six | Ithathatu or Ithanthatu |
seven | Mugwanja |
eight | Inyanya |
nine | Kenda |
ten | Ikumi |
come | uka |
send | tuma |
walk | thii |
fall | gua |
leave | uma |
fly | guruka |
pour | iturura |
strike | ringa |
bite | ruma |
to strike | kugoma |
wash (tr.) | thambia |
split | atura |
give | va |
steal | iia |
squeeze | vivinya |
cultivate | rima |
bury (tr.) | thika |
burn (tr.) | vivia |
eat | ria |
drink | nyua |
vomit I | tavika |
vomit II | mataviko |
suck I | onga |
suck II | onga |
spit (saliva) | tua |
blow (on) | vuva |
swell | imba |
give birth | ciara |
die | kua |
kill | uraga |
push | tindika |
pull | gucia |
sing | ina |
play (game) | thaaka |
be afraid | itigire |
want | enda |
say | uga |
smell (something) | nungira |
see | ona |
show | onia |
hear | igua |
know | menya |
count | tara |
advice | utaro |
advise | taara |
Sample Phrases
[edit]English | Kiembu | Gĩkũyũ | Kiswahili |
---|---|---|---|
How are you? | Ũvoro waku? or Kũvana atĩa? | Ũhoro waku? or Kũhana atĩa? | Habari yako? or U hali gani? |
(Please) give me some water | Mve/mva maĩ. or Ngundia maĩ. | He maĩ. | Tafadhali nipe maji. or Naomba unipe maji. |
How are you doing? | Wi mwaro? | Ũrĩ mwega? or Wi mwega? | Uko mzima? or U hali gani? |
I am hungry. | Nĩ mũvũtu. | Ndĩ mũhũtu. | (Mimi) niko na njaa. |
Help me. | Ndethia. | Ndeithia. | Nisaidie. |
I am good. | Nĩ mwaro. | Ndĩ mwega. | Sijambo or Mimi mzima. |
Are you a friend? | Wĩ mũrata? | Wĩ mũrata? | Wewe ni rafiki? |
Bye, be blessed. | Tigwa na wega. or Tigwaa na thayũ. | Tigwo na wega. or Tigwo na thaayũ. | Kwaheri, na ubarikiwe. |
I love you. | Nĩngwendete. | Nĩngwendete. | (Mimi) nakupenda. |
Come here. | Ũka ava. or Ũkava. | Ũka haha. | Njoo hapa. |
I will phone you. | Nĩngũkũvũrĩra thimũ. | Nĩngũkũhũrĩra thimũ. | Nitakupigia simu. |
I am blessed. | Nĩmũrathime. | Ndĩmũrathime. | (Mimi) nimebarikiwa. |
God is good. | Ngai ni mwaro. | Ngai ni mwega. | Mungu ni mwema. |
Give me some money. | Mve mbeca. or Mva mbia. | He mbeca. | Nipe pesa. |
Stop the nonsense. | Tiga wana. or Tigana na ũrimũ. | Tiga wana. | Wacha upuuzi. |
You are educated. | Wi műthomű. | Wi műthomű. | Umeelimika (umesoma sana). |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Embu at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
- ^ The Harmonization and Standardization of Kenyan Languages: Orthography and Other Aspects. CASAS. 2012.
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