Lega (Kilega)

Lega is a Bantu language spoken by about 450,000 people in the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In particular, it is spoken in Mwenga and Shabunda territories in South-Kivu Province, in Walikale Territory in North-Kivu Province, and in Pangi Territory in Maniema Province

There are two main varieties of Lega: Shabunda Lega and Mwenga Lega, which are classified as separate languages in some sources. The majority of Lega speakers speak the Shabunda variety. Lega is also known as Rega, Leka, Kilega or Kirega. Shabunda Lega is also known as Igonzabale, and Mwenga Lega is also known as Lega-Mwenga Shile or Ishile. There is also a Shabunda-based creole called Gengele (Kegengele).

Lega is written with the Latin script, and there is a translation of the New Testament of the Bible in Mwenga Lega.

Lega alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Lega (Excel)
Details of the Lega alphabet and pronunciation provided by Wolfram Siegel (PDF)

Sample text

Nu ababuide bune, Kungua muse muasega, tendazi buno, Tateisue, izina liobe liganunue. Bukota buobe buvue.
Tukase idia lietu busi na busi.
Tusigilile misako za buagi bueitu; kubuno isue tukusigilila muntu unsania misako za buagi buage. Nu ntutuenzie ku malindiko, tondo tonie ku wozo mubi.

Source:https://www.bible.com/bible/1497/LUK.11.NTKI57

Translation

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4

Source:https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Sample videos in Lega

Links

Information about Lega
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lega_language
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kilega
https://www.101lasttribes.com/tribes/lega.html
https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/lega1253

Bantu languages

Aka,Aushi,Bafaw-Balong,Bangi,Bangubangu,Basaa,Bemba,Bembe,Bena,Benga,Bhaca,Bila,Bube,Budu,Bujeba,Bukusu,Bulu,Bushong,Central Kilimanjaro,Central Teke,Chichewa,Chokwe,Chopi,Chuwabu,Comorian,Dciriku,Digo,Duala,Eton,Ewondo,Fang,Fuliiru,Fwe,Ganda/Luganda,Giryama,Gogo,Gungu,Gusii,Gwere,Gyele,Ha,Haya,Hehe,Herero,Ibinda,Idaxo-Isuxa-Tiriki,Ikizu,Ikoma,Jita,Kabwa,Kako,Kalanga,Kamba,Kanyok,Kgalagadi,Kiga,Kikuyu,Kimbundu,Kinyarwanda,Kirundi,Kisi,Kobo,Kogo,Komo,Kongo,Konjo,Koti,Kuhane,Kukuya,Kunda,Kuria,Kwambi,Kwangali,Kwasio,Lambya,Lega,Lengola,Lingala,Loma,Lomwe,Lozi,Luba-Katanga,Luchazi,Lunda,Luvale,Luyana,Makaa,Makonde,Makhuwa,Mandekan,Maore,Masaaba,Mbama,Mbere,Mbosi,Mbugu,Mbukushu,Mbunda,Mbuun,Mende,Mongo,Mpiemo,Mushungulu,Mwani,Myene,Nambya,Nande,Ndau,Ndonga,Ngoni,Ngwii,Njebi,Nkore,North Teke,Northern Ndebele (South Africa),Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe),Northern Sotho,Nyamwezi,Nyakyusa,Nyemba,Nyole,Nyoro,Nyungwe,Nzadi,Oroko,OshiWambo,Pagibete,Pare,Phuthi,Punu,Rangi,Ronga,Safwa,Seki,Sena,Sengele,Shambala,Shona,Soga,Songe,Southern Ndebele,Southern Sotho,Suba,Sukuma,Swahili,Swati,Taita,Talinga,Tanga,Tembo,Tetela,Tonga,Tongwe,Tooro,Tshiluba,Tsonga,Tswa,Tswana,Tumbuka,Turu,Umbundu,Venda,Vili,Vwanji,Wanzi,West Teke,Xhosa,Yakam,Yansi,Yao,Yasa,Yeyi,Zigula,Zinza,Zulu

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 20.08.25. Last modified: 21.08.25

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