Umbundu (Úmbúndú)

Umbundu is a Bantu language spoken in Angola by about 6 million people, particularly in the central highlands and the western coastal region, as well as in the cities of Benguela, Lobito, Luanda and Lubango. It is also known as South Mbundu. Umbundu speakers are known asOvimbundu, and they call their languageÚmbúndú.

Umbundu alphabet and pronunciation

Umbundu has three tones: low, high and downstepped high. The first acute accent (á) in a word represents a high tone. Subsequent acute accents represent downstepped high tones. The low tone is represented by a grave accent (à). Umarked syllables carry the same tone as the preceding syallabe.

Sample text in Umbundu

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)

Sample videos in Umbundu

Information about Umbundu |Phrases |Numbers

Links

Information about Umbundu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umbundu
http://www.ethnologue.com/language/umb
https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/8816/5_1234891_034.pdf?sequence=1

Online Umbundu lessons (in Portuguese)
http://www.ovimbundu.org/categoria/edução

Umbundu phrases
http://www.ovimbundu.org/f%C3%B3runs/d%C3%BAvidas-de-umbundu/basic-umbundu-phrases

Bantu languages

Aka,Bafaw-Balong,Bangi,Basaa,Bemba,Bena,Benga,Bhaca,Bube,Bukusu,Bulu,Central Teke,Chichewa,Chokwe,Chuwabu,Comorian,Dciriku,Digo,Duala,Eton,Ewondo,Fang,Ganda/Luganda,Gogo,Gusii,Gwere,Haya,Hehe,Herero,Ibinda,Ikizu,Ikoma,Jita,Kabwa,Kako,Kamba,Kiga,Kikuyu,Kimbundu,Kinyarwanda,Kirundi,Kisi,Kogo,Komo,Kongo,Konjo,Koti,Kukuya,Kunda,Kuria,Lambya,Lingala,Loma,Lozi,Luba-Katanga,Luchazi,Lunda,Luvale,Makaa,Makonde,Makhuwa,Mandekan,Maore,Masaaba,Mbama,Mbere,Mbukushu,Mbunda,Mbuun,Mende,Mongo,Mpiemo,Mushungulu,Mwani,Nambya,Nande,Ngoni,Nkore,North Teke,Northern Ndebele (South Africa),Northern Ndebele (Zimbabwe),Northern Sotho,Nyamwezi,Nyakyusa,Nyemba,Nyole,Nyoro,Nyungwe,Nzadi,Oroko,OshiWambo,Pagibete,Punu,Ronga,Safwa,Sena,Sengele,Shona,Soga,Songe,Southern Ndebele,Southern Sotho,Sukuma,Swahili,Swati,Tanga,Tembo,Tonga,Tooro,Tshiluba,Tsonga,Tswa,Tswana,Tumbuka,Umbundu,Venda,Vwanji,Xhosa,Yao,Yasa,Zigula,Zinza,Zulu

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 23.04.21

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