Tshiluba

Tshiluba is a member of the Bantu language family spoken by about six million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it is one of the national languages along with Lingála, Kiswahili and Kikongo. It is spoken mainly in Western and Eastern Kasai. Other names for the language include Cilubà, Luba, Luba-Kasai and Luba-Lulua.

The Tshiluba word,Ilunga, is apparently the world's most difficult word to translate, according tothis article. It means "a person who is ready to forgive any abuse for the first time, to tolerate it a second time, but never a third time".

Tshiluba alphabet

Q, r and x are also used, but only in loanwords and in foreign names.

Details of Tshiluba pronunciation provided by Michael Peter Füstumum

Sample texts

Bantu bonsu badi baledibwa badikadile ne badi ne makokeshi amwe. Badi ne lungenyi lwa bumuntu ne kondo ka moyo, badi ne bwa kwenzelangana malumu buwetu.

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)

Links

Information about Tshiluba languages
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tshiluba_language
http://africanlanguages.com/ciluba/
http://wals.info/languoid/lect/wals_code_cil

Ciluba Livre du formateur (Ciluba Teacher's Manual)
http://tiny.cc/yj6ti

Cilubà - French Dictionary
http://www.ciyem.ugent.be

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 last modified: 19.09.23

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