Lwoo
Acholi
Nilo-Saharan (Eastern Sudanic, Nilotic, Western Nilotic, Southern Luo)
Acholi (Acoli) is a Southern Luo language of the Western Nilotic branch of the Nilo-Saharan family. It is spoken by around 1.5 million people, mainly the Acholi people of the Acholiland region of northern Uganda and adjoining parts of South Sudan. Written in the Latin alphabet, it is closely related to Lango, Alur, and Dholuo, and is a tonal language.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Acholi
Sources
- Acoli Bible Revision (ABR), Bible Society of Uganda, bible.com version 4851; Acholi Bible 1985, bible.com version 559
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Nilo-Saharan (Eastern Sudanic, Nilotic, Western Nilotic, Southern Luo)
| Meaning | Acholi | Lango | Luo | Anuak | Nuer | Dinka | Ateso |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | pii /piː/ | pii /piː/ | pi /pi/ | pii /piː/ | pi /pi/ | piu /piu/ | akipi /akipi/ |
| Fire | mac /matʃ/ | mac /matʃ/ | mach /matʃ/ | mac /matʃ/ | mäc /mɛtʃ/ | mac /matʃ/ | akim /akim/ |
| Sun | ceng /tʃɛŋ/ | ceŋ /tʃɛŋ/ | chiengʼ /tʃiɛŋ/ | ceeŋ /tʃeːŋ/ | caŋ /tʃaŋ/ | akɔ̈l /akɔl/ | akolong /akoloŋ/ |
| Moon | dwe /dwe/ | dwe /dwe/ | dwe /dwe/ | dwee /dweː/ | pay /paj/ | pɛɛi /pɛːi/ | elap /elap/ |
| Star | lakalatwe /lakalatwɛ/ | lakalatwe /lakalatwɛ/ | sulwe /sulwɛ/ | cero /tʃero/ | räl /ral/ | kuel /kwɛl/ | akanyeret /akaɲeret/ |
| Night | dyewor /dʲɛwor/ | owuor /owuor/ | otieno /otiɛno/ | wɛr /wɛr/ | wɛr /wɛr/ | wakɔu /wakɔu/ | akware /akʷare/ |
| Rain | kot /kot/ | kot /kot/ | koth /kɔθ/ | — | nhiaal /n̪iaːl/ | deng /deŋ/ | akiru /akiru/ |
| Wind | yamo /jamo/ | yamo /jamo/ | yamo /jamo/ | yamo /jamo/ | jiom /dʒiom/ | yom /jom/ | ekwam /ekʷam/ |
| Earth | ngom /ŋɔm/ | ngom /ŋom/ | lowo /loːwo/ | — | piny /piɲ/ | piny /pinʲ/ | alup /alup/ |
| Stone | kidi /kidi/ | gweŋ /ɡweŋ/ | kidi /ˈkidi/ | kidi /kidi/ | päm /pam/ | kuur /kuːr/ | amoru /amoru/ |
| Mountain | got /ɡot/ | kidi /kidi/ | got /ɡɔt/ | — | — | gɔ̈ɔ̈t /ɡɔːt/ | emoru /emoru/ |
| Sea | nam /nam/ | nam /nam/ | nam /nam/ | — | bar /bar/ | — | angolol /aŋolol/ |
| Mother | mego /meɡo/ | mego /meɡo/ | mama /mama/ | min /min/ | maar /maːr/ | man /man/ | toto /toto/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | papo /papo/ | baba /baba/ | waad /waːd/ | gwaar /ɡwaːr/ | wun /wun/ | papa /papa/ |
| Daughter | nya /ɲa/ | nya /ɲa/ | nyar /ɲar/ | — | nya /ɲa/ | nyan /ɲan/ | akoku /akoku/ |
| I | an /an/ | an /an/ | an /an/ | än /an/ | ɣän /ɣan/ | ɣɛn /ɣɛn/ | eong /eoŋ/ |
| You | in /in/ | yin /jin/ | in /in/ | in /in/ | jin /jin/ | yïn /jin/ | ijo /iɟo/ |
| We | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wän /wan/ | kɔn /kɔn/ | ɣok /ɣɔk/ | siong /sioŋ/ |
| Name | nying /ɲiŋ/ | nying /ɲiŋ/ | nying /ɲiŋ/ | nyiŋ /ɲiŋ/ | ciot /tɕɔːt/ | rin /rin/ | ekiror /ekiror/ |
| Person | dano /dano/ | dano /dano/ | dhano /ðano/ | — | raan /raːn/ | raan /raːn/ | etunganan /etuŋanan/ |
| Head | wic /witʃ/ | wic /witʃ/ | wich /witʃ/ | wic /witʃ/ | wic /witʃ/ | nhom /n̪om/ | akou /akou/ |
| Eye | wang /waŋ/ | waŋ /waŋ/ | wangʼ /waŋ/ | waang /waːŋ/ | waŋ /waŋ/ | nyin /ɲin/ | akongu /akoŋu/ |
| Ear | it /it/ | it /it/ | it /it/ | yith /jiθ/ | jith /dʒiθ/ | yith /jic/ | akit /akit/ |
| Nose | um /um/ | um /um/ | um /um/ | wum /wum/ | wum /wum/ | wum /wum/ | ekume /ekume/ |
| Mouth | dog /doɡ/ | dog /doɡ/ | dhok /ðok/ | — | thok /t̪ɔk/ | thok /t̪ɔk/ | akituk /akituk/ |
| Tooth | lak /lak/ | lak /lak/ | lak /lak/ | leo /leo/ | lei /lei/ | lec /letʃ/ | ekialai /ekialai/ |
| Tongue | leb /lɛb/ | leb /lɛb/ | lep /lɛp/ | lɛph /lɛpʰ/ | lɛp /lɛpʰ/ | liep /liep/ | angajep /aŋaɟep/ |
| Hand | cing /tʃiŋ/ | cing /tʃiŋ/ | lwedo /lwɛdo/ | cing /tʃiŋ/ | tet /tet/ | cin /tʃin/ | akan /akan/ |
| Foot | tyen /tʲɛn/ | tyen /tjɛn/ | tielo /tiɛlo/ | tielo /tielo/ | cio̱o̱k /tɕɔːk/ | cök /tʃɔk/ | akeju /akeɟu/ |
| Heart | cwiny /tʃwiɲ/ | cwiny /tʃwiɲ/ | chuny /tʃuɲ/ | cuny /tʃuɲ/ | lëŋ /lɛŋ/ | piöu /piɔu/ | etau /etau/ |
| Bone | cogo /tʃoɡo/ | cogo /tʃoɡo/ | chogo /tʃoɡo/ | cou /tʃou/ | cɔɣ /tʃɔɣ/ | yuɔɔm /juɔːm/ | akoyit /akojit/ |
| Blood | remo /rɛmo/ | rem /rɛm/ | remo /rɛmo/ | remoʼ /rɛmoʔ/ | riɛm /riɛm/ | riɛm /riɛm/ | awokot /awokot/ |
| Poop | cet /tʃɛt/ | cet /tʃɛt/ | chieth /tʃiɛθ/ | — | — | ciɛ̈th /tʃiɛt̪/ | acin /atʃin/ |
| Love | mar /mar/ | amara /amara/ | hera /hera/ | mar /mar/ | nhok /nok/ | nhiär /n̪iar/ | akimina /akimina/ |
| Tree | yat /jat/ | yat /jat/ | yath /jaθ/ | yat /jat/ | jïath /dʒiat̪/ | tim /tim/ | ekitoi /ekitoi/ |
| Dog | gwok /ɡʷok/ | gwok /ɡwok/ | guok /ɡuok/ | guok /ɡuok/ | jiek /dʒiek/ | jɔ̈ŋ /dʒɔŋ/ | ekingok /ekiŋok/ |
| Cat | ngabu /ŋabu/ | mbweko /mbweko/ | paka /paka/ | nyamur /ɲamur/ | gec /ɡetʃ/ | gec /ɡetʃ/ | ekapa /ekapa/ |
| Fish | rec /rɛtʃ/ | rec /rɛtʃ/ | rech /rɛtʃ/ | reo /reoʔ/ | rec /rɛtʃ/ | rec /rɛtʃ/ | ekoleit /ekoleit/ |
| Bird | winyo /wiɲo/ | winyo /wiɲo/ | winyo /wiɲo/ | — | dit /dit/ | diɛt /diɛt/ | akweny /akʷeɲ/ |
| Butterfly | lapwopwo /lapwopwo/ | kapwopwo /kapwopwo/ | oguyo /oɡujo/ | — | del kwoth /dɛl kwɔt̪/ | dap /dap/ | apelipelet /apelipelet/ |
| Egg | tong /toŋ/ | toŋ /toŋ/ | tongʼ /toŋ/ | tøŋ gwienø /tøŋ ɡwienø/ | tuoŋ /tuɔŋ/ | tuɔŋ /tuɔŋ/ | abeet /abeet/ |
| Horse | aguragura /aɡuraɡura/ | aguragura /aɡuraɡura/ | faras /faras/ | okweeny /okweːɲ/ | jio̱k tuɔ̱ruɔ̱k /dʒiɔk tuɔruɔk/ | mathiaŋ /mat̪iaŋ/ | ebalasit /ebalasit/ |
| House | ot /ot/ | ot /ot/ | ot /ot/ | ot /ot/ | dööl /dɔːl/ | ɣöt /ɣɔt/ | etogo /etoɡo/ |
| Milk | cak /tʃak/ | cak /tʃak/ | chak /tʃak/ | caak /tʃaːk/ | cak /tʃak/ | ca /tʃa/ | akile /akile/ |
| Honey | kic /kitʃ/ | moo kic /moː kitʃ/ | mor kich /mor kitʃ/ | maar kïc /maːr kitʃ/ | tuaar /tuaːr/ | kiɛ̈c /kiɛtʃ/ | asik /asik/ |
| Salt | kado /kado/ | kado /kado/ | chumbi /tʃumbi/ | — | milɛ /milɛ/ | awai /awai/ | abalang /abalaŋ/ |
| Wine | bwino /bwino/ | koŋo /koŋo/ | divai /divai/ | køøŋ nyïïomøki /køːŋ ɲiːomøki/ | kɔaŋ /kɔaŋ/ | mɔ̈u /mɔu/ | ebino /ebino/ |
| Rice | ruc /rutʃ/ | — | ochele /otʃele/ | — | — | — | emuceeri /emutʃeeri/ |
| Iron | nyonyo /ɲoɲo/ | nyonyo /ɲoɲo/ | nyinyo /ˈɲiɲo/ | — | yiëëth /jiɛːt̪/ | weeth /weːt̪/ | asowat /asowat/ |
| Wheel | lawala /lawala/ | okot /okot/ | nyange /ɲaŋe/ | — | wil /wil/ | köl /kɔl/ | ekokoro /ekokoro/ |
| Silk | aridi /aridi/ | — | las /las/ | — | — | — | aliri /aliri/ |
| Book | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | — | bok /bɔk/ | athör /at̪ɔr/ | ekitabo /ekitabo/ |
| Eat | cam /tʃam/ | camo /tʃamo/ | chiemo /tʃiemo/ | cam /tʃam/ | cam /tʃam/ | cam /tʃam/ | akinyam /akiɲam/ |
| Drink | mat /mat/ | matho /matʰo/ | madho /maðo/ | maath /maːt̪/ | math /mat̪/ | dek /dek/ | akimat /akimat/ |
| Sleep | nino /nino/ | nino /nino/ | nindo /nindo/ | nin /nin/ | nin /nin/ | nin /niːn/ | ajo /aɟo/ |
| One | acel /atʃɛl/ | acel /atʃɛl/ | achiel /atʃiɛl/ | acel /atʃel/ | kɛl /kɛl/ | tök /tɔk/ | ediopet /ediopet/ |
| Two | aryo /arjo/ | aryo /arjo/ | ariyo /arijo/ | aryew /arjɛw/ | rew /rɛw/ | rou /rou/ | iarei /iarei/ |
| Three | adek /adek/ | adek /adek/ | adek /adek/ | adak /adʌk/ | diɔ̱k /dijɔk/ | diak /diak/ | iuni /iuni/ |
| Four | angwen /aŋwɛn/ | angwen /aŋwɛn/ | angʼwen /aŋwɛn/ | angween /aŋweːn/ | ŋuan /ŋwan/ | ŋuan /ŋuan/ | iwongon /iwoŋon/ |
| Five | abic /abitʃ/ | abic /aˈbitʃ/ | abich /abitʃ/ | abic /abitʃ/ | dhieec /ɟiec/ | dhiëc /ɟiɛc/ | ikany /ikaɲ/ |
| Hundred | miya /mija/ | mia /miə/ | mia /mia/ | dipa /dipa/ | kuɔ̱r /kuɔr/ | buɔt /buɔt/ | akwatat /akʷatat/ |
| Hello | itye nining /itʲɛ niniŋ/ | itye nining /itje niniŋ/ | misawa /misawa/ | mali /mali/ | malɛ /malɛ/ | ke yïn /ke jin/ | yoga /joɡa/ |
| Thank you | apwoyo /apwojo/ | apwoyo /apwojo/ | erokamano /erokamano/ | apwoyo /apwojo/ | lɛrnyä /lɛrɲa/ | alanyiek /alaɲiek/ | eyalama /ejalama/ |
| Good | ber /ber/ | ber /ber/ | maber /maber/ | ber /ber/ | gɔaa /ɡɔaː/ | piath /piat̪/ | ejok /eɟok/ |
| New | manyen /maɲɛn/ | anyen /aɲen/ | manyien /maɲien/ | nyään /ɲaːn/ | — | yam /jam/ | lokitetet /lokitetet/ |
| Red | makwar /makwar/ | makwar /makwar/ | makwar /makwar/ | kwaar /kwaːr/ | lual /lual/ | thith /tʰitʰ/ | lokarengan /lokareŋan/ |
| White | tar /tar/ | tar /tar/ | rachar /ratʃar/ | tar /tar/ | bor /bor/ | ɣer /ɣer/ | akwang /akʷaŋ/ |
| Black | macol /matʃol/ | acol /atʃol/ | ratengʼ /ratɛŋ/ | cøl /tʃøl/ | car /tʃar/ | col /tʃol/ | lokirionon /lokirionon/ |
| Green | atworo /atworo/ | — | — | — | tɔc /tɔtʃ/ | tɔ̈c /tɔtʃ/ | — |
| Blue | mabulu /mabulu/ | bululu /bululu/ | rambulu /rambulu/ | — | yiel /jiel/ | — | lobululu /lobululu/ |
| Computer | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | — | — | makuɛ̈n /makuɛn/ | akompiuta /akompiuta/ |
| Tea | cai /tʃai/ | — | chai /tʃai/ | — | — | cai /tʃai/ | ecai /etʃai/ |
| Coffee | kawa /kawa/ | kawa /kawa/ | kahawa /kahawa/ | — | — | — | ekawa /ekawa/ |
| Sugar | cukari /tʃukari/ | — | sukari /sukari/ | — | — | — | esukali /esukali/ |
| Orange | mucungwa /mutʃuŋwa/ | — | machunga /matʃuŋɡa/ | — | — | bertukan /bertukan/ | — |
| Ninety-nine | pyere abongwen wiye abongwen /pjere aboŋwɛn wije aboŋwɛn/ | pyeraboŋwen wie aboŋwen /pjeraboŋwɛn wie aboŋwɛn/ | piero ochiko gochiko /piero otʃiko ɡotʃiko/ | — | jiɛn bäŋuan wi̱cdɛ bäŋuan /ɟiɛn bʌŋwan wicdɛ bʌŋwan/ | thiärdhoŋuan ku dhoŋuan /t̪iard̪oŋuan ku d̪oŋuan/ | akaisakany kaungon ka ikanykawongon /akaisakaɲ kauŋon ka ikaɲkawoŋon/ |
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