Cẹn Bẹrom
Berom
Niger-Congo
Berom (autonymously Cẹn Bẹrom, also Birom) is a Plateau language of the Niger-Congo family, spoken by around 1 million people in Plateau State of Nigeria, primarily in the Jos South, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Jos North local government areas. The Berom are the largest indigenous group of the Jos Plateau, the high-altitude tin-mining region of central Nigeria where the British colonial tin industry began in the early 20th century. Linguistically, Berom is the largest of the Plateau languages — a major branch of Benue-Congo within Niger-Congo, with the Plateau languages historically restricted to the Jos Plateau and surrounding hills. Berom has a complex tone system (high/low/falling/rising) and the elaborate noun-class agreement characteristic of Niger-Congo. The Berom people have strong cultural traditions including the Nzem Berom annual harvest festival.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Berom
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo
| Meaning | Berom | Ewondo | Bulu | Kaonde | Nyamwezi | Donno So | Tumbuka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nshí /nʃí/ | medzim /medzim/ | mendim /mendim/ | mema /mema/ | minzi /minzi/ | di /di/ | maji /madʒi/ |
| Fire | kya /kʲa/ | ndoa /ndoa/ | nduan /nduan/ | mujilo /mudʒilo/ | moto /moto/ | nyaŋ /ɲaŋ/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | gwi /ɡwi/ | dzōb /dʒoːb/ | jôp /dʒɔp/ | juba /dʒuba/ | lyuba /ljuβa/ | naŋ /naŋ/ | zuŵa /zuβa/ |
| Moon | pwɛl /pwɛl/ | ngɔn /ŋɡɔn/ | ngon /ŋɡon/ | ng'ondo /ŋondo/ | ngʼwezi /ŋweːzi/ | ugɔ /uɡɔ/ | mwezi /mwezi/ |
| Star | taŋaten /taŋaˈten/ | ôtɛtɛ /ótɛtɛ/ | ôtɛtɛ /ɔtɛtɛ/ | ntaanda /ntaːnda/ | nsonda /nsonda/ | tolo /tolo/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ |
| Night | turuk /turuk/ | alu /alu/ | alu /alu/ | bufuku /bufuku/ | buziku /buziku/ | diga /diɡa/ | usiku /usiku/ |
| Rain | rwak /rwak/ | mveŋ /mvəŋ/ | mveŋ /mveŋ/ | mvula /mvula/ | mvula /mvula/ | ana /ana/ | vula /ˈvula/ |
| Wind | gul /ɡul/ | evundu /evundu/ | évuŋulu /evuŋulu/ | lubesha /lubeʃa/ | myaga /mjaɡa/ | gɛɛdɛ /ɡɛːdɛ/ | mphepo /ˈmpʰepo/ |
| Earth | vwel /vwel/ | si /si/ | si /si/ | mushiji /muʃidʒi/ | bulongo /buloŋɡo/ | tay /taj/ | dongo /doŋɡo/ |
| Stone | fwa /fwa/ | akok /akok/ | akok /akok/ | jibwe /dʒiˈbwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | tibu /tibu/ | libwe /liˈɓwe/ |
| Mountain | raku /raku/ | nkol /ŋkol/ | nkôl /ŋkɔl/ | mutumba /mutumba/ | lugulu /luɡulu/ | pɛgɛlɛŋ /pɛɡɛlɛŋ/ | phiri /pʰiɾi/ |
| Sea | gworep /ɡworep/ | maŋ /maŋ/ | maŋ /maŋ/ | kalunga /kaluŋɡa/ | nyanza /ɲanza/ | dibe /dibe/ | nyanja /ɲandʒa/ |
| Mother | neng /neŋ/ | nyia /ɲia/ | nyia /ɲia/ | bamama /bamama/ | mayu /maju/ | na /na/ | amama /amama/ |
| Father | da /da/ | tara /taɾa/ | tata /tata/ | bataata /bataːta/ | baba /baba/ | ba /ba/ | adada /adada/ |
| Daughter | hwóng /hwóŋ/ | ngon /ŋɡɔn/ | ngone /ŋɡone/ | mwana wamukazhi /mwana wamukaʒi/ | mwana mukima /mwana mukima/ | yaana ii /jaːna iː/ | mwana msungwana /mwana msuŋɡwana/ |
| I | mé /mé/ | ma /má/ | ma /má/ | amiwa /amiwa/ | nene /ˈnene/ | mi /mi/ | ine /ine/ |
| You | hwo /hwo/ | wa /wá/ | wô /wɔ/ | obewa /obewa/ | gwegwe /ˈɡweɡwe/ | u /u/ | iwe /iwe/ |
| We | wot /wot/ | bia /bjá/ | bia /bja/ | atweba /atweba/ | iswe /iswe/ | ɛmmɛ /ɛmːɛ/ | ise /ise/ |
| Name | reza /ˈrɛza/ | jôé /ʒóé/ | jôé /dʒɔe/ | jizhina /dʒiʒina/ | lina /ˈlina/ | boy /bɔj/ | zina /zina/ |
| Person | mwat /mwat/ | môt /mɔt/ | môt /mɔt/ | muntu /muntu/ | munhu /munhu/ | inde /indɛ/ | munthu /muntʰu/ |
| Head | rato /rato/ | nlo /nlo/ | nlô /nlɔ/ | mutwe /mutwe/ | mtwe /mtwe/ | kuu /kuː/ | mutu /mutu/ |
| Eye | ryis /rjis/ | dzìs /dʒis/ | dis /dis/ | jiso /dʒiso/ | liso /liso/ | giru /ɡiru/ | jiso /dʒiso/ |
| Ear | fwoŋ /fwoŋ/ | alo /alo/ | alo /alo/ | kutwi /kutwi/ | itwi /itwi/ | sugulu /suɡulu/ | khutu /kʰutu/ |
| Nose | wol /wol/ | — | — | moona /moːna/ | nindo /nindo/ | kinu /kinu/ | mphuno /mpʰuno/ |
| Mouth | nu /nu/ | anyu /aɲu/ | anyu /aɲu/ | kanwa /kanwa/ | mulomo /mulomo/ | kɛnnɛ /kɛnːɛ/ | mlomo /m̩lomo/ |
| Tooth | hwin /hʷin/ | asoŋ /asoŋ/ | asoŋ /asoŋ/ | jiino /dʒiːno/ | lino /lino/ | inu /inu/ | jino /dʒino/ |
| Tongue | lem /lɛm/ | ôyem /ojəm/ | ôyem /ɔjem/ | lujimi /ludʒimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | nɛndɛ /nɛndɛ/ | lulimi /lulimi/ |
| Hand | vwɔ /vwɔ/ | woó /woʔó/ | wo /wo/ | kuboko /kuboko/ | kukono /kukono/ | numɔ /numɔ/ | woko /woko/ |
| Foot | bwol /bwol/ | abo /abɔ/ | abo /abo/ | kuulu /kuːlu/ | kugulu /kuɡulu/ | kubɔ /kubɔ/ | lundi /lundi/ |
| Heart | yey /jej/ | nlem /nlem/ | nlem /nlem/ | muchima /mutʃima/ | moyo /mojo/ | kindɛ /kindɛ/ | mtima /m̩tima/ |
| Bone | kup /kup/ | évés /évɛ́s/ | évés /eves/ | kupa /kupa/ | iguha /iɡuha/ | kee /keː/ | chiwangwa /tʃiwaŋɡwa/ |
| Blood | nemi /nemi/ | meki /meki/ | metyi /metʃi/ | mashi /maʃi/ | magazi /maɡazi/ | ni /ni/ | ndopa /ndopa/ |
| Poop | beviŋ /beviŋ/ | — | mebi /mebi/ | — | maafi /maːfi/ | bede /bede/ | mavi /mavi/ |
| Love | shìr /ʃìɾ/ | nyeʼe /ɲeʔe/ | nyeʼa /ɲeʔa/ | butemwe /butemwe/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | ibɛ /ibɛ/ | kutemwa /kutemwa/ |
| Tree | cɔgɔt /tʃɔɡɔt/ | elé /elé/ | élé /ele/ | kichi /kitʃi/ | mti /mti/ | timmɛ /timːɛ/ | khuni /kʰuni/ |
| Dog | vu /vu/ | mvu /mvu/ | mvu /mvu/ | kabwa /kabwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | idu /idu/ | ncheŵe /ntʃeβe/ |
| Cat | mìshí /mìʃí/ | esìŋga /esiŋɡa/ | esinga /esiŋɡa/ | kapuso /kapuso/ | paka /paka/ | gamma /ɡamːa/ | chona /tʃona/ |
| Fish | tok /tok/ | kos /kos/ | kos /kos/ | sabi /sabi/ | somba /soːmba/ | — /—/ | somba /somba/ |
| Bird | non /non/ | anon /anɔn/ | anon /anɔn/ | ng'onyi /ŋoɲi/ | noni /noni/ | sadaa /sadaː/ | chiyuni /tʃijuni/ |
| Butterfly | tangapurus /taŋɡapurus/ | — | évulabebas /evulabebas/ | kipupulwa /kipupulwa/ | — | gɔmbu-gɔmbɛy /ɡɔmbuɡɔmbɛj/ | bulawura /bulawuɾa/ |
| Egg | regyi /reɡʲi/ | aki /aki/ | aki /aki/ | jike /dʒike/ | igi /iɡi/ | talu /talu/ | sumbi /sumbi/ |
| Bear | beyar /bejar/ | — | urs /urs/ | mbeyala /mbejala/ | — | — | — |
| Horse | dwa /dwa/ | ekabeli /ekabeli/ | ékabela /ekabela/ | mbili /mbili/ | falasi /falasi/ | soŋ /soŋ/ | hachi /hatʃi/ |
| House | lɔ /lɔ/ | nda /nda/ | nda /nda/ | nzubo /nzubo/ | numba /numba/ | ginɛ /ɡinɛ/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Milk | nevasal /nevasal/ | menyan /meɲan/ | menyaŋ /meɲaŋ/ | mukaka /mukaka/ | mabeele /maβeːle/ | iru /iru/ | mkaka /m̩kaka/ |
| Honey | shok /ʃok/ | woe /woe/ | wôé /wɔe/ | buki /buki/ | buuki /buːki/ | igɛ /iɡɛ/ | uchi /utʃi/ |
| Salt | nevwashe /nevwaʃe/ | nku /ŋku/ | nku /ŋku/ | mukele /mukele/ | munu /munu/ | neŋ /neŋ/ | mchere /m̩tʃere/ |
| Wine | nshî anap /nʃî anap/ | wayn /wajn/ | woon /woːn/ | binyu /biɲu/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ | — | vinyo /viɲo/ |
| Iron | dyam /dʲam/ | ekye /ekje/ | étyé /etʃe/ | kapotwe /kapotwe/ | kisinza /kisinza/ | inɛ /inɛ/ | chisulo /tʃiˈsulo/ |
| Wheel | hara /hara/ | — | nka /ŋka/ | kitanga /kitaŋɡa/ | — | — | khwiro /kʰwiro/ |
| Silk | silikyi /silikʲi/ | silik /silik/ | — | shilika /ʃilika/ | — | — | siliki /siliki/ |
| Book | bwok-basa /bwokbasa/ | kalara /kalara/ | kalate /kalate/ | buku /buku/ | kitabu /kitabu/ | — | buku /buku/ |
| Eat | rì /ɾì/ | di /di/ | di /di/ | kuja /kudʒa/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | nyaa /ɲaː/ | kurya /kuɾja/ |
| Drink | sɔ /sɔ/ | nyu /ɲu/ | nyu /ɲu/ | kutoma /kutoma/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | nɔ /nɔ/ | kumwa /kumwa/ |
| One | gwiniŋ /ɡwiniŋ/ | fok /fok/ | fok /fok/ | umo /umo/ | imo /imo/ | turu /turu/ | chimoza /tʃimoza/ |
| Two | bà /bà/ | bɛ̌ /bɛ̌/ | bɛ̌ /bɛ̌/ | babiji /babidʒi/ | ibili /iβili/ | lɛy /lɛj/ | viŵiri /viβiɾi/ |
| Three | tat /tat/ | lɛ́ /lɛ́/ | láá /laː/ | satu /satu/ | idatu /idatu/ | taandu /taːndu/ | vitatu /vitatu/ |
| Four | naas /naːs/ | nyi /ɲì/ | nyin /ɲin/ | bana /bana/ | inne /inːe/ | nay /naj/ | vinayi /vinaji/ |
| Five | tungun /tuŋun/ | tán /tán/ | tan /tan/ | tanu /tanu/ | itaano /itaːno/ | nnɔ /nːɔ/ | vinkhonde /viŋkʰonde/ |
| Hundred | naga /naɡa/ | ntɛt /ntɛ̀d/ | ntet /ntet/ | kitota /kitota/ | igana /iɡana/ | tɛmdɛrɛ /tɛmdɛrɛ/ | zana /zana/ |
| Hello | kèèlé /kèːlé/ | mbɔlɔ /mbɔlɔ/ | mbolo /mbolo/ | mwapoñai /mwapoɲai/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | yaamɔ /jaːmɔ/ | monire /moniɾe/ |
| Thank you | gèyak /ɡèjak/ | akiba /akiba/ | akiba /akiba/ | nasanta /nasanta/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | gaanaa /ɡaːnaː/ | yewo /jewo/ |
| Good | ryat /rjat/ | mbaŋ /mbaŋ/ | mbamba /mbamba/ | kyawama /kjawama/ | soga /soɡa/ | seeƞ /sẽː/ | chiweme /tʃiweme/ |
| New | pas /pas/ | mkpaman /mkpaman/ | mfefé /mfefe/ | kipya /kipja/ | pya /pja/ | kanda /kanda/ | chiphya /tʃipʰja/ |
| Red | swinang /swinaŋ/ | nyín /ɲín/ | évele /evele/ | chila /tʃila/ | laluku /laluku/ | banu /banu/ | swesi /swesi/ |
| White | pɛŋ /pɛŋ/ | mfum /mfum/ | éfumulu /efumulu/ | toka /toka/ | pe /pe/ | pilu /pilu/ | tuŵa /tuβa/ |
| Black | si /si/ | evindi /evindi/ | évindi /evindi/ | fiita /fiːta/ | pi /pi/ | gɛŋ /ɡɛŋ/ | fipa /fipa/ |
| Green | gwim-gwim /ɡwimɡwim/ | — | — | — | — | wɛru /wɛru/ | biriŵiri /biɾiβiɾi/ |
| Blue | wilwil /wilwil/ | — | blum /blum/ | — | bululu /bululu/ | — | bululu /bululu/ |
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