Kishambaa
Shambala
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Northeast Coast)
Shambala (Kishambaa, also Sambaa) is a Bantu G23 language of the Usambara mountains in northeastern Tanzania, the language of the Shambaa people whose 19th-century Kingdom of Usambara under King Kimweri ye Nyumbai was an important pre-colonial polity. The Roehl (1911) German missionary dictionary was the first comprehensive lexical resource. Despite the small modern speaker base relative to Swahili, Shambala retains active intergenerational transmission in mountain villages where its rich agricultural vocabulary maps the elevation-zoned ecology.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Shambala
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Northeast Coast)
| Meaning | Shambala | Asu | Nyamwezi | Nyaturu | Swahili | Rwa | Sena |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mazi /mazi/ | mende /mende/ | minzi /minzi/ | maji /madʒi/ | maji /madʒi/ | mura /muɾa/ | madzi /madzi/ |
| Fire | moto /moto/ | mshika /mʃika/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /ˈmoto/ | muro /muɾo/ | moto /moto/ |
| Sun | zuwa /zuwa/ | idhuva /iðuʋa/ | lyuba /ljuβa/ | yura /juɾa/ | jua /dʒua/ | saa /saː/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ |
| Moon | ṅwezi /ŋwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | ngʼwezi /ŋweːzi/ | umweri /umweɾi/ | mwezi /ˈmwezi/ | mwiri /mwiɾi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ |
| Star | ntondwe /ntondwe/ | nyenyeri /ɲeɲeri/ | nsonda /nsonda/ | njota /ndʒota/ | nyota /ˈɲota/ | nyinyiri /ɲiɲiɾi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ |
| Night | kilo /kilo/ | usiku /usiku/ | buziku /buziku/ | utiku /utiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | kio /kio/ | usiku /usiku/ |
| Rain | fula /fula/ | mvua /mvua/ | mvula /mvula/ | mbura /mbura/ | mvua /ˈmvua/ | fua /fua/ | mvura /mvura/ |
| Wind | mpeho /mpeho/ | mpeho /mpeho/ | myaga /mjaɡa/ | mpefo /mpefo/ | upepo /uˈpepo/ | mburaato /mbuɾaːto/ | mphepo /mpʰepo/ |
| Earth | shanga /ʃaŋɡa/ | isanga /isaŋɡa/ | bulongo /buloŋɡo/ | irongo /iɾoŋɡo/ | udongo /uˈdoŋɡo/ | uteri /uteɾi/ | mataka /mataka/ |
| Stone | iwe /iwe/ | ibwe /ibwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | igwe /iɡwe/ | jiwe /ˈdʒiwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | mwala /mwala/ |
| Mountain | muima /muima/ | ntuvi /ntuvi/ | lugulu /luɡulu/ | gitanto /ɡitanto/ | mlima /ˈmlima/ | uro /uɾo/ | phiri /pʰiri/ |
| Sea | bahali /bahali/ | bahari /bahari/ | nyanza /ɲanza/ | irambo /iɾambo/ | bahari /baˈhari/ | nruva /nɾuva/ | bara /bara/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mama /mama/ | mayu /maju/ | mama /mama/ | mama /ˈmama/ | mama /mama/ | mai /mai/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | tata /tata/ | baba /ˈbaba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ |
| Daughter | ṅwana ywa kindele /ŋwana jwa kindele/ | mwana wa kibora /mwana wa kibora/ | mwana mukima /mwana mukima/ | muncha /muntʃa/ | binti /binti/ | mwana wa kika /mwana wa kika/ | mwana wankazi /mwana wankazi/ |
| I | niye /nije/ | mine /mine/ | nene /ˈnene/ | une /une/ | mimi /ˈmimi/ | inyi /iɲi/ | ine /ine/ |
| You | weye /weje/ | uwe /uwe/ | gwegwe /ˈɡweɡwe/ | uwe /uwe/ | wewe /ˈwewe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ |
| We | ishwi /iʃwi/ | uswi /uswi/ | iswe /iswe/ | sese /sese/ | sisi /ˈsisi/ | ise /ise/ | ife /ife/ |
| Name | zina /zina/ | izina /izina/ | lina /ˈlina/ | rina /ɾina/ | jina /ˈdʒina/ | irina /irina/ | dzina /dzina/ |
| Person | mntu /mntu/ | mntu /mntu/ | munhu /munhu/ | muntu /muntu/ | mtu /ˈmtu/ | nndu /ndu/ | munthu /muntʰu/ |
| Head | mtwi /mtwi/ | mtwi /mtwi/ | mtwe /mtwe/ | itwe /itwe/ | kichwa /ˈkitʃwa/ | nrwe /nɾwe/ | nsolo /nsolo/ |
| Eye | zisho /ziʃo/ | iiso /iːso/ | liso /liso/ | riho /riho/ | jicho /dʒitʃo/ | iriso /iɾiso/ | diso /diso/ |
| Ear | shikio /ʃikio/ | isikio /isikio/ | itwi /itwi/ | ikutwi /ikutwi/ | sikio /sikio/ | kuri /kuɾi/ | khutu /kʰutu/ |
| Nose | mpua /mpua/ | fua /fua/ | nindo /nindo/ | mpura /mpuɾa/ | pua /ˈpua/ | — | mphuno /mpʰuno/ |
| Mouth | kanwa /kanwa/ | momo /momo/ | mulomo /mulomo/ | momo /momo/ | mdomo /mˈɗomo/ | kana /kana/ | nkanwa /nkanwa/ |
| Tooth | zino /zino/ | jino /dʒino/ | lino /lino/ | ino /ino/ | jino /dʒino/ | iyoo /ijoː/ | dzino /dzino/ |
| Tongue | ulimi /ulimi/ | ulimi /ulimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | urimi /urimi/ | ulimi /ulimi/ | ulumi /ulumi/ | lirimi /lirimi/ |
| Hand | mkono /mkono/ | mkono /mkono/ | kukono /kukono/ | ukuboko /ukuboko/ | mkono /mˈkono/ | uko /uko/ | nkono /nkono/ |
| Foot | mulundi /mulundi/ | ivunda /ivunda/ | kugulu /kuɡulu/ | mughuu /muɣuː/ | mguu /m̩ˈɠuː/ | urende /uɾende/ | mwendo /mwendo/ |
| Heart | moyo /mojo/ | ngiti /ŋɡiti/ | moyo /mojo/ | umutima /umutima/ | moyo /mojo/ | ngoo /ŋɡoː/ | ntima /ntima/ |
| Bone | vuha /vuha/ | ivindi /ivindi/ | iguha /iɡuha/ | ikufa /ikufa/ | mfupa /mfupa/ | ifua /ifua/ | gogodo /ɡoɡodo/ |
| Blood | phome /pʰome/ | sakame /sakame/ | magazi /maɡazi/ | sakami /sakami/ | damu /damu/ | usao /usao/ | malopa /malopa/ |
| Poop | mavi /mavi/ | — | maafi /maːfi/ | — | Kinyesi /kiˈɲesi/ | — | matubzwi /matubzwi/ |
| Love | kukunda /kukunda/ | lumba /lumba/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | butogwa /butoɡwa/ | upendo /uˈpendo/ | lumbo /lumbo/ | kufuna /kufuna/ |
| Tree | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | mti /mti/ | umuti /umuti/ | mti /ˈmti/ | nri /nɾi/ | muti /muti/ |
| Dog | kuli /kuli/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | mbwa /ᵐbwa/ | mboha /mboha/ | mbwa /mbwa/ |
| Cat | nyau /ɲau/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /ˈpaka/ | paka /paka/ | paka /paka/ |
| Fish | samaki /samaki/ | samaki /samaki/ | somba /soːmba/ | somba /somba/ | samaki /samaki/ | ikunga /ikuŋɡa/ | omba /omba/ |
| Bird | deghe /deɣe/ | ideghe /ideɣe/ | noni /noni/ | nyonyi /ɲoɲi/ | ndege /ndeɡe/ | ndee /ndeː/ | mbalame /mbalame/ |
| Butterfly | hoho /hoho/ | — | — | — | kipepeo /kipeˈpeo/ | — | bemberuwa /bemberuwa/ |
| Egg | tagi /taɡi/ | igi /iɡi/ | igi /iɡi/ | ighe /iɣe/ | yai /ˈjai/ | ngosho /ŋɡoʃo/ | dzai /dzai/ |
| Horse | faashi /faːʃi/ | farasi /farasi/ | falasi /falasi/ | nyumbu /ɲumbu/ | farasi /faˈrasi/ | farasi /faɾasi/ | kavalo /kavalo/ |
| House | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | numba /numba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | numba /numba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Milk | mele /mele/ | mavee /maveː/ | mabeele /maβeːle/ | maya /maja/ | maziwa /maˈziwa/ | maruva /maɾuva/ | nkaka /nkaka/ |
| Honey | woki /woki/ | nzoke /nzoke/ | buuki /buːki/ | ruke /ruke/ | asali /aˈsali/ | uki /uki/ | uci /utʃi/ |
| Salt | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munu /munu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | chumvi /tʃumvi/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ |
| Wine | mvinyo /mviɲo/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ | mvinyo /mviɲo/ | divai /divai/ | mvinyo /mˈviɲo/ | mfinyo /mfiɲo/ | vinyu /viɲu/ |
| Rice | muhunga /muhuŋɡa/ | — | — | — | mchele /mˈtʃele/ | — | mpunga /mpuŋɡa/ |
| Iron | kiama /kiama/ | kighera /kiɣera/ | kisinza /kisinza/ | ichuma /itʃuma/ | chuma /tʃuma/ | minya /miɲa/ | utale /utale/ |
| Silk | halili /halili/ | hariri /hariri/ | — | hariri /haɾiɾi/ | hariri /haˈriri/ | hariri /haɾiɾi/ | seda /seda/ |
| Book | kitabu /kitabu/ | kitabu /kitabu/ | kitabu /kitabu/ | gitabu /ɡitabu/ | kitabu /kiˈtabu/ | kitabu /kitabu/ | bukhu /bukʰu/ |
| Eat | kuya /kuja/ | kurya /kurja/ | kulya /kuʎa/ | kuria /kuɾia/ | kula /ˈkula/ | kuria /kuria/ | kudya /kudja/ |
| Drink | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ | kunyua /kuɲua/ | kumwa /kumwa/ |
| Sleep | kugosha /kuɡoʃa/ | kushinjia /kuʃindʒia/ | kulala /kulala/ | kurara /kuɾaɾa/ | kulala /kulala/ | — | kugona /kuɡona/ |
| One | imo /imo/ | imwe /imwe/ | imo /imo/ | umwe /umwe/ | moja /modʒa/ | mongo /moŋɡo/ | posi /posi/ |
| Two | mbili /mbili/ | avili /aβili/ | ibili /iβili/ | aviri /aβiri/ | mbili /mˈbili/ | fivili /fivili/ | piŵiri /piwiri/ |
| Three | katatu /katatu/ | adatu /adatu/ | idatu /idatu/ | itatu /itatu/ | tatu /tatu/ | firaru /fiɾaɾu/ | pitatu /pitatu/ |
| Four | kane /kaːne/ | — | inne /inːe/ | inne /inːe/ | nne /nːe/ | fiini /fiːni/ | pinai /pinai/ |
| Five | kashano /kaʃano/ | — | itaano /itaːno/ | itano /itano/ | tano /ˈtano/ | firaanu /fiɾaːnu/ | xanu /ʃanu/ |
| Hundred | gana /ɡana/ | ighana /iɣana/ | igana /iɡana/ | ighana /iɣana/ | mia /ˈmia/ | iyana /ijana/ | dzana /dzana/ |
| Hello | — /—/ | shiloi /ʃiloi/ | mwadita /mwadita/ | mbukire /mbukiɾe/ | habari /haˈbari/ | kira /kiɾa/ | mwadzukabwanji /mwadzukabwandʒi/ |
| Thank you | asante /asante/ | mwasanga /mwasaŋɡa/ | twabakaba /twaβakaβa/ | asante /aˈsante/ | asante /aˈsante/ | asante /asante/ | ndatenda /ndatenda/ |
| Good | mtana /mtana/ | mwamba /mwamba/ | soga /soɡa/ | kihi /kihi/ | nzuri /ˈnzuri/ | kya /kja/ | nadidi /nadidi/ |
| New | mpya /mpja/ | shaa /ʃaː/ | pya /pja/ | mpya /mpja/ | mpya /ˈmpja/ | shiiya /ʃiːja/ | ipsa /ipsa/ |
| Red | nkundu /nkundu/ | nkundu /nkundu/ | laluku /laluku/ | ntune /ntune/ | nyekundu /ɲekundu/ | nkundu /nkundu/ | funga /funɡa/ |
| White | yengʼaa /jeŋaː/ | jewa /dʒewa/ | pe /pe/ | njeru /ndʒeru/ | nyeupe /ɲeupe/ | sheelwa /ʃeːlwa/ | cena /tʃena/ |
| Black | size /size/ | jiru /dʒiru/ | pi /pi/ | njiutiki /ndʒiutiki/ | nyeusi /ɲeusi/ | shuu /ʃuː/ | psipa /psipa/ |
| Green | manimani /manimani/ | — | — | — | kijani /kiˈdʒani/ | — | — |
| Ninety-nine | milongo kenda na kenda /miloŋɡo keːnda na keːnda/ | makumi kenda na kenda /makumi kenda na kenda/ | makumi kenda na kenda /makumi kenda na kenda/ | makumi kenda na kenda /makumi kenda na kenda/ | tisini na tisa /tiˈsini na ˈtisa/ | makumi kyeenda na kyeenda /makumi kjeːnda na kjeːnda/ | makumapfemba na mapfemba /makumapfemba na mapfemba/ |
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