Dholuo
Luo
Nilo-Saharan (Western Nilotic)
Luo (Dholuo) is the language of the Luo people around Lake Victoria, the fourth-largest Kenyan ethnic group (after Kikuyu, Luhya, and Kalenjin), with ~4M speakers in western Kenya (Nyanza) and northwestern Tanzania (Mara). Part of the Western Nilotic Nilo-Saharan family, related to Acholi, Lango, Alur, and the Luo of South Sudan (Anyuak, Shilluk). Has tone, vowel harmony based on ATR (advanced tongue root), and a four-way perfective/imperfective aspectual contrast unusual among Nilo-Saharan languages. Famous Luo speakers include US President Barack Obama (his father's family) and Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Luo
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Nilo-Saharan (Western Nilotic)
| Meaning | Luo | Acholi | Lango | Anuak | Nuer | Dinka | Swahili |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | pi /pi/ | pii /piː/ | pii /piː/ | pii /piː/ | pi /pi/ | piu /piu/ | maji /madʒi/ |
| Fire | mach /matʃ/ | mac /matʃ/ | mac /matʃ/ | mac /matʃ/ | mäc /mɛtʃ/ | mac /matʃ/ | moto /ˈmoto/ |
| Sun | chiengʼ /tʃiɛŋ/ | ceng /tʃɛŋ/ | ceŋ /tʃɛŋ/ | ceeŋ /tʃeːŋ/ | caŋ /tʃaŋ/ | akɔ̈l /akɔl/ | jua /dʒua/ |
| Moon | dwe /dwe/ | dwe /dwe/ | dwe /dwe/ | dwee /dweː/ | pay /paj/ | pɛɛi /pɛːi/ | mwezi /ˈmwezi/ |
| Star | sulwe /sulwɛ/ | lakalatwe /lakalatwɛ/ | lakalatwe /lakalatwɛ/ | cero /tʃero/ | räl /ral/ | kuel /kwɛl/ | nyota /ˈɲota/ |
| Night | otieno /otiɛno/ | dyewor /dʲɛwor/ | owuor /owuor/ | wɛr /wɛr/ | wɛr /wɛr/ | wakɔu /wakɔu/ | usiku /usiku/ |
| Rain | koth /kɔθ/ | kot /kot/ | kot /kot/ | — | nhiaal /n̪iaːl/ | deng /deŋ/ | mvua /ˈmvua/ |
| Snow | theluji /θeluʒi/ | — | — | — | — | — | theluji /θeˈludʒi/ |
| Wind | yamo /jamo/ | yamo /jamo/ | yamo /jamo/ | yamo /jamo/ | jiom /dʒiom/ | yom /jom/ | upepo /uˈpepo/ |
| Earth | lowo /loːwo/ | ngom /ŋɔm/ | ngom /ŋom/ | — | piny /piɲ/ | piny /pinʲ/ | udongo /uˈdoŋɡo/ |
| Stone | kidi /ˈkidi/ | kidi /kidi/ | gweŋ /ɡweŋ/ | kidi /kidi/ | päm /pam/ | kuur /kuːr/ | jiwe /ˈdʒiwe/ |
| Mountain | got /ɡɔt/ | got /ɡot/ | kidi /kidi/ | — | — | gɔ̈ɔ̈t /ɡɔːt/ | mlima /ˈmlima/ |
| Sea | nam /nam/ | nam /nam/ | nam /nam/ | — | bar /bar/ | — | bahari /baˈhari/ |
| Mother | mama /mama/ | mego /meɡo/ | mego /meɡo/ | min /min/ | maar /maːr/ | man /man/ | mama /ˈmama/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | papo /papo/ | waad /waːd/ | gwaar /ɡwaːr/ | wun /wun/ | baba /ˈbaba/ |
| Daughter | nyar /ɲar/ | nya /ɲa/ | nya /ɲa/ | — | nya /ɲa/ | nyan /ɲan/ | binti /binti/ |
| I | an /an/ | an /an/ | an /an/ | än /an/ | ɣän /ɣan/ | ɣɛn /ɣɛn/ | mimi /ˈmimi/ |
| You | in /in/ | in /in/ | yin /jin/ | in /in/ | jin /jin/ | yïn /jin/ | wewe /ˈwewe/ |
| We | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wan /wan/ | wän /wan/ | kɔn /kɔn/ | ɣok /ɣɔk/ | sisi /ˈsisi/ |
| Name | nying /ɲiŋ/ | nying /ɲiŋ/ | nying /ɲiŋ/ | nyiŋ /ɲiŋ/ | ciot /tɕɔːt/ | rin /rin/ | jina /ˈdʒina/ |
| Person | dhano /ðano/ | dano /dano/ | dano /dano/ | — | raan /raːn/ | raan /raːn/ | mtu /ˈmtu/ |
| Head | wich /witʃ/ | wic /witʃ/ | wic /witʃ/ | wic /witʃ/ | wic /witʃ/ | nhom /n̪om/ | kichwa /ˈkitʃwa/ |
| Eye | wangʼ /waŋ/ | wang /waŋ/ | waŋ /waŋ/ | waang /waːŋ/ | waŋ /waŋ/ | nyin /ɲin/ | jicho /dʒitʃo/ |
| Ear | it /it/ | it /it/ | it /it/ | yith /jiθ/ | jith /dʒiθ/ | yith /jic/ | sikio /sikio/ |
| Nose | um /um/ | um /um/ | um /um/ | wum /wum/ | wum /wum/ | wum /wum/ | pua /ˈpua/ |
| Mouth | dhok /ðok/ | dog /doɡ/ | dog /doɡ/ | — | thok /t̪ɔk/ | thok /t̪ɔk/ | mdomo /mˈɗomo/ |
| Tooth | lak /lak/ | lak /lak/ | lak /lak/ | leo /leo/ | lei /lei/ | lec /letʃ/ | jino /dʒino/ |
| Tongue | lep /lɛp/ | leb /lɛb/ | leb /lɛb/ | lɛph /lɛpʰ/ | lɛp /lɛpʰ/ | liep /liep/ | ulimi /ulimi/ |
| Hand | lwedo /lwɛdo/ | cing /tʃiŋ/ | cing /tʃiŋ/ | cing /tʃiŋ/ | tet /tet/ | cin /tʃin/ | mkono /mˈkono/ |
| Foot | tielo /tiɛlo/ | tyen /tʲɛn/ | tyen /tjɛn/ | tielo /tielo/ | cio̱o̱k /tɕɔːk/ | cök /tʃɔk/ | mguu /m̩ˈɠuː/ |
| Heart | chuny /tʃuɲ/ | cwiny /tʃwiɲ/ | cwiny /tʃwiɲ/ | cuny /tʃuɲ/ | lëŋ /lɛŋ/ | piöu /piɔu/ | moyo /mojo/ |
| Bone | chogo /tʃoɡo/ | cogo /tʃoɡo/ | cogo /tʃoɡo/ | cou /tʃou/ | cɔɣ /tʃɔɣ/ | yuɔɔm /juɔːm/ | mfupa /mfupa/ |
| Blood | remo /rɛmo/ | remo /rɛmo/ | rem /rɛm/ | remoʼ /rɛmoʔ/ | riɛm /riɛm/ | riɛm /riɛm/ | damu /damu/ |
| Poop | chieth /tʃiɛθ/ | cet /tʃɛt/ | cet /tʃɛt/ | — | — | ciɛ̈th /tʃiɛt̪/ | Kinyesi /kiˈɲesi/ |
| Love | hera /hera/ | mar /mar/ | amara /amara/ | mar /mar/ | nhok /nok/ | nhiär /n̪iar/ | upendo /uˈpendo/ |
| Tree | yath /jaθ/ | yat /jat/ | yat /jat/ | yat /jat/ | jïath /dʒiat̪/ | tim /tim/ | mti /ˈmti/ |
| Dog | guok /ɡuok/ | gwok /ɡʷok/ | gwok /ɡwok/ | guok /ɡuok/ | jiek /dʒiek/ | jɔ̈ŋ /dʒɔŋ/ | mbwa /ᵐbwa/ |
| Cat | paka /paka/ | ngabu /ŋabu/ | mbweko /mbweko/ | nyamur /ɲamur/ | gec /ɡetʃ/ | gec /ɡetʃ/ | paka /ˈpaka/ |
| Fish | rech /rɛtʃ/ | rec /rɛtʃ/ | rec /rɛtʃ/ | reo /reoʔ/ | rec /rɛtʃ/ | rec /rɛtʃ/ | samaki /samaki/ |
| Bird | winyo /wiɲo/ | winyo /wiɲo/ | winyo /wiɲo/ | — | dit /dit/ | diɛt /diɛt/ | ndege /ndeɡe/ |
| Butterfly | oguyo /oɡujo/ | lapwopwo /lapwopwo/ | kapwopwo /kapwopwo/ | — | del kwoth /dɛl kwɔt̪/ | dap /dap/ | kipepeo /kipeˈpeo/ |
| Egg | tongʼ /toŋ/ | tong /toŋ/ | toŋ /toŋ/ | tøŋ gwienø /tøŋ ɡwienø/ | tuoŋ /tuɔŋ/ | tuɔŋ /tuɔŋ/ | yai /ˈjai/ |
| Bear | dubu /dubu/ | — | dubu /dubu/ | — | — | — | dubu /ˈdubu/ |
| Horse | faras /faras/ | aguragura /aɡuraɡura/ | aguragura /aɡuraɡura/ | okweeny /okweːɲ/ | jio̱k tuɔ̱ruɔ̱k /dʒiɔk tuɔruɔk/ | mathiaŋ /mat̪iaŋ/ | farasi /faˈrasi/ |
| House | ot /ot/ | ot /ot/ | ot /ot/ | ot /ot/ | dööl /dɔːl/ | ɣöt /ɣɔt/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ |
| Milk | chak /tʃak/ | cak /tʃak/ | cak /tʃak/ | caak /tʃaːk/ | cak /tʃak/ | ca /tʃa/ | maziwa /maˈziwa/ |
| Honey | mor kich /mor kitʃ/ | kic /kitʃ/ | moo kic /moː kitʃ/ | maar kïc /maːr kitʃ/ | tuaar /tuaːr/ | kiɛ̈c /kiɛtʃ/ | asali /aˈsali/ |
| Salt | chumbi /tʃumbi/ | kado /kado/ | kado /kado/ | — | milɛ /milɛ/ | awai /awai/ | chumvi /tʃumvi/ |
| Wine | divai /divai/ | bwino /bwino/ | koŋo /koŋo/ | køøŋ nyïïomøki /køːŋ ɲiːomøki/ | kɔaŋ /kɔaŋ/ | mɔ̈u /mɔu/ | mvinyo /mˈviɲo/ |
| Rice | ochele /otʃele/ | ruc /rutʃ/ | — | — | — | — | mchele /mˈtʃele/ |
| Iron | nyinyo /ˈɲiɲo/ | nyonyo /ɲoɲo/ | nyonyo /ɲoɲo/ | — | yiëëth /jiɛːt̪/ | weeth /weːt̪/ | chuma /tʃuma/ |
| Wheel | nyange /ɲaŋe/ | lawala /lawala/ | okot /okot/ | — | wil /wil/ | köl /kɔl/ | gurudumu /ɡuruˈdumu/ |
| Silk | las /las/ | aridi /aridi/ | — | — | — | — | hariri /haˈriri/ |
| Book | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | buk /buk/ | — | bok /bɔk/ | athör /at̪ɔr/ | kitabu /kiˈtabu/ |
| Eat | chiemo /tʃiemo/ | cam /tʃam/ | camo /tʃamo/ | cam /tʃam/ | cam /tʃam/ | cam /tʃam/ | kula /ˈkula/ |
| Drink | madho /maðo/ | mat /mat/ | matho /matʰo/ | maath /maːt̪/ | math /mat̪/ | dek /dek/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| Sleep | nindo /nindo/ | nino /nino/ | nino /nino/ | nin /nin/ | nin /nin/ | nin /niːn/ | kulala /kulala/ |
| One | achiel /atʃiɛl/ | acel /atʃɛl/ | acel /atʃɛl/ | acel /atʃel/ | kɛl /kɛl/ | tök /tɔk/ | moja /modʒa/ |
| Two | ariyo /arijo/ | aryo /arjo/ | aryo /arjo/ | aryew /arjɛw/ | rew /rɛw/ | rou /rou/ | mbili /mˈbili/ |
| Three | adek /adek/ | adek /adek/ | adek /adek/ | adak /adʌk/ | diɔ̱k /dijɔk/ | diak /diak/ | tatu /tatu/ |
| Four | angʼwen /aŋwɛn/ | angwen /aŋwɛn/ | angwen /aŋwɛn/ | angween /aŋweːn/ | ŋuan /ŋwan/ | ŋuan /ŋuan/ | nne /nːe/ |
| Five | abich /abitʃ/ | abic /abitʃ/ | abic /aˈbitʃ/ | abic /abitʃ/ | dhieec /ɟiec/ | dhiëc /ɟiɛc/ | tano /ˈtano/ |
| Hundred | mia /mia/ | miya /mija/ | mia /miə/ | dipa /dipa/ | kuɔ̱r /kuɔr/ | buɔt /buɔt/ | mia /ˈmia/ |
| Hello | misawa /misawa/ | itye nining /itʲɛ niniŋ/ | itye nining /itje niniŋ/ | mali /mali/ | malɛ /malɛ/ | ke yïn /ke jin/ | habari /haˈbari/ |
| Thank you | erokamano /erokamano/ | apwoyo /apwojo/ | apwoyo /apwojo/ | apwoyo /apwojo/ | lɛrnyä /lɛrɲa/ | alanyiek /alaɲiek/ | asante /aˈsante/ |
| Good | maber /maber/ | ber /ber/ | ber /ber/ | ber /ber/ | gɔaa /ɡɔaː/ | piath /piat̪/ | nzuri /ˈnzuri/ |
| New | manyien /maɲien/ | manyen /maɲɛn/ | anyen /aɲen/ | nyään /ɲaːn/ | — | yam /jam/ | mpya /ˈmpja/ |
| Red | makwar /makwar/ | makwar /makwar/ | makwar /makwar/ | kwaar /kwaːr/ | lual /lual/ | thith /tʰitʰ/ | nyekundu /ɲekundu/ |
| White | rachar /ratʃar/ | tar /tar/ | tar /tar/ | tar /tar/ | bor /bor/ | ɣer /ɣer/ | nyeupe /ɲeupe/ |
| Black | ratengʼ /ratɛŋ/ | macol /matʃol/ | acol /atʃol/ | cøl /tʃøl/ | car /tʃar/ | col /tʃol/ | nyeusi /ɲeusi/ |
| Blue | rambulu /rambulu/ | mabulu /mabulu/ | bululu /bululu/ | — | yiel /jiel/ | — | buluu /buluː/ |
| Computer | kompyuta /kompjuta/ | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | kompiuta /kompiuta/ | — | — | makuɛ̈n /makuɛn/ | kompyuta /kompjuta/ |
| Tea | chai /tʃai/ | cai /tʃai/ | — | — | — | cai /tʃai/ | chai /tʃai/ |
| Coffee | kahawa /kahawa/ | kawa /kawa/ | kawa /kawa/ | — | — | — | kahawa /kaˈhawa/ |
| Sugar | sukari /sukari/ | cukari /tʃukari/ | — | — | — | — | sukari /suˈkari/ |
| Orange | machunga /matʃuŋɡa/ | mucungwa /mutʃuŋwa/ | — | — | — | bertukan /bertukan/ | chungwa /tʃuŋɡwa/ |
| Ninety-nine | piero ochiko gochiko /piero otʃiko ɡotʃiko/ | pyere abongwen wiye abongwen /pjere aboŋwɛn wije aboŋwɛn/ | pyeraboŋwen wie aboŋwen /pjeraboŋwɛn wie aboŋwɛn/ | — | jiɛn bäŋuan wi̱cdɛ bäŋuan /ɟiɛn bʌŋwan wicdɛ bʌŋwan/ | thiärdhoŋuan ku dhoŋuan /t̪iard̪oŋuan ku d̪oŋuan/ | tisini na tisa /tiˈsini na ˈtisa/ |
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