ChiNdau
Ndau
Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Shona)
Ndau (Chindau) is a Bantu language of central Mozambique and eastern Zimbabwe, sometimes classified as a dialect of Shona but with notable differences. Speakers (~2.4M) include the Tsonga-influenced Ndau community, and the language gained prominence as the L1 of Mozambican president Filipe Nyusi (since 2015). Notable for click consonants (acquired via Nguni contact), seven vowels, and serving as the liturgical Vapostori indigenous-church language. Latin script.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Ndau
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Atlantic-Congo (Bantu, Shona)
| Meaning | Ndau | Manyika | Shona | Sena | Tumbuka | Chewa | Zambian Tonga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | mvura /mvuɾa/ | mvura /mvuɾa/ | mvura /mvura/ | madzi /madzi/ | maji /madʒi/ | madzi /madzi/ | meenda /meːnda/ |
| Fire | muriro /muɾiɾo/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | moto /moto/ | mulilo /mulilo/ |
| Sun | zuva /zuva/ | zuva /zuva/ | zuva /zuva/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | zuŵa /zuβa/ | dzuwa /dzuwa/ | zuba /zuba/ |
| Moon | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwedzi /mwedzi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ | mwezi /mwezi/ |
| Star | nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ | nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ | nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ | nyenyezi /ɲeˈɲezi/ |
| Night | usiku /usiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | usiku /usiku/ | busiku /busiku/ |
| Rain | mvura /mvura/ | mvura /mvura/ | mvura /mvura/ | mvura /mvura/ | vula /ˈvula/ | mvula /ˈmvula/ | imvula /imvula/ |
| Snow | chando /tʃando/ | — | sinoo /sinoː/ | neve /neve/ | chiwuvi /tʃiwuvi/ | chipale chofewa /tʃipale tʃofewa/ | caanda /tʃaːnda/ |
| Wind | mhepo /mʰepo/ | mhepo /mʰepo/ | mhepo /ˈmʱepo/ | mphepo /mpʰepo/ | mphepo /ˈmpʰepo/ | mphepo /ˈmpʰepo/ | muwo /muwo/ |
| Earth | ivhu /iβu/ | ivhu /iβu/ | ivhu /iβu/ | mataka /mataka/ | dongo /doŋɡo/ | dothi /ˈdotʰi/ | bulongo /buloŋɡo/ |
| Stone | buwe /buwe/ | ibwe /iɓwe/ | ibwe /iˈɓwe/ | mwala /mwala/ | libwe /liˈɓwe/ | mwala /ˈmwala/ | ibbwe /iˈbwe/ |
| Mountain | mutunhu /mutunʰu/ | gomo /ɡomo/ | gomo /ˈɡomo/ | phiri /pʰiri/ | phiri /pʰiɾi/ | phiri /ˈpʰiɾi/ | cilundu /tʃilundu/ |
| Sea | ruandhle /ruandɮe/ | gungwa /ɡuŋɡwa/ | gungwa /ɡuŋɡwa/ | bara /bara/ | nyanja /ɲandʒa/ | nyanja /ɲandʒa/ | lwaanje /lwaːndʒe/ |
| Mother | amai /amai/ | amai /amai/ | amai /amai/ | mai /mai/ | amama /amama/ | amayi /amaji/ | bama /bama/ |
| Father | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | baba /baba/ | adada /adada/ | abambo /abambo/ | bataata /bataːta/ |
| Daughter | mwanasikana /mwanasikana/ | mukunda /mukunda/ | mwanasikana /mwanasikana/ | mwana wankazi /mwana wankazi/ | mwana msungwana /mwana msuŋɡwana/ | mwana wamkazi /mwana wamkazi/ | mwana musimbi /mwana musimbi/ |
| I | ini /ini/ | ini /ini/ | ini /ini/ | ine /ine/ | ine /ine/ | ine /ine/ | ime /ime/ |
| You | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ | iwe /iwe/ |
| We | isusu /isusu/ | isu /isu/ | isu /isu/ | ife /ife/ | ise /ise/ | ife /ife/ | iswe /iswe/ |
| Name | zina /zina/ | zita /zita/ | zita /zita/ | dzina /dzina/ | zina /zina/ | dzina /dzina/ | izina /iˈziːna/ |
| Person | munhu /munʰu/ | munhu /munʱu/ | munhu /muˈnʱu/ | munthu /muntʰu/ | munthu /muntʰu/ | munthu /muntʰu/ | muntu /muntu/ |
| Head | soro /soro/ | musoro /musoro/ | musoro /musoro/ | nsolo /nsolo/ | mutu /mutu/ | mutu /mutu/ | mutwe /mutwe/ |
| Eye | dziso /dziso/ | ziso /ziso/ | ziso /ziso/ | diso /diso/ | jiso /dʒiso/ | diso /diso/ | liso /liso/ |
| Ear | nzee /nzee/ | nzeve /nzeve/ | nzeve /nzeβe/ | khutu /kʰutu/ | khutu /kʰutu/ | khutu /kʰutu/ | kutwi /kutwi/ |
| Nose | miro /miro/ | mhino /mʱino/ | mhino /mʱino/ | mphuno /mpʰuno/ | mphuno /mpʰuno/ | mphuno /mˈpʰuno/ | impemo /impemo/ |
| Mouth | muromo /muromo/ | muromo /muromo/ | muromo /muˈromo/ | nkanwa /nkanwa/ | mlomo /m̩lomo/ | kamwa /ˈkamʷa/ | kanwa /kanwa/ |
| Tooth | zino /zino/ | zino /zino/ | zino /zino/ | dzino /dzino/ | jino /dʒino/ | dzino /dzino/ | linyo /liɲo/ |
| Tongue | rurumi /ɾuɾumi/ | rurimi /rurimi/ | rurimi /rurimi/ | lirimi /lirimi/ | lulimi /lulimi/ | lilime /lilime/ | mulaka /mulaka/ |
| Hand | nyara /ɲara/ | ruoko /ɾwoko/ | ruoko /rwoko/ | nkono /nkono/ | woko /woko/ | dzanja /dzandʒa/ | kuboko /kuboko/ |
| Foot | tsoka /tsoka/ | — | tsoka /tsoka/ | mwendo /mwendo/ | lundi /lundi/ | phazi /ˈpʰazí/ | cituta /tʃituta/ |
| Heart | mwoyo /mwojo/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | mwoyo /mwojo/ | ntima /ntima/ | mtima /m̩tima/ | mtima /mtima/ | moyo /mojo/ |
| Bone | godo /ɡodo/ | godo /ɡodo/ | pfupa /pfupa/ | gogodo /ɡoɡodo/ | chiwangwa /tʃiwaŋɡwa/ | fupa /fupa/ | ifuwa /ifuwa/ |
| Blood | ngazi /ŋɡazi/ | ropa /ropa/ | ropa /ropa/ | malopa /malopa/ | ndopa /ndopa/ | magazi /maɡazi/ | bulowa /bulowa/ |
| Poop | matuzvi /matuzvi/ | tsvina /tsvina/ | tsvina /tsvina/ | matubzwi /matubzwi/ | mavi /mavi/ | matuvi /matuvi/ | tubi /tubi/ |
| Love | rudo /ɾudo/ | rudo /ɾudo/ | rudo /rudo/ | kufuna /kufuna/ | kutemwa /kutemwa/ | chikondi /tʃikondi/ | luyando /lujando/ |
| Tree | muti /muti/ | muti /muti/ | muti /muti/ | muti /muti/ | khuni /kʰuni/ | mtengo /mteŋɡo/ | cisamu /tʃisamu/ |
| Dog | imbwa /imbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | imbwa /imbwa/ | mbwa /mbwa/ | ncheŵe /ntʃeβe/ | galu /ɡalu/ | muvwa /muvwa/ |
| Cat | kiti /kiti/ | katsi /katsi/ | katsi /katsi/ | paka /paka/ | chona /tʃona/ | mphaka /mpʰaka/ | kaaze /kaːze/ |
| Fish | hove /hove/ | hove /hove/ | hove /hove/ | omba /omba/ | somba /somba/ | nsomba /nsomba/ | inswi /inswi/ |
| Bird | shiri /ʃiri/ | shiri /ʃiri/ | shiri /ʃiri/ | mbalame /mbalame/ | chiyuni /tʃijuni/ | mbalame /mɓaˈlame/ | kayuni /kajuni/ |
| Butterfly | berepeswa /beɾepeswa/ | — | shaveshave /ʃaveʃave/ | bemberuwa /bemberuwa/ | bulawura /bulawuɾa/ | gulugufe /ɡuluˈɡufe/ | inkoonkolekwa /iŋkoːŋkolekwa/ |
| Egg | zanda /zanda/ | zai /zai/ | zai /zai/ | dzai /dzai/ | sumbi /sumbi/ | dzira /dzira/ | iji /idʒi/ |
| Bear | bheya /bʱeja/ | — | bheya /bʱeja/ | urusu /urusu/ | — | — | bbeya /ˈbeja/ |
| Horse | hachi /hatʃi/ | bhiza /biza/ | bhiza /biza/ | kavalo /kavalo/ | hachi /hatʃi/ | hatchi /hatʃʰi/ | ibbiza /iˈbiza/ |
| House | mhatso /mʰatso/ | mhatso /mhatso/ | imba /imba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | nyumba /ɲumba/ | ngʼanda /ŋanda/ |
| Milk | mukaka /mukaka/ | mukaka /mukaka/ | mukaka /mukaka/ | nkaka /nkaka/ | mkaka /m̩kaka/ | mkaka /m̩kaka/ | mukupa /mukupa/ |
| Honey | uchi /utʃi/ | uchi /utʃi/ | uchi /utʃi/ | uci /utʃi/ | uchi /utʃi/ | uchi /utʃi/ | buci /butʃi/ |
| Salt | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | munyu /muɲu/ | mchere /m̩tʃere/ | mchere /mtʃere/ | munyo /muɲo/ |
| Wine | vhini /vini/ | waini /waini/ | waini /waini/ | vinyu /viɲu/ | vinyo /viɲo/ | vinyo /viɲo/ | waini /waini/ |
| Rice | mupunga /mupuŋɡa/ | mupunga /mupuŋɡa/ | mupunga /mupuŋɡa/ | mpunga /mpuŋɡa/ | mpunga /mpuŋɡa/ | mpunga /mpuŋɡa/ | mupunga /mupuŋɡa/ |
| Iron | simbi /simbi/ | simbi /simbi/ | simbi /ˈsimbi/ | utale /utale/ | chisulo /tʃiˈsulo/ | chitsulo /tʃiˈtsulo/ | butale /butale/ |
| Wheel | vhiri /viɾi/ | vhiri /βiri/ | vhiri /viri/ | roda /roda/ | khwiro /kʰwiro/ | gudumu /ɡudumu/ | ivwili /iˈvwili/ |
| Silk | sirika /siɾika/ | siriki /siriki/ | sirika /sirika/ | seda /seda/ | siliki /siliki/ | silika /silika/ | — |
| Book | tsamba /tsamba/ | bhuku /buku/ | bhuku /ˈɓuku/ | bukhu /bukʰu/ | buku /buku/ | buku /ˈbuku/ | ibbuku /iˈbuku/ |
| Eat | kudya /kudʒa/ | kudya /kudʒa/ | kudya /kudja/ | kudya /kudja/ | kurya /kuɾja/ | kudya /kudja/ | kulya /kulja/ |
| Drink | kumwa /kumwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunwa /kunwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kumwa /kumwa/ | kunywa /kuɲwa/ |
| Sleep | kuata /kuata/ | rara /ˈraɾa/ | kurara /kuˈrara/ | kugona /kuɡona/ | kugona /kuˈɡona/ | kugona /kuˈɡona/ | koona /koːna/ |
| One | chimwe /tʃimwe/ | rimwe /ɾimwe/ | potsi /potsi/ | posi /posi/ | chimoza /tʃimoza/ | chimodzi /tʃimodzi/ | mwi /mwi/ |
| Two | piri /piɾi/ | piri /piri/ | piri /piri/ | piŵiri /piwiri/ | viŵiri /viβiɾi/ | awiri /awiri/ | bili /bili/ |
| Three | tatu /tatu/ | tatu /tatu/ | tatu /tatu/ | pitatu /pitatu/ | vitatu /vitatu/ | zitatu /zitatu/ | totatwe /totatwe/ |
| Four | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | ina /ina/ | pinai /pinai/ | vinayi /vinaji/ | zinayi /zinaji/ | ne /ne/ |
| Five | shanu /ʃanu/ | shanu /ʃanu/ | shanu /ʃanu/ | xanu /ʃanu/ | vinkhonde /viŋkʰonde/ | sanu /sanu/ | musanu /musanu/ |
| Hundred | zana /zana/ | zana /zana/ | zana /zana/ | dzana /dzana/ | zana /zana/ | zana /zana/ | mwaanda /mwaːnda/ |
| Hello | mhoroi /mhoɾoji/ | makadii /makadiː/ | mhoro /mʱoro/ | mwadzukabwanji /mwadzukabwandʒi/ | monire /moniɾe/ | moni /moni/ | mwabuka buti /mwabuka buti/ |
| Thank you | ndatenda /ndatenda/ | mazviita /mazviita/ | maita /maita/ | ndatenda /ndatenda/ | yewo /jewo/ | zikomo /zikomo/ | twalumba /twalumba/ |
| Good | kanaka /kanaka/ | kunaka /kunaka/ | chakanaka /tʃakanaka/ | nadidi /nadidi/ | chiweme /tʃiweme/ | chabwino /tʃabwino/ | kabotu /kabotu/ |
| New | tsva /tsva/ | itsva /itsva/ | itsva /itsva/ | ipsa /ipsa/ | chiphya /tʃipʰja/ | chatsopano /tʃatsopano/ | pya /pja/ |
| Red | tsvuku /tsvuku/ | tsvuku /tsvuku/ | tsvuku /tsvuku/ | funga /funɡa/ | swesi /swesi/ | chofiira /tʃofiːra/ | subila /subila/ |
| White | chena /tʃena/ | chena /tʃena/ | chena /tʃena/ | cena /tʃena/ | tuŵa /tuβa/ | yoyera /joˈjeɾa/ | salala /salala/ |
| Black | svipa /svipa/ | tema /tema/ | tema /tema/ | psipa /psipa/ | fipa /fipa/ | chakuda /tʃakuda/ | siya /sija/ |
| Coffee | khofi /kʰofi/ | — | kofi /kofi/ | kafe /kafe/ | khofi /kʰofi/ | kofi /kofi/ | kkofi /ˈkofi/ |
| Sugar | sikiri /sikiɾi/ | — | shuga /ʃuɡa/ | xuka /ʃuka/ | shuga /ʃuɡa/ | shuga /ʃuɡa/ | syuga /sjuɡa/ |
| Ninety-nine | makumi mapfumbamwe nepfumbamwe /makumi mapfumbamwe nepfumbamwe/ | makumi mapfumbamwe namapfumbamwe /makumi mapfumbamwe namapfumbamwe/ | makumi mapfumbamwe nepfumbamwe /makumi mapfumbamwe nepfumbamwe/ | makumapfemba na mapfemba /makumapfemba na mapfemba/ | makhumi ghankhonde na ghanayi na vinkhonde na vinayi /makʰumi ɣaŋkʰonde na ɣanaji na viŋkʰonde na vinaji/ | makumi asanu ndi anayi mphambu zisanu ndi zinayi /makumi asanu ndi anaji mpʰambu zisanu ndi zinaji/ | makumi aali fuka afuka /makumi aːli fuka afuka/ |
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