Chicheŵa

Chewa

Bantu

FamilyBantu Speakers~15M ScriptLatin CountriesMalawi, Zambia, Mozambique Official inMalawi Vitalitysafe ISO 639-3nya

Chichewa (Nyanja) is the national language of Malawi and a major lingua franca in Zambia (where it is called Nyanja) and Mozambique (Tete and Zambezia provinces), with around 12 million speakers. A Bantu N-zone language closely related to Tumbuka, Yao, and Sena. Has 7 vowels with phonemic length, an extensive noun-class system (10+ classes), and a tonal system distinguishing lexical and grammatical meanings. Promoted as the language of national unity by Hastings Banda's post-independence Malawi government. Latin script; rich tradition of mbira music, oral literature, and recent novelistic writing.

Where it is spoken

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87 core words in Chewa

Water

madzi

madzi

Fire

moto

moto

Sun

dzuwa

dzuwa

Moon

mwezi

mwezi

Star

nyenyezi

ɲeɲezi

Night

usiku

usiku

Rain

mvula

ˈmvula

Snow

chipale chofewa

tʃipale tʃofewa

Wind

mphepo

ˈmpʰepo

Earth

dothi

ˈdotʰi

Stone

mwala

ˈmwala

Mountain

phiri

ˈpʰiɾi

Sea

nyanja

ɲandʒa

Mother

amayi

amaji

Father

abambo

abambo

Daughter

mwana wamkazi

mwana wamkazi

I

ine

ine

You

iwe

iwe

We

ife

ife

Name

dzina

dzina

Person

munthu

muntʰu

Head

mutu

mutu

Eye

diso

diso

Ear

khutu

kʰutu

Nose

mphuno

mˈpʰuno

Mouth

kamwa

ˈkamʷa

Tooth

dzino

dzino

Tongue

lilime

lilime

Hand

dzanja

dzandʒa

Foot

phazi

ˈpʰazí

Heart

mtima

mtima

Bone

fupa

fupa

Blood

magazi

maɡazi

Poop

matuvi

matuvi

Love

chikondi

tʃikondi

Tree

mtengo

mteŋɡo

Dog

galu

ɡalu

Cat

mphaka

mpʰaka

Fish

nsomba

nsomba

Bird

mbalame

mɓaˈlame

Butterfly

gulugufe

ɡuluˈɡufe

Egg

dzira

dzira

Horse

hatchi

hatʃʰi

House

nyumba

ɲumba

Milk

mkaka

m̩kaka

Honey

uchi

utʃi

Salt

mchere

mtʃere

Wine

vinyo

viɲo

Rice

mpunga

mpuŋɡa

Chocolate

chokoleti

tʃokoleti

Iron

chitsulo

tʃiˈtsulo

Wheel

gudumu

ɡudumu

Silk

silika

silika

Book

buku

ˈbuku

Eat

kudya

kudja

Drink

kumwa

kumwa

Sleep

kugona

kuˈɡona

One

chimodzi

tʃimodzi

Two

awiri

awiri

Three

zitatu

zitatu

Four

zinayi

zinaji

Five

sanu

sanu

Hundred

zana

zana

Hello

moni

moni

Thank you

zikomo

zikomo

Good

chabwino

tʃabwino

New

chatsopano

tʃatsopano

Red

chofiira

tʃofiːra

White

yoyera

joˈjeɾa

Black

chakuda

tʃakuda

Green

wobiriwira

wobiriwira

Blue

wobiriwira

wobiriwira

Computer

kompyuta

kompjuta

Tea

tiyi

ˈtiji

Coffee

kofi

kofi

Sugar

shuga

ʃuɡa

Orange

lalanje

lalandʒe

Ninety-nine

makumi asanu ndi anayi mphambu zisanu ndi zinayi

makumi asanu ndi anaji mpʰambu zisanu ndi zinaji

Sources

Words compared

Compared with languages in the same classification: Bantu

Meaning ChewaTumbukaSenaShonaYaoNdauBemba
Water madzi /madzi/ maji /madʒi/ madzi /madzi/ mvura /mvura/ mesi /mesi/ mvura /mvuɾa/ amenshi /amenʃi/
Fire moto /moto/ moto /moto/ moto /moto/ moto /moto/ moto /moto/ muriro /muɾiɾo/ umulilo /umulilo/
Sun dzuwa /dzuwa/ zuŵa /zuβa/ dzuwa /dzuwa/ zuva /zuva/ lyuwa /ʎuwa/ zuva /zuva/ akasuba /akasuba/
Moon mwezi /mwezi/ mwezi /mwezi/ mwedzi /mwedzi/ mwedzi /mwedzi/ mwesi /mwesi/ mwedzi /mwedzi/ umweshi /umweʃi/
Star nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ nyenyezi /ɲeɲezi/ nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ ndondwa /ndondwa/ nyeredzi /ɲeredzi/ intanda /intanda/
Night usiku /usiku/ usiku /usiku/ usiku /usiku/ usiku /usiku/ chilo /tʃilo/ usiku /usiku/ ubushiku /ubuʃiku/
Rain mvula /ˈmvula/ vula /ˈvula/ mvura /mvura/ mvura /mvura/ ula /ula/ mvura /mvura/ imfula /imˈfula/
Snow chipale chofewa /tʃipale tʃofewa/ chiwuvi /tʃiwuvi/ neve /neve/ sinoo /sinoː/ — chando /tʃando/ ubunga bwa mfula /ubuŋɡa bwa mfula/
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Word order compared

Compare with major world languages

Chewa
Ndikufuna kuyesa suti yomwe ndinaiona m' shopu moyangʼanira hotelo
I want to try on a suit I saw ‌in a shop across from the hotel
Ich möchte einen Anzug anprobieren den ich in einem Geschäft gegenüber vom Hotel gesehen habe
मैं होटल के सामने एक दुकान में देखा सूट को पहनकर देखना चाहता हूँ
私は ホテルの 向かいの お店 で 見た スーツを 試着 したいです
我 想 试穿 酒店 对面的 商店 里 看到的 那套西装
أنا أريد أن أجرب بدلة رأيتها في محل مقابل الفندق
Я хочу примерить костюм который я увидел в магазине напротив отеля

Compare with languages in the same classification

Chewa
Ndikufuna kuyesa suti yomwe ndinaiona m' shopu moyangʼanira hotelo
Ndashaka gupima ikositimu nabonye mu iduka imbere ya hoteli
Ndinoda kupfeka suti yandakaona muchitoro iri pakatarisana ne hoteru
Ninataka kujaribu suti niliyoiona katika duka mkabala na hoteli
Ndifuna ukulinga isuti endayibona evenkileni ekhangelene ne hotele

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