Nzɛma
Nzima
Niger-Congo
Nzima (autonymously Nzɛma) is a Kwa language of the Niger-Congo family, spoken by around 330,000 people in the western Western Region of Ghana and adjacent eastern Côte d'Ivoire. The Nzima are most internationally famous as the home community of Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's independence-era founding president, who was born in Nkroful in Nzemaland in 1909. Linguistically, Nzima is part of the Bia branch of Kwa, closely related to Ahanta and more distantly to the major Twi-Akan dialect cluster (ak). The Nzima maintain strong cultural traditions including the annual Kundum festival celebrated across Nzemaland in August/September. Nzima has a developed literary tradition supported by the Bureau of Ghana Languages, with primary education materials and Nzima-language radio programming on Ghana Broadcasting Corporation.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Nzima
Sources
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Niger-Congo
| Meaning | Nzima | Akan | Baoulé | Ga | Adangme | Dagbani | Ewe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | nzule /nzule/ | nsuo /nsuo/ | nzue /nzue/ | nu /nu/ | nyu /ɲu/ | kom /kom/ | tsi /tsi/ |
| Fire | sinya /sinja/ | ogya /odʑa/ | sin /sĩ/ | la /la/ | la /la/ | buɣim /buɣim/ | dzo /dzo/ |
| Sun | ewia /ewia/ | owia /owia/ | wia /wia/ | hulu /hulu/ | hyɛ /çɛ/ | wuntaŋa /wuntaŋa/ | ɣe /ɣe/ |
| Moon | siane /sjane/ | ɔsrane /ɔsrane/ | anglo /aŋlo/ | ŋɔɔŋmɔ /ŋɔɔŋmɔ/ | nyɔnyɔɛ /ɲɔɲɔɛ/ | goli /ɡoli/ | ɣleti /ɣleti/ |
| Star | nzonlenle /nzɔnlɛnlɛ/ | nsoromma /n̩sòròmmá/ | nzraama /nzraːma/ | ŋulami /ŋùlámi/ | ŋulami /ŋulami/ | saŋmariga /saŋmariɡa/ | ɣletivi /ɣletivi/ |
| Night | nɔzo /nɔzo/ | anadwo /anadwo/ | kɔnguɛ /kɔŋɡʷɛ/ | nyɔŋ /ɲɔŋ/ | nyɔmi /ɲɔmi/ | yuŋ /juŋ/ | zã /zã/ |
| Rain | ezule /ezule/ | osu /oˈsu/ | — | nugbɔ /nuˈɡbɔ/ | hiɔmi /hiɔmi/ | saa /saː/ | tsidzadza /tsidzadza/ |
| Snow | ezukɔtweaba /ezukɔtweaba/ | sukyerɛmma /sutɕɪrɛmma/ | — | snoo /snoː/ | snoo /snoː/ | — | sno /sno/ |
| Wind | anwoma /anwoma/ | mframa /mframa/ | aunngban /aũŋɡbã/ | kɔɔyɔɔ /kɔːjɔː/ | kɔɔhiɔ /kɔːhiɔ/ | pɔhim /pɔhim/ | aya /aja/ |
| Earth | azɛlɛ /azɛlɛ/ | asase /asase/ | asiɛ /asiɛ/ | shikpɔŋ /ʃikpɔŋ/ | zugba /zuɡba/ | tiŋa /tiŋa/ | anyigba /aɲiɡba/ |
| Stone | bolɛ /bolɛ/ | ɔboɔ /ɔˈboɔ/ | yɛbuɛ /jɛbuɛ/ | tɛ /tɛ/ | tɛ /tɛ/ | kuɣili /kuɣili/ | kpe /kpe/ |
| Mountain | boka /boka/ | bepɔ /bepɔ/ | oka /oka/ | gɔŋ /ɡɔŋ/ | yoku /joku/ | zoli /zoli/ | to /to/ |
| Sea | nyevile /ɲevile/ | ɛpo /ɛpo/ | jenvie /dʒẽvie/ | ŋshɔ /ŋʃɔ/ | wo /wo/ | teeku /teːku/ | atsiaƒu /atsiaɸu/ |
| Mother | enwo /enwo/ | ɛna /ɛna/ | nin /nĩ/ | nyɛ /ɲɛ/ | nyɛ /ɲɛ/ | ma /ma/ | dada /dada/ |
| Father | papa /papa/ | agya /adʑa/ | si /si/ | tsɛ /tsɛ/ | tsɛ /tsɛ/ | ba /ba/ | fofo /fofo/ |
| Daughter | ra raalɛ /ra raːlɛ/ | ɔbabaa /ɔbabaː/ | ba bla /ba bla/ | biyoo /bijoː/ | biyo /bijo/ | bipuɣiŋga /bipuɣiŋɡa/ | vinyɔnu /viɲɔnu/ |
| I | me /mè/ | me /mɪ̀/ | min /mĩ́/ | mi /mì/ | i /i/ | mani /mani/ | nye /ɲɛ/ |
| You | wɔ /wɔ/ | wo /wʊ̀/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | bo /bo/ | mo /mo/ | nyini /ɲini/ | wò /wò/ |
| We | yɛ /jɛ̀/ | yɛn /jɛ̀n/ | ye /je/ | wɔ /wɔ̀/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | tinima /tinima/ | mí /mí/ |
| Name | duma /duma/ | din /dín/ | dunman /dũmã/ | gbɛi /ɡbɛ́i/ | biɛ /biɛ/ | yuli /juli/ | ŋkɔ /ŋkɔ/ |
| Person | sonla /sonla/ | onipa /onipa/ | sran /srã/ | gbɔmɔ /ɡbɔmɔ/ | nɔmlɔ /nɔmlɔ/ | ninsala /ninsala/ | ame /ame/ |
| Head | ti /ti/ | etire /etire/ | ti /ti/ | yitso /jitso/ | yi /ji/ | zuɣu /zuɣu/ | ta /ta/ |
| Eye | anye /anje/ | aniwa /aniwa/ | nyinma /ɲĩmã/ | hiŋmɛi /hiŋmɛi/ | hiŋmɛ /hiŋmɛ/ | nini /nini/ | ŋku /ŋku/ |
| Ear | anzo /anzo/ | aso /aso/ | su /su/ | toi /toi/ | toi /toi/ | tibili /tibili/ | to /to/ |
| Nose | bonyi /boɲi/ | hwene /ʍene/ | bue /bue/ | gugɔŋ /ɡuɡɔŋ/ | gugwɔ /ɡuɡwɔ/ | nyee /ɲeː/ | ŋɔti /ŋɔti/ |
| Mouth | nloa /nloa/ | ano /ano/ | nuan /nuã/ | naa /naː/ | nya /ɲa/ | noli /noli/ | nu /nu/ |
| Tooth | ɛjele /ɛdʒele/ | ɛse /ɛse/ | je /dʒe/ | nyɛnyoŋ /ɲɛɲoŋ/ | luŋu /luŋu/ | nyini /ɲini/ | aɖu /aɖu/ |
| Tongue | ɛtɛfima /ɛtɛfima/ | tɛkrɛma /tɛkrɛma/ | taaman /taːmã/ | lilɛi /lilɛi/ | lilɛ /lilɛ/ | zilinli /zilinli/ | aɖe /aɖe/ |
| Hand | ɛsa /ɛsa/ | nsa /nsa/ | sa /sa/ | nine /nine/ | nine /nine/ | nuu /nuː/ | asi /asi/ |
| Foot | gyakɛ /ɡʲakɛ/ | nan /nan/ | ja /dʒa/ | nane /nane/ | nane /nane/ | napɔŋ /napɔŋ/ | afɔ /àfɔ̀/ |
| Heart | ahonle /ahonle/ | akoma /akoma/ | anwlɛn /ãwlɛ̃/ | tsui /tsui/ | tsui /tsui/ | suhu /suhu/ | dzi /dzi/ |
| Bone | bowule /bowule/ | dompe /dompe/ | owie /owie/ | wu /wu/ | wu /wu/ | kɔbili /kɔbili/ | ƒu /ɸu/ |
| Blood | mogya /moɡʲa/ | mogya /moɡʲa/ | mmoja /mːodʒa/ | lá /lá/ | muɔ /muɔ/ | ʒim /ʒim/ | ʋu /ʋu/ |
| Poop | ebinli /ebinli/ | ebin /ebin/ | wakasu /wakasu/ | wamɔ /wamɔ/ | fĩ /fĩ/ | bindi /bindi/ | afɔdzi /afɔdzi/ |
| Love | ɛlɔlɛ /ɛlɔlɛ/ | ɔdɔ /ɔdɔ/ | klo /klo/ | suɔmɔ /suɔmɔ/ | suɔmi /suɔmi/ | yu /ju/ | lɔ̃lɔ̃ /lɔ̃lɔ̃/ |
| Tree | baka /baka/ | dua /dua/ | waka /waka/ | tso /tso/ | tso /tso/ | tia /tia/ | ati /ati/ |
| Dog | kraman /kraman/ | kraman /kraman/ | alua /alua/ | gbei /ɡbei/ | gbe /ɡbe/ | baa /baː/ | avu /avu/ |
| Cat | agyinamoa /adʑinamoa/ | agyinamoa /adʑinamoa/ | bisua /bisua/ | adi /adi/ | adi /adi/ | jɛŋkuno /dʒɛŋkuno/ | dadi /dadi/ |
| Fish | fɛlɛ /fɛlɛ/ | apataa /apataː/ | jue /dʒue/ | loo /loː/ | lo /lo/ | zahim /zahim/ | tɔmelã /tɔmelã/ |
| Bird | anloma /anloma/ | anoma /aˈnoma/ | anunman /anũmã/ | loofɔlɔ /loːfɔlɔ/ | lohwe pɛlitsɛ /lohwe pɛlitsɛ/ | nooŋa /noːŋa/ | xevi /xeʋi/ |
| Butterfly | ɛbolakɔlɛ /ɛbolakɔlɛ/ | afofantɔ /afofantɔ/ | abɛbɛ /abɛbɛ/ | abei /abei/ | kutu /kutu/ | kahimpiɛɣu /kahimpiɛɣu/ | kpakpaluʋui /kpakpaluʋui/ |
| Egg | kolonvia /kolonvia/ | kosua /kosua/ | klenzua /klẽzua/ | wuɔ /wuɔ/ | hlui /hlui/ | galli /ɡalli/ | koklozi /koklozi/ |
| Horse | ɛkpɔnwɔ /ɛkpɔnwɔ/ | ɔpɔnkɔ /ɔpɔŋkɔ/ | nnɛn kpanngɔ /nːɛ̃ kpãŋɡɔ/ | okpɔŋɔ /okpɔŋɔ/ | okpɔŋɔ /okpɔŋɔ/ | wahu /wahu/ | sɔ /sɔ/ |
| House | suakɛ /suakɛ/ | efie /efie/ | sua /sua/ | shia /ʃia/ | we /we/ | yili /jili/ | aƒe /aɸe/ |
| Milk | nyɛfonzule /ɲɛfonzule/ | nufusu /nufusu/ | nɔnnɔn /nɔ̃nɔ̃/ | fufɔ /fufɔ/ | nyɔ nyu /ɲɔ ɲu/ | bihim /bihim/ | notsi /notsi/ |
| Honey | wolɛ /wolɛ/ | ɛwoɔ /ɛwoɔ/ | awɛma nzue /awɛma nzue/ | wo /wo/ | hwo /hwo/ | shiri /ʃiri/ | anyitsi /aɲitsi/ |
| Salt | ngyenle /ndʑenle/ | nkyene /ntɕene/ | njin /ndʒĩ/ | ŋo /ŋo/ | ŋo /ŋo/ | yalim /jalim/ | dze /dze/ |
| Wine | nwanye /nwaɲe/ | bobesa /bobesa/ | duvɛn /duvɛ̃/ | wain /wain/ | wai /wai/ | wain /wain/ | wain /wain/ |
| Rice | awule /awule/ | ɛmo /ɛmo/ | awie /awie/ | omɔ /omɔ/ | omɔ /omɔ/ | shinkaafa /ʃinkaːfa/ | mɔlu /mɔlu/ |
| Iron | bulalɛ /bulalɛ/ | dadeɛ /dadeɛ/ | blalɛ /blalɛ/ | dade /dade/ | dade /dade/ | kurugu /kuruɡu/ | ga /ɡa/ |
| Wheel | ehwili /ehwili/ | ntwahonan /ntwahonan/ | kondokaa /kondokaː/ | shwiili /ʃwiːli/ | tlɔɔke nane /tlɔːke nane/ | kalinli /kalinli/ | afɔti /afɔti/ |
| Silk | selekye /seletɕe/ | serekye /seretɕe/ | — | seda /seda/ | seda /seda/ | sinichi /sinitʃi/ | seda /seda/ |
| Book | buluku /buluku/ | nwoma /ɲʷoma/ | fluwa /fluwa/ | wolo /wolo/ | womi /womi/ | buku /buku/ | agbalẽ /aɡbalẽ/ |
| Eat | di /di/ | didi /didi/ | di /di/ | yɛ /jɛ/ | ye /je/ | di /di/ | ɖu /ɖu/ |
| Drink | nu /nu/ | nom /nom/ | nɔn /nɔ̃/ | nu /nu/ | nu /nu/ | nyu /ɲu/ | no /no/ |
| Sleep | dafi /dafi/ | da /da/ | lafi /lafi/ | wɔ /wɔ/ | hwɔ mahe /hwɔ mahe/ | gbihi /ɡbihi/ | dɔ alɔ̃ /dɔ alɔ̃/ |
| One | kʊ /kʊ/ | baako /baːko/ | kun /kũ/ | ekome /ekome/ | kake /kake/ | yini /jini/ | ɖeka /ɖeka/ |
| Two | nwiɔ /nwiɔ/ | mmienu /m̩mìɛ̀nu/ | nnyɔn /nɲɔ̃/ | enyɔ /eɲɔ/ | enyɔ /eɲɔ/ | ayi /aji/ | eve /ève/ |
| Three | nsa /nsa/ | ɛbiɛsa /ɛbiɛsa/ | nsan /nsã/ | etɛ /etɛ/ | etɛ /etɛ/ | ata /ata/ | etɔ̃ /etɔ̃/ |
| Four | nna /nnã/ | ɛnan /ɛnã/ | nnan /nːã/ | ejwɛ /edʒwɛ/ | eywɛ /ejwɛ/ | anahi /anahi/ | ene /ene/ |
| Five | nnu /nnu/ | enum /ɛnũ/ | nnun /nːũ/ | enumɔ /enumɔ/ | enuɔ /enuɔ/ | anu /anu/ | atɔ̃ /atɔ̃/ |
| Hundred | ɛya /ɛja/ | ɔha /ɔha/ | ya /ja/ | oha /oha/ | lafa /lafa/ | kɔbiga /kɔbiɡa/ | alafa /alafa/ |
| Hello | akwaaba /akʷaːba/ | akwaaba /akʷaːba/ | akwaba /akwaba/ | ɔ jɔ /ɔ jɔ/ | daa /daː/ | dasiba /dasiba/ | ŋdi /ŋdi/ |
| Thank you | medaase /medaase/ | medaase /medaase/ | mo /mo/ | oyiwala /ojiwala/ | ojakuɛ /odʒakwɛ/ | mpaɣya /mpaɣja/ | akpe /akpe/ |
| Good | kpa /kpa/ | pa /pa/ | kpa /kpa/ | ekpakpa /ekpakpa/ | hɛŋmi /hɛŋmi/ | viɛla /viɛla/ | nyo /ɲo/ |
| New | fofolɛ /fofolɛ/ | foforɔ /foforɔ/ | uflɛ /uflɛ/ | hee /heː/ | he /he/ | palli /palli/ | yeye /jeje/ |
| Red | kɔkɔlɛ /kɔkɔlɛ/ | kɔkɔɔ /kɔkɔː/ | ɔkwlɛ /ɔkʷlɛ/ | tsuru /tsuru/ | tsu /tsu/ | ʒee /ʒeː/ | dzĩ /dziː̃/ |
| White | fufule /fufule/ | fitaa /fitaː/ | ufue /ufue/ | yɛŋ /jɛŋ/ | hiɔ /hiɔ/ | piɛlli /piɛlli/ | ɣi /ɣi/ |
| Black | bile /bile/ | tuntum /tuntum/ | ble /ble/ | diŋ /diŋ/ | yumu /jumu/ | sabinli /sabinli/ | yibɔ /jibɔ/ |
| Green | asuomenle /asuomenle/ | ahahammono /ahahammono/ | — | ŋoli /ŋoli/ | — | — | gbemumu /ɡbemumu/ |
| Blue | buluwu /buluwu/ | tuntum /tuntum/ | — | bla /bla/ | bluu /bluː/ | sabilifaa /sabilifaː/ | amã /amã/ |
| Computer | kɔmpita /kɔmpita/ | kɔmputa /kɔmputa/ | ɔrdinatɛli /ɔrdinatɛli/ | kɔmpiuta /kɔmpiuta/ | kɔmpiuta /kɔmpiuta/ | komputer /komputer/ | kɔmputa /kɔmputa/ |
| Tea | tii /tiː/ | tii /tiː/ | te /te/ | tii /tiː/ | — | tii /tiː/ | tii /tii/ |
| Sugar | asikyɛlɛ /asikjɛlɛ/ | asikre /asikre/ | sukwla /sukʷla/ | sikli /sikli/ | sikli /sikli/ | sichiri /sitʃiri/ | sukli /sukli/ |
| Orange | akutue /akutue/ | akutu /akutu/ | — | akutu /akutu/ | akutu /akutu/ | leemu /leːmu/ | akutu /akutu/ |
| Ninety-nine | abulahɔnla nee ngɔnla /abulahɔ̃lã neː ŋɡɔ̃lã/ | aduɔkron akron /aduɔkrõ akrõ/ | ablangwlan-nin-ngwlan /ablaŋɡʷlã nĩ ŋɡʷlã/ | nyɔŋmai nɛɛhu kɛ nɛɛhu /ɲɔŋmai nɛːhu kɛ nɛːhu/ | nyingmi nɛɛ kɛ nɛɛ /ɲiŋ͡mi nɛː kɛ nɛː/ | — | blaasiekɛ vɔ asiekɛ /blaasiekɛ vɔ asiekɛ/ |
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